Author: Tracy Lease

Posted on

Choosing Love~ From the Spacious Heart of the Tao

with Tracy Lease & Miyu Tamamura
Sunday, February 15, 2024
1:00-4:00 PM
Location: Mountain Stream Meditation Center

 

Description:

The decision to be the presence of love is the most powerful influence you can have in any situation in your life and in this world. ~ Robert Holden

Express yourself completely, then keep quiet.
Be like the forces of nature: when it blows, there is only wind;
when it rains, there is only rain; when the clouds pass, the sun shines through.
If you open yourself to the Tao, you are at one with the Tao
and you can embody it completely.
If you open yourself to insight, you are at one with insight
and you can use it completely.
If you open yourself to loss, you are at one with loss
and you can accept it completely.
Open yourself to the Tao, then trust your natural responses;
and everything will fall into place.
~ Tao Te Ching by Lao-tzu, Translated by Stephen Mitchell

The focus of our retreat is to practice the art of Tao, the way of love.
As we practice, we realize that the Tao and love are the same in their natural quality, two words that indicate one truth. We approach and touch on the quality of love from the Tao, the spacious, non-ego place, rather than a will-ful, idealized love. Through practice, our hearts become spacious like the wide open sky, we reconnect with the natural flow and deep peace that has always been, and is currently, within us. In aligning with the Tao, we become love itself.

Our practices will be woven together with a nourishing blend of qigong, restorative yoga, breath work, heart-opening poems, meditation and the soothing and expansive sounds of crystal singing bowls. Join us for a nurturing afternoon where you will be held tenderly with care, supported by a like-hearted and minded community. All levels welcome!

All levels welcome!

*Pre-registration is required

*20 person limit

Suggested Dana or Donation:  $85 to $115 shared equally between Miyu, Tracy & Mountain Stream Meditation Center.

To Register, contact Miyu: miyu@yuhealingarts.com.  You must register before giving Dana. We will send a welcome email to those registered a few days before the event.

Press here to give your donation for the retreat.    No one is turned away for lack of funds. There are some scholarships available to Mountain Stream attendees.

Contact Tracy with any questions at:
tracy@fulllifeyogastudio.com
(907)687-2168

Posted on

Understanding & Practicing Qigong

Thursday, February 27, 3-4:30 PM PST

Location: Zoom

Cost: $25-$45 Sliding Scale.  No one turned away for lack of funds. Pay what you can.

Register:  tracy@fulllifeyogastudio.com

Description: 

In this 1.5 hour workshop we will better understand the development, history and philosophy of Qigong.  We will practice qigong movements and better understand how they open and relax the body and guide us towards deep concentration and meditation. We will practice qigong standing meditations and learn to look for blockages to the qi, gently aligning ourselves for optimal flow of energy. And finally we will discuss six directional awareness, visualizations and paradoxes that can help us better develop awareness and ease.

Posted on

Caring for the feet, Knees & Hips: A Yoga Alignment & Awareness Workshop

Saturday,  January 25, 1-3  PM

Location:  South Yuba Club,  130 W. Berryhill Dr., Grass Valley, CA

Cost:  South Yuba Club Members:  $10-$20 Sliding Scale,                                 Non-members: $20-40 Sliding Scale

Register:  tracy@fulllifeyogastudio.com

Description:   Our feet knees and hips help us create our foundation in all standing yoga poses and are essential to healthy movement in our daily lives.  In this two hour workshop we will take a good look at our feet, knees and hips and how their alignment and movements impact each other.

We will learn to set a healthy foundation with our feet, align the knees for optimal longevity and health, and pay attention to how we seat the pelvis over the legs.  We will consider these body parts in yoga poses and daily life activities and then will explore some therapeutic ways to care for feet, knees and hips and their relationships with each other.  This will be an informative class and an active yoga exploration.  Come learn so you can be empowered inside your body!

(Any person who attends this or other SYC yoga workshops with Tracy  through April 30 will receive a one-time $50 discount if they join the    Full Life Yoga Teacher Training at the South Yuba Club May 23-Sept 28, 2025)

Posted on

Offering the Spine Love through Strengthening the Core: A Yoga Alignment & Awareness Workshop

With Tracy Lease

Saturday, February 22, 1-3 PM PST
Location: South Yuba Club, 130 West Berryhill Drive, Grass Valley, CACost: SYC Members: $10-$20. Non-members: $20-$40, sliding scale. 
Register:  tracy@fulllifeyogastudio.com

Description:  The Central Channel of our Spine is the apple core of our bodies.  We move from the central core of our pelvis.  We can learn how to take care of the spine and move with fluid ease if we better understand the core.  This awareness can help us with any activity we do, from swimming to pickle ball, weight lifting to Pilates and Yoga.

In this workshop we will learn how to activate the inner core muscles, to awaken our awareness of them so that they turn on before the outer core and keep the spine safe.  We will learn to strengthen, activate and lengthen around the whole circumference of the spine so our yoga poses and other activities are safe and integrated.  This will be an informative class and an active yoga exploration.  Come learn so you will be empowered inside your own body!

(Any person who attends this or other SYC yoga workshops with Tracy before through April 30 will receive a one-time $50 discount if they join the Full Life Yoga Teacher Training at the South Yuba Club May 23-Sept 28, 2025)

 

 

Posted on

TRACY’S PILATES MAT

TRACY’S PILATES MAT

When:  FRIDAYS– 7 AM

Where: SOUTH YUBA CLUB

130 W. BERRYHILL DR, GRASS VALLEY, CA

You must be a club member to attend these classes.

Posted on

Weight Lifting With Healthy Alignment

Thursday, November 14, 3-4:30 PM PST

Location: Zoom

Cost: $25-$45 Sliding Scale.  No one turned away for lack of funds. Pay what you can.

Register:  tracy@fulllifeyogastudio.com

Description:

In this 1.5 hour workshop we will explore the latest research about the importance of weight bearing for bone health.   We will discuss the importance of considering alignment for the long-term health of your joints and soft tissue.  We can apply our new understanding of bio-tensegrity to how we lift weight, bear weight on our arms and legs in yoga, Pilates, weight lifting, foam roller work and other gym workouts.

During this workshop we will look at how to create stability and how to create space while lifting or bearing weight.  This will be an active workshop with some screen share imagery and discussion to better understand the body while we lift and bear weight.

If you have 1, 3, 5, 8 or 10 pound hand weights and strap on ankle weights or a weight bar at home, have those handy during the workshop.  If you do not have a weight bar, have a broom handle or long dowel to work on alignment you can later take to the gym.

 

Posted on

Big Springs – Sierra Buttes, CA | July 2025

~ Inhale Mountain, Exhale River ~ 
~ A Women’s Retreat in Pristine Nature ~ 

Big Springs Retreat Center, Sierra City, CA
with Tracy Lease & Miyu Tamamura
4 nights, 5 days of celebrating summer
July 9th – 13th, 2025

To create this women’s circle we will breathe in the mountain air, listen to the flow of water, settle into our inner landscapes.

We will enjoy Qigong with a view of the Buttes, sitting and walking Meditation in the hall and forest, Restorative Yoga and special Sound Healing Meditation with Crystal Singing Bowls in Pristine Nature!

Beautiful walking trails, state of the art architecture, delicious vegetarian meals in a peaceful setting will nurture you.

Retreat Center:

 

Accomodations:

  • Single rooms, Shared rooms and Tent Camping available.

Dates:

  • July 9th – 13th, 2025

Retreat cost:

  • COMING SOON

Participant Numbers:

  • 20 participants min, 25 participants max.

Registration Email:

If you are a couple or would like a mixed-gender retreat at Big Springs, let us know.  If we have the interest, we can hold two retreats at Big Springs this year.

 

Posted on

Esalen – Big Sur Coast, CA | March 2025

~ Love Your Body Now ~
A Yoga Therapy Approach to Joyous, Full Body Awareness As We Age

A Week-Long Yoga Workshop/Retreat
With Tracy Lease

@ Esalen Institute

Big Sur, California

Dates: March24-March 28th, 2025

Press Here for Full Description of this Retreat  @ Esalen Institute

Press Here for  Information on Accommodations & Costs

Press Here for Scholarship Information

If interested in a scholarship, apply as soon as possible.

If you have further questions, feel free to reach out to Esalen for help by email @ info@esalen.org or  by phone: (831) 667-3000, Monday – Saturday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm Pacific Time.

Treat yourself to the rugged beauty of the Big Sur coast, the deep relaxation of the hot springs tubs, the quiet of the meditation hut and gardens, delicious, healthy food made for you, and a week full of heart-filled yoga growth, learning and joy.

 

The more we awaken in our bodies, the more we can care for them well~ and the better they will take care of us.  In this workshop, we  will learn, through Qigong, to move with fluid ease. We will consider the role fascia plays in movement and rehabilitation and we will explore our nervous system and ways to work with it to find joy and ease in the body as we age.

We will have time in this retreat to share our fears and hopes, to explore movement, breath and deep relaxation and to enjoy delicious meals and good conversation.

As we take time to experience our poses and posture, we will become more aware, feeling into our joints and movements. We will learn to relax even as we work in a practice. We will study the  nuts and  nuts and bolts of good  alignment and expand our consciousness in the body- getting to know our center channel, our core and how to use the bones as spacers in our myofascial being.  Come find the joy in getting to know yourself better through practices designed to deepen awareness in ways you can take with you back to your lives after this retreat..

 

Posted on

Fun & Fascinating Fascia (and Other Connective Tissue)

Wednesday, September 4, 3-4:30 PM PST

Location: Zoom

Cost: $25-$45 Sliding Scale.  No one turned away for lack of funds. Pay what you can.

Register:  tracy@fulllifeyogastudio.com

Description:

In this 1.5 hour workshop we will explore the latest research about fascia and delve into our growing understanding of the very important roles fascia (and other connective tissue) play in our bodies.  We will participate in a mix of simple fascial release exercises, awakening activities, and movement to create space inside our myofascial webs.

The fascia may be what is tight in your bodies, not the muscles.  When you say, “I have tight hamstrings,” it may be better to say, “the fascial layers around and between my hamstrings are stiff, adhered to one another, dehydrated…”  Come learn ways to think outside the box about loosening the body and moving with more ease, happiness and grace.

Posted on

The Journey Inward: A Half-Day Retreat Honoring the Transition to Autumn


With Adam Stonebraker & Tracy Lease

October 13,  1-4 PM
Mountain Stream Meditation Center
710 Zion Street

As the warmth of summer gives way to the coolness of autumn, we are invited to turn inward, gathering the fruits of our inner work and preparing to store and nurture them through the coming months. Autumn, a time of harvest and reflection, offers us the opportunity to honor the transitions in our lives and align with the natural rhythms of the earth.

Join us for a half-daylong retreat that gently guides you inward, helping you connect with your inner source of strength and wisdom. This retreat will include restorative yoga, qigong, meditation, yoga nidra, and dharma teachings, each practice designed to support you in embracing the changes of the season and cultivating a sense of peace and balance.

Through these practices, we will explore the themes of letting go, renewal, and deep nourishment, creating space to reflect on what we have cultivated during the warmer months and how we can carry this inner harvest with us into the quieter, more introspective time of year.

Requested donation is sliding scale: $30-$100

No one is turned away for lack of funds.

This Dana is greatly appreciated and will be shared equally between Mountain Stream, Adam & Tracy.

We will practice inside and outside as weather permits.

To Register email juanita@mtstream.org

We would love to spend this enriching contemplative time with you!