Yoga of Regeneration, sacred song and touch immersion!

The ancient wisdom of yoga teaches that Life is already given to you, you are completely loved, you are here now. It teaches that we are not separate, cannot be separate from nature, which sustains us in a vast interdependence with everything. The universe comes perfectly, and is awesome in its integration and infinite existence. This union is our natural state, this union is Yoga.

When you experience this connection to the fullness of creation, of nurturing source, you are doing your Yoga. Yoga is your direct participation in nurturing source.
All of us at Heart of Yoga are committed to broadening this message: You are fully loved, you are fully able, you are perfectly capable the way you are. We strive to teach the healing power of intimate connection, in the traditions of 10,000 years, recaptured for our era. We hope to transform individual awareness of this interconnection, and thus human consciousness and the societies we have created.
This website is our virtual home, we will offer you things we believe can help you do your yoga. It is not a one way dialogue though, so please join our community, join the conversation, contribute and help out with local events. The Heart of Yoga is in all of us.
Om Shanti
Mark Whitwell
Founder, Heart of Yoga

I am thrilled and honored to be a part of an extraordinary weekend event!

SEPT 30 - OCT 2YOGA 

WITH MASTER TEACHER

MARK WHITWELL

IMMERSE INTO THE HEART OF YOGA IN BIG SKY COUNTRY

AT HAYMOON RESORT IN WHITEFISH, MONTANA

Hosted by Arlisa & Kelly of MeWe Collective

Experience:
• Advanced Yoga for every One: “If you can breathe, You can doYoga.” 

• Yoga of Intimacy: The Secrets of Yoga that turn your Life into Love 

•Freeing your Voice w/chanting & Sacred songs

• Rejuvenating your Spirit with Restorative touch 

• Vibrant Vegan meals catered by Michelle Berry of Berry Bliss (for full immersion registrants)

Guest Musician: Daphne Tse

DETAILS:

Fri, Sept 30: 7p - 9p ($20)

Sat, Oct 1: 9a - 5p ($95)

Sun, Oct 2: 9a - 5p ($95)

*Special concert: Sat, Oct 2: 7p - 9p ($20)

FULL IMMERSION EARLY BIRD PRICE by SEPT 18th!! $180.00 

To Register:

406-261-2924

“Yoga is every person’s direct intimacy with reality, which is an entirely abundant, regenerating, and nurturing power. This is yoga from the heart for the heart.” - Mark Whitwell

IMMERSION DETAILS: All levels welcome!

Friday, September 30th 7 - 9 PM Opening ceremony with Mark Whitwell, Daphne Tse, Arlisa Houston & Kelly Ordway: Introduction to the Heart of Yoga Immersion! Come join us for an evening of meditation, pranayama, movement, and chanting!

Saturday, October 1st

9 - 11 AM w/Daphne Tse, Arlisa Houston & Kelly Ordway

Sacred Sound & Touch: Free your Voice & Fluid Vinyasa (pt 1) Dive into the healing power of sound as we open our voices & bodies through chanting & embodied flow. You will learn tools to connect to your authentic voice through chakra chanting, mantra & sounding. Relax deeper into your own being as we explore the Essence of Yoga & Sacred Touch. 1 - 5 PM w/Mark Whitwell Advanced Yoga for everyOne: The Principles of Yoga applied exactly to your individual needs The five principles of practice to make Yoga entirely your own, efficient, powerful and safe. Breath, asana and bandha integrate as a seamless design. Apply breath and bandha efficiently to produce a powerful practice that is right for you. Adding these five principles to the Yoga you already know and Love. No Yoga Experience Needed.

7 - 9 PM SPECIAL Music Event!

Sacred Song & Kirtan Concert with Daphne Tse & friends! Join us for heart opening community gathering of chanting and singing. We'll offer sacred songs from many traditions honoring the Shakti that is within each of us... No singing or musical experience needed! If you can talk, you can sing... so come and join us and enjoy diving into musical inspirations from around the world!

Sunday, October 2nd

9 - 11 AM w/Daphne Tse, Arlisa Houston & Kelly Ordway

Sacred Sound & Touch: Free your Voice & Fluid Vinyasa (pt 2) 1 - 5 PM w/Mark Whitwell The Yoga of Intimacy: The Secrets of Yoga that turn your Life into Love This workshop will include theYoga of Patanjali, an in-depth study of the first four sutras of Patanjali's Yogasutra and the first sutra of book two; on the the three qualities or actions of personal Yoga practice. Getting it right for yourself and others. Awaken your Yoga practice to the peace and power of your natural state. Weaving the tools of Yoga into personal and powerful systems.The beauty of non-obsessive, yet actual daily practice.We will define daily practice and discuss the purpose of yantra and mantra in asana and pranayama. No Yoga Experience Needed.

LUNCH BREAK: 11AM - 1PM

SPECIAL for FULL IMMERSION registrants: Vibrant Vegan Lunch Included

OPTIONAL: Lunch for non-immersion (please inquire for rate)

LODGING AVAILABLE AT HAYMOON RESORT CONTACT ARLISA: mewecollective@gmail.com

Bios:

Mark Whitwell has enjoyed a life-long relationship with the teachings of Krishnamacharya,“the teacher of the teachers,” notably of B. K. S. Iyengar, K. Pattabhi Jois, and T. K.V. Desikachar. Having studied since 1973 in the home of Krishnamacharya, Mark is committed to communicating timeless yoga principals with compassion and clarity. He contributed to and edited Desikachar's book,The Heart ofYoga: Developing a Personal Practice. Mark is the author ofYoga of Heart:The Healing Power of Intimate Connection. www.HeartofYoga.com

Daphne Tse is a spirited, soulful artist originally from Texas & currently based in Bali, Indonesia. Since her initial yoga class in 1994, she has explored merging her spiritual practice with her contemporary folk singer/songwriter style. She studied music at the University of Texas at Austin, the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago and with Jai Uttal in Guatemala. She has travelled extensively sharing her music around the globe. Her music has been featured on yoga music compilations with Shiva Rea and her current album, Mata, features songs dedicated to Mother Spirit. www.daphnetse.com

Arlisa Houston & Kelly Ordway of Me We Collective... Me We Collective - Evolution of Self cofounders Arlisa Houston & Kelly Ordway are both Massage Therapists/ Energyworkers and Vinyasa Flow/

Kundalini Yoga Teachers. Based in Whitefish, Montana, known as "The Last Best Place.” It is their vision to share the Essence ofYoga & Sacred Touch in Potent Places around the World!

Register NOW! 406-261-2924 or email: mewecollective@gmail.com

Early Bird Price $180 by September 18th!

Act through love and harmony Everything is God. The trees, the light of the sun, the animals, the buildings, the roads. We are all that. ~Sri Mahayogi

I hope that you may be able to be a part of the weekend as well! We are so blessed to be a part of a wonderful community.

Love & Bliss,
Michelle

A Little Slice of Vegan Cheese

So this was really my first go at making a vegan cheese that you could slice. 

To my delight my daughters loved it and its so easy to make!

Pass the cheese please!

 Raw Vegan Cheese
1 1/2 cups water 1 1/2 Tablespoons agar powder or 5 Tablespoons Agar Flakes
1/2 cup raw cashews (soaked)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 Tablespoons Tahini
2 teaspoons dijon or stone ground mustard
1 garlic clove (optional)
Dash of Salt

In blender add cashews, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, tahini, mustard, garlic and salt.
In a pan, on the stove, bring water to a boil and slowly add agar stirring with a whisk. Reduce heat to a simmer and continue to whisk while mixture thickens, about 5 to 10 minutes. If using flakes, make sure they are completely dissolved.
Slowly pour into blender, and blend for several minutes, make sure you scrape the sides every once in a while until mixture is completely smooth.
Pour into a plastic container and cool in fridge, uncovered for several hours.
After completely cool, pop cheese out of container and serve.
Store covered in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Oh, so easy!

 Agar is low in Sodium, and very low in Saturated Fat and Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Vitamin K, Pantothenic Acid, Zinc and Copper, and a very good source of Folate, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium and Manganese.

Enjoy the beauty of summer!

Imagine all the people living life in peace.
You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one.
I hope someday you'll join us, and the world will live as one. ~John Lennon

Love,

Michelle

Please check out my personal site at: www.MichelleBerryShaffer.com

Local Business Receives Good Food Award!

Come One, Come All!

MONTANA COFFEE TRADERS HONORED

AS GOOD FOOD AWARDS WINNER AT INAUGURAL CEREMONY

Saturday, February 19th from 10:00-2:00

Berry Bliss will be there to celebrate along with Pam from purple Frog is doing a sauerkraut tasting, Justin is

premiering his new Beet relish, other local fodies will be there too! Please come and support our wonderful community!

Press Release:

San Francisco, CA (January 25, 2011) – Montana Coffee Traders today announced that its Organic Ethiopian Yrgacheffe Peaberry coffee has been selected as one of the Good Food Awards 71 winning products from across the nation—representing American craft food producers who excel in superior taste and sustainability. Over 160 coffee roasters submitted their best coffees that were cupped and judged by a panel of tasters from throughout the United States. Montana Coffee Traders was one of nine coffee roasters awarded a Good Food Awards Seal in front of a crowded house of over 450 attendees on January 14, 2011 at the historic San Francisco Ferry Building. Of the winning producers, 47 flew in from out of state, many with their farmers and partners, representing every major region of the United States—a true testament to a not-so-quiet artisan foods renaissance happening nationwide. The Good Food Awards Seal recognizes their contributions toward creating a more tasty, authentic, and responsible food system in urban and rural communities throughout the nation.

“By publicly celebrating the achievements of artisans across the country we are sharing the good news about food,” said Alice Waters. “The Good Food Awards are the County Fair of our times and, like those fairs that brought our communities together in a positive way, these new awards have the potential to strengthen our communities and rebuild our food culture.”

Honors were presented in seven food categories--coffee, chocolate, beer, charcuterie (meats), relishes, pickles, and cheese--by Alice Waters of Chez Panisse, a world-renowned restaurant in the Bay Area that has championed the awareness and development of the local food movement for 40 years.

On Saturday the winners had the opportunity to sell their products at the San Francisco Farmers Market at the Ferry Building. The market was packed with thousands of enthusiastic foodies. Coffee Traders served our sweet floral, chocolatey Eithiopian coffee brewed in Hario drip brewers to an appreciative audience.

Scott Brant, coffee buyer for Montana Coffee Traders, said the Good Food Award and the Marketplace was an “exhilarating opportunity to connect people with the wonderful coffee being produced by hard working farmers from around the world.  The sense of community, that we are familiar with in Montana, was in full force at the Marketplace. We are grateful to showcase our commitment to offering quality, sustainable coffee and Montana-sourced food products.”

The Good Food Awards go beyond tasty food by asking the winners to nominate three partners who contribute to their local food systems’ success stories.  Montana Coffee Traders is supported by a large community of committed local businesses and farmers. Our awards are given to Farm Hands, AERO, and the downtown Whitefish Farmers Market. Please stop by our downtown  Whitefish store on February 19 for our Celebrating Community event and  meet all of our partners and supporters and share in the bounty.

ABOUT MONTANA COFFEE TRADERS

Montana Coffee Traders has been roasting fine coffees in Whitefish, Montana for 30 years.  As the premier coffee roaster in Montana, they have played a pivotal role in bringing excellent sustainably grown coffees to every community in Montana.  Montana Coffee Traders strives to be part of your everyday life offering coffee enthusiasts the opportunity to connect to coffee farmers and their communities from around the world.  

ABOUT GOOD FOOD AWARDS 

The Good Food Awards celebrate the kind of food we all want to eat: tasty, authentic, and responsible. In its inaugural year, awards were given to winners in seven categories: beer, charcuterie, cheese, chocolate, coffee, pickles, and preserves. The Good Food Awards Seal, found on winning products, assures consumers they have found something exceptionally delicious that also supports sustainability and social good. Find more information at: 

www.goodfoodawards.org

www.coffeetraders.com

www.aeromt.org

www.whitefishfarmersmarket.org

www.nourishtheflathead.org

Huckleberry Bliss!

Last weekend we went camping on the South Fork River, it was beautiful! Morgan, Alex and I were able to go huckleberry picking!

Huckleberries are relatives of the blueberry and the cranberry they are high in antioxidants, vitamin C, manganese, iron and a good source of vitamin A.  They are a good source of vitamin B and helps speed up metabolism and potassium keeps skin, nerves and muscles happy and healthy by regulating water balances and eliminating wastes.

Huckleberries are medicinal for the blood and liver, they help manage serious illnesses such as heart disease, eczema, lowering cholesterol, muscular degeneration and diabetes by lowering blood sugar levels, they also have bacteria fighting capabilities that are particularly useful in countering urinary-tract infections. 

Wow. 

There have been many clinical studies done to show that the huckleberry promotes eye health, especially against diabetic retinopathy and cataracts. However, back during World War I, the pilots in the Royal Air Force in Great Britain swore that eating huckleberry jam or drinking huckleberry cordials prior to flying night missions over Germany significantly improved their visual acuity in the darkness.

These sweet berries are a cooling food and perfect for summer! 

Huckleberry Cheesecake:

Crust:

1 1/2 cup pecans or almonds

1/2 cup shredded coconut, dried

7 dates (soaked)

Process crust ingredients in a food processor and press into bottom of a springform pan. If it feels too wet, place in dehydrator while you are preparing your filling to remove excess moisture.

If you were blessed with an abundance of huckleberries, place some fresh ones on the crust so you may have bursts of fresh huckleberries in your pie!

Filling:

3 cups cashews (soaked)

1 1/4 cup almond milk

1-1 1/2 cup huckleberries

1 cup huckleberry honey

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 Tablespoons vanilla

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup coconut oil (melted at low temperature in dehydrator)

2 Tablespoons lecithin

Blend first seven ingredients in vitamix or blender until smooth. Add coconut oil and lecithin last. Pour mixture on top of pie crust. If you desire, you may choose to reserve two cups of the huckleberry mixture and add two tablespoons of chocolate and two tablespoons on vanilla, mix in blender and pour on top of huckleberry mixture in pan. Swirl it and twirl it to make it beautiful! Place in freezer for two hours or overnight before serving or in the fridge for 6 hours or overnight so that it may set. Serve and enjoy!

Tip: If your mixture is too thick add some date soak water. If your mixture is too thin add some coconut oil or more cashews.

I hope you are enjoying  your summer and spending as much time as you can outdoors with your families!

All of life is a journey; which paths we take, what we look back on, and what we look forward to is up to us. We determine our destination, what kind of road we will take to get there, and how happy we are when we get there. ~From A Little Book of Happiness

Love,

Michelle

Please check out my personal site at: www.MichelleBerryShaffer.com

Mint-Chip Cheesecake

For my sisters 27th birthday I made her a mint-chocolate (non-dairy) cheesecake.

Kate and her boyfriend, Eric had to jump on a train to Portland around 9pm. We had a wonderful dinner with family, great conversations, and the girls made Kate some artwork. Soon, the evening slipped away and Kate and Eric had to slip away without getting a piece of her birthday cheesecake. We had some in her honor and sang Happy Birthday and lit a candle for her and then had every intention of saving her a piece, but apparently everyone thought it was the BEST CHEESECAKE EVER! And not one piece lasted for the birthday girl to taste. Moral of this story is, NEVER, leave without grabbing a piece of cake! :)

Mint Chip Cheesecake


Almond Crust:
2 cups almonds
10-14 pitted dates
1/4 cup cacao nibs
2 teaspoons vanilla
Process all ingredients in a food processor until flaky but yet, can hold together when you press it between your fingers. Press crust into the bottom of a springform pan.


Mint Filling:
It would be okay to substitute honey for agave in this recipe it makes it for a little thicker pie and you do not need to use as much lecithin.
Put all ingredients except for the lecithin and the melted coconut oil into the VitaMix (or other powerful blender) and blend until smooth and creamy. Add the melted coconut oil and the lecithin and blend thoroughly.  Pour all but 2 cups of filling on top of the almond crust.


Chocolate-Mint Filling
2 cups reserved mint filling
4 tablespoons cacao powder
2 tablespoons vanilla
Plop chocolate-mint mixture into pan and swirl around to create a marbled effect.


Place pie in freezer for 1-2 hours to set up before serving.  Sprinkle cacao nibs around outer edges and enjoy chocolate mint bliss!
My daughter Alex claims this is the BEST PIE EVER! 

Mint is so wonderful, not only can you use it for culinary adventures, it is also wonderful for your medicine cabinet as well!

Mint is fabulous to use in a tea, as well as desserts with chocolate, tebbouleh, and garnishes.

There are over 500 varieties of known mint varieties! Wow!

Peppermint is cooling and stimulating, it helps relieve spasms, increases perspiration, and tones the digestive system, especially the colon. It is not recommended to use peppermint on infants.

While spearmint is slightly warming, it is excellent to use on young children and is an excellent remedy for feverish childhood illnesses as well as hiccups, indigestion, and flatulence

Both peppermint and spearmint are tridoshic and are especially calming for pitta.

Hop you are enjoying this beautiful spring!

Namaste,

Michelle

PS. Don't forget to check out the website: www.goingtothesunfood.com

Adapted from Sweet Gratitude, and

Mint info from The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia

Please check out my personal site at: www.MichelleBerryShaffer.com

PomTini

The word pomegranate means "many-grained apple".
Eat the pomegranate, for it purges the system of hatred and envy. --Muhammad

This drink is a real crowd pleaser!

• PomTini

• Makes 2-3 servings
• 1 cup fresh pomegranate , or cranberry juice, strained (fresh juice will produce a cloudier drink than bottled)
• 1 ½ tablespoons agave nectar
• 1 cup dry organic white wine, or sparkling wine
• ½ cup dry sake
• 3 teaspoons lime juice, freshly squeezed is the best!

Combine ingredients and shake with ice in a martini shaker, strain and serve in martini glasses. Garnish with a fresh rosemary sprig (remove lower needles and skewer fruit of choice).

This recipe comes to you from Rebecca Carlson in the current issue of Purely Delicious magazine.

Pomegranates promote the production of red blood cells; expel tapeworms; strengthen the bladder (especially for the elderly) and the gums; and soothe ulcers in the mouth and throat. The peel is used as a home remedy for treating chronic dysentery. A kitchen remedy for burning eyes is to place a drop of pomegranate juice in each eye before sleeping.
Pomegranates reduce pitta and kapha.

We have so much to be thankful for!

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Love you all!

Michelle

Please check out my personal site at: www.MichelleBerryShaffer.com

Pineapple Bleach

Wowza!

It's been over a month since my last post! So many things have been happening in my life. Spending time with my family and enjoying our day to day rituals.

I was also able to take a trip by myself down to the Tree of Life in Patagonia, Arizona.

What a wonderful experience!

I am still digesting everything and I am really looking forward to sharing wonderful information with you in the future!

Today, I am at home, cleaning house and taking care of loose ends. It's snowing outside, and beautiful. Between the cleaning and longing for the warm sun I must be in a tropical mood because today's post is about the wonderful pineapple! I have been meaning to make this post since June! I think that pineaple just might be my favorite fruit! I love to eat it fresh, make ice cream in my VitaMix, and dehydrate it for a scrumptious snack. The girls love dehydrated pineapple in their school lunches!

Fresh pineapples are wonderful, but what do we do with the rind?!?!?

Well, you could compost it but before you do that you could...

Make bleach, the best all natural kind!

Take pineapple rind and put it in a jar.

Fill jar with water.

Leave jar out on counter for 24 hours to ferment (don't tighten lid too tight, you don't want it to explode).

After 24 hours, use fermented pineapple juice to whiten whites or even clean your bathroom!

To whiten whites just soak in fermented pineapple water for a couple of hours and voila!

What's better than a gentle bleach that is safe for us and the environment?

After your done making your bleach, don't forget to compost!

The delicious pineapple originated in Brazil, it takes 18 months to grow, and contains a proteolytic enzyme bromelain, which breaks down protein. Pineapples are a cooling food, wonderful for people with intestinal disorders, as it aids in digestion of starches and protein; as well as destroying intestinal parasites. Pineapple juice relieves chronic bronchitis and has a soothing effect on a sore throat, possibly because it contains the anti-inflammatory enzyme bromelain which literally digests foreign microbes or diseased cells in the bronchial tissues.

A person with hemophilia or those with kidney or liver disease may choose to avoid raw pineapple as it may reduce the time taken to coagulate a persons blood.

Pineapples are a symbol of hospitality and often appear in household art motifs. Have you ever noticed pineapples on brass door knockers or light fixtures?

That's all for now!

Think warm thoughts!

Love,

Michelle

Please check out my personal site at: www.MichelleBerryShaffer.com

Stuffed Avocados

In the couple of weeks before the wedding, I nourished myself quite often with this quick meal, that was very satisfying.

All you have to do is, have on hand, avocados, "refried beans," cashew sour cream and salsa.

Gratifying and addicting!

Historically avocados had a long-standing stigma as a sexual stimulant, and were known by the Aztecs as "the fertility fruit". (And no, Noah and I are not planning on having any more kids as of yet, we just got married!)

Avocados are also known as palta or aguacate in Spanish, the butter pear or alligator pear, is a tree native to the Caribbean, Mexico, South America and Central America, it is classified in the flowering plant family along with cinnamon, camphor and bay laurel. The name "avocado" also refers to the fruit, which is technically a very large berry! (I love berries!)

About 75% of the avocado's calories comes from fat, most of which is monounsaturated fat.

Avocados also have 60% more potassium than bananas. They are rich in B vitamins, as well as vitamin E and vitamin K. They have the highest fiber content of any fruit. Wow!

The avocado is very popular in vegetarian cuisine, making it an excellent substitute for meats in sandwiches and salads because of its high fat content.

Nutritious and delicious!

This is a HUGE plate! There is no way I could eat all of this it was too filling!

Kind Refried "Beans" (without the musical side effects):

1 whole dried chile (soak for 4 hours and reserve water)

12 whole sun-dried tomatoes, (soak and reserve water)

2 cups sunflower seeds, soaked and drained

1/2 jalapeno

2 whole green onions, chopped

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped and packed

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cumin

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

3 cloves garlic, chopped

In the bowl of the food processor fitted with the "S" blade, puree the drained seeds, tomatoes, and chipotle to a chunky "bean like" texture. (If you choose, save 1/4 cup of the sunflower seeds to mix at the end for an even chunkier texture.) Now place the rest of the ingredients in the bowl of the food processor, and continue to pulse until you reach your desired texture. It will be necessary to add a little of the reserved tomato water, and if you like it spicy use the chipotle water. Be careful not to use too much water, as you are looking for a consistency like refried beans or even ground hamburger.

Finally, taste your "beans" and adjust the flavor if necessary. When you are satisfied with the flavor, fold in the remaining sunflower seeds!

I personally omit the chili, add more chili powder and sun-dried tomatoes.

Just thinking about it makes me hungry!

Cashew Sour Cream:

1 cup cashews, (soaked a couple of hours and drained)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

pinch of sea salt

1/4 cup water

if desired: 2 tablespoons chives

Blend cashews, lemon juice, salt, and just enough water to blend into a smooth kream.

Put sour kream in a bowl and stir in chopped chives.

Will keep in fridge for 4 days.

Use salsa recipe of your choice, have at least three avocados on hand.

Cut avocados in half, remove seed, you may choose to score the avocados for easier scooping. Then stuff with "beans", add sour kream and salsa. I also like to add cilantro. Yummm!

Enjoy!

xoxoxo

Michelle

Please check out my personal site at: www.MichelleBerryShaffer.com