WeDrink: Buy a Bottle, Save Lives

By:  Andrew Meredith

It's pretty safe to say that the scourge that is plastic bottled-water is finally beginning to lose steam in America. Reusable stainless-steel water bottles not only save us all kinds of money in the long run, they keep both ourselves and the planet safe from harmful plastics.  

Conveniently, there's a company out there that takes it even a step further than that.

WeDrink, based in Norfolk Virginia, sells canteens (awesome canteens), while also giving substantial and transparent per-bottle donations (as much as 50% of the bottle's pricetag) to water-relief charities. It's the buy-one-give-one business model similar to the One Laptop Per Child program and TOMS Shoes, except with water.

Each bottle can take care of the on-the-go water, juice, or even smoothie needs; it also supplies a large enough donation to sponsor one individual in the developing world with over 10 years of safe, clean water through WeDrink's Partnered Charities. In addition, WeDrink also makes per-bottle donations to causes that help clean up America's own waterways!  WeDrink's Partnered Charities include Water For People and PlayPumps International (which is now a subsidiary of WFP), which drill wells and provide sanitation services throughout Latin and South America, Africa, and the Middle East. WeDrink is global AND local and also supports the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, as well as the west coast's waterways through Heal The Bay!


So check them out at http://www.charitybottle.com or keep an eye out at The Space Above, as they will be available in the studio in the very near future. 


And check these links to find more ways to help:

http://www.waterforpeople.org/
http://www.cbf.org
http://www.healthebay.org

Restorative Yoga & Journaling from the Heart

Saturday April 17th 1:00pm-5:30pm

with Cecelia Rice, 500hr RYT, RRC & Elaine Walters McFerron, MFA, LPC

Fee $80.00  PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED

As the reflective energies of the New Moon shine upon us, please join Cecelia for this Restorative Yoga session which will relax the physical body, calm the mind and center balanced energies with an orientation toward opening your Heart. This practice is a triad of PRANAYAMA, RESTORATIVE YOGA POSES (extended moments of stillness while fully supported with bolsters, blankets, blocks) and GUIDED BREATH IMAGERY. Each yoga segment will be accompanied by journaling.

Cecelia Rice, a yoga instructor since 1998, is also nationally certified by Judith Hanson Lasater as Restorative Yoga teacher a Relax & RenewCounselor. She is an Intuitive and Healing Touch Practitioner. She has worked in the Healing Arts for 20 years.

Elaine will compassionately lead the journaling segments in a triad of OPENING, LISTENING and TENDING to the Heart. Cecelia and Elaine will weave together moments of yoga and journaling to create a safe and sacred space for opening and listening to the voice of your Heart. We will conclude with a ritual for tending to the Heart.



Elaine Walters McFerron is a writer and has kept a journal most of her life. She teaches creative writing and journaling at The Writer’s Studio inVirginia Beach. Her chapbook, Double Solitude, was published by Green River Press. She has been a psychotherapist for over thirty years and practices at Wellspring also in Virginia Beach. She is the Alumni Liaison and Graduate Lecture Facilitator at The Bennington Writing Seminars,Bennington College, Vermont.

Some Yoga experience required. Please bring writing and/or sketching materials.

Space is limited. 

To Register or for further information contact Cecelia Rice @ cmr.rice@gmail.com or 757-560-2703. 

You can also register online here

Spring Cleaning

By: Renee Hudgins

Photo Courtesy Jessica Riehl Photography

I am in the process of cleaning house.  Not just my own house, but my father's house as well.  My dad died on Christmas day 2009 and we are putting his house on the market.  It is the house he lived in for 50 years, the house where he stored all his treasures and junk for 50 years. 

My father was not a collector, but 50 years is a long time and "stuff" seems to have gathered all by itself.  Sorting through his possessions has been an interesting journey and a fascinating task:  I come across some "things" I can't ever remember seeing and other "things" I remember vividly, the whole process evoking all kinds of memories and emotions.   It's surprising to me how many of these belongings I want to take home with me.  I already have the Grandfather Clock that was in my grandparent's home when I was growing up.  It's a grand old clock that stood in the foyer of their huge Victorian home that sat on a city block in Greensboro, NC.  The clock fits into my home perfectly and pleasingly and interestingly, I didn't even realize I wanted it until it was here.  From my father's home, I have also brought home the china, the silverware and the glassware; an antique table and an antique perfume lamp; some antique kitchen wares and a little hammer that I remember from childhood, among other things.  
Photo Courtesy Jessica Riehl Photography
At the beginning of this clean up I swore that I would go home and clear out my house.  Rid myself of any possession that I was not using or did not need. After I died, my children were not going to have to go through all my junk to get to the treasures!  Well, that is easier said than done.  I have started, but mostly to make room for the "new" things that I have brought from my dad's.  I have almost finished cleaning his house, but I have only begun to clean mine.  

Like my father, I'm not a big collector and I don't like clutter, but I have much to do to clear my space at home.  With Spring here, perhaps it will be easier.  With this season of renewal, I will take the fresh, new energy that emerges and purge the old unnecessary items in my home.  Maybe I'll take it even further and purge more than the material goods.  What a grand idea!!  I think I'll take stock of my life and determine what thoughts, deeds and habits I need to let go so that I can start afresh.  I'll include this intention in my daily practice and watch as things unfold.  I am looking forward to my cleared home, mind and heart.
Photo Courtesy Jessica Riehl Photography

Namaste.

Lions, Tigers and Flying Yogis...oh my!

 

I'm Glad My Wife Talked Me Into Flying Yoga with Abbi Jaffe

By Andrew Lewis (Lisa's Husband.  Ahem.)

Photos by Jessica Riehl

While I don't have a dedicated yoga practice, I do enjoy opportunities to try new things.  And yet, to be honest, I had no idea what to expect when I agreed to attend Abbi Jaffe's Flying Yoga Workshop at my wife's studio, last weekend.  Honestly, even the term "Flying Yoga" didn't make much sense to me.

Class began with a few relaxation techniques and then some warming

movements as pairs. After that we were broken up into groups of three for the group-oriented event. One person acted as a base and, on their backs with their feet in the air, would support the second group member, the flyer. The third person acted as a spotter to help keep everyone safe, which was pretty helpful since our group was mostly new to flying yoga. In the end, everyone gets to rotate between being the base , the flyer and the spotter.

My favorite position ended up being the base. It was a study in focus and balance holding someone else's body up in the air. Minor adjustments needed to be subtle to keep the flyer in a stable state, while the weight and steady pressure on my feet and legs felt great. I've never used my legs that way and, while it was entirely new, it felt right.

Even though I had to be coerced to get there, I admit: I would be thrilled to come to another flying yoga class. No need to drag me next time. I'm glad my wife talked me into learning to fly.

Yoga and Motherhood

By: Kim Austin-Peterman

Inhale a sense of clarity and freedom, exhale into the memory of your earth bound connection...

We spend time on the mat inspiring movement and breath, and we follow it inward to find deeper awareness. As we feel more physical awareness we extend our experience towards mental awareness. Synchronizing our perceptions of both, we can then learn to relax. Our work in our bodies will forward itself into our external world.  We find greater flexibility, strength and balance in all aspects of our daily lives as well as our muscles and bones.  By dedicating time to practice we can develop an ability to relax and create peace even during times of stress and intensity.  This is how yoga allows us to transition from a thinking/doing state to a feeling/being state.  This is also how yoga can help transform us from women to brave, powerful, feminine souls ready to be fierce mothers.

Growth within ourselves is synonymous with growth within our family.  As we understand more about ourselves, we can draw more of what we need to us. 

Yoga is a practice of finding endless opportunities to reach our greatest capacity.   As we come up against physical edges and resistant sensations, the mind certainly struggles.  This is when we have the choice between giving up or motivating our energy forward.  This is when we differentiate between walking away from something we don't know how to do or teaching ourselves how to find a way through it.  Interact with our pain rather than defend it.  We listen well to our internal senses and detach from external comparisons or false belief patterns.  We can access our creative, compassionate and open mind rather than follow the rabbit hole into fear and judgement.  Expand or contract?

    

 In a country where both the rate of natural (non-medical) births as well as successful (uncomplicated) births are at the bottom of the percentile list world wide, consideration is eminent.  We live in a culture and society where being pregnant and birthing are commonly represented by dread and fear.  The unfortunate weight of this heavy emotionality makes it challenging for women to embrace their pregnancies with peace, joy and balance.  In fact, pregnant women are brilliant symbols of nature.  The process of bringing life into this earth is beautiful, touching and inspiring.   The blessing to co-create with Mother Nature is an incredible honor that we can embrace, support and encourage.  

As women exercise this ability, they can be free to experience and celebrate a great sense of pride.   If the experience of child bearing and birthing is anything less than pure joy layered with intense love, there is room for encouragement.

I encourage you and urge you:

Women!  Find your power, find your bliss and share it with your children.  Be the change you want in your world!