Spring/Summer Classes

I'll be traveling quite a bit this summer - so here's the schedule.  Please email or give me a call if you have any questions!  

June
19 - Jules
26 - Jules

July
3 -Jules
(Sunday) 8 - Jules will be teaching a special class - keep an eye out for an email with details in late June!!
10 - Jules
17 - Jules
24 - Jules
31 - Rachael

August (Restorative canceled this month)
7 - Jules
14 - Rach is back and teaching her regular schedule again!

Free Class & Pass Sale

Join me for a free class this Saturday November 12th from 12:30-1:30 at Body in Balance.  Passes will be on sale and there will be treats and cider after class.  If you can't make it to class but would like to purchase a reduced rate pass - just email me or give me a call!

Yet another time change for Restorative!

As the days get shorter and darker, I'm changing the time of Restorative yoga to let us all spend more time in daylight and have our practice later in the day - so our new time is from 3:30 to 5pm.  See you soon!

Yoga Journal DVD Reviews Coming Soon!

So many students and friends ask me about good yoga DVDs to use in their home practice. I am very lucky to have been given the opportunity to review a selection of Yoga Journal's DVDs. In the next several months I'll be publishing a series of reviews -- including home practice, therapeutic and live practice DVDs. If there's something particular you'd like me to check out just let me know and I'll ask for a copy and let you know what I think. I hope these reviews are helpful; I'm excited about using these at home and then sharing my thoughts with you about their usefulness and the practicalities of integrating what I learn into daily practice!

It's Spring and it's a Good Time to Stretch Yourself!

As the days lengthen and the temps begin to rise (although we have snow in the forecast for WI tomorrow) it's a great time to consider stretching your practice. Do something you've never tried before. Try going to a slower class if your usual practice is more aggressive. Try a flow class if you're daily practice is yin style. Be a little adventurous and have fun. And bring that same sense of adventure to the rest of your life -- take a painting class, ride your bike more, have a dinner party and get out the good china. Adventures don't have to be over the top (not that there's anything wrong with a trip to Paris) to be life changing. Remember that it's the practice that counts and practicing being adventurous in little ways can have a big impact.

Changing the Time for Restorative Yoga!

Well - the people have spoken! I asked and you all responded so it's official: Restorative Yoga will now be earlier in the day from 2-4 on the first Sunday of each month. The next scheduled class is March 6th at Body in Balance! Hope to see you there :-)

Try One Pose a Day to Start a Simple Home Practice!

Trying one pose a day at home is a great way to start a home practice. Let kids or other family members join in and play around with variations of the pose that you can find online or through library books or DVDs. Speaking of which, your local libraries and Netflix both have lots of DVDs that can inspire you. There are plenty of beginning yoga DVDs out there; they are a great way to take a class with a master teacher!

Free Pilates and Yoga at Body in Balance!

Jules and I will be teaching a free class that offers 45 minutes of Pilates and 45 minutes of gentle Hatha Yoga sometime soon at Body in Balance. I'll post dates and send out an email soon -- but feel free to give me a call for more details if you're interested!

Finding Your Own Style of Yoga

Sometimes a student comes to my class a couple of times and then asks me about whether I can recommend a more difficult or vigorous class. I teach very gentle classes and sometimes students want something that pushes them or challenges them in a very physical way. I always encourage them to try other classes around town -- I would encourage anyone to do the same. It's important to remember that there are lots of different styles of yoga and that what feels "right" for your body on one day or during a certain period of your life, may feel not so "right" at other points. Personally I think it's great to explore all kinds of yoga -- although I would always make sure that the teachers are well educated and knowledgeable and encouraging. For a good overview of some of the types of yoga practiced in the US check out this Yoga Journal article; for a list of qualified teachers take a look at the Yoga Alliance web site.

Happy Practicing and Happy March!!!

Supporting Your Home Practice

I'm always asked by students (as well as friends and family) how they can start creating their own home practice. And although much of it comes down to just being consistent, and setting up a convenient place in your home, sometimes props and tools can really make a difference. I recently took a look at an interesting new product from My Yoga 2 Go which some of you may find really useful for home practice -- or practice while you're traveling.

The practice system they sell has an interesting twist -- it includes a display case which holds 60 yoga cards (and many of you know how much I like using yoga cards for home practice) and allows you to hang them up on a wall, door knob or on the back of a chair. Conveniently you can buy the system with the case and cards or you can just buy the case or cards separately. I was able to play with the whole system and really found it useful. One of the pluses of the cards that come with the system is that they have color coded a series of different practicing sequences right into the cards, but other cards work equally well in the display case.

If you're looking for something to help you with your home practice or a fun yoga-related gift to give someone for the holidays, I think this would be a great choice.

Yoga Away From Home

I'm in DC this week for a work related event and when I travel I like to check out local yoga studios or venues and drop in for a class or two. It's a great way to experience other teacher's methods and have access to a wider range of techniques and styles. Next time you're on vacation or traveling for work see if you can add a class to your trip -- it's a wonderful way to enhance your exploration of a new city or town. One of the easiest ways to find good solid teachers and classes is to visit the Yoga Alliance website where you can search for registered teachers by city or state.

Remember to listen to your body when traveling by taking classes that are both appealing and at a level that's comfortable for you. If you've only been doing yoga for a little while, be careful about taking an advanced class or even an intermediate. Terminology varies wildly -- a gentle class at one studio might be considered intermediate at another depending on the environment and style of yoga taught. Any yoga studio or teacher should be very happy to answer questions about the difficulty of the class -- so call ahead and ask if you have concerns!

Home Practice

Students and friends ask me about home practice a lot. Here are a few simple methods to help ease your way into a rewarding practice away from class.

1. Set low expectations -- try just practicing a few poses for 10 or 15 minutes a few times a week to begin with. Don't set yourself up for a difficult time by insisting that you must practice for an hour or more everyday. Start slowly and you'll be amazed at the results.

2. Set up your space -- find a place and keep it set up to do yoga if possible. Set up part of a guest room as your mini yoga studio. Find a basket for props, your mat and eye pillow. Set up a little table with incense or anything else conducive to your practice; maybe bring in a portable music system of some sort. All of this means that when the mood strikes -- you aren't having to hunt for your mat or strap or that yoga cd that you love to practice to.

3. Get others involved -- see if your kids or partner want to try a little yoga with you. Share a yoga book with them and work on teaching them the things you learn in class. Kids are natural yoga practitioners - super supple and the animal and nature inspired names (cobra, tree, camel, etc.) are fun for them to talk about and use as they practice.

4. Most important -- enjoy. Don't make yoga another stress, another thing you have to do. Some days a bath, a walk in the wood or cuddle time with someone you love is the best yoga there is. Find your yoga in all your daily activities and relax about your practice!

About Summer Practice

It's finally getting warm out there so I just thought I'd remind everyone that while it's lovely to practice outside you may want to try and find a shady spot. Practicing in the direct sun may overheat the body -- be careful and drink plenty of water after (and even during) your practice. Also, be aware that some of your standing balance poses may feel a little different out of doors -- for example in triangle pose when you turn your head and look up you will find that you have the sky as a focal point not the ceiling. This can play around with your sense of balance so again, slow down a bit, and experiment. A big shade tree can be beneficial -- something to block the sun's rays a bit and leaves and branches to give your eyes a focal point when gazing up. And of course a trunk to lean on if you need extra help balancing!

Enjoy your summer, and your summer yoga!!

Next Restorative Class is Sunday July 6th!

I can't believe how June is flying by!! It was good to see some of you at last month's Restorative Class and I just wanted to remind you that our next session is coming up! Join me for two hours of yoga and relaxation on Sunday July 6th from 4:30-6:30 at Body in Balance. Hope everyone is having a wonderful summer!

Namaste,
Rach

Another Same Time, Different Day Restorative!

Because of some work related travel conflicts I'm moving our Restorative yoga to Saturday again. Class will be on April 5th -- so please join us from 4:30-6:30 on Saturday April 5th at Body in Balance. Hope to see you there!

March Restorative -- Same Time; Different Day!

With March fast approaching I just wanted to post a reminder that this month our Restorative class will be on Saturday March 1st. Hopefully March will be a month of changes -- melting snow, sunshine and maybe even a little green replacing a lot of the white stuff. Come join us on 4:30-6:30 on Saturday, March 1st at Body in Balance and optimistically celebrate the change in seasons!!!

February Restorative Class Date Change and Yoga Lunch!

At class last Tuesday night it was mentioned that the Super Bowl is coming up on the weekend we would normally have had our Restorative class -- so that class is migrating to the next Sunday, February 10th. So please join us at our usual time (4:30-6:30) to relax for a couple of hours with good music and candlelight at Body in Balance.

February also brings a return of Rach and Deb's Yoga Lunch on Saturday the 9th. It's going to be lots of fun with tea sandwiches and yummy scones. A great break from errands and running around on a busy weekend!

Join Us on Tuesday Jan. 1 for Yoga!!!

This year the 1st falls on a Tuesday -- so come join me and let's melt away those hangovers with Hatha and Restorative yoga. Class will be at the normal time (5:45-6:45) at Body in Balance!

Happy Holidays Everbody!!!

Namaste,
Rach

Yoga Cards

Various of you have asked me about yoga card decks that I really like and so I'm finally posting my two favorites. Here they are!! Check them out on Amazon.com -- the first has line drawings and the second uses photos.

The Yoga Deck: 50 Poses & Meditations for Body, Mind, & Spirit by Olivia Miller


Yoga: The Poetry of the Body: A 50-Card Practice Deck by Rodney Yee

Yoga when you're under the weather...

Everyone at work seems to be sick right now ... and I managed to pick up the pesky bug myself. Yoga with a cold or flu is usually ok but only you can judge whether even a gentler practice is a good idea. I find that inversions are not really very fun -- makes my head feel even stuffier and congested. Even restorative poses may need to be modified; in the same way it can be hard to sleep at night lying flat with a cold, lying flat for yoga may not feel great either. You can try using props to raise your head and upper body a bit so you are in a supported and slightly angled reclined position for poses like Savasana. Remember to keep your tissues handy when you practice. And of course, force the fluids, take a hot bath, have some chicken soup or veggie broth and take your vitamin C!