Events Archive - Rancho La Puerta
Events Calendar
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Spa Services

Gyrokinesis with Ellen Comerford

Ellen Comerford is the founder and CEO of Core De Vie Wellness and a GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS® Master Trainer. With over 40 years in the wellness space, she specializes in whole-body care, integrating movement, nutrition, and mindset into her practice. Ellen is certified in advanced biomechanics and posture and movement analysis, giving her a unique expertise in helping clients improve alignment, balance, and mobility. Through her personalized coaching, she offers natural solutions for pain management and optimal health, transforming lives both in-person and virtually from her Beacon Hill studio.

Ellen’s GYROKINESIS® classes are designed to go beyond traditional movement, focusing on aligning the body through careful attention to posture, balance, and fluidity. By incorporating her deep knowledge of biomechanics, she helps participants unlock the full potential of their bodies, restoring natural movement patterns and relieving tension.

Ellen’s expert guidance will help you rediscover the freedom and joy of movement. Whether you’re a seasoned practitioner or new to GYROKINESIS®, Ellen’s warm, encouraging teaching style will leave you feeling revitalized and aligned.

Let’s Get Batty! with Judie Lincer

Bat viewing and facts – early evening outdoor experience.

Judie Lincer, M.S. Ed.  is a Naturalist Educator with San Diego Audubon, who has over 30 years of teaching experience and guides hikes educating people about ecosystems, adaptations, ethnobotany (the study of a region’s plants and their uses through the traditional knowledge of a local culture).   She is an enthusiastic speaker who inspires others to develop an appreciation of the environment.  Judie is a Workshop &Tour Director for the California Native Plant Society-San Diego.

Moving Meditation

We’re not learning to dance, we’re dancing to learn.
In every culture there is dance, and every human body is DNA-wired to move. Open Floor dance practice is a natural way for people of any background, age, culture, or physical ability to communicate and connect with others.  You’ll find Open Floor to be a spirited moving meditation that is accessible to all, regardless of experience. It cultivates self-knowledge and healthy relationships both on and off the dance floor.  Wonderful music from all over the world accompanies us as we explore themes that are fun, thought-provoking, and ultimately enlivening. Come join us.

 

Lori Saltzman and Kathy Altman, Co-founders of Open Floor International, have travelled the globe for 40 years teaching mindfulness and self-awareness through movement. Originally students and colleagues of Gabrielle Roth, they went on to create Open Floor Movement Practice in 2013. They have trained over 800 teachers from 22 countries to bring this lively, healing work to people of all languages, ages, backgrounds, and abilities.

 

Open Floor Dance – our local website and media
http://openfloordance.org
Open Floor Dance (@openfloordance)

Open Floor International
https://openfloor.org,
https://www.facebook.com/openfloor

The Five Elements of Wellness: Ayurveda, Nature & Nutrition

The ancient science of Ayurveda supports Rancho La Puerta’s 5 principles of health – that joyful movement, fresh air and sunshine, good food and digestion, friendship and connection, learning and inspiration, amplify health and happiness, while igniting a renewed sense of purpose.

Together, in these classes, we will explore the power of nature to heal, strengthen, inspire and restore. You will learn the ancient secrets of Ayurveda for vibrant longevity, your unique Ayurveda constitution, how to nourish optimally with nature’s support, and how to take these practices home with you in delicious, delightful, sustainable ways.

Just as the Ranch helps you connect with nature, Ayurveda reminds you that you are nature, inviting a reunification with all its glory, beauty and power for truly sacred, sumptuous living.

 

Class 1: Which Element Are You? Understanding Your Ayurvedic Constitution
Ayurveda begins with the five elements, Space, Air, Fire, Water, Earth, exploring their energies and how they work in you to give your unique mind-body constitution. Learn how the Ranch’s five principles relate, and how to work with these elements to heal and balance, in alignment with nature’s rhythms.

Class 2: The Six Tastes – Ayurveda’s Key to Optimal Nutrition & Digestion
Ayurveda’s Six Tastes describe the rays of light each type of food brings. Each taste, sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent, supports your health in unique ways. Explore how to incorporate these tastes into your meals, using fresh, seasonal ingredients, adapted to your individual needs. When you know this, all doubt vanishes, and meals become intuitive, delicious, healthy, while nurturing whole person health.

Class 3: Working With Fire – Energizing Body & Mind
Explore the transformative power of Fire, which governs digestion, metabolism and transformation in Ayurveda, as well as clarity, courage, warmth and radiance. Learn how to stoke your digestive fire (Agni) with fresh, seasonal foods, herbs and spices, teas and tonics, and mindful eating practices, to ensure optimal digestion, metabolism and vitality.

Class 4: Playing With Water – Rejuvenating & Healing
In Ayurveda, Water is the element of fluidity, purification, healing, and renewal. It represents all that soothes, strengthens, lubricates and nourishes, giving wholeness, integrity, ease and contentment.  Learn how to work with healthy foods to replenish for greater acuity, serenity, energy and endurance.

Class 5:  Integrating this Joyful Care into Your Daily Life
Develop personalized strategies to take Ayurveda, and your Rancho La Puerta experience, home with you. Create a sustainable plan to nurture body, mind, and spirit, for enduring wellness. Cultivate a reverent connection to nature to encourage your own reverent connection to self every day.

 

Laura Plumb
Selected by Spirituality & Health as one of 100 Trailblazers of Yoga & Ayurveda, with decades of study into Yoga, Ayurveda, Jyotish, consciousness, and the potential for Self-realization, Laura is an international educator on the power of the Vedic sciences to promote radical health and sacred, sumptuous living.

A Vedic Educator, Ayurvedic Practitioner, Jyotish Consultant, Author, Speaker, and popular blogger on Ayurveda, Laura is dedicated to making this ancient knowledge accessible and relevant to our modern times.
As the former General Manager of Discovery Channel Europe, subsequently working for decades in the fields of health and human potential, Laura has studied the world’s great healing and spiritual traditions with some of the greatest luminaries of our times.

She is the author of the best-selling book Ayurveda Cooking For Beginners; creator of the acclaimed Ayurvedic Integrated Nutrition Consultant Training; the writer/ presenter of the video course The Medicine In Your Kitchen: Introduction to Ayurvedic Cooking hosted by Spirituality & Health; writer and host of the 53-part television show CleanseVeda; and creator/host of the 12-part series Divine Yoga, which ran on Gaia, now available on Amazon Prime. She also serves on faculty for The Sevanti Institute and UCSD Center for Integrative Medicine.

Laura’s blog food-alovestory.com is an inspirational, free resource for Ayurvedic recipes and wise living. Her popular whole food, plant-based seasonal cleanses are powerful, effective and delicious, and have helped many overcome health challenges.

Laura’s articles on health and wellness have been published in Huffington Post, Spirituality & Health, Well + Good, Ayurveda Next Door, Yoga Digest and the Times of India, among other national and international media. She has taught at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, the Omega Institute, the Shift Network, The Natural Law Academy, BhaktiFest, ShaktiFest, the International Yoga Festival in Rishikesh, and has been featured on numerous podcasts including The Higher Self with Sahara Rose, The Melissa Ambrosini Show, and VitalVeda with Dylan Smith.

The Five Elements of Wellness: Ayurveda, Nature & Nutrition

The ancient science of Ayurveda supports Rancho La Puerta’s 5 principles of health – that joyful movement, fresh air and sunshine, good food and digestion, friendship and connection, learning and inspiration, amplify health and happiness, while igniting a renewed sense of purpose.

Together, in these classes, we will explore the power of nature to heal, strengthen, inspire and restore. You will learn the ancient secrets of Ayurveda for vibrant longevity, your unique Ayurveda constitution, how to nourish optimally with nature’s support, and how to take these practices home with you in delicious, delightful, sustainable ways.

Just as the Ranch helps you connect with nature, Ayurveda reminds you that you are nature, inviting a reunification with all its glory, beauty and power for truly sacred, sumptuous living.

 

Class 1: Which Element Are You? Understanding Your Ayurvedic Constitution
Ayurveda begins with the five elements, Space, Air, Fire, Water, Earth, exploring their energies and how they work in you to give your unique mind-body constitution. Learn how the Ranch’s five principles relate, and how to work with these elements to heal and balance, in alignment with nature’s rhythms.

Class 2: The Six Tastes – Ayurveda’s Key to Optimal Nutrition & Digestion
Ayurveda’s Six Tastes describe the rays of light each type of food brings. Each taste, sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent, supports your health in unique ways. Explore how to incorporate these tastes into your meals, using fresh, seasonal ingredients, adapted to your individual needs. When you know this, all doubt vanishes, and meals become intuitive, delicious, healthy, while nurturing whole person health.

Class 3: Working With Fire – Energizing Body & Mind
Explore the transformative power of Fire, which governs digestion, metabolism and transformation in Ayurveda, as well as clarity, courage, warmth and radiance. Learn how to stoke your digestive fire (Agni) with fresh, seasonal foods, herbs and spices, teas and tonics, and mindful eating practices, to ensure optimal digestion, metabolism and vitality.

Class 4: Playing With Water – Rejuvenating & Healing
In Ayurveda, Water is the element of fluidity, purification, healing, and renewal. It represents all that soothes, strengthens, lubricates and nourishes, giving wholeness, integrity, ease and contentment.  Learn how to work with healthy foods to replenish for greater acuity, serenity, energy and endurance.

Class 5:  Integrating this Joyful Care into Your Daily Life
Develop personalized strategies to take Ayurveda, and your Rancho La Puerta experience, home with you. Create a sustainable plan to nurture body, mind, and spirit, for enduring wellness. Cultivate a reverent connection to nature to encourage your own reverent connection to self every day.

 

Laura Plumb
Selected by Spirituality & Health as one of 100 Trailblazers of Yoga & Ayurveda, with decades of study into Yoga, Ayurveda, Jyotish, consciousness, and the potential for Self-realization, Laura is an international educator on the power of the Vedic sciences to promote radical health and sacred, sumptuous living.

A Vedic Educator, Ayurvedic Practitioner, Jyotish Consultant, Author, Speaker, and popular blogger on Ayurveda, Laura is dedicated to making this ancient knowledge accessible and relevant to our modern times.
As the former General Manager of Discovery Channel Europe, subsequently working for decades in the fields of health and human potential, Laura has studied the world’s great healing and spiritual traditions with some of the greatest luminaries of our times.

She is the author of the best-selling book Ayurveda Cooking For Beginners; creator of the acclaimed Ayurvedic Integrated Nutrition Consultant Training; the writer/ presenter of the video course The Medicine In Your Kitchen: Introduction to Ayurvedic Cooking hosted by Spirituality & Health; writer and host of the 53-part television show CleanseVeda; and creator/host of the 12-part series Divine Yoga, which ran on Gaia, now available on Amazon Prime. She also serves on faculty for The Sevanti Institute and UCSD Center for Integrative Medicine.

Laura’s blog food-alovestory.com is an inspirational, free resource for Ayurvedic recipes and wise living. Her popular whole food, plant-based seasonal cleanses are powerful, effective and delicious, and have helped many overcome health challenges.

Laura’s articles on health and wellness have been published in Huffington Post, Spirituality & Health, Well + Good, Ayurveda Next Door, Yoga Digest and the Times of India, among other national and international media. She has taught at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, the Omega Institute, the Shift Network, The Natural Law Academy, BhaktiFest, ShaktiFest, the International Yoga Festival in Rishikesh, and has been featured on numerous podcasts including The Higher Self with Sahara Rose, The Melissa Ambrosini Show, and VitalVeda with Dylan Smith.

The Five Elements of Wellness: Ayurveda, Nature & Nutrition

The ancient science of Ayurveda supports Rancho La Puerta’s 5 principles of health – that joyful movement, fresh air and sunshine, good food and digestion, friendship and connection, learning and inspiration, amplify health and happiness, while igniting a renewed sense of purpose.

Together, in these classes, we will explore the power of nature to heal, strengthen, inspire and restore. You will learn the ancient secrets of Ayurveda for vibrant longevity, your unique Ayurveda constitution, how to nourish optimally with nature’s support, and how to take these practices home with you in delicious, delightful, sustainable ways.

Just as the Ranch helps you connect with nature, Ayurveda reminds you that you are nature, inviting a reunification with all its glory, beauty and power for truly sacred, sumptuous living.

 

Class 1: Which Element Are You? Understanding Your Ayurvedic Constitution
Ayurveda begins with the five elements, Space, Air, Fire, Water, Earth, exploring their energies and how they work in you to give your unique mind-body constitution. Learn how the Ranch’s five principles relate, and how to work with these elements to heal and balance, in alignment with nature’s rhythms.

Class 2: The Six Tastes – Ayurveda’s Key to Optimal Nutrition & Digestion
Ayurveda’s Six Tastes describe the rays of light each type of food brings. Each taste, sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent, supports your health in unique ways. Explore how to incorporate these tastes into your meals, using fresh, seasonal ingredients, adapted to your individual needs. When you know this, all doubt vanishes, and meals become intuitive, delicious, healthy, while nurturing whole person health.

Class 3: Working With Fire – Energizing Body & Mind
Explore the transformative power of Fire, which governs digestion, metabolism and transformation in Ayurveda, as well as clarity, courage, warmth and radiance. Learn how to stoke your digestive fire (Agni) with fresh, seasonal foods, herbs and spices, teas and tonics, and mindful eating practices, to ensure optimal digestion, metabolism and vitality.

Class 4: Playing With Water – Rejuvenating & Healing
In Ayurveda, Water is the element of fluidity, purification, healing, and renewal. It represents all that soothes, strengthens, lubricates and nourishes, giving wholeness, integrity, ease and contentment.  Learn how to work with healthy foods to replenish for greater acuity, serenity, energy and endurance.

Class 5:  Integrating this Joyful Care into Your Daily Life
Develop personalized strategies to take Ayurveda, and your Rancho La Puerta experience, home with you. Create a sustainable plan to nurture body, mind, and spirit, for enduring wellness. Cultivate a reverent connection to nature to encourage your own reverent connection to self every day.

 

Laura Plumb
Selected by Spirituality & Health as one of 100 Trailblazers of Yoga & Ayurveda, with decades of study into Yoga, Ayurveda, Jyotish, consciousness, and the potential for Self-realization, Laura is an international educator on the power of the Vedic sciences to promote radical health and sacred, sumptuous living.

A Vedic Educator, Ayurvedic Practitioner, Jyotish Consultant, Author, Speaker, and popular blogger on Ayurveda, Laura is dedicated to making this ancient knowledge accessible and relevant to our modern times.
As the former General Manager of Discovery Channel Europe, subsequently working for decades in the fields of health and human potential, Laura has studied the world’s great healing and spiritual traditions with some of the greatest luminaries of our times.

She is the author of the best-selling book Ayurveda Cooking For Beginners; creator of the acclaimed Ayurvedic Integrated Nutrition Consultant Training; the writer/ presenter of the video course The Medicine In Your Kitchen: Introduction to Ayurvedic Cooking hosted by Spirituality & Health; writer and host of the 53-part television show CleanseVeda; and creator/host of the 12-part series Divine Yoga, which ran on Gaia, now available on Amazon Prime. She also serves on faculty for The Sevanti Institute and UCSD Center for Integrative Medicine.

Laura’s blog food-alovestory.com is an inspirational, free resource for Ayurvedic recipes and wise living. Her popular whole food, plant-based seasonal cleanses are powerful, effective and delicious, and have helped many overcome health challenges.

Laura’s articles on health and wellness have been published in Huffington Post, Spirituality & Health, Well + Good, Ayurveda Next Door, Yoga Digest and the Times of India, among other national and international media. She has taught at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, the Omega Institute, the Shift Network, The Natural Law Academy, BhaktiFest, ShaktiFest, the International Yoga Festival in Rishikesh, and has been featured on numerous podcasts including The Higher Self with Sahara Rose, The Melissa Ambrosini Show, and VitalVeda with Dylan Smith.

Personal Healing is Earth Healing with Tony Skrelunas

Red Road Journey is bringing native elders and wisdom keepers to Rancho La Puerta, to share stories, pray, sing, teach and inspire; to celebrate the deeply rooted traditions and practices that can help us care for the earth, bring healing to our spirits and care for each other.

 

Tony SkrelunasTony Skrelunas, cofounder of Red Road Journey, who also serves as head of commerce for the largest 1st Nation in America, and a friend of Rancho La Puerta, will lead a discussion on his efforts to create harmonious balance in self, home, and community within the American first nations and how the lessons learned from their past can lead to better humanity in the future.    Tony is leading economic transition for a resource extractive dependent Nation to one that focuses on the culture, time tested food systems, communal commerce, respectful trade, and keeping the knowledge of the land and climate for future humans.

Return to Wholeness: A Meditation Journey with Stacey Filice

Throughout the week, Stacey will be introduce you to meditation practices from the Yogic tradition that will help you to explore reaching a meditative state and experience a sense of Wholeness. By releasing an over identification with the external material world you can experience a connection to the True Self and learn how to take that state into a more mindful daily life. At its core, Yoga is a philosophy that is designed to bring union to the mind, body and soul which improves your relationship to yourself and to the world around you. Yoga is not just the physical poses which tend to be the focus in our Western culture and these sessions will not include yoga poses. All levels are welcome and appropriate for these meditation sessions! Experienced practitioners will have an opportunity to explore different techniques and deepen their meditation practice. Everyone will leave these sessions feeling a deeper connection to the True Self.

 

Stacey A. Filice, Certified Yoga Therapist, E-RYT500, Reiki Master
Prior to her career in health and wellness, in 2009 Stacey had a life-changing week as a guest at Rancho La Puerta that inspired her to refocus her life on the study of wellness through the lens of ancient wisdom. As a Yoga Therapist, Stacey provides a unique and practical approach to healing by incorporating various ancient healing modalities including yoga poses, yoga philosophy, breathwork, meditation, Yoga Nidra, sound healing, and Reiki to guide students on their healing journey. Yoga Therapy is an intervention that specifically uses the healing lenses of Yoga philosophy to discover body/mind/spirit correlations to dis-ease. Her many years of teaching include various studios throughout San Diego, full-time staff and Specialty Presenter at Rancho La Puerta, the Insight Timer app, and in her private practice.

Harmony of Mind: A Journey through Music, Creativity, and the Human Psyche

Explore the link between art and music, discover sources of creativity for classical composers, and enjoy an piano recital.

Recital: The Transcribed Piano
Bach-Siloti Chaconne
Gluck-Siloti Melody
Schubert-Liszt-Siloti Soirées de Vienne
Ravel-Siloti Kaddish
Rachmaninoff-Siloti Romance
Saint-Saens-Siloti The Swan
Bizet-Siloti Aragonaise from Carmen
Glinka-Balakirev-Siloti The Lark
Paganini-Liszt-Siloti Etude No. 6

Workshop I: Art and Music
This workshop explores the deep connection between visual art and music. The session delves into how artists and composers have influenced each other throughout history, highlighting the interplay between sound and sight, synesthesia, and the rhythm of brushstrokes. The workshop culminates in a live music performance, inviting participants to create their own visual interpretations, drawing to the rhythm, mood, and emotion of the music.

Workshop II: Mental Health and Music
Explore the profound connection between mental illness and musical genius in a workshop dedicated to works by composers who have faced mental health challenges. This session sheds light on how their struggles fueled their creativity, resulting in some of the most powerful and evocative compositions in history. By framing mental illness as a source of resilience and artistic depth, the workshop offers a unique perspective on the extraordinary contributions these composers have made to the world of music, celebrating the beauty and complexity of their work.

 

Hailed by the London Times as a “pianist of powerful physical and imaginative muscle”, Tanya Gabrielian shot onto the international stage at the age of twenty with back-to-back victories in the Scottish International Piano Competition and Aram Khachaturyan International Piano Competition. Since then, she has performed on four continents in acclaimed venues including Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, Sydney Opera House, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Wigmore Hall, Edinburgh International Festival, Seoul Arts Center, and the Salle Cortot, with such orchestras as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Boston Pops, and Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Tanya has also been featured on the cover of the magazine Clavier.

www.tanyagabrielian.com

@tanyagabrielian

From Bach to Bridgerton with Martin Chalifour, Elizabeth Zoesseder, and Monique Mead

Let your spirit soar with uplifting music from Bach to Bridgerton with Los Angeles Philharmonic concertmaster Martin Chalifour, Elizabeth Zoesseder, harp and Monique Mead, violin.  With 58 strings between them, these programs will add extra magic to your stay at the Ranch.

 

Martin Chalifour has been the Principal Concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic since 1995. Born in Canada, he graduated with honors from the Montreal Conservatory at the age of 18 and then moved to the United States to continue studies at the famed Curtis Institute of Music.

Shortly after receiving a Certificate of Honor at the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, he became a laureate of the prestigious Montreal International Competition. Apart from his L.A. Phil duties, he has maintained an active solo career, playing a diverse repertoire of more than 60 concertos. Chalifour has appeared as soloist with conductors Pierre Boulez, Gustavo Dudamel, Charles Dutoit, Christoph Eschenbach, Neville Marriner and Esa-Pekka Salonen. Outside the U.S. he soloed with the Auckland Philharmonia, the Montreal Symphony, the Hong Kong Philharmonic, the National Orchestra of Taiwan, and the Malaysian Philharmonic, among others.

Mr. Chalifour began his orchestral career with the late Robert Shaw and the Atlanta Symphony, playing as Associate Concertmaster and acting concertmaster for 6 years. Subsequently, he occupied the same positions in the Cleveland Orchestra for 5 years under Christoph von Dohnányi. While in Ohio, Chalifour taught at the Cleveland Institute of Music and was a founding member of the Cleveland Orchestra Piano Trio.

Martin Chalifour is a frequent guest at music festivals including San Diego’s Mainly Mozart and the Ottawa « Music and Beyond » festivals. He has often served on the faculty of the Sarasota Festival, the Montecito Festival and the National Repertory Orchestra.

Maintaining close ties with his native country, he has returned there often to teach and perform as soloist with various Canadian orchestras, most recently in Vancouver and in Hamilton.

He has recorded solo and chamber music for the Telarc, Northstar, and Yarlung labels.

He teaches at Caltech and at the University of Southern California.

 

 

Born in the Bay Area, Elisabeth Zosseder graduated with her Bachelor of Music in harp performance from the Colburn School Conservatory of Music and Master of Music in harp performance from the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music, where she studied with JoAnn Turovsky. She has performed professionally with the Berlin Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Opera, and Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, as well as artists such as Andrea Bocelli, Plácido Domingo, Sir Simon Rattle, Gustavo Dudamel, James Conlon, and Esa-Pekka Salonen, to name a few. She has also appeared on recordings and onstage with popular artists such as TALK, Randy Newman, John Williams, Laufey and made TV appearances on “Hell’s Kitchen,” Disney’s Encanto Live, and “My Mom, Your Dad.” Elisabeth returned to LA in 2019 from studying in Germany with Berlin Philharmonic principal harpist Marie-Pierre Langlamet, receiving her second Master of Music specializing in orchestral harp performance from the Universität der Künste Berlin and is currently pursuing a career as a freelance musician in the SoCal region.

 

A passionate ambassador of classical music, violinist Monique Mead enjoys a rich career as a performer, educator, and innovator. Inspired and mentored by Leonard Bernstein, Monique has devoted her performing career to nurturing new audiences and curating extraordinary musical experiences. Her programs with major orchestras and festivals in the United States and Europe have drawn international acclaim for their popular appeal and innovative approach. Interweaving live music with education and audience engagement at the highest level, her programs have reached millions through television appearances, a six-year radio series with the Munich Radio Orchestra, and over 20 years of concerts with the Cologne Philharmonic, Munich Symphony, Düsseldorf Symphony, Berlin Radio Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony, San Diego Symphony, and the Mainly Mozart Festival. Since 2012 Monique has served as Director of Music Entrepreneurship at Carnegie Mellon University, where she trains musicians in community engagement, peak performance, and professionalism as she helps them forge new paths as professional musicians. Monique performs on violin made in 1860 by J.B. Vuillaume which was gifted to her at age 19. She enjoys hiking, yoga, homegrown cuisine, and performing with her talented teens, Isabel and Tino.

Hands-On Cooking Classes and Chef’s Table Dinner with Linda Shiue

Linda offers hands-on culinary experiences, 3.5 hours each, during which you will enjoy preparing your own meal along with fellow cooks. Classes take place at La Cocina Que Canta, our culinary center on Tuesday and Wednesday, at 4pm. In addition, Chef Linda will collaborate with La Cocina Que Canta’s Executive Chef Reyna Venegas and her team to create a special feast (with wine pairing!) on Thursday at 4:45pm.

Hands On Cooking Classes and Chefs Dinner Sign Up

 

Tuesday Hands-On Cooking Class 4:00 PM
Each class $145 (tax included). Class subject to change, check your weekly planner and schedule for updates. The maximum number of guests per class is 14.

Wednesday Hands-On Cooking Class 4:00 PM
Each class $145 (tax included). Class subject to change, check your weekly planner and schedule for updates. The maximum number of guests per class is 14.

Thursday Farm-to-Table Dining Experience 4:45 PM
Celebrate the abundance of our organic farm and the connection to community with a Farm-to-Table dining experience – a perfect blend of health, tradition, flavor, and fun! Cost is $150 per person, tax and wine pairing included. The maximum number of guests is 30. Sign Up at the Appointments Desk or through the link above.

 

Linda Shiue, MD, Chef, Dip ABLM is a physician double-boarded in internal medicine physician and lifestyle medicine, a professionally trained chef, and the Director of Culinary Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine at Kaiser Permanente San Francisco, where she founded Thrive Kitchen, a teaching kitchen for patients. She believes that the best medicine is prevention. Her cooking classes showcase seasonal produce, lavishly flavored with spices and fresh herbs. Her first cookbook, Spicebox Kitchen, was a 2022 Gold Award Winner in the Nautilus Book Awards and a Finalist in the 2022 IACP Awards. Her food writing has been published widely and she has been interviewed frequently on television and in print. Dr. Shiue is an Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at the Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine. She serves on the boards of the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank, Meals on Wheels of San Francisco and the Teaching Kitchen Collaborative. She is a graduate of Brown University, San Francisco Cooking School, UCSF and the kitchen of Michelin-starred restaurant, Mourad, in San Francisco and has a Certificate in Plant Based Nutrition from Cornell University.

Learn about Lifestyle Medicine and Culinary Medicine programs at Kaiser Permanente San Francisco at Lifestyle Medicine – San Francisco (kaiserpermanente.org) and Healthy Cooking – San Francisco (kaiserpermanente.org) Connect with Dr. Shiue on Twitter and Instagram at @spiceboxtravels, on Facebook and YouTube at @TheDoctorsSpicebox and follow her culinary adventures at SpiceboxTravels.com.

Hands-On Cooking Classes and Chef’s Table Dinner with Ruffo Ibarra

Ruffo offers hands-on culinary experiences, 3.5 hours each, during which you will enjoy preparing your own meal along with fellow cooks. Classes take place at La Cocina Que Canta, our culinary center on Tuesday and Wednesday, at 4pm. In addition, Chef Ruffo Ibarra will collaborate with La Cocina Que Canta’s Executive Chef Reyna Venegas and her team to create a special feast (with wine pairing!) on Thursday at 4:45pm.

Hands On Cooking Classes and Chefs Dinner Sign Up

 

Tuesday Hands-On Cooking Class 4:00 PM
Each class $145 (tax included). Class subject to change, check your weekly planner and schedule for updates. The maximum number of guests per class is 14.

Wednesday Hands-On Cooking Class 4:00 PM
Each class $145 (tax included). Class subject to change, check your weekly planner and schedule for updates. The maximum number of guests per class is 14.

Thursday Farm-to-Table Dining Experience 4:45 PM
Celebrate the abundance of our organic farm and the connection to community with a Farm-to-Table dining experience – a perfect blend of health, tradition, flavor, and fun! Cost is $150 per person, tax and wine pairing included. The maximum number of guests is 30. Sign Up at the Appointments Desk or through the link above.

 

Chef Ruffo Ibarra grew up in Tijuana, started his career 19 years ago, studying at Culinary Art School, he then worked with Javier Plascencia at Romesco in San Diego; in 2019 he worked at Cenador de Amos, a 3 star Michelin restaurant in Cambria, Spain; later on he had the opportunity to work at Osteria Francescana, named two times best restaurant in the world with Massimo Bottura. He now owns Oryx Restaurante named People’s Choice Best Restaurant in Baja by San Diego Magazine and the first speakeasy in Baja named Nortico. Besides being in the culinary world, he works alongside Chef Jose Andres in institutions like World Central Kitchen and This Is About Humanity, both dedicated to help immigrants at the border supplying them with a living, food and basic needs.

On his latest achievements, he was inducted into Tijuana Hall of Fame, 19th edition, and became a TedX Speaker. He is also Jury and President of the Mexican Team at Bocuse d’Or 2022-2023, the most prestigious culinary competition in the world; the finale took place in Lyon, France in January 2023; in which the team won the Social Commitment Award regarding all the work with institutions like This is About Humanity and Fundación Tijuana Sin Hambre.

Hands-On Cooking Classes and Chef’s Table Dinner with William Stark Dissen

William offers hands-on culinary experiences, 3.5 hours each, during which you will enjoy preparing your own meal along with fellow cooks. Classes take place at La Cocina Que Canta, our culinary center on Tuesday and Wednesday, at 4pm. In addition, Chef William will collaborate with La Cocina Que Canta’s Executive Chef Reyna Venegas and her team to create a special feast (with wine pairing!) on Thursday at 4:45pm.

Hands On Cooking Classes and Chefs Dinner Sign Up

 

Tuesday Hands-On Cooking Class 4:00 PM
Each class $145 (tax included). Class subject to change, check your weekly planner and schedule for updates. The maximum number of guests per class is 14.

Wednesday Hands-On Cooking Class 4:00 PM
Each class $145 (tax included). Class subject to change, check your weekly planner and schedule for updates. The maximum number of guests per class is 14.

Thursday Farm-to-Table Dining Experience 4:45 PM
Celebrate the abundance of our organic farm and the connection to community with a Farm-to-Table dining experience – a perfect blend of health, tradition, flavor, and fun! Cost is $150 per person, tax and wine pairing included. The maximum number of guests is 30. Sign Up at the Appointments Desk or through the link above.

 

William Stark Dissen is a renowned chef, author, culinary diplomat, restaurateur, and early pioneer of the farm-to-table movement in Asheville, North Carolina and surrounding regions. His titles also include, Seafood Watch Ambassador to The Monterey Bay Aquarium in California, and Official Ambassador for Le Creuset and Mountain Valley Spring Water.

Named Fortune Magazine’s “Green Chef of the Year” two years in a row, William’s endeavors in sustainable food and dining, coupled with his passion for foraging and fly-fishing, often take him from the kitchen, into the mountain streams and peaks of the Southeastern, United States, Appalachian region, and beyond.

Founder of four award-winning restaurant concepts: The Market Place, Billy D’s Fried Chicken, Little Gem, and Haymaker (sold in 2023), William draws inspiration from his experiences traveling the world, creating dishes that tell a story, surprising guests with inventive food preservation techniques, and bringing classic dishes with explosive flavors to life.

In 2024, The Market Place received a James Beard Awards nomination for “Outstanding Restaurant.” Celebrating its 45th year of business, The Market Place has been under Dissen’s stewardship for more than 15 years, and is a fixture in Asheville’s vibrant mountain region.

William announced the release of his debut cookbook, “Thoughtful Cooking: Recipes Rooted In the New South” on April 2, 2024, published by W.W. Norton Countryman Press. In it, Dissen takes readers on a transformative culinary journey, carefully organized by the four seasons of Appalachia’s most sought after ingredients. The book was named “Best Spring Cookbooks” by Food & Wine Magazine and is available everywhere books are sold.

Driven by a passion for building sustainable food systems, William created North Carolina’s first fast casual, farm-to-table eatery, called Billy D’s Fried Chicken. The quick-serve dining restaurant provides farm-fresh chicken and ingredients for its customers. The business maintains three locations at The North Carolina Zoo, Wake Forest University, and Elon University. Dissen also created the upscale restaurant Haymaker in uptown Charlotte, N.C. Haymaker received numerous “Best Restaurant” awards from Southern Living and Food & Wine, among others. It was catalyst for more upscale dining restaurants coming to the uptown area. Dissen successfully exited Haymaker in 2023.

William’s efforts to uplift the principles of food sustainability in his restaurant and network of vendors and suppliers, has not gone unnoticed. It caught the eye of Celebrity Chef Gordon Ramsay, who featured Asheville on NatGeo TV’s, “Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted, Smoky Mountains.” The hour-long episode featured William touring Ramsay through the forest and rivers of Western North Carolina, and concluded with the two chefs competing in a peer-reviewed cook-off. William beat Ramsay for the first and only time in the show’s three seasons. Through this experience, Gordon Ramsay named William, “The Most Sustainable Chef on the Planet!”

A career in the culinary arts led Dissen to become an advocate for food policy on Capitol Hill starting in 2010, where he’s lobbied to Congress about the importance of passing legislation, such as The Farm Bill, The Childhood Nutrition Reauthorization Act, and The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The Barack Obama administration lauded William as a, “White House Champion of Change for Sustainable Seafood” for his work to create healthier oceans. He also serves in the American Chefs Corps in the U.S. State Department, which sees him traveling around the world to promote American food culture and sustainability practices.

 

Hands-On Cooking Classes and Chef’s Table Dinner with Chef AJ

Chef AJ offers hands-on culinary experiences, 3.5 hours each, during which you will enjoy preparing your own meal along with fellow cooks. Classes take place at La Cocina Que Canta, our culinary center on Tuesday and Wednesday, at 4pm. In addition, Chef AJ will collaborate with La Cocina Que Canta’s Executive Chef Reyna Venegas and her team to create a special feast (with wine pairing!) on Thursday at 4:45pm.

Hands On Cooking Classes and Chefs Dinner Sign Up

 

Tuesday Hands-On Cooking Class 4:00 PM
Each class $145 (tax included). Class subject to change, check your weekly planner and schedule for updates. The maximum number of guests per class is 14.

Wednesday Hands-On Cooking Class 4:00 PM
Each class $145 (tax included). Class subject to change, check your weekly planner and schedule for updates. The maximum number of guests per class is 14.

Thursday Farm-to-Table Dining Experience 4:45 PM
Celebrate the abundance of our organic farm and the connection to community with a Farm-to-Table dining experience – a perfect blend of health, tradition, flavor, and fun! Cost is $150 per person, tax and wine pairing included. The maximum number of guests is 30. Sign Up at the Appointments Desk or through the link above.

 

Chef AJ has been devoted to a plant-based diet for almost 40 years. She is the host of the television series Healthy Living with CHEF AJ which airs on Foody TV. With her comedy background, she has made appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Late Show with David Letterman and more. A chef, culinary instructor and professional speaker, she is author of the popular book Unprocessed: How to Achieve Vibrant Health and Your Ideal Weight, which chronicles her journey from a junk-food vegan faced with a diagnosis of pre-cancerous polyps, to learning how to create foods that nourish and heal the body Based in Los Angeles, Chef AJ teaches a monthly sold-out seminar featuring cooking instruction, nutritional science and song parodies, all delivered with comedic panache. Never content to leave her audience with mere “just do it” advice, she teaches how to create meals to transform their health, how to deal with cravings and food addiction and addresses the emotional side of eating. She is the creator of the Ultimate Weight Loss Program, which has helped hundreds of people achieve the health and the body that they deserve. Chef AJ was the Executive Pastry Chef at Sante Restaurant in Los Angeles where she was famous for her sugar, oil, salt and gluten free desserts which use the fruit, the whole fruit and nothing but the whole fruit. Chef AJ is also creator of Healthy Taste of LA and the YouTube cooking show The Chef and the Dietitian, and is proud to say that her IQ is higher than her cholesterol. Chef AJ holds a certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition from eCornell University and is a member of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.

Hands-On Cooking Classes and Chef’s Table Dinner with Helene Henderson

Helene offers hands-on culinary experiences, 3.5 hours each, during which you will enjoy preparing your own meal along with fellow cooks. Classes take place at La Cocina Que Canta, our culinary center on Tuesday and Wednesday, at 4pm. In addition, Chef Helene will collaborate with La Cocina Que Canta’s Executive Chef Reyna Venegas and her team to create a special feast (with wine pairing!) on Thursday at 4:45pm.

Hands On Cooking Classes and Chefs Dinner Sign Up

 

Tuesday Hands-On Cooking Class 4:00 PM
Each class $145 (tax included). Class subject to change, check your weekly planner and schedule for updates. The maximum number of guests per class is 14.

Wednesday Hands-On Cooking Class 4:00 PM
Each class $145 (tax included). Class subject to change, check your weekly planner and schedule for updates. The maximum number of guests per class is 14.

Thursday Farm-to-Table Dining Experience 4:45 PM
Celebrate the abundance of our organic farm and the connection to community with a Farm-to-Table dining experience – a perfect blend of health, tradition, flavor, and fun! Cost is $150 per person, tax and wine pairing included. The maximum number of guests is 30. Sign Up at the Appointments Desk or through the link above.

 

Helene Henderson started Malibu Farm with cooking classes and farm dinners at her farm property on Pt. Dume in Malibu, California. She opened what was meant to be a 6 month pop up in an abandoned Ruby’s at the end of the Malibu Pier. After two very successful years with long lines and rave reviews, Malibu Farm expanded to the front Restaurant & Bar on the Pier and now has both a counter service and full table service on the Malibu Pier.

There are currently Malibu Farm locations at the Malibu Pier, Newport Beach, California at the Lido Marina Village, as well as the Four Seasons hotel in Lanai, Hawaii, at the Eden Roc/Nobu Hotel in Miami, FL, and at the Rosewood Miramar Beach with more seeds sprouting.

Malibu Farm Seaport Village is opening at Pier 17 in Manhattan this summer. All of the Malibu Farm locations are waterfront, as locale and setting are very important which is one of the many reasons why South Street is such a good fit. Although Malibu Farm has grow, they are still a locally owned small business based out of Malibu Farm, California.

Helene grew up fishing with her uncle in Northern Sweden so she loves seafood. But let’s not deplete our treasures from the sea. We work hard to offer only sustainable seafood. Malibu Farm food is simply prepared. There are no secret ingredients. We use whole wheat flours and whole grains. Lots of veggies and fruits. At home, Helene has a flock of free range, flossy chickens, as well as Pigs, Sheep, and Goats who all love to walk on the beach and participate in the Point Dume 4th of July parade.

Hands-On Cooking Classes and Chef’s Table Dinner with Doug Settle

Doug offers hands-on culinary experiences, 3.5 hours each, during which you will enjoy preparing your own meal along with fellow cooks. Classes take place at La Cocina Que Canta, our culinary center on Tuesday and Wednesday, at 4pm. In addition, Chef Doug will collaborate with La Cocina Que Canta’s Executive Chef Reyna Venegas and her team to create a special feast (with wine pairing!) on Thursday at 4:45pm.

Hands On Cooking Classes and Chefs Dinner Sign Up

 

Tuesday Hands-On Cooking Class 4:00 PM
Each class $145 (tax included). Class subject to change, check your weekly planner and schedule for updates. The maximum number of guests per class is 14.

Wednesday Hands-On Cooking Class 4:00 PM
Each class $145 (tax included). Class subject to change, check your weekly planner and schedule for updates. The maximum number of guests per class is 14.

Thursday Farm-to-Table Dining Experience 4:45 PM
Celebrate the abundance of our organic farm and the connection to community with a Farm-to-Table dining experience – a perfect blend of health, tradition, flavor, and fun! Cost is $150 per person, tax and wine pairing included. The maximum number of guests is 30. Sign Up at the Appointments Desk or through the link above.

 

Doug Settle is a Southern California based chef with nearly 20 years of hospitality experience. Tracing his roots to the foot hills of the Appalachian mountains where gardening, hunting and fishing are a lifestyle, proper sourcing and appreciation for those who grow, raise and harvest our food is a deeply ingrained passion. Alongside this Doug pairs a drive for leadership and training honed by a decade of working with San Diego’s finest chefs and restauranteurs.

Tai Chi with Kevin M. Sullivan

Tai Chi exercises gently build the body’s strength and energy. These ancient Chinese practices harmonize breathing with simple movements that effectively maintain and enhance fitness. The exercises are deeply centering and relaxing, clearing away stress and gently helping the body detoxify and regain vibrant health.

No previous experience with Tai Chi is needed for this class. We take a few movements that are easy to learn and gradually combine them into a Tai Chi form. With its smooth flowing postures and deep breathing, Tai Chi improves flexibility and strengthens joints to alleviate pain and improve posture, balance, and coordination. It is adaptable from gentle to rigorous levels so that people of all ages and of all physical abilities may take advantage of its many benefits.

 

Kevin M. Sullivan has studied and taught martial arts for over 40 years. He has a 5th degree black in Chung Moo Doe Asian Martial Arts and is registered with the Body Mind Systems martial arts training center in New England. Kevin’s step-by-step teaching methods make learning Tai Chi easy.

Tai Chi with Reece Jensen

Dynamic Stability Training Program using Tai Chi as a balance modality:
The Dynamic Stability Training Program (DSTP) uses the principles of human physiology, physics and Tai Chi Chuan to improve static and dynamic stability and reduce the risk of falling. This lecture takes you through the science behind the program and provides a sequence of exercises & Tai Chi based movements, that can be done daily for effective and long-term fall risk reduction.

Dynamic Functional Mobility Routine:
Dynamic Functional Mobility (DFM) is a 30 min program done in standing to safely improve whole body tissue and joint mobility. Over time, this routine better prepares the body to successfully perform the exercises and movements taught in the Dynamic Stability Program.

Physical Therapy Private Consultation:
While teaching the Dynamic Stability Training Program at RLP, I will also have 3 hours per day for private Physical Therapy consultation, specifically for orthopedic injuries or conditions. I will do a subjective and objective evaluation of the area/issue in question and provide a Physical Therapy Assessment with treatment options and an initial home exercise program. This is a cash-only service.

 

Reece Jensen is a doctor of physical therapy with 35 years of experience. He graduated from Boston University initially in1989 with a Masters of Science in physical therapy and then again in 2005 with a Doctor of Physical Therapy. He has been an Orthopedic Certified Specialist (OCS) for 28 of those years. Over his career, he has directed several clinics for the Physical Rehabilitation Network. He is currently the owner of PRN Encinitas. Reece is also a life lifelong martial artist, speaks Japanese and holds black belts in Karate and Aikido. He is also a certified Tai Chi Chuan instructor.

Zumba World Rhythms with Lisa Saunders

More than a dance fitness workshop, Zumba World Rhythms is a true celebration of culture that centers movement from the four corners of the globe. Participants will enjoy all the benefits of Zumba while they they immerse in dynamic sounds from Central & South America, the African diaspora and Polynesia. Zumba World Rhythms delivers a lasting multicultural movement experience that will unlock key elements for health and wellbeing:

  • Breath & Posture: Aligning Restorative Energy
  • Contract & Release: Tension Release Techniques
  • Shimmy & Roll: Rejuvenation

 

Lisa Saunders is a performer and multicultural dance specialist. Her philosophy emerges from the belief that dance holds intrinsic value for all humankind. For more than 50 years, Lisa has applied her talents to building cross-cultural bridges and supporting traditional arts. Lisa holds an MA in Ethnic Dance from Jesus’ Name University, specializing in Ghanaian, Afro-Brasilian and Polynesian dance. She served as principal performer with the African Music & Dance Ensemble and Batucaje!, conducts award-winning learning experiences in authentic world dance. Today, Lisa is the founding executive director of Ethnic Arts Institute International and Artistic Director of Hula Manu O’o.

Yoga with Sarah Bell

Sarah Bell lives and teaches in Grand Junction, Colorado. She has been teaching yoga for thirty years (two of those years were at RLP)
From 2005 to 2020, Sarah facilitated Yoga Works 200- and 500-hour teacher training courses in the States and internationally. Sarah’s yoga classes are accessible and enlightening. She weaves philosophy, anatomy, and humor into each class while allowing students to discover how yoga fits in their bodies rather than demanding their bodies fit into the yoga.

Her most important and beloved yoga teachers are Erich Schiffmann and the late Maty Ezraty.

Sound Bath with Jeny Dawson

Yin Yoga & Sound Healing
We live in a society obsessed with overachievement. The quest to strive beyond our limits has taken over and burnout, exhaustion and sickness are more prevalent than ever. There comes a point when your body and mind need to slow down and rest. There is tremendous wisdom in not pushing yourself too hard and understanding that you deserve a break.

Yin Yoga and Sound Healing welcome you to quiet your mind, be still and allow your physical, mental/emotional, and energetic bodies to reset and rejuvenate.

Join Jeny for Yin Yoga & Sound Healing, a practice of self-care to harmonize body and mind.

Yin Yoga recognizes that our anatomy varies, especially at the skeletal level. Jeny’s classes are designed to help you understand the unique physical differences of each person, while providing a space to explore your individual body’s range of motion. Each student learns how to adapt postures for their body to experience optimal benefits.

Yin is an introspective practice that offers a chance to turn inward and nurture the calm, quiet center that is innate in all of us. Most postures are seated or reclined with
3-7 minute holds. Holding each posture while relaxing the muscles allows the deeper, dense connective tissues to be safely and therapeutically stretched, stimulated, and strengthened.

This style of yoga will challenge the mind to remain present while physically and mentally releasing tension. Sound healing, when used in combination with Yin Yoga, reduces stress and anxiety, and encourages positive effects on the nervous system, sleep cycle, mood, and immune system. The vibration and frequency of the instruments helps to relax and let go of tension.

Expect to leave this class relaxed and renewed with a sense of calm energy. Beginner friendly – open to all levels!

Some of the therapeutic benefits of Yin Yoga & Sound Healing are:
– Increases circulation
– Reduces stress and anxiety
– Revitalizes the tissues of the body
– Improves flexibility and joint mobility
– Restores equilibrium and cultivates balance
– Activates the parasympathetic nervous system

Suggested Props / Space Requirements:
Indoor or outdoor quiet space free of ambient noises and distractions. Each participant needs a yoga mat; bolster, blocks, blanket and an eye pillow are suggested for comfort.

Zen Soul Balance Sound Bath
Join Jeny for a sound healing experience that utilizes frequency, vibration, and stillness to create a relaxing space that promotes a sense of calm and peace through crystal singing bowls, gongs, drums, and chimes. This sound bath is a holistic wellness modality that helps to restore the physical, energetic and emotional states.

Class begins with a mindful breath exercise and gentle body movements to release tension and before settling into a comfortable resting position.

Benefits of Sound Healing
– Reduces stress and anxiety
– Balances and clears the mind
– Lowers heart rate and blood pressure
– Supports mental, emotional and energetic wellbeing
– Encourages deep relaxation which aides in meditation
– Triggers the brain to chemically release natural opiates
– Engages the parasympathetic nervous system, initiating calm and peace

We understand that healing comes from the inside and it is our intention to hold space for anyone interested in recalibrating and optimizing their health. This sonic experience will leave you feeling rejuvenated, balanced and centered.

Beginner friendly – open to all levels!

Suggested Props / Space Requirements:
Indoor or outdoor quiet space free of ambient noises and distractions. Each participant needs a yoga mat; bolster, blocks, blanket and an eye pillow are suggested for comfort.

Chakra Balance Sound Meditation
Have you ever had the feeling that you’re just not yourself? That there is something keeping you from being fully You?

This unique sound healing experience aims to balance the seven major chakra energy centers. Through breath, essential oils (optional), guided meditation and the healing sounds of crystal and brass singing bowls, ceremonial drums, multiple gongs, chimes and more, participants will be led on a journey to awaken, align and activate each chakra. This class will help clear obstacles and distractions from one’s pursuit of the Higher Self, while also encouraging attitudes and habits that will empower you to live a healthy and whole life.

Gentle and suitable for everyone, this class is for those who wish to move beyond the status quo and embrace the fullness of the True Self.

Benefits of Sound Healing:
– Diminishes stress and anxiety
– Lowers heart rate and blood pressure
– Encourages deep relaxation which aides in meditation
– Engages the parasympathetic nervous system, initiating a sense of calm and peace
– Triggers the brain to chemically releases natural opiates reducing pain and swelling
– Awakens, aligns and balances the Chakra energy centers in the body

Join Jeny for a sonic and sensory experience that will guide you through the journey of balancing the Chakras leaving you feeling centered, enlivened, and renewed.

Suggested Props / Space Requirements:
Indoor or outdoor quiet space free of ambient noises and distractions. Each participant needs a yoga mat; bolster, blocks, blanket and an eye pillow are suggested for comfort.

 

Jeny Dawson, Senior Yin Yoga Teacher & Trainer, E-RYT 500 & YACEP, and the primary teaching assistant to Joe Barnett. She studies under Paul Grilley, the founder of Yin Yoga, and has practiced yoga since 2002. She studied the science of Hatha Yoga in Bali, Indonesia, has multiple certifications in yin yoga and yoga for children of diverse abilities, is an Integrative Nutritional Health Counselor and draws from a vast array of educational modalities and life experiences to help others heal and transform their lives. Jeny is the Founder of Zen Soul Balance in La Jolla, California. Her heart for ZSB is to inspire others to live healthy lives by encouraging them to reach beyond nutrition and exercise, and to consider the whole person; a lifestyle that acknowledges and embraces the unity of body, mind and spirit as the catalyst for optimal health and wellness. She also works closely with healthcare providers to offer wellness programming for patients struggling with long term illnesses such as cancer and multiple sclerosis. She is passionate about health, wellness, and yoga and aims to raise awareness and be of service in the community.

Learn more about Jeny at ZenSoulBalance.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenydawson/
https://www.instagram.com/zensoulbalance/
https://www.facebook.com/ZenSoulBalance/

Yoga with Brahmani Liebman

Yin Yoga, Breathwork & Meditation – exploring the wisdom of the Meridian system or finding balance through the Meridian system

The meridian energetic system is a map of awareness. Each meridian correlates to a season, physical balance & imbalance, organ, mental, emotional, spiritual qualities and more. Through the practices of Yin Yoga, Meditation, Breathwork we will dive into, explore and nourish each of these sets of meridians, energetic channels.  Yin Yoga is a balancing practice for our active yoga and life. The longer relaxed holds in Yin Yoga allow for sitting more comfortably for extended periods of time in meditation. It also stimulates prana, energy, chi through the meridians or channels of the body. This influx of energy affects the nervous system as well and the practitioner becomes calmer and more focused. Attention is drawn inward, inviting a quieting of the mind and the entire mind/body, energetic system. In so doing, this practice becomes a marriage between meditation and asana. By turning attention inward the practitioner is invited to become intimately mindful of the moment to moment experience of the impermanent conditions of body, mind and emotions.

This inward turning and mindful attention to the changing conditions invites the direct realization of the universal law of impermanence. The universal law states simply that all conditions of body, mind, emotions and environment are changing. While in the Yin poses the whole being is open to listen and receive dharmic teachings as well as to have direct experiences that lead to deep recognitions of truth. As in all yoga practices listen to your body and allow its wisdom to guide your movement.

Each session will focus on a particular set of meridians with corresponding Yin poses, breath work, meditation & teachings. All levels are welcome. Each session can stand alone, however you are encouraged and welcome to join all of them.

Sunday
Liver / Gall Bladder – Spring, element of wood
“The liver is ruler over the spring. It is the root of life’s ultimate action…” Chinese Folk Medicine

Monday
Heart / Small Intestine – Summer, element of fire
“The Heart is the root of life. It is the seat of the spirit.” The Chinese classics

Tuesday
Spleen / Stomach – Late Summer, element of earth
“The spleen and stomach are sentries guarding the governmental storage rooms.” Chinese Folk Medicine

Wednesday
Lungs / Large Intestine – Autumn, element of metal
“The lungs are the rulers over autumn. The lungs are the stronghold and the root of the breath. Their condition manifests itself in the skin and body hair.” Chinese Folk Medicine

Thursday
Kidney/ Bladder – Winter, element of water
“(In winter) people should retire early at night and rise late in the morning and they should wait for the rising of the sun.” Nei Ching

Friday
Integration & bringing it home

 

Brahmani Liebman MSEd ERYT  is co- creator of Journey Into Yoga Teacher Training RYS and retreats as well as the CD Journey Into Yoga: Awakening the Spirit. On faculty of the Kripalu Yoga School of Yoga, she brings over 40 years of studies and experience teaching classes, training teachers, and leading worldwide teacher trainings and retreats.  Strongly influenced by her studies in Yoga, meditation, Buddhism, the integrative healing arts and where they intersect informs her life & teaching as she invites her students to use these wisdom traditions to live their true, authentic life.  Believing in people’s ability to access healing and inner knowing, Brahmani offers tangible and sustainable ways to live a spiritual life.

www.journeyintoyoga.com

YouTube: Brahmani Liebman @The BrahmYoga

Fitness with Michelle Dozois

Peak 10 ™ Cardio Strength
Peak 10 Cardio Strength is Michelle’s signature workout from her popular and transformative Peak Fit Challenge program. Get ready for a high energy, fun and challenging class! Through a combination of strength training and cardio sequences choreographed to motivating music, Peak 10 is designed to burn fat and increase lean muscle.

Peak 10 ™ Cardio Interval Burn
Michelle’s Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn is a high energy workout that combines aerobic moves, cardio kickboxing and athletic drills designed to make you sweat. Get ready to burn mega calories in this music fueled, fun and challenging workout!

SHiNE Dance Fitness™
SHiNE Dance Fitness™ brings original routines to life using hit music and choreography for all abilities. Rooted in jazz, ballet and hip-hop, this workout gives you a creative outlet to escape from daily stress. No dance experience needed! All you need is you and a love of movement.

Pure Cardio Dance
Looking for a dynamic way to move your body and burn extra calories on your non-strength training days? This high-energy cardio dance workout will make you sweat. You’ll spend the first part of class learning a fun choreographed dance fitness routine that we’ll put all together at the end with our class theme song.

Pure Strength
Get ready to strengthen your entire body from head to toe! This class is for anyone who wants to increase their muscular strength and endurance. A variety of carefully crafted muscle-building sequences will help you build and sculpt your body.

Body FIT Flow
Ready to add mindfulness, balance and flexibility into your weekly movement routine? Imagine flowing with the beat of the music, your breath in sync with each movement, and achieving harmony within your body and mind. This powerful and graceful practice is meant to complement and enhance your more strenuous training days.

 

Michelle Dozois, a certified fitness, nutrition and life coach, believes in the transformative power of living life fit. Her DVDs have sold over 4 million copies and she has trained instructors in more than 14 countries. She has been a trusted voice for major health brands like Nautilus, Prevention, Shape, Jenny Craig & Weight Watchers.In 2010, Michelle co-founded the groundbreaking Break thru Fitness, a haven for fitness and innovative programming. Transitioning her magic online, Michelle’s BeFIT Studio and The Peak Fit Challenge make fitness globally accessible.With a range of certifications from numerous organizations such as ACE, NASM, Stott Pilates and more, Michelle infuses her coaching with boundless energy, fun and passion. Her decades of experience in health and fitness have transformed millions of lives, empowering each individual to live a fit, healthy and happy life.

BUZZ with Sandy Kessler

FELDENKRAIS
The Feldenkrais method is a somatic practice teaching students to take responsibility for their movement by developing awareness and intention. Participants are encouraged to listen to instructions and there is no physical imitation. The idea is to move easily with minimum force and maximum efficiency.

BUZZ
The BUZZ method is an original method based on Feldenkrais with the addition of rhythm and flow from one movement to the next, encouraging strength, creativity and bone density.

BUZZ ON CHAIRS
This is a lesson sitting “on ” chairs similar to sitting “on” horses, promoting personal rhythm even if the chair doesn’t move.

LECTURE on ERGONOMICS
The lecture includes short films and stories comparing movement in different cultures and includes a dynamic BUZZ on CHAIRS lesson at the end of the lecture

 

Sandy Kessler is an experienced Feldenkrais practitioner and a therapeutic riding instructor. She has developed a unique method called BUZZ, based entirely on Feldenkrais with the addition of rhythm, energy and vibrations to improve bone density and enable each participant to work at their own pace and be creative with their movement. She has worked with riding instructors, teaching them to move more easily with their mounts. She lectures on ergonomics, including a dynamic BUZZ lesson sitting on chairs. She works with school children, as well as senior citizens and office workers, teaching them to become “vibrant” even while sitting in one place.