“Reminisces on Wright”

Free Presentation and “Reminisces on Wright”

4:30 to 5:30pm Sunday, 71 Duke St , Chester

Please join us this Sunday 27 September for a relaxed and informal discussion of anecdotes about Frank Lloyd Wright, the most famous architect of the 20^th century, by an author, scholar and teacher who knew and researched him, from 4:30 to 5:30pm at The Sadhana Centre, 71 Duke St , Chester (look for the Chester Harbour Yoga and Massage Therapy sign).

We are privileged to play host this weekend to H. Allen Brooks, esteemed architectural historian and Professor Emeritus, UToronto. Prof. Brooks focused his research and writings on the two most influential and widely regarded architects of the 20^th century, literally writing the book(s) on them. He is credited with coining the term “ Prairie School ” to describe Wright (1867-1959) and his contemporaries, and later went on to create and edit the 32 volume Archive containing more than 32,000 drawings and designs by Le Corbusier (1887-1965).

He has been invited to Dalhousie University for a public lecture on the occasion of the 25^th anniversary of the Honorary Doctoral degree awarded him by the School of Architecture . Prof Brooks will spend a few days enjoying all Chester has to offer and, by request, is taking this time to discuss his visits with Frank Lloyd Wright in the 1950s. Please email RSVP or questions to John Pece at whitedogdesignbuild@yahoo.com .

His 1981 book Writings on Wright: Selected Comments on Frank Lloyd Wright brings together scholarly and lay writings to focus on both the vast reality and vast myth of Wright. Reviewers stated it was “a relief from doctrinaire fulminations with which the literature on modern architecture abounds,” (an unintended ironic example of just such fulminations?) and that it “remind(s)…readers that the best writing about Wright has not issued from the confines of academic architectural history.”

Thanks, and please join us and Allen, our guest, for this relaxed, accessible and enjoyable conversation about Frank Lloyd Wright.

John Pece and Leigh Milne

For a biography of H. Allen Brooks, go to

http://architectureandplanning.dal.ca/current_events/bio_brooks.pdf

MTANS Spring AGM

Last weekend was the Massage Therapy Association of Nova Scotia AGM. I presented Yoga Self-Care for Massage Therapists. Yoga has saved me as an RMT and I love to share this news. Participants had the opportunity to experience yoga as bodywork to correct shoulder, chest and arm pattern's frequently found in RMT's and to enjoy yoga as a practice for restoration and recovery from work fatigue.
Healer heal thyself...

Humpback Whale Aloha from Maui

Raphiell took me whale watching in kayaks and this is what we saw! This is a mom, baby and male escort; being with the whales in the warm waters of the South Pacific is such bliss. I am grateful for my annual Maui A&Y yoga workshop and teaching NMT classes at Aloha massage school, in this way I find myself on Maui in whale bliss.

God is in the details

Maui Anatomy & Yogasana Feb 2009

This was the third annual A&Y workshop on Maui. Every year around this time RMT's, yoga teachers and apprentices gather to inquire deeply into the structure of the human form. We paid special attention to how the musculature cooperates, 'yoking' to create movement from the foundation up and finding harmony in apposing forces. Our group included two RMT's from BC combining yoga and CEU study with our Aloha
spirit. Thank you to Nadia of Maui Yoga Shala for hosting us again this year at her lovely studio. So
conducive to our yoga to hear the ocean swells as background music and the fragrant Maui air. I
am so grateful to be able to offer professional level courses on Maui every winter. After 2 months of my Maui life I now look forward to returning to my Atlantic home in Chester.

I just wanted to say thank you for such a great workshop! I learnt so much in those 3 days and you are a great teacher, speaker and presenter. Sorry for all the questions but you really got me into that "student mind"!Karin , yoga teacher, personal trainer

Yogasana: Chair Bharadvajasana:

Bharadvajasana: (from a chair) Sit in any firm chair. A dining chair will work well. Plant both feet on the floor hip width apart and turn towards your right. Take hold of the back of the chair with both hands. Inhale and lengthen the spine upwards by lifting from your breastbone, exhale and twist from the lower ribcage to the right. Press your right hand into the back of the chair to help twist. With each inhale become taller, with each exhale turn a little more. Turn your head last. Exhale to come out of the pose and now turn your legs around to the left. Taking your left hand to the back of the chair. Repeat as described above. Hold 30 seconds and repeat each side two to three times. The twists stretch the small back muscles that run along the spine, as well as the QL muscle, a strong square muscle on both sides of your low back that can limit rotational movement and cause back pain. This pose is great for golfers.

Home to Chester December 3rd 2008

Dear friends and yogis, this is the last installment of emails pertaining to my recent Letters from India. In light of the recent violence in Mumbai and your letters of concern I want to let you know my family flew out of Mumbai Monday night and we have made it back safely to Canadian soil. Although Pune is four hours from Mumbai the “six degrees of separation” rule was apparent in how events and tragedy had directly touched the families of local Indian yogis and our neighbour’s lives. On Sunday evening we attended a classical music concert in Pune which began with observing a minute of silence in honour of lost lives.
Some of you have mentioned to me that you have planned trips to India and you are wondering about the current atmosphere. We traveled by hired car to Mumbai and after visiting BCE Buddhist caves in Lonavla, arrived early enough to have a light meal at the Leela Hotel, popular with the yogis. From the time we entered the Hotel lobby we were treated as if we were precious honoured guests by all of the staff. Mumbai airport has very high security now. The military jeeps mounted with weaponry directed at the crowds outside were a little shocking but not entirely unwelcome by us. Inside we were willingly subjected to five layers of security requiring questioning and luggage checks. Patel, the minister of Maharashtra has been ousted as a result of comments he made following the attack and there is much news and talk now about both India and Pakistan needing to clean up their internal fighting. Remember that Le Meridian in Islamabad, Pakistan was also attacked by terrorists in September. So if you are traveling to India soon be prepared and plan to read more about this.
It is strange to come home and find the media here has already moved on.
Will I go back? Yes, absolutely. I love the diversity of India, the ideas, philosophy, the people and most of all the opportunity to study yoga at its abundant source. Safe journey. Namaste, Leigh