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“Diversify the faces of yoga in Hawai’i while preserving the people, land, and culture that are Hawai’i.” – Project Koa Yoga

It was the last Saturday of October and through qigong we celebrated our kupuna, our ancestry, our roots. Feeling them in our hearts, we opened our practice with an invitation to our beloved ancestors to join us, their love and wisdom passed on to us, bringing a force of freedom through boundaries that still exist today. And so we breathed and moved together, cultivating beautiful mana within and all around us that lifted our spirits and filled our cups to renew, strengthen and serve.

It’s an honor working with and for a community of people fulfilling a mission that believes yoga and wellness must be accessible to everyone, centering our efforts on Kanaka Maoli, BIPOC and QTIA2Smāhū folx because we believe our liberation is bound. Looking forward to more in 2024! May we all be joyful, healthy and free.

Another month almost complete, this one filled with lots of living and a variety of emotions with little time to pause. I was finally reunited with Miki after she stayed almost a month in Arizona to see to it that her father Makoto healed after a recent procedure, which he did and we’re all so grateful. Miki’s birthday! A chance to capture all that was over the last year. There were the teens I practice yoga and qigong with weekly, their joy and delight as we meditated on eating enchiladas, beans, microgreens, tortilla chips and salsa prepared by their teacher, teachers wife, daughter and partner. We included intentions of gratitude to our ancestors, especially to my mom, for passing along the recipes. July, a month when a community of folks here on Oahu working daily to help those in need came together to comfort one another after suddenly losing a young one due to a broken system, to celebrate her precious life and raise awareness. Heartbreaking. And finally, a last minute trip to California to come together with family I hadn’t seen in a long, long time. I was so glad I did as we caught up on life and spent time just being with each other, talking story and remembering those who were not able to be there with us physically, but still so very present in our hearts with their stories which we share so that the next generation can pass them along to their children. At some point, we become the ancestors. Feel them, daily. Remember your roots. We’ll take time this week with jing energy, the door of life where our physical energy resides, vitality and the connection to our ancestry.

Aloha,

How wonderful it was hearing back from some of you responding with a little update of your own after last month’s encouragement.  Thank you and keep them coming!  Spring came and went, and I finally put some time into doing a little housekeeping with my website.  Please check it out:  Lawrence Muñoz Yoga.  Summer is here, and with the new season a time to bring awareness and connection to the heart, the fire element, love, joy and community.  A time to play!

Full Circle

It was about 14 years ago that Pearl, a cycling student and dear friend aware of the personal challenges and lower back issues I was experiencing at the time, encouraged me to take a yoga class from her teacher.  My response back then was typical, focused solely on the physical: “I’m already flexible”.  She explained that it would do more than enable me to touch my toes, and could help heal my heart and mind.  I usually try anything once, as long as it does no harm to others or myself, so after one of our Saturday morning cycling sessions I was introduced to my very first yoga teacher, Karen Holden.  Life as I knew it was changed forever through her wisdom and teachings during that first class and all that followed as she so beautifully led us through Hatha yoga and QiGong, inspiring me to begin my own regular practice.  I’ll never forget the quiet tears of surrender during my first savasana with her.  They don’t know this, but every morning I send a little intention of love and gratitude to both Pearl and Karen for being there at such a crazy time in my life.  As a yoga teacher I taught a class called Tapas for several years where practitioners spend anywhere from 5-12 breaths with hatha yoga postures influenced by the four seasons, Ayurvedic teachings and Traditional Chinese Medicine.  This led me to further feed my curiosity by becoming a consistent practitioner of Yin Yoga and QiGong, studying under various teachers over the last three years in addition to meditation and Ashtanga.  The transformation since adding QiGong to my daily practice has been amazing, experiencing more energy and “flow” in all aspects of life, including my own offering of classes.  So here’s the exciting news:  I’m now in my fifth week of deep diving into a 200 hour QiGong immersion under Master Lee Holden.  That’s right, Karen’s son!!  Stay tuned for more as we broaden our journey of wellness together.

Offerings

Public classes continue through Yoga For Everyone and UFC Kailua, as well as private and semi private sessions in our Kailua yoga studio, beach, park and corporate facilities on site and online.  Please use the contact form on my website to reach out if you’re interested!

Practice

Our world continues to bring one challenge after another through disease, war, hate, corruption, greed, power and on and on.  It’s never-ending and consuming for those who care, and even more for those taking action.  Now more than ever a daily practice of breath, meditation and movement will help.  Years ago while doing research on my own indigenous roots I discovered a most auspicious symbol found in the sacred Aztec calendar.  “Ollin” represents the 17th day and tells of motion, seismic movement and transformation.  It further symbolizes a way of bringing balance day to day, even in times of struggle and chaos.  So to is yoga, a way of releasing or letting go of the energies and patterns that get in the way of our true self, our true purpose.  With consistent practice, change occurs bringing equanimity.  Transformation takes place physically, mentally and spiritually on your mat and in all aspects of daily life.  Practice.

All for now.  Please, please please remember to play and enjoy your summer!!

With Love,

Lawrence

Aloha!  Guess it’s been a while as the monthly update hasn’t been quite so monthly, and yet here we are and I’m very excited to share what’s been happening over the last few months in between work on the house and amazing visits from family and friends.  But first, how are you?  Would love to hear your latest, whether a brief “Hey!”, paragraphs telling of how life goes these days, or something in between.  Don’t be shy!  You can reach me at lawrencemunoz17@gmail.com.

Breathe Together Yoga

Sadly, teaching online classes for BTY came to a screeching halt earlier this month when after several months of trying to solve for a crazy Workers Comp insurance coverage puzzle, the business operations team could no longer keep me on payroll because of my new residence here in Hawai’i.  This is a huge change as Jennifer Prugh and the BTY community have been family since the very beginning when its doors opened in 2010, as a student and also teaching there for the last 8 years.  Families, just like everything else, go through changes, and that’s all this is as I continue as a BTY student online or in Sola/Luna when in the SFBA, to feel the love.  I’ll also continue to share recorded classes through the BTY website.   The fact that BTY has been around for twelve years, survived the last two (at times apocalyptic) years and has been honored year after year as Silicon Valley’s Best Yoga Studio pretty much says it all.  ¡Viva La Familia!

Bringing Yoga to UFC Kailua

That’s right!  About two months ago I started teaching vinyasa yoga for all the warriors at the United Fight Club Gym-Kailua, just a mile away from home.  Those of you familiar with the club know it’s definitely more than a place for training to fight, bringing gym fitness and wellness to the entire family.  Come practice with me Wednesday’s at 10am or Sunday’s at 8am HST.   Here’s link for more:  UFC Kailua.  

Project Koa Yoga

During the interview process with UFC, I was encouraged to meet Laura Toyofuku-Aki, co-founder of Project Koa Yoga, as I expressed interest in working with groups making yoga accessible to everyone.  I met Laura and other co-founder Victoria Roland within a week and the rest is history.  I’ve now joined their team and mission to diversify the faces of yoga in Hawai’i while preserving the people, land and culture that are Hawai’i.  More specifically, we work to make yoga more accessible, trauma-informed, and centering social justice issues facing the marginalized communities of Hawai’i. We operate with aloha pono (to live righteously) and with respect to the aina (the land we are teaching on).  I’ve started meeting with Laura at a local non-profit specializing in working with at-risk youth and their families who have nowhere else to go, bringing breath, meditation and yoga postures in a safe space to a group of teenage boys.  We all love “talking story” while practicing!  We also offer weekly classes on Saturday morning’s creating spaces intentionally designed to be accessible for everyone with a focus on the BIPOC+ community.  You can see more details on everything we’re up to by following this link:  Project Koa Yoga.

Yoga For Everyone

One interesting lesson from the “Yoga For Men” offering was that women were also interested in what we were doing, not only with the tight shoulders, hips and tricky backs, but also with our connection to yoga philosophy from the Gita, the Sutras and Eight Limbs among other texts.  I’m happy to report that beginning Thursday May 19th at 6pm PDT/ 3pm HST we open this weekly gathering to everyone through Lawrence Muñoz Yoga online!  It will be donation-based on a sliding scale from $5 – $20, whatever you are comfortable with.  And if that scale is still out of reach, please join us anyway!  Follow this link to register:  Yoga For Everyone.

Virtual Cycling

A small group of us have been meeting via zoom to ride each Tuesday afternoon/evening for the last few months, having so much fun that we decided to open it up to more folx!  So get on your favorite stationary bike and join us as I bring the open road indoors with music and queues guaranteed to bring the most excellent endorphin high!  This will also be donation-based with the same scale and intentions as above.  Click here to sign up:  Everyone rides!!!

I think that’s enough for now.  Look forward to hearing from you (or actually seeing you when you look me up while here on island) and until next time, stay healthy and keep prayer and action going to support world peace.  I leave you with pictures of love from family who’ve visited while here on Oahu.

With Aloha,

Lawrence

Happy New Year!! 

Another month has quickly passed and I’m happy to report our belongings arrived safely just before the 25th of December, making for the grandest unwrapping of gifts ever for Christmas.  Brought back childhood memories of acting surprised on the big morning after secretly finding the pre-wrapped presents from Santa days before.  Sorry Mom.  As we hit it pretty hard with all the unpacking and beginning the facelift in our yoga space, efforts came to a screeching halt as Miki and I came down with nasty colds.  Following my own guidance to others about getting plenty of rest and fluids, we were both feeling much better about a week into the new year and now getting back on track with all we wish to bring this year.

60th Birthday Fundraiser

A huge mahalo to everyone who supported my 60th Birthday Celebration and Fundraiser.   Leading up to the day of the ride the weather forecast kept calling for rain.  Family and friends’ prayers asking the rain gods to take the day off were heard, gifting us with an abundance of sunshine and experiencing the most epic 34 miles of my life as we ended at 10,000 feet atop Haleakala.  I must say it was quite humbling getting to the top, but knowing all of you had my back was uplifting and inspiring.  And if that wasn’t enough, I was overjoyed as many of you took time out of your busy schedules to join us for the 108 Sun Salutations the following day.  Your love brings over $3,000 toward the Tibetan Children’s Education Foundation, Kokua Hawaii Foundation and Veggielution.  There is still time to contribute if you haven’t already by clicking here.

Yoga For Men

OK, so what is this Yoga For Men class I’m teaching online at Breathe Together Yoga?  First, let’s be clear:  Yoga is for everyone, and it is my hope that someday every human being on this planet will have an opportunity to experience and even practice on a regular basis.  So why teach a class just for men?  For starters, I’ve lived in a man’s body over the last 60 years and wish to share what I’ve learned as a practitioner of yoga.   Now, men are all built and wired differently, but in general, there are certain physical characteristics that we seem to have in common, like tight hips and hamstrings, limited mobility through the shoulders, and unhealthy lower backs to name a few.  I’ve been fortunate to study with teachers showing ways of bringing more strength and mobility to these and other areas that helped my own yoga practice, which I bring here.   An observation I’ve made of yoga classes geared especially for men is that the focus seems to be solely on postures, which is only one small part of yoga, one of eight limbs.  Yoga for Men is different at Breathe Together.  As we practice, we contemplate and experience the other limbs as well like the ethics referred to as the Yamas and Niyamas, breath work, concentration, introspection and meditation.  Interwoven in our practice we explore the Yoga Sutras, Bhagavad Gita and other beautifully written works that ARE yoga.  For those men who are at the beginning of their yoga journey not quite ready to be in a studio setting, this online offering is perfect for you and geared for all levels.  After our practice is done, we make time to hang out and share whatever is on our mind while honoring and respecting one another.   If this sounds like something you might wish to try, join us Thursday nights at 7:15pm Pacific Time by registering here.

Easing In To Each New Day

I leave you now with a little gift, a routine I practice first thing every morning.  I’ve found as each year goes by those first few minutes rising up and out of bed are challenging, especially on cold mornings, with tight and achy body parts.  This routine brings a gentle attention to breath, the joints, connective tissue, muscles and lines of energy also known as meridians to ready you inside and out for a healthy and energetic start to a new day.   Let’s give it a try by clicking here and subscribe (free) to my YouTube channel if you haven’t already.

Family tells me January has been a bit dry in the San Francisco Bay Area since December’s downpours.  Connecting our rain gods here on the island with yours in California to bring more in the coming weeks.  Be joyful, healthy and free.

With Love,

Lawrence

108 Sun Salutations completed! To say I am blessed seems like an understatement as I bathe in all the love I am feeling at this moment. Thoughts of gratitude: Mom & Dad, thank you for bringing me into this world with the biggest hearts and continuing every single step of the way over the years, the most supportive and compassionate parents on earth even now; Karen and Super Dave Temple for hosting us on Maui in your beautiful home, providing us with space to share all 108 salutes to the sun with loved ones near and far; Jennifer Prugh and the family at Breathe Together Yoga for providing space at my home away from home in Sola to connect with us here on the islands through breath and movement, while masked even; All of you who joined us virtually – I truly felt your energy, then and all the other times we spend together practicing on and off the mat; All who have so generously donated $$$ and in some cases, even pledged to volunteer, in support of TCEF, Veggielution and Kokua Hawaii. There is still time if you haven’t made a contribution here; My beautiful wife and partner Miki, who I adore for her patience, creativity, unconditional love and support, energy and badassness. I could not have accomplished what we did these last few days without her efforts; Big kine thank you, to all of you with your messages of birthday love. I feel you with the warmest heart and wish you and your families joy and good health. #lovingawareness #108suryanamaskar #tibetanchildrenseducationfoundation #kokuafoundation #veggielution #breathetogetheryoga #laughbreathelovelive #grateful

We did it!!! Part one of birthday fundraising complete. Big love to Team Haleakala Family – Miki Ohashi, Genevieve Muñoz, and Dan Cordell for all the support from start to finish, then riding buddies cousin Chacha Ramon and SuperDave. Could not have done this without you!!! Next are the Sun Salutations Friday December 17th at Noon Pacific. Lastly, big thank you for your contributions so far. If you haven’t already please consider. All details here.#tibetanchildrenseducationfoundation #kokuahawaiifoundation #veggielution #breathetogetheryoga #lovingawareness #sixtytimesaroundthesun

Happy Holidays!  

It all still seems so surreal, keyboarding this month’s newsletter from a different state and space in our new home in Kailua, making do with borrowed folding chairs and table, inflatable mattresses and cooking ware until our stuff from California arrives next week.  Miki and I are already feeling the loving embrace of the island through family and friends living here, as well as an abundance of love and support coming from those of you back in California and other parts of the world.  Thank you!  I’ve been here for less than a week and we’re once again packing up our bags and bikes for tomorrow’s hop over to Maui for a few days raising awareness and cash while celebrating a birthday.

Preserving Culture – Educating Children – Taking Care of the Elders – Connecting People From All Backgrounds Through Food and Farming – Environmental Education In Schools and Community

This is the week!!  My 60th Birthday Fundraising event which includes a ride up to the top of Haleakala on December 16th, followed by 108 Sun Salutations on the 17th, all in the spirit of raising money for The Tibetan Children’s Education Foundation, Kokua Hawaii Foundation, and Veggielution.   Many thanks to those of you who have already donated.  We still have quite a ways to go to reach our goal of $10,800, so if you haven’t already, please consider contributing what you can by following one or all of the links below:

Tibetan Children’s Education Foundation

Kokua Hawaii Foundation

Veggielution

Some of you have expressed interest in cheering us on along the cycling route to the top of Haleakala on Thursday… please do!!  We’ll be starting in Paia at approximately 7am local time.  My guess is it will take us somewhere between 6-7 hours to reach the top.  Then on Friday please join me at 10am Maui/12pm Pacific Time for 108 Sun Salutations by coming to Breathe Together Yoga for live streaming from Maui (register here) or from your own space via zoom by registering here.  Drop in and say hello, practice as many salutes to the sun you wish and help celebrate our beautiful community and 60 trips around el sol.  For those of you on Maui, message me if you’re interested in practicing with us on location for details.  Again, this is all donation based.  Hope to see you there!!!

New Classes

Dudes, interested in a yoga class which focuses on some of the typical physical challenges male bodies can sometimes have with yoga postures (e.g. tightness and mobility issues with shoulders and hips, tight hamstrings, lower back pain, etc.)?   Or maybe you have a brother who would like to try yoga but might be a bit intimidated by the more experienced practitioners in the studio?  Beginning Thursday, January 6th, I’m thrilled to offer “Yoga For Men” online through Breathe Together Yoga.  Our weekly sessions will bring men of all levels together on the mat to practice breath, meditation and postures to explore strength, flexibility, stability and ease.  We’ll also spend time after practice to just “rap” – a chance for us all to connect and share our latest top of mind topics in a safe environment.  

I’ll also begin streaming a weekly Yin yoga class online through Breathe Together Yoga on Monday January 3rd, open to everyone.  Yin is a meditative, healing practice using passive, long-held floor poses, bypassing the muscles and allowing you to nourish and strengthen the deeper tissues. Connective tissues, fascia, joints, ligaments, and bones receive gentle, low load stress. The poses are held between 2-5 minutes and the muscles stay passive in order to pass the stress on to the deeper tissues. Each Yin posture is an opportunity to go inward and find an appropriate balance of effort and ease. A wonderful complement to an active (Yang) practice and a much needed tool for anyone who needs to unwind a tight body, mind, or heart. 

Both of these offerings are evening classes starting at 6:30pm Pacific Time.  Click here to sign up!

New Space

Super excited about this room, which over the next month will transform to become our yoga studio and sanctuary, where I’ll be able to teach and practice with up to 6 practitioners, as well as stream and record live classes.   Truly blessed.  Stay tuned for more class offerings!

That’s about it for now.  I sincerely hope to see you later this week, and if not, sending you lots of love and tenderness over the holidays.  Be Joyful, Be Healthy, Be Free.

With Love,

Lawrence

Hello!

May this first newsletter (of what I hope are many) find you healthy and happy.  It was my goal to have learned the Mailchimp application by now to make for a more fancy debut, but just not gonna happen with all that Miki and I have going on in our lives with the relocation to Oahu.  So, this will have to do for now.   While it’s only been a few weeks since teaching my last group class here in the South Bay, I have to tell you I already miss you all very much.  The energy and light you all brought week to week was uplifting to say the least, and I look forward to getting back into swing in January with more online and in-studio/outdoor yoga and cycling sessions from Oahu, as well as occasional workshops back in California.

Preserving Culture – Educating Children – Taking Care of the Elders – Connecting People From All Backgrounds Through Food and Farming – Environmental Education In Schools and Community

I’m thrilled to lead an event that will enable us to connect from all parts of the world, bring an abundance of joy and give us an opportunity to offer up love and support by raising money for a few of my favorite communities.  Come December I’ll be completing my 60th tour around the sun and wish to celebrate through three of my joys: Yoga, Cycling and Service. Mid December, we’ll be on the beautiful island of Maui to ride our bicycles from Paia (just a few hundred feet above sea level) 34 miles to the top of Haleakala at 10,000 feet!  The following day, I’ll lead all of you wishing to join (in person or via zoom) through 108 Sun Salutations. Drop in and say hello, practice as many salutes to the sun you wish and help celebrate our beautiful community. My only ask is that you consider donating whatever you feel comfortable giving to one, two or all three of these amazing organizations to reach our overall goal of $10,800. Simply follow the links below to each of their respective GoFundMe pages:

Tibetan Children’s Education Foundation
Kokua Hawaii Foundation
Veggielution

Over the next few weeks I’ll be posting more information on my Website, Facebook and Instagram about each of these foundations, as well as schedule and logistic details.   And for those of you who have no clue what a Sun Salutation is, no worries as I’ll be sharing a number of helpful hints on the three sequences we’ll be experiencing along with modifications so that we can all participate and enjoy the yoga.  Please feel free to share this with those interested in participating!

Gratitude Flow at Bay Club Redwood Shores

 For those of you at Bay Club, I’ll be squeezing in one more yoga class at Redwood Shores this coming Saturday November 20th at 11:30am.  All levels are welcome, coming together to celebrate all that we have in our lives.  Hope to see you there!

 

Practice

Halloween is behind us, Thanksgiving is just a week away and before we know it, a new year will be here, just like that.  During the ups and downs, remember to take the occasional pause, the breath… presence.  Reflect on all the lessons we learned through Shelter In Place.  Bring your yoga daily, even if it’s just a few minutes sitting and breathing on your mat.  I’m currently reading an excellent book by Eddie Stern titled, “One Simple Thing”, where he visits the science of yoga and how it transforms our life.  “Within the practice of postures, there are three areas that we must pay attention to:  the body, the breath, and the mind.  To put it very simply, postures steady the body, breathing steadies the nervous system, and gazing (drishti) steadies the mind.”   Over time, this steadiness and joy spills over to our day to day life.  Cool?  Yes.

That’s about it for now.  Have an amazing Thanksgiving Holiday, and I’ll be back in touch in December.  Be Joyful, be Healthy, be Free.

With love,

Lawrence

This one resonating within this day.  Thank you Miki for sharing…

′′I release my partner from the obligation to complete me.

I release my parents from the feeling they failed with me.

I release my children from the need to bring me pride, so they can write their own paths to the rhythm of their hearts, as it whispers in their ear.

I don’t lack anything, I learn from all beings, all the time.

Thanking my grandparents and ancestors who came together to allow me to be alive and follow my path today.

I release them from past failures and unfulfilled desires, knowing they have done their best to travel their way of living with their standard of consciousness.

I strip my soul before their eyes and that’s why they know I don’t hide or owe anything.

I must be faithful to myself more than ever by walking with heart wisdom, I know that I am fulfilling my life project, free from family loyalties that can disrupt my peace and happiness, this detachment is my responsibility.

I surrender the role of the savior, to be the one who unites or meets the expectations of others.

I cherish my essence, my way of expressing it, even if not everyone can understand me.

I honor you, I love you and recognize you innocent.

I honor the divinity in me and you…

We are free.′′