Life up the Great Alpine Road

Last week I was in Nth East Victoria Australia, which happens to be my old stomping ground. Up in them hills there's a little village called Harrietville, which was indeed home. What a gorgeous mountain village in a special Alpine environment with native bush and pristine mountain rivers and absolute quiet. Ahhhh. The Autumn weather was crystal clear, cold and sunny. And the people - golden ;-) The nearby township of Bright is humming these days too. Though it's been contentious, the development and new shops bring a new energy and the town seems funkier, younger somehow. I think the writing's on the wall: could be Australia's Arrow Town (move over Byron Bay). So much good wine and food is grown/harvested/created up there too. We do love that, don't we. Here's pic of the crew enjoying a coffee in H'ville, lunch in the back yard and lunch out in fabulous Beechworth (hello Trina, Sam and birthday girl Kate).

Soup Tuesdays

I've been working on a book. And I'm thrilled to say it's darn well cooked. Soup Tuesdays is a labour of love like all good loaves of bread and pots of soup. It's accidentally vegetarian and with plenty of vegan/gluten free things. Eternal and loving thanks to my brilliant husband Alan Deare for designing it into shape. Here's some pics. And.....you can buy it if you'd like. Send me an email with your delivery/postal address and I'll reply with my bank account details. Will send to you just as soon as payment is received. $20 per book + $2 handling and postage = $22. PS - if you've come here because you've seen the article in Extra Curricular mag. Thank you!

Hey, the studio is going well, so well. I'm thankful everyday for the wonderful opportunity it is. Thankful for the four walls, the feel of the place, my teachers and students who love the place as much as I do. I'm paying the rent too! It's my constant meditation, imagining the abundance of the place, abundance and love. And I am always grateful. It's a fine formula. Namaste and with love. See you on the mat.

Come and practice

We are up and running and enjoying our lovely new space in Hamilton East. Please check out the website for all the deets including timetable and prices. It is so nice to be practicing in there. Thank you to all those amazing yogis who helped build it.....Peter, Alex, Robb, Sue, Andrea, Ann....the list goes on. www.sunsalute.co.nz

New Yoga Premises. 3/394 Grey St Hamilton East

Well Folks, we're almost there. The new studio is taking shape thanks to Peter at the helm and an incredible volunteering from working-yogi-bees. Here's a snap of progress. If you are interested in attending more classes you will want to know about the timetable, email me and I'll send you a pdf: katie@sunsalute.co.nz So that's what we've been up to! What we done next. ;-)

Loving Autumn

Loving Autumn and loving my Sunday. Thought I'd just post this photo of my kitchen table as I tap and scratch across my keyboard spending the hours studying, eating, reading and doing just a tiny bit of tidying.....and also getting to better know my computer and mobile phone's relationship. Their Bluetoothedness - so that I might upload photos. It's a match made in heaven! And now I have no excuse for letting this blogsite be so image starved!

What's coming up? Peter Sanson workshop at Fiona Links's studio in Taupo: www.livingyoga.co.nz this weekend, April 1, 2, 3. A trip to Melbourne 8th April till 19th April. Can't wait. Peter McNaughton will take all Ashtanga classes while I'm away, though I'm sorry to report all other classes will be cancelled. And for the long weekend of Easter there will be no classes. Time for a break anyway.

Namaste
Katie

Yoga for Christchurch

yoga for christchurch
Fundraising Class. ALL proceeds will go towards the cause.
5:30 - 6:45pm
Friday 4th March
$10

NB: different location:
@ The Wesley Methodist Church Hall
(Corner of Heaphy and Bettina Streets Fairfield. Near the Vegie King)


All styles and levels and ages welcome.
Class will follow a modified Ashtanga Vinyasa form through to sitting poses with time for meditation, chanting and rest.


Please come and show your support and enjoy the benefits and energy a class can bring.

A New Year of Yoga

Welcome back to yoga. Ashtanga and Hatha classes resume this year in Hamilton East on February 7th. This year I'd like to introduce a new Yoga and Book Club. Join and receive once a month an excerpt from a book or an article on yoga to discuss at the next Saturday morning session. The Saturday morning session will be a Mysore style class (with Ashtanga practitioners practicing their sequence and non-Ashtanga yogis performing 10 - 20 sunsalutes, a series of slow and gentle floor stretches and then a meditation sit and rest. After the class we'll heat up the chai, stoke up the stove top espresso, put out a plate of cardamon bickies (thanks Robb) and sit and discuss the past months reading. Stay tuned.

KIDS YOGA - Beat the drum!! We'd like to have kids classes at Sunsalute Yoga. All ages, all fun and offering the true essence of yoga - strength, wisdom and peace. Please register your interest here: katie@sunsalute.co.nz 07 856 5247 / 021 1207 131

2011 timetable:

Monday
10 - 11:30am Hatha (Moderate) at the Church Hall
5:30 - 7pm Ashtanga (Beginners) at the Uni Rec Centre

Tuesday
3:30 - 4:15pm Kids at the Church Hall
5:30 - 7pm Ashtanga (Talked-thru) at the Church Hall

Wednesday
5:30 - 7pm Hatha (restful) at the Church Hall

Thursday
5:30 - 7pm Ashtanga (Mysore style) at the Church Hall

Friday
12 - 1pm Pregnancy at the Church Hall

Saturday
8 - 10am Yoga and Book Club

Class prices range from $10 - $13. Kids classes $7 - $6. Please contact Katie on the above for more details.
The Church Hall is the St Johns Methodist Centre on the corner of Grey and Wellington Sts Hamilton East.
Yoga mats and blankets are provided. You are however encouraged to bring your own.
Most classes new beginners are more than welcome to.
Visit: www.reccentre.co.nz for details on Monday nights class.

Christmas Cakes at Kakariki

Xmas cakes a gaga...Recipe coming....

Thank you to all those at Kakariki House who bought Xmas cakes this year. If you're eating one right now and you want to know what's in them so you can make one for yourself....read on!

As they appear pretty much word for word in the little 'Organics in Your Kitchen' recipe book by Ceres Organics for the Gluten, Dairy Free Amaranth Fruit Cake. And from a cafe in Paris, Rose Bakery comes a book 'Breakfast Lunch Tea' by Phaidon in which you will find the Traditional Xmas Cake recipe I used.

Fruit Cake (Christmas Cake)
Breakfast Lunch Tea, Rose Bakery.

Serves 6-8
250g sultanas
250g currants
130g raisins
100g chopped mixed oeek (candied mixed peel)
1 apple
3 tbsp marmalade
50ml whisky or brandy
grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
grated zest and juice of 1 orange
125g unsalted butter, softened.
125g soft brown sugar
2 tbsp reacle or molases
3 eggs
150g plain flour, sifted.
100g ground almonds
1 round tsp ground cinnamon
1 round tsp ground mixed spice
1/2 tsp salt

Combine the first 9 ingredients (to the orange) and soak overnight.

Preheat oven to 160 degrees celcius.

Butter a 25cm cake tin and line its base and sides with parchment paper.

Beat the butter and sugar till they are light. Mis in the treacle, then add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Fold in the flour, ground almonds, cinnamon, mixed spice and slat. Finally fold in the fruit mixture.

Spoon into the prepared tin and bake about 1 1/2 hours.

Keep checking after 1 hour. When a knife inserted comes out clean, it is ready.

Remove form the oven and cool the cake in the tin. Take it out and wrap in foil till required.

Make sure you keep turning the cake to ensure the whisky or brandy spreads evenly through it.

(this last part I don't really get. Though I'm sure better and more experienced bakers than me will. Such a little amount of brandy used and all soaked up by the fruit anyway?? I have heard you pour more brandy/whisky over after it is finished and out of the oven and then again a few weeks later as you keep it for flavour and preservation. I poured over one measure in the cakes I made as they came out of the oven. I didn't turn and check them after that though. I also used salted butter and omitted the 1/2 tsp salt).


Amaranth Fruit Cake
Organics in the Kitchen. Ceres Organics

1 cup Amaranth
100g Raisins
100g sultanas
125g prunes, pitted and chopped
1 cup Ruby Grove Pomegranate Juice
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1/2 cup honey
2 large free range eggs, lightly beaten
1/1/3 cups Buckwheat Flour
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup whole almonds

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees celcius. Grease and line a 20cum square baking tin with paper

Cook amaranth in 4 cups of gently boiling water for 15 minutes. Stir regularly. Drain and set aside to cool.

Place dried fruits in a bowl. In a small saucepan, gently boil the pomegranate juice, oil and honey. Pour this over the dried fruits and leave to cool for about 30 minutes. Then stir in the eggs and cooled amaranth, breaking up any clumps. Sift in the flour, spices, baking powder and soda. Mix gently to just combine.

Spread bater tinto the baking tin. Press almonds in to the surface to decorate. Bake for 70 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool in the tin. Cut and serve.

(of course everything listed is organic and I'm sure you could use any honey, though they say Kamahi. And also any type of Pomegranate juice for that matter. Frankly you could use rice bran oil or other too. If you could leave out the eggs and perhaps include mashed banana and a tsp of vinegar you would have a very light, gluten free and absolutely Vegan cake (oh, except for the honey. Agave?)

Yoga at Sacred Heart Girls College. Hamilton

Since the beginning of this term I've been teaching yoga to the Year 11 girls at Sacred Heart here in Hamilton East. I get to do this because it fits in well with their PE progamme where they look at managing stress and alternative wellness practices. And I also get to be there because this progressive and forward thinking Christian Catholic school is broad minded about the girls education giving them a wide exposure to many things - awesome. Eilleen Stobie heads the Year 11 PE department and she manages to install me into their school week teaching 12 classes per week for about a month.

My objective is to give the girls a snap shot of yoga. I give them a vocabularly of movement, breath work, rest, contemplation, meditation and sound (we 'OM'). The 'contemplation' part is getting them to watch themselves - or asking them to stop a while to enquire how they feel after an asana, to watch what they're thinking. Relating this to stress I hoped they could see that sometimes all they needed was to stop and to listen and to take a long breath out...as well as to touch their toes regularly....

The asana based work was your basic repertoire of dog, cat, snake, tree, mountain, triangle all good earthy/animal stuff and plenty of other stretches, twists, balances and extensions. Hamstrings tight or what? Poor things! Lots of forward bends and plenty of time in the Childs pose. They mostly do all of this with good humour (hysterics sometimes) especially taking on regular rounds of sun salutes as best they could - kind of. Have you ever tried to bestow the virtue of disciplined physical hardship to a bunch of fun loving 15 year olds? Tough. If you fun-loving 15 year olds are reading this and I hope you are, you did well, real well. You were fantasic. And I'm proud of you.

I would say though the thing they loved must was truely resting and doing such things as sending positive affirmations to friends, sitting cross legged hands respectfully in prayer position and earnestly expressing 'Namaste'. I loved their listening and questions about the philosophy and meanings beyind yoga. When they have so many things that hall their attention away from themselves, that they could learn to listen to their own bodies wisdom and the sense of peace and quiet they can acheive by meditating and feeling gratitude for simple things, is the best thing.

So anyway you girls who are reading this, this is for you.... If you would like to continue on with a yoga practice of your own, I'd like to announce a weekly one hour class in the church hall I use for yoga in Hamilton East. Look at the days and times available and name your preference:

Tuesday 3:30 - 4:30
Wednesday 3:30 - 4:30
Friday 3:15 - 4:15

Cost options: $7 per class. $25 for 4 weeks. $40 for 8 weeks.

Please email me back: katie@sunsalute.co.nz or text me 021 1207 131 with your day preferences. Once I have responses we'll choose the most popular option, I'll contact you all and we'll get started.

NAMASTE
Katie

Carrot Salad with Thai seasoning

This is a salad we had for lunch one day at the Tahere Retreat after the boys had dutifully peeled and grated a whole sack of carrots. It's crunchy, colourful and very tasty with those great sour thai flavours mingling beautifully with the sweet carrot. I found it rifling through Stephanie Alexanders book The Cooks Companian (which I often do) and I'll give you the recipe exactly as it appears there. From memory though I didn't put chilli in, used plenty of both lemon and lime juice and had no lemon grass to use, and I was probably very liberal with the ginger (take the time to chop fresh ginger up nice and finely) which I think worked really well. For Brenda x

2 cups finely grated carrot
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 fresh chilli, seeded and finely chopped
3 cm piece ginger, finely chopped
1 tsp brown sugar
1 stalk lemongrass
juice of 3 limes or 1 lemon
2 tsp fish sauce
2 tbsp freshly torn coriander leaves and finely chopped stems
2 tbsp roughly chopped raw peanuts

Mix ingredients well and leave to marinate for several hours in the refrigerator. This salad is excellent as a bed for yabbies or bbq prawns and can also be part of a series of salads. Serve at room temperature.

Woof! It's food.

For the past 2 weeks I've been cooking at the beautiful Tahere Retreat in Raglan for their yearly 3 week meditation gathering. What a lot of food! Soups, salads, fresh bread, curries, corn and crumbles... And while we are all tired in the kitchen from heat and long 10 hour days, we are buoyed by the loveliness of everyone there, their appreciative manner and beaming smiles....we can't ask for more. If you're reading this and looking for some of the recipes from the retreat, either scroll down or tap on 'Recipe' label below and it'll bring up any recipes I've posted, just a few; Dahl, Quinoa Salad etc or email me for specific ones and I'll put them up promptly. katie@sunsalute.co.nz

Just a reminder Sunsalute yoga classes start up again very soon. Stay tuned for the timetable to be posted here. Until then......daily rounds of sunsalutes and also take time to sit quietly and peacefully... Namaste.

5 day Early Morning Ashtanga Yoga Intensive.

Starting your day with the discipline and grace that Ashtanga Yoga offers could be a fine way to stay connected and balanced as it just gets busier on the streets at this time of year.

Email me katie@sunsalute.co.nz if you have questions or would like to attend. It's wonderful to have some people respond with enthusiasm already. Well done! Here are the details:

Monday 23 to Saturday 28 November
Monday - Thursday (6am) at the Church Hall in Hamilton East, Friday day off and Saturday (8am) at Peter's studio on Albert St.
The classes will be in the Ashtanga Vinyasa style, a mix of talked-thru and Mysore style.
Beginners welcome.
Registration for this intensive is essential. Cost: $50 or $15 per class (a minimum of 2 - to be specified).
Either email me katie@sunsalute.co.nz or phone 021 1207 131

Once registered an email will be sent out to all those attending giving details and how best to handle such a challenge, advice on rest and diet etc.

Kausthub Desikachar in Wellington

Here I am now in Wellington. It's windy and yes rainy. Kinda perfect for a weekend indoors study. The few times the sun has shone, it's been stunning as Welly can be. The light gets that dreamy Mediterranean feel. True. (In a rugged and nuggety kiwi coastal kind of way). I'm lucky enough to be staying with friends in Lyall Bay, home to the iconic though fire gutted Maranui Cafe. The cafe is dead, long live the cafe. I hope they restore it to its previous charm. Anyway, heartfelt thanks Fremily. Wish you were here, Ahi and me.

For the past two days myself and about 50 others have sat enraptured by Yoga Teacher Kausthub Desikachar of Chennai as he has guided us through the 2nd chapter of Patangali's Yoga Sutra's - the ancient, authorative text on yoga. Kausthub is the son of esteemed Yoga Teacher T.K Desikachar and Grandson of the great yoga master Krishnamacharya who taught many of our yoga masters such as BKS Iyengar and the late Sri K Patabois Jois. So his lineage is watertight. But he is his own man, and happy to sit with that, which is admirable, he has a lightness and self-reliant air about him that you can't help but like. And he is one clever mind, clearly. He streams effortlessly through what he wants to impart to us with clarity and intelligence and a certain effervescence - he is quick to laugh and joke! The number of times his expressive cheeks punch out with a smirk or giggle to himself before he talks or instructs us is uncountable! But we're privy to most of it, he readily shares his amusement, much to our delight - and relief - the sutras can be heavy going.

The sutras are structured in sentences grouped into short stanzas like a poem. But they are hardly poetic as such, more strict instructions, stern almost. And they offer the most rich teachings. How not only to live well, fully aware of ourselves, that is identifying with our true self, not our many identities and patterns and foibles but also how to lead a spiritual life, free of fear. I'll attempt to go on....They state amongst other things, our negative behavioural patterns and resistance to change can cause suffering, bias and deeply rooted patterns which manifest negatively on all levels; the body, the breath, personality, intellect and emotions. And that we must constantly, continuously work on these things! We have to work at these patterns through becoming 'awake' or 'aware' of our negative (and positive) actions through self-reflection and self study, meditation (yoga, in other words) not only as an exercise aside from daily interactions but in every moment. We should strive to have this awareness and mindfulness - always, and that the more we achieve this the more (happily) we will 'see'. See what? See ourselves. The sutras or sentences that Patanjali has written give all the answers to the questions that each previous sutra poses. So we're told, and so it seems as we trawl our way through. But - it's all good in theory. Practice! There it is again, that word. It's mind boggling really, how such an ancient (3000 years old) text can be so utterly relevant and complete.

But - strangely, amazingly if you count up the sutras in even numbers skipping every 4th one in the first chapter - they give Patanjali's phone number. ? Now wait a minute Kausthub.

Visit www.kausthub.com for more information on him and to see some lovely photography (his 'second love').

Namaste. More soon.

Hamiltonian Yogis unite.

Now here's what hard working Ashtangis look like after a class, absolutely gorgeous. It wasn't long after our collective fundraiser class for our dear Meg Casley: http://megcasley.blogspot.com/
We raised NZ$315 for Meg. Thank you again to all those yogis who gave. Thank you.

Also! Big ups to KEITH for making us his delicious dahl last Tuesday night. As we started our sunsalutes out wafted from the kitchen spices and herbs and stock so delicous. Boy were those focussed vinyasas. We sung for our supper! Thanks Keith, a very elegant and nutritious soup and what a sterling idea. Lets do it again.

Tales of Peter Sanson.

Peter Sanson gave a 3 day workshop in Taupo weekend of September 26th, which Alan and I were lucky enough to attend. It was held at Taupo Yoga http://www.taupoyoga.co.nz/index.html Fiona Links' studio on Heuheu Street. It’s a nice little place, tucked away upstairs above some shops in the middle of town. Kind of feels to me like a little European artists pad, a warren of rooms and hallways, backdrop of the Alps through the windows. That is the mighty Tongariro National Park snowy and proud at the other end of the lake, Mount Ngauruhoe utterly gorgeous. Anyway wasn’t too cold, definitely rainy and moody with bouts of sunny- sitting in outdoor/indoor flow café -sunshine. Bring it on Taupo.

Peter is such a lovely teacher; he’s also quick off the mark orchestrating the entire room (about 15 of us at a time?) at once, yet never sacrificing attention for the individual. You’re aware of him, but not in a distracting way. His presence is so keen and alert he seems to keep the whole room driving along, in one big collective sigh as we ujaii our way to the end and back. It’s a lovely class and I’m grateful to be there every time.

I’m grateful for both teachers (Peter often conducts his workshop classes with Tauranga yoga teacher, Paul Scriven http://www.ashtangatauranga.co.nz/), their styles intermingle nicely. And that’s many a sweaty and focussed hour they put in from 8am till 12pm non stop – as one practitioner ends their practice clutching mat in hand and beaming, another is ushered in by Peter, ‘send the next one in! Come in, come in!…..free breathing, free breathing. Loose that leg!’

You can goggle Peter Sanson and lots of interesting stuff comes up, as he is a highly respected and world-renowned teacher. He gives workshops all over NZ as well. Upcoming workshops are:

Waiheke Island:

http://waihekeislandashtangayoga.blogspot.com/2008/07/peter-sanson-labour-weekend-08.html

Tauranga:

http://www.taurangayoga.org.nz/events_calendar/63/

Dahl and Quinoa Pilaf

Dahl

This is my simple version. It’s not very traditional and I know you’re meant to fry the spices at the end and chuck them in then. The end secret ingredients too were instructed to me by Jan at Maggy’s catering here in Hamilton. It gives it the edge (corrected we like to say). Thanks Jan and thanks India. We love you Dahl.


Ingredients:

Onion
Split Red Lentils
Ground spices of Coriander, Cummin, Tumeric and Chilli
Canned chopped tomatoes
Water
Salt

Balsamic Vinegar
Brown Sugar
Lemon juice

Method:

Soften/fry gently the onion (at least one, depending on desire and numbers) in enough oil to cover the bottom of your saucepan. Add the lentils (one cup per 2 – 3 people) and stir. Add the spices (at least 1 – 2 tsps of each, less of chilli) stir-fry for a minute or two to well coated and integrated. Add the tomatoes and enough water to at least cover the lentils. Cook gently. The lentils will absorb the water and you may need to add more water to get the desired consistency.

‘Correct’ the dish with a slosh of balsamic, a large pinch of sugar and the juice of one or two lemons. Salt of course to taste.

You could include garlic, fry more spices at the end to add more flavour, add finely chopped carrot (to make the dish go further and to add to it, which I often do) or even chopped red pepper or other.

Serve with Rice (for a complete protein balanced meal) and/or home baked bread and butter and a large green salad (Have it on toast the next morning for breakfast, Kiwi styles).

Quinoa Pliaf with citrus and almonds.

Actually from an odd wholefood/vegetarian recipe book of mine from the past (where is it now, I don’t know) and it was a Brown and Wild Rice pilaf, which you could use instead (but we know how amazing Quinoa is with its complete protein and all, maybe use both). Also it does have mint in it which can be really distinct in its flavouring if you like.

Ingredients:

Quinoa
Almonds (roasted, slivered or chopped)
Currents (or raisins)
Parsley (and/or coriander)
Mint

Dressing:
Oil
Fish sauce
Tamari
Garlic
Lemon or lime juice
Orange juice and rind
Brown sugar
Salt

I think I’m missing a few things in the dressing, which is the vital part, but it looks good - you want the balance between salt, citrus and sweet. Basically cook the quinoa till done (like open lidded cooking of brown rice) and then spread out on a tray/pan to cool. Prepare the dressing by adding mostly oil, jus a splash of fish sauce and tamari (1 – 2 tbsp), 1 – 2 cloves of finely minced raw garlic. The orange and mint go well together, so get as much orange as you can in there. Sugar and salt to taste.

Stir everything in together. Parsley/mint chopped as you like it.
Let the dressing absorb in well before serving, the dish can be nice and moist and since the quinoa or rice will be cooled down a bit wont be too gluggy especially if you fluff up and stir well. It’s even more delicious the next day, if you can keep it long enough.

Bliss Balls

Try these out for health and happiness.

Bliss Balls (or Tahini Balls)

Dates
Honey
Tahini
LSA (Ground Linseed, Sunflower seeds and Almonds)
Coconut

Chop up dates and put in saucepan over low heat. Add some honey. Mush down as things heat up. Once nicely mushed, take off heat and stir in tahini. Add enough LSA to make a rolling up consistency. Roll into balls then roll in dessicated coconut. Store in the fridge for firmer balls.

Quantities: 1 1/2 - 2 cups of dates, 1 - 2 tbsp of honey, tahini, 1 - 2 cups of LSA.

These travel well. They're perfect as post yoga pick me up, out on the track or with yr cuppa.