July 29-August 3

Led by Cassandra Green, Holistic Health Counselor, E-RYT;  Austin Richman, E-RYT; and Amber Richman, E-RYT

7 miles of pristine beaches await you!

Welcome to Anna Maria Island, one of Florida’s best kept secrets. It’s here, an hour Southwest of Tampa, you’ll find the magic of sea turtles, dolphins and the Milky Way (the stars are incredible).

On this small paradise there are no McDonald’s or big chains!  It’s the culture of island life where things move a bit slower and you can truly shrug off the “busy-ness” that we all know too well.

For 6 days and 5 nights, you’ll join us for relaxation, delicious meals prepared with love, and of course yoga practice and exploration.  Rest assured, there will be plenty of down-time and personal time for you to explore the island.

A typical day on the Island Retreat

1. Sleep in or get up early and mediate on the beach
2. Enjoy your homemade breakfast with friends on the porch
3. Beach time or explore the island
4. Lunch made with love!
5. Beach time again
6. Special yoga workshop (arm balancing, partner yoga, ashtanga, and kundalini)
7. Afternoon mocktail hour (mojitos, daiquiris, and more!)
8. Did you make it to the beach yet?
9. Dinner as you watch the sunset over the gulf
10. Evening Sat sang yoga discussion time
11. Beach stroll under the Milky Way or ride bikes around the island

Your Accomodations

We’ve reserved a spacious Old Florida Beach House complete with a large screened front porch to enjoy the evenings.   Surrounded by lush vegetation and only a two minute walk to the beach or to the Free Trolley that runs the length of the Island, you’ll have the best of all worlds during your retreat.  Accommodations are double occupancy.  Don’t worry if you don’t have someone to bring along.  We can probably find someone for you to bunk with!

"Old Florida" Beach House circa 1925 with all the modern amenities

The lovely front porch--unwind with a cocktail (or mocktail)!

What’s Included:

• 6 days/5 nights lodging (double occupancy)
• breakfasts and lunches prepared by a Holistic Health Counselor (special diets welcome)
• transportation to/from Tampa Int’l Airport,
• 6 hours of yoga workshops with Cassandra, Austin and Amber at Island Yoga Space
• afternoon mocktails (mojitos, daquiris, pina coladas)
• evening Sat sang yoga discussion time

What’s Not Included:

• Your airfare to Tampa International Airport (cheaper out of Colorado Springs than Denver if you live in CO).  Currently tickets are running $389 on United/Frontier and we prefer that you travel to arrive at TPA by 3:00 pm and to leave TPA at 6:15 pm to consolidate shuttle service
• Dinner–because you will want to try Anna Maria’s restaurants.  There is also the option to pitch in and cook at the Beach House too!  Free Trolley service runs right by the local grocery store.
• Bike Rental ($35/week) -Many island vendors deliver.
• Kayak Rental ($50/day or $150/week)

An aerial view of your short walk to the beach shown in blue. Look at the water!

Price

This very inclusive package is only $675!  Space is very limited (only 10 participants total). A $250 non-refundable deposit holds your space with the balance due June 15.  To book, email cassandra@cambioyoga.com or call 719.291.1798.

This recipe is modified slightly from Ayurvedic Cooking for Self Healing (second edition) by Usha & Vasant Lad.

• 1 cup yellow mung dal (split peas)
• 1 cup basmati rice
• 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, grated on a microplane or chopped
• 2 tbsp shredded, unsweetened coconut
• 1 small handful cilantro leaves
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 tablespoons ghee or olive oil (if vegan)
• 1 1/2  tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/2  tsp cloves
• 2 tsp cardamom
• black pepper to taste
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 tsp tumeric
• 1 large veggie bouillon cube
• 6 cups water

Wash the mung dal and rice until water is clear.  Soaking the dal for a few hours or overnight helps with digestibility.

In a blender, put the ginger, coconut, cilantro and 1/2 cup water and blend until liquid.

Heat a large pot on medium heat and add the ghee or olive oil, cinnamon, clove, cardamom, pepper and bay leaves.  Stir for a moment until fragrant.  Add the blended items to the spices, then the tumeric.  Stir until lightly browned.

Stir in the mung dal and rice and mix very well.

Pour in the 6 cups of water and add bouillon cube, cover and bring to a boil.  Let boil for 5 minutes, then turn down the heat to very low and cook, lightly covered until the dal and rice are soft, about 1 hour.  Add water if needed.  Adjust salt and any spice you like.

Necessary materials:  Paper or sketch pad, black or other color paint (cheap craft paint works fine), cheap paint brush.  Total cost for materials need not exceed $10-15, in fact you may have them lying around.

In Zen Buddhist painting, ensō (meaning “circle” in Japanese) symbolizes a moment when the mind is free to simply let the body/spirit create. The brushed ink of the circle is usually done on silk or rice paper in one movement and there is no possibility of modification: it shows the expressive movement of the spirit at that time. It is a symbol that combines the visible and the hidden, the simple and the profound, the empty and the full; duality at its finest.

Journal about your ensō and what you see/feel/experience and thoughts you have regarding the nature of the simple but powerful symbol.

Starting September 23, I will be doing this meditation daily.  Join me for the whole year, a week, a season, whatever seems right for you.  Post your thoughts, photos of your journal, or interesting ways you’ve displayed your Ensō.  Share with me here or on Facebook.

No matter when you find this post…whether before or after the equinox, you can make this your practice.  You don’t have to wait for a solstice or an equinox to get going.  If you’re interested right now, it means it’s the right time for you!

Ingredients:

• 1 c quinoa
• 3/4 c water
• 3/4 almond milk (or milk of your choice)
• 1 tsp. Coconut oil or ghee (could be butter too)
• One apple
• Ground Cardamom to taste
• Ground Cinnamon to taste
• Honey to taste

Directions:

Rinse the quinoa with cold water.  In a medium saucepan, bring water and almond milk to a boil.  Add quinoa, cover, and  reduce heat to simmer for approximately 12 minutes.  While the quinoa cooks, chop the apples into bite sized pieces.  Melt the oil in a small skillet over medium heat.  Add apples and cook until tender.  Check to see if quinoa is done.    You will know it’s done when it turns transparent and all the little spiral-like germs have separated (when you see it you will  know what I mean).  Let stand for five 5 minutes and fluff.  Add the apples in along with your choices of spices and honey.  I like cardamom and cinnamon as both have tremendous healing properties in ayurveda including improved digestion.  Cardamom is especailly good for balancing all doshas while cinnamon is great for Kapha dosha.  If you don’t know what I’m talking about, not to worry    Here’s a quick link to Deepak Chopra’s website to explain.  I also sometimes like to add a little more almond milk at this point if I want it to be creamier. Serve and enjoy!

Dont’ have 12-20 minutes to prepare breakfast in the morning?  Make the quinoa the night before and then you can reheat quickly in the morning.   All you have to do is sautee’ the apples and enjoy!

Ingredients:

Dressing-

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 1/2 tablespoons pinon/pine nuts
• small handful of fresh basil
• salt/pepper to taste

Salad-

• 3 medium beets
• 3/4 head of green leaf or other lettuce
• 2 oz. goat cheese or other crumbly cheese like gorgonzola or bleu

Protein Option-

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Cut the greens away from the beets, you can even use these in the salad if you choose.  Wrap the beets in aluminum foil and roast for 1 hour.  While the beets are roasting, you can do the majority of the prep work for your salad.  Wash the lettuce and dry; tear into small, bite-size pieces.  Set aside.  To prepare the dressing, mix all ingredients in a blender and give it a whirl.  Set aside.  After the beets have finished roasting, leave the oven on for the chicken if you are opting for it.  Let the beets cool and peel them while they’re warm.    Cut the beets into bite-size pieces and toss with 1/2 of of the dressing, unless you are doing the chicken option then reduce it to 1/3.   Toss the lettuce you set aside with either 1/2 or 1/3 of the dressing (again depends on the chicken option) in a separate bowl.  This is so your lettuce won’t be pink when you assemble the salad   For final assembly, divide the lettuce between 2 plates, top with beets and finally with 1 oz. of goat cheese.  Add fresh ground pepper if you like!

Chicken option:

Use 1/3 of the dressing to coat the chicken breasts.  Heat a pan over high heat with a tablespoon of olive oil.  Once the pan is hot, sear the chicken in the dressing on each side.  Transfer everything to an over safe pan and bake at 350 for approximately 15 minutes or until chicken is done.  Let the chicken cool slightly and cut in to desirable size.  Place on top of salad.

Enjoy and Nourish, Love, Be…Your Whole Self,

1. You’re busy! This program lets you be busy and still make time for improving your nutrition around your schedule.

2. Find peace with food. No more cravings, no more yo-yo because we are addressing two things; (1) who you are on the inside and how to let that shine, (2) the science behind these cravings to free you from them.

3. Feel light. Have you ever just felt light?…not necessarily a weight issue but the physical aspect is part of it.  When your nutrition lines up with who you are inside, you just feel light and energized.

4. Yoga, yoga, yoga.  My program comes with amazing yoga bonues on a variety of topics from meditation to eating for the season.  We address the issues that comprise you as a whole and yoga helps you uncover your radiance.

5.  Save money. How are you saving money by spending money?  Well, my program includes food, vitamins and fish oils to give you a jump start on detoxifying and moving into your new, healthy daily lifestyle.  You’ll save money on your grocery bill while using the food products and later by organizing and shopping in a planful way –all time and money well spent.

See all the program details here along with amazing testimonials.  Registration closes August 1 so reserve your spot today.

Nourish, Love, Be….Your Whole Self,

1. Having an Urban Farm is an option. I’m not necessarily saying its for everyone but you can do it. In Colorado Springs you’re allowed 10 chickens in the city limits. At The City Chicken they are kind enough to list the laws by state. Even just starting with a vegetable garden or joining an urban garden allows you the freedom of organic food.
2. We can be more efficient in using our resources. In this smaller “ecosystem”, I really was able to observe the cycle of life and resources on the farm. Nothing was left unused. Scraps were composted, weeds fed to the chickens or rabbits and the whey from the cheese returned to the goats. It makes me think about the little things everyday and inspires me to be more conscientious.
3. Millling your own wheat is about the best thing ever. If you can consume wheat a great investment is a grain mill. From the wheat berry you grind your own fresh whole wheat flour.  Lindsey made the best bread I’ve ever had. She even teaches bread making classes. I believe she uses the Nutrimill but I understand the WhisperMill  is also great.

Connect with Your Food (literally)

Lindsey gets about 3 gallons of milk each day from her four milking goats.  It’s too much for her family to use so she holds classes like the one we attended as well as making soap and other food items from the milk. It was amazing to be able to milk the goats and turn around right away and make cheese.  If you’ve never made cheese, it was a lot easier than I imagined and very fun.  We made ricotta, chevre and mozzarella.  We even took some home to share with our friends John and LeAnne for dinner.

Austin giving milking a go

Our bounty, all from a farm in the City