Class at RMC
Class at RMC came and went – and it was amazing.  Please stay tuned, and if you missed the first class for whatever reason, but were interested in attending, please let me know.  If there is enough interest in the area, I can work on setting up another class.

Class in Perth Amboy, NJ
Where: Perth Amboy Gallery Center for the Arts, 339 Read St. Perth Amboy, NJ.
When: Saturdays at 12:30, starting April 21
How much: ABSOLUTELY FREE – but you must sign up through the Perth Amboy Recreation Department.
Sign up: Office of Recreation, 1 Olive Street, Perth Amboy, NJ 08861, (732) 826-1690 x 4325 OR LRamirez@perthamboynj.org

Shiva Nata at the Beach!
Where: Perth Amboy beach, near the Butterfly Gazebo (You can GPS 26 Water Street, Perth Amboy, NJ)
When: It happened, and it was awesome, but it will HOPEFULLY be happening again soon!  Watch this space!
How much: ABSOLUTELY FREE
Sign up: You don’t have to sign up (heck, you don’t even have to participate if you do come, if you want to watch, that is cool, too), but if
What to bring: if you plan on sitting (and even if you don’t, bring it just in case), bring a yoga mat or beach towel.  Who wants sandy pants??

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Shiva Nata helps you with your “thing” whatever your “thing” may be. For some people, that is a piece of music. For others it is a writing or art project. For others it may be personal habits that they are trying to correct, or it may be something related to their day job, like a work project or situation. So bring something that represents your “thing.”  A piece of music, a sketch pad and drawing utensils, a novel, your lesson plans, a work project, a journal.. you get the idea.

Another important thing to bring is an open mind.  Shiva Nata is wacky and weird – this is part of what makes it so fun.  You might feel awkward at first.  You might feel awkward for awhile.  Don’t worry, I did, too  (And actually, it took me a few months just to tell people that I was doing it).  An open mind is important first just to get yourself doing the movements, and then to allow your brain to do whatever it is going to do with your new found AMAZINGNESS (once some of those new neural connections start firing up)!  And even if you don’t have any set intention or project in mind, don’t worry.  It might take you longer to feel the effects of Shiva Nata on your life if you don’t have an intention to focus on.. but you will feel it.

Thirdly, wear comfortable clothing.  Really, just be sure you are in something that allows for a full range of arm motion.  You can do Shiva Nata in jeans (heck – you can do it sitting down) and sneakers, or barefoot and in yoga pants (or any other kind of workout clothing).  I really couldn’t care less about what you are wearing from the waist down (though I do insist that you wear something).  From the waist up you should wear a loose fitting shirt, preferably a t-shirt so that your arms aren’t being held back in any way by bulky sleeves.  You can go to the Shiva Videos tab to get an idea of what it looks like, how you will be moving, and what some other people wear.

Finally, we close each Shiva Nata class with a bit of resting and relaxing.  There are *usually* chairs around, and when we are at the art gallery, we have these big comfy pillows to sit on, but if you want to go all out in shavasana (corpse pose), you may want to bring a yoga mat as well.  This is entirely optional.  I enjoy a good shavasana myself, but I often just sit on my pillow and close my eyes.

To summarize:

• bring something that represents your “thing.”  If you don’t know what to bring, bring a journal or small notepad (also, something to write with, just in case I don’t have enough extra pens/pencils for everyone).
• an open mind.
• a loose fitting t-shirt.  and, you know, pants.  shoes – totally optional.
• a yoga mat – again, totally optional.

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What you will get from me!

• 45-ish minutes’ worth (more or less) of Shiva Nata, plus some time at the end to begin journaling (depending on the venue, you may be able to linger a little longer than our allotted time).
• handouts to help keep up your home practice
• EPIPHANIES!  It may be big, it may be small, but trust me – at some point, you will get an idea and it will make you go, “…whoa.”

And as always, if you have any questions, feel free to email me at “missannalawrence at gmail dot com.”

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