Upcoming Event in San Francisco

Hi Everyone,

Just wanted to let you know that coming up in January I will be doing a panel discussion and co-leading a workshop at the upcoming Yoga Journal Conference in San Francisco. I am doing very few public events these days, so I wanted to make sure and let you know in case you are near SF and want to come. The Panel discussion is with two of my friends, Katchie Ananda and Seane Corn. The workshop is with Katchie. I have known Katchie for many years and her classes are inspirational, educational, challenging, and fun all in one. I helped Katchie launch the Spiritual Activation series based on my giving talks on the topic and the Sounds True CD I did of the same name, Spiritual Activation. I absolutely love that Katchie and others have picked up on this theme and are utilizing it in their work as well. This series and our workshop is about bringing Spirit into Action with love, joy, grace, humbleness, and fierce commitment.

The Panel Discussion is Sunday, January 18th from 1:30 – 2:30 pm. It is a lunch conversation. As of yet, I am not sure where in the conference it is being held, but if you get a ticket for that day, you will be able to find out where it is once you get there. Also, if I get the information beforehand, I will post it here.

And the workshop is January 19th from 9 am – 4:30 pm.

The title of the workshop is Spiritual Activation: The Evolution of Yoga and Social Change. Our quick write-up about it is: Yoga practice is our inhalation-our way to connect to a greater vision. Acting on our values is our exhalation. We’ll move from a discussion of spiritual activation into a deep and heartfelt yoga practice. With this embodied awareness, get inspired into conscious action and leave with a renewed connection to yourself, your community, and the world. For more info go to http://www.yjevents.com/yjevents/sf09/monday_full.php

Hope to see some of you there. It will be a great panel conversation and workshop!

Love,

julia

Step Forward, Step Back

I went to the Castro theater last night with friends to watch “Milk,” starring Sean Penn, based on the true life story of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay person to be elected to public office.

It was profound to be sitting there right in the district where this movement was created. I had to keep holding back tears all night because I am so present to how far we have come and how much further we have to go. It amazes me that right before this film came out, Californians passed Prop 8, now being called by many of us, Prop Hate, excluding people in the homesexual community from their human rights and dignity.

I am continuously appalled by those who claim to have some ownership of what family values are–these same people who have abysmal records at making “marriage” work. Some of my very best examples of what is possible in the realm of deep, loving and long-lasting realtionships are my friends in the gay community.

Even the Bible says, “…And the greatest of these is Love.” And yet somehow, people (especially “religious” people) seem to think there is an asterik at the end of that sentence that excludes certain people from being allowed to love one another and be acknowledged with the same rights as others for their love.

I have watched too many dear friends suffer because of our closed-mindedness. Gay rights are human rights. And the greatest of these is love. I pray and will work for the day when Prop hate is abolished and every state in the US recognizes the equal rights of ALL people to love, honor, and cherish one another.

Love,

julia