Acclimating to an indoor life is a winter happening, even in this un-extreme climate.  This transformation is a balance:  the dark to the light, the yin to the yang, the rest to the action.  And it is this stopping that is crucial to a yogic life.  It begins as a forced exile – outdoor activity curtailed -  reading more, meditating more, sleeping more, thinking more, obsessing more.  I have heard many teachers tout the importance of savasana (resting pose) as the most influential posture.  This resting will balance the movement, they say, and assist in the slow opening of the heart.

I have only to look over at the amaryllis that Aunt Madeline sent me for Christmas, as she does every year.  Yesterday the flower bloomed, after a strict dormancy, in the dead of January – a preview of my heart.

Residents of the Tannery Arts Center lofts were on storm watch last week, as the San Lorenzo River, which runs right behind their residences, continued to rise. During the height of the storm, the river was rising about one foot per hour, according to Warren Reed, director of property management for The John Stewart Company, which oversees the Tannery property. Management asked all residents to evacuate their vehicles from the parking lot in the 1030 building on Wednesday at 2 p.m., as the river was within two feet of the level. Tannery residents were able to return their cars to the garage the following day, when the river was steadily dropping.  Pictured here is the view of the overflowing river from an above Tannery loft.

2010 is upon us and with it comes the promise of plenty of amazing comic related events. From the annual conventions to a slew of new movies, it's looking like we comic fans have nothing to worry about as the trend of the last decade looks to continue into the next with yet another awesome year. While we still have a little while to wait for all of the major info that the coming convention season always delivers, I've gone ahead and tossed together a top five countdown of the most exciting things we can expect:

DC and Marvel Play Nice? - It looks like the comic landscape is about to experience a radical alteration when the 2 heavies lay on a friendlier, more approachable aesthetic to their respective universes in the next few months. Given the tendency to lean toward the dark and gritty for the past 25 years or so, I'd say it's about time for the breath of fresh air.

When travels involve predictable family drama, emotions generally run unchecked.  I have developed my yoga practice to such a habitual state, that the practice comes first wherever I am, and I remain somehow intact with the outer life. I did see and practice with my former teacher from Santa Cruz (Phil) http://eastyoga.com, as well as practice at my adopted studio, Jivamukti, www.jivamuktiyoga.com, where the owners taught master classes and a meditation forum that was powerful, the fact is, it’s all yoga, and it’s great to get out and test my core on other teachers.

As you probably know, a massive earthquake struck Haiti on Jan. 12, affecting about three million people (a third of Haiti’s population). Food, water, and medical services are desperately needed in Haiti. A number of relief organizations are trying to provide these things. If you are wondering what you can do to help, you might consider attending a local benefit (or holding your own!) or donating to one of the organizations listed below. Please contact news editor Elizabeth Limbach ([email protected]) with additional local efforts, as we hope to continue updating the list as opportunities arise.

The Sempervirens Fund purchased 267 acres of redwood forest this week from Redtree Properties, a large timber owner operating in the Santa Cruz Mountains. One acquisition, a 160-acre parcel in the Butano Creek Watershed, contains an old growth redwood forest that is home to an endangered seabird called the Marbled Murrelet. They also bought a 107-acre redwood forest located between Castle Rock and Big Basin State Parks. The Sempervirens Fund will manage both parcels until they are able to transfer them into the California State Parks system. A free, public celebration will take place on Saturday, March 13. For more information, visit their website semepervirens.org or call (650) 968-4509.