Be The Change You Wish To See

We find inspiration in climbing mountains – the views….and then we come down.

It is there, at the base, when we look toward the earth and see the reasons and inspiration to climb back up…

Looking beyond a puddle and seeing reflection, the light in the sky…

We all wander around earth, in society, and our own lives seeing things we want to change, make better, or create. Sometimes it is something within ourselves or a local community. Sometimes, it is that simple and it changes our world. Sometimes, it is that simple and it changes THE WORLD. And, of course, sometimes it takes great dedication and time to do either.  What inspires you to do what you do? What has inspired you to wish you had time, the money, or the motivation to do? What can you or or kids do today, this season, this year, this lifetime?

Summer is a time of renewal and regeneration. As the summer sun shines its glorious warmth on earth and us during these months, it is a time to dream, create, and connect with ourselves and our communities.  Sway nature’s dance when the wind blows, soak up the sun’s rays, listen to earth songs, flow with the ease of the rivers through the wonderful journey called living…

Yoga 4 Life’s doesn’t have a “mission.” We are growing into our community and tending to our passions; we are many full of passions and passions for many. We have lots to do! As we spread our rays and shine into a summer of walking the earth in meditations or forest, sipping nature’s harvest with our communities, working with empowerment groups, we constantly cultivate our passion centers.  That is where change, dedication to community, and giving freely through our practice flows outward making a difference. It is here, in this time, we can all find those inspirations.

trav·el (trvl) v. trav·eled or trav·elled, trav·el·ing or trav·el·ling, trav·els v.intr. 1. To go from one place to another, as on a trip; journey. 2. To go from place to place as a gift or service to. 3. To be transmitted, as light or sound; move or pass. 4. To advance or proceed. 5. To go about in the company of a particular group; associate: travels within a tribe, group, or circle. 6. To move along a course, as in a groove.

traveller – a person who changes location. //traveler -individual, mortal, person, somebody, someone, soul. 

The Traveling Yogis takes yoga and meditation out of four walls and into the world. It gives us the ability to be free spirits and souls with those passions reaching far and wide into the county. Who knows? Maybe beyond! Beginning our summer with Yoga for Empowerment, Girls Going Global, working with Girl Scouts, and cheerleaders, youth groups and community center after school programs is just the beginning of Yoga 4 Life. The sparks lit from these experiences send light into children and young adults.  Yoga practices, nature walks, spending time on farms, in vineyards and wineries, and among like minded people allows personal growth for any body, mind, and spirit.  Meditation walks through the vines, forests, hills, and valleys of Loudoun County is therapudic for us all.  It is simple and some choose to be still and take in movement around them while others enjoy the movement, or journey, they experience by traveling among nature’s great beauty.  Yoga on the Wine Trail is becoming more than Yoga and Wine in Loudoun County!

Yoga 4:  Heart ♥ Hearth Δ Health ♥ Heath Ξ

A very fresh and new thought for us.  This is Yoga on the Wine Trail and part farm, opening a winery, organic market, restaurant, and things beyond our current sight yet concept in the works.  What we are already doing is bringing it together and along the way will change and grow a lot.  The best part is those who are on this “wagon” with us will grow and change because of it!  Still developing thought and mind path to make it happen, we will incorporate what Yoga 4 means to us and the world around us.

Beginning with the word acceptance, Yoga 4 is not a “way of life” rather ALL of life beginning with acceptance of oneself and each other.  We all do things we would like to change, possibly habits we are used to and like.  We are not going to change those, choose to be part of or explore activities where we feel unwelcome, not following a code of ethics or belief system set up by others, or make us feel negative and harmful emotions such as guilt or shame.  The universe doesn’t look at Earth and say you can’t stay here unless you “___.”  We are all part of everything in this life.  We can touch anything and everything that comes in contact with us in this life.  We change life around us.  Life changes us.

As our Yoga studio and Yoga 4 Life is based off of the four points of Earth, Wind, Water, Fire we combine the earliest ideas of Heart – Hearth – Health – Heath.

• Heart (Soul – giver of energy and light – what comes from and resides within)

  

• Hearth (home, humility, humble, hope)

• Health (heart & soul combined)

• Heath (heath is defined as a tract of open land - covered with low shrubs – like heather) – the Love for nature and the world that flows out when you have Heart, Hearth and Health and you want to share it with the Heath)

We hope to see you all out this summer either in practice, at our local farms and vineyard retreats, the wine festivals, pictures online of the far away lands you journey to, and around town enjoying the beautiful sunshine!  Perhaps there is a change stirring in your mind you want to work on too!

A Little Summer Something @ Yoga 4 Life:

The Shine Project is making changes and we want to help. With the Summer Solstice practices and dedications to our passions, community, ourselves, empowerment, and our studio we plan to SHINE rays through the summer from within and take in all of the warmth around us to create and celebrate why we do what we do.

With your support, we will also host a “Change Jar” in the studio and three others – total of 4. You will see us out and about shining in yellow this summer.

The CHANGE 4 CHANGE campaign benefits The Shine Project’s non-profit organization The Shine Scholarship Project.  All money collected will help inner city high school students afford their first year of college. Once each jar has collected $100, and it will be put directly into The Shine Project Scholarship Fund.

“LETS CHANGE THE WORLD.”

Please visit www.myshineproject.com and see the difference one person’s dream can grow….

Shine is defined as:
1. to give forth or glow with light
2. to be bright with reflected light; glisten; sparkle.
3. to appear with brightness or clearness.
4. to excel

“I believe that all of us possess talents, skills, and abilities that can be used to literally change the world. I believe that stepping out of your comfort zone to do hard things is what gives meaning and happiness to life.”

The Shine Project is:

• Going out of your comfort zone

• to bring light to those who need hope.

• The Shine Project emulates love, sacrifice, and

• CHANGE.

“The Shine Scholarship Project is a non-profit that was created by TSP to put our beliefs in action. Its mission is to improve the lives of at-risk teens through service, education, and family involvement. We do service projects with inner city students every other week to teach them the leadership skills that are necessary for them to succeed. The money we raise goes to sending these leaders to college, so they can give back to society.You can read more about how to get involved HERE.  And go ahead, let the world see you SHINE.”

Inhale to rise, exhale and fold…we don’t always choose what we inhale from what is around us. It is up to us what we exhale out. Each breath is a choice – sometimes to let go of fear, stress, disappointment, acceptance, self judgement. Then, there are those amazing moments we spread our wings, dreams, hope, love, gifts, and change the world… It is Wednesday…it’s not half over, there is half left to make it happen – Lara Ward…Y4L

IGNITE YOUR INNER FLAME!

 — ♥ Namaste

- Loudoun County Yoga and Wine

- Purcellville Yoga – Photographs taken by Lara Ward

- Lucketts, Loudoun County Travelling Yogis – Photograph by Gayle T. Tiller