May 2020
Beautiful spring greetings to all, as we have continued to "shelter in place" here in North Carolina. I will continue to keep you all updated as things change, but for now, all counseling appointments and private yoga sessions continue to be by phone or Skype and group yoga classes and HSP groups are on "pause". Please take these days of "pause" and use them well, reflecting, prioritizing, and thinking about what you want your future to be. Try to resist the impulse to stay busy "on line". Below under Sacred Words,  are some great thoughts from Judith Orloff on fasting from technology. Instead, look to Nature, the great healer. The month of May offers us so much beauty to soothe our souls at this time. See you at a distance outside!

 

 
 
Class Schedule 
Location: 305 Glenwood Drive, Chapel Hill, NC
call for more info/directions: 919-257-7814 or email: hardarshan@matashaktiashram.org
 
Thursdays 6:15 - 7:45 pm 
Fee: $15 drop in or $10 per class when purchasing a 5 class pass.
Classes remain on pause until further notice. Contact me for private Skype classes.
Be well!
 
 save the dates:
Kundalini Yoga and Meditation Workshops
Oriental, NC at The Yoga Studio

August 23, 2:30 - 5 pm
October 25, 2:30- 5 pm
(topics to be announced)

For more information & to register:
contact Susan: susandkoepp@gmail.com
(252) 249-2220
 
Visit and "Like" us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/kundaliniyogachapelhill
 
 
 
Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training, Level One                             
 
 
 

Level One Kundalini Yoga teacher training takes place each year in Chapel Hill. Our next course will begin in September of 2020 and will go through March of 2021. Register by June 1 and save $200!
Inquire about exact dates and request an application:
hardarshan@matashaktiashram.org
 
Level Two: "Vitality and Stress" has been scheduled for this summer!
July 25, 26, 27, and July 31, Aug. 1, and Aug. 2 will be the classroom dates. Stay tuned for more information! 
Fee: $975 before June 1, $1100 after!

 
 
 
Sacred Words
this month's wisdom quote
 
Especially right now, we can be inundated by information overload from the internet, voice mail, social media, texts, and the news. Many sensitive people can experience "techno-despair". Notice how you feel after exposure to technology. If you feel depressed, anxious, numb, or overwhelmed, get some relief by limiting your contact with the cyber world. Of course there are many benefits to technology, but it can often be an energy drain, especially for empaths.
To center yourself in the present moment, get in the habit of taking regular technology fasts. Don't check your email for a while. Eat a delicious lunch instead. Shut down your computer and other gadgets early in the evening. Here's an intention to set:

"I will notice if I have symptoms of techno-despair. To counter this, I will take regular breaks from technology to clear my mind and nourish my soul."

Judith Orloff 
 

 
Sacred Table
this month's recipe for health and happiness!
 
HarDarshan's Indonesian Delight
This is a cooked dish with lots of veggies.
Serves 4
 
Satay sauce:
4 cloves garlic, peeled
6 small shallots, peeled
1 stalk lemongrass, crushed and chopped
thumb sized piece of fresh ginger root
1 TB of chili oil
4 TB avocado oil
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup water
1/2 TB coconut sugar
1/2 TB sea salt
1/2 TB paprika
1/2 TB tamarind concentrate
7/8 cup coconut milk
 
Veggies:
10 new potatoes
1 tsp. turmeric powder
3 1/2 oz. firm tofu, sliced
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
olive oil
3 1/2 oz. french beans, trimmed
3 1/2 oz. sugar snap peas
7 oz. baby broccoli
2 oz. bean sprouts
3 TB fresh cilantro leaves
 
To make the sauce: Put the garlic, shallots, lemongrass, ginger, chili oil, and avocado oil into a food processor and blend until it's a thick paste. Add to a pan and slowly saute over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring often and not letting it brown too much.  Add the coconut sugar, salt, paprika and tamarind to the pan and cook for a couple more minutes. then add the peanut butter mixture and the coconut milk, stir well, and your sauce is done. Set aside.
 
To make the veggies: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the potatoes and turmeric and cook until just tender, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, season the tofu with salt and perpper and fry in a little olive oil until crisp. Set aside and keep warm.
Just before the potatoes are cooked, add the beans, peas and broccoli, cook for just a coule of minutes, and then drain.
Carefully arrange the potatoes and vegetables on a plate, breaking up the potatoes with the back of a spoon so they can absorb the flavors. Top with the bean sprouts and tofu, and spoon over it all a generous amount of the sauce. Then top with cilantro leaves.
Enjoy! 
 
 

 
website to check for class schedules, etc.,  https://matashaktiashram.org.
  FengShui/sacred space consultations: https://sacrednest.com
   For psychotherapy services: https://sacredlistener.com
 
 
 
Service Opportunity
Mata Shakti Ashram welcomes your support! How can you help?
Time and Talent: help with yard and garden maintenance, upkeep of classroom and workshop/training spaces, vegetarian raw food prep, help with social media and technology. Talk to your friends and personal community about Mata Shakti Ashram, for we are truly "grass roots"!
Finance/Funds: Donations of money to assist Mata Shakti Ashram pay the overhead cost for the current space, pay guest teachers, and provide some scholarships to those in need. Let us know how much you are willing to pledge monthly or yearly over the next year to 5 years, as we prepare the non-profit status. Every donation will receive a class pass to share with a friend to acquaint them with the ashram.
Thanks to Janna Arbogast,Brian Cooper, Catherine, Kevin Millar, Lisa Brown, Sahej Anand Kaur, Jennifer Pittman, Lindy Hoeft, Joni Liebel, Michelle Hill, Sat Inder Kaur and Karta Purkh Singh of Kansas City's Param Tirath Ashram, Elke/Keval McCalla, Ranpreet Kaur, Shirin Negmodjanova, Connie Boston, Mary Radulescu, Barbara Lynn Freed, Updesh Kaur, Florence, Wasalisa Davison, Harbhajan Khalsa, Param Terath Kaur and Ashley Jackson, who have already given their support!
Stay tuned for an open house, and contact HarDarshan for more information: 919-257-7814 or hardarshan@matashaktiashram.org
 
Sacred Listener, Transpersonal Counseling and Kundalini Yoga, Chapel Hill, NC