Hi everyone! This month, a very diverse lineup includes a Women, Wine & Wellness Event; TEDx Berkeley; Rolling workshop; discounts on yoga gear and CBD products; a free online meditation series; and the poem of the month, “Pity the Nation Whose Leaders Are Liars” by Lawrence Ferlinghetti. Last but not least, my birthday fundraiser to support International House for Cal Big Give. Go Bears!
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Events | Online Freebies | Discounts | Poetry | Birthday Fundraiser | Save the Dates
BAY AREA EVENTS
Pilgrim Talk: Wellness on the Way
Thursday, February 6th, 6-7:30 PM
West Branch Library, Berkeley
Discover the wellness that is inherent on the Camino de Santiago. Explore the reasons why it makes us pilgrims feel so good, and why we keep coming back. In a world of French fries, bocadillos and churros, is it possible to eat healthy on the Camino? From survival and sustenance to inexpensive luxuries and creative play—Laurie hopes to encourage pilgrims to become their own wellness ambassadors along the Way.
Women, Wine, and Wellness
Friday, February 7, 6:30 PM
Hikari Chiropractic, Berkeley
Join a celebration of women on February 7th at 6:30pm in Berkeley. Relax and enjoy wine, hors d’oeuvres, and the company of incredible women. Meet exceptional leaders in the health & wellness industry to nurture your mind, body and spirit. Leave informed & nourished, with special gifts just for you! Don’t miss this evening to remember.
SPECIAL GUESTS
Drs. Sara Vargas & Jill Schneider, Chiropractors (BODY)
Drs. Sara and Jill offer gentle, transformative chiropractic care and wellness education to those seeking a healthy and vibrant life. These two seasoned mavens are on a mission to empower people to connect to their healing resources, trust their inner rhythms, and share their light with the world!
Nicolette Tura, Mindset Coach, Office Wellness Innovator (MIND)
Nicolette guides women who feel powerless & invisible, struggle with feelings of not-enoughness, and are frustrated with their body & energy. She helps women discover the underlying root causes of their mental/emotional pain, and make shifts to welcome an easeful relationship with their bodies allowing natural weight loss, better sleep, more clarity and unshakeable self-confidence.
Kelley Kessler, Shaman, Healer, LCSW. (SPIRIT)
A life long spiritual warrior and nurturer of souls, Kelley offers in-person, in-home, remote and phone sessions with a specialized focus on infants, children, health/development, wellness, families, groups, home clearings, trauma and end of life transitions.
Explore the Body, Mind, & Spirit with offerings from a Chiropractor, Mindset Coach, & Shaman. Open to women!
Tickets: $20
Details and register on Eventbrite
TEDxBerkeley 2020: Moonshot-Small Steps to Giant Leaps
Saturday, February 8, 10 am – 6 pm
Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley Campus
TEDxBerkeley 2020 hopes to capture the sense of wonder and enthusiasm for discovery that comes with the beginning of a new decade. Today’s issues are not just limited to technological progress and instead cut across all aspects of society. We need moonshots — solutions that aim to address the insurmountable — to solve humanity’s most pressing problems, from climate change to human rights violations. Paving the way forward will not be easy, but the most remarkable challenges are always big and bold. To turn these obstacles into opportunities, it is up to us, as individuals, to hone our unique skills and unite to achieve a purpose greater than just our own. Join us at TEDxBerkeley 2020 to grapple with the greatest challenges of our modern age and launch your own moonshot! See speakers.
Learn more about TEDxBerkeley 2010: Moonshot
RAD rolling: release, recover, renew, relax with Abby Eaton
Saturday, February 8, 2:00 – 3:30 PM
Yoga Kula, Berkeley
Yoga for Tension and Stress Relief
For UC Berkeley Faculty and Staff
Friday, February 14, 12 – 1 PM
Practicing yoga can release tension in your joints, give you greater range of motion, and offer increased comfort in all aspects of your life. Learn basic yoga poses and breathing techniques to transform your practice into a moving meditation.
These are the classes I teach for UC Berkeley faculty and staff. Use your CalNet ID to register for classes on this page by clicking the link for each date: 2/14, 3/20, 4/10, 5/1
All classes take place at 251 Hearst Gym on Fridays, @ 12:10-1pm Read my bio.
Come early and be ready to start promptly at 12:10 and you’ll get to try lavender aromatherapy oil to relieve stress. Please bring your own yoga mat as our supplies are limited.
Optional: Join the Yoga Passport Challenge and get a different stamp for each class to be entered into a drawing for a Clever Yoga prize! Bring your passport to each session you attend and have a square stamped for each date. Fill out the class evaluations for more chances to win.
ONLINE FREEBIES
Oprah & Deepak 21-Day Meditation Experience
Starts February 3, 2020
Discover the healthiest version of yourself.
There exists in you a place that is free from disease, never feels pain, is ageless, and never dies. This place is Perfect Health. Journey there with Oprah and Deepak as they reveal the keys to vibrant well-being in body, mind, and spirit. Tap into the intelligence of your body to heal from the inside out, take simple yet powerful steps to improve your eating, social, and fitness habits, and learn how to use meditation to experience balance in all aspects of life.
Perfect Health is one of our most popular 21-Day Meditation Experiences. Join us for free starting February 3! REGISTER NOW
Note: You have 5 days to play each meditation before it expires, so you can experience Day 1 through February 8.
Happiness Calendar from the Greater Good Science Center
Let these science-backed tips and tools be your guide this month. You’ll want to bookmark this calendar and refer to it often because there are links to articles and resources embedded in the PDF.
Download happiness calendar for February.
The Happiness Calendar has links to a different article or resource each day!
DISCOUNTS
Below are a few of my favorite “tried and true” products that I have scouted out. Some are available through affiliate links from companies that have an ambassador program. I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases, which helps to cover my costs of hosting and maintaining this website. There is never any additional cost to you, and I always look out for the best deal.
Clever Yoga
No Roll Yoga Leggings are now on sale! I LOVE these yoga pants. I wear them under skirts and dresses for a warm layer (like tights, but more comfortable) and they don’t lose their shape.
On sale: Black $24.99 or Ombre $29.89 (pictured)
Stylish and comfortable high waisted leggings. Perfect performance for any workout and look and feel great for wearing out and about everyday.
- Flat lock seams for softer, flatter and more comfortable pants.
- Fit like a second skin with 4 way stretch to sculpt and smooth
- No elastic waistband for a more flattering fit in any size, stays put during any workout.
- Fast dry and breathable for even the sweatiest work out.
I have arranged a 15% discount for anyone who shops at Clever Yoga. Just use the code BEWELL or this link: https://cleveryoga.com/discount/BeWell
Social CBD
I have been testing some products by Social CBD and really like the effects so far. CBD is Cannabidiol a nonintoxicating element found in cannabis and hemp.
I love the calming lavender muscle balm stick for my occasional foot pain and menstrual cramps. Here’s the product description:
Social CBD Muscle Balm Stick is the magic touch your muscles have been aching for. This balm provides a potent combination of pure CBD hemp extract, menthol, and arnica for powerful calming comfort.
- 400mg of powerful CBD per stick
- Convenient and compact
- Ready for life on-the-go, TSA approved
We also like the Peppermint and Lemon Ginger drops.
Check out socialcbd.com. New customers get a 15% discount!
Stay tuned for more reviews after testing more of their products.
POEM OF THE MONTH
‘Pity the Nation Whose Leaders Are Liars’
By Lawrence Ferlinghetti
Pity the nation whose people are sheep
And whose shepherds mislead them
Pity the nation whose leaders are liars
Whose sages are silenced
And whose bigots haunt the airwaves
Pity the nation that raises not its voice
Except to praise conquerers
And acclaim the bully as hero
And aims to rule the world
With force and by torture
Pity the nation that knows
No other language but its own
And no other culture but its own
Pity the nation whose breath is money
And sleeps the sleep of the too well fed
Pity the nation oh pity the people
who allow their rights to erode
and their freedoms to be washed away
My country, tears of thee
Sweet land of liberty
In 2007, Lawrence Ferlinghetti wrote the poem adapted after Khalil Gibran’s ‘Pity the Nation’ poem. Here we are, 13 years later, with the state of our nation even more pitiable. Ferlinghetti now 100 years old!
For more poetry, UC Berkeley has launched a Poetry and the Senses series that kicks off in February.
Poetry and the Senses Launch and Conversation
With Indira Allegra, Chiyuma Elliott, and Lyn Hejinian
Tuesday, February 4, 2020
5:30 – 7:00pm: Readings + Conversation
7:00 – 7:30pm: Reception + Celebration
Morrison Library, UC Berkeley
Co-sponsored by Arts Research Center and Engaging the Senses Foundation
The launch party for our “Poetry and the Senses” program sponsored by Engaging the Senses Foundation, this event will include local poets Indira Allegra, Chiyuma Elliott, and Lyn Hejinian, who will offer readings and comments followed by a conversation. How does poetry offer a model for engaging the world, and how can we think of it as a political or ethical resource?
For more information, please click here.
BIRTHDAY FUNDRAISER
February 2nd wasn’t just Super Bowl Sunday and Groundhogs Day. It was also my birthday! This year for my birthday wish, I am asking friends and family to support a fundraiser for the non-profit I work at. International House at UC Berkeley is home to nearly 600 students from over 75 different countries. Our mission is to promote peace, friendship and cultural understanding through programs, leadership training, and the simple act of living together under one roof. I have worked at International House for 15 years now and see how gifts to I-House make a big difference in the lives of deserving students. You can help kick start our annual Big Give fundraiser by making a donation of $10 or more to International House by following the steps below.
1. Go to: biggive.berkeley.edu/VIP
2. Enter $ amount, click Continue.
3. Click Browse List. Make sure you click the Programs button!
4. Choose a Program, scroll to > International House
5. Choose a Giving Opportunity, scroll to > The Fund for I-House
6. Follow the prompts to make your secure gift.
Donors of $100 or more will be listed in the I-House Times newsletter, but gifts of all sizes are greatly appreciated! This giving opportunity can help deserving students at UC Berkeley. More reasons and ways to give are listed at ihouse.berkeley.edu/support
If you have find benefit from my free yoga classes, enjoy this newsletter, or simply love to support a good cause, consider helping me make my goal. I have this as a Facebook fundraiser posted to my timeline as well.
Optional patches: I have a personal goal to exceed what I raised last year, so I’ll give a Camino Provides patch to any pilgrim who donates $20 or more in honor of my birthday for the month of February. Just email me your donation confirmation, and I’ll send you a patch! Want a few patches? For every increment of $10 after $20, I’ll send an additional patch to thank you for your support. Yes, patches can be purchased for $4 each on Etsy, but for my birthday month, I’m offering them as a gift to supporters. So, consider being part of something BIG and helping me raise some money for a great cause!
SAVE THE DATES FOR RETREATS:
Yoga + Writing Retreat at Green Gulch Zen Center
With Albert Flynn DeSilver & Saraswati Clere
Saturday, March 28th 9 AM – 5 PM
Retreat YourSelf! with Elika Aird
April 24 – 26, 2020
Shambhala Ranch Mendocino, CA
A weekend retreat for self-identified women who want a little fun, a little fitness, and enjoy some rejuvenation time in nature to soak in the beauty of Mendocino County.
Work your body out with Mary McQueen of Baby Bootcamp and relax and renew in daily yoga sessions with Elika Aird of Blissful Bodies Yoga on the sprawling grounds of Shambhala Ranch eco-lodge. Get expert nutritional guidance from Registered dietician, Rebecca McQueen. Weekend includes:
- Daily morning workouts and evening yoga
- Various rooming options based on price/preferences
- Delicious and healthy meals from Friday evening through Sunday brunch (all vegetarian with vegan options available)
- Hot tub and backyard pond on site
- Friday night happy hour with accompanying cocktail making class (nonalcoholic options available)
- Visit nearby redwood forests and natural mineral hot springs ( addt’l cost)
- Come away with tools and tricks to continue healthy living at home
If you would like to subscribe to my free monthly wellness newsletter, sign up here! If you’re interested in hikes, check out the events listed at thecaminoprovides.com.
Please let me know if you have events to consider for future newsletters.
Laurie Ferris Yoga & Wellness 