An Alison Miller Blog

The Maui elections for county council are just around the corner.  Weave into your Maui Yoga schedule time to vote in the general elections on November 4th!  For candidate suggestions go to: http://www.ohanacoalition.org/

Here are some of the top issues facing our  county:

POLITICS: Viewpoints on Politicians, Politics, and the changes Maui residents would like to see in the political system.

THE ECONOMY: Real life stories on the effects of today’s economics. Drop in tourism - what does this do to the tourism-based industries? How are small businesses feeling it?

THE HOMELESS POPULATION: the difficulties of life without a home. Many of Maui’s homeless are working, living on the beach, some trying to raise children. How does this tie into the lack of affordable housing on Maui?

WATER ISSUES: Between the Wailuku Streams issue and the EMI issues in East Maui, how is it possible that one of the wettest places on Earth lacks available water?

HEALTH CARE SERVICES ON MAUI: Kidney Dialysis issues for East Maui residents, Hospitals being blocked in South Maui and West Maui, Lingle’s cancellation of Universal Healthcare program for Hawaii’s youth.

WEST MAUI DEVELOPMENT: How do you feel about the harbor improvements at Mala Wharf? The development of Oluwalu? Preserving Honolua Bay? Think about issues that are important to you and explain why you feel that way.

SOUTH MAUI DEVELOPMENT: Makena Development (Wailea 670)…the fact that our island’s most incredible natural resource is going to be surrounded by homes for the wealthy, miles of concrete, traffic, and additional water problems.

Technology amazes me.  Living in Maui, floating on a rock in the middle of the sea and still global teachings reach me.  I have been enjoying the Oprah Winfrey Soul Series.  Oprah  recently stated, during her unprecedented 10 week interview series with acclaimed author Ekhart Tolle, “I don’t think there’s anything more important than awakening now and knowing what your purpose is.”  Ekhart Tolle responded:  “Yes. And the answer may not immediately come. A very important part of asking life, so that you can be ready to receive the answer, is to practice inviting moments of stillness into your life so that you’re not continuously absorbed in the incessant mental noise that we call thinking; most of which is unnecessary and repetitive.” This is yoga. Learning to still the thoughts.

So what do we do to change from a life of over-scheduling our time, over-spending, eating poorly, and worrying about what will happen next in our lives? How do we move from living in a world of what if’s?  When there is news of financial crisis on every news channel, radio station, and newspaper and the emotional upheaval invoked is relentless.  How do we experience the stillness within, where all solutions are found, during this time?  It begins with simple steps. One of which is eating differently.  Eating for our awakening.  Nutrifying the natural intelligence in our cells is a critical part of our personal and planetary transformation. We have been duped by large corporations and media for generations promoting foods and substances that dumb us down, numb our creativity and annihilate our full self expression. All of which are the necessary tools to navigate current change.  I ask you to ask yourself this question. What if you were born for this time?  Are you fully living the gifts & talents that are meant to reveal through you? What if you were born for this time?  What if now is the time to face your fears? What if the world outside is the world inside you?  What if your expression is the wing upon which the world awakens? Like the caterpillar changing into the butterfly….

A reminder to everyone that Maui Aloha `Aina’a 8th annual Body & Soil Conference will be held this weekend at an organic farm in Olinda.  Please help support MA`A and their mission to spread information about the connections between healthy soil,  foods, and humans, in any way you can. Our yoga for the earth is one of the utmost importance. Living on an island our vulnerability of geographical locale could be our greatest strength, if we so choose.  We could become a beacon for the world demonstrating sustainable practices. Attend this weekends Body and Soil Conference and find out how you can become a part of yoga for the earth!

Bhakti yoga is known as a yoga of devotion.  Karma yoga is a known as a yoga of selfless service.  Put the two together and what do you have?  The two wings that cause the flight of healing for ourselves and the world around us.  It has been said, “To put the world in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must put the family in order; to put the family in order, we must cultivate our personal life; and to cultivate our personal life, we must first set our hearts right.” Come join in a great Maui Yoga event of devotion with Rama Devi to “set your heart right.”  One of Sri Mata Armritanandamayi’s greatest disciples currently visiting the island of Maui. Friday October 10th there will be a puja and Sunday October 12th a homa. For details email Ray Baskerville at ray@lifedivine.net.

Welcome to your resource for yoga classes & retreats on the island of Maui.   An information portal, purposefully, connecting you to the wonderful  people and places, who are dedicated to providing you awe inspiring yoga experiences and life changing retreats.Maui is a Mecca for incredible healers, yogis, and instructors to visit and teach.  Whether you are looking for a way to take your practice to the next level, a retreat to escape to or information on island.  Offering incredible kirtans, musical experiences, satsang events and world renound spiritual leaders and speakers like Ram Dass, Krishan Dass, JaiUttal, John Friend. Eddie and Nicki Modestino teacher trainings. Studying ashtanga with Nancy Gilgoff exceptional opportunities.Follow the links for studio schedules, locations, and contact information for specific class and retreat information.North ShoreMaui Yoga Shala - http://www.maui-yoga.comMaya Yoga – www.yogaonmaui.comThe Studio Maui – www.thestudiomaui.comMakawaoAsthanga Yoga - http://ashtangamaui.comYoga Awareness – http://www.yogawareness.comCentralBikram Yoga - http://www.BikramHawaii.comBody of Light - http://www.bodyoflightyoga.comSouth ShoreMaui Lotus Yoga – http://www.mauilotusyoga.comThe Maui Yoga Path - http://mauiyogapath.maui.netWestsideIsland Spirit - http://www.islandspirityoga.comBikram Lahaina - http://www.bikramyoga.com/Studios/Lahaina.htm