Hello Golden Sunbeam…

I hope this New Year is beginning a wonderful renewal of life for you!

Not long ago, late November, I went to a second unit of training at Yogaville in Virginia, under the Viniyoga Foundations for Yoga Therapy training, which is a 500 hour, yoga teacher training. I returned from Yogaville on December the 7^th from the training, which was in Pranayama…which means breathwork. We also learned how to do gentle touch to bring awareness to certain things that the student needed to focus on, as well as how to use words to illustrate to the student what to do in the posture. I also learned more about chanting Yoga Sutras, which are the threads of yoga teachings, as well as the philosophy behind the beautiful words that they translate to. I go back to do the 3^rd section of the training from March 10^th to the 22^nd, which mostly about chanting and meditation. I’m uber excited about it because I love to chant and meditate!

I’ve also graduated from CTC with my Associates Degree, FINALLY! I received my diploma in the mail today… and have just today begun classes at Ashford University, in their online BA program for Complimentary and Alternative Health. J

In the midst of all of this activity, I also have classes and events scheduled throughout the Winter and Spring. If you’re interested in attending any of my usual classes or events, please read on below for details.

SATURDAY JANUARY 26^Th, 2013: Raw Foods Class at Triapolis Wellness Center, 2-5 p.m. Learn how to make an organic green smoothie, raw salad, and raw cheesecake! There have been having lots of requests for making the cheesecake….it is a delicious dessert! Also learn why raw fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds are so beneficial for you. No other time is better than now for you to begin eating more raw food. Please go to www.triapoliswellness.com for more information. J

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 9^th, 2013: Small Group Ministry Group BEGINS: Healthy Living for Bliss!!! This is a free small group ministry for people interested in learning to live in bliss through simple Christ-centered yoga, breathing, meditation, scripture, natural healing methods, gardening, and more! Meet like minded people who love God and love to become one with each other, and work together as a team to build Heaven on Earth. The group will meet once per month on Saturday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 16^th, 2013: A FREE Heart Healthy Yoga Class at the Harker Heights Public Library. Please call the Library at 254-953-5496 to sign up for this free event. J Couples are welcome, as well as individual students. Bring a yoga mat, towel, and water. J Don’t forget to call and sign up!! These yoga events are only about 4 times/year. 

 

SATURDAY APRIL 13^th, 2013: Reflexology Class at Central Texas College. Reflexology is a natural healing art based on the principle that there are “reflexes” in the feet which correspond to every part, gland and organ of the body.  Through application of pressure on these reflexes, reflexology relieves tension, improves circulation and helps promote the natural function of the related areas of the body.  Wear comfortable clothing.  Bring a snack if desired.  Tawni Lay, a trained reflexology practitioner with six years of experience, works weekly at the Fort hood Reset clinic treating soldiers with post traumatic stress disorder.  (1 meeting) Cost: $25

SATURDAY APRIL 27^th, 2013: Yoga and Raw Food Retreat at Central Texas College. Learn some gentle, healing yoga, meditation, breathing exercises and self-healing techniques.  Students will also learn how to make simple raw snacks and green smoothies that help detoxify the body.  Bring a towel and yoga mat.  Wear comfortable clothes in which you can stretch and relax.  Tawni Lay is a certified Integral Hatha yoga who has been practicing yoga for 16 years and studying natural health and raw foods for nine years.  (1 meeting) Cost: $59

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 23rd and MAY 25^th, 2013: Introduction to Raw Foods, at Central Texas College. Learn why raw organic fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds are so beneficial for sustaining health and vitality in the human body.  Students will also explore why processed foods can be so harmful.  Class includes a demonstration to show you how to prepare a raw drink, meal and dessert.  Recipes will be provided.  Tawni Lay has been eating a primarily raw diet since 2007 and enjoys teaching others how to find radiant health through raw organic foods.  (1 meeting) Cost: $39

To sign up for classes at Central Texas College, please call (254)-526-1586.

Here is an awesome green smoothie recipe…one that I do frequently. If you’ve never tried a green smoothie…they are quite delicious. Make sure you choose fruits that you love when making them…and substitute those fruits you love for these in the recipe, if need be. J

Blueberry ~ Banana Green Smoothie

Serves 2

Ingredients:

¼ to ½ cup fresh or frozen blueberries

2 large handfuls spinach, romaine, or other sweet tender greens

3-4 ripe fresh or frozen bananas

1 tablespoon raw almond butter (optional)

1 tablespoon raw honey (optional)

Place all ingredients into a high speed blender, and cover with water completely, until water reaches 1-2 inches from the top of the blender. Blend all ingredients until smooth, and enjoy.

Blueberries and bananas go well together in green smoothies, because blueberries are a sub-acid fruit, which combine well with sweet fruits such as bananas.

Green Smoothie Facts

Green smoothies are “pre-digested” by being blended up, which helps them to be more easily digested into the body. The nutrients are more readily available to you, but you must chew your green smoothie, even though it is liquid. When you chew the smoothie, your saliva is released from your mouth, which contains important enzymes for digestion. This means that rather than gulp your smoothie like a beverage, let it linger in your mouth for a few seconds between sips, and chew.

Victoria Boutenko, author of Green for Life, is the founder of green smoothies. Her son had diabetes and her daughter, husband, as well as Victoria herself all had their own health struggles, so they all went on a raw food diet overnight. Victoria discovered green smoothies after blending kale and bananas together with water, and it was the first time that greens were palatable for her. She was on a raw food diet for years after finding out her son had diabetes, and although she was eating many great foods, her diet had little to no greens at all. Her body started to age again from eating no greens, although she was eating a wide variety of fruits. After adding in the green smoothies, Victoria and her family’s health picked back up. Victoria’s hair began to grow back in its natural color, moles disappeared on her face, and she and her family became renewed with energy and vitality.

~Just a little treat of information that I thought I’d add in for you this time!

I hope you have a fabulous New Year, and maybe I will see you soon!

Blissful Blessings to You,

Tawni <3

Tawni Lay

The Living Lotus

bealivinglotus@gmail.com

(254)220-0178 mobile

"Like the Lotus blossom, each human soul has the
potential to rise out of harsh conditions and bloom into a magnificent creation."

The Living Lotus Newsletter

I’m so happy to be getting this newsletter to you, and I hope you enjoy it.

I know that some of you have been looking forward to the yoga retreats, and the very first one is going to be this September the 24^th, a Saturday! There will be yoga stretching, a meditation at the pond if weather permits, breathing exercises, learning reflexology, raw food snacks, and more.

If you are interested in signing up, please call Central Texas College Continuing Education at (254)-526-1991.

Thank you to those of you who came to the Raw Foods Workshop on July the 16^th. It was a blast! It took me some time to find the time to write this, boy a lot has been happening… so much in life is changing.

I am coming up on my last 4 weeks of the year teaching yoga until next Summer! If you’d like to sign up, do it quick, the first class starts on Monday August 8^th. 

BUT, I’ve got GOOD NEWS!!! A friend of mine is possibly going to try teaching the weekday evening Yoga at CTC!!! She is an excellent yoga teacher who I’ve become great friends with, who teaches at Heritage Park Fitness and Gold’s Gym. Keep a lookout and I will give you an update on if she will be teaching. 

The reason I am not teaching those nights anymore is because I’ve decided to put more focus on my family, and developing other skills that I have. I’ve been teaching yoga a long time twice per week in the evenings for a long time now, since 2007. It’s been almost 5 years, and I’ve been feeling a calling to switch my focus a little. When Summer comes along, I will be back to teaching. Not sure what the schedule will look like, but I will keep you posted.

This weekend there is a Drumming at Sally Dutczak’s home in Kempner, and if you’d like, we can also do a Raw Food Potluck. I plan to bring some flax crackers and a couple other friends were going to bring something too, so please let me know if you’d like to bring food. The potluck starts around 5.

I was thinking about doing a Native American Rain Dance there. Not sure how it works but I’m sure with some drums and prayers, God will be able to bring some rain down a little easier! :D

I know I said to my workshop students that I’d talk about how to eat a healthy whole foods cooked diet, and since my time is limited, I have listed some main points below. This is the diet you can transition to if you are consuming processed foods and really want to get healthier.

Main Points on How to Adhere to a Healthy Whole~ Foods Cooked Diet

*Eliminate highly processed starches and sugars, such as white bread and white sugar.

*Eliminate all dyes, preservatives, and chemicals from your diet.

*Eat only lean meats that are organic and not processed, such as turkey, chicken and fish, as well as organic, preferably farm fresh eggs, or if you are wanting to go vegetarian, eat beans, quinoa, nuts and seeds for protein.

*Eat only dairy products that contain no hormones or antibiotics, preferably raw.

*Consume sweeteners that are pure and organic, such as honey, agave nectar, raw sugar, raw stevia, and maple syrup.

*Include plenty of organic dark green leafy vegetables in your diet, preferably most of them raw.

*Add a variety of organic fruits like apples, plums, pineapple, grapes, and plenty of berries to your diet.

*Add mineral and nutrient rich vegetables and fruits like radishes, cucumbers, bell peppers and carrots to your diet, as well as some sweet potatoes and possibly, occasionally, baked white potato.

*Eat whole grains like brown rice, quinoa and millet as well as whole grain breads that contain to preservatives, such as Ezekiel Bread and Manna Bread.

*Consume sea weeds and other nutrient rich super foods.

*Drink plenty of water and enjoy herbal teas.

*Eat fermented foods like kimchi, natto, miso, kombucha tea, and dairy free yogurts made from things like coconut.

Classes Coming Up with Continuing Education~ Call 526-1991

Reflexology Class~ Sept 10^th, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Yoga Retreat~ Sept 24^th, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Raw Foods Class~ October 8^th, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Reflexology Class~ November 5^th, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

I will keep you posted on these upcoming classes! They are really fun. Please let me know if you are interested in knowing any more info on the classes, I’d be glad to give it to you. 

Try to make it to the Riverside Raw Food Potluck this weekend, 5 p.m if you can! It is followed by a drumming at 7 p.m. I will send directions if you need them, please let me know.

Have a wonderful rest of your week, and stay hydrated! The picture attached is a raw pizza that I made…I actually made the crust out of wheat berries. I am planning to make one out of spelt berries.

Lots of Love, Joy and Light,

Tawni 

The Living Lotus

bealivinglotus@gmail.com

(254)220-0178 mobile

"Like the Lotus blossom, each human soul has the
potential to rise out of harsh conditions and bloom into a magnificent creation."

Raw Foods Potluck Sunday, July 3rd

Check this video out! We had the best time EVER!!! Recipes will be coming soon, so stay tuned!

The Living Lotus Newsletter

Hello Bless~ed Beings,

Wanted to let you know about a few things coming up!

First of all, I am having an Intro to Raw Foods Class this coming Saturday, April 23rd, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. If you are interested in
attending, please call (254)-526-1991 and register!

Learn how to make delicious raw pizza, a green smoothie, raw nut milk and more. If you are attending and have some ideas on what to make, please let me know!

Also, the Riverside Raw Food Potluck and Drumming is coming up on May 1st at Sally Dutczak's home in Kempner!

Hope you can attend! Check out www.goneraw.com for some yummy ideas on what to make. :)

May You Be Blessed

Om. May you be blessed. 

May the love of life give you peace and rest.

May the light of the sun shine down upon you, 

To light your path and see you through.

Om. May you be in joy.

May this joy fill the hearts of every girl and boy.

May your being swell with the birth of a new creation,

To light the path of all the world's nations.

Om. May you be happy.

May your natural state be allowed to just be.

May you know that all is well in your world forevermore,

To open up all possibilities that lie behind every door.

Om Shanthi, Shanthi, Shanthi.<3

Living Lotus News

Happy Spring!

Green is everywhere and it makes my heart feel so good. It's nice to be outside and look around at this beautiful planet that we live on...we are so blessed. Right now is a great time to meditate outside and send lots of love vibrations to other parts of the world that are not having the easiest of times...we are as a collective in a chaotic time, but we as individuals have the choice to go into our hearts and focus on sending light and love, and holding a higher vision for our planet as a whole. I'm sure many of you feel the call to be this way, but the problems of the world such as in Japan, Libya, and even in our own homes, tend to pull at us and make us want to be in fear, too. We have a choice though, and when we choose love, we send out so many more positive vibrations into our universe than we do negative.

If you'd like to hold space for the world together, please mark your calendar for the 1st of every month for the Riverside Raw Food Potluck and Drumming at Sally Dutczaks home in Kempner. The next one will be April 3rd. Dinner starts at 5 and the drumming is after. It is a fabulous time! There is a lot of raw food, but there are a few people who bring healthy cooked dishes as well, so please do not feel limited on what you can eat. The drumming is a lot of fun and is a sacred space for sending out your intentions for the month ahead, as well as prayers for those who need them.

To learn how to make delicious raw food dishes as well as why eating raw is so beneficial, please come to my Raw Foods Class on April 23rd, at Central Texas College, from 9-12 pm. You get plenty of food at the class to try, so no need to bring anything. Learn how to make a raw food dish, dessert, and drink. I am still deciding on what to make, so if there's any raw dishes you are eager to learn, let me know and I will do my best to make it! :) To sign up, call (254)-526-1991.

Need help with getting healthy? I can help you take some baby steps towards a healthier you! Receive coaching for $30/hour, in person, or over the phone.

Reflexology and Reiki appointments: Half hour treatments are $20, and full hours are $40.

Private Yoga Lessons: $30/hour.

I also do trades, so if you have a service to barter, please let me know! For those interested, please email me or call (254)-220-0178.

Here is a short story by my friend, Carmela:

The Broken Lock

My son came home today with a broken combination lock, he was pretty excited about it, he said his friend gave it to him. He said he is a good friend because he gave him the lock. I picked it up and looked at it and said son this is broken, it doesn't work, he said well sometimes it does. I thought to myself and was getting ready to say something to my son but stopped, why would a kid give him a nasty broken combination lock and be proud of it, and why would my son think that was a good friend. Maybe as adults we teach our children wrong, what if the little boy had no money, what if that was the only thing he owned and the lock was precious to him, would it then make it a grander gift to my son? Life has so many lessons if we would stop and think about them before passing judgment or criticism onto others. We are responsible for what we teach our children. My son has the right view, he gave me something, and that's a good friend, not about what he gave, but the thought, he liked me well enough to give me something. We to often look over these things in life and become hard, judgmental and critical, and pass this on to our children. I think it's time we start seeing life in a new light.

Such a heart felt story! Thank you so much, Carmela. <3


Currently, I am in the process of putting together a Yoga/Raw Food/Meditation Day Retreat for people interested. Does a day of about 3-4 yoga classes, meditations, raw food demos with food for you to eat, and plenty of relaxation time including reflexology and massage treatments sound like something that you would be interested in? It will be an entire Saturday all about you! I just want to know how many on my email list think this sounds like a good plan. I have had a few people already tell me that they would enjoy something that is local and affordable along these lines.

I hope your life is blessed, and I send many blessings of love, light and joy to you, and hope that no matter what's going on in the world at this time, that you are in the now, and in your bliss.<3


xoxoxo,
Tawni

Living Lotus News

SALUTATIONS SUNBEAM!

Have you ever heard of EFT? This means Emotional Freedom Technique, which uses tapping to remove energy blocks from the body.

It has been quite effective at helping me to remove energy blockages to become more joyful and energetic. I did it in a healing group at Raw Spirit Festival, too! It was very life-shifting.

Check out a video about EFT HERE.

You can check out UPCOMING CLASSES Below!

GOLD'S GYM YOGA CLASSES: GOLD'S GYM: FEB 12 AT 9:30 A.M., AND FEB 14 AT 8:30 A.M. (SUBBING FOR THE PILATES TEACHER~BUT ITS YOGA on VALENTINES DAY!!)

INTERESTED IN SOME YOGA WITH YOUR VALENTINE, or if you're by yourself, some YOGASMIC BLISS ? Check out my girl ATTALIE at Gold's Gym on FEB 13 at 2 p.m. for some sparkling wine, chocolate covered strawberries, and a raffle drawing for massage and reflexology treatments! Wear pink, red, or white! Learn  to partner up and to share with your ONE LOVE or cherished friend. Attalie teaches awesome POWER YOGA classes on Thursdays that will knock your SOCKS OFF!! She took Baptiste classes, check em out.

C.T.C YOGA CLASSES: FOR ALL LEVELS OF FITNESS, BEGINNERS WELCOME. Mondays and Wednesdays from 5:45 to 6:45 p.m. Integral Hatha Yoga, which integrates different yoga practices into one class. Breathing, stretching, some meditation, Japa, and just plain relaxation with a twist of cardio and strength training. Yoga can help to accomplish all of these forms of exercise. Call Continuing Education 526-1991, Class is $26.

REFLEXOLOGY CLASS: FEB 19 AT C.T.C 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Learn how to practice Reflexology on someone. We take about an hour break and sometimes class can end a little later, like 2:30. :) Call 526-1991 to sign up with Continuing Education. Check for prices, I believe $26.

INTRODUCTION TO RAW FOODS CLASS: Learn how raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and grains are so healthy for you, and how to prepare delicious raw, or mostly raw meals. The meals are dairy, meat and cooked grain free. You learn how to make a raw drink, meal and dessert, and don't worry about bringing food, you will be able to eat enough of the raw foods that we make to satiate your appetite!





Services and Products of The Living Lotus:

Yoga Classes $30 private
Reflexology Treatments or Reflexology Reiki Treatments: $20 for half hour, $40 for an hour
Reflexology Classes
Energy Griid Treatments: $15 half hour, $30 full hour.
Reiki Treatments: $15 half hour, $30 full hour.
Raw Foods Catering/ Meal Prep~ ask for menu.
Nutritional/Raw Foods Coaching: $30/hour of coaching.
Spiritual Coaching: $30/hour

Questions about products and services? Call or email me, and I'd be happy to assist you! If you need my number, please let me know.

AAAND...for being such an awesome being, you get 20% off of a full priced Reflexology, Reiki, or Private Yoga Session.  <3

Brightest Blessings to You,
Tawni