Miami Weekend with Synergy Yoga Castle Beach

It's been two months (September 29th, 2012)  since I performed a funky and healing house music from our album Yoga on the Dance Floor and Sanskrit Mantras (Glide Recordings) at Synergy Yoga Miami's new center housed in the massive Castle Beach on Collins Avenue. Aside from the usual report back on show attendance (good), level of engagement (great), level of enthusiasm (fantastic!), devotion (thanks Victoria!)  there were added layers to the entire weekend that were sweet, healing, mystical, cooperative, delicious. The wonderful thing about going on tour is the chance  to steep myself in the locality and the culture of the people. By nature it is short thus intense and for that reason more memorable. My four day jaunt to Miami and SoBe has been on my mind ever since I got back to Brooklyn so why has it taken me so long to write about it?  It is in part because I feel like I am still there savoring every moment. The above photo is of the view to the ocean behind the Castle Beach condos. A throw back to the days of 1950's idea of luxury it is large, massive and eccentric even with the valet parking.

  Healing Moonlight Meditation with Arjan Kaur

One of my new friends Arjan Kaur, a teacher at Synergy Yoga Miami was about to set up for a Moonlight Meditation. We rode up together and my usual reservations about participating dissolved.

Arjan on left & Ekayani

This was going to be my first one and it was outdoors on the beach. The weather was perfect. 86F with a slight breeze a huge yellow moon that looked more mystical than usual due to it's being draped with clouds floated above the water. In fact the entire time I was following along doing "kriyas" or movements with Arjan and the gang I couldn't help but feel I was getting a glimpse into one of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's past times, the enormous personality of paramount mercy who is compared to a Golden Moon. He was in fact the reason why I was in Miami. Singing about paha dui jana had gained me entry so witnessing this golden moon suspended above the ocean seemed to me to be non different from Sri Caitanya.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu in an ecstatic mood mistaking the ocean for the Yamuna river

As I had had a very late night Saturday with the concert and the (hilarious) drive home, my body was feeling the stiffness from extended travel and little sleep. I bowed to Arjan whose Greek wedding style shoulder movements had helped loosen my spine and made my way inside the Russian Turkish Baths the Floridian counterpart of New York's East Village bath house. Outlandish as it is with Roman statues, red glass chandeliers and labyrinthian corridors leading to various hot rooms, it proved  both relaxing and amusing. I was in good company with a show attendee who delivered a healing invocation that I had been hoping for regarding healing our waters. Read about that in Heart Technology here

Cranking Sound Collective Efforts Delicious Vegan Food Stuffs

Hire Chef Amanda Resto for your next groovy event. You'll be glad you did!

Being a non traditional performance venue the challenge in a yoga studio is getting a club worthy PA system.  Big thanks to Ray at 7th Circuit from the Moksha Family who donated a sound system that did the job . With  Len donating the club lights, Tato on set up, Serge who set up the projector we had a real disco! The joke was on Victoria Brunacci and myself who got to  the center at Castle Beach  ten minutes before the doors were set to open to a crowd waiting for the doors to open! So much for the general wisdom  that "everyone always comes late" in Miami. With the good graces of Vegan Chef Amanda Resto of Flameless Foods we had a feast that was out of this world! Sadhu (who posted the video below)  had purchased us a live pizza replete with black olives that I happily devoured along with her delicious apricot chia sweet balls reminiscent of laghlu's a specialiy from Jagganatah Puri. I enjoyed a walnut humus that was a welcome departure from the classic chickpea and Amanda's  delicious uncooked flax seed squares.
Hire this lady by finding Flameless Foods on facebook!
Enjoy this clip from the party. Ekayani on the mic while Victoria does asanas to our track Third Eye.

Update on Lowered Prices and Airfares to Tulum Vacation May 1 - 6

This is a special message from MJ our wonderful travel agent for our Mexico Mayan Retreat. This answers your concerns and questions.
"Hello Ekayani and Jen,
I have uploaded a new payment button on the Costs and Enrollment page for the retreat to reserve a room at $500.00. For your guests who wish to join the retreat, they can go directly to the page and click on the button to Pay Now. It really is the easiest method, but I know many people feel more comfortable working directly with a live person!

For those who would rather speak with a human...(my favorite method) please tell your guests feel free to call me directly. I can take credit card information directly over the phone if they feel more secure with that option, verses using our PayPal merchant services.My direct cell phone number is: 585-857-8828

Also, your guests may wish to call me directly with assistance for booking their flights. Otherwise, so far, the best price I have seen has been to purchase directly on Spirit Airlines website, which is $519 pp.
That link is here: http://www.spirit.com/Default.aspx
I highly recommend purchasing flights as soon as possible, since prices will only increase. The travel dates again are May 1-6, 2012.
I will be in Belize leading a women's retreat March 24-31st. I will have access to email during the entire trip, but am not sure how well I may be able to receive calls. For this reason, I encourage anyone who is considering this retreat to book with us this weekend, or this upcoming week. If anyone needs payment arrangements, have them call me directly.
I am thrilled to assist you with this retreat, and I know it will be an Amazing Adventure of Mind, Body and Spirit for all who hear the call, and join the Liberation!

Many Blessings,
Melinda

Melinda Johnston
LUX World Travel
http://www.luxworldtravel.com
585-672-5587
mj@luxworldtravel.com

Our Tulum Resort Temzacal - Sweat Your Prayers Profound Healing the Mayan Way

On Day 3 as part of our Mayan powered Revision Quest from May 1 - 6  in our Tulum resort  we'll be taking part in a Temzacal which means "bath house" in the ancient Nahuatl language. This ancient practice has endured in the region in spite of the Spanish conquerors attempts it stamp it out. Considered more than just being an occasion to remove toxins from our bodies it is a method of cleansing the mind and spirit.  Profound healing and connection with appreciation to Mother Earth through the agency of the Goddess, the temzacal is seen as the womb of the earth from which we all come (You know well the saying "ashes to ashes, dust to dust") This is an opportunity to be still and cleanse on a deep level.  In tandem,  we are offering a juice cleanse which we recommend. Giving your digestion a break while participating in the sweat lodge will make for a better detox.
Here we found an excellent article from the Mexican Institute of Traditional Medicine that explains in a beautiful way the significance and history of this practice. Do join us. This is in our minds and hearts a perfect way to usher in a renewed look at life with appreciation for all those who have come before us.
Great Article on the significance of Mayan Sweat Lodges
To See Our Itinerary and  Register for this Retreat Go here

Day 2- Floating Meditation & Sacred Mayan Ruins Tour- Our Tulum Resort April 10 - 15

May 1 to May 6 Mayan Revision $1598 per person includes RT airfare!
Quest On Day 2 of our adventure in our Tulum vacation retreat we are scheduled to visit one of the surrounding cenotes or underground rivers in the Sian Kaan biosphere. These underground rivers were exposed when part of the cavern roof collapses. They lead to the Caribbean Sea and answer the question of what the Mayans used for fresh water. Sacred to them a perfect place to connect with water.

This cenote in Valladolid. Photo Adam Baker

The very idea of this floating meditation fills us with relaxation and wonder at the never ending marvels on this earth. We found a series of extraordinary photographs courtesy of the Travel channel and are the best we have seen. "The Cenote Sagrado, near the ancient Mayan city of Chichen Itza, was once a site of sacrifice to the Mayan rain god Chac. In the early 1900s, archaeologist Edward Herbert Thompson dredged the famous cenote and found copper, gold bells, rings, masks, cups, figurines and embossed plaques... "
Photography by Michael Rael through Flickr Creative Commons
For More Photos See http://www.travelchannel.com/destinations/mexico/photos/explore-mexicos-cenotes To Register for our Mayan Revision Retreat and Yoga Vacation Visit LUX World Travel

October 2 - 7 2012 Revision FALL Retreat in Our Tulum Resort All Inclusive $1598

Dear Friends - You are invited to an Mayan Revision Quest FALL Retreat I am co leading with my good friend Jennifer "Jenevi" Varriano. This Mind Body Spirit trip is a top down rejuvenating and reinvigorating experience in the sweet locale of Tulum, Mexico from October 2 - 7, 2012  on the Mayan Riviera for the all inclusive price of $1598.00  Come Cleanse Rejuvenate Dance Celebrate our renewed purpose in 2012 while chilling in paradise.The Villa is luxurious, the food excellent and the price is right. Truly, Ekayani

Our Tulum resort will be situated in a Private Villa on the Carmen del Playa only 12 minutes walking distance to La Quinta the village shopping and nightlife district. This provides us proximity for some fun for your free time outside of the group experience of the Mayan Revision Quest we have designed for you as guides. 24/7 concierge service, a private villa cook and private suites are some of the creature comforts you will enjoy.

Jenevi is a yoga alliance certified yoga instructor with a degree in chemistry. She will be teaching daily yoga classes  and conducting the optional Juice Feast. During the immersion she will provide an introduction to the Parashakti's Dance of Liberation. I will be providing daily Sanskrit and Bengali meditation classes based on my internationally recognized house music album Yoga on the Dance Floor and Sanskrit Mantras produced by the wildly talented Tom Glide. The last night we are going to have a dance party! (Yes, that's Ekayani with the microphone.)

We are very excited about this trip because we are able to offer you an all inclusive package without compromising on accommodations, comfort and service. The villa affords us the intimacy we wanted  while being in the lap of luxury - and not breaking the bank.

Nearby the Sacred Mayan Ruins, the Sian Kaan Biosphere with it's cenotes, our Mayan Sweat Lodge and great outdoors await!

We are pleased and proud to be partnering with Lux World Travel who are experts in sophisticated yoga retreats and vacations. For more information about this retreat please call 1-866.269.2659 or write Revision - Quest@LuxWorldTravel.com or visit this link Lux World Travel Mayan Revision Quest