Laurel Van Matre and YogaGarden

Art Shanty Village

2012-02-04T14:53:00.000-08:00

I've been wanting to check out the Art Shanty Village that pops up every winter on Medicine Lake for years but it's always been to cold for my Vata self. This winter the weather has been perfect and today was finally the day. The light was incredible - beautiful and bright. I left feeling so encouraged - we as artists can set up shop anywhere and do our work. And the community that comes together around that is a beautiful thing.

* LUCKY PENNIES *

2012-02-02T20:12:00.000-08:00

I recently bought my first copy of the I Ching thanks to inspiration from Sarah Fox. The lucky penny above and sweet little box are a gift from Rachel A. What a sweet gift. I'm collecting LUCKY PENNIES to "throw coins" and ask questions. I will let you know how it goes...off to such a sweet start.

Thank You Christina Sell

2012-02-02T20:08:00.000-08:00

Thank You Christina for a great weekend workshop in Minneapolis! You are an amazing teacher! Looking forward to 2013... ***

Write Your Name On The Far Side Of The Sky

2012-01-13T08:15:00.000-08:00

New mural went up last weekend. Thanks to Yves Klein.

Every Word has a Story

2012-01-04T17:51:00.000-08:00

Every Word is a Mantra or a Seed to a Story...

It's called a Bija Mantra.

For a new year I wish for us all to create the story of our lives we most truly want. To be creative and to suprise ourselves by doing something new. To not waste time but still have fun and give ourselves space to explore. To find a core group of people to do this with who understand this process and are adventurous at heart. To plant these seeds of new creative beginnings. So back to the idea of choosing a word. I was thinking about this and it occured to me the seeds we are planting are mantras. In Sanskrit it's referred to as a Bija Mantra.

Bija means Seed, Mantra means to transcend. Perfect.

Every word is both. Every word contains it's raw power in it's individual letters and pronunciations and a description and understood explanation in it's meaning. So through this process of choosing a word a story starts to unfold. We give ourselves a focus for the year, a place to go when we start to lose sight of our focus and create a new pattern.

For me this year I chose the word Faith. It's a weird word for me to chose. I chose my word kind of organically and that was the one that kept popping up. It bugged me a little at first because it has religious connotations...not bad just not my mantra. The word Faith in Sanskrit is Shraddha. Shraddha actually means to have heart, to move forward from the heart. The word heart has it's core meaning derived from the latin word cour which means heart and in english also forms the core of the word courage. So, as the story of having Faith unfolds for me this year I have to learn to move forward from the heart with courage. See, isn't this great! Every word is a seed and a mantra...when I start to get discouraged I create a new pattern by telling myself to have courage to lead with my heart. Scary but it helps to understand it as a narrative.

Every one of us has a story. All of us want to tell our stories. And all of our stories are worth being told.

I would love to hear how the stories of your words are unfolding so please stay in touch with me on this.

First Class of the year tomorrow @ 6:30...I hope to see you there!

Winter Solstice Celebration

2011-12-20T18:48:00.000-08:00

I am so excited about Winter 2012. 2011 was a great year. I had crazy change in my life. And I'm really looking forward to the opportunity a new year offers to build on the past. Everything starts in the dark...I'm learning to appreciate and understand this more and more as I grow older. It's helped me to make peace with winter and understand it's purpose. It can seem really harsh and unnecessary but I'm learning to make peace by the beauty that comes of it. Of understanding the need to go into the dark to do your work...the deep stuff that's sometimes hard, embarrassing, fearful, etc...

So, This Thursday, the 22nd is the darkest day of the year. WE need to celebrate that to move toward what we truly want as the days become longer. I will be teaching a special class from 6:30-8:00 @ YOGA GARDEN. We will have a toast afterwards...stay if you'd like.

Love, L

Everyone has a story...

2011-12-07T19:26:00.000-08:00

Everyone has a story.
Everyone wants to tell their story.
And Everyones story is worth being told.

YOGA GARDEN new pics

2011-12-04T11:19:00.000-08:00

It's been just over 2 months since we moved to the new studio and it has changed so much already. I feel so lucky to have this space to practice in and share my teachings in and to build a community in. We have some great workshops coming up in the next 2 weeks. Rachel Hiltsley of Jivamukti fame will be teaching the weekend of the 17th...details TBA so stay tuned for that. She has been in NYC for the last 3 months working on her advanced certification so I can't wait to see what she has learned. I hope to attend.

Jennifer Halstead of Magna Health and Fitness (see link in upper right) will be teaching a Learn to Run clinic starting in January and running for 10 weeks. Jennifer is an enthusiastic fire-ball of energy and if you are considering a fitness coach she is your gal.

Also, Gabrielle Hopp (see blog upper right) teaches an on-going yoga workshop class on Wednesdays @ 1:00 I highly recommend. To see the full YG schedule there is a link to the Yoga Garden website (again, upper right corner of this blog).

And myself, I will keep my sched as is for now. AND I am planning a special class in honor of the Winter Solstice on Thursday, Dec. 22nd. We will talk about how to embody what it is we are working toward as we step into a new cycle with a new year and then drink wine afterward if you'd like to stay and hangout for a bit. Stay tuned for details.

Hope you enjoy the pics and to see you sometime soon. Love, L

CHRISTINA SELL in our very own Minneapolis!!

2011-11-16T15:13:00.000-08:00

Save the date! Christina Sell will be teaching a weekend workshop in Minneapolis January 27-29th, 2012. This is going to be an incredible experience and one not to miss! For the details and to register please go here

For questions please email me at laurel@yogagardenmpls.com

So Beautiful

2011-10-26T08:23:00.000-07:00

Open House Party

2011-10-19T08:07:00.000-07:00

We're off and running and it's time to celebrate!

YOGA GARDEN is having an Open House party.

Saturday, November 12th, 7 - 9 PM.

Beer and wine will be served.

I hope you can stop by.

Reaping and Sowing New Seeds..

2011-10-17T09:29:00.000-07:00

Picasso is Painting

2011-10-13T14:37:00.000-07:00

New Friends from Friends

2011-10-12T14:04:00.000-07:00

I am loving the vibe in the new studio. It's so comfortable. The light is amazing and it's so quiet and peaceful it really feels like a temple to me. And a train goes by every time we are in savasana. A quiet train just far enough away that it sounds rhythmic and grounding - perfect for savasana. Phil commented that he wants to get to class earlier so he can hang out in the space for a little while longer before we get down to business which is why I have one hammock on the way and will be ordering another shortly. So come hang out anytime. I'm going to post this blog and then head over there for a practice before I go meet Ave to finish up some email and website stuff we are working on.

And I have to say I'm so thankful to have the space but even more for the community that is building around it. If someone would have told me 10 years ago I would be doing this I would have laughed. I was so into trying to do everything myself. I was (and still am) goal oriented and all about the challenge which was great for a while but will only get you so far. And one of the most important things I've learned from my teaching over the last 8 years is that you can't. You absolutely cannot get there, where ever there is, alone. So here are some pics of the gifts I've been given for the studio. I think it's a sign of appreciation for all of us and the work we do that people are bringing in gifts to make the space more beautiful. Thanks for the Ganesh, Laxshmi, mini forest, the jade in it's sweet little green pot, Krishna, Bhudda and flowers in the pretty green vases. They were given to me but they are really for all of us.

Sandwich Board Art

2011-10-09T11:10:00.000-07:00

I just finished a new sandwich board painting for YOGA GARDEN. I got really into making these 7 years ago when I started teaching at Creative Electric. I like the way the wood cracks and the paint chips and starts to roll as they age. I hope you like them. "Restrooms", "Dressing Room" and "Private" coming soon...

Thursday Nights Are Back...

2011-10-06T05:36:00.000-07:00

Starting tonight 6:30 - 8:00...

I miss the Thursday night class. We had a lot of fun in this class when it was at Foat Design. It's the end of the week and everyone is usually a little loopy and ready to bust a move. Which makes for a lot of fun.

Hope to see you there.

L

And we're in...

2011-10-03T14:50:00.000-07:00

We are officially in! I taught for the first time in the new studio last night and am so happy to say it was just lovely. All the natural light and the view of the sky is wonderful and get this, it's quiet. Really, Really quiet. The space feels like home to me already. I hope you will come check it out sometime soon.

Much Love, L

And we're off...

2011-09-29T16:20:00.000-07:00

Map to YOGA GARDEN

2011-09-28T18:06:00.000-07:00

HERE WE GO!!

Hanging wall garden arrived Monday, mats arrived Tuesday, Hugger Mugger order and postcards to be here any day now. We are good to go.

Dressing room should be up in time for class on Sunday and there is a bathroom right around the corner of our suite. Signage should be up by Sunday but just in case...We will be in Suite #140

Move in date is this Saturday. All classes move to the new location on Sunday. My website www.laurelvanmatre.com and YOGA GARDEN's website www.yogagardenmpls.com will be up starting tomorrow (you can find both in the upper right hand corner of this blog). I've left a map here but you will find all the info. on the websites as well.

My schedule will stay the same with the addition of a Thursday night class 6:30 - 8:00 starting next week.

Below is a map to YOGA GARDEN. 1229 Tyler Street Northeast, Minneapolis, MN 55413. Park anywhere you like...I hope to see you soon.

View Larger Map

My first Murti

2011-09-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

My first murti from my friend Kristin who lives in NYC. Kristin has been a major part of my yoga studies in NYC - taking classes together, letting me stay with her in her sweet little apartment in Greenpoint and has just been a very encouraging and supportive voice for me along this adventure. And it's perfect that it would be Ganesh as I am having to step up and cross a new threshold to create a space for myself to expand as a teacher and student in an effort to do the same for all of my students. Jai Ganesha!!

Gita

2011-09-26T08:25:00.000-07:00

I got back late last night from a fantastic 5 days studying with John Friend and the Iowa kula and many of our very own from the Minneapolis crew. I'm looking forward to unpacking what I learned from the Bhagavad Gita in class as we move into a new space. It's perfect timing as the Gita in some ways is about the choices we get to make with the space we've been given to be in our lives as who we are here and now. The pics are of a book I'm making based on the key words that summarize the teachings in each chapter. I like creating a project out of my studies to give it meaning in my own life and teaching. And I'm obsessed with making pictures out of type.

AND last class at the co-op tonight! So I hope to see you - if not we will be in our new space starting this Sunday 10/2....details to follow!!!

2011-09-19T11:43:00.000-07:00

I've been having fun framing drawings I've gotten as gifts from friends for the studio. I love the drawing of the poodle. It was a bday gift from my friend Janet who just moved to NYC and helped me out with some of the initial artwork I used when I was just starting out as a yoga teacher. We also spent about 5 years gardening together when we had both recently moved to Minneapolis. The clothes line and green man where drawn by her daughter Stella. They are just really sweet and make me laugh. The hands are a drawing I made in school.

YogaGardens Gardens

2011-09-14T08:11:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos of the beginning of YogaGardens gardens. It's going to potentially get really cold tonight so I am pulling containers from my back garden to put inside and keep protected for the studio. I love succulents and we will have lots of beautiful, bright natural light to keep them happy (as well as us!) through the winter.

I Got A Couch!!

2011-09-11T08:43:00.000-07:00

I ended a long, epic journey in search of a couch yesterday.

At the beginning of every semester when I was in school for art we would set up our studios for the year. The rooms were just big open studio spaces with partitions that held canvases for our paintings on both ends that divided the studio up into 3 spaces. 2 spaces for drawing classes and just one big open area in the middle for painting. So, on the first day of the semester we chose from a pile of chairs, easels, tables and only about 4 couches to set up our individual spaces.

If you got a couch, you scored. As I said there were only 4 couches and they were in high demand. There were at least 50 - 75 students taking painting and milling around the painting/drawing studios every semester. Having a couch meant that everyone congregated to your area. It meant having 1 or 2 studio mates to share your space with. It meant community and everyone wanted to be a part of it and loved it when they were. It meant influencing and encouraging and conversing about each others desires in their work.

My intention for YogaGarden is the same. To create and share a space/studio where people feel comfortable to be together as a creative community. So, you see finding a couch can be an epic journey for the right reasons.

Here are some pics including said couch. The couch and rug are for the dressing room, the chairs are for the waiting area and the table is for my office which will be in the way back of the studio.

More pics soon.

Come Together

2011-09-07T17:36:00.000-07:00

It's all coming together. I'm so excited. My good friend Ave Shalom, who was also one of my very first students, has been working away designing my logo. She is also responsible for my current website. She is an incredibly talented designer and I love working with Ave because we sync up so easily. We met to discuss about two weeks ago and talked about combining an idea I had drawn out for a mural for the space and incorporating that into a logo and designs for the YogaGarden website, the LaurelVanMatre website as well as my blog and for flyers. So, the pics are of a rough draft I drew out for the mural and some prototypes Ave came up with. I'm really into the lighting bolts and stars that are meant to look like flowers.

YogaGarden Coming Soon!

2011-09-06T14:13:00.000-07:00

Hello. Thanks for checking out my blog. I am in the process of opening a yoga studio - YogaGarden - in NE Minneapolis. I will be posting here several times a week to show the progress of the studio as it comes together. I'm having a blast shopping for furniture, playing with the layout, painting new signs and just doing as much as I can until I take the space. YogaGarden will be opening in October and I can't wait for all of us to get in there and get started!

So, the pics below are from a photo shoot with Shelly Dixon of the Sunday evening class fame. Paul came along as my assistant. We had a really fun day at the Eloise Butler Flower Gardens and at Crosby Farms Park in St. Paul. I needed to get some new images for the YogaGarden website (www.yogagardenmpls.com - coming soon!) for flyers so we decided to make a day of it and see what we could do. I'm really happy with the results. I hope you like them. Shelly did a beautiful job and thanks to Paul for hauling our gear around.

New images tomorrow!