September 11th was a pretty special day for me this year. I spent the entire day at a wellness workshop sponsored by Smith Farm Center for Healing and the Arts at Allen AME Church in Washington, DC. During the workshop, I taught a short kind and gentle yoga class for African American DC residents. I also had a chance to connect with Howard University Hospital’s Cancer Center representative. We had a great time talking about the work of Smith Farm artists-in-residence at Howard University Hospital. By the way, I worked as artist-in-residence at Howard Hospital from 2003 to 2009. Great times! Click here to see more photos from my adventures at the wellness workshop.
Category: Yoga
Ananda’s National Yoga Month Teaching Gig for Smith Farm Center for Healing and the Arts at Allen AME Church in DC
National Yoga Month 2010 has been a blast. I taught a kind and gentle yoga class series on September 11, 18, and 25 at Allen AME Church in Washington, DC. The yoga classes were a part of the Healthy U Program for African American DC residents. Smith Farm Center for Healing and the Arts sponsored the event with Allen AME Church and Union Temple Church. Click here to see more photos from the Healthy U Program.
By the way, I also work as a Smith Farm artist-in-residence at the National Navy Medical Center in Maryland. Visit www.smithfarm.com.
Happy September & National Yoga Month!
Happy September and National Yoga Month All!
Hope you had a great Labor Day weekend! September is one of my favorite months. This month I am celebrating National Yoga Month in a big OM kind of way online and offline. Check out the event schedule below. I hope you can join me at one or more of the events. For more information about National Yoga Month, visit http://www.yogamonth.org.
Got 15 minutes and need yoga? Check out my online yoga classes: http://stickam.com/anandaleeke.
Ananda’s September Events
Tonight I am launching a yoga series on Blogatique with Ananda Leeke on BlogTalkRadio at 9:30 pm EST. Join me for a conversation with yoga teacher, blogger, writer, and life purpose coach Tazima Ayana Davis about her yoga journey and summer yoga adventures in Los Angeles, California. Tazima is founder of Compassionate Renegade: http://compassionaterenegade.wordpress.com. Click here to listen to the show. http://ow.ly/2Ahyz. If you miss the show, don’t fret. You can listen to the audio (check web site a few minutes after the show airs live; it is available 24/7/365).
I will also talk to yoga teachers, bloggers, writers, and entrepreneurs:
- Trina Love Abram on September 14 – http://bit.ly/cAbBF3,
- Kimberly Wilson on September 21 – http://bit.ly/9Zk2Kg, and
- Faith Hunter on September 28 – http://bit.ly/9QGzbT.
On September 11, 18, and 25, I will be teaching a beginner’s yoga class at the WELLNESS WORKS! Workshop Series sponsored by Smith Farm Center for Healing and the Arts, Allen Chapel AME Church, and Union Temple Baptist Church. The workshops will be held at Allen Chapel AME Church, 249 Alabama Avenue, SE, Washington. The FREE workshop series will be held from 10:00 am to 2:30 pm. The workshops are geared to African American residents of the District of Columbia. The purpose of the series is to inspire African Americans to lead healthier lives through stress reduction, exercise and nutrition. Interactive cooking demonstrations, samples, recipes, simple techniques to reduce stress and physical activity will be included. To register, please call (202) 889-7296. (Space is limited.) The DC Cancer Consortium; Department of Health, Government of the District of Columbia, and Susan G. Komen for the Cure® funded the workshop series. Visit www.smithfarm.com for more information.
On September 12 from 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm, I am moderating Sisterhood the Blog’s Focus Group on I on how women use social media to practice healthy living yoga, meditation, Reiki, massage, holistic practices, physical fitness, spirituality, life coaching, vegetarianism, veganism, and green living at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library, 901 G Street, NW, Room A-10, Washington, DC. Click on the link to register for the event: http://sisterhoodtheblogseptemberfocusgrou.eventbrite.com.
Panelists include:
- Angela Adrar, an international strategy and communications consultant on environmental stewardship – http://twitter.com/dancingsparrow and http://www.latrenzaglobal.com,
- Avalaura Gaither Beharry, a licensed social worker, Reiki master, life coach, spiritual counselor, yoga teacher, hypnotherapist, aromatherapist, and founder of Avalaura’s Healing Center – http://www.avalaura.comand http://twitter.com/healeravalaura,
- “Dr. Ro” Rovenia Brock , a nutritionist, fitness expert, health journalist , television personality, and author – http://www.everythingRo.com and http://twitter.com/everythingro,
- Tazima Davis, a yoga teacher, life purpose coach, and founder of Compassionate Renegade – http://compassionaterenegade.wordpress.com,
- Shelly Iyabode, a priestess in the traditional Ifa practice, Tai Chi Chuan practitioner, and founder of Earth Sense for the Urban Woman blog – http://iyabode.wordpress.com and http://twitter.com/portableiyabode,
- Lauree Ostrofsky, a certified coach, Reiki practitioner, and founder of Simply Leap – http://www.simplyleap.com and http://twitter.com/simplyleapcoach, and
- Takeyah Young, a life balance expert, certified holistic health counselor, yoga teacher, and founder/director of Core Connection Lifestyle – http://www.coreconnectionlifestyle.com and http://twitter.com/CoreConnection.
Feel free to use the Twitter hashtag #STB10 to chat about the event and panelists.
If you are planning to participate in the call, please complete the online survey about women and social media and release statement. The release statement gives me permission to use information shared during the event as research for my book project Sisterhood, the Blog: Soundbytes from the 21st Century Women’s Online Revolution (December 2011).
Join me on September 13 from 9:00 pm to 10:00 pm EST for a juicy conversation on how women use social media to practice healthy living yoga, meditation, Reiki, massage, holistic practices, physical fitness, spirituality, life coaching, vegetarianism, veganism, and green living on Talkshoe.com’s Sisterhood the Blog Radio. Click here to listen to the show: http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/42015. If you miss the live show, don’t fret. You can listen to the audio five minutes after the live show ends (audio recording 24/7/365)
Guest panelists include:
1) Bianca Alexander, a lawyer turned green/health journalist, spokesperson, artist, and co-founder of Conscious Living TV – http://www.biancaalexander.com, http://www.consciouslivingtv.com, and http://twitter.com/ConsciousTV;
2) Sera Beak, a Harvard-trained scholar of comparative world religions, “spiritual cowgirl,” “redvolutionary,” filmmaker, and author of The Red Book: A Deliciously Unorthodox Approach to Igniting Your Divine Spark – http://serabeak.com and http://twitter.com/serabeak;
3) Alice Langholt, a Reiki master practitioner/teacher, blogger, BlogTalkRadio show host, and founder of Reiki Awakening – http://reikiawakening.com and http://twitter.com/reikiawakening;
4) Sommer Poquette, a blogger, teacher, Internet and social networking/marketing consultant, and founder of Green & Clean Mom – http://greenandcleanmom.org and http://twitter.com/greenmom;
5) Latham Thomas, a green chef, yoga teacher, holistic nutritionist, and founder of Tender Shoots Wellness – http://www.tendershootswellness.com and http://twitter.com/tendershoots;
6) Micaela Vega, a healthy food writer, blogger, and web professional – http://strivingbean.com and http://twitter.com/strivingbean; and
7) Gloria Ware, a tree-hugging banker mom, green activist, writer, blogger, avid gardener, and founder of Black and Into Green – http://blackandn2green.blogspot.com and http://twitter.com/bn2g00.
Feel free to use the Twitter hashtag #STB10 to chat about the event and panelists.
If you are planning to participate in the call, please complete the online survey about women and social media and release statement. The release statement gives me permission to use information shared during the event as research for my book project Sisterhood, the Blog: Soundbytes from the 21st Century Women’s Online Revolution (December 2011).
Join me on September 15 @ 8:00 pm EST for my kg yoga life practices class on MomTV: http://www.momtv.com/kg-yoga.
Happy July! Check out my July events
Happy July!
Below is a list of my July events. Join me for some incredibly fun adventures online and offline! Enjoy your month!
1) Tune into Sisterhood the Blog Radio’s Women in Social Media series for Ananda’s interviews with digital divas. See schedule below.
-July 5 @9pm EST – Women who attended Blogging While Brown conference on June 18 and 19 in DC
-July 6 @8pm EST – Najeema Thompson
-July 8 @8pm EST – Amanda Jones
-July 12 @8pm EST – Shon Bacon
-July 20 @8pm EST – Michele McGraw
-July 26 @8pm EST – Devra Renner
-July 29 @8pm EST – April Davis
Click here to join the conversation: http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/42015.
2) Spend an afternoon with Ananda at a book reading for her new book That Which Awakens Me: A Creative Woman’s Poetic Memoir of Self-Discovery on July 10 from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm at Flow Yoga Center (Shakti Studio Room), 1450 P Street, NW, Washington, DC (located several blocks from Dupont Circle subway station). Click on the link to register for the event at Flow Yoga Center: http://clients.mindbodyonline.com/ws.asp?studioid=736&stype;=-8&sView;=week&sTrn;=100000122.
3) Join Ananda for kind and gentle yoga in Malcolm X-Meridian Hill Park in DC on July 11 from 9:00 am to 9:30 am. Click on link for more details: http://yoga.meetup.com/584.
4) Watch Ananda’s kg yoga life practices class on Mom TV on July 21 at 8:00 pm EST. Click on the link to watch the show: http://www.momtv.com/kgyogalife.html.
5) Listen to Ananda host Sisterhood the Blog Radio’s July 31st episode at 1:00 pm EST featuring a discussion with Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. members about their use of social media during Boule 2010 (national convention) held from July 14 to July 22 in Palm Springs, California. FYI – Ananda is a member of Sigma! The show will also include a discussion on how Ananda’s Sigma sorority sisters use social media in their businesses. www.talkshoe.com/tc/42015.
Happy June! Where I’ve been blogging … Join me for my June 12th book reading in DC
Happy June All!
I know I have been missing in action on this blog for awhile. Where have I been? Twitter and my Facebook Fan page have captured my attention a lot. I have also been posting audio blogs on my Cinchcast page. I will do a better job of posting blog entries this month!
This week I am gearing up for DC Digital Capital Week. It begins on June 11. I am teaching a yoga class for computer users on June 12th at 10:00 am. It will be held in Malcolm X Park in DC. Click on the link for more details: http://yoga.meetup.com/584.
Join me for my June 12th book reading which will be held from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm at Martin Luther King, Jr. Library, Washingtonia Division, 901 G Street, NW, Room 307 (Washingtoniana Division’s Program Room), Washington, DC (located at Metro Center Station and near Gallery Place Metro Station). I will talk about and sign my new book That Which Awakens Me: A Creative Woman’s Poetic Memoir of Self-Discovery (2009 – http://amzn.to/7zGkGI) and debut novel Love’s Troubadours: Karma – Book One (www.lovestroubadours.com – 2007 – http://amzn.to/bWKCvw). FYI – My books are also available on Amazon.com (http://amzn.to/d4RwQN).
I will be giving another book talk and signing on July 10 from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm at Flow Yoga Center (www.flowyogacenter.com), 1450 P Street, NW (located several blocks from Dupont Circle Metro).
Hope to see you on June 12th and/or July 10!
Ananda kicks off National Women’s Health Week early with her pledge to live healthy
Happy May!
Today I kicked off National Women’s Health Week a few days early. I started with a juicy yoga and meditation practice which focused on incorporating more joy or mudita (a Sanskrit word) in my healthy living practices. Listen to my audio blog below on Cinchcast to learn more about my pledge.
I also completed my pledge for National Women’s CheckUp Day on May 10 (see above) and committed to doing the Woman Challenge beginning May 9 and ending on July 3.
What are you planning to do for National Women’s Health Week? I am teaching a free yoga class in Malcolm X-Meridian Hill Park in DC on May 9 at 11:30 am.
Are you doing anything for National Women’s Check Up Day? I am teaching an online yoga class on May 10 at 7 am on http://stickam.com/anandaleeke.
Are you going to do the Women’s Challenge?
What I am doing this weekend: Teaching yoga on 3/28@11:30am & hosting Sisterhood the Blog Radio with Boni Candelario on 3/28@7pm EST
This weekend I am teaching a kind and gentle yoga class in Malcolm X-Meridian Hill Park (weather permitting) on March 28 from 11:30 a.m. to 12 noon. Click here for more details. If it rains, the class will NOT be held.
I am also hosting Sisterhood, the Blog Radio with Boni Candelario on March 28 from 7:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. EST on Talkshoe.com. The March 28th show will launch Sisterhood, the Blog Radio’s Business of Being You (BizBU) four-part series on “Jobs, Jobs, Jobs in 2010 with Coach’m Up Boni.” The series will air on April 11, May 23, and June 27 at 7:00 p.m. EST on Talkshoe.com. See the list of show topics below.
- March 28th Show: Confidence building for women job seekers
- April 11th Show: Resume 2.0: Giving your resume a facelift by finding the treasure in your life experience
- May 23rd Show: How to talk about your experience so it creates buzz and attention
- June 27th Show: How women can use social media to identify job lead
Boni Candelario, a career strategist and empowerment coach, helps women in career transition, re-enter the workforce, climb the corporate ladder, and start their own businesses. You can learn more about Boni and her fabulous business by visiting her sites below.
What are your plans for the weekend!
Enjoy!
Peace, Creativity, Compassion, and Gratitude,
Ananda
Watch Ananda’s Free Creativity Coaching Session for Women on UStream.tv on 3/25@9pm EST
Happy Tuesday,
Calling all creative women! Join me for a free creative coaching session on March 25 from 9:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. EST that explores the nine blocks to women’s creativity. I will use creative coaching exercises in my new book That Which Awaken’s Me to guide the session. Click here to watch the live show. If you miss it, don’t fret. You can watch a video recording. Just visit the web site for Ananda Leeke Live! on UStream.tv.
If you are in DC this weekend, consider taking my free kind and gentle yoga class on March 28 from 11:30 a.m. to 12 noon at Malcolm X-Meridian Hill Park. Click here for more details. The class will be dedicated to National Women’s History Month, National Women and Girls HIV/AID Day, and National Nutrition Month. I will also share an excerpt from That Which Awakens Me during the meditation part of the class.
Please share these events with your network!
Peace, Creativity, Compassion, and Gratitude,
Ananda
PS: Check out my new memoir That Which Awakens Me and debut novel Love’s Troubadours – Karma: Book One on Amazon.com. They are great for spring and summer reading! They also make great gifts for Mother’s Day, graduations, birthdays, etc.
How Ananda is preparing for Spring… Yoga with Tazima Davis of Compassionate Renegade
Photo ©National Cherry Blossom Festival
Happy Tuesday!
Spring is coming. So are the cherry blossoms in DC. March 20 marks the beginning of Spring. For me, Spring is a season of rebirth. How are you preparing for it?
Tazima Davis
Yesterday, I started my pre-Spring preparation with an intense one-on-one yoga class taught by yoga teacher and life purpose coach Tazima Davis in my home. I love one-on-one yoga sessions. That’s how I learn best!
Tazima is founder of Compassionate Renegade (http://compassionaterenegade.wordpress.com). She is helping me strenghten my core and upper body, open up my hips, and create more flexibility in my legs and hips. She is also helping me release several yoga fears I have been holding onto. Yes I have some yoga fears as a yoga teacher of four years and yogini of 15 years. Tazima’s teaching style pushes me past my comfort zone. Her grace, humor, ease, and yoga expertise makes her a fabulous teacher. WOW is all I can say! To learn more about my yoga class with Tazima, listen to my audio blog below. Enjoy!
Peace, Creativity, Compassion, and Gratitude for yoga and teachers like Tazima,
Ananda
Open your heart with my kg yoga life practices show on MomTV today!
Greetings All,
Open your heart this week by taking my kg yoga life practices class on MomTV. This morning I pre-recorded today’s show. The theme is opening your heart with love (prema in Sanskrit) and compassion (karuna in Sanskrit). Click here to watch the show (approximately 24 minutes): http://stickam.com/m0mtv78.
Be sure to join me on March 17 at 8:00 p.m. for the next kg yoga life practices class on MomTV: http://stickam.com/m0mtv78.
May you have a fabulous day opening your heart to the love and compassion inside of yourself! Dwell in it all day long. Tomorrow pass it on to someone else!
OM Love OM!
OM Compassion OM!
Peace, Creativity, Love, Compassion, and Gratitude for an open heart,
Ananda




















