Spring Greetings Everyone,

It’s been a long, cold, snowy winter, and as I read the forecast for next week (March 27th or so), there may be more to come! Amazing, yet climate change is here to stay and we must do all to wake up people including our Congress, to take more action.  Sooner or later however, the daffodils and tulips will brighten our days and the sun’s warm rays will seep into our chilled bones. And unfortunately those suffering from Spring allergies will be challenged to fully enjoy the season. I always feel especially sorry for Spring allergy sufferers, which includes two of my kids!

Those of us who went on our annual 10th Jamaica Yoga Vacation in Feb. were very glad to make the get-away from our DC area Winter, and thoroughly enjoyed warm breezes, calm seas, and the friendliness of the Jamaican people.  Next year we will be going up the road a bit to try another small resort called Sunset on the Cliffs. The dates are Jan.31-Feb. 8, 2015.  You can download the brochure with registration form on this site.

My husband John has now been in Jubilado (Spanish word for retirement!) which means more like freedom, for over two months now!  He’s keeping quite busy, stepping up to being an even more awesome “Papa John”  to our four Grandgirls each week, volunteering for Parkinson’s presentations, and working out a lot more, which includes doing more yoga.  And must say he’s a big help around the house and to me!  We are still spending long weekends in our home in Oxford on the Eastern Shore and looking forward to getting our boat in soon, and getting out in the kayaks again.  Lots of eagles have been spotted in the area lately and the ospreys will soon be building their nests.

I’m looking forward to teaching at Kripalu with Betsey Downing very soon, and also to teaching some local workshops, both in the Silver Spring area and also in Easton, MD.  Betsey and I will be doing our annual Spirited Women’s Retreat at Maya Tulum this coming November. Registration is now open for that and you can download the brochure with registration form on this site as well as Betsey’s site, www.betseydowning.com.  Our cut off is 36 this year, so if you’re thinking of coming, please don’t wait too long to register.

Betsey and I are quite passionate about actively living our Yoga in these unprecedented times. This is no time to transcend or try to meditate away what is going on in our country and the world at this time. Those of us that have been meditating for some time know that deeper place of wholeness and connection to the One, to the All.  And no matter how nice it might be to stay in that place, we are also called to act from that place. I know I often feel a bit helpless as to what I can do in the face of the amazing shifts that are taking place, but just by keeping informed, speaking up and speaking out, and yes, even signing petitions all help, and in this way we can all make a difference.

Betsey calls this the Yoga of Engagement which I love. There is a new dimension of Consciousness awakening on our planet now, and as serious yogis we feel we have a responsibility to inform and uplift others to the new possibilities of our time. Marianne Williamson, a true spiritual activist,  is running for Congress in Ca. Check out her website,  www.mariannewilliamson.com.  Marianne is author of A Return to Love and other wonderful books. Betsey has an extensive Resource List on her website that you might want to check out as well.

So I wish you an amazing and awesome Spring season, that you may also give new life to any parts of yourself that have lain dormant this Winter, and that you may blossom and thrive and brighten and help to uplift our world.

Blessings and Smiles,  Suzie