I am getting so excited about the Galapagos!  Here is a sample itinerary outlining our action packed days on our April 2015 trip...

Day 1 -

Arrival and welcome lunch and drink at Semilla Verde

Excursion to the Charles Darwin Research Station in Puerto Ayora

Introduction to Ashtanga Yoga guided class

Dinner at Semilla Verde

Day 2 –

Coffee and snacks

Morning Mysore Yoga practice

Morning trip to Garrapatero Beach – 

Breakfast on the beach – snorkeling, swimming, exploring

Lunch at Semilla Verde

Early evening in Puerto Ayora

Group dinner in Puerto Ayora**

Day 3 -

Morning Mysore Yoga practice

Breakfast at Semilla Verde

Day trip to North Seymour Island

• North Seymour is a popular nesting ground – you can expectLunch on board and post lunch siesta
  • Great frigate birds
  • Blue footed boobies
  • Land iguana
  • Sea lions
  • Guided snorkeling
  • Naturalist guided hiking

Dinner at Semilla Verde

Day 4 -

Morning Mysore Yoga practice

Breakfast at Semilla Verde

>Morning excursion to Tortuga Bay -

• Mangrove kayaking
• Snorkeling
• Marine iguana watching (they’re everywhere!)

Lunch in Puerto Ayora

Afternoon to explore Puerto Ayora**

• Souvenir shopping
• Visit Chi Spa
• Return to Charles Darwin Research Station
• Have a drink on the Red Mangrove patio (iguanas and sea lions are almost always chilling out on the deck with you)
• Head to the Fisherman’s Market and watch the sea lions and pelicans appear when the dingy comes in with fish (trust me, this is fun)

Dinner at Semilla Verde

Day 5 -

Morning Mysore Yoga practice

Breakfast at Semilla Verde

Day trip to South Plazas Island

• Visit one of the largest sea lion colonies in Galapagos
• Land iguana
• Sea lions
• Red-billed tropic birds
• Swallowed-tailed gulls
• Guided snorkeling
• Naturalist guided hiking

Dinner at Semilla Verde

Day 6 -

Morning Mysore Yoga practice

Breakfast at Semilla Verde

Santa Cruz Highland Tour

• Explore Los Gemelos (‘the twins’)Climb through the lava tunnels
  • these two giant craters were formed when the magma chamber underground emptied and the land caved in
• Visit a Giant Galapagos Tortoise farm
• Explore the Cloud Forest
  • expect to see small birds like Darwin finches and Vermillion flycatchers

Lunch at Semilla Verde

Free afternoon for exploring Semilla Verde’s acres and wildlife, reading, sleeping or take a cab into town

Dinner at Semilla Verde

Day 7 -

Early (5:45am) departure for Bartolomé Island

• Coffee and snacks served before departure
• Breakfast served on the boat
• Bartolomé is a crown jewel of Galapagos islands – Lunch on board – beds available for post-lunch siesta
  • Pinnacle Rock
  • beautiful crescent beaches
  • Galapagos penguins!
  • White tipped reef sharks
  • Sea turtles
  • Naturalist guided hiking
  • Guided snorkeling

Early evening return to Semilla Verde

Sunset Introduction to Ashtanga Pranayama

Dinner at Semilla Verde

Day 8 –

Breakfast

Pack, hugs, goodbyes and back to the Baltra airport

**Please note for the free days in town and the meals out there will be one scheduled pick up. If you choose to stay in town beyond the transfer time you will need to cab back at a
cost of approximately $5-$8US

Spa treatments are also available via Chi Spa Galapagos.

For more information visit  www.thetravelyogi.com

 ASHTANGA YOGA IN THE GALAPAGOS!  April 18 - 25 , 2015

Join Leigha Nicole on an incredible journey to the exotic Galapagos Islands for Mysore-style Ashtanga Yoga coupled with daily snorkeling and kayaking adventures to Bartolome and  surrounding islands.  The untouched splendor of this UNESCO World Heritage Site offers a once in a lifetime opportunity to commune with penguins, sea lions and sharks in pristine secluded coves under the guidance and expertise of certified Naturalists.

The week of yoga will begin with a guided introductory Ashtanga class for beginners followed by 5 mornings of Mysore-style classes that allow each student to customize their practice and work at their own breath pace.  An introduction to the classical Ashtanga pranayama will be offered at sunset on the all-day excursion evenings.

Leigha has been teaching yoga since 1984 and taught at Yoga Works in Santa Monica, California since it's inception in 1987.  She traveled extensively to Mysore, India to study with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and was authorized to teach by him in 1996.  She has a gentle approach and is passionate about bringing precise alignment to the graceful movements of traditional Ashtanga Yoga that make it a "moving meditation".  She encourages students to embrace the contemplative  aspect of the practice with attention to detail and the cultivation of awareness.  Her teaching is infused with an intimate knowledge of anatomy that stems from a bodywork practice of nearly three decades, which enables her to address the specific needs of her students.

          For more information: http://thetravelyogi.com/galapagos-islands/?comming_from=15287&comming_from2=&comming_from3=&comming_from4=&comming_from5=

WELCOME TO SPLENDID YOGA!

This spring and summer promises to be full of fantastic events filled with wonderful students and friends.....

* I am an assistant teacher at the Ashtanga Yoga Confluence in San Diego, California  May 8-11 -

www.ashtangayogaconfluence.com

* I will be assisting my beloved teacher and friend Tim Miller at Shakti Fest in Joshua Tree, California  May 17 -

http://bhaktifest.com/category/festivals/shakti-fest-2014/bhaktifest-schedule/

* June 1 - 27  I will be in Berkeley, California for another Mysore Intensive with 2 weekend workshops -

Register for Mysore June 1 - 27, by clicking here:
http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=7qa5z8dab&oeidk=a07e92iqar4d5e3b9e4

Register for Workshops
Intro to Ashtanga Mysore Style - June 14 & 15, 2014 and
Adjustments, Alignment & Anatomy - June 28 & 29, 2014
by clicking here:
http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=7qa5z8dab&oeidk=a07e92l88it02ef665d


* June 29 - August 1  I will be back guest teaching at Yoga Is Youthfulness in Mountain View, California

www.yogaisyouth.com

* August 2 - 8  I will be an assistant teacher and doing bodywork for my 16th year at Tim Miller's annual Mount Shasta Yoga Retreat -

www.ashtangayogacenter.com

Spring greetings fellow Yogis!

I am thrilled to be hosting an Ashtanga Intensive again this year at Berkeley Yoga Center for the month of June.  Daily mysore classes will be offered as well as weekend workshops suitable for all levels of practitioners.

Here is the link for more information:

 http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=7qa5z8dab&oeidk=a07e92iqar4d5e3b9e4

Hope to see you sometime in June!

Namaste,

Leigha 

splendidyoga.com

Facebook @ Splendid Yoga Leigha Nicole

* I am honored to be an assistant teacher for Tim Miller's teacher training at Maya Tulum, Mexico February 1 - 8, 2014.

http://www.ashtangayogacenter.com/training.html#

Maya Tulum

The Course 
This course is designed to give participants an in depth experience of the Primary series of Ashtanga Yoga as taught by K. Pattabhi Jois. There are two basic methods for transmitting this teaching. One is the "Mysore style" method in which students in the class work independently at their own level of proficiency with hands on assistance from one or more teachers. The second method of teaching involves guiding the students through the practice by counting the vinyasa in the traditional Sanskrit. In this course we will have an opportunity to experience these two types of teaching. Particular emphasis will be given to practical "hands on" experience. The course is appropriate for those who are interested in teaching, those who are currently teaching, as well as students of ashtanga yoga who would like to deepen their knowledge of their own practice.
The Setting 
Maya Tulum is a beautiful and peaceful beach resort on the Caribbean. (Fly into Cancun, a 1.5 hour taxi ride away.) You will stay in comfortable "palapas" and enjoy three vegetarian meals per day. The ocean and nearby "cenotes" are safe for swimming and snorkeling, and the archeological ruins of Tulum and Coba are nearby. 


The Training
This one week intensive training will consist of three daily classes, including an early morning practice session. The prerequisite for the course is a basic knowledge of, and reasonable proficiency at, the primary series of Ashtanga Yoga.
Areas of Focus
- Teaching with Your Hands
We will learn how to see asanas diagnostically and make anatomically safe, accurate and effective adjustments.
- Teaching with Your Voice
We will focus on learning how to conduct a class with proper pacing, pronunciation, synchronization of breath and movement, and an economical way of verbally correcting poses based on what is observed. 
We will also explore basic aspects of yoga philosophy, pranayama and mantra.
The Schedule
This schedule will be in effect Sunday through Friday. Please arrange to arrive any time on Saturday February 1st and depart on Saturday February 8th. There will be no classes scheduled on Saturdays.

Morning practice	7:00 - 9:00
Breakfast	9:00 - 10:30
Training Session	10:30 - 1:30
Lunch and Free Time	1:30 - 5:00
Training Session	5:00 - 7:00
Dinner	7:30 - 9:00

*  Also, I will be an assistant teacher again this year at the Ashtanga Confluence in San Diego, California May 8 - 11, 2014.

For registration and more information:

http://ashtangayogaconfluence.com/



*  I am excited to be guest teaching for Sidney Huang who just moved his mysore program from the Yoga Garden to his brand new location in cow hollow called 'Zazen'  February 10 through March 9.

*  In addition, I am hosting a mysore intensive at Berkeley Yoga Center beginning June 1.


Here is some information about my San Francisco guest teaching at Zazen:

Schedule at Zazen

On Sunday, January 26th, we will begin classes at Zazen, located at 2216 Filbert Street at Fillmore

Moon days are holidays.  

Weekdays

• 5:30am Doors open for self-practice.
• 6:30am Instruction begins.  Opening mantra chanted for first batch of students
• 8:15am Opening mantra chanted for second batch of students
• 9:45am Instruction ends
• 10:00am Closing.  Please be cleared out by this time.

Sundays:

• 7:30am Doors open for self-practice.
• 8:00am Instruction begins
• 8:30am Mantra chanted together
• 10:45am Instruction ends
• 11:00am Closing.  Please be cleared out by this time.

Pricing

 Current Yoga Garden Mysore monthly students are invited to remain at their $165/month rate on a special grandfathered plan.  The same rate will now include a membership to Zazen that gives a discount on other services there.

Leigha's students are invited to drop in for a single class or purchase a 5 or 10 class pass.

	Zazen members	Non-Members
One month pass, autorenewing	$150	$250
One month pass	$165	$275
Six month pass	$790	$1200
One week pass	$65	$90
Drop-in	$20
5 class pass	$75
10 class pass	$110

Guest Teachers

In February, Ngoce and I are traveling to Portugal to study with some of our teachers from India.  We are very excited to announce our lineup of senior guest teachers.

• Chad Herst will teach on Thursday, February 6 and Friday, February 7.
• Our own dear Russell Case will teach on Sunday, February 9.
• And Leigha Nicole will be holding class from Monday, February 10 through Friday, March 7.

We are especially pleased to be hosting Leigha for a whole month.  She brings almost three decades of experience, and she is eager to collaborate with you on refining your practice to suit any therapeutic or meditative needs and interests.

Moon Days and Calendar 2014

We are providing an online calendar with a list of moon days, shala holidays, and special events.  This will be updated whenever we announce changes or new events, and moon days (!)   google calendar   ical   xml  

Facebook Group

We have created a Facebook group page for our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/zazenmysore/