Abundant May, followed with seeds sown for Sacred Cloth Making trip to India!
I couldn't have expected to be received so joyously at shows in May, putting my heart full time into my textiles. The Talmage Art Show and Shaktifest couldn't have unfolded better, selling such big pieces as
the Taos Wool Fest winning dress, the year before winning tunic and my White Surya Dress. The wake of sales ( plus shawls, silk tops and other artwear gone) left my inventory sparse for the big Union Street
Festival in SF this weekend. In a time-crunch frenzy, I have been creating more Gaia tops and days on my new favorite, the "Artemis" dress. I spent a week sculpting with vintage tatting, lace, linen and 15 micron count merino this beautiful heirloom magical piece, without sewing or cutting. Homer described her as" Artemis of the Wildland, Mistress of Animals". She is symbolic of purity, safety and "The stainless maiden", which is why I held back my natural dyeing to this piece. I hope whomever wears her, will feel the bav of her qualities while enveloped in her.
Off to hit the road to San Fransisco, here is the highlight of my fall adventures; the Sacred India cloth. I am also working on a relationship with Himalayanweavers.org in the Himalayas, a fair trade naturally dyed and local wool sourced community. I am purchasing my fall cashmere and wool shawls from them and visiting them in person on the trip. If you are curious, make the leap with us.....
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See and experience
India
with a group of like-minded individuals
Come to the home and heart of yoga and ayurveda.
Rishikesh is in the foothills of the Himalayas
with jungle on one side and the Ganges river on the other.
For thousands of years Rishikesh has been the home
of many great saints and sages.
**We will stay in the lovely boutique inn next to the
world famous Parmarth Niketam ashram right on the Ganga,
in simple, but clean and safe rooms.
We'll have delicious vegetarian meals
plus lots of yoga, ayurvedic treatments,
sightseeing and more.
We begin our trip
with 2 days in Delhi,
staying in Old Delhi by
the ancient Chandni Chowk market,
a centuries old center of shopping filled with
narrow streets and merchandise of every description.
From spices to saris to pashmina shawls,
Chandni Chowk is a shopper's paradise.
Here we will purchase a sacred shawl or item onto which
will assist us in recording our journey.
Our intention is to infuse into a textile India's spiritual beauty
along with our rejuvenation and rebirth. This transformation
from plain un-dyed silk or pashmina shawl is to create a unique natural cloth reflecting our experience on this retreat
through Panchakarma and India's magical gifts.
Michelle will be guiding this one of a kind natural textile transformation with you. Helping shop for silk or shawl, spontaneous leaf and fauna gathering, sitting by a fire infusing the colors into our cloth, and facilitating hand stitching, block printing, mantra, meditation and/or other ways to express and infuse your experience into the cloth during our 2 week retreat.
There are two World Heritage sites, the Red Fort and Red Mosque
both built by Shah Jahan, with minutes from our hotel.
On Wednesday we leave for Rishikesh in the Himalayan foothills to stay in one of the most peaceful towns in the world.
The trip will then focus on Ayurvedic healing,
including 7 days of Panchakarma -
the most amazing treatment you will ever have!
Every day for 7 days you will receive
a 60 - 75 minute sesame oil massage,
special treatments for your skin, ears, eyes, nose etc.
prescribed by the Ayurvedic Doctor in staff,
under the guidance of
Vijaya Stern
along with a steam bath to cleanse you inside and out,
and Shirodhara.
By the end of the treatments you will look and feel years younger;
with the energy and vitality you may have forgotten you had.
We will also have the opportunity to practice yoga daily,
and Vijaya will gather all in sacred circle and ShaktiMarga dance.
There will be time to see wonderful sights in and around Rishikesh,
explore neighboring towns,
river rafting in the Ganga,
sing in the evening by the Ganga,
as part of the nightly Aarti ceremony
at the Parmarth Niketan Ashram,
and mingle with yogis from around the world.
And yes, there will be shopping here too
for gifts and sacred cloth items.
There is plenty to see and do in Rishikesh/Lakshman Jhula and the area, including harmonium lessons, cooking classes and more (these can be booked individually at the traveller's expense).
At the end of the trip we will spend another 2 days in Delhi
seeing more of the sights there.
The land cost will be $3,200, which includes all lodging, (double occupancy**), meals (except travel days), panchakarma, rituals and textile projects (each participant will purchase their own cloth), sight-seeing trips and all ground transportation and entrance fees.
A $500 non-refundable deposit will be required at time of booking.
You are responsible for your own airfare, details will be provided.
October 9th thru 22nd 2016
for more info contact Vijaya
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Vijaya's Schedule in your area
please contact me
if you are interested in any of the following offerings
June 5th-20th
Consultations and Panchakarma
in Laguna Beach
June 3rd-4th
Living Astrology Workshop
Soul of Yoga
Encinitas
*June 21st-22th
Consultations in Sonoma/Marin Co.
June 25th-31st
Consultations and Panchakarma
in Laguna Beach
July 8th-Aug 22th
Consultations and Panchakarma
in Laguna Beach
*Aug 24th-28th
Consultations in Sonoma/Marin Co.
*dates may be subject to change, so please be advised to contact Vijaya directly for an appt time.
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Michelle Hoffee is a natural textile artist, Prana Flow® yoga and movement meditation teacher.
She lives a creative,
nature-centered life, infusing and cultivating her passions. Her
natural textile, handmade clothing were featured on the cover of
Altered Couture and in Belle Armoire magazines in 2014. She spent
the past 25 years living in Southern California creating art while
maintaining her designed "award winning" garden in Memphis,
Tennessee.
Expressing herself, and working with her hands
on natural textiles and clothing, she connects the natural world
though hand spinning, embroidery, boro cloth, nuno felting,
eco-printing, plant dying, and Indian wood block printing.
Michelle has traveled all over the world for
spiritual pilgrimages, inspiration, and immersions. She spent the
past two years in immersion training with renowned teacher Shiva
Rea completing her Prana Flow® yoga, Trance Dance®, and Prana
Danda® teaching certificate. With Shiva Rea and Demetri Velisarius
as her mentors, she studied Yoga/Ayruveda, Buddhist Tantra,
Pranayma, and Mudra Meditation. Nature, mantra, kirtan, and
ecstatic dance are a few of her vehicles for connecting to
Source.
She has infused these traditions into her life, art, and
combining the two in Sacred Art Retreats. Sharing her gifts of
guided breath and moving meditation, facilitating opening the
channels, stimulating creativity and allowing authentic expression
through art.
*Connecting*Nature*Creativity*
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