Seasons Greetings and Happy New Year from the Synergy Yoga Center

Blessed Holy Season to You All of All Faiths and Lands

To our students on every continent on the Planet

Dear Yogis,

We hope you feel the wonderful vibrations of this special Holy Season, and the stillness and joy that we create physically, mentally and spiritually through the practice of yoga.   

Participants enjoyed our events of the Summer and Fall, including our recent November Retreat and Training, which was wonderful.  We encourage you in preparation for the New Year to make a powerful intention for your health, peace and energy through yoga.

We have had a full and challenging year and know many of you have had the same and we are sending you much Love, Peace and Namaste.   From Charles, Peri, Ronna, Pam and all of us, and our new apprentices and teachers, at the Synergy Yoga Center. 

The Kid’s Camp

We had Kid’s Camp this summer, which culminated in a presentation of the Basic 5 Synergy Yoga Flow for the parents and families and friends. 

Synergy yogis participated in the yoga and enrichment.  And kids yoga is invaluable to the development of concentration discipline and connection to breath and balance.  It is an incredible tool that stays with them for their life.  We had a super response and very much look forward to this again next year in August 2011.

More photos...

Point Arena High School Athletics

Charles also teaches the Point Arena football team in the Fall and the baseball team in the Spring, as a service to them, on Mondays.  Charles is a great Sports lover as well as a yogi and his student athletes are learning discipline and benefiting mentally as well as physically in their practice of yoga.  It is a known fact; The practice of yoga benefits athletes in injury prevention and the healing process. 

Retreat and Teachers Training

We had a wonderful 5-Day Retreat and Teachers Training/7- Day Intensive.  Markus Beer from Germany, who did his original training in Encinitas in 2002, came back to do his 3000 hour Synergy thesis presentation on Osteopathy and Yoga.    Markus is in his 4th of 5th year in Osteopathy Training School in Germany.  He and Kim Kurdelak, one of our Synergy yogis, are now married and have a beautiful yogi baby, Isabella.  All participants drew cards hand painted by Charles and the group cards chosen were “Equanimous” and “Love”, which were truly manifested.

Markus presented his excellent thesis and everyone is very much looking forward to his return, taking his classes and receiving his sessions, which are very healing.  He will be taking his advanced finals next time he comes, he with Charles led the Advanced Class which was an awesome event in Point Arena.  

"I really enjoyed my time in Point Arena during the 5 day intensive retreat/teacher training. It was the first time I went there and I was very impressed with how interested and attentive all of the participants were. I felt we had a very special group that made everyone feel very integrated. For me that was the perfect frame to present my thesis for the 3000 hour program. It seemed to me the yogis literally soaked everything up like a sponge. After the 5 days it felt like an extra honor to be allowed to lead our special advanced class for the teachers and regular students. I hope to be able to come back soon!" Markus Beer, Germany

Posture Clinic 
“Some of the slightest adjustments had a profound deepening in the asanas, releasing old habits and patterns I’ve been carrying in my body.  The teachers gave us adjustments and recommendations with gentle confidence.  I felt loved and nurtured”.  LR, Point Arena

Advanced Class
An historic occasion in Point Arena happened in our 7- Day Intensive; we did our first official Advanced Synergy Yoga class since we moved our headquarters here from Encinitas in 2008.

Synergy Advanced class in an extremely special event, which is practiced 7 times per year:  during Synergy Intensive and Teacher Training mid-term finals.  This is such a deep and transforming class on so many levels and the effects last for weeks and months.  

It is not just for advanced students, it is for sincere students and is offered for all our students who participated in Posture Clinics and the Intensives and Teacher Trainings, and those who have practiced Synergy Yoga for at least one year.

There is never an Advanced Synergy Yoga class without a healing.  The next Synergy Yoga Advanced class will be during our May 2011 Retreat

Yoga Retreat Beach Process

As one participant described...

“The combination of music, chanting, meditations, the Posture Clinics and the collective energy from the participants was a life defining retreat and awakening transformation.”

The different processes in the Retreat were effective and deep, which added to a really transforming time with a beautiful completion.  “The Beach Process/Walking Meditation at Manchester Beach was astral”

As Markus said, this was the best vacation I have ever had” S. J.  Point Arena

“I arrived at the Synergy Yoga workshop in spectacular Point Arena, Mendocino County, California somewhat burnt out. I left several days later completely revitalized and refreshed. Incredible! Thank you.”     SG, San Diego

“Real Men Do Yoga”

"From Day One, it is obvious that this Ten-Day program is extremely well thought-out and carried out. The classes, lectures, processes, homework, and breaks all roll out with a logic that's no doubt been refined through experience — but it doesn’t feel rigid. You sense quickly that you are getting the right stuff, in the right order, the right way."

"I learned a lot, not just about the practice but also about the tradition, context and —most importantly — the true value and meaning of yoga. While Peri Ness DeFay and her Synergy Yoga teachers are very knowledgeable and particular when it comes to asanas and pranayama, their intention and their insights go much further. In fact, the impression that's probably stayed with me the longest and strongest is the positive atmosphere, the supportive interaction — the love, basically — that the staff and this retreat offered us participants. That positive vibe was also generated and echoed by our group, another rewarding aspect of the whole experience.

Lastly, I want to say that this is a very comfortable process for men — something I haven't found in some other yoga centers. To begin with, it was a real athletic challenge, and senior teacher Charles DeFay in particular was a big help — a big brother, really. But the female staff was also terrific in their interactions with the guy contingent (there was roughly a 2-1 female-to-male ratio when I attended).

That comfort level probably comes from the Yoga Room philosophy (if I can speak for them briefly) that everyone is an “amazing yogi,” as they put it. They’re right, of course... but not everyone puts that message across so convincingly as they do at Synergy Yoga. A big Namaste to them, and to potential students, I wholeheartedly recommend this program. I want to do it again and I'm urging my wife to sign up, too."

— John Capouya, New York City; author of Real Men Do Yoga
(April 2004 Ten-Day participant).

Synergy Yoga Quotes

Continued Education

“It was wonderful to have some yogis from Encinitas back and partaking in their continued education.

“Peri and Charles are the most inspirational people I’ve ever met.  Point Arena is beyond gorgeous, it was a gift to be there and wake up in the morning.  The Synergy flow is life changing, I feel and act like a different person when I have a regular Synergy yoga practice going.  It is the best thing a person can do for themselves, their family and the planet, as Charles always says.  My daily Synergy practice has an immediate and lasting effect, my friends and family notice when I am practicing yoga.  I started my Teachers Training with Synergy in 1998, returned in 2005 and again in 2010, and am reminded of the lesson I had learned and can again say, I get it!”   p.s.  I would love to move to Point Arena.                             Tammy Johnson, Minnesota

Some Dates for 2011

The next 5-day Retreat/ 7-day Intensive will be *May 25th – 29th or the 31st.  (This is a slightly earlier date from our previous newsletter)

The Next 1- Day Retreat and Posture Clinic

 Due to popular demand we have added to this year’s schedule a 1- Day Retreat including a Posture Clinic on Saturday, February19th, 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Teacher Trainers are encouraged to come early Friday and stay until Sunday evening to add hours to their certification or recertification.  Please call for more information.

Special New Year’s Resolution Offer 
This is a great time to try the Synergy Yoga Two Month challenge (every day for two months wherever you are) you can do this anywhere in the world: the studio, home or while traveling, this is the challenge. 
“THROUGH DISCIPLINE COMES FREEDOM”.

Visit our “Products Page” on our website where you can purchase Original, Gentle, and 20 minute Synergy Yoga Posture Flows, which can all be included in your Two Month challenge, so time and energy are never an issue.  *Check out our Website for a free Basic 5 Synergy video @ synergyyoga.com.

Wishing you all a Blessed and Happy New Year

Sending Love and Namaste from all of us at
The Synergy Yoga Center