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Thanks for another great year and Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas everyone!!

So grateful for your support year after year! Can't believe it's almost 2013! Yay!

Make sure you register for yoga with me in January. I have delicious, affordable (completely non threatening/suitable for beginners) classes for everyone, from Pregnant momma's to Daytime Hatha classes to Baby and Me Yoga to evening Mixed Levels and Yin classes in Yaletown at the beautiful and historic Roundhouse AND in my own neck of the woods at Mount Pleasant CC. There also will be lot's of workshops with me in the coming year for both students and teachers alike! The biggest namaste in the world, and lots of love and peace to you over the holidays. 

Also watch for a new website coming very soon at www.yogawithlorilucas.com 

Looking forward to seeing you on the mat in Jan xoxoxoxoxox

photo by jennicahookstraphoto.com

It's the 17th annual Vancouver Farmers Holiday Market today!

Shanti Uganda is the designated Charity and they'll be wrapping gifts by donation in support of their Birth House! While you are there check out my friends Jewellery, Nancy Esworthy Designs. 

For a complete list of vendors click here

Happy Holidays! 

What would you like more of?

In the new year I plan on adding what has somehow gotten lost from my life through much of this year to crappy stuff like family stresses and paperwork etc... 

It's Nature. There will be much more nature. 

ahhh...earth chi

LOVE this woman.

While not big on New Years Resolutions I am big on changing things that aren't working for me and I currently have some of those "things" going on in my life, and I am pondering the future.

I just read this on Facebook. Here is my Facebook Page if you'd like to be on it.
Such wisdom from Pema Chodron below:

 LEAVING THE NEST

All too frequently we relate like timid birds who don't dare to leave the nest. Here we sit in a nest that's getting pretty smelly and that hasn't served its function for a very long time. No one is arriving to feed us. No one is protecting us and keeping us warm. And yet we keep hoping mother bird will arrive.

We could do ourselves the ultimate favor and finally get out of that nest. That this takes courage is obvious. That we could use some helpful hints is also clear. We may doubt that we're up to being a warrior-in-training. But we can ask ourselves this question: "Do I prefer to grow up and relate to life directly, or do I choose to live and die in fear?"
Excerpted from "The Places That Scare You: A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times", page 7.Heart Advice weekly quotes from Pema Chodron, courtesy of Shambhala Publications.

This is a great quote. And throw some yoga into the mix and you've got it made!

Being in control of your life and having realistic expectations about your day-to-day challenges are the keys to stress management, which is perhaps the most important ingredient to living a happy, healthy and rewarding life. 
Marilu Henner

"You time" Time for you and only you. Hope you get some.

You must have a room, or a certain hour or so a day, where you don’t know what was in the newspapers that morning, you don’t know who your friends are, you don’t know what you owe anybody, you don’t know what anybody owes to you. This is a place where you can simply experience and bring forth what you are and what you might be. This is the place of creative incubation. At first you may find that nothing happens there. But if you have a sacred place and use it, something eventually will happen.
–Joseph Campbell

Remember to do it.

Often and on purpose.

Nothing changes your physiology faster, and its right there under your nose.

Yin Yoga with me every Thursday evening at The Roundhouse from 730-845pm

The Roundhouse is located at 181 Roundhouse Mews at the corner of Davie St @ Pacific Blvd right across the street from the Canada Line skytrain Station (Roundhouse stop)
 Get ready to feel delicious!  604-713-1800 (press 2)

The Shanti Uganda Society is looking for a place to call home

***Just UPDATED this post!!-Check out Shanti's new website! 

The Shanti Uganda Society is looking or a place to call home in Vancouver and would love any contacts or suggestions you might have. They hope to find a small space within an existing business that has a little extra to spare. Enough room to fit 2 desks, a tall storage unit, a filing cabinet and 5-6 large rubbermaid bins. Desk rental, or small cubicle unfortunately won't for them.



Preferably in East Van, but able to go as far west as kits and as far east as boundary. 

 They hope to be able to find donated space and could support the business in writing it off, or giving a tax receipt for the rental. They say they are happy to discuss a partnership that benefits them with regards to promotion on our website etc. 

It is an amazing opportunity for a local business to have a substantial impact on a Canadian Charity and mothers in Uganda without making a financial contribution. If you know of anything please contact them at natalie@shantiuganda.org
And don't forget their Facebook Page  and Twitter Page

Lets face it... pregnancy isn't always the most physically "comfortable" experience right?

New 5 week session of Prenatal Yoga at Mount Pleasant starts up on Wed.

The class is on Wednesday evenings from 630-745pm and the session is $52.50 to register (and that is only $9 a class) Yes! And there is currently room. OR drop in for $12.  The session runs from Nov 21-Dec 19. Go to www.mountpleasantcc.ca or call 604-257-3080 (press 2). Class is located at 7th and Kingsway (Main and Broadway basically)

Wed doesn't work for ya? Don't forget Preantal Yoga at The Roundhouse Tues and Thurs nights from 545-715pm. The number there is 604-713-1800 (press 2)

All these classes and more are ongoing. 
See you on the mat momma's!

Yoga is superior to all other forms of exercise during pregnancy (hands down).

If you came to any of my teacher workshops at the Yoga Conference last weekend I provided you with a TON of studies on yoga and its benefits to absolutely everyone. (Luckily there are hundreds of studies and I have spent weeks compiling them.) There are still lot's that I didn't include (on prenatal yoga specifically) and here are just a couple:  

our yoga room at mount pleasant. 

A study in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that doing yoga while pregnant increased the odds of a healthy delivery. The 335 women studied added a yoga class during their second trimester; the result was higher birth weights and lower pregnancy-induced hypertension compared to non-yoga-practicing participants. 

*Also Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have found that yoga is superior to other forms of exercise in its positive effect on mood and anxiety.

I just added a testimonial link to the right of this post

Just spent the morning reading testimonials that people had written about time spent with me practicing yoga. Needless to say, I have a box of kleenex beside me! *sniff*

Testimonials from people from all different walks of life. Some of them momma's (pre and post natal), some of them dads, some athletes, grandparents, folks with limited mobility, children... and even peers and other teachers I admire greatly.

And the truth is... I didn't even know where to start I have so many!

I know that I am very vocal in telling people I care about "just what they mean to me" on a regular basis, but I want to tell you again.

You will never (in a million years) know what you all add to my life.

You ALL mean the world. To those I still see regularly, and to those of you who have moved on...I still think of you all the time.

*Yoga is still waiting for you if you have been on a break (nudge nudge wink wink)

I am so blessed to have known (and to still know) so many of you.

YOU have made my life more rich than I can ever say. Thank YOU so very much.

I must admit...

I am thoroughly and wholeheartedly blown away by the number of emails I have received since teaching my workshops this past weekend at The Yoga Conference and Show. I am really glad they were so well received. 

Its only because of all of YOU for coming and and sharing yourselves!

I learned so much from ALL of you and hope to be attending all of YOUR workshops soon as well! We all have so much to share. I love my yoga community. It was fun meeting and sharing with people from far and wide. You all rule. Never go a' changin' xo

Lest we forget

This will be the first year in many that I won't be down at Victory Square for Remembrance Day. 
I always think of my grandpa... his shiny shoes and box of poppies around his neck. I picture him standing in front of the Bank of Montreal wearing his medals, and then being in the parade in my hometown of London Ontario. We would always watch the parade from an upstairs window of the legion to get a good view of everything. 

My workshop down at The Yoga Conference doesn't begin until 11:30 so I will be sure to Commemorate Remembrance day in meditation at 11:11 and it will never be far from our minds the rest of the day. Remember to wear your poppy and pay tribute. We are the luckiest people in the world.


There are many Remembrance Day services all over. You can find a list here

I'm STOKED!

Projector? Check.

Pelvis and Baby Model? Check.

Yoga gear? Check.

Tons of studies backing up much of what you are going to learn from me this weekend? Check. 

I am all ready for the Yoga Conference and its is going to be fantastic because it always is. I feel so blessed and honoured to be sharing my knowledge on my two absolute favourite topics in this life.Yoga and Pregnancy/Birth. 

Today (Friday) is a very short workshop (Introduction) from 6pm-8pm and Sunday promises to be way more in-depth as we meet from 11:30am-6:30pm. 

Get ready to laugh, (maybe cry) and have LOADS of fun with me this weekend! Theres still room! I'm stoked. There is something for everyone at The Yoga Conference including a HUGE show floor that you can attend for free! Scroll down a few posts and you'll see free passes for the show. Just print them off. Hope to see you there xo

Are you trying to conceive? Trying for a baby?

While nothing is a guarantee...
Are you familiar with Yin Yoga? I just received 'another' email this morning from a SUPER happy momma-to-be who will be leaving my Yin class to attend one of my  Prenatal classes and she is convinced that it was the Yin practice that made it happen after trying all sorts of ways.. (**And it happens all the time)

While I don't believe there are any actual studies, Yin Yoga DOES target the areas primarily from the navel to the knees and opens things up and lubricates things like never before and for conception and implantation to take place we need to be open. And relaxed. The practice removes stagnation and encourages Chi (prana) into the pelvic region in particular (reproductive organs) which is VERY healthy for the organs. And again, it's VERY relaxing and gives you more time to meditate and go within and connect with yourself on a deeper level increasing your body awareness even more than a more active yoga practice. And its the same hormones that 'get baby in there' as get baby 'out of there' if you know what I mean (nudge nudge wink wink;).
I can't recommend Yin Yoga enough for all sorts of reasons but if you are trying to conceive come to class and we'll do a special fertility flow anytime you like.

A brand new session of Yin Yoga starts up on Thursday at The Roundhouse at the corner of Davie St @ Pacific Blvd. Its super casual and all you need is to bring yourself.
To register go to www.roundhouse.ca or call 604-713-1800 (press 2)

Just realized all my current sessions are wrapping up! Register today if you can!

Daytime Yoga (Mixed levels) Mon & Wed 1230-2pm at Mount Pleasant

Mixed Levels Yoga Tues 730-9pm at The Roundhouse

Prenatal Yoga Wed 630-745pm at Mount Pleasant

Prenatal Yoga Tues & Thurs 545-715pm at The Roundhouse 

Baby and Me Yoga Mon 1045-12pm at Mount Pleasant

Baby and Me Yoga Thurs 1230-2pm at The Roundhouse
Yin Yoga Thursdays 730-845pm (generally goes til 9pm) at The Roundhouse

Mount Pleasant 604-257-3080 (press 2) 

Roundhouse 604-713-1800 (press 2)

life stressing you out? feeling stiff and achy? looking for balance?

Greet everyone you meet with a warm smile.

No matter how busy you are, 
don't rush enounters with co-workers, family and friends.
Speak softly. Listen attentively. 
Act as if every conversation you have 
is the most important thing on your mind today.
 Look your children and your partner in the eyes when they talk to you.
 Stroke the cat, caress the dog.
 Lavish love on every living being you meet. 
See how different you feel at the end of the day.

 ~ Sarah Ban Breathnach 



A sweet student of mine had an article published and she is a really great writer.

The article is by By Lisa Marie Sterr and it's on Page 7 of the Fall issue of the Networker

Lisa Marie is really talented and lovely and open and honest and I cherish our relationship very much. We go way back have shared many a yoga class together. She inspires me. She wrote this one evening after a yoga class with me and I am glad she shared it with me. I can certainly relate in a huge way to much of what she says. 

It’s nice that yoga is always there for us through challenging times AND happy times. *All we have to do it show up. 

It isn't always easy, but we always feel better for it on every level. That’s the promise of yoga.

Here it is: Sometimes help comes from the most unexpected places. I’ve been feeling so tormented lately; full of raw emotions. About an hour before leaving for my yoga class, I have the most intense cry. I am so sad. Yet somehow I manage to eat, put on my yoga clothes, and head out the door.

Entering the classroom, I notice the soft lighting. My yoga teacher says hi to me by name, and I feel like she’s happy to see me. I settle on a mat. As the class begins, I focus on breathing. Still, it is a struggle to stay present, since I’ve been floating away from my body so much lately. I tell myself it will be a victory if I can have even moments of being grounded.

In the quiet room, all I can hear is my teacher’s voice, the yoga music and the sound of people breathing. Everything else falls away. I focus on my body and on following the poses. My neglected body, so alienated and uninhabited, is now moving and stretching. I feel it freeze, as it has been doing so often lately. I take a moment to notice it, then start moving again.

In the “downward dog” pose, I push all my tension, all my feelings of being trapped, into my arms. In “warrior,” I stand tall and feel my feet rooting down. My vision sharpens and I am present in the room, for the first time in weeks. I twist and bend, feeling the rawness in my joints, the heat rushing through my body.

And then the reward: relaxation.

I relax into my teacher’s voice – a pleasant melody soothing all the discordant notes inside me; into the supports under my head and knees and the cushioning of the yoga mat beneath me. The floor is smooth and cool under my hands. It is safe here. For the first time in weeks, I can rest.

Fluid, juicy sensations float through me as I leave the class. I’m melty, like the most exquisite piece of chocolate, and also warm and tingly, like feeling really close to someone. My body has been craving this sooth- ing – which I found, not in a bag of cookies or in my therapy group, but at yoga. I found it inside my body, where I’ve been feeling so much torment. I don’t know how long it will last; the anguish may come flooding back tomorrow. But for now I revel, and rest, in the relief.