Love of Your Life: Kundalini Yoga Workshop for Beginners

Click on image to enlarge flyer

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LOVE OF YOUR LIFE
Kundalini Yoga workshop for beginners

Saturday 15 October 2011
9 a.m. - midday
Luna Surya Studios
119 Golf Course Road, Fairways, Maraval

Learn powerful yogic techniques to help you heal body, mind and spirit and awaken to Love—with the Divine, your Self and Others:

Breath of the Beloved (Pranayama)
Song of the Beloved (Mantras)
Touch of the Beloved (Mudras)
Devotion in Motion (Kriya)
Infinite Embrace (Relaxation)
Soul Connection (Meditation)


$250

Please bring your own yoga mat, a bottle of water and wear loose, comfortable clothing.

Register early to secure your space
Call 786-2539 or 681-7576
Click here to email

Registration closes Friday 14th October 2011

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Elspeth Duncan (Tek Har Kaur) is a multimedia artist and Kundalini Yoga instructor who has been practising Kundalini Yoga since 2000. In 2010 she founded Thou Art Yoga, a movement for the global upliftment of all people, the awakening of consciousness through Kundalini Yoga (as taught by Yogi Bhajan) and the creation of conscious music, art, products and events.

Librans of the world unite!

Source of image.

That magical time of the year is here yet again. The Zodiacal Pinnacle—Libra.

This hallowed time makes all other signs of the zodiac wish that their parents had put some more thought about timing into the moment of copulation. What foetus doesn't want to come into this existence knowing that when it passes through the vaginal portal it will emerge as . . . a Libran?

Celebrate, my Libran friends. Reap the rewards of being who we are.

Elspeth Duncan launches first novel

(In yesterday's Newsday)

On September 10, Elspeth Duncan launched her first novel, Daisy Chain, at the NALIS AV Room in Port-of-Spain.

Guests were invited to arrive early for the chance to be one of 53 people to win an exciting, once-in-a-lifetime door prize. The nature of the prize, a trip for two inspired by one of the chapters of the novel, was not revealed until the end of the show.

Following an opening speech by Garfield King of Radio 97.1FM and a thought-provoking review by Dr Marjorie Thorpe, guests in the packed NALIS AV Room were treated to a cinematic experience. Duncan, also a film-maker, had created striking short filmed sequences, relating to each novel excerpt. These were projected onto the screen to introduce each related reading. In keeping with the novel’s eclectic thread of vignettes featuring 53 different women, Duncan invited different women to read excerpts from the diverse chapters. The launch featured Patti-Anne Ali reading the hilarious “Mona”, Jamela Khan reading the sensual “Mrs C” and Vanessa Duncan reading the deeply moving “Philippine”.

All 90 copies of Daisy Chain, available for sale after the launch through Paper Based Bookshop, were sold out that night. The author was present to sign each book with a personal message.

Those who missed the launch can experience the filmed excerpts and Daisy Chain readings on Wednesday September 28 from midday, as IGDS (Institute for Gender and Development Studies), UWI features Daisy Chain at their first lunchtime seminar of the term at SALISES building, UWI. Copies of the novel will be available for purchase and will be signed by the author. For information on this seminar, contact Deborah Mc Fee, outreach and research officer, IGDS, Phone: 662 2002 Ext 83573, 83577. E-mail: igds@sta.uwi.edu

Daisy Chain is available locally from Paper Based Bookshop, 10 Nook Avenue, Hotel Normandie, St Ann’s and internationally from amazon.com.

IGDS features Daisy Chain at lunchtime seminar at UWI

You are invited to the Institute for Gender and Development Studies (University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Unit) Lunchtime Seminar Series, 2011-12

Our first Lunchtime Seminar for the academic year 2011-12 is
Daisy Chain
presented by Elspeth Duncan

Wednesday September 28th

12:00 - 3:00 p.m.

SALISES Conference Room

UWI, St. Augustine

St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago

53 women, each linked to the next in a chain of eclectic vignettes. Think, imagine, embrace and wonder not only about their lives . . . but about your own.
In this remarkable collection of vignettes, Elspeth Duncan spins tales to draw the reader into the creative process. She gives us characters who are at once familiar and yet strangely unfamiliar, whetting our curiosity just enough that we find ourselves imagining endings for her tales, creating stories for the characters that tell as much about them as about ourselves. This is the genius of Daisy Chain. After one story, the reader is hooked. It's an exhilarating ride to self knowledge through the stream of consciousness of fictive characters.
—Elizabeth Nunez, Anna In-Between, Prospero's Daughter and other novels

Elspeth Duncan is an award-winning Trinidadian writer, photographer, film maker, musician and a Kundalini Yoga instructor with a BA in English Literature and M. Phil in Criminology. Her writing experience has included a decade as an advertising copywriter, in addition to poetry, song lyrics, articles for Caribbean and International publications and scripts for film and theatre. Daisy Chain is her first published work of fiction.

Copies of Daisy Chain will be on sale at the lunchtime seminar ($100 each) and will be autographed.
Daisy Chain is available at Paperbased Bookstore, The Normandie, Port of Spain, Trinidad
or online on amazon.com (Search under "Books" for "Daisy Chain Elspeth Duncan")
or use the link http://tinyurl.com/3tkqg38

Look out for excerpts from the novel by email and on Facebook in the lead up to the IGDS lunchtime seminar.

For further information:
Deborah Mc Fee
Outreach and Research Officer
Institute for Gender and Development Studies
Phone: 662 2002 Ext. 83573, 83577
Email: igds@sta.uwi.edu

First Daisy Chain amazon review from a male reader

I chose to read this book during a recent long-haul flight. I was truly grateful that I made the right choice, because it proved to be an excellent travel companion! As soon as I read the first page, I was transported from the not-so-comfortable economy class to the worlds of all those women, whose stories Elspeth tells with insights, humour, and grace. Elspeth's ability in connecting the characters - yet offering each of them their own personality - is ingenious and outstanding. This book speaks directly to the heart. Reading it is like listening to a good friend telling a chain of fascinating stories - and you don't want her to stop. It's heart-warming and thought-provoking.

(Andrew)

Daisy Chain is available in Trinidad at Paper Based Bookstore, Normandie (625-3197) . . . or internationally from Amazon. Click here to purchase from amazon.

Beyond words

If living abroad, you can purchase your copy of Daisy Chain from amazon. If you are in T & T you can purchase from Paper Based Bookstore in the Normandie. More copies are being ordered.

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The Daisy Chain launch was super fantastic—successful, enjoyable and aligned with the Divine. So far it was the best night of my life. It's hard to put into words because it was more of an experience. Being there physically would be the best description possible. Because the interior of the hall was in darkness for the majority of the launch (to enable the video projections that preceded each reading) there aren't really many indoor shots, other than those of the readers in the lamp light. The selected below images were taken by Curtis Khan. You can click on them to enlarge, if desired.

 Patti Anne Ali reads an excerpt from MONA 

Jamela Khan reads an excerpt from MRS. C.

Vanessa Duncan reads an excerpt from PHILIPPINE

 Autographing copies of Daisy Chain after the event.  The owner of Paper Based bookstore (who shipped in the books and had them for sale on the night) said it's the first time all of the books have sold out at a book launch (almost 90).

Standing with two friends at the end. The sign on the water says: "Water your inner daisy and you will flourish"

I love these women!!!!

(Review by Lynn C. on amazon.com)

This is a short book and could be finished in less than a weekend, but I have chosen to read it more slowly, as each character is developed and then a new one is added that will come to life in the next chapter and it is fun to meet them each this way and give them their full weight. Some make you smile, some leave a bit of sadness and most make you think! They are snippets that are yummy to read over lunch or right before falling to sleep and maybe even dream about as you don't really want to stop knowing any one of them for long. I like Elspeth Duncan's style and wit. Daisy chain makes a great girlfriend gift too!

To get your copy of Daisy Chain at amazon, please click here

Please Spread the Word! Thank You.

Click to enlarge invitation

Spread the word. Tomorrow—Sat 10 Sept 2011. Launch of the book 'Daisy Chain' by Elspeth Duncan. Starting 4 p.m., NALIS, Abercromby Street, POS. Admission - FREE. Readings. Short filmed excerpts. Book sale & author signing. Opportunity to win exciting, once-in-a-lifetime door prize for one of the first 53 people to come early. Not to be missed.

Are you a good reader?

Click on image to enlarge book launch invitation

'Tis the good reader that makes the good book; a good head cannot read amiss: in every book he finds passages which seem confidences or asides hidden from all else and unmistakeably meant for his ear.

(Ralph Waldo Emerson) 

Daisy Chain at amazon.com

Druid Vow of Friendship

I honor your path.
I drink from your well.
I bring an unprotected heart to our meeting place.
I hold no cherished outcome.
I will not negotiate by witholding.
I am not subject to disappointment.

Project and receive the healing energy

RA MA DA SA Healing mantra
(Original version by Tek Har Kaur)
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I spent yesterday evening recording the vocals on the Tak Har version of the healing mantra, Ra Ma Da Sa (listen to link above). Just as I finished and saved the file, I checked my email and there was a message from  a yoga associate in Toronto requesting that "fellow yogis" chant this mantra on behalf of one of my friends and Kundalini Yoga peers, Salimah.

As they say, nothing is a coincidence.

So I dedicate this rendition to Salimah. The request that was sent is to meditate on Ra Ma Da Sa for at least the next three days and send the energy to her. For all who hear it—may the healing energy you project by listening, visualizing and/or chanting along with this return to you and your loved ones an infinite number of times, in an infinite number of ways. 

RA MA DA SA
Sun Moon Earth Infinity
SA SAY SO HUNG
Infinity I Am Thou

You can read more about Ra Ma Da Sa here
You can learn (if you don't know already) the healing meditation posture here

Beautiful

Timelapsing Through Trinidad from Kevin Huggins on Vimeo.

When I first saw this video it made me cry. Such beauty . . . and yet (not shown in the video) such ugliness. Get your act together, Trinidad & Tobago. Crime does not pay. The majority of us would rather peaceful, harmonious living. It takes less energy to be that way. Just as it takes less muscles to smile than to frown. Try it. You just may like it.