Yoga for Stress Relief Returns Jan 9th

For those of you in need of rejuvenation in January, I'll be offering "Yoga for Stress Relief" again Sunday afternoon January 9th from 3-5 PM. A great way to begin your new year with new tools to combat stress and its negative consequences. The class fee is $35 and is limited to 10 participants. Sign up via phone (206.842.7570) or at spiralchristy@gmail.com to reserve your place.

A Busy Month

Well a month sure did fly by for me.."in the last episode" the studio was closing due to the snow and cold temperatures. Much has transpired since that posting: a 'mini break' overnighter with Mike to the city to hear some inspired music by The Frames. A long weekend in Salt Lake City (alone) where I took two Pilates classes; a Reformer Class and a Foam Roller Releasing class and caught up with my sister and niece. A plethora of projects; making wreaths for house and studio, bath salts for clients and lots of baking and entertaining. Last week, thanks to Tijen and Clay, I recorded "Yoga Nidra" an audio CD practice and am now finishing that project..Oh yes there was a major holiday in there, too! Entering a second week of "Winter Break", most classes will be held as usual, weather permitting. Please check the class listing on this site for details. This photo was taken along the Snake River near my family's cabin at Last Chance, Idaho. Happy New Year!

Cancellations for Snow and Cold

As beautiful as it is, the snow does wreck havoc on our schedules! There will be No Monday Evening Pilates Mat (BIMRD) tonight.

Because of the expected very low temperatures overnight for tonight and Tuesday, Studio Classes MAY BE CANCELLED:

This will affect Tuesday 1:00 Studio Group, Wednesday 12:00 Pilates Mat and 5:45 Dynamic Flow Yoga classes held in my yurt. It's nearly impossible to get beyond a 30 degree temperature difference from the outside (so if it's 35 outside, I can get it to 65, but if it's 20...well that means an indoor temp of around 50..!)Please Check back with me concerning these classes..e-mail or phone, if you don't see the update you need!

Core Strength for Teen Athletes and Dancers

Today is the first class in this new series for teens. I'm very excited to be offering this and to work with a larger number of teens, all girls in this group of 10. I've been working with teen athletes for over two years, in private and semiprivate classes using the equipment. This is the first time I've developed a mat class for them. Pilates is such a great opportunity for young women to start to 'feel their power' from the inside. The sense of a strong core and center can really enhance their confidence and their sense of self, at a time when they might need it the most. I believe that energizing the lower body and core, as we do in Pilates, is one of the reasons that students come away feeling so good; empowered and centered. The Chakra system describes energy centers in the body. Muladhara is the 1st chakra located at the pelvic floor. It connects to security and the sense of being rooted. Swadhisthana, the 2nd chakra, is located just below the navel and connects to creativity and joy and Manipura , at the solar plexus/diaphragm, connects to a sense of personal power . When you get these three chakras aligned and engaged you feel like you can take on anything!

November Holiday Schedule

There are a few schedule changes coming up this month:

The Following Classes are cancelled on these dates in November:

Nov 11 Thursday 1:00 Studio Group

Nov 12 Friday 9:30 Yoga & Core

Nov 25 - Nov 27 All Classes/Groups

(Thanksgiving Weekend)

Cultivating Fire in the Darkness

Now that Halloween is over and November dawns, we move into "Deep Fall'' in the Northwest. The days are alarmingly shorter (dusk/dark at 6:45 tonight!) and the daily high temperature keeps getting lower. Many yoga teachers see this as a time for enclosing and drawing inward, with slow movements, forward bends, and long held stretches. While that may sound comforting to our instinctual sense of hibernation, I actually feel this is the time to set 'the house on fire' with more demanding sequences and movements, and at a swift pace, to invite our endorphins to go into high gear. In cultivating fire in the darkness we can stave off the gloom that sets in between the lack of daylight hours and the clouds and rain that diminish the precious light we have. Endorphins are our own "happy pills" released by the brain during vigorous activity and other moments. Once we have activated our endorphins, then we can go deep and slow to satisfy that 'hibernation response'. This method has been great for my classes, keeping spirits up and smiles ready through the darkening months. In the winter, I also focus on backbends which are enlivening and uplifting as well (and believed to enhance immunity through the stimulation of T-cells via spinal extension). With all that said, there is also sometimes a real need for quiet and calm to heal stresses of the body, mind and soul. "Yoga for Stress Relief", November 20th and January 9th are slow restorative workshops entirely devoted to rest and support. With both 'fire building' weekly classes and restorative 'events' I think we can all make it through another Northwest winter!

Relief for Your Stress Coming Soon!

My very popular workshop "Yoga for Stress Relief" is happening again on Saturday November 20th, from 3 till 5 PM. This quiet and calming practice focusses on Restorative Yoga (using bolsters, blankets and other props to aid in making the postures very relaxing and easy). We still will practice all the essentials: forward bending, twisting, back-bending and inversions, but with 'a little help from our friends'. We will also practice pranayama (yogic breathing) and accessible meditation techniques. This is all meant to aid in our quest for better ways to manage the stress life has presented us with. Happening the weekend before Thanksgiving, I'm hoping this workshop will usher in a calm holiday season and an internal preparation for winter.

And yes, we'll get to use the new wall!!

Class fee is $35, class size limited to 10. All levels welcome! Very good for beginners.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch- Changes...

Several schedule changes are looming on the horizon, near and far..

First off, the Saturday yoga retreat has been postponed to a later date in the winter, due to low enrollment. I'm looking at Saturday, February 2 as the rescheduled day.

Tuesday Dance+ class is cancelled for the rest of the Fall and being replaced by "Yoga & Core" now at 9:30 at IYS.

There will be a Studio Group this Saturday 10/23 after all!

These are Holiday break days:

NO CLASSES 11/25-11/28 (TH-SAT) Thanksgiving Weekend

NO CLASSES 12/3-12/4 (FRI-SAT) Christy in SLC

NO CLASSES 12/24 & 12/31 (FRIDAYS)

Currently I plan on teaching during the holiday weeks, except for these dates.

There will be an interim session for Monday Pilates Mat classes:

12/21, 12/28 and 1/3 and 1/10. Details about this later.

Restorative Embodied Self-Awareness as a Path to Well-Being

A recent article from Psychology Today speaks to everything I "know" and believe about movement. Entitled "Slow Movement with Awareness: Better Than Exercise?", I'll quote: "There is mounting evidence that slow movement, with body sense awareness, has astounding health benefits by itself and in combination with regular exercise routines." The article then describes studies involoving patients with chronic low back pain and the effects of 12 weeks of hatha yoga. Besides overall improvement in their quality of life, patients also reported decreased levels of pain, depression and disability. In addition to yoga, the article cites Body-Mind Centering, Nia and Tai Chi as

practices that produce these outcomes.

I refer to these practices as "integrative-restorative" and include both Pilates and Laban-Bartenieff Movement in this category. I have seen amazing changes in students, clients and patients as I've applied integrative-restorative movement in my work over the past 20 years. As a Movement Analyst and teacher in a P.T. clinic years ago, I was stunned that such slow, small and subtle movements (Bartenieff Fundamentals and yoga) could have such a big impact on patients' lives. More recently I observe the contentment, ease and sense of inner support my Pilates and yoga students express. Developing body sense is the key to connecting psyche and soma. I believe this connection forms the basis of the union we cultivate through our practice of yoga.

The full article by Alan Fogel is from his PT Blog, Body Sense, www.psychologytoday.com

Advancing Your Practice..What Does That Mean To You?

How do you deepen, advance and evolve yourself with your yoga practice? In this full day retreat we will work to answer your questions: How to make asana (postures) 'work' for you? Clarity in pranayama (breathwork)? A better understanding of philosophy and the Sutras? We will begin with studying the postures that are most challenging for YOU, center ourselves with pranayama and mantra practice, share ideas and observations about philosophy and end the day with a meditation.

Saturday October 23, 10:00- 4:30

$ 75 Vegetarian Lunch Included

All levels of experience welcomed!

Pre-registration required!

Limited to 12 participants for optimal attention.

108 Sun Salutations and What's Happeneing This Week

Yesterday a led group of yogis through the first third of 108 Surya Namaskara, followed by Michele and Kristy. 108 represents the number of beads in a mala used for meditation, so the practice becomes an offering, a dedication and quite meditative, really. Takes about 95 minutes, I felt exhilirated at the time, and just a little bit sore today. This was part of a celebration of National Yoga Month.

It was so great, we'll do it again soon! New Year's Day? Join us then!

This week I'll be teaching a couple of extra yoga classes you might like to try: Gentle Yoga (Thurs at 10:00) and Hatha Flow (Sunday at 9:00) at Island Center Hall. I'm subbing for my good friend Carol Wallace and I love teaching her classes for her! Both groups are wonderful! Come drop in this week! $15 per drop in.

See you on the mat!

More From Sunday's Mother and Daughter Yoga Day Retreat

Mother and Daughter yoga Day Sept 2010

Here's a look at a henna tattoo one of the girls designed and made at Sunday's event. We had a great time! Vigorous asana class to start off, lunch break followed by tattooing time then a cozey restorative practice..ended the day with yummy "Sunnshine Yogurt"! There were 5 lovely girls (and young women) and 5 equally lovely moms participating. My Sophie was a big help !

Fall is Now "Underway"!

All my classes are currently up and running! This Sunday I will again hold a Mother and Daughter Retreat. From 11- 4 PM, giving everyone lots of together time for yoga, lunch, henna tattoos, more yoga and finally a sweet treat from Sunshine Yogurt! There is still space for a couple of Moms and Daughters!! Sign up via e-mail at spiralchristy@gmail.com. $70 per couple/ $30 per additional daughter. Girls 9 and up please. The photo shows henna tattooing fun, a big hit at the May retreat!

What I did on my summer vacation!
Baking for Sophie's 13th Birthday party. 3 Layer Chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream and covered with ganache..I like to apply myself to new endeavors when I'm "off"!

This Fall at Art of Movement

After a bleak summer for sunshine here on Bainbridge, Fall isn't looking so bad! Back to school, cool weather with indoor time means back to Yoga & Pilates! I'm starting off the Fall season with a Back to School head cold! Apparently needed a bit more 'down time' before things really get rolling. Next week starts the Dance+Yoga+Core class at the Island Yoga Space (Tuesdays at 9:30) to get our minds and bodies moving and expressing. Planning a Retreat for October; "Advancing Your Practice" and workshops throughout the Fall.
Also helping The Island Yoga Space (IYS) with Yoga Month activities. September is Yoga Month! On Sept 26th I'll help to lead "108 Surya Namaskara" (Sun Salutaions), as a part of their sampler day of yoga. This is a donations only event, with all $$ going to help the IYS finish their second year in business in good form.

This is the first post!