Valentine's Day Couple's Yoga at Birchwood Center

     This past weekend I led the Valentine's Day Couple's Yoga event at Birchwood Center in Nyack, New York. It was such a joy seeing students I know and their loved ones, who were ages 10 and up practicing yoga together. I could feel the love and healing in the room. There were many moments that touched my heart as I witnessed the partners express patience, respect and compassion towards one another as they moved into postures, held the postures and moved out of them together.

     The most significant teaching of Couple's Yoga is that it takes the spotlight off of yourself when you practice and notice how to relate with greater mindfulness towards your partner. This looking outside of yourself and yoga mat is a powerful practice that hopefully will bring more love into your relationship and our world.

     The next time we offer this event please consider giving it a try and do check into www.birchwoodcenter.com for all the wonderful events they host. Also Rebecca Kittle shown above back bending with me was the most perfect teacher's assistant. I'm so grateful and honored! I hope to see you at the next event!

All About Love! A Valentine's Day Couple's Yoga Workshop at Birchwood Center Nyack, NY

     All About Love! is a Valentine's Day Couple's Yoga Workshop for you and a special person to connect heart to heart in a deliciously sweet yoga practice. This special class is designed for all levels and will be perfect for someone who is brand new to yoga. In this heart opening class you will ground, center, and warm up alongside your partner, followed by easy partner yoga poses that will relax your neck and shoulders and strengthen and stretch your back body. We will conclude our practice with a nurturing restorative pose and final relaxation. Participants are invited to stay for refreshments and community after class.


     This practice is for couples and partners ages 10 and up.


     Saturday February 16th 3-5pm at Birchwood Center in Nyack, NY


     $65 per couple


     Early Bird Special $55 per couple if purchased by February 10th


     Please visit www.birchwoodcenter.com to register

January"s Yoga and Creative Core Conditioning Class Schedule

 
      Happy New Year! Now that we are a couple of weeks into the New Year I'm feeling good about following through with my New Year's wishes to prioritize a little more me time while balancing my family life and daily teachings. Making self care time means some big lifestyle changes. At first it sounds easy enough to do but once you get started it really does require some serious letting go of old ways to blossom a little differently in 2019. I envision myself being successful as I set my morning alarm before the roosters start singing and going to bed shortly after my youngest son. I hope your New Year's wishes come true and add onto your greatness in 2019.

      If you're looking to prioritize self care, stepping into a yoga studio to practice is always a positive move. I'm teaching weekly classes at both Birchwood Center for Yoga and Massage in Nyack, New York and Bamboomoves Yoga in Englewood, New Jersey. I hope to see you on the mat! Here's my weekly class schedule. 
     


Mondays 10am Level 1 Creative Core Conditioning 1hr 
An upbeat barefoot body sculpting class which focuses on strengthening your abdomen and lower back as well as toning your buttocks, chest and arms. 

www.birchwoodcenter.com Nyack, NY



11:45am Gentle Yoga Flow 1hr 15min
A step up from gentle yoga with easy to follow yoga flow sequences and meditative moments. 

www.birchwoodcenter.com Nyack, NY




Tuesdays 9:15am Level 2/3 Vinyasa Yoga 1hr 30min
Vinyasa flow style yoga with Iyengar Yoga style peak pose breakdowns. 

www.birchwoodcenter.com Nyack, NY




12noon Gentle Warrior 1hr 30min 
Like a level 1 posture class with Sun Salute variations, restorative yoga, meditation, breath work and no inversions. 

www.bamboomovesenglewood.com Englewood, NJ




Wednesdays 11:45am Gentle Flow 1hr 15min 

www.birchwoodcenter.com Nyack, NY




Thursdays 9:15am Level 2/3 Creative Core Conditioning 1hr 

www.birchwoodcenter.com Nyack, NY




12noon Gentle Warrior 1hr 30min 

www.bamboomovesenglewood.com Englewood, NJ




Fridays 9:30am Level 2/3 Vinyasa Yoga 1hr 30min 

www.birchwoodcenter.com Nyack, NY


   

Winter Solstice Meditation

       My dark days of December light balancing routine is to walk in the sun whenever I can regardless of how cold it is. Outdoor walking whether it's 5 minutes worth or 1 hour combined with getting on the mat to exercise and practice yoga gives me what I need to take on the coming season of Winter. Yet on the days leading up to the Winter Solstice, the darkest day of the year, it is a good time to spend some meditative moments in the dark.

       A Winter Solstice meditation you may want to consider is turning off all the lights within your home. Let your computer, TV, cell phone, holiday music and lights rest. It's now time for you and the darkness to get reacquainted, like returning home to the womb.

        Find a comfortable space to sit with an unlit candle nearby and a match to light it later. Once you're sitting and settled in the darkness, take 3 deep breaths. Rest here. The body will slow down and soon the mind will become quiet. If you're having trouble quieting the mind, place the palms of your hands on your belly and let your mind slow down by riding the wave of your breath while it moves in its natural state.

        Soon you will be sitting in stillness with your Goddess or God self. You will feel a healing cleanse come over you while meditating here. Let it wash over you. See it as a deep let go of the past year. Sit with your highest version of yourself until you feel complete. Take 3 deep breaths.

       Light the candle and notice how you feel when the light returns.


Peace and Happy Winter Solstice!

December's Offerings

Balasana/Child's Pose

         December is dark, it's cold but it's also a beautiful time of the year to go outside and attune to the beginning of nature's deep winter sleep. Spending most of your time indoors can be cozy but overtime all of that artificial light can be depressing and confuse the nervous system. Go outside and walk or sit so you can listen to nature and to yourself. Try doing this everyday for about 20 minutes. Notice how much better you feel after a week of giving it a try. Maybe it will become a New Year's habit for 2019.



         Here's my December Teaching Schedule. I hope to see you and practice with you! Peace

       

Mondays   10am   Level 1 Creative Core Conditioning (An upbeat barefoot body sculpting class which focuses on strengthening your abdomen and lower back as well as toning your buttocks, chest and arms.)   1hr   www.birchwoodcenter.com   Nyack, NY



               11:45am   Gentle Plus Yoga (A step up from gentle yoga with modified Sun Salutes. Meaning no step backs and stepping forward)   1hr 15min   www.birchwoodcenter.com   Nyack, NY




Tuesdays   9:15am   Level 2/3 Vinyasa Yoga (Flow style yoga with Iyengar Yoga style peak pose breakdowns)   1hr 30min   www.birchwoodcenter.com   Nyack, NY




                 12noon   Gentle Warrior (Like a level 1 posture class with Sun Salute variations, restorative yoga, meditation, breath work and no inversions)   1hr 30min   www.bamboomovesenglewood.com   Englewood, NJ




Wednesdays   11:45am   Gentle Plus Yoga   1hr 15min   www.birchwoodcenter.com   Nyack, NY




Thursdays   9:15am   Level 2/3 Creative Core Conditioning   1hr   www.birchwoodcenter.com   Nyack, NY 




                12noon   Gentle Warrior   1hr 30min   www.bamboomovesenglewood.com   Englewood, NJ




Fridays   9:30am   Level 2/3 Vinyasa Yoga   1hr 30min   www.birchwoodcenter.com   Nyack, NY

Thanksgiving Day Yoga Flow at Bamboomoves Englewood

It's not happiness that brings us gratitude. It's gratitude that brings us happiness.

    Please join me on Thanksgiving Day at Bamboomoves Yoga in Englewood, New Jersey for a Gratitude Yoga Flow Open Level class at 9:30am for 1hr and 30min. Please visit www.bamboomovesenglewood.com to pre register because this class fills up quickly.

Thank you!

3 Virtues- 3 Rituals Yoga Study Circle at Birchwood Center

Seeing light within the darkness with 3 Virtues- 3 Rituals.

     Seeing light within the darkness is so much better when you're not alone and rather with a loving and all embracing community like we have at Birchwood Center in Nyack, New York. This coming Friday evening Nov. 16th at 7pm-8:30pm, I'm leading a Yoga Study Circle called 3 Virtues- 3 Rituals. Here we will focus on 3 heart opening and healing meditative rituals to find Forgiveness, Compassion and Gratitude.

      First I will lead us through a Tonglen meditation. What is Tonglen meditation? Tonglen means taking and sending. Tonglen is a Buddhist heart healing meditation which enables us to take in pain and send out relief for ourselves, for other people and for the world. This loving kindness mediation helps us to realize and remember that we are not the only ones feeling pain and suffering. This practice helps us to think bigger and move out of our own misery, joy or neutral everyday feelings of boredom. Practicing Tonglen is a Compassion meditation which gives us a sense of shared humanity. This feeling of unity is what heals feelings of isolation, darkness and aggression that we feel.

      I will then lead us through a hand Mudra meditation which will focus on heart opening hand gestures. I will break down and explain each mudra followed by putting them all together into a hand yoga mudra flow. Anyone can do this practice. Its up to you to sit or stand. We will conclude this mudra flow with an easy to chant heart healing mantra.


     Finally I will lead us through a beautiful Gratitude/Forgiveness meditation that will prep your energy for the Thanksgiving Holiday ahead. Please join us and consider bringing a friend who you feel may benefit.


     Please visit birchwoodcenter.com to register for this special event.


Peace!