Learn to manifest in your life: SOUL HARMONY SERENITY BALANCE

SATURDAY OCTOBER 5th
15800 Doyers Drive Huntersville, NC
9am - 3pm

Training will include:
• Taiji Form Training by Mike • Qigong, including Shibashi and Mindful Walking
• The Art of ZENtangle by Marsha
• Martial Art Jo and Keibo training exercises
• Relaxation and centering meditations by Amy 

ALL levels of physical ability are welcome. No experience necessary. $65 per person 9:00 am- 3:00pm - Bring your lunch - Continental breakfast, coffee/tea, and Marsha’s famous Chocolate dessert will be provided - Bring mat/towel to lay down for meditation - Bring your Jo. We will provide Kai bo.

Preregister with Tai Chi Mike at 704-947-8657 or Mike@TaiChiMike.com

An incredible woman, LynnMarie Longo, passed earlier this year.   She touched the lives of many, too many to count.   Her neighborhood has done a community breast cancer 5K run supporting various causes and this year will be running in remembrance of LynnMarie and also donating t-shirt costs and contributions to Wind River, so that we can continue to offer retreats at no charge to survivors.

If you wish to join the race, purchase a t-shirt, or make a contribution in LynnMarie's honor, click below.
T-shirt ($15) - order by October 1st
Donate
​5th Annual Lawson Breast Cancer Walk/Run

Sometimes we meet someone who touches our heart in so many ways.  The author of this extraordinary short story, Susan Strong, is one of those people.   We spent a week together at at women's retreat in Colorado last week,.   

Susan is a childhood cancer survivor, and breast cancer survivor AND an aortic heart valve replacement at 50 (from the chemo given to her when she was 17 years old).   https://www.stronglifenow.com/susan-s-story

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Pottery People

The child encased inside ­­­­­­­­the clay was made of soft skin, agile muscles, with the untapped capacity to dance.  .... A long time ago, a coastal tribe had a ritual for newborns. Soon after a baby took its first breath, the midwife covered the child with clay for protection. Over time, as the child grew or if the child moved too much, the hardened clay would crack. With each crack, the elder mothers quickly added more clay to repair the damage. Eventually, the child’s exterior became like pottery. Solid, hard, restricted.

This was the only experience the child knew. The elders taught the child to decorate the outer layer of this pottery armor with paints and flowers and feathers. The elders might bestow praise to a fortunate child who displayed extraordinary beauty or creativity in her outer adornment.

If a child expressed too much individuality with her exterior design, she was met with harsh disapproval from the elders.  The child encased inside ­­­­­­­­the clay was tender: made of soft skin, agile muscles, and the untapped capacity to dance.  Over the years, layer after layer of clay was added to compensate for cracks or devastating breaks. Standing still, the pottery child could be mistaken for a statue.
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One day, a curious pottery child ventured to the water’s edge, disobeying the warnings of the elders. The pottery child, no longer a child in years, walked closely enough to the rhythmic flow of the waves on the beach to feel the water on her feet. To her great surprise, the clay softened. She could wiggle her toes!

In awe, she saw her own skin for the first time. It was beautiful! She ventured deeper into the water, and in doing so, she felt the softening and ultimate freeing of her legs. She danced and the waves danced with her. She began to rub the water over her body, and finally she dove in, immersing herself completely. For the first time in her life she was free.

She danced, and the waves danced with her.

A seagull flew by and suddenly the exuberance of the moment drained from her. She was afraid. If she went back to her people, they would not even recognize her. If she convinced them she belonged, their only answer would be to enclose her once again in clay. If they saw her as an outsider, her fate would be death. With this new understanding, she knew she would never return to be buried alive in a coffin of clay. Her salty tears of grief and fear merged with the endless ocean. For the first time, she felt utterly alone in the world.

In time, her tears subsided. In stillness, she noticed the rhythmic flow of her breath. She felt her chest rise, and the coolness of her inhalation calmed her fear. She followed her breath as she exhaled. She stood, and her feet followed a path she had never taken. As she walked, the wind whispered to her that truly, she was not alone. Night fell, and the stars guided her steps. 

After many days, the morning light revealed a dwelling in the distance. Swirls of smoke slowly rose from a welcoming fire within. With each step, and each breath, her heart confirmed the whispers of the wind.

As she walked through a grove of aspen and into a clearing, she stood in awe. She saw smiling women with beaded bracelets and colorful clothing flowing with the movement of their bodies as they danced. When they saw her, they ran to greet her with outstretched arms. She had found her Shambhala home. The wind had spoken Truth: She was not alone.

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Thursday, October 10th  
6pm - 7:30pm
c3 Lab
2525 Distribution St, Charlotte, NC 28203

We live in a world that is constantly telling us to hurry up, do more, and feel less. When we take time to connect with our senses, we have the opportunity to experience the beauty of the chaos. Art to Heart resonates and facilitates healing.

Sound vibrations gently massage the cellular body back into harmony, clearing blockages, and restoring vitality. Yoga is the synchronization of breath, movement, and intention; and can lead to shifts to the parasympathetic nervous system, where the body has the capacity to heal itself. Grace Millsap and Zen Within, 75 minutes of pure sensory bliss. 

Invest in your experience, pay what aligns with your budget $22-$33.   AND we have some scholarships available to cancer survivors in need.  (Email Shannon@WindRiverServices.org for assistance with this!)

No experience in moving your body required, come as you are!

We’ve partnered with Wind River Wellness Retreats & Outreach Programs, a local non-profit that creates opportunities for people in cancer treatment to attend retreats and programs that focus on the nonmedical aspects of healing. In a safe, tranquil setting, men and women living with cancer are able to slow down, learn new tools to help reduce stress, tap their creativity, and connect with other survivors, leading to increased quality of life. As we collectively immerse into the journey of sound and movement, may our healing and investment extend to others. Contributions will be collected at the door and $1 from every ticket sold will be donated to support Wind River. Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu.

Link to purchase ticket:
https://sweatnetusa.com/listing/art-to-heart-a-full-sensory-experience-of-art-yoga-sound/

Win Two Tickets to Party In Pink! 

It's almost time for our Party in Pink, a celebration of Lake Norman Magazine breast cancer warriors. We're sure to sell out, so enter a chance to win two tickets HERE. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Wind River Cancer Wellness Retreats & Programs. To purchase tickets, Click Here.

The second gathering of the Charlotte Young Colon Survivors Group is Tuesday September 17th.  Email Holly if you have not already!  ;)

crcsurvivorclt@gmail.com

This new group will start with a private 60-min yoga class at 6pm at Yoga for Life and have dinner/drinks after - so those of you who can’t make it for both can hopefully make it to one!

Yoga for Life
1410 West Morehead Street, Suite 200
Charlotte, NC 28208
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Your Host, Holly Crawford