“Of seasons, I am the flower-bearing Spring.� ~Krishna in Bhagavad Gita Ch. 10

Maybe it is a fake-out, but we will take whatever beauty we can get. Thank you for practicing yoga and for making our lives so full with your dedication to compassionate living and generosity of spirit. Welcome your new growth this season!

Have you noticed the refrigerator in the lobby yet? We are super giddy to be able to offer you healthy treats and delights from two of our local favorites, Pixie Retreat Raw and Eatin' Alive! To celebrate our new partnership, we are offering you the "Don’t Skip Yoga Because You Need To Eat Lunch" special!

During March, take any noon class during the week and get $1 off any lunch item from the 'fridge! Featuring Raw Kale Salads from the Pixies, Raw Lasagna and Collard Wraps from Eatin' Alive, we are happy to be able to give you two things you need—yoga and lunch—in a nourishing way.

Please join us for Satsang and Kirtan with Swami B.V. Tripurari Friday March 15th, 6-8pm. The return of our most influential bhakti yoga teacher, and renowned scholar and author, Swami delights and educates with compassion, wisdom, and real lived experience of the devotional monastic life. For anyone with an interest in bhakti, yoga, or living the teachings of the practice, this by-donation event is not to be missed!

Spring Equinox Practice with Jessica!
Join us on Thursday, March 21st from 12-1:30pm for the spring renewal class celebrating lightness, new growth, and your own internal beauty emerging! This celebration will be a vigorous, vinyasa-based, sweaty joy-party, accompanied by live music/mantra with Lisa Mae, Jeannie and possible other special guests…Not to be missed! Let your sap rise!

Harmonium Hankering? Join resident harmonium-hugger Lisa Mae on Saturday March 23rd from 3-6pm for an easy, rewarding trip into the beauty of this Indian instrument. Working from simple Western musical notation (no experience required) we will sort through the care and feeding of a harmie, the ease of accompanying yourself, and some simple mantras that you know and love. Come away from this workshop playing and singing. Advanced registration required, please bring a Harmonium if you have one, come anyway if you don’t!

Ayurveda and Yoga for Kapha Season! Is the Spring muck dragging you down? Clear out the mucus, the crud, the sludgy dullness with this clarifying workshop to leap freely and lightly into Spring time! Visiting Ayurveda teacher and Bhaktishop favorite Nancy Schneider joins Tasha in sharing this practical and inspired class, which is open to all. There will be lecture, asana and pranayama practice, yummy snacks, and plenty of time for Q and A. Useful for teachers learning how to understand sequencing with the seasons, and to teach with some of the basic language of Ayurveda.

Micro-Mega Love Retreat! The now-legendary day-long yoga and love fest if back! Yoga + Loyly Sauna + organic food = radical self-care! Join Jessica and Marianne for this half-day, in-town, micro-retreat, the perfect way to get away from it all without having to break the bank or pack a suitcase. We kick off with a strong, vibrant, two-hour vinyasa practice to set our spirits in motion. After working up an appetite, the healthy food legends from Eatin’ Alive will serve up a lovingly made, gluten-free, vegan, organic meal. With full bellies and open hearts we’ll stroll down to Loyly Sauna to enjoy a full hour of exclusive use of the facilities to ease any achy muscles and quiet the mind. We'll float our way back home to the Shop for a supportive and relaxing restorative practice, completely melting the body and heart into restful bliss. Our Micro Mega-Love Retreat ends with mantra, meditation, and definitely something sweet. Mmmmm. The perfect Spring stress-buster! Register quickly, space is limited and this one always sells out in a flash.

Looking Ahead: Sanskrit for Yoga Lovers! Since ancient times the practice of yoga has included the study of Sanskrit and the chanting of Sanskrit mantras. Sanskrit is integral to the practice of asana: it is a helpful practice for harmonizing and balancing the mind. Knowledge of Sanskrit, even at the most beginning level, makes it possible to grasp more of the subtleties of yoga philosophy. Through experiencing Sanskrit sounds; feeling their force and power, and the unique way they vibrate the palate, body and chakras, your yoga practice and understanding can move to new depths. Open to all seekers, join Josh Michaell, our charming, funny and excellent Sanskrit teacher, for a super-fun weekend of vibration and light on April 6th and 7th from 3-7pm on Saturday and 3-6:30pm on Sunday.

Bloom True: Yoga and Painting in amazing Bali! There are 4 spaces left for this beauty-seeker’s retreat to paradise this year. Do you adore the beautiful paintings on the walls of The Bhaktishop? On May 24-31, Join the fabulously talented and inspiring Flora Bowley in this 7-day painting workshop, doubled up with 7 days of deeply inspired yoga practice with Lisa Mae. You will be soaked to the skin in the lush green of Bali, dissolved naturally by the culture, food, and wisdom, plus all the yoga and art you can handle. No artistic experience or talent required! Think fast, friends! Let’s adventure together!

Jasmine Tarkeshi from the Laughing Lotus in San Francisco is coming back to us, offering two amazing public classes for you, Saturday and Sunday Mornings on April 20 and 21 from 9-10:30am. Please sign up online to get a dose of sweaty, inspired vinyasa flow from our magical, wonderful friend and teacher!

From the bottom of our full, overflowing, loving hearts, we are so grateful to you for taking part in this community. This place would simply not exist without you.

In Loving, Grateful, Weeping-Happy Service,
Lisa Mae, Hari-bhakti, Monicka, Tasha,
Marianne, Jeannie, Jessica, Audra, and Karen

“I once asked a bird, How is it that you fly in this gravity Of darkness? She responded, Love lifts me.” ~Hafiz

Happy Depth of Winter to you all, and thank you for all your amazing new friends you shared with us this past January in the Bring a Friend for Free month! We hope that the bloom of yoga is upon them, too, and that we can all continue to grow in love and practice together.

Have you tried out the new Noon Flow Hour 2/3 classes yet? So much fun, challenge and possibility all in just one hour with Jessica and Monicka. Check it out!

We are delighted to share that we raised over $800 in December for the Bradley Angle home for victims of Domestic Violence and their children through your contributions of both cash and service goods. It is a pleasure to keep sharing your goodness with the community in this way. In January we continued the spirit of giving, and raised $300 for the Brady Campaign to End Gun Violence. Thank you again for your continued support of our community classes and kirtans!

February brings us a sponsorship of the Yoga Freedom Project/The Somaly Mam Foundation, working to end sex trafficking all over the world. Please join us for donation classes and kirtan all month long to raise love, awareness, and cash for this group of hard-working people, bringing freedom and ease to all! Our second Sunday Kirtan with Mala is Sunday, February 10th from 6-8pm. Chant and be happy!

This month we play in the realm of possibility with the delicate yet fierce arm balancing inversion, Pincha Mayurasana, the pose of the peacock feather. Chest expansion combines with lightness through the teachings of the bandhas (that you learned all last month!) to create this beautiful form. All levels can prep for this pose and play! Also, we will continue to work with the dual forces of Prana and Apana, part of the subtle body anatomy systems of the Vayus. Come to class and learn more!
Costa Rica Del Sur Bliss!
Join Lisa Mae and our dear friend Savonn Wyland from Sellwood Yoga, pairing up for the first time on this rejuvenating, adventurous call of the wild! Just 5 spaces left to take you to the monkeys, the mangoes, and the most magical yoga-overload you can imagine! Two daily yoga and meditation classes, tons of surfing, hammocking, swimming, jungle adventuring and all you can dream up, right out your front door in incredible, bio-diverse, Costa Rica. This is year 7 for The Bhaktishop, and getting better all the time. Come!

Inner Space: A Subtle Body Anatomy Journey
Please join subtle body visionary Hari-bhakti on Saturday March 2nd as she maps the ins and outs of the chakras, the vayus, the nadis, and many other mysterious components of the yogi’s vast inner workings! An introductory look at what makes the inner practices of yoga so enlivening, through a practical and inspired guide. All levels, teachers, and students are welcome to join in on this workshop.

Spring Equinox Practice!
Join Jessica on Thursday, March 21 from noon to 1:30 for the Spring renewal class celebrating lightness, new growth, and your own internal beauty emerging! This celebration will be a vigorous, vinyasa-based, sweaty joy-party, accompanied by live music/mantra with Lisa Mae, Jeannie and possible other special guests! Not to be missed! Let your sap rise! Please note this is a longer, 1.5 hour class rather than the regular Flow Hour 2/3.

 We are grateful to welcome back to The Bhaktishop one of our most influential teachers in bhakti, Swami B.V. Tripurari. On Friday, March 15th from 6-8pm, please join us for  Satsang and Kirtan with this renowned author, teacher, and modern mystic, who  has an accessible and enlivening way of presenting yoga, devotional life, and the true practices of bhakti to one and all. Not to be missed! By donation.
Please note: The 5:30 pm class with Monicka will be cancelled on this evening.

Thank you for sharing yourselves, your discipline, and your devotion to the practice with us, and with each other in community. We are all held up in that spirit of loving service, and togetherness is they way through. Blessings to all of you!
 

In Loving, Grateful Service,

Lisa Mae, Hari-bhakti, Monicka, Jeannie, Tasha,
Marianne, Jessica, Audra, Megie and Karen

&“Now praise the sky and praise the light within each person under the sky. It's okay to be unsure. But praise, praise, praise.” ~Miranda July

With deep gratitude to you all we welcome 2013! May each of us be bound to our vows to be gentler, kinder, and more open to possibility in all the ways we resolve to do so. And may each day, each practice, lead us ever closer to that harmony both inside and out.

Thank you for taking the time to complete our survey, and know that we listened to you! To welcome a new year, please BRING A FRIEND FOR FREE to class all month long! We welcome any and all of your friends and family to come and put their mat where their mouth is, and join you for class. New students to us, please, and we can't wait to meet them.

We also welcome a new schedule! Please click here to browse a simplified, more user-friendly version of our schedule. With a few new offerings, simplified class names and two new teachers, we are excited to start 2013 off with dedication, clarity, and love.

• Ecstatic Flow 3 is still the same powerful, strong, committed class, but is now called simply Vinyasa 3.
• The 6:15am Solar Flow classes are now simply called Vinyasa 2. The same alarm clock vinyasa style flow class, with an easy new title.
• We have added a great new hybrid class called Flow Hour 2/3 at noon on Tues/Thurs and a slightly longer Vinyasa 2/3 class on Mondays at 7pm (now an hour and 15 minutes long) to offer you more chances to both make the leap into Level 3 with a transitional class, as well as two sweet lunch hour classes to get you in, get you sweaty, and get you out the door!
• The fabulous Restorative Lounge with Jeannie is now 7-8:15pm, to give you 15 more minutes of melty bliss.
• Lisa Mae's Practice Lab 4 is on hiatus until May, replaced by a strong Vinyasa 3 class, but you can bet that Wednesday noon will still be a powerful, adventure-filled class...

We are delighted to welcome Megie Shean and Karen Bonkoski to the schedule, sharing their favorite thing in the world with you. Megie is super-playful, kind, and now teaches the sweet but spicy Vinyasa 2 classes on Fridays at 6:15am and Sundays at 7pm. Karen shares her years of Iyengar-love and detail-obsession in the sweetest way possible in Yoga Foundations 1 on Wednesdays at 4pm, by donation. Come and check out the newest additions to the family!

Check out the offerings in workshop and retreat land for January:

Rejoice and Restore with Jessica 1/5 from 3-6pm
Strong Foundations with Monicka 1/6 from 3-5:30pm
Kirtan with Mala, benefiting the Brady Campaign to End Gun Violence on 1/13 from 6-8pm
Breitenbush Winter Renewal with Lisa Mae and Moncika on 1/25-1/27 (filling up fast!)
Costa Rica del Sur Jungle Love Retreat with Lisa Mae and Savonn Wyland of Sellwood Yoga
Anatomy for Yoga Geeks, Par 1, with Emily Soiney on 1/26 and 1/27 from 3-7pm
And of course, more...

Change is in the air for 2013...After five great years and a long deliberation, we finally must catch up to the local competitive market with a slight price increase, and we hope that you will all support us in this endeavor. These first five years of weaving into the fabric of the Portland Yoga Community have had us happily situated on the lowest rung of yoga pricing structures in town, and we even lowered our prices a few years ago, budgeting and re-budgeting from within to maintain that. We have managed to make it through without any price increases, even as our costs have continued to rise. Most of you know that we began with a low economic model, a deep desire to serve the community and make yoga accessible to all who wish to practice, and a belief in paying our teachers a livable wage for their dedication and commitment to bringing you the high quality you expect from us on the mat every day. To keep this up, we must increase our prices by a little bit. We still encourage you to purchase discounted class packages and cash in on our frequent (and awesome!) specials, we still do not charge for mat rental, and our class cards still never expire. And, we will continue to offer a variety of classes each week that are by donation or are just $5, and have the Hard Times Benefit for those that are struggling. Please do talk to us if you have issues or concerns, as we are still here to support you in every way.

There is nothing that we would rather do that share this love of yoga with you every day. Our gratitude to you for taking part in the flow every day is boundless. Please know that from the bottom of our full, overflowing, loving hearts, we are so grateful to you for taking part in this community. This place would simply not exist without you.

In Excited, Way-Better-Than-2012-Ever-Was, Happy Service,
Lisa Mae, Hari-bhakti, Monicka, Tasha,
Marianne, Jeannie. Jessica, Audra, Megie and Karen

“When you have left the storm, you will come to a fountain; There, you will find a Friend who will always nourish your soul.” ~Rumi

We are delighted to hold space for your beautiful, dedicated practices here at The Bhaktishop, year after year. As we weather the shifting changes of life together, we are strengthened by practice, by reflection, and by the loving service that flows out of all of us. Please take a moment to help us serve you better by taking our student survey. We would be most grateful for your opinions and input into our ever-evolving yoga center!

Also, please consider donating to our "GIVE LOVE" drive this holiday season. We are celebrating the brave women and children of Bradley Angle, the domestic and sexual violence shelter here in Portland, by collecting donations of cash, gift cards for practical places like Safeway and Target, stocking stuffers for kids, and all manner of new personal care products and more. For a full wish- list, please click here: http://bradleyangle.org/donate/wish-list/
We are accepting donations through December 26th.

This month in class we share the depth and healing of the restorative practices and meditation seats, and the beauty of mystic poetry. We also offer you a holiday treat: a Monthly Unlimited class card, available for purchase both for yourself or as a gift, all December long. Start 2013 out right, since the best gifts gather no dust!!

HOLIDAY LOVE:
These classes invite all levels to participate in the celebration. Sign up in advance so we know you are coming. All classes are drop-in or class card prices!

*Two sweet Christmas Eve Classes: 9am with Marianne and 11am with Jeannie

*New Years’ Day Renewal and Reflection Class: A Special 2013 Welcome
Join Jeannie for a special New Years' Day Celebration at 11am!

Otherwise, we are closed on Christmas Day and for the rest of New Years’ Day. Better get yourself here!

More Giving!
This year we are offering a special New Years’ Eve Donation Class for Street Yoga!
Join Tasha on Monday, December 31st at 5:30pm for a special love-giving celebration to benefit the hometown heroes of Street Yoga! You can donate in several ways: Sign up online here for the drop-in price of $12, or donate $12 (or more!) at the door at the start of class! This is generally a Foundations Level 1 class, but all are invited to share the love.
A short list of upcoming Goodies for you:

• Kirtan on Sunday Dec. 9th with Mala.  Chant and be Happy!
• Strong Foundations with Monicka Dec. 15th- intimate setting, important work, big love!
• Yoga School 2013- Just two spaces open, is one of them for you?
• Winter Solstice Practice Friday Dec. 21st- get dark and deep in this annual ritual celebrating the light and dark with Lisa Mae
• Mexico Retreat- one magic spot still open!
• Bretienbush with Lisa Mae and Monicka January 25-27. You comin’?
• Stop Drop and Roll with Jessica on Saturday Jan. 5th- A restorative, post-holiday harmonizer, all for you.
• Our Costa Rica Retreat Feb. 23-Mar. 2 is filling up fast. Don’t stay here and freeze!

Thank you for your presence every single day. We are lucky to get to wake up and practice each day, and to be there to help guide you to do the same. In the season of gratitude, let’s remember to be there for each other, to give, and to love as fully as we are able.

Big, overflowing Holiday Kisses,
Lisa Mae and The Bhaktishop Elves

 

“Practice and All is coming.” ~Sri K. Pattabhi Jois

Thanks for being a part of this loving, wide, and open-hearted community, and for committing, again and again, to the path f practice. Join us this month as we focus on the timeless wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita, coupled with Akarna Dhanurasana, shooting bow pose. Take aim; shoot straight; make it personal!

Yoga School Applications being accepted now! We would love to share the path of practice with you in a deep and transforming way. Change your life! Come to Yoga School!
Please check out our new schedule changes online, but we are delighted to see your favorite totally righteous, dedicated teachers devote themselves to some new classes. Dig this:

• Sunday at 9am, Vinaysa 3 with Audra (finally a Level 3 class with Audra! Come and get served up a healthy slice of aligned, playful, sweaty hard work!)
• Monday at 7pm, Vinyasa 2 with Jessica (bringing you the sweet, slow flow to the evening-time)
• Wednesday at 7pm, Vinyasa 2 with Tasha (finally a level 2 class with Tasha! For all of you Level 1 Tasha-lovers, rejoice!)
• Friday at 10am, Vinyasa 2 with Hari-bhakti AND Tasha! (another chance to soak in the sweet Vinyasa 2 with these fine ladies as they tag-team it 'til December)
• Fridays at 12 noon, Vinyasa 3 with Audra (YEAH!!! We love Audra for her playful, sweaty, alignment-lovers' Vinyasa stylings)

After 5 great years with him, we are bittersweetly sharing Nama-dharma's decision to leave The Bhaktishop in pursuit of other teachings in his life. It has been a wonderful, growth-filled, song-filled time together, and all of us will miss him dearly. You can find him at mattnelsonyoga@gmail.com or on Facebook at Matt Nelson Yoga. We will miss you, and love you dearly!

Also, supporting Street Yoga's 10-Year Anniversary Benefit is so easy, and everybody wins. Buy a ticket to their Gala Benefit online or in person, print out your receipt, and bring it into The Bhaktishop, and your class is on us!  FREE!! Support the local awesome. Give to Street Yoga!
From a satsang with Swami to Ayurveda and Yoga, we have many ways to deepen your connection to life through your yoga practice. Check out the workshops page!

 Thanksgiving Day Yoga Classes! This holiday, we are offering up two awesome classes for you to give your hearts to before all the family, pie and football sets in. Sign up in advance for the 8am with Audra and the 10am with Monicka, as these fill up every year! This year, we are taking donations for The Bhaktishop itself, your community yoga space, which is facing a significant rent hike in 2013. We are working hard to find a solution, and asking you for help is numero uno on our list. Thank you in advance for helping us! P.S. we are closed for the rest of the day!
New Year’s in Mexico is full, my dears. Either get on the waiting list, or get ready to lay down some totally wack Spanish with us, south of the border in Costa Rica 2013! Are you ready to do yoga and surf/swim/nap/play until you burst? Yeah, us too. Let’s do this.

Psst... Return to Bali in May! Dig the retreats page!
Kirtan with Mala is Sunday, November 11th from 6-8pm. By donation as always, this time the donations go to us, right here at The Bhaktishop! We are saving our pennies for our rent increase and possible move in 2013, and so we are starting here, with our longest-running community giving project. We love to chant and sing with you all, and are grateful for the love you all provide. See you there!
From the bottom of our full, overflowing, loving hearts, we are so grateful to you for taking part in this community. This place would simply not exist without you.

In Loving, Grateful, Weeping-Happy Service,
Lisa Mae, Hari-bhakti, Monicka, Tasha,
Marianne, Jeannie. Jessica, and Audra

“I know what the greatest cure is; to give up, to relinquish, to surrender, so that our little hearts may beat in unison with the great heart of the world.” ~Henry Miller

These crispy, clear mornings are so yummy, and we know that Fall is the favorite season of many a Portlander. Its time to snuggle in and appreciate all you have, and for many of you, to go back to school and grow! We offer you many opportunities to do just that with us this Fall, both in workshop and on retreat. Place your priorities where they will do the most good, both for you and for those you serve in your life. Dive deeply into yoga!

The Fiery Furnace Asana immersion begins on Tuesday, October 2nd, and we want to celebrate our love of asana with you! Teachers and general yoga nerds will love this 5-week dip with Lisa Mae and Monicka into the finer mechanics of healthy asana, and teaching/participating in mixed level classes. Email Lisa Mae at weloveyou@thebhaktishop.com if you have a last-minute interest in joining us!

Fall Bhagavad Gita study group! Join Hari-bhakti and Lisa Mae in the beloved book club that takes you deeper! Starts Friday, October 5th, and lasts for 9 weeks. One of our discussion nights will be given by Swami Tripurari himself in November. Some familiarity with the Gita helps, but please email us if you have interest in studying and learning together.

Harmony in The Forest Retreat with Jessica! This October, get yourself out of town and celebrate the last of the outdoor late summer season with us at the base of Mt. Ranier. Clean, amazing food by Eatin’ Alive, tons of yoga, soaking, hiking and generally lazing about are all on the menu. Just 4 spots left—take the leap if you need a yoga break!

So, whatsa Bandha anyway? Monicka and Hari-bhakti de-mystify these mysterious “locks” that give immediate access to the body and mind’s deepest support. Saturday, October 6th from 3-6pm, unlock your center and take flight! All levels are welcome and encouraged.

We are honored and excited to host Christina Sell for a series of workshops, promising to deepen your understanding of asana practically overnight! We have a three-part teacher’s workshop from the 9th to the 11th of November, as well as an awesome opportunity to take a public workshop with this skilled and awesome teacher on Saturday the 10th from 9-11:30am. Sign up now, these are not to be missed!

Given any thought to teaching yoga? Do you love it so much you just want to burst? This may be the time for you! Yoga School begins in January 2013, and we have some spaces in the program available. Applications are available at the Shop. Questions? Holler!

Monicka’s peerless Strong Foundations Workshop Series continues this month with a workshop focusing on the twists and sidebends. For any student seeking to transition from Level 1 to level 2, to learn to move more wisely, and to get to geek-out and ask tons of questions to one of our resident anatomy geniuses in the context of yoga. What could be better than to learn about your own machine? Saturday October 13th from 3-5:30pm.

Anatomy Lovers! Teachers! We have two Anatomy workshops this month. Check them out! The first one is this Sunday the 7th from 3-6:30pm with the awesomely legendary Emily Soiney, as she comes to teach about Practical Spinal, Sacral and Hip Anatomy. The second one is Emily and Tasha, teaming up for the weekend of Saturday and Sunday October 27 and 28th to share Injury Prevention and Adaptations for everyone! You don’t have to be a teacher to find these workshops totally informative. Really!

Lovers of Yoga Philosophy, we get to welcome an incredible scholar to the Shop this November 12-15th to discuss the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali! He is Mans Broo, from Finland, and he will share four evenings from 7-9pm. We will gather and study and chant and learn about one of the most important texts on the path of yoga. All are welcome to join in the conversation!

New Year’s in Mexico, anyone? There are 2 spaces left in the (really really fun) Mexico retreat with Lisa Mae and Marianne. Ready to lay down some totally wack Spanish with us, south of the border, and do yoga and surf/swim/nap/play until you burst? Yeah, us too. Let’s do this.

Kirtan with Mala is Sunday, October 14th from 6-8pm. By donation as always, this time the donations go to us, right here at The Bhaktishop! We are saving our pennies for our rent increase in 2013, and we are starting here, with our longest-running community giving project. We love to chant and sing with you all, and are grateful for the love you all provide. See you there!

Thank you again and again for the warm birthday month. We love you all like crazy.

Bear hugs,
Lisa Mae and The Bhaktishop Crew

5 Years of Bhaktishop Love!

Join us in celebrating The Bhaktishop’s 5th Birthday all month long, celebrating growth, change and transformation. Though merely a toddler, our commitment to this amazing community is deepening every day. Your yoga center emanates love, warmth and welcome to all seekers and spirits, and we all share a love of life, a quest for giving, and a deep desire to connect. Our future together is a bright one, and we continue to welcome your suggestions and help in that ever-blooming growth. You, our wise and precious students, are smart and discerning, and we are grateful that you choose to share your practice here, with us, day after day. The true measure of a yoga center is the depth of the commitment of the teachers and the students together, and therefore we celebrate YOU and your love of the practice! We hope you will continue to be nourished and share your growth with us for a long time to come. I know we say it all the time, but we would be nothing without you. Thank you.
Also, special, deep thanks to Tasha, Hari-bhakti, Matt, and Monicka, all of whom have been here, teaching and serving, since our opening day. We are so lucky to have them!

DJ Anjali and The Incredible Kid are spinning Bollywood awesomeness for our Anniversary Party! Saturday, Sept. 8th from 5-7pm, join us for a funky flow class set to righteous bhangra beats! Spaces are going fast so sign up quick! Stay after for a dance party from 7-8pm, and local eats by Pixie Retreat Raw, Eatin’ Alive, Masala Pop, Lisa Mae’s Cupcake Factory and more... Raffle, dance-floor-funk and tons of love, all for you.

Then, on Sunday, September 9th Celebrate Street Yoga in the continuation of our Anniversary Weekend! Join us for Kirtan with Mala, our house band, from 6-8pm, where we will serve Street Yoga, our longest-running beneficiary and local hometown hero. By donation, and we promise to bring all the liveliest loving chants that we have... Chant and be happy!

Raffle Madness! For the month of September, we are giving away the very thing you love—YOGA!! Every time you come to class all month, or make a purchase of any kind (or buy extra raffle tickets for $1, too, for stuff you really want to win...) you will automatically be entered into our raffle, with a winner drawn each week announced on Facebook (wanna be our friend?) and via telephone.
Fancy prizes include:

Week 1: 10-Class Card and a fancy Bhaktishop water bottle
Week 2: 5-Class Card and a new Bhaktishop t-shirt of your choice
Week 3: Monthly Unlimited Card and a handmade yoga mat bag by Tali
Week 4: 20-Class Card and a copy of The Bhagavad Gita by Swami Tripurari
Week 5: 3-Month Unlimited Card (Holy Cow!) and a Jade Yoga Mat

So come to class, come often, and get yourself set up with a LOT of yoga. We are so excited to celebrate with you!

Grab a new orange schedule for your fridge and your forehead! Please note the exit of the Seva classes from the schedule. They have long been confusing, and since we have 5 classes each week that are either free, by-donation, or just $5, we still have lots of options for cheap classes for you!

Yoga School 2013 Open House! Love yoga? Want to get a serious yoga education? Join us Friday, Sept. 14th from 7-8pm for a lively introduction to Yoga School as we introduce the program content, calendar, and ourselves, and allow you to get acquainted with us and with each other, to determine if our program is right for you. All your questions, answered in just one evening. Applications available now!

By great, popular demand, it’s the return of Reading and Chanting Sanskrit with Joshua Michaell from the American Sanskrit Institute! On Saturday, Sept. 15th and Sunday, Sept. 16th, this course we will have us reading, writing, and accurately pronouncing the Sanskrit alphabet in the original Devanagari script, savoring the beauty and power of the language and its resonance. Totally engaging for teachers, students and the generally curious. No previous experience with Sanskrit is necessary to attend, and the content will differ significantly from the Sanskrit course Josh offers in the Springtime.

Getting’ busy? The Mayan Calendar and Time Delusion in the 21st Century: A Vedic Astrology Talk with Dennis Flaherty is the solution! On Friday, Sept. 21st from 7-8:30pm join Dennis Flaherty, our skilled, charming, and entertaining Vedic Astrologer for this talk designed to help you end your participation in delusional time, and begin to understand and participate in what is called “liberated” time, which goes by the name of enlightenment.  All are welcome.

Oh man are we excited to host this one!! Come check out the cosmic awesomeness of your relationships at the Vedic Astrology and the Celestial Fabric of Personal Relationships workshop with Dennis Flaherty! Saturday, Sept. 22nd from 1-6pm, Dennis will give you a copy of your birth chart and a mini-reading during the workshop, in which he discusses the wisdom of ancient India as it pertains to the most personal of our intimate relationships—marriage and love partners.  Explore the celestial fabric of each of the planetary archetypes and how they drive the course of our closest relationships.  This workshop will reveal your planetary patterns of connecting to that significant other, so please give your birth data at registration (time, location and date).  

Celebrate the season with the Awesome Autumn Equinox Class with Jessica! On Saturday, Sept. 22nd from 11-12:30pm, join Jessica for the annual celebration of the bounty of this beautiful life on the mat. We love to share these markers of the calendar with you in yoga practice, celebrating the passing of time, of ritual, and of bowing to exactly what unfolds. Celebrate the abundance!

Monicka brings back her wildly popular Strong Foundations and Transitions Workshop, this time is a totally radical format—A Four-Part Series!

On Sunday, Sept. 23rd, the basics of backbending will kick it all off. She will give you a far deeper look at basics than regular drop-in classes, as in this format she will have time for discussion and physical exploration. You can take one class, or you can take the whole series. But just know, those of you that want to expand yourselves from Level 1 to Level 2 safely and intelligently, this is NOT to be missed.

Yeah! Another installment of The Fiery Furnace! It’s an Awesome-Asana Immersion with Lisa Mae and Monicka, and man did we have fun last season with this one...For you early birds and yoga nerds, this is the place to be in the mornings this fall! Tues/Thurs., Oct. 2Nov. 1, from 6:15-8am, and you don’t have to be a teacher to rock this with us. Join Lisa Mae and Monicka as we dive deeply into the joys of asana for 5 fun weeks. We will deeply deconstruct many of the transitions and biomechanics of the later Level 2 and early Level 3 work, so that our understanding is clear and our blueprinting skills are sharpened. Wanna change your practice? This will jump start you! Register in advance, and if you don't know if this immersion is for you, please email us.

There is so much more to tell you, but you can read the website for that... Just know that from the bottom of our full, overflowing, loving hearts, we are so grateful to you for taking part in this community. This place would simply not exist without you.

In Loving, Grateful, Weeping-Happy Service,
Lisa Mae, Hari-bhakti, Monicka, Matt, Tasha,
Marianne, Jeannie. Jessica, and Audra

Greetings, Dear Ones!

We are very honored and excited to be turning 5 years old this September!! It has been 5 amazing years of growing roots and serving this community, one heart and one practice at a time. We are more than grateful to be at your service every day, for you make it possible for us to share what we love.

So! Join us for our 5-year Anniversary party on Sat. Sept. 8th, featuring a dynamic flow class to the amazing beats of DJ Anjali and The Incredible Kid from 5-7pm led by Lisa Mae, Jessica and Monicka! Register now, as space is extremely limited for this portion of the party. From 7-8pm, as the bhangra beats continue, stay for the amazing snacks and local kombucha provided by such awesome yum experts as Pixie Retreat Raw, Eatin' Alive, Albina City Nuts and more! We will be featuring an art show in the lobby by local photog Stephanie Peterka, as well as prizes and giveaways. We are delighted to be here in SE Clinton/Division, and look forward to many more years of service, right here!

In yoga land, like in schools of all kinds, we are always looking toward the future with ways to serve your studentship and commitment to yoga. We are so excited to serve you up a HUGE raft of yoga love this fall. Stay tuned...

Kirtan with Mala is Sunday, August 12th from 6-8pm. Every month we give large doses of love and song with this awesome community of love-seekers and chant-lovers, all by donation, to charities and organizations both near and far that are working to better this world a little slice at a time. This month may also feature kirtan with some ukulele...so come to kirtan—chant and be happy!

The first-ever Foundations Retreat to Breitenbush with Jeannie and Tasha is filling fast! On August 19-21, the retreat to the wilds of the woods for some summertime yoga love is calling you... Call Breitenbush to register at 503)854-3320. You don’t have to be new to yoga to enjoy this juicy retreat offering, just interested in getting deep with the basics of yoga and perhaps getting some serious one-on-one time with a book in the outdoors. Don’t miss it!

Yoga School 2013 Applications are in! If you have been considering Yoga School, or are even a teensy bit interested, please consider joining us for an Open House on Friday, September 14th from 7-8pm. We will try and answer all your questions about the January 2013 program, (and eat some cake.) The program fills up every year, so please don’t hesitate if you are interested in grabbing an application. We would love to share the joy of yoga with you, too.

We are sharing three awesome holiday classes with you on Labor Day, Monday the 3rd or September. Join us for Foundations 1 at 8:30am, Vinyasa 2 at 10am, and Ecstatic Flow 3 at 12 noon. And then enjoy the rest of the day, because we are closed!

Oh, and did we mention we have Four Tasty Retreats in the coming months, and you can register for them all, now, right online? Lookie here!

Mt. Ranier, WA— Harmony Retreat with Jessica Oct. 14-16
Mexico Love-Fest (filling up fast, 3 spots left!)— New Year’s Eve with Lisa Mae and Marianne
Breitenbush Renewal— Jan. 25-27, 2013 with Monicka and Lisa Mae
Costa Rica del Sur 2013 (Year 7, Yeah!!)— Feb. 23-Mar. 2, 2013 with Lisa Mae

Plan ahead and grab yourself some getaway love in yoga land!

We have a full-throttle yoga feast for the Fall, so click away: Continuing Sanskrit, Vedic Astrology, The Mysterious Bandhas, An Asana Immersion, A Bhagavad Gita study group, Anatomy for Injuries, A 4-Part Foundations Workshop, Visiting Teacher Christina Sell, A Yoga Sutras Intensive, A satsang with Swami, the annual Hip and Backbend Workshops, Ayurveda and Yoga, Restorative and Pranayama workshops and retreats, Equinox and Solstice celebrations, the Diwali Festival Class, and on and on...

Oh, and be sure to keep up with us on Facebook to catch poems read in class, musings from the teachers, updates on class cancellations and other stuff.

Thank you for the honor of your presence on the mat, day after day. I know we say it all the time, but thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Without you, we would be all alone and without a way to share our love for yoga!

Big bear hugs,
Lisa Mae and The Bhaktishop Family

"Every happiness is the child of a separation it did not think it could survive. " ~Rilke

Welcome, summer! How we have longed for you! Finally the deep breath that binds us all can be taken...outside! Have a blast but don't forget to come to yoga.

Holiday Schedule!
We are delighted to share 3 classes with you on July 4th to celebrate all our interdependence:
Yoga Foundations 1 at 8:30am with Marianne
Vinyasa 2 at 10:30am also with Marianne
Ecstatic Flow 3 at noon with Lisa Mae
Get in here and celebrate the joys of freedom and movement, before the frisbee and fanfare. Oh, and because we are closed for the rest of the day!

Friday evening the 6th of July, the wonderful women of Be Nourished are offering an evening talk on Nourishing the Body and Mind: A Non-Diet Approach to Food, Weight and Health. Free to all, and begins at 7pm. Go to www.benourished.org for more info.

All fired up? The Yoga and Ayurveda Series continues with the Pitta Cool-Off on Saturday, July 21st from 3-6pm. Join Hari-bhakti in this practical, pitta-pacifying extravaganza. Summer may leave some of us feeling flushed and overheated, like we are burning our candles at both ends. Learn how to keep the reins of your fiery nature held close with lifestyle ideas, dietary suggestions, and some radical recipes you can make at home to help reduce the summertime burn. We will also dedicate an hour of this workshop to the joyful adventure of relaxed effort in pure pitta-pacifying asana and pranayama practice. And snacks, of course!

Have you been hearing about Yoga School and how awesome it is? Thinking of wanting to go deeper into the wisdom of these practices with us? Yoga School 2013 applications will be available after the 15th of this month. Pick one up and plan on an Open House Meeting on Friday, Sept. 14th at 7pm to get tons of info on the January 2013 Program. We can't wait to share what we love with you!

There is still time to nab space in the Foundations Retreat to Breitenbush Hot Springs with Jeannie and Tasha on August 19-21! Don't miss this chance to go deep into your practice, new or old, with two of our best Foundations teachers in the woods of the wilds of Oregon! Please call Breitenbush directly to register at 503)854-3320. No experience necessary, and everyone, no matter your level, will come away changed! Don't miss it!

Fall Preview (Plan ahead, peeps!):

• Sanskrit and Mantra for Teachers and Yoga Lovers, September 15-16

• Vedic Astrology talk and Relationships Workshop with Dennis Flaherty September 21-22

• A Four-part Yoga Foundations 1 Workshop with Monicka: Sept 23, Oct 13, Nov 18 and Dec 15

• An 8-week 500-Hour Yoga School Program Immersion in October and November, including Christina Sell teaching masterful sequencing Nov. 9-11, Mans Broo teaching a Yoga Sutras Immersion Nov. 12-16, Swami Tripurari giving lectures and programs in early November, another awesome asana immersion, Continuing Anatomy and Beginning Therapeutics  with Emily Soiney and our very own Tasha, a Bhagavad Gita study group with Lisa Mae and Hari-bhakti, Bandha workshops, and more!

• A Restorative Micro-retreat with Marianne and Jessica on Dec.8th

• Um, so much more to come...

VIVA MEXICO!! Happy New Year, Latin style! This Dec. 29-Jan. 5th come get ya some sunshine and happiness in the beauty of amazing Playa Troncones. This retreat knocked it out of the park last year, and Lisa Mae and Marianne are so excited to do it again, this time with you. More info on the website (as well as a bitchin’ slideshow of the fun we had), and there are only like 5 spots left, already. Get on the bus, ya'll, it's going south! Celebrate New Year's with us, Bhaktishop-style!

All of us teachers at The Bhaktishop love the chance we have every day to be with you all on the mat, and are so happy to have a community that loves yoga like we do. Thank you all for what you contribute to the warmth and spirit of the Shop, every day. We would be nothing without you!

Big Summer Love,
Lisa Mae and the teachers from Bhaktishop-land

Early Summer Lovin' to you all!

We want to celebrate the season of sunshine and joy with a fabulous Summer Special! During the whole month of June, you can buy a one-time Monthly Unlimited card for just $95! Activate it anytime between June 1 and June 30 with purchase, and put your other card on hold while you enjoy a big month of yoga. Nice! Also a sweet little reminder that our class cards don’t expire. Ever.

We have an awesome new summer schedule, so please pick one up and stick it to your forehead! Highlights include Soul Flow 2 getting a new name: Vinyasa 2! Same awesome class, just a new title. And a new Vinyasa 2 class with Monicka on Wednesdays at 5:30 pm, the Friday 6:15 am changing to a Solar Flow class, a shuffle of the Seva (cheap!) classes, and a few teacher switcheroos. The Wednesday noon Bhakti Flow 4 class is now Practice Lab 4—same workshop-level sophistication and detail, now aptly titled. Check it out!

Welcoming the season with two big, joyful group yoga parties is our idea of fun. Read on!

Join Monicka and Tasha for Co-operative Yoga: A Different Approach To Partner Yoga on Saturday June 9th from 3-6 pm. Are you interested in partner yoga, supporting and being supported in asana, and co-operative practice, but afraid of Acro Yoga or a strictly couples-focused practice?  Fear not, this workshop is for you! Designed to be playful, light and open to ALL levels, we'll use the support of each other, extra eyes and our collective spirit to help with some of the various shapes of yoga, in order to help lift the weight of gravity. All are welcome to this non-threatening, totally fun workshop for two, three and even four person asana-mandala exploration. Bring your curiosity, open mind and heart and explore the possibilities of co-operative practice!

Then, to celebrate the vibrant light within, come over for The Big 108: Summer Solstice Celebration with Lisa Mae on Monday, June 18th from 12-2 pm. This class has been RESCHEDULED from Wednesday the 20th to Monday the 18th, so take note! Class cards or drop-ins are welcome! Join us for the annual bowing to the light in the radical 108 Sun Salutations practice! This year we will pepper our practice of gratitude and grace with some inversions, backbends, and a few more continuing asana sequences in between all the Sun Salutations for the variety that the body craves and needs. Get the juice and joy flowing. Bow to the light!

Summer Holiday Schedule Head’s Up:
4th of July Classes:
Join us on Wednesday, Independence Day, and celebrate freedom! Classes at
8:30 am with Marianne
10 am with Marianne
12 noon with Lisa Mae
There is something for everyone before the parade (or fireworks, or whatever!) Warm up that Frisbee arm!

All fired up? Join Hari-bhakti in the Pitta Cool-off: The Ayurveda and Yoga Series on Saturday, July 21 from 3-6 pm. We LOVE summer, but it may leave some of us feeling flushed and overheated, like we are frying on fumes. Less is more, people! Learn how to keep the reins of your fiery nature held close with lifestyle ideas, dietary suggestions, and some radical recipes you can make at home to help reduce the summertime burn.  H-b will also dedicate an hour of this workshop to the joyful adventure of relaxed effort in pure pitta-pacifying asana and pranayama practice! 

And finally, we are super-stoked to offer you this totally cool and unusual opportunity... The Beginner’s Retreat to Breitenbush Hot Springs! This summer, Jeannie and Tasha bring you the gifts of Yoga Foundations 1 in the wilds of Breitenbush! Sunday August 19 to Tuesday August 21, no experience required. Register early, as this is sure to be a sell-out, since no one has ever, in the history of the whole wide world, done a retreat solely for Level 1 students. Yeah! Call Breitenbush directly to register at (503) 854-3320.

Get yourself some major Vitamin D, folks, and then get some major Vitamin Y, as in yoga! Thank you for your dedication and love of this practice. We love you!

Happy Summer! Hallelujiah!
Lisa Mae and The Bhaktishop Family

Spring greetings and oodles of yoga love to you all...

We are delighted to welcome back our dear friend and teacher, Swami B.V. Tripurari on Friday, May 11th from 6-8pm for a satsang and kirtan. These evening programs are always illuminating and rich, full of the depth of experience of a true sage on the path of bhakti. Come hear more about bhakti, and chant in great company with us. By donation.

Mother’s Day Kirtan! Join us Sunday, May 13th from 6-8pm for the annual Mother’s Day kirtan event! Mala, our house kirtan band will chant and sing for joy along with you, if you would join us... Celebrate the Ma in your life by offering it up in song and good company, by donation. And always time for treats and chatting afterwards.

Congratulations to the upcoming Yoga School Graduates of the Class of 2012, released into the wild on May 11th! Look for them this summer teaching your Donation classes and sharing what they love. What an awesome, loving, and wonderful crew they are. We are grateful!

This year we are offering up three classes on Memorial Day, Monday May 28th.
Get your yoga on:
8:30am with Audra
10am with Hari-bhakti
12 noon with Monicka
We are closed all afternoon and evening, so get into class early!

The Fiery Furnace: The Summer Asana Immersion May 29th—June 28th, 6:15-8am! Join resident anatomy geeks Lisa Mae and Monicka for a journey into the depths of some of the more sophisticated Level 2 poses, the ones that bridge the gap between Level 2 and Level 3. Open to teachers and teachers-to-be, as well as any other students that want to go deeply into asana in a laboratory-like environment. Expect much breakdown and bio-mechanical nerdiness, and a loving and supportive environment for all! Register in advance please... (psst... this is a 500 Hour Asana Module)

Dig this! Co-operative Yoga: A Different Approach To Partner Yoga with Monicka and Tasha on Saturday June 9th from 3-6pm. Are you interested in partner yoga, supporting and being supported in asana, and co-operative practice, but afraid of Acro Yoga or a strictly couples-focused practice?  Fear not, this workshop is for you! Designed to be playful, light and open to ALL levels, we'll use the support of each other, extra eyes and our collective spirit to help with some of the various shapes of yoga, in order to help lift the weight of gravity. All are welcome to this non-threatening, totally fun workshop for two, three and even four person asana-mandala exploration. Bring your curiosity, open mind and heart and explore the possibilities of co-operative practice!

Gear up for the first-ever Beginner’s Retreat to Breitenbush this summer with Jeannie and Tasha! Sunday August 19-Tuesday August 21, Jeannie and Tasha bring you the gifts of Yoga Foundations 1 in the wilds of Breitenbush! Register early, as this is sure to be a sell-out, since no one has ever, in the history of the whole wide world, done a retreat solely for Level 1. Yeah! Call Breitenbush directly to register at (503) 854-3320

The only constant is change...after co-creating The Bhaktishop with me, and sharing her life and love of yoga with you all in a creative and passionate way, Uma has decided to leave us in pursuit of other teaching and community in Portland and beyond. You can still find her at umadeviyoga.com as of June 1st. I am grateful for her vision and her dedication to making this place the warm, happy yoga home that we have all come to love. Join me please is wishing her well in her new endeavors!

Also, after 4 years of teaching and dedicated service, we say goodbye to our beloved friend and teacher, Tally Thomas. She is getting married, moving to warmer climes, and making an exciting new journey out of this life, starting this summer. We are sad for us but delighted for her next steps! You will find her subbing still, all summer. Say goodbye while you can!

Thank you all for your continued commitment to depth, renewal, and transformation, both on the mat and off. It is all of you that make this place great, and make it such a daily pleasure to show up every day. We love you!

Super-Rainbow Season Love,
Lisa Mae and The Bhaktishop Hutch of Bunnies

Spring Fever, ya'll!

“Of seasons, I am the flower-bearing Spring.� ~Bhagavad Gita 10:35

We are so happy to share the delights of the practice with you all, day after day, taking the time to open with courage and dedication, so we don’t go ripping the flowers open to get them to bloom...

It's been a great workshop season so far, and it continues as we welcome Jasmine Tarkeshi from the Laughing Lotus in San Francisco back to the Shop! We are over the moon to have our dear friend share this delightful weekend of beauty and depth as she guides two soulful vinyasa practice on April 21st and 22nd. These two 9am public classes on April 21 and 22, Saturday and Sunday, will fill your heart and free your spirit on and off the mat. Sign up online ASAP as these get stuffed to the gills every year! Remember, these replace Lisa Mae and Matt’s regular 9am classes, so if you are planning on coming, sign up ahead of time! Level 2+ so be ready!

Also, for teachers and teachers-to-be, Jasmine is giving two special workshops just for you! Friday, April 20th from 2-5pm, she is sharing her course called “Floetry: The Sacred Art of Practicing and Teaching From Your Soul,” a dive into the creative process and the journey to share what you love. On Saturday and Sunday, April 21 and 22, from 3-7pm, she shares her amazing “Chakra Vinyasa: Sequencing With The Subtle Body” classes, where she gives a guided tour of the chakras and how they can help us design beautiful flow sequences. These are poetic and useful workshops, and we would love to see you there!

We are overjoyed to welcome back another Satsang and Kirtan with Swami B.V. Tripurari, our dear friend and most influential guide on the path of bhakti yoga. Friday, May 11th from 5:45-7:45pm (Please note the cancellation of the 5:30pm class on this evening.) We are most fortunate that he will join us to speak about the path of devotion for one and all. This is a real opportunity to deepen your understanding of bhakti, and we hope you will join us. By donation.

Cancelled Class Alert!
Gosh we hate to do this, but the following classes are cancelled due to visiting teachers. Mark your calendars!

• Friday, April 20th at 4pm (Visiting Teacher Workshop)
• Saturday and Sunday April 21st and 22nd at 9am both days (Jasmine Tarkeshi from the Laughing Lotus is subbing for both Lisa Mae and Matt! Sign up now!)
• Wednesday, May 9th at 5:30 and 7pm (Yoga School Graduation!)
• Friday May 11th at 5:30pm (Swami Satsang and Kirtan)

We do have a few things up our sleeve for you this summer in the realm of retreats, for example:
Foundations of Yoga: The first ever (in the history of the world!) Beginner’s Retreat at Breitenbush Hot Springs!
That's right... Join Tasha and Jeannie, two of our most dedicated and beloved Yoga Foundations/Level 1 teachers for our first-ever retreat exploring the joys of yoga, at the beginner level. If you have ever expressed trepidation at coming with us on a yoga retreat, or worried that the level would not be appropriate for you, or that you don't quite feel comfortable enough with the practice to consider such a thing, this is the retreat for you! You will build a very strong foundation, focusing on your alignment and skill-building in the physical practice, with a focus on breathing techniques, exploring the beauty of mantra and meditation, and of course sharing good company. Tasha may even share some of her therapeutics training, and Jeannie may bless you all with some deep restorative practice, too! Space is limited, so call Breitenbush directly to register at (503) 854-3320.

I also hear swellings about Tasha and Hari-bhakti teaching a retreat together somewhere in Hood River, and possibly another local Monicka and Hari-bhakti collaboration is being hinted at as well. Stay tuned!

In the meantime, if you are planning ahead, New Year’s in Mexico 2012-13 (yes please!) and Costa Rica 2013 are already getting sign-ups, and are waiting for you to come and have the most fun possible in yoga and on vacation with us!

For now, that is that. We are thrilled to know you, and if you have any ways you can think of that will improve our little yoga Shop, or things you would like to see happen, please offer it up! We are solely here for YOU, and are grateful for it every day. We love you!

To the flower-bearing Spring!
Lisa Mae and The Bhaktishop Family

Rainy March Love to you all!

“Listen, everyone has a chance. Is it spring, is it morning? Are there trees near you, and does your own soul need comforting? Quick, then–—open the door and fly on your heavy feet; the song may already be drifting away.” –Mary Oliver

Thank you for the great blessing of the many dozens of new friends that you all have brought in since January! And a big warm welcome to all you that are new to our space. You are what make this yoga house a real home!

This Spring, enjoy some massive spring cleaning, on us! We are offering our 3-Month Unlimited Spring Cleaning Deal for just $300. That is a $60 savings on 3 months of your favorite soul-stirring, mind-softening, heart-widening yoga. Purchase anytime during the month of March!

Spring is also Workshop Central around here! This month, we are offering you a few awesome ways to tighten up your practice and loosen up your heart:

• Our awesome Ayurveda and Yoga Series continues with a workshop for Kapha Balancing on March 24th with Marianne and Nancy Schneider. Learn some practical tips and dietary fixes to start clearing out the Spring/Allergy/Sludge, and a great asana and pranayama practice for the season. Kapha-appropriate treats and more. Spring Cleaning!
• Beginners, want to start to transition from Level 1 to Level 2? Join Monicka for her awesome Strong Foundations Workshop on March 25th. This is a great workshop for learning some deeper foundations of support in asana with your breath at the starter level. Open to all!
• And... ain’t we lucky to get to offer you this: A Sanskrit Language Weekend for everyone on March 31st and April 1st with our funny, skilled and charming new Sanskrit teacher, Joshua Michaell from the American Sanskrit Institute. Any student of yoga with any interest at all in the beauty of sound vibration, mantra, or the glorious light of this language of yoga, this workshop is for you!

Cancelled Class Alert!
Gosh we hate to do this, but the following classes are cancelled due to visiting teachers. Mark your calendars!

• Friday, April 20th at 4pm (Visiting Teacher Workshop)
• Saturday and Sunday April 21st and 22nd at 9am both days (Jasmine Tarkeshi from the Laughing Lotus is subbing for both Lisa Mae and Matt! Sign up now!)
• Wednesday May 9th; 5:30 and 7pm (Yoga School Graduation Party!)
• Friday, May 11th at 5:30pm (Swami B.V. Tripurari Lecture and Kirtan)

Jasmine Returns!
Our dear friend from the Laughing Lotus in New York and San Francisco returns with a delightful weekend of beauty and depth as she guides a soulful and beautiful vinyasa practice on April 21st and 22nd. These two public classes on Saturday and Sunday at 9am will fill your heart and free your spirit on and off the mat. Sign up online ASAP, these get stuffed to the gills every year!

Our annual Spring Equinox Practice with Uma falls on Tuesday, March 20th from 12 noon to 2pm this year. This traditional Arrival-of-Spring practice celebrates balance, growth, and emergence into the light. Wake up to the light of the soul!

We are delighted over and over again to share this loving community and practice with you all. We say it all the time, and hope you know we mean it—this place would be nothing without all of you!

In Loving Springtime Service,
Lisa Mae and The Fuzzy Hutch of Bunnies at The Bhaktishop

From our open hearts to yours, Hello February!

Greetings loves! Hope you are greeting the winter with grace, and if not, there is always yoga...

All month long we are continuing to support you and yours in yoga. First, our awesome $20 for 1-Week Unlimited Intro for new students just got awesome-er: Double The Love means 2-Weeks of Unlimited Yoga for the whole month of February for just $20! Tell your friends there are no excuses now. And second, to support your yoga-related resolutions, we offer you the Re-Resolution Sale! From Feb. 1st to Feb. 7th only, get a 20-class pass for just $160, so you can re-commit over and over again! And, it is now possible to purchase class cards online from the website, anytime!

Problem: Freezing weather, feeling under-inspired, flagging yoga practice, vitamin D-starved, chapped lips, gray skies. Solution: 8 days of blazing sunshine, mega-doses of yoga and meditation, monkeys, surfing, sunsets and walks by aqua oceans, waterfall hikes, hammocks, and no cooking or cleaning or shopping, weird animals, great company. This could be you, with us, in about 3 weeks, in Costa Rica. A few spaces still remain in the fun-in-the-sun legend of yoga trips. You comin'?

Kirtan is Sunday, February 12th from 6-8pm. This month we serve Baby Blues Connection, a non-profit in Portland helping new mothers and beyond with a host of issues, including post-partum depression. Join us in song and great loving company, and stay for treats afterwards. By donation, and you can read more on our Bhakti Soul Fund page. Chant and be happy!

Hard Times? In a pickle? Let us help. The newly-hatched Hard Times Benefit allows us to give even more to you through an application for yoga classes or workshops to get you through. Go to the Hard Times Benefit Page for details.

Don't go deep into hibernation this winter, go deep into your practice! Join us this month for some great opportunities to tune into yourself and your spirit in workshop-land:

• Inner Space geeks, we offer you Subtle Body Anatomy this Saturday, February 4th with Emily Soiney, local Cranio-Sacral Physical Therapist Yoga Teacher legend. Any interest at all in charkas, nadis,the sushumna, or other energetic aspects of the body, this is your class. All are welcome!

• Micro-mega retreat w/ Uma and Jessica March 10th, How does yoga, Loyly Sauna, organic food, & radical self-care sound? Join Uma and Jessica for this 1/2 day micro-retreat, the perfect way to get away.

• Harmonium Huggers' Workshop! March 17th! Join resident harmonium-hugger Lisa Mae on an easy, rewarding trip into the beauty of this Indian instrument. Working from simple Western musical notation (no experience required) we will sort through the care and feeding of a harmie, the ease of accompanying yourself, and some simple mantras that you know and love. Come away from this workshop playing and singing!

• Ayurveda and Yoga Series: Kapha Balancing on March 24th. Clear out the mucus, the crud, the sludgy dullness with this clarifying workshop to get us leaping freely and lightly into Spring time! Join Nancy and Marianne, one of our steady and soulful kapha spirits at the Shop in this course that is open to the public, but will be useful for teachers learning how to understand sequencing with the seasons, and to teach with some of the basic language of Ayurveda.

• Strong Foundations: Transitioning from Level 1 to Level 2 with Monicka. Sunday March 25th. The key to a healthy and balanced yoga practice is the foundation upon which it is built. Find the freedom to move with more ease by unlocking real strength and support in your own body. Find comfort and efficiency with breath supporting your movement, and take a closer look at some of the most common yoga postures, deconstructed and rebuilt in a way that best suits our own individual needs.

• Sanskrit: The Gorgeous Language of Yoga with Joshua Michaell 3/31 and 4/1, Register now! Vibrate Higher! Since ancient times the practice of yoga has included the study of Sanskrit and the chanting of Sanskrit mantras. Sanskrit is integral to the practice of asana: it is a helpful adjunct for harmonizing and balancing the mind. Knowledge of Sanskrit, even at the most beginning level, makes it possible to grasp more of the subtleties of yoga philosophy. Open to all seekers, join our charming, funny and excellent new Sanskrit teacher for a super-fun weekend of vibration and light.

Remember that you still get a 10% discount on your class card if you send us a pic of you in your favorite Bhaktishop tee, doing something awesome...

Join us on Facebook for teacher's inspiration, readings from classes, musical offerings, and much more!

So much gratitude to you all for your loving presence and your AWESOME commitments to yoga! We are grateful to each and every one of you for your contribution to artful living, dynamic practice, and open-hearted JOY!

In Loving Service,
Lisa Mae and Team Bhaktishop

HAPPY 2012, FAMILY!!

"And now let us celebrate the new year, full of things that have never been."
~Rilke

Thank you for making this a wonderful, amazing, happy, and warm place to open the door, every single day. We are here because of and for you, and are so grateful that we can share what we love with all of you in the form of waking up! And what a year it has been...

Celebrate the arrival of the New with TWO celebration classes on Sunday, January 1st, at 10am and 12 noon with Jeannie and Matt. Always the sweetest, rightest way to ring in the joy, set intentional hopes for the year, recommit to the practice you love, and lift your heart high. Sign up in advance if possible (so we don't have another Christmas stampede...)

We have a beautiful, shiny new website, thanks to our dear friend Neal. Loads of beauty to feast on, and new ways to navigate the goodness. Check it out!

NEW SCHEDULES!! This time, we made the grid schedule card and the workshops card separate, so please be sure to pick up a copy of both the schedule and workshop cards. Also, check out our shiny new website! Easier to navigate, more interactive, and chock-full of details about the classes, teachers, programs and yoga that you love. And so pretty for sticking to your fridge (or your forehead.)

New things for January:

The new "respect for all brunch-goers" class on Saturdays at 7:30am with Monicka! For those of you that have business to take care of on Saturday mornings, want a slightly shorter class, or just want to avoid the crush of the 9am, please join Monicka for an awesome Soul Flow 2 class on Saturdays. This means the disappearance of Meditation on both Saturdays and Sundays for the moment. We are searching for other possibilities for meditation slots, so stay tuned!

Many of the Seva (read:cheap) classes have been shuffled around for the new schedule, so do take a look to see if your favorite class is (or is not) cheaper now!

Bring a Friend For FREE! All month long, your friends and family can finally put their mat where their mouth is and come to their first class with us, totally free! Bring in anyone that you have been wanting to drag to yoga with us for the first time, and they are on the house. A great way to expand your yoga satsang to the people you already know and love!

Please welcome Audra Carmine to the schedule on Mondays at 6:15am for Solar Flow, and Fridays at 4pm for the Donation Yoga 1 classes. She is a graduate of our yoga school program, and is diligently working toward her 500-hour certification with us. She is funny, grounded, and totally real.  And you will LOVE her class.

Matt and Monicka share the love in the Donation Yoga 1 classes this schedule! On Tuesday nights, come share time with Matt at 7pm by donation at Level 1, and Wednesdays at 4pm, with Monicka. More loving from two of our best teachers, and by donation!

RETREAT ALERT!! Please join Lisa Mae and Monicka in the wilds of Breitenbush for a Winter Renewal Retreat Jan 27-29. Dive into the deepest well of your practice in this heart-focused retreat, working with individual bio-mechanics of movements, reshaping our practices and singing our hearts out. Renew your vows to self and Source, immerse deeply in the mystical practices of yoga, meditation, satsang and the curative powers of turning inward, honoring what unfolds. Please contact Breitenbush directly for registration at 503.854.3320, and register soon, as it is getting full!

We have a massive raft of workshops and adventures for you this upcoming schedule too, so many that they needed their own schedule card! Starting with some Anatomy 101 for teachers and yoga nerds (open to all students!) and continuing on to Inner Space: Subtle Body Anatomy (also open to all students) in early February, both with our dear friend Emily Soiney of Shine Physical Therapy. A fun and info-packed way to learn the ins and outs of the physical and energetic bodies! Check here for details on this and more in the workshops and events category. Go deeper!

500 Hour level Continuing Education is available in an ongoing, revolving cycle for you teachers (and super-geeks) out there. Please check the new Yoga School 500 Hour Program page on the website for all the upcoming goodness. You don't have to be a teacher to partake! Just love to geek out on yoga like we do...

Since I am writing this from the sunny and awesome Mexico retreat, I was wondering: This weather got you thinking about a mega-getaway? Costa Rica is right around the corner and we want YOU! This place is our home-away-from home South of the border, and believe me, if we could pack up The Bhaktishop and move it here, we would in a second! Next best thing? Come with us on an 8-day adventure that you will return from forever changed. Our 6th year on the Osa Peninsula, and some of the last unspoiled eco-system out there. Ask for details before you get chapped lips and are stuck here freezing!

Hard Times? We totally know, and we (my GOD) don't want you to stop practicing yoga because of it. Therefore, in your honor and in your continued service we present the Hard Times Benefit! Please click here for more info for you or someone you love, and ask about this way to apply for financial assistance from us, so you can continue the practice you love, uninterrupted.

Family kirtan with Mala is Sunday, January 8th from 6-8pm. Please come raise your voice to the New Year with us in this celebration of love and spirit. Always good company and loving vibes. Chant and Be happy! By donation to the Bhakti Soul Fund, click here to find out more about the recipient for January.

With a deep bow of heaping gratitude to you all for giving yourselves to the practice continually, and sharing it with us.

In your loving service,
Lisa Mae and The Bhaktishop Teachers