WHAT WE ARE UP TO
12.06

Julie Gudmestad is excited about opportunities, both past and future, to take her teaching style on the road. This past September, she was honored to teach at one of her teacher’s studios, John Shumacher’s Unity Woods, in Washington D.C. And, Julie is enthusiastically looking forward to her first opportunity to teach across the pond in the summer of 2007. In June she’ll teach in London and Edinburgh and in August she’ll fly back to Europe, this time to teach in Switzerland.

Closer to home, in July 2007, she’ll teach at Yogacharya in Santa Clara, CA, a yoga conference organized in tribute to Sri B.K.S. Iyengar’s seven decades of influential teaching. In his honor, a commemorative volume of writings from many Iyengar teachers will be created. The proceeds from this book will be donated to the community of Bellur, India. It is Mr. Iyengar’s desire that funds collected will help bring electricity, piped water, schools and other essentials to the hometown community he left at 18 to pursue the study of yoga. (to learn more about these and other workshops in 2007, check out the events tab on our home page).

In between teaching and writing, Julie’s garden received lots of attention this spring and summer when she planted many perennials and groundcovers. Julie happily reports that wherever she goes in her garden, her two bruiser cats are likely to follow. She continues to enjoy the process of creating a peaceful sanctuary that’s filled with colorful flowers and many native plantings, that attracts not only birds, but also those two big fuzzy cats of hers - Mr. Black and Mr. Blue.

DeeAnn Dougherty was part of a team of professionals who coached 100 runners for the Portland Marathon Oct. 1st. The Portland Marathon Training Clinic started training in April. Dee Ann’s involvement included participation in weekend training runs and monthly seminars. She happily reports, that amid beautiful early autumn race day conditions, all her runners did really well.

Rileigh, her year old Irish Setter, is her constant running partner. Dee Ann says Rileigh loves running as much as she does and definitely prefers sunny days to rainy days. He also prefers downward dog to any other yoga pose.

Beth Paxson joined the ranks of 1st-time homeowners this year. She’s happily settling into her SE Portland home and enjoying all those projects that come along with home owning. She completely remodeled the bathroom and proudly says it’s now the best room in the house! She’s painted all the interior walls, using colors from her favorite palette, in the autumn range - sage, pumpkin, brown and yellow ochre. Her next big project is to rip up the front lawn replacing it with flowers and shrubs.

Along with the new house came a new kitty. The seller left for the Peace Corps and couldn’t take “Kitties” (Beth’s name for her inherited kitty) with her. According to Beth, Kitties is independent but loves to be loved. She knows the neighborhood quite well, and even though she’s on the petite side, Beth confirms that she can hold her own with the other cats in the hood.

Hope Fyfield has been very happy with the enthusiastic response to her first CD. It’s now being carried locally at New Renaissance Bookshop in NW Portland, and is also available at an online site, www.cdbaby.com. In fact, if you would like to order one that would probably be the best place to go. Hope is currently working on her second CD, which is about Savasana ­ many people’s favorite pose. Watch this space for further details.

In more studio-related news, she is excited to be sharing the Saturday classes with all of the teaching staff. After 15 years of doing those classes solo (and enjoying it immensely), it’s time to spend a few Saturday mornings doing things with her family. Thanks, everyone!

Since selling his 25-year-old athletic club business in Lake Oswego last year, Lance Coffel, has entered a whole new chapter or “book” in his life. He found that retaining the property while demolishing the building has been both an amazing and emotional process to go through. Beginning this past summer he has been closely watching his land evolve from 6 acres of dirt into a beautiful development of 14 new homes. Lance credits yoga with helping him remain balanced throughout this whole process.

It’s been a year of life changes for Laila Deardorff and her family. The first major change was the addition of Pika, a chocolate Labradoodle puppy. Pika is now nearly a year old and has been a great addition to the family. And, yes, they are all still very involved in her training. Among other tricks, the very clever Pika has learned how to “high five” standing up on her back feet and lightly smacking any out held palms. Lately, Pika has been invited to join in the sportsmanship line after 11-year-old Kristine’s soccer games sharing high 5s with the soccer players.

The other big change came when Laila and family returned from their month-long stay in Norway, where they visited her 84-year-old mother-in-law and especially enjoyed a stay on the south coast. Two days after returning from abroad, they left their first home of 19-years and moved cross-town to a newer home. They are all enjoying their home and wonderful yard.

After all these changes, Laila is looking forward to getting back into a routine. She is also looking forward to taking yoga teacher training this winter.