Tread Earth Lightly

Interview on Joy Yoga Blog

 We were just featured on the Joy Yoga Blog.

 Click here to see the interview: http://joyyoga.blogspot.com/2008/11/yoga-insider-megan-gray.html.

 Thanks again Joy Yoga!!! 

UPDATE: Yoga Legislation in NJ

Here is a copy of an email I received from Yoga Alliance about what happened to that pending Yoga legislation in NJ. Thanks to all who contacted our representatives and made there voices heard.



"Dear Yoga Alliance Community,

As you may already be aware the state of New Jersey recently introduced legislation that would require fitness professionals, including yoga teachers, and those that hire these professionals, to be licensed by the state.  Senate Bill 2164, the "Fitness Professionals Licensing Act," and Assembly Bill A3356, would establish a State Board of Fitness Professionals and impose the following:

• New applicants for licensure following SB2164/A3356 enactment must complete 300 hours of Board-approved class work, including 50 hours of an unpaid internship, or possess a degree in a related field
• Certification from the National Board of Fitness Examiners
• Clubs (studios) employing fitness professionals (yoga instructors) must register and pay an undetermined fee every two years

In a flurry of activity this past Friday, Jan Bidwell, an Anusara yogi who has studied with John Friend and has run for legislative office in New Jersey, arranged for John to speak with the Assembly Majority Office of the New Jersey State Legislature to press the case that this bill would eliminate 2,000 jobs in the state and that yoga was not a pure fitness profession.

As a result of their efforts, Senator Sarlo, who introduced the bill in the Senate, has promised to remove yoga from the Senate Bill and contact Speaker Roberts to have it removed from the Assembly Bill.

We will continue to monitor this legislation and work with our proactive colleagues in New Jersey to make sure yoga is removed from the Senate and House bills.

We encourage all Yoga Alliance registrants in New Jersey to write a letter to Senator Sarlo and Speaker Roberts thanking them for saving jobs by removing yoga from the "Fitness Professionals Licensing Act." 

Their contact information is below.

Senator Paul A. Sarlo
207 Hackensack Street, 2nd Floor
Wood-Ridge, NJ 07075
Phone: (201) 804-8118
Fax: (201)804-8644

Speaker Joseph J. Roberts Jr.
Brooklawn Shopping Plaza
Rt. 130 South & Browing Road
Brooklawn, NJ 08030
Phone: (856) 742-7600
Fax: (856) 742-1831

Legislative efforts to support all registrants

Going forward, Yoga Alliance is more committed than ever to supporting you as individual teachers and schools.  In the future, we anticipate an increasing number of state legislating bodies making steps towards regulating yoga and we wanted to share with you what YA is doing to stay at the forefront of this issue.

We are conducting a state-by-state analysis of all past and current legislation and regulations that affect yoga.  This will establish a base line understanding of what has been implemented to date or is currently in process.  Based on these findings we'll develop a policy position that will be universal enough and based in legal case studies of what has been done elsewhere that we can use throughout the U.S.  We'll also be monitoring all current legislative actions and send them to you through special email alerts.

Sincerely,

R. Mark Davis
President & CEO"

Silence & Walking

Amazing!!! What an accomplishment and all by not speaking and not using motorized transportation.

What do you think would happen if you stopped talking for one day? What would you hear and learn about yourself? Imagine what the silence could do for you. Imagine truly listening not only to others, but to yourselves.

PRACTICE: Try for one day to not speak and right down what happens throughout your day. Be bold try to not speak for even longer periods of time. Do it with family and friends; together be silent. See how this can help your relationships to grow.

Try making a point one day each week to not talk...A Silent Day.

North Carolina- Laughing Seed Cafe

    We recently visited Asheville, North Carolina and have some great experiences to share. First, is The Laughing Seed Cafe. It is a great vegetarian restaurant in downtown Asheville. If you are from or have ever visited Monmouth County NJ it is alot like The Down To Earth Vegetarian Restaurant in Red Bank used to be. RIP Down to Earth.

    The Laughing Seed Cafe has a great menu selection along with options for the kiddies (a plus in our book). With a beautiful and fresh atmosphere we recommend this tasty restaurant for lunch or dinner (with or without the kids). Not to mention there is something for everyone raw, vegetarian, vegan...even our meat eating parents were satisfied!! Below is a video featuring this wonderful eatery. If you are ever in Asheville we highly recommend you stop by The Laughing Seed Cafe.

For more info vist: www.laughingseed.com

Russell Simmons Connecting Breath w/Movement

More Restaurants Need to Do THIS!!

This is a great story about a restaurant in Portland Oregon that composts it's leftovers instead of sending them to the landfill. They do this with the help of a city recycling /composting program. We need this everywhere!!

Any thoughts on how to get this happening in NJ?

URGENT!!! NEW YOGA LEGISLATION IN NJ

This is an email I received from Yoga Life Society today.

URGENT PLEASE READ!!!

And contact this representative today!!

 

This email serves as an alert regarding a New Jersey Bill which seeks to license Yoga instructors and studios.  This is an item of importance to both Yoga teachers and students.  

 

The bill, if passed, could greatly change how Yoga is taught in NJ and who could legally teach it. 

This information was posted to e-Sutra :: The WorldWide Yoga List. 

 

Please click on the following link to see the full article http://esutra.blogspot.com/ 

 

 

Subject: e-Sutra :: "LEGISLATIVE ALERT -New Jersey Bill Seeks to License Yoga Instructors and Studios  
 

An excerpt from the article:

 "This is the real deal. Unlike the "backdoor" New York licensing bill I fought in 2005, this New Jersey bill explicitly targets yoga teachers and studios, and would require them to be licensed by the State. It also contains a minimum 300-hour training provision that would supercede the Yoga Alliance's 200-hour minimum for RYT registration. "

____________________________________________________

 

This bill is being sponsored by Rep. Joseph J. Roberts, Jr. (D) 

and was introduced on October 23, 2008.  

 

 Please note that whether you support the bill or not,

you are encouraged to contact Assemblyman Roberts

to make your opinions known.

 

Here is Rep. Roberts' district office address: 
Brooklawn Shopping Plaza 
Rt. 130 South & Browning Rd. 
Brooklawn, NJ 08030 

Here is Rep. Roberts' phone number: 
(856) 742-7600 

Follow this link to contact him via e-mail

http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/Selectmun.asp

Yoga in Howell, NJ

 

 6 WEEK BEGINNER YOGA SERIES

 

WHERE: THE SOUTHARD GRANGE

4860 Us-9 South
Howell, NJ

 

STARTS: MONDAY NOVEMBER 10^TH

 

TIME: 7:30 – 9:00pm

 

COST: $90

 

CONTACT:  Megan Gray

 

E-Mail: info@treadearthlightly.com

 

Website: www.treadearthlightly.com

 

 

*SPACES LIMITED PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED*

Blog Action Day!- Poverty

Poverty is a horrible thing no matter what aspect of life it affects, but just throwing money at it won't completely solve the problem.

When it comes to poverty there are no easy answers. With the US in an economic crisis money and poverty are on everyone's mind. But poverty isn't just about money. People can be poor in many other ways, such as health, spirit, and love.

When it comes to helping others who are suffering we need not look too far. Just look at your own family, friends, and communtiy. There is no better time than now to help those in need. If money is tight for you, as it is for most right now, give your time, love, and energy to others.

Give your time to others who might need someone to help watch their children. Give your love to those whho just need someone who will listen to what they have to say. Truly listen! And give your energy to those around you, especially your family, that need help in even the smallest of ways.  

True giving should hurt a little. If you give because you just have too much of something then that is not true giving. Give to others what you yourself would need.

No Time to Meditate?

  As a mother of two I know that finding time to do formal meditation is pretty much nonexistent. Don't worry meditation isn't all about sitting with legs crossed and eyes closed. It's about focus.

Throughout your day when you find your mind wondering from what you are doing (paperwork, laundry, dishes, DRIVING, etc.) just bring your attention back to your task. This practice of focusing the mind on the present situation IS meditation. This makes everything we do an opportunity to meditate and focus on the now.

When I think of an example to use from my daily life I think of trying to get my kids to laugh and smile. I notice that when I try to get our 4 month old to laugh I am completely focused. I make silly faces and noises just to get a simple little smile, and nothing else matters while I am doing this. Even if my attention does get interrupted I immediately go back to the baby until I finally get that laugh. And once he starts to laugh the joy I feel is indescribable.

Another practice to incorporate throughout your day is focusing on your breath. Just like focusing on a task bring your awareness to your breath at points during the day. Remember meditation is a journey. Don't expect to be a master overnight and don't beat yourself up if you lose focus or forget to do so. The journey is what it is all about. We learn from the practice not the end result.

Bringing thisfocus to your tasks and breath will help you to relax during stressful situations (like driving, especially if you live in NJ) and can help you to experience life to the fullest. This makes every moment an opportunity to meditate, so really you always have time.