Benefit for BUTOHSanFrancisco May 31st!

BUTOH SanFrancisco Benefit:
MAY 31 8pm
Studio 210,
3435 Cesar Chavez, SF 94110 (at Valencia and Mission-near 24th ST. BART) SF 94110

At this event Studio 210, you can see Koichi and Hiroko Tamano's Harupin-ha Butoh, young performance artists, Deborah Butler's Kitsune Butoh and rare butoh film curated by Richard Wara.

At this May 31st benefit, you can purchase special VIP tickets to BUTOH SanFrancisco's performances Friday and Saturday, June 27 & 28.

Please visit our website: www.BUTOHSanFrancisco.net for more info on the Butoh dance workshops June 21-22 and 29, the fantastic shows June 27-28 with pre-show film at 7:30 and post-show artist talks. Ledoh, Shinichi and Hiroko and Koichi will teach AND perform!

Upcoming Butoh Workshops in SF

Butoh Dance Workshops

Saturday, June 21 & Sunday, June 22
10am–2pm Koichi & Hiroko Tamano
3pm–7pm Ledoh

Studio 210, 3435 Cesar Chavez St
San Francisco, CA 94110 map
24th St Bart, Muni bus 14 or 26

Sunday, June 29
10am–2pm Shinichi Iova-Koga

Margaret Jenkins Dance Lab
301 - 8th St, 2nd Floor, Studio 200
San Francisco, CA 94103 map
Civic Center Bart

For more info and registration, go to www.BUTOHSanFrancisco.net.

Thinking about Not Thinking?

The capacity to think is an essential element of our lives. We need to plan, make decisions, and communicate. The problem is not that we think, but that our thinking is fixed. Rather than eliminating thinking, one of the basic skills to develop in meditation is to be able to hold and sustain contradictory thoughts—calming the impulse to eliminate the opposition. It's important to keep in mind that the goal is not to eliminate your thinking. Always be mindful that you and your thoughts are aiming to discover engaging, creative, enjoyable ways to meditate—as well as ways to live, awaken, and benefit each other. Think of your thinking not as an adversary but as a spiritual friend.



IN THIS ISSUE
Thoughts on Thinking
http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/587


Applied Yoga
http://www.yogajournal.com/wisdom/847

Strength within

Build Strength from the Inside Out

Many of us come to yoga to build strength. There's no question that when you're physically strong, you're better able to handle the demands of your day with grace and ease. But you can build endurance and power through almost any athletic pursuit. The beauty of practicing yoga is that it builds inner strength—which you need to ride life's emotional currents with faith and equanimity—even as it tones your body.

One way to build inner strength is by practicing regularly, whether you're feeling inspired or not. That simple act develops your capacity for commitment and for not letting the rest of life get between you and what you know to be essential to your well-being. By being true to yourself in your yoga practice, you enhance your ability to be true to yourself in other situations.

Of course, maintaining a consistent home practice is, in itself, an exercise in strength. At home, the notorious obstacles of procrastination, distraction, and skepticism come up all the time. To help dispel these stumbling blocks, choose a regular time and create a sacred space for your practice. It also helps to have several sequences on hand for those days when you're unsure of what to do next.



IN THIS ISSUE
Block Steady
http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/1742


Home Practice 101
http://www.yogajournal.com/basics/1582

Bridge pose

Bridge to Presence
One of the best postures for awakening the senses to the here and now is Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose), a beginning backbend that strengthens the legs and hips, massages the spine, and opens the heart. Methodical practice of this asana also offers an opportunity to explore the body and its movements with attention and care. In the process, the mind is calmed and the body becomes energized, leaving the practitioner feeling revitalized and refreshed.

To begin, lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet hip distance apart on the floor, 10 to 12 inches from your pelvis. Rest your hands near your hips with the palms up, which helps open the front of the shoulders and collarbones. Invite your body to settle thankfully into the ground. Take several easy breaths, noticing which parts of your body rise and fall to the tune of the inhalations and exhalations. Now send a gentle rooting action down through your legs, as if you were trying to press the floor away from you and into the earth. Press down evenly, envisioning the deep footprints you are making in your mat as you do this.

Curl the tailbone up and allow the pelvis to float just an inch or two off the ground. Breathe easily for a few moments, keeping your mind focused on those strong and steady feet, then slowly allow your hips to melt back downward. Gently sweep your tailbone away from your waist as you return to the earth, inviting your spine to feel long and unwrinkled.



IN THIS ISSUE
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose)
http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/472


For Beginners: Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose)
http://www.yogajournal.com/basics/1238

Tips for easing tension

Tension Tamer
The first step to "undoing" tension and finding relief for neck pain is deep relaxation. Relaxing deeply is a sanctuary, yet few of us allow ourselves to enter it. It feels so good that you'd think it would come easily, but many of us are so accustomed to tension that we have to relearn the natural process of letting go.

First, simply lie down on your back on a firm, comfortable surface and let yourself rest. Almost certainly you'll feel your muscles naturally releasing tension, because they no longer have to work to hold you upright. You may notice you spontaneously let out a sigh of relief. To relax more deeply, though, you have to consciously build on these natural responses. The secret to doing this is to focus on the movement of the breath in your body, using it to uncover and melt away tension.



IN THIS ISSUE
Crick Fixes
http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/1969


13 Poses to Relieve Tension
http://www.yogajournal.com/health/120

I can relate

"Whatever you're thinking about is literally like planning a future event. When you're worrying, you are planning. When you are appreciating, you are planning...What are you planning?"

Excerpted from a workshop in Silver Spring, MD on Saturday, April 19th, 1997

www.abraham-hicks.com