Michelle Pietrzak-Wegner, our amazing Yoga Therapist and Expert Knitter, will guide beginners through the basics–just bring size 10 needles and plain worsted yarn. Experienced knitters–bring whatever you are working on and show us your skills! It’s also a great chance to work on the Community Knit scarf that will be auctioned for charity.

(If you want to come and bring some other sort of handiwork, that’s alright, too!)

This event is open to all, informal, and planned in the evening so you won’t miss any sunshine time. Cozy up at CK and hang with the CK women! We’ll have water and tea, but feel free to bring a drink or a snack.

See you Friday!

–julie

Interest has been high, so we are offering two dates to choose from:

Sunday, April 18, 10-4

or

Sunday, May 2, 10-4

$125 for a fun, creative, energizing day, delicious lunch, relaxing shiatsu, and more!

During this nurturing, supportive, and creative workshop you’ll have the opportunity to slow down and really connect with yourself on deeper level. Using reflection, visioning, movement, meditation, journaling, and art you will access your inner wisdom discover what you want for your life. We will explore areas of your life that are draining your energy, discover activities that fuel you, and clarify priorities. You will have the opportunity to learn about and experience shiatsu and learn a meditation to embrace the transforming energy of Spring. Nourishing snacks, beverages, and lunch will be provided. You will have time to connect with others and spend time on your own. Leave feeling balanced, inspired, energized, and focused as you enter Springtime.

Contact Sarina to register or find out more: sarinalamarche@yahoo.com (or you can email me with questions, too)

Hope to see you there. Tell your friends!

–julie

So, to build on your excitement, I want to remind you that Sarina and I will soon be announcing the Spring Creative Visioning Retreat dates! We plan to have two dates to choose from, as interest has been high.

You should definitely stay tuned–these retreats are so delightful–creative time, delicious food, beautiful atmosphere, a little shiatsu a little mediation..and if actual Spring arrives early enough, maybe even a trip to the park!

Mark Sunday, April 18th on your calendar…second date to be posted early next week.

In the meantime, enjoy all this sparkling SNOW!

–julie

have you seen our great bumper stickers?

GET THE STICKER: Mail a check for $7 with a self-addressed stamped envelope to me at Chakra Khan and get one of these fabulous stickers! Remind yourself to be kind to yourself!

julie kesti @ chakra khan

2637 27th Ave. S. #216B, Minneapolis, MN 55406

view more at iceartswap.com

or maybe winter is feeling long and you are dreaming of springtime. . .

And so~~~you should consider the spring retreat!

More details to come but you’ll get the general idea below!

Sarina LaMarche, Life Coach, & Julie Kesti, Shiatsu Practitioner Invite you to the second of four Creative Visioning Retreats

During this nurturing, supportive, and creative workshop you’ll have the opportunity to slow down and really connect with yourself on deeper level. Using reflection, visioning, movement, meditation, journaling, and artwork, you will access your inner wisdom discover what you want for your life. Nourishing snacks, beverages, and lunch will be provided. You will have time to connect with others and spend time on your own. Leave feeling balanced, inspired, energized, and focused as you enter springtime.

Sunday April 18th, 2010, from 10-4 @ Chakra Khan in Minneapolis $125 price includes lunch, journal, and all supplies to register email sarinalamarche@yahoo.com

Check out our site, the turnout has been amazing, even on a rainy day in January! There are great photos of all the swaps.

Hope you will stop by, it’s so much FUN!

Full blue moon last weekend, full retreat coming up this Sunday, full-swing on Art Shanty production the next two weeks, and full-of-changes at Blooma (my other job), where we prepare for construction and expansion! Only five days into the year and so much is bubbling and simmering and underway. I usually think of January as a time to lay low after the holidays, a time when not much is going on…but not so this year (or this week anyhow). So I am considering how I will fit in my quiet yin time–we really are meant to slow down in the winter, to hibernate. I need to take full care of myself amidst all this exciting activity, too.

In case you were curious about the retreat (read an entry or two back), but couldn’t swing it this time for whatever reason, please know we are offering one each season. Of course attending all 4 would be fantastic, but you are welcome to attend any of them. The Spring retreat is tentatively set for Sunday, April 18th. I’m really looking forward to this Sunday–it’s going to be a lovely day–I can’t wait to be among the participants, sharing the gift of shiatsu, teaching some self-care techniques and–best of all, being amidst the creative energy as people are collage-ing and journaling away! It’s going to give Chakra Khan a nice dose of creative energy!

How is your year so far? Is it full? Have you had a chance to tend to yourself? Here’s a little exercise you can do anytime. I learned it from Dr. Andrew Weil’s breathing CD (which I now have available at Chakra Khan if you’d like your own copy). . . He mentions how most of the time we focus our energy on the inhale. This exercise encourages you to gently focus on your exhale. Let your inhale come back naturally, without force. Try to subtly focus on lengthening your exhale. As you do this, you ultimately start to bring more oxygen into your system, he says. Apart from that, it is very calming–it’s a great exercise while falling asleep at the end of the day.

Wishing you full round days and full nights of deep winter’s rest,

julie

–julie