Nutritive bone broth is the foundation of cooking. It is the basis for simple, low-budget, health-conscious meals and complex, gourmet cuisine alike. In this workshop, we will discuss the benefits of bone broth and its uses.

Jook, or rice porridge, is an easy and adaptable recipe that can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The addition of herbs can make jook a medicinal meal. Made with or without homemade broth, jook is a delicious way to boost the health.

Participants will learn simple principles to ensure that the maximum nutrients are reaped from ingredients. Recipes will be given; variations and herbal additions will be discussed.

Lesson:
Why broth? Why jook? A brief lecture will give a basic description of the place of broths and jooks in traditional healing. The discussion will include information about ingredients and their properties.

Demonstration:
How to Make Broth: Kombu/Bone Broth
How to Make Jook: Nutritive Jook with Chinese Herbs

Menu:
Seasoned Autumn Mushrooms and Greens
served over Nutritive Jook with Chinese Herbs
with a side of Chestnut & Apricot Kernel Soup with Lotus and Cress

Cost: $25.00 (plus splitting the cost for ingredients which are minimal for this kind of menu)

Location: Napa, CA
Date: Monday, November 16th
Time: 6:30pm-8:30pm

This class is offered in association with Blossom Chiropractic Studio. Space is limited. Reserve your space by using the contact page.

In response to the newcomer energy in class, I’ve had to contextualize a few of the things we do at our studio that are unique–er, “unique” in the sense that they are *so* traditional and rootsy yogic they feel radical to us in comparison to the contemporary, commercial American yoga scene.

Take, for instance, our mandala chanting. Yes, we make it short and sweet. Yes, we provide a pithy explanation every time. But for me, it is one of the most important aspects of practice. Chanting orients the entire session, setting the tone for whatever practice follows.

To me, it’s serious stuff. Here’s a (sadly) not uncommon scenario: it’s morning and I’m all shined up and ready to rock it on the yoga mat, only to find myself–COMPLETELY UNINSPIRED! You know the feeling: uh-ok-i-guess-i’ll-do-some-(sigh)-Pawanmuktasana-and-then-see-what-happens sort of thing.

It is tamas central, folks. Closed channels. Animal realm station on the BART train of the 6 realms. I mean, obviously, I know I’m going to pull myself out of it and will be stoked by the time breath is in full swing or later when it’s time to sit and yet, I’m thinking, “but how (oh HOW?!) am I going to get there this time, again, today?!” Essence nature is in there and I’ve gotta smuggle Her a file so she can break out of jail or something before limited ahankara notices.

Enter chanting.

Hands in supplication, there I am with no choice but to actually contemplate the innate mystery of Nature with my mind, voice and body (Oms): its totally Unbound, Flexible and Limitless Variegation (Ganesh chant), the Truth of its Wisdom (Sarasvati), and the Graceful Force and Power of Gratitude and Auspicious for Unbroken Living Wisdom (Guru Stotram). Oh yeah, and how could I forget the Teacher-Student Prayer which harmonizes me with everyone else I’m practicing with in this Fortunate Community of all practitioners throughout time? What a family. How many others have sat in this pose and opened their voices just like me today? How could I *not* open up?!

Boom: instant gratitude! With that, it is easy to practice.

So, yes. At Yoga Mandala–and every day–we chant with heart. It’s either that or fake it, folks, and I’m not that kind of girl.

Sri Lalita’s Hatha Yoga class is at 4:30 at Yoga Mandala.

Check out the letter I submitted to the Health Commission urging them to advise the SF Board of Supes to stop CPMC (Sutter) from this action. The address is there, if you feel compelled to weigh in on the issue. If you’re in the city today, the Health Commission hearing is today and there is another one coming June 16 at 2:00 pm. Speak up!

—————-

May 19, 2009

Department of Public Health
Health Commission
101 Grove Street, room 308
San Francisco, CA 94102

RE: Sutter/CPMC Charity Service Cancellations

To the Health Commission:

I am shocked and saddened to hear that charity service programs such as Touro University’s osteopathic clinic and student training are being canceled. There has been a justifiably angry outcry against this move from the doctors offering these services as well as from the students who have an unparalleled opportunity to learn in the hospital setting, not to mention patients benefiting from these free services.

It is for services like these that Sutter/CPMC has been granted non-profit status. As such, they have a responsibility to answer the real needs of the community. How can they hope to expand and create big, new hospitals such as that proposed for Cathedral Hill without protecting charity programs for facilities already in existence? If Sutter/CPMC wishes to function like a for-profit company, then they should be stripped of their non-profit status.

My child has been a patient of the osteopathic training program with Drs. Cislo and McCombs, DO, through Touro University at St. Luke’s, one of the Sutter/CPMC hospitals. My son’s health has improved dramatically from his care there over the past two years. He was successfully treated through natural, hands-on osteopathic methods from symptoms that his pediatrician claimed couldn’t be helped. At each visit, a room full of students got to share the joy of my boy’s improved health and comfort. Real learning happened and real confidence in natural osteopathic care was instilled in each of us. It is a beautiful program–not only for us, but for many other families who may not be able to find the same quality services due to financial constraints.

Ours was a simple story of good health turning great, but I know that for other patients participating in that program, it has been a story life or death. That is, I am told that some patients are literally kept alive through Touro’s free program. What happens to these patients if the care is stripped?

This is yet another insult in a long line of charity service cancellations. Guided by Sutter/CPMC, the “new” St. Luke’s has already cut many badly needed services in favor of more profitable programs. Consider the impact our community has suffered already: the loss of the entire psychiatric care unit, the loss of neo-natal intensive care, the loss of much-needed SNF beds, the loss of the heart of the maternity ward which was once famous for its commitment to women-centered, safe, demedicalized birth. Now, charity osteopathic medicine has had its final day.

Please listen to the opinions of the hospital doctors and nurses. Let people who took the Hippocratic Oath guide the hospital’s direction. They know what is best for their patients, not the money guys.  Please advise the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to keep Touro’s and other charity programs alive, otherwise they must revoke Sutter/CPMC’s non-profit status.

Sincerely,
Sri Lalita

This is just a quick one to let you know I’ve got a great sub for my usual 4:30 Sunday class at Yoga Mandala for a brief period. I’ll be out for May through the first part of June.

Kamesh, the studio manager, really went out of her way to find a nice sub. Isaac is a really sincere yogi who studied in Bihar. Check out his class. I would if I could, but if I could…well, then I’d be teaching, right?

Anyway, come June 21st you can count on me to be back in the temple for rich, Sunday afternoon helpings of nutritious hatha yoga asana, pranayama and meditation suitable for summer. Please join me then.

During pregnancy, emphasis is given to being ready for the “big day” when a woman gives birth to her child. Books guide parents in creating birth plans, classes offer methods to cope with the labor and delivery process and doulas can be hired to lend a helping hand. But what happens next?

In this workshop, Sri Lalita will discuss the common features of this time and guide new parents through a list of essentials every mom will want to make the postpartum period an easier, healthy transition. Healing teas, recipes, herbs and sitz bath teas will be discussed. Strategies for promoting optimal recovery for the postpartum mom will be offered. In addition, information about teas and salves to support milk production will be covered.

New Moms, Moms-to-be, partners and birth professionals are encouraged to attend. Contact Yoga Mandala at 510. 486.1989 to pre-register.

Location: Yoga Mandala
2807 Telegraph Ave.
Berkeley, CA 94705
Date: Sunday, February 15, 2009
Time:  10:00 AM – 3:00 PM (with a break for lunch)
Contact: 510.486.1989

We know that building and maintaining strength and flexibility the spine is key to health, longevity and a sense of vitality. However, we sometimes forget that the neck is part of the spine! In many exercise and yoga regimens, the neck is often overlooked.

In this brief, 45 minute class, we will discuss the basics of neck care. We will learn basic yoga postures and easy strength training to gradually increase range of motion and strength in the neck, affording greater stability and circulation to the structures in the neck and helping to prevent injury and tension. This simple regimen can be practiced almost anywhere.

Location: ALIVE Chiropractic
4223 Piedmont Ave.
Oakland, CA
Date: January 14, 2009
Time: 6:30-7:15 p.m.
Contact: (510) 457-5874

Now that we have been on Daylight Savings Time for a bit, I’ve gotten used to the fact that our regular Sunday afternoon yoga class at Yoga Mandala occurs during magic hour. While my favorite place to be at sunset is probably outside gazing at the amber horizon in quiet contemplation, I don’t make that happen very often. It’s usually a busy, but soft time at home when I’m feeding and bathing my boy and ushering him gently off to bed. That’s why I’m so pleased that my public class falls at this time. To be in the mandir practicing through the sundhi–the joining of the opposites of day and night, in this case–feels so rich.

At this wintery time of year, our yoga practice is focused on keeping the cold, rough vata down (especially since it can be so windy in the afternoons here in the Berkeley winter) without letting the gluggy kapha stagnation accumulate. To that end, we have been focusing on P I, II & III series plus some long, steady holds in standing postures to open the channels and really let the asanas marinate. This allows the core warmth to be gently circulated and distributed throughout the body. Since winter seems to naturally lend itself to introspection, I’ve been enjoying highlighting forward bending and hip opening in a gradual, but consistent way.

Our class is a Hatha I-III and I’m always pleased to see the regulars and the brand new folks alike. If you’ll be new to the studio, let me know. My hatha class is strongly flavored by my favorite practice–Adi-Yoga–as I am ongoingly studying that with my esteemed teacher, Dharmanidhi.

Location: Yoga Mandala
2807 Telegraph Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94705
Time: Sundays 4:30 p.m.
Contact: 510.486.1989