只今イマジン語学スタジオの空間を彩って頂いているのは、アーティスト田中紗樹さんの作品です。
彩り豊かな作品たちが白い壁に映え、明るい雰囲気の中でレッスンを行っております。
6月3日(日)には恒例の展示替えにともなうパーティーを開催しました。
今回パーティー初めての試み、関東から三味線奏者である五錦雄互さんを迎え音楽に合わせてライブペインティングを行いました。
三味線の力強く繊細な生演奏の中、白と黒の紙に一つ一つ色や線が重なって作品が生まれていく、凄く神秘的で貴重な体験となりました。
ライブの後もふたりのアーティストとの会話もはずみ、終始和やかなパーティーとなりました。
沢山の方にお越し頂きありがとうございました。
田中紗樹さんの作品は9月初旬まで展示しておりポストカードなどの小物も販売しております。
事前にご連絡いただければ作品見学していただけます。
ぜひお越しください。
Living in Beauty by Becoming our Light: Strengthening our Aura
Have you ever glanced at an individual as you are walking down the street, and suddenly you find yourself staring at them? In some cases, even years later, you can still remember that particular person. Oftentimes, it is the radiance of a person’s Aura that catches our eye; the Power of their presence is their Beauty. People are drawn to the magnitude of one’s Aura.
Our Aura is a field of energy that surrounds our physical body and expands from three to nine feet on either side. A strong Aura brings you energy, health, and an angelic nature. Your Aura is created by the flow of prana through energy meridians in your body.
During the month of June, we will be focusing on strengthening and expanding our Auras. We will learn ways to intensify our Aura on a daily basis. During class, we will become familiar with various postures and breathing techniques that will assist us in our process.
There are so many ways that we can feel beautiful, graceful, and bright. Let us learn the ancient tool of the yogis and step into our light.
Hello my dear Yoginis! I have been so impressed with the incredible effort and meditative focus that you have put into our classes. You are doing a really good job!
In May, we will be focusing on the second chakra: the chakra of connection. It represents our connection to creativity, passion and money, as well as our own self worth. At times in the past we may have felt neglected. This can happen in childhood when we don’t receive the attention needed from parents, teachers or other important people around us. It can manifest into a feeling that we simply do not deserve greatness in this lifetime. Sometimes we think we do not deserve to make money doing the things we love or we don’t deserve to be in a relationship filled with love, trust and joyfulness.
Our goal is to unleash the second chakra’s stored energy and to channel our energy into the things that we have the most passion for. By moving through specific Kundalini kriyas and meditations we can transform ourselves in very powerful ways. In truth, we deserve the very best and should never settle for anything less. This month, let us move to a place where we stand proud of who we are. Let us live from a place of knowing and believing so that we may experience life to its fullest capacity.
What can we say? It was an absolutely brilliant party!
A great venue, fantastic food and drink, a happy and friendly atmosphere, lovely people and an excellent time had by all!
We were so happy to see so many imagine students of the past and present and it was nice to catch up and have a chat with everyone (we were so impressed with how much English was spoken – well done!). We ate fish and chips and shepherd’s pie which was a first for many people – good English grub! We received a gorgeous bouquet of flowers each and some lovely presents and, best of all, an album filled with messages from our friends at imagine. We read them when we got home and were so touched by the kind and generous things people wrote.
I started a blog recently which is about leaving Japan and all the things I will miss. I hope it conveys my strong connection to this country and many of the people I have met while living here. One of the posts is about the Clapham Inn itself so please check it out!
We will miss everyone so much but we hope we will see you again the UK – the kettle will be on and the biscuits will be ready!
Take care and all the very best,
xBecca & Ed
「英語でヨガ」の後にビーガンスタイルランチ！
３月の春分の日、ヨガのワークショップをイマジン語学スタジオ内（芦屋市）で開催しました。ヨガの後に Vegan（ビーガン）スタイルのランチが付いて、京都のお茶とともにサンドウィッチをいただきました。大変好評でとても楽しく、健康的で美味しい時間を過ごすことができました。
ヨガ講師の Casey が企画するヨガと食事法を主としたワークショップは、Vegan（ビーガン）と呼ばれる、基本的に乳製品・蜂蜜等の動物性の食品を一切摂らない、食事法を Casey よりご紹介いただきます。ヨガレッスンの後に、ビーガンスタイルのサンドウィッチ等をいただきながらワークショップは進行し、参加者とともにヨガや食について談話を楽しみます。
Casey がビーガンということで、食についての話題は生徒さんも興味津々。ビーガンという言葉を初めて聞いた方もいらっしゃいましたし、生徒さんの中にベジタリアンの方もいらっしゃったので、その話題はつきることがありません。
Vegan（ビーガン）は宗教的なものではなく、食事法のひとつです。Casey は、六年程その食事法をしているとのこと。私は雑食系ですが（笑）、とくにこれといった物足りなさもなく美味しくいただきました。
サンドウィッチの中身は、豆腐ステーキ、アボカド、きゅうり、トマト、レタスが入っていて、味付けではマヨネーズの代わりに、豆乳とオリーブオイル等から作ったソースをパンに塗り、具を挟みます。パンはイツキベーカリーの手作りで、もちろん牛乳等の乳製品は入っていません。
サンドウィッチに添えられたサイドディッシュには、蒸し加減が丁度よいブロッコリーでとてもヘルシー。デザートにはメープルシロップとカシューナッツ入りのクッキーを。
これなら無理なく、月にいち度、一食だけでもビーガンになるのもいいかもしれないと思いました。
次回のヨガ・ワークショップは2012年4月30日（月・祝日、昭和の日の振り替え日！）に開催いたします！ 詳細は こちら にて。皆さまのご参加を心よりお待ち申し上げます！
今後のヨガ・ワークショップは、不定期ではありますが開催日が決まり次第、ホームページ等にてお知らせいたしますので、ご興味ある方はぜひご参加ください。
In this day and age, there is so much change happening in the world. There is one path – one state of being – that will allow us to maintain our grace, strength and happiness: The state of compassion.
In this workshop, we will use the energy of the group to go to the depth of our capacity and ignite the core of our heart’s center. The only thing that creates irritability, frustration and friction in our relationships is a lack of compassion within ourselves. Through specific yogic postures that work on the opening of the heart, and a powerful meditation, we will release old tensions, emotions and the stagnant energy that blocks our capacity to feel the higher states of love.
Our external life is a reflection of our internal state of being. Through the science of kundalini yoga and the power of the group we have the ability to create a permanent change in the way we feel, relate to, and love our own true nature. When we can love who we are, we will unite with the path we came here to live.
To finish our afternoon we will share together as we enjoy delicious vegetarian wraps, rice and tea in the company of our friends.
Living in our Heart’s Center: Awakening the Fourth Chakra
Compassion, acceptance, fulfillment and love are all qualities that represent the fourth chakra. The heart chakra is the pivotal point in the chakra system and represents the element Air. In the month of April we will take one step forward into experiencing, feeling and living in our heart’s center.
Life itself is not exciting. It becomes exciting when you put your love, compassion, and appreciation into very breath, every action and every connection that you make.
Our goal is to awaken and experience our everyday life from a different state of being. The element of the fourth chakra which is the gateway between the mind and the body is breathing. When these two are connected we are free to give from our heart, express how we feel, and receive love from those around us.
The hanami season is about to begin in Japan, and I hope you are just as excited as me. I love going to see cherry blossoms, and I would like to tell you about one of my favorite hanami spots. I first went there more than twenty years ago, which may surprise you. My father and I visited this place eight springs in a row, and I have been back a few more times since. This spot is in my home country, of course. In fact, it is in the capital of my country.
From early to mid April, thousands of cherry trees bloom across Washington DC. They are just as beautiful as the ones here in Japan. This is because they actually came from Japan exactly 100 years ago. It was a wonderful gift from the Japanese government, and many American people have enjoyed the classic Japanese tradition of hanami ever since. But speaking of Washington and cherry trees, there is a story I want to tell you. This is a story all children in my country are taught, and it is an old American tradition.
According to legend, when America’s first president, George Washington, was only six years old, he was given an axe. He was very excited, and went around his father’s farm attacking small trees and bushes. By accident, he also attacked his father’s special cherry tree. When his father noticed the damage, he was very angry, and wondered if one of his workers had done it. George realized that he would be safe if he lied, but he decided to tell his father what he had done anyway. The father was so proud of his son’s honesty that George did not get into any trouble.
Ironically, most historians agree that this story, which is supposed to teach American children the importance of telling the truth, is itself false, and never happened. And the cherry tree in this story was from England, a type which does not have beautiful flowers like those from Japan. Still, this old legend made the cherry trees in Washington DC even more significant for the American people, and it became an interesting blend of cultures.
I realize that you may not be able to go to Washington DC this year, but if you are ever planning a trip to my country’s capital, try to do it in early April. I promise that your American hanami experience will be one of the best and most unique you have ever had!
Imagine’s latest exhibition got off to a flying start with one of our busiest launch parties to date. Lots of old friends, Imagine members and friends of the artist came to admire Keiko Asano’s thought-provoking portraits, drawings and flower paintings. It was also a good opportunity for Imagine members to get to know Casey, who has taken over the yoga classes, as well as Brandon and Lulu, Imagine’s new English teachers.
Delicious food was provided by Itsuki Bakery, alongside a tasty vegan dip made by Kochan.
Watch this space for information about upcoming parties and events.
Imagine teacher Becca has won a prize for writing a lesson plan. Macmillan, a major publisher of English-language teaching resources, held a competition for English teachers to submit a lesson plan for their material covering differences between British and American English. We are very proud to announce that Becca’s plan was the co-winner of the prize. Her lesson plan can now be downloaded and used by English teachers all over the world. Well done Becca!
What’s your English | Baba Brinkman vs Professor Elemental Rap Battle Video
イマジン語学スタジオの講師が受賞しました
大手英語教材出版社マクミラン社主催の英語教師向けに行われたコンペにて、イマジン語学スタジオの講師 Becca が賞を取りました。Becca が考案したレッスン内容は、アメリカ英語とイギリス英語の違いについてです。光栄にも、先日そのレッスンが受賞したと連絡をいただきました。これにより、世界中の英語教師によりダウンロードされ、使われています。Becca おめでとう。
What’s your English | Baba Brinkman vs Professor Elemental Rap Battle Video
