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.