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90 Day BREATH-CENTERED MEDITATION CHALLENGE

with Elizabeth Rossa

Daily 12noon-12:25pm ET

Every Day from Wednesday, March 1st – Thursday, June 1st, 2023

(Please note there will be no guided meditation on April 15th and May 13th)

Please mark your calendars.

This 90 day offering is a first for me. I am excited because it required an adjustment of my schedule and priorities to manifest it. The point I want to impress on all you still interested in joining us, is to make the commit and begin allowing yourself to stop mid-day and acknowledge the mysterious and supreme importance of your embodiment.

Give yourself permission. Give yourself permission regardless if you are “over-scheduled”. Begin. Forgive yourself along the way if you miss or forget. Start again.

Details:

We will meet in the same Zoom room as the Saturday yoga-asana class.:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/289482607
Meeting ID: 289 482 607
Passcode: 72729

Although it is preferable to be on time, it is ok to come into the room late or leave early. The point is showing up. I begin to guide immediately. If you are late, please be patient. When I pop you into the room, take your seat and focus on your breath. It is okay. 🙂

Commitment:

Time: Yes, it will require you to look at existing schedules, prioritize. However, you can stop wherever you are…in the park, transit, museum, business meeting, restaurant, etc and dial in. Off video is fine for meditations.

Financial: Three people in our community encouraged me to make this offering and are committed to the 90 days. They discussed their financial concerns about my commitment to a 3 month period of time and a required financial exchange.

In honor of the exchange of energy, the requirement is that something must be offered no matter how modest before you begin.

Here is an example for those of you grappling with what a modest offering could be:

$1 a day would equal $90

It is understandable that some of you might think that is too little for 90 days… but for some it is too much.

Therefore, please make an offering which is stable and comfortable.

My desire to offer this challenge is not motivated by the money.

The challenge is motivated by the preciousness of Life…how swiftly time is passing…”to burrow into the moment” as Ram Dass once said to me in 2007.

Finally, some of you are only reading about the challenge today… it might be Day 18, 30, 45, 63, 72, 81…. and wondering if you can still join. Yes! Same criteria as above. You will email me, make an offering and start.

All welcome. Please email us at shriyoga@shriyoganyc.com

By donation via Venmo (@shriyoga) or Zelle (shriyoga@shriyoganyc.com)

ZOOM: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/289482607 Password: 72729

CHANTING, CONTEMPLATION + MEDITATION: FIRST SUNDAYS

with Elizabeth Rossa

Sundays 8:30am-9:45pm ET

By donation via Venmo (@shriyoga) or Zelle (shriyoga@shriyoganyc.com)

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/289482607

Meeting ID: 289 482 607

Passcode: 72729

After almost 20 years, a focus on chanting has become a welcomed focus for many of within the Shriyoga community. My own studies of Vedic chanting came into clarity when I met my teacher, Radha Sundararajan in August of 2019. Radha and I began to meet weekly on Skype. Her in Chennai, me in Soho, NYC. Looking back to that time, it was a harbinger of what was to come. The joy of our meeting each week through the internet was a miracle in and of itself. Bridging my studies back to India and with an Indian teacher who devoted her life to healing chants.

On December 29th, 2020 private lesson, Radha encouraged me to chant 108 rounds of the Candranamaskrtya-mantrah as it was the Full Moon. Later that night, I invited some dear friends/student to join me in a Zoom room and we haven’t missed a Full Moon since.

From those monthly gatherings, an emphasis on learning to chant has come more into view for an intimate group.

We started in March. All welcome. By donation.

Here are the dates: All First Sundays of the month: April 2nd, May 7th, June 4th, July 2nd, August 6th, September 3rd, October 1st, November 5th and December 3rd.

Please email us at shriyoga@shriyoganyc.com with any questions.

MONTHLY FULL MOON MANTRA MEDITATION

with Elizabeth Rossa

Please join Elizabeth for 108 rounds of the Candranamaskrtya-mantrah, a Vedic mantra saluting the Moon as we open to its healing influence in our lives.

Apr 16 Pink Moon

May 5 Flower Moon

Jun 3 Strawberry Moon

Jul 3 Buck Moon

Aug 1 Sturgeon Moon

Aug 30 Blue Moon

Sept 29 Harvest Moon

Oct 28 Hunter’s Moon

Nov 27 Beaver’s Moon

Dec 26 Cold Moon

Please email us at shriyoga@shriyoganyc.com with any questions.

A RETURN TO YOGA: DECONSTRUCTION FLOW + THE SUPER SUBTLE

Summer 2022 Dates TBA

Elizabeth designed this class with the intention of a slower, more deliberate pace, allowing for the extra details to settle in.

This class will still be challenging. Elizabeth’s style of teaching will guide you towards deeper listening skills and absorption of the internal forms of yoga as taught to her by her teachers, Richard Freeman and Mary Taylor.

This class might be a good place to land in cultivating a “beginner’s mind” even if you consider yourself an “expert”.

Please email us at shriyoga@shriyoganyc.com. It is uplifting to study and create continuity with the same group every week!

GANAPATAYE wins at the GLOBAL NONVIOLENT FILM FESTIVAL, OCT 2020 + Honorable Mention for “Best Musical/Dance Film” at the LA Film Awards, SEPT 2020

Directed & Filmed by Elizabeth Rossa

Starring Lekha & Saara Wood

Lead Vocals by Lucia Ribisi

Edited by Johnny Rossa

Original Music by Johnny Rossa, Meredith Meyer & Elizabeth Rossa

Music Produced by Judah Bauer

Music Performed by Johnny Rossa, Meredith Meyer, Elizabeth Rossa, Lucia Ribisi, Judah Bauer & Gregg Foreman

Mix Engineered by Wayne Trevisani

Recording Engineered by Rocco Guarino

Dance Choreography by Lekha & Saara Wood

Assistant Directed by Sejal Shah

Additional Videography by Edie Hutter

Additional Videography by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

The plague of 2020 rips away the veil on the world as we once knew it.

Multi-dimensional time lines reveal biological Life moving simultaneously with the cosmos and that which is imperceptible to the eye.

The singular, linear storyline of an emptied, diseased city dissolves and opens to the mind-expanding reality that many stories are always unfolding at once.

That which is perceived as empty is full, encompassing the mundane, the glorious, the terrifying and every nuanced iteration imaginable… and unimaginable.

The song is a character within the film, a celestial siren calling for a new beginning of harmony on Earth, and in relationship to the unseen.

A trailer of Ganapataye is still LIVE on the Festival’s On-Line Channel and although the Festival is now over, we are hopeful that our film/music video will be screened at a variety of other festivals throughout 2021 as these are the very first festivals we have submitted to since finishing our final edits on August 22nd, 2020.

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/globalfilmfestival

We are honored to be recognized at this particularly harrowing time in history, as our intention has been to share the healing message of our film, and the song at its center, far and wide.

Although our original song, Ganapataye, is yet to be officially released, it can be listened to now on our creative platform Laboratory of the Self. The song inspired the film/music video, and is also the bonus track to our still yet to be released album CHAMUNDA.

Since we are in consideration by other festivals, screenings must be limited to only private viewings at this time. If you are interested in a private viewing of the film, please let us know by email and we can arrange for a shared screen Zoom event so you can experience.

In Elizabeth’s directorial debut, the process of creativity acutely revealed itself as one of immense intimacy, and its companions: trust, curiosity and patience.

The process began with the original song, realized with her musical collaborators, Johnny Rossa, Meredith Meyer and lead vocalist, Lucia Ribisi.

After months of experimentation, they recorded in Los Angeles with recording engineer, Rocco Guarino and guest musician, Gregg Foreman in March of 2019. Returning to NYC, Elizabeth handed the basic tracks over to music producer, Judah Bauer, and mix engineer, Wayne Trevisani, who brought the song, “Ganapataye” to its hypnotic final mix.

The lyrics are a mantra and at the heart of the music which gave the deeper intention, ultimately leading to unique and curious collaboration amongst all involved over the year it took to get to the final mix.

In contemplating the visuals for the song, Elizabeth’s meditation practice guided her to the subject matter which were kept logistically out of reach because of a series of seeming obstacles in the Autumn of 2019. Immense patience was demanded during this time.

Lucia Ribisi, the lead vocalist of the song and “the celestial siren”, of film, gave Elizabeth pause when she requested that they not take unnecessary flights to shoot the visuals Elizabeth had been imagining with Lucia in her mind’s eye.

Trusting Lucia’s request as one with great intentional impact, Elizabeth opened the corners of her mind. On October 24th, at a dance performance of the Mahabharata at NYC’s Symphony Space, Lekha and Saara Wood came into view.

The shock of the required pandemic lock-down in NYC on March 15th brought another depth of intimacy to the process. It was unimaginable prior to the circumstances of Covid-19 that the shoot would take place in a desolate Washington Square Park on April 10th, 2020.

Johnny Rossa re-entered the creative process as editor and remained engaged with his sister every day from the first day of shooting on April 10th, 2020 until the final edit and official submissions to a selection of film festivals August 22, 2020, of which was, incidentally, the deadline for the Global Nonviolent Film Festival.

What is the chance that we would be ready to submit on the deadline of a festival dedicated to nonviolence, the first of the 5 Yamas or ancient ethical precepts of Yoga?

This August, one of my Zen meditation teachers brought to my attention the work of the prolific filmmaker Agnes Varda. When I read her words, the intimacy of the process of Ganapataye is articulated better than I could have done myself. The intimacy at play was one with chance:

“As soon as you begin a film, and the idea begins to germinate, you enter into what I’d call a state of grace in your active relationship to chance. I can say that it’s really chance and I that make the film together. (…) You know artists used to talk about inspiration and the muse. The muse! That’s amusing! But it’s not your muse, it’s your relationship with the creative forces that makes things appear when you need them. Those are the mysteries of my passion for the cinema.”

Agnes Varda

Please email us at laboratoryoftheself@gmail.com with any questions.

A BEGINNER’S MIND Early Morning Series: Finding your Inner Sun Salutation

with Elizabeth Rossa

Dates TBA

Minimum of 7 people, maximum of 12

$135 for 3 weeks

Venmo @Shriyoga or Zelle at shriyoga@shriyoganyc.com

An introspective study of the ritual of Sun Salutations.

We will study with a nuanced focus of how the breath touches into the inner forms of yoga, bringing to light to the outer forms.

The use of imagination will be implemented as we deconstruct the physical components of a rigorous traditional form of the sun salutation with the intention to unravel the misunderstandings that persist, and ultimately misinterpret the salutations as an aerobic “exercise” or a “workout”.

Our exploration of the sun salutations will present it as the ritual it can be in conjuring profound awareness and healing.

We will practice the entire 75 minutes, so please arrive into the Zoom room at 7:10am to settle and give time for Elizabeth to organize her view of your practice space.

At 8:30am, Elizabeth will have everyone in a healing savasana where each person can continue for as long as their schedule allows before heading into the day with a dose of quietude.

Elizabeth answer questions by email later that day.

If you end up missing one of the 3 classes, you can make it up on the following Saturday at 11am or the following Monday at 5:15pm.

Please email us at shriyoga@shriyoganyc.com with any questions.

WAKING UP TO DETAILS: A CONTEMPLATIVE VIEW OF THE PRIMARY SERIES OF ASHTANGA YOGA

with Elizabeth Rossa, ALIVE + ONLINE

Date and time to be announced shortly with optional Q+A afterwards

A minimum of 12 reserved people

Advance registration and payment via Venmo (@shriyoga) or Zelle (shriyoga@shriyoganyc.com) 48 hours prior to the workshop to reserve your spot

Suggested offering of $45

Elizabeth has been studying with Richard Freeman and Mary Taylor within the Ashtanga Yoga tradition since 2009. Bringing all that she has learned over the last 10 years under their guidance, she will mindfully guide us through the practice, no matter what your skill level. The series itself is a healing art form and Elizabeth has experienced her own powerful healing transformation through this practice.

If you are a long time Ashtanga practitioner, interested in learning more about the Primary Series, or looking to approach your practice in a mindful and healing way, please join us ONLINE and ALIVE in our supportive and peaceful ZOOM Room. This will be a smaller group workshop so Elizabeth is able to offer everyone specific and personal guidance. Following the lesson, there will be an optional meditation for those wishing to sit and settle themselves into deeper inquiry into our embodiment and the meditation process.

Please email us at shriyoga@shriyoganyc.com with any questions.

FUNDAMENTALLY ADVANCED: A SERIES

2021 Dates TBA

Fundamentally Advanced is especially geared towards anyone desiring a dose of “The Beginners Mind”, which is actually an advanced state of mind … approaching Life, your self with a fresh response.

The classes are open to anyone who is willing to move at a slower, more deliberate, detailed pace to study “how” to practice with an internal focus, and potentially learning that yoga is beckoning from within your very own body-mind.

If you have never practiced with Elizabeth “in person” before, it is also a good opportunity as she will assist you in getting the hang of how to listen to the alignment cues and the basic sequencing/Sun Salutations, without having a teacher physically model poses for you.

Join us and let go of the impulse and need to push, strain and “do” your yoga.

If you are brand new and reluctant to join a group, please email us at shriyoga@shriyoganyc.com to set up a private lesson. Elizabeth is willing to teach two discounted private lessons per month to help ease you into the group classes.

INTEGRATION: WALKING THE TALK

with Elizabeth Rossa and Elyse McLaughlin

Details coming very soon.

CHAMUNDA MUSIC PROJECT

Music + Mantra Collaborative Events
New York City…and worldwide!

Details to follow! Many live and interactive events are in the works for 2020!

REIKI FIRST DEGREE

Dates Coming Soon!

The First Degree of Reiki, commonly known as “Level 1” is the foundational training of a system of healing developed in Japan in the early 20th century. The Japanese words Rei and Ki point to a subtle, wise and healing life force energy which is natural within each of us. The system of Reiki uses an non-invasive touch which greets this natural healing force. It is an excellent self-care practice, bringing balance and vitality. Self-care is a primary focus of Reiki First Degree. When practiced regularly, Reiki has been known to transform mental, emotional and physical health to well-being.

Please note that since Reiki is neither dogmatic nor religious, it can be practiced by anyone.

Elizabeth Rossa received her Reiki Master Level from the esteemed Reiki Master Wendy Miner, who is integral in Memorial Sloan-Kettering’s Integrative Medicine Department.

For yoga teachers and massage therapists, Reiki 1 can be a powerful evolution in hands-on assists and practices.

This initiation/training will be limited to a small group.