Mark Your Calendars-Yoga Day USA

Get ready yogis, Yoga Day USA is coming to a city near you this Saturday January 23, 2010. Take the opportunity to engage in free or low-cost yoga classes on this day, all throughout the United States. This annual event is sponsored by Yoga Alliance as a means of practicing service to others. You can visit the official website to find classes in your area. Hope to see you there! Feel free to come back and share comments on your experiences.

Haiti in Our Prayers-How You Can Help

"L'Union Fait La Force- Strength Through Unity"


Yoga Flava would like to extend its deepest sympathies to the people of Haiti and their loved ones worldwide. Here are two ways you can help.

1)Please join us in sending love, light, and healing energy to Haiti. Never underestimate the power of prayer and positive intentions.

2)If you can, please make a donation:

The American Red Cross

Yele Haiti

Stretch it out with your Man - YOGA FLAVA - John Salley Interview & Hamstrings

Ladies,
Hamstring stretches and exercise are the best way for loosening up the tight hamstrings of our body and those of our man and/or a male friends.

Talk show host and NBA All-Star John Salley practiced yoga when he was playing basketball with the Los Angeles Lakers and recommends it to the brothers to stay up on their game!

These tight hamstrings are basically found due to the heavy stress of our workload or any other work in our routine day to day life. Hamstring is a muscle which starts from exactly under the knee above into the buttocks. It is basically a group of three muscles, which are Biceps femora's, Semitendinosis and Semimembranosis.

Hamstring stretches and exercise are effective measures to prevent the hamstring injuries. Hamstring muscles are more prone to tears and strains. Hamstring injuries are basically found in the athletes of the sport, which require a high rate of speed, power and flexibility. Hamstring injuries are found in the sprinters rather in the long running athletes e.g.:- marathon running etc. These injuries are also found in sports such as baseball, basketball and football as these sports need more muscle power.

Have a taste of two Yoga Flava video snacks to stretch out the hamstrings and inspire your man with John Salley's interview on his Yoga Practice:

Beginner's Yoga Flava Winter Series

Beginner's Yoga Flava Winter SeriesFor a happy 2 thousand ZEN!

Begin the New Year with a commitment to a series of Yoga Flava sessions during this winter season. Come out of the cold, warm up your body, mind and spirit with these mindful Monday night melt downs.

Location: The New Seminary Center For Interfaith Studies
Street: 2672 Bway @ 102nd St. 2nd floor, NYC 10025

Monday Nights - 6:30pm - 8:00pm


January 11 - Introduction to Yoga

January 18 - The Basics of Breathing - Pranayama

January 25 - Seated Postures

February 1 - Standing Postures

February 8 - Hip Openers

February 15 - Sun Salutations

February 22 - Back bends

March 1 - Inversions

March 8 - Yoga Flava Flow

March 15 - Yoga Flava Flow Finale :-)

RESERVATIONS MUST BE CONFIRMED WITH PRE-PAYMENT (At least 24 hours in advance)
- Thank you

Investment for committment to full series: $100.00

Drop in rate per Single Session $25.00

Personalized Private One-on-One Session in Private Room at the Studio $50.00 an hour.

Essence Magazine Recommends Yoga Flava

The January issue of Essence Magazine "Be Sexy, Healthy, Your 2010 Wealth & Wellness Plan" recommends Robin Downes' Yoga Flava!

On page 85, the segment entitled "Rotate Your Luxury" reads:

YOGA CLASS: It may cost more than $50.00 a month to learn the proper techniques for Downward dog pose. Instead buy Robin Downes' Yoga Flava for Relaxation (http://www.YogaFlava.com) for $25.00.

Join us for the Winter Solstice PLAYSHOP on December 19, 2009

Greetings NYC Yoga Flava Players! Come play with us on the shortest daylight hours of the year for Light and Love Energy, an intimate gathering at the sun filled Penthouse Solarium / Yoga Flava Sanctuary. We will be celebrating the energy of the Winter Solstice with Yoga practices to relieve holiday stress and manifest our intentions for the New Year!


Who:Robin Downes' Yoga Flava & Niambi Sims' Integrated Wellness Concepts

What: Winter Solstice "Playshop"
Two joyful Yoga sessions where we will integrate the energy of the Winter Solstice into our vision for health and prosperity, learn techniques for Holiday Stress Relief and so much more!


When: Saturday, December 19, 2009

Kundalini Session with Niambi: 10:00am - 12:00pm




Intermission: 12:00pm - 12:15pm





Proactive Prosperity Meditation/Yin and Yang Balancing with Robin 12:15pm - 1:00pm


Refreshments: 1:00pm-2:00pm
Healthy elixers and snacks will be provided to refresh your mind, body and spirit.

Where: Solarium Penthouse @ The Broadmoore
235 West 102nd Street (Between Broadway and West End Avenue)
New York, New York 10025

Yoga - DRESS TO DE-STRESS (Layers of clothing to keep warm after your session at this rooftop environment)

Bring your own yoga mat.

Fee (Self-Investment/gift): $40 for both sessions and refreshments. Payments must be made in advance to secure your spot.

Feel free to call with any questions - Robin Downes (310) 266-7362 or robin@yogaflava.com. I am also accepting appointments for private yoga sessions and meetings.

Yoga Flava Products will be available for purchase.

About Kundalini Yoga:

Kundalini yoga is known as the yoga of awareness and is considered the fastest and most direct way to achieve spiritual elevation. It integrates mantra, meditation & movement to stimulate the organs, glands & nervous system. Kundalini energy is dormant energy. Through a series of vigorous postures and breathing, we will activate our Kundalini and experience our inner Divinity! As physical and energetic blockages are cleared we are able to experience bliss, peace and self-realization!

Winter solstice is a time to sow the seeds we wish to harvest in spring. It is a time of rebirth and renewal. Together, we will cultivate our inner landscapes using visualization, ritual, and Kundalini yoga. We will use the energy of the solstice to sow the seeds we wish to harvest in our lives and manifest our intentions for the New Year!

The awakening of Kundalini causes a transformation and transcendence in life.
~ Ravindra Kumar

Niambi Sims is a certified fitness/yoga instructor and wellness coach, and the owner of Integrated Wellness Concepts. She has a BFA from Howard University, with a minor in dance and ten national fitness certifications. She has taught various types of fitness classes, from Pilates to kickboxing, throughout the United States, Europe, Africa and Brazil. She has studied yoga for 16 years and has been an instructor for 10 years. She is the official yoga instructor for the Black Psychiatrists of America and currently teaches throughout the Los Angeles area. Some of her clients include Kaiser Permanente, PACE (Pacific Asian Consortium & Employment) and Yoga For Youth. She is excited about her most recent endeavor: teaching yoga to students in the Los Angeles Unified School District. She brings passion and enthusiasm to all of her classes. It is her mission to educate, inspire, and expand the awareness of her community through health education and awareness.

Hello Beautiful and Aura Energizer video snack to spread JOY!

Exciting news! Robin Downes' Yoga Flava is now blogging for "Hello Beautiful". "Hello Beautiful" is one of the platforms of Interactive One, which also hosts the television network TV One.

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May your Aura (energy field) spread your JOY to the world!

Strengthen your resolve to keep your JOY no matter what outside circumstances may distract you.
EnJOY this Yoga Flava Video Snack "AURA ENERGIZER" to help
prevent being drained by other people. Uplift the vibe of those around you as we gather to give thanks and celebrate this holiday season.




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What is the Aura?
by Aisha Brown
The aura is a field of energy that surrounds the physical body of living beings as well as objects. For the most part, it is invisible to the naked eye, although some people with highly developed abilities are able to perceive it. The aura is described as having various colors and layers that extend outwards from the body.

During our daily interactions, our auras intertwine with those in our surrounding environment. This is actually a normal part of communication. The problem occurs when our energy field becomes permanently entangled with another person's. How do you know when your aura is too deeply enmeshed with another individual? For one thing, you can't stop thinking about that person! You may experience their thoughts and emotions as though they were your own. It is even possible to pick up on the physical pain that another person is feeling and match it within your own body.

Ways to Cleanse and Revitalize Your Aura
1) Physically remove yourself from whatever person or place you feel is having too strong of an effect on you.
2) Take a shower-water is cleansing and healing. Better yet, take an Epsom salt bath to clear any negative vibrations. If you can, take a swim in the ocean.
3) Practice deep breathing exercises.
4) Play uplifting, soothing music (save the death metal for another time).
5) Carry or wear a clear quartz crystal.