From Chaos to Composure, One "OM" at a time

My 17 days in Northern California--for my first vacation since summer--was planned to get me away from the rat race and take some time out. Upon settling into what I still think of as home--the house I lived in from age 11 to adulthood, and the property that has been in our family for over 100 yrs--I felt a sense of peace settle in to my body.

My new home is Hawaii and, after nine years, I am finally settling into the making of a home there. However, my old home in Arcata continues to be my refuge--a place with memories, family, & some of the most beautiful natural surroundings I have ever experienced (and I say this after travels that have taken me from The Cook Islands to New Zealand to Southeast Asia).

My goal this vacation was to check out the local Arcata yoga scene in a different way than I have in the past. Previously I have taken a class here or there at the local gym in Humboldt County and found myself unimpressed and freezing cold! Leaving class without much to gain.

This time, however, I sought out a studio that is primarily dedicated to yoga. Om Shala Yoga Studio, located 2 blocks from the Arcata Plaza, became my go to yoga spot for the entirety of my stay here. I instantly bonded with the studio's energy--calm, collected, warm--and was impressed with the layout. The yoga studio where classes are held enveloped me in a fabulous 80 degree blanket that encouraged me to shed 4 of my 5 layers that the 30 degree weather outside had insisted upon. The instructors, of which I have had 3 so far of the 7 or so that teach here, were knowledgeable and inspiring. Especially toward the devotion of surrender & grace as it applies to yoga asanas and intention.

Anusara, Vinyasa Flow, & Forrest Yoga were amongst the styles that I found at Om Shala. I practice BKS Iyengar yoga exclusively at home and was pleased to integrate other styles into my devotion. Without the added stress of having to 'be somewhere' after class, I was able to

deepen my breath, open my mind, & find ways to be more present in my practice.

Om Shala will definitely be a place that I revisit on future vacations in Arcata. I am pleased that such a place exists. My yoga practice here, as well as my daily meditation walks in the redwood forest just outside our back door (often with my ever-inquiring 'naturalist' 5 yr old nephew) were the perfect combination to refresh my body & mind. I will return to Honolulu on Monday ready to get back into the swing of things. . .thankful for the time I've had away. Namaste. . .

Anusara Invocation:

OM

Namah Shivaya Gurave

I offer myself to the Light, the Auspicious One,

Who is the True Teacher within and without,

Saccidananda Murtaye

Who assumes the forms of Reality, Consciousness and Bliss,

Nisprapancaya

Shantaya

Who is never absent and is full of peace,

Niralambaya Tejase

Independent in existence, the vital essence of illumination.

OM