Ashley Turner's e-volve

Carpe Diem

2009-12-06T18:35:00.000-08:00

Top 10 Ways to Enhance Your Day

Feeling good every day is my #1 priority.
Below are my top 10 ways to improve my day, mood + attitude.

1. meditate 15-30 min.

2. set intentions for the day
3. pray in gratitude for all my gifts 1st thing in the morning + last thing at night

4. workout/ yoga/ run

5. listen to Abraham Hicks, Dr. Michael Bernard Beckwith audio or dvd

6. drink a green vegetable juice

7. sit quietly in the sun for a few minutes

8. journal about my dreams + desires

9. play some great music, sing along, dance

10. reach out to a loved one or friend to catch up and say hello!

The Urge to Merge

2009-07-14T23:06:00.001-07:00

Upon the shores of the Pacific, here in Venice, California, Mark Whitwell has graced us with his presence the last several weeks at exhale-Sacred Movement. As always, when I find myself in the presence of my beloved teacher, my entire perspective on life and yoga morphs, returning to the depths of source. A refreshing drink straight from the well of Krishnamacharya quenches a thirst that cannot quite be satiated any other way. Mark's pure transmission accompanied by his arresting depth of knowledge, experience, passion and integrity for the purity of yoga captivates his every audience and leaves us pondering the most basic of questions. "What is life really about?" and "Why are we really doing yoga?"

The heart of yoga = Strength receiving.

Merging of the opposites reveals the heart, or hridaya. Our purpose in this lifetime is deep intimacy. Nothing more. Nothing less. Mating. Sexual union. Connection. Tantra. We are meant to come together. Enjoy each others' loving. This is the precise function of life itself. Prana exists to procreate. Bottom line.

This is an interesting predicament to ponder for a freshly baked 35-year-old girl enraptured in the throes of an inspiring, thriving career, yet, feeling the heart strings pull and the call of motherhood beckon. Yes, it's true...about a year ago, I began to feel the undeniable 'urge to merge'. And, everytime that I am in the presence of Mark Whitwell, I am reminded that this is the most natural, and indeed, essential call of life. This is exactly what I should be doing. Seeking a beloved and creating a family!

While a successful career and individuation are great...at some level, what we all crave is the simple ordinariness of life. Or, as Mark says, the "ordinary relatedness of life". He is thrilled when he sees a couple connecting, building a nest and settling down. True Ha-tha Yoga! I remember a night in the West Village 7 years ago, when Mark and I met my younger sister and brother-in-law for dinner. After witnessing their blossoming romance and the scaffolding of a nest being built, Mark pulled me aside on a rainy New York street and declared -- "Brilliance!" Their commitment to each other and a life together was perfection!

I am, of course, in no way suggesting this "urge to merge" or create a family, get married and have a baby is an authentic or right choice for everyone. Clearly not. Just diving a little deeper into the wellspring of the wonder that is my womb and the experience of being a woman of a certain age in a certain time in history.

Maybe, it's the mid-decade birthday last week, or the increasing number of friends getting knocked up or the elders aging and friends with cancer that remind me of how short life really is....but, I definitely sit here impatient (maybe a little frantic) and asking the question - "What do I need to change in my life to draw in the partner of my dreams and create the family I desire?" I do of course "trust the universe", "know I am worthy" and have several eligible bachelors orbiting around. So, why isn't anything sticking?

Mark would say it's that our world is turned upside-down. Our world has been warped with our overvaluation of and obsession with work, effort, busy-ness. Shaped by the forces of materialism and patriarchal spiritual traditions (including the Brahmanic yogic tradition), we are inherently conditioned to pursue the vertical path. To achieve, acquire and prove our worth through grand external successes. However, true value remains rooted in the quality of our interactions (the horizontal, relational path). As they say, "Nothing comes with us when we die."

Yoga is nothing more than deep intimacy with reality. Reality is nothing more than nurturing life force.

What are you going to do about that? It's a struggle. I love my work and I want to work hard. I love working hard. I love serving, giving, traveling, It's all so very inspiring, fun and incredibly rewarding ... and yet, deeper questions beckon: Where does all this passionate pursuit of a truly inspiring career leave me? Where does that get in the way of relationship? And, why is this such a struggle for women in their mid-thirties/early-forties at this point in time? It doesn't seem fair.

Mark unabashedly replies: "It's wrong. It's wrong dharma. It's dharma that has got us nowhere. It's a mistake that we are supposed to get free of desire. It's not just for stimulating sex. It's for Shiva Lingum. It's for union. It's for life. The idea is you be very specific about it and to make the calls to everybody and anybody that is at all possibly available to you. Strength receiving. Within and without. The asana of relationship. Put some intention on that."

It's a spiritual discipline. "You're very brave", he tells me. Yes --- it's a bold path to fearlessly pursue all of one's deepest desires and remain visible, vulnerable, misunderstood. Yet, what other choice do we really have but to courageously live the questions?

I am beginning to understand Tantra. The great mystery revealed in the absolutely ordinary.

Mondrian Meets Monastery :: The Kripalu Annex

2009-06-21T12:46:00.000-07:00

If you're looking for a little R+R this summer, an oasis where city meets country and spirit meets style . . . discover the best hidden gem in the Northeast - the Kripalu Annex!

On my recent, inaugural 8 day teaching stint at Kriaplu - Center for Yoga + Health, I was thrilled to learn they had booked all the presenters in the newly opened Green Annex! The 'official' unveiling and ribbon cutting ceremony of the state-of-the-art Rose+Guggenheimer designed Annex occurred in the midst of my stay, complete with Kripalu Investors and Board of Advisors descending on the campus in the lush Berkshires.

The $15.3 million Annex, came in under budget and ahead of schedule with renowned architect, Peter Rose of Cambridge, Massachusettes at the helm. As a Yale trained, Harvard Architecture professor, Rose perfected a fusion of high-style, European minimalism, meets spiritual aesthetic, while simultaneously incorporating stringent green initiatives. (Think Mondrian meets Monastery.) The 34,000-square-foot annex was constructed to generate more revenue for Kripalu and appeal to a wider audience. (Yeah! At last--Spirituality doesn't mean sacrificing style or luxury!) It uses almost half the energy of comparable traditional construction.

I also had the honor of teaching one of the inaugural classes in the newly minted, exquisite, 2,800-square-foot, Elmview Room, with vast views of the adjacent lake and rolling lawns. (I will undoubtedly endeavor to hold any future events in this gorgeous, state-of-the-art sanctuary). After rocking out a dynamic vinyasa class for Kripalu's generous staff and volunteers, I can definitely see why so many end up staying so long! (Thanks for the warm hospitality and generous support, everyone!)

The location and design of the annex were chosen to offer views of the surrounding countryside and blend in with the landscape. The slight V-shape of the building ensures that every room has a tree or lake view. The annex is clad with “rain-screen” siding and external, sliding window blinds, made of small, square strips of untreated raw southern cypress wood salvaged from the Hurricane Katrina tidal surge. The siding will age naturally, into a gray patina of mature wood, blending in with the countryside. About 30 percent smaller in volume than a typical building of this type, the Annex minimizes the area to heat, cool and illuminate and uses a radiant heating and cooling system. As Rep. Pignatelli, (D-Lenox) quipped at the ceremony, “This building is a jewel...probably the most environmentally friendly building in the Berkshires.” Kudos to Kripalu for leading the way and showing the rest of us what true environmental stewardship looks like!

As my first residential experience in a completely green building, it got me thinking . . . Why has it taken America SO long to catch onto a more European aesthetic and deeper appreciation of the necessity, beauty and responsibility of green building? Why does the perception persist that you have to forego style, convenience or cost to achieve green goals? Are we finally ready to consult the natural environs and humble our humanity in automatic consideration of the effects of our building on the Earth? Kripalu is doing a great service by providing a total immersion for guests to organically experience the rewards of "green living" and understand that living "in" nature, you simply feel better!

Interesting Side Note:
Kripalu Center staff wrote their intentions for Kripalu and the Annex at a groundbreaking ceremony in March 2008. The intentions were buried in the foundations of the Annex and connector with Shadowbrook. Unbeknownst to Kripalu, the ironworkers who built the concrete structure (many form the former Soviet Union), followed with their own tradition of burying coins in concrete foundations for good luck and prosperity.

Hopefully, some of that luck and prosperity rubbed off on me and I will be blessed with the good fortune of another stay at the Annex and teaching in the Elmview Room! Happy Summer Solstice!

Kripalu - Center for Yoga+Health
Berkshires in Western Massachusettes
866 | 200 | 5203

Announcing: Yoga Psychology Private Practice Opening Feb. 1st!

2009-02-03T00:06:00.000-08:00

And the time came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.
~ Anais Nin

I am pleased to announce the launch of my Yoga Psychology practice February 1st. I am honored to join an esteemed private practice of leaders in the field of mind-body psychology, including my mentors and supervisors, Dr. Ron Alexander and Dr. Barbara Foley. Some sessions available on sliding scale, by phone or Skype.

Office Hours
Weekdays By Appointment
1:00 - 6:00 pm
1551 Ocean Ave., Suite 230, Santa Monica, CA 90401
at@ashleyturner.org | map
(SE corner of Colorado, in pink bldg above Ivy at the Shore)

Synthesizing the best of contemplative Eastern and modern Western approaches to healing and wholeness, Integrative medicine is client-centered, taking into account the whole person - body, mind and spirit, including all aspects of lifestyle. Emphasis is on optimizing one's natural healing power. Based on the precepts of yoga philosophy, mindfulness, Jungian and Depth Psychology, my specialties include couples' counseling, grief/loss, career transformations and the psychology of creativity and empowerment.

For people committed to self-exploration and self-development, holistic psychology can result in emotional freedom, increased clarity, joy, balance and a deeper connection to your sense of purpose and power. Together, we will identify your unique challenges, habits, emotional and relational patterns and design a protocol to address your specific needs and personal goals. Happiness is an inside job!

***Any and all referrals are much appreciated, as I begin my private practice! Thank you in advance for forwarding this to anyone you think may be interested or in need of this work. I look forward to building my practice with you!

Ashley