added: May 14, 2012
Finding Balance Amidst Magic and Chaos Urban Retreat in New York City!
with Lourdes Paredes & Siddhartha V. Shah
August 7-12, 2012
One of the timeless challenges of engaging a spiritual practice of any form is how to bring the benefits one attains in a sacred moment to the lived reality of life. The idea of meditating away from the challenges and turmoil of life may seem more serene than meditating in the midst of chaos, or practicing yoga in a calm and beautiful environment seems easier than practicing in a noisy, agitated space. In the real world, authentic transformation happens when we learn to integrate the gifts of practice, no matter where we are and what is going on in the outside world. According to Tantric Yoga, rejection of the outside world is not necessarily the answer to lasting happiness. Indeed, learning to engage with and integrate the world as it is--to accept and remain steady--is the key. When one can learn to remain balanced in the midst of chaos and irregardless of conditions, one is a true "Tantric" practitioner.
We invite you to join us on an adventure that combines a unique Yoga experience with the vitality found only in New York City. We have put together a distinctive program whereby each participant will engage in a Yoga and meditation practice together while consciously exploring the issues that arise around working on Self in an urban environment.DISCUSSION/GROUP PROCESS: themes to explore (in traditional philosophy and lived experience!)
The group process and sharing portion of the retreat will be an opportunity for us to discuss key topics that each of us encounter as humans being and living in the modern world. Sometimes, these issues can be magnified in urban environments where there is more activity, more distraction, and less peace of mind. We will discuss how the Hindu and Yoga systems address these topics, how we experience or manage them, and how to skillfully use these techniques to bring greater awareness to our lives.
-desire
-self-image
-mindfulness/stress management
-working with the energy that is "money"
-working with negative emotions (anger, impatience, jealousy)
-controlling ourselves and our world.
VINYASA YOGA -more info coming soon.
MYTHOLOGY - more info coming soon.
URBAN ADVENTURE We encourage you (!!!) to dive deeply into this rich laboratory of living yoga and to explore as much as you possibly can all that New York City has to offer. With this in mind, there is plenty of time for play and exploration in one of the world's most fabulous cities. New York City has over 18,000 bars/restaurants! Some of the best shopping in the world is in The Big Apple, as well as some of the finest museums, dance and theater performances...the list goes on and on. The city is your playground and laboratory in which to enjoy time by yourself, in the company of others, or simply putting what you learn in the retreat into practice. We want you to feel what it is to be a "New Yorker" and to practice integrating what you learn from the meditation, yoga classes and group discussions into your time in the city. It is an opportunity to observe yourself, to enjoy New York as fully as you can while bringing awareness to the experience of being in the city. We will be providing you with lots of recommendations for ways to spend your time (where to eat, things to see, places to go, on and on).
LOURDES PAREDES has pursued spiritual practices since she was a young person, and yoga asana added a physical dimension that cultivated strength, grace, and increased health. She has a strong academic background, including BS in Developmental Psychology, MA in Theology, and MS in Organizational Development, with graduate studies in Sociology and Pastoral Counseling. This equips her with many tools from which to draw upon to communicate and facilitate the transforming yoga process to her students. Lourdes assists world-renowned yoga teacher Shiva Rea at retreats, conferences, and teacher trainings around the country. Lourdes integrates the spiritual practice with the physical practice of yoga in such a way that living yoga makes sense and is authentic. She teaches a creative vinyasa flow practice which is inspirational and deep, and takes students to their appropriate edge, for physical and spiritual awakening. She transmits yoga to her students with the love and clarity with which she has received the teachings.
SIDDHARTHA V. SHAH is an independent art dealer, curator and yoga instructor based in New York. He studied the history of art and classics at Johns Hopkins University, holds a masters degree in psychology/spiritual counseling, and has been working as a dealer and art consultant for 12 years. He lectures extensively throughout the United States and Asia in galleries, museums, and universities on Hindu and Buddhist art, the conflict between religion and modern art, and Indian mythology. As a yoga practitioner and instructor, Siddhartha seeks to integrate elements of psychology, spirituality, mythology and visual imagery into his practice while maintaining a connection to the authentic roots of Hatha Yoga. He emphasizes the integration of traditional practices into the experience of living in today's modern Western world. Born into a traditional Hindu family and raised in the United States, he presents on Hinduism, spirituality and East/West Psychology in a way that can be easily understood in the West. Siddhartha strongly believes that the practice of Yoga can help all beings in finding greater emotional, psychological, and spiritual balance.
RETREAT APPLICATION
Please download this WordDoc, complete and eMail your application back to Lourdes at: lourdes@lourdesparedes.net
COMPLETE YOUR REGISTRATION ONLINE NOW!
