Every Body Deserves A Good Stretch™

Our philosophy is that everyone deserves yoga. My training enables me to offer yoga to everybody, regardless of shape, size, level of fitness or mobility. We laugh a lot, move and make noise. Chair yoga, gentle, restorative, guided meditations, moon salutations, yoga nidra (iRest), basic yoga. Balance, breath and movement.

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Monday, March 24, 2008

Links

This would be the link.


I hope the above link worked!

Insert tra la la la laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa dance here because I just figured out how to pimp my blog a little bit more with links. Hallelinkyah.

happy,
Ma'lena
Sorry I did not sign the last post. Let this one work double duty.

Crow/Spring Moon and New Session

Friday's Crow Moon Salutation class was pretty fun. Five of us laughed and said goodbye to Winter, welcoming in Spring with it's promise of blooms--both inside (of us) and outside. We worked hard, too. Since many of the people who come to class are regulars, I amped up the vinyasa, and we earned our Savasana at the end of class. Thanks to Zoe, Ron, Cate and Vivian.

Next: a big, fat apology to Ann, who showed up on Easter Sunday at 1 pm expecting a class. I was a no show; how irresponsible. Many others had told me they weren't coming to class. I was comfy at home in my jammies and just stayed that way, so, Ann, a special chocolate goody basket is being prepared for you whether you read this blog or not.

New session. Yea! First session of Spring, and we have a new teacher, Patty Heath, who is offering a Gentle Strengthening class on Thursday mornings from 8:30-9:45 am. This sounds promising and I received a little taste a few weeks ago. . .it's a nice blend of restorative, gentle and detailed standing poses. I think one of her goals is to have everyone move into a comfortable down dog! Since I've never been even close to comfort in that pose, I am looking forward to the class. We already have a few students--including me--so sign up now!

Daniella's schedule has gotten crazy so she wants to have a minimum of 4 students in her Monday night Gentle Flow. We don't have those numbers for her yet, so in the meantime, I will be tucking introductory classes in this timeslot. Keep checking the class schedule page .

If you are interested in bringing back this wonderful class of flowing poses, primarily sun salutations, then you must preregister. Check our schedule page (see above link)for an introductory class, which might happen towards the close of this session--maybe the first monday in May.

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Message from beneath the Moon Tree

I'm hanging out under the Moon Tree, breathing, listening to the tulips grow . . . soon, soon there will be blooms. After such a bountiful season of snow, can we not expect a profusion of growth?

Stuff to consider:

1) Yoda Nidra (Integrated Rest, Yoga Sleep)will be held every last friday of the month, starting in April. This class is truly an easy way to enter into sacred rest and heal from the inside out. Classes will most likely be at 5:30 or 6 pm. Cost $15.
2) I will start up a class, "Women, Weight and Body Image," to act as a support group. These workshops will be an exploratory examination of why those of us who are fat--or perceived as being so--carry too much weight, make unhealthy choices, and live from the neck up, either ignoring our bodies, or comparmentalizing to such an extent that we don't see ourselves anymore. We will discuss our experiencs with dieting and how this process has made us fatter. We will also examine the cult around dieting and how, where, when and why this has altered our awareness and sensibility. We will look even deeper into the void we try to fill with food.

I'm considering a 4 week class on Saturday mornings for about 3 hours a class. The first hour will be dedicated to talking, venting, crying, screaming and listening. This hour will also incorporate journaling, and some art therapy. The second hour will be all about our bodies: how to listen, respect, accept and honor the body we have. We will do guided meditations with specific themes that illustrate and invite us to go to the source of our fat on a cellular level. (I will reference data from the book, "Molecules of Emotions" by Candace Pert, Phd.) This second hour will also include poses that not only stretch but challenge us to be conscious of our bodies. As always, breathwork will be a component of everything--discussion, meditations, poses and resting. The third hour will include restorative poses with directed breathing,and a yoga nidra class structured around body image.

As we progress through each workshop, and successive weeks, each participant will be invited to suggest themes, ask questions, share and express.We will have homework: readings, writing assignments, art projects to continue, meditations to practice at home and at least one full meal of conscious and mindful eating.

The total workshop experience will cost $35 for each 3-hour session, $140 for the 4 weeks. If paid in advance, the cost will drop to $120. If paid in 2 payments, each payment will be discounted $5, so two payments of $65 totalling $130. If you pay for each session at a time, it will be the full price, $35. I am requiring a commitment for the entire 4-week session, and I will ask each person to sign a contract with themselves and others promising confidentiality and a willingness to be present (in all senses of the word.)

There, I've presented my ideas. If you have any comments, suggestions, additions, concerns, etc., please leave a comment or email me @ yogalena@aol.com.

Abundance,
Ma'lena