Claudia Villela and Bruce Dunlap

Have you ever heard music that could instantly change your mood? One moment you are stressed and tired by a long day at work, but then you put on your favorite music and the stress seems to ebb away. The opportunity has arrived for at least one stress free evening is the daily bump and grind. Claudia Villela and Bruce Dunlap will be playing at BODY Saturday, July 25 at 8:00 pm for a special concert. "Claudia Villela has long been a superior jazz singer...haunting voice, very wide range and an adventurous spirit." LOS ANGELES JAZZ SCENE. And Bruce "His beautifully constructed originals are harmonic in conception, brimming with colorful altered chords that catapult the music into new expressive heights. In the process Dunlap comes up with some unforgettable melodies... The guitarist himself has impressive chops, but you always get the distinct feeling that his virtuosity is in service to the music... Dunlap has created a stirring, intellectually satisfying collection of pieces that have the grace and emotional import of fine poetry." -JAZZIZ

Do not miss this evening of beautiful jazz and a chance to soothe your soul.

-Kendra

Peter Kater & Dominic Miller, Sting's Guitarist

BODY is thrilled to present:
“In a Dream”
Peter Kater & Dominic Miller In Concert
Peter Kater was born in Munich Germany in 1958 and later moved with his family to New Jersey where he started classical piano lessons which later led to a deep exploration into contemporary improvisation. His love for Rock and Pop music along with the classics and jazz created a "hybrid" style of his own. Based out of Boulder, CO in the 1980's, Peter and only a handful of musicians spearheaded a brand new genre of music we now know as New Age music. Peter went on to be a leading contributor to Contemporary Jazz radio with several Top 10 national releases. He also helped bring Native American and World Music to the mainstream in collaborations with Native American flutist, R. Carlos Nakai, and Tibetan flutist, Nawang Khechog. Add to that scores for 11 On and Off-Broadway plays, over 100 television programs and many films and documentaries and you're just starting to understand this diverse and prolific artist. Peter has received 5 Grammy Award nominations in the last 6 years, has sold millions of CD's and is a proud recipient of the Environmental Leadership Award from the United Nations. His love of nature and the environment motivates him to work with the media arts to help and inspire support many environmental support organizations. He's recently scored the music to the award winning films "10 Questions for the Dalai Lama" and the soon to be released "Legends of Secret Pass".
You've heard guitarist Dominic Miller play on STING classics like "Fields Of Gold" and "Shape Of My Heart". In fact, you've heard him on all of STING's recordings. As one of the most sought after session guitarists of our time, he is featured on recordings by Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Sheryl Crow, Steve Winwood, Rod Stewart, The Pretenders and Luciano Pavarotti. His recent critically acclaimed all acoustic recording with 5 time Grammy Award nominated pianist/composer Peter Kater features guest appearances by vocalist, Kenny Loggins and cellist, Jaques Morelenbaum. Dominic Miller was born in 1960 in Buenos Aires, Argentina and in 1970 his family moved to Racine, Wisconsin. He took up guitar as a young teenager and later studied with Sabastio Tapajos and at London's Guildhall School of Music. In 1989 Miller met producer Hugh Padgham for the first time, which not only led to Miller's appearance on Phil Collins' blockbuster album "But Seriously”, but also led to his playing on Sting's "The Soul Cages" in 1991. Ever since, Dominic Miller has been a member of Sting's working band, having played on each CD and every tour to date. Sting himself describes him as being "my right hand and my left hand". Not a minor compliment.
Dominic met Peter while working on a film score Peter was composing and recording and the two both felt they needed to record a CD together. “IN A DREAM” was released in late 2008 and July of 2009 marks the beginning of their first concert tour together. This promises to be an inspiring intimate evening of all acoustic music performed by these two very special musicians.
This concert will be held on Monday, July 27, 7:00 pm at the Santuario de Guadalupe on 417 Agua Fria St. Tickets are $25 until July 15 and $30 thereafter and are available for sale at Body. Please call 505-986-0362 for ticketing information. Visit www.bodyofsantafe.com for more information. Sponsored by La Posada de Santa Fe, Resort & Spa.

Body After Dark

Come dance with us! We are hosting a monthly dance night featuring the talented DJ Ultimate. Spinning a fusion of 80’s, dance, hip hop, pop, merengue, salsa, regueton and reggae, DJ Ultimate brings the right energy for what the crowd wants. Dance your heart out, or just lounge in our Soul room. We offer a wide selection of organic libations, including biodynamic wines and the best organic artisan beers! Don't miss out on the fun! Join us on July 10, at 9pm.

Happy Arbor Day!

"Trees are your best antiques." ~Alexander Smith

Today is Arbor Day! Observe this nationally-celebrated day by planting a tree! Relationships with humans take up a lot of time and energy, so creating a bond with non-humans, like trees, must be a conscious choice. Plant a tree to mark a special anniversary, a yearly commitment, or the completion of one of life's milestones. Over the years, your bond with the tree will grow, and your subtle connection has the potential of lasting a lifetime!

I have a special connection with an aspen and a plum tree. What kind of tree are you connected to?

-Keryn

The cyclical nature of community

Building community takes work. We all have the tendency to settle into our own private worlds when we aren't making a determined intention to be part of the bigger picture. I dare you to reach out to make a connection in some way that is out of your regular routine. Here are some ideas:

• Compliment a stranger
  
• Share something you are passionate about with a friend
• Attend a community gathering
• Start an communal project with your neighbor
• Lend something special to someone
• Donate your time to a worthy organization
• Offer to help someone

Making these efforts may feel like work at first, however contributing to a community entails reaping the benefits of being part of something that is larger than yourself.

-Keryn

Spring renewal

"To cherish what remains of the Earth and to foster its renewal is our only legitimate hope of survival."

~ Wendell Berry

Take this quote as a reminder of the importance of following an eco-friendly lifestyle. The best inspiration to recycle, purchase green products, and to lower you carbon footprint can be found right outside your front door. Look at each spring blossom as a beautiful symbol of how the earth can renew itself - but only with our help and dedication to protect nature and the atmosphere.

Happy Spring!

-Keryn

Evening of Spirit

Body staff is abuzz with excitement for this Sunday's event by Charley Castex "Evening of Spirit"! As the most recent addition to Body's community of psychics, Charley takes residency at Body every Friday to offer in depth life readings that focus on each individual's personal potential.

Charley has been very busy here at Body, and booking an appointment has become competitive. If you haven't been able to book one of Charley's transformative readings yet, join us on Sunday, March 15, for "Evening of Spirit" - you might be one of the lucky audience members to receive a random reading! This is the introductory event, so admission is free!

Prior to the gallery readings, Charley will offer us a presentation of joyous teachings on cultivating an empowering relationship with our own natural divinity. Please join us in a journey of transformative self discovery led by Charley Castex.

-Keryn

Take it slow

“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” - Lao Tzu

Allow yourself to go at your own pace today. Chances are, you still will get everything done with even more precision. Life is not about getting your errands done. Practice fully feeling every moment today. Trust that every task is a stepping stone on your personal journey.

-Keryn

The BODY challenge!

We encourage all to join us in a transformative 2 week promise to your greatest ally - yourself. Starting March 1st, give yourself the gift of committing to 3 or more of the following awareness building practices. Be sure to check in with yourself everyday and experience the sensation of creating space within. Here are a few of the challenges that some of us here at BODY are taking on...We hope you join us!

* Wake up 15 minutes earlier than usual & start the day with a short meditation. Create an intention for your day.

*Speak the truth, deliver it kindly.

* Eliminate media as much as possible from everyday routines. This includes TV, radio, newspapers, internet, books, etc.

* Spend at least 30 minutes outside each day. Watch the sun set from start to finish, immerse yourself in the night sky, or spend time with the rising sun.

* Create a daily practice of yoga, tai chi, or breathing exercises. Focus on nuturing your body. Thank it for all it does for you.

* Elminate recreational eating. Choose all meals by nutritional value. Listen to your body to determine what foods are best for your individual needs.

* Acknowledge all of your efforts at work, with family, etc... by fully relaxing for a set amount of time each day. Take a nap, a hot bath, or simply sit. Be careful to keep your mind from wandering.

A few additions to our website

We have gotten a lot of comments from our clients over the years about things that will make BODY better for them. We are slowly going through that list to add as many of those items that we can. One of the newest items, is the ability to purchase gift certificates on-line. You can print them right away, email them, or order a gift card to be shipped. I hope it makes it easier for everyone to treat all the people they love. Don't forget that the best way to get a gift card is inside BODY because then you can treat yourself to a chai or hot chocolate in this cold weather. Always feel free to add other items you think could make body better to this Blog or email info@bodyofsantafe.com. The link to purchase gift certificate is http://www.bodyofsantafe.com/body_spa.html.

Kendra

Healthy Resolutions

The results are in!

Did you know that in our most recent poll, the most common resolution for BODY lovers was split 50/50 between vowing to eat more consciously and dedicating to a more regular yoga routine?

I suppose it is no surprise, our café has been bustling as usual! I've also noticed recently that the studio classes have a wonderful communal energy. Thank you for your participation in the poll!

Next time you find yourself in our café try something from our menu you've never had before. A favorite among BODY staff is the Asian Green Curry (featured in the photo). It's perfect for chilly winter days when you need to warm up from the inside out.

-Keryn

Love your Community!

Here at BODY community comes first, which means we respect everyone's opinions and political leanings. That's why we are so inspired by the following community building project that transcends political parties!

Known as "A Call to Service", this project encourages Americans to get involved with their communities by committing to start volunteering today, January 19, 2009. Spokesperson Michelle Obama motivates us all in an online video to serve our neighborhoods, simply by routinely donating a little of our time.

Find a way your own way to give back to Santa Fe. For a list of local volunteer opportunities, Click here

Wah! is coming to BODY!

Wah! is a prolific songstress of Sanskrit chant, who seamlessly infuses a unique mix of Hindu chorus, pop, reggae and storytelling. Wah!’s concerts are always uplifting celebrations of spirit that are said to be “sensual enough to accompany candelight and playful enough to make a grown man shimmy”. Audiences tend to be a mix of people seeking a transcendent musical experience and fans who just want to have a night out dancing.

Wah! focuses her performances around interaction, frequently involving the audience in call and response, which she calls “mantras in motion”. The healing essence of mantras may be what attracts so many fans to Wah!’s performances, literally giving listeners good vibrations. Wah! writes all songs with the intention of healing for herself and her listeners, and considers chanting to be a community building practice.

You may recognize Wah! as the guitarist for Krishna Das, the best known American singer of Indian kirtan-style devotional music.

Buy your tickets in advance for this amazing event! Tickets will sell out. Wah! will be in concert at BODY on Saturday, March 28, 7:00 pm. For more information about Wah! Visit www.wahmusic.com

The coming Holidays

It is the time of hustle and bustle for last minute shopping for the holidays. Just to make things a little easier we have create many beautiful custom gift baskets for you to choose from. Baskets include A massage with body lotions and oils; a facial gift certificate and our wonderful spa technologies products; baskets for the coffee or chocolate lover; and many more. Don't fret in this last minute time. Drop in to Body boutique and get a wonderful gift last minute. We know how stressful this time of year can be and many of us forget to take care of ourselves. We just want to make it a little easier. And don't forget to drop in and get yourself a massage too!

Better yourself in the New Year

There are many ways to better yourself both mental and physically. The new year is a time where many of us reflect on the past year, ourselves, and our hopes for the future. Maybe you set a new goal for yourself to begin exercising or to save money.

Reflecting on all the things we often set as goals in the new year, one thing stood out in my mind, continuing education. What way is better to truly improve yourself, create self-empowerment, and to be the best you can truly be. I do not mean the formal type of continuing education. There are many ways to continue your education in this world. Continuing education is about going out and learning things that you did not know before. This can be done through reading books, attending, lectures, workshops, or a class.

Santa fe offers extensive opportunities for growth and learning and there are many classes about health, cooking, and spirituality. If you have taken a “vow” to be healthier this year, instead of struggling with it on your own, go take a class in cooking. There are oppotunites to learn about raw, vegan, vegetarian, or any other type of food. Or maybe you decided you would like to be a better, kinder person; take a class in Buddhism. Learning can help you continue on a healthier track. Joining a gym is great, but taking a class in why it is important to exercise, may help you continue to go to the gym.

Striving to be a better person is attainable through continuing to grow through education. The world offers us every opportunity to grow. We just have to reach out there and grasp it.


My new verision of an old saying, “it is never too late to teach an old dog new tricks!”

TIBET: A Compassionate Dialog

Are you a supporter of Tibet? Would you like to like to know more about the rich culture of the "Land of Snows"? This coming Thursday, we will be hosting a Forum for Compassionate Dialog presented by Tamdin Wangdu. This educational (FREE!) discussion will focus on Tibet and the ways you can make a direct impact to help Tibetans.

Tamdin Wangdu, founder of the Tibetan Village Project, a non-profit organization, has raised funds to help Tibetan people through education, healthcare, and through promoting micro-enterprises for self-sufficiency. His organization offers T-shirts, calligraphic Tibetan prints, Tibetan note-cards and stunning photos. Please join us for this thought provoking and heart warming event. According to Wangdu, this conscious dialog may even " bring your mind closer to your heart and world peace from inner tranquility."

-Keryn

Living in the present

“The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.”

-Buddha

Why is it so difficult to always live in the present moment? Even with the best intentions, we all experience mind wandering, with our heads racing to tomorrow’s problems or dwelling on our past failures. Take a breath, and re-center, even if just for a moment. Enjoy the perfection of this exact moment. In today’s world of hyper-stimulation and media bombardment, it is virtually impossible to be fully present all of the time. So start small. Be like water and flow with the present 3 times a day. Make yourself available to anything. You might be surprised what you experience!

-Keryn

Venerable Robina Courtin

We are so pleased to have Venerable Robina Courtin returning this upcoming January. When she came in 2007 the room was packed. If you have never heard her speak she has a thick Aussie accent, but is clear and concise about what she says. She is full of life and spunk. I highly suggest coming to hear her, even if you know nothing of Buddhism. This series of teachings will be called the Secret of Happiness.Ven. Robina Courtin has been a Tibetan Buddhist nun for more than 25 years. Based in San Francisco, California since 1997, she has run the Liberation Prison Project for Buddhist practitioners, working with people in prisons throughout the US. The project helps them with their practice and studies by correspondence and by sending books, tapes, and other materials. She visits prisons in California, Massachusetts, Kentucky, North Carolina and Virginia, giving teachings to groups and meeting them one-to-one. Several of these men are on death row or have life sentences, and some have been involved in gangs, both on the streets and in prison.
Ven. Robina was born in Melbourne, Australia and brought up as a Catholic. She studied classical singing until her early twenties then, went to London in 1967, where she lived for four years. She became actively involved in the radical left, working mainly with a London-based support group for black and Chicano prisoners. In the early 70s she became a feminist and returned to Melbourne in 1972 to work with other radical feminists. In her quest for a spiritual path, Ven. Robina began studying martial arts in 1974, and moved to New York, where she studied karate. She continued her studies in Melbourne until 1976, when she attended a Tibetan Buddhist course in Queensland given by Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
In November 1977, Ven. Robina went to Kopan Monastery in Kathmandu, Nepal, where she was ordained. Since then, she has lived as a Buddhist nun in the Tibetan tradition, traveling, teaching, and bringing the Dharma to people both in and out of prison.

Do not miss the opportunity to hear this amazing women.

Kendra

Renown Tuvan Shaman & Throat Singer

If you have never experienced Throat Singing from Tuva before, you are in for quite a treat! BODY is delighted to present the UnHun Master Throat Singers with Nikolay Oorzhak and Dr. Vladislav Matrenitsky on November 12. Though the music of Tuva is special for many reasons, the main point of interest is how the singers are able to create 2 or 3 sounds simultaneously to create a truly original sound. At first impression, this gutteral yet melodic music may seem perplexing to the Western ear, but its inspiration from nature allows for universal appreciation. Oorzhak was raised in a small village in western Tuva, between Mongolia and Russia where “his only audience were the horses, sheep, and cows.” Oorzhak, who is also a shaman, healer, and teacher, explains that there is a clear connection between Throat Singing and nature. “Throat singing imitates the voices of animals, and sounds created are consonant to sounds of Universe. For me all these sounds are the rhythms of the whole one”.

We hope to see you at this amazing heart opening and healing musical event.

If you are inspired to learn Throat singing yourself, there will also be a Throat Singing workshop on November 19 & 20 at College of Santa Fe.

UnHun Website

-Keryn

(Unconditionally) Love your BODY

“When you stumble...make it part of the dance.”

Being human means facing imperfections. Struggling to attain perfection in one’s life will only create unhappiness and obsession.

With this in mind this weekend, I will try meditating on acceptance of imperfection, in myself and others. Besides, flaws to one person may be character and charm to the next! When you find that you are judging yourself, know that you have the ability to transform that negative thought into something positive. By accepting your own humanity and flaws, you will grow to truly understand the nature of compassion.

So don’t be so hard on yourself - In many ways, life is just a dance.

-Keryn