Jul 23, 2013 |
Who says summer has to be over on Labor Day? Not me!
Please join me the weekend after Labor Day on the beautiful Firefly Beach in Huron, Ohio, for a weekend of beach yoga bliss. The fun begins on Friday, September 6, with a sunset yoga class and continues with a full weekend of beach yoga and meditation classes. There’s nothing better than doing your daily downward dogs basking in the sun, with a yoga class playlist courtesy of the rolling Lake Erie surf, and cool breezes brushing across your face. Breathe, stretch, and find your bliss!
The quaint harbor towns of Vermilion and Huron are great places to get away from the everyday routine, rest, and soak up some beautiful scenery, and this paradise is closer than you think. If you live in Cleveland, the drive is just about an hour, and believe me, when you get here you will feel like you are on vacation! Make the drive up to Lake Erie for a few classes and an afternoon of exploring, or come stay for the whole weekend. Give yourself the gift of quiet, peaceful time in nature. These classes will be filled with inspirational themes to help you decompress, recharge, and reconnect to your bliss.
Schedule of events
Yoga classes will be held right on the beach overlooking the lake at Firefly Beach Resort in Huron, Ohio.
Friday, September 6
Sunset Vinyasa & Meditation | 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM
Saturday, September 7
Sunrise Meditation | 7:00 to 8:00 AM
Vinyasa & Meditation with Tracy Rhinehart & Maria Santoferraro | 8:30 AM to 10:00 AM
Afternoon: Free time to explore Vermilion and Huron on bike, kayak or standup paddleboard. Have lunch at one of the great restaurants in downtown Vermilion, visit the shops and nearby wineries, hang out at the beach, relax, and unwind. Thai massages will also be available.
Sunset Vinyasa & Meditation | 7:00 to 8:30 PM
Sunday, September 8
Morning Vinyasa & Meditation | 8:30 to 10:00 AM
All classes except for the Saturday morning meditation class are one hour and a half to provide extra time for discussion, pranayama breathing exercises, a longer savasana, and meditation. Each class is $15. The sunrise meditation class on Saturday is $5. Early bird pricing for the entire weekend is $55 if you sign up before August 30.
All Levels Welcome!
If it is raining or there is a chance of rain, classes at The Firefly Beach Resort will be held under a covered pavilion that has an awesome view of the beach!
How to Get There
The Firefly Beach Resort is located directly behind the Erie Kai Tavern at 4903 Cleveland Road East (Route 6) in Huron, Ohio, just minutes away from Sandusky, Ohio and Vermilion, Ohio.
Please park in the front by the Erie Kai Tavern or in their side parking area and walk down towards the beach. Check-in for classes is under the pavilion at the top of the beach.
Saturday Afternoon Activities
If you are interested in trying out standup paddle boarding or a Thai massage, please check out this updated post about these two exciting activities that will be offered on Saturday.
Join me on Saturday for Standup Paddle Boarding and Yoga!
Where to Stay
Firefly Beach has cabins at the resort for rent and vary from $99-$140 a night or you can also camp or park an RV on the property for a small fee.
You can also visit the Vermilion and Huron Chamber of Commerce websites for a list of places to stay in Vermilion and Huron:
http://vermilionchamber.net/vermilion-accomodations/
http://www.huron.net/memberslisting.html
Registration
You can sign up for individual classes or the full weekend below with a secure payment via PayPal, or contact Maria at (330) 289-7026 for additional information and registration.
Please contact me if you have any additional questions, and I hope to see you at Firefly Beach September 6–8!
Jul 3, 2013 |
The Daily Downward Dog is seeking a dependable and cheerful certified yoga instructor to lead weekly yoga classes on the beach. Please read the job description below and leave a comment if interested.
Job Description:
Beach Studio Maintenance. The beach is your yoga studio, so you will be responsible for keeping it maintained. This duty includes raking the beach to prepare your beach studio floor, and may also include removal of debris, the occasional dead fish, and at times large sandcastles built right in the middle of your beach studio. Basically, you will need to arrive early and be prepared for just about anything; you never know what unexpected delights a storm, heavy wind, or beachgoers might have left the day before.
Meteorologist. Knowledge of weather patterns and a degree in meteorology or experience as a storm chaser is preferred. You will need these skills to determine if a class should take place or be cancelled due to inclement weather. This is Lake Erie, Ohio, so you have to go with the flow and at times teach a class when it is a bit chilly, or when the heat feels more like a Bikram yoga studio, or there is a slight drizzle of rain, or huge gusts of wind threaten to blow your mat away. Sometimes when there is heavy rain class will wind up under the cover of a pavilion. No matter what, always keep the safety of your students as a number one priority! Your students are dedicated yogis, so even if you think the weather is not going to cooperate, they will be there ready to practice yoga come rain, snow, or sizzling hot temperatures.
Strong Voice. You will need a voice that can project over soaring winds and crashing waves. Some days you can deliver your cues in a whisper, and other days you will need your voice to carry like you are delivering a speech in a huge auditorium.
Adaptability. The ability to stay calm, be in the present, and think on your feet is a necessity. You will encounter many distractions: eagles soaring through the sky, dogs running into your practice area, fish jumping out of the water, rainbows, small kids that pull up their beach chairs to watch the class, and at times noisy boats or beach tractors. But none of this will bother you, of course. You’ll teach through the distractions with the sheer focus of guiding your students to a place of bliss.
Expandable Heart. At times you will be so full of joy from the sun shining down on you, the smiles on your students’ faces, and nature’s playlist of wind and waves that your heart will feel like it is going to burst wide open. At these precise moments, your expandable heart will need to kick into full gear so you can share this incredible joy with the entire class.
Benefits: We provide a benefits package that includes sunscreen to keep your skin protected, lots of water to keep you hydrated, plenty of sunshine, and smiling faces. If you are lucky you will also get to pick up a few pieces of sea glass and make many new friends!
Ok, truth time: I’m not really looking for instructors. I just thought it would be fun to share my summer beach yoga job description with all of you. Even on those days when I show up at the beach and have to bury a dead fish, I still pinch myself that I get to do what I love and that I get to do it in such a beautiful place – with such awesome yogis!
I’m sending out a big thanks to everyone who has come to a beach yoga classes this summer! We still have two months to go, so if you have not made it out for a class, please check the schedule and join me soon for a little beach yoga bliss.
Jun 28, 2013 |
Do you have trouble quieting your mind when you meditate? If so, no worries, each time your mind goes wandering off you have the perfect opportunity to experience a magic moment, and I will tell you how!
I have been reading a lot about meditation lately to help deepen my own practice and to prepare for my vinyasa & meditation classes at Yoga Bliss Akron and more Hang Ten Meditation videos. I’m a sucker for fun book titles, so when I saw the book Real Happiness: The Power of Meditation by Sharon Salzberg, I had to check it out. I already know meditation can cultivate happiness, but I wanted to tap more deeply into this power that Sharon talks about.
One of the hardest parts of meditation is keeping the mind from wandering off to other thoughts. I’ve always been told that it is the mind’s job to wander. I loved it when Sharon confessed in her book that even the most seasoned meditators still struggle with this.
The key to managing a wandering mind is to not beat yourself up when your thoughts meander during meditation, but rather to simply acknowledge each thought and then let it go just as easily as it came as you refocus on your breath.
According to Sharon, when you realize that your thoughts have wandered, this is a truly magic moment because it grants you the opportunity to come back to your breath and back to your meditation practice. And, it gets even better – you can have as many magic moments as you like during a practice!
The magic moment really resonated with me, and I’ve started to employ the concept it in my meditation practice. Now when the chatter in my mind starts taking me on a tangent during meditation (and some days my mind is on a quest to rack up as many frequent flier miles as it can) and I come to that realization, I think to myself, “Oh cool, it’s magic moment time.” I return to my breath and start my meditation practice again. This magic moment brings me a sense of lightness and ease, and at times it makes me feel downright giddy. It fills me up with a sense of warmth, acceptance, and love, and that is the magic we should experience when we meditate.
I encourage you to give this cool concept of the magic moment a go the next time you meditate. It has been a game-changer for me.
If you have always wanted to try meditation, Sharon’s book is a perfect guide to getting started. It discusses how to sit, how to breathe, and how to start and maintain a meditation practice. One of my favorite parts of the book is the CD that Sharon includes to provide several audio meditation exercises. Real Happiness: The Power of Meditation is a straightforward guide to finding more creativity, peace, and balance (aka happiness) through the practice of meditation.
Jun 19, 2013 |
This Sunday there will be a full moon – but not just any full moon. This one is being touted as a SUPER full moon, aptly named because it is going to be the night of my inaugural Full Moon Yoga class!
I’ve always wanted to teach yoga during the full moon, and this year I’m finally getting around to it with a Super Full Moon Yoga class to be held at Firefly Beach on the lovely shores of Lake Erie in Huron, Ohio.
The reason for the SUPER moniker is due to the fact that this full moon is not only the closest and largest full moon of this year, but it also will be the moon’s closest encounter with earth for all of 2013!
WOW – please join me and tap into the power and energy of this super full moon and align with the natural rhythms of the season. It is said that the full moon is a time that brings closure to things that no longer serve us, enabling us to set intentions and dreams to nourish us in the days to come. Plus, this full moon falls just two days after the Summer Solstice (the first day of summer and longest day of the year), so it will be a magical night out on the beach.
We’ll enjoy rhythmic and empowering moon salutations; nurture our bodies, minds, and souls; balance our energies; and awaken our creativity and intuition as we flow through asanas in the divine light of this super full moon. There will be time at the end of class for meditation, setting intentions, and sending dreams out into the universe.
Feel free to come early to Firefly Beach to catch the sunset at 9:05 PM (I recommend you get there at about 8:50 to fully appreciate the beauty of the big orange ball dropping down into the lake). The Super Full Moon class will start at 9:15 PM and is a one-hour, all-levels-welcome class.
What to Bring: I’ll have sheets down on the beach to protect your yoga mat or towel. Bring flashlights to help guide you back up the hill to the parking area after class. There will be tiki torches on the beach to provide light. You may want to bring an extra layer of clothing or a blanket to cover up with during savasana and meditation, and you might also want to have some buy spray on hand.
Cost: This is a donation-based class.
Location: The Firefly Beach Resort is located directly behind the Erie Kai Tavern at 4903 Cleveland Road East (Route 6) in Huron, Ohio, just minutes away from Vermilion and Sandusky, Ohio. Please park in the Erie Kai Tavern’s side parking area and walk down towards the beach. Check-in for this class is under the pavilion at the top of the beach.
Class will be cancelled in the event of rain. I’ll post updates on the Daily Downward Dog Facebook page if the weather is questionable.
Click here for the 2013 Summer Beach Yoga Schedule!
Jun 5, 2013 |
Hanging Ten is known as one of the most impressive and iconic stunts one can perform on a surfboard. Master this maneuver – letting a wave cover the back of the surfboard, then walking to the front of the board and hanging all ten toes over the nose of the board – and you get an incredible surfing high. It’s the big kahuna, a total feeling of bliss.
When I perch my behind on the edge of my Manduka meditation cushion, let all ten of my toes dangle off, close my eyes, and allow myself to let go into meditation, this for me is the ultimate rush. It’s my version of hanging ten, of finding my bliss. Taking that meditation experience to the beach is even better, so I’m bringing the beach to you with my brand new Hang Ten Meditation videos.
In celebration of the launch of Hang Ten Meditation, the awesome folks at Manduka are providing me with one of their peaceinpeaceout meditation cushions to giveaway to one lucky Daily Downward Dog reader.
I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to sit comfortably with a straight spine during meditation. A big factor keeping many people from being able to meditate is their inability to sit comfortably. Having a cushion to provide hip and back support is key, and I’m a big fan of Manduka’s peaceinpeaceout cushions because they are both supportive and comfy.
The coolest thing about these cushions is you can customize them with just the right amount of buckwheat hulls to give the support and lift your body needs. The outside fabric cover – made of quick-drying, odor-resistant material – zips open so you can remove the buckwheat hulls. What are those, exactly? They are the husks of a fruit, not a grain or wheat-related source, so if you have wheat allergies you should not have a problem using this product.
There is also a groovy little handle on the cushion, making it easy to grab and take your cushion wherever you want to Hang Ten and meditate. If you want to take the cushion to the beach, no worries! The cover zips off and can be machine washed.
The size of the cushion is 15” in diameter by 3.5” in height, and it weighs 4.2 pounds with all the buckwheat hulls intact.
Enter to Win Your Very Own peaceinpeaceout Meditation Cushion!
We’re giving away one Manduka peaceinpeaceout meditation cushion, and you can win by showing your support for the launch of Hang Ten Meditation videos. Participate in as many of the actions below as you want, and then leave a comment to let us know. The more you share the love, the more chances you have to win!
– Stop by the Hang Ten Meditation Vimeo channel and watch a few of the videos for free. If you are feeling really generous, purchase a video and leave a review! For a limited time, the Wave Therapy video is only $1! If you like what you see, please help spread the word.
– Follow Hang Ten Meditation on Facebook and Twitter
– Follow Manduka on Facebook and Twitter
– Leave a comment below and tell us about your favorite way to Hang Ten and meditate
Deadline to enter is 11:11 AM EST on Tuesday, June 11, when a winner will be randomly selected from all entries received from peeps that live in the United States.
Meditation can be rewarding in so many healthy ways. When you can sit comfortably, you will be able to sit for longer periods of time, and that is when your meditation practice will truly blossom. A towel, pillow, yoga block, or Manduka peaceinpeaceout meditation cushion can provide the support you need.
Happy meditating!
Got ten minutes? Hang Ten Meditate with us and find your bliss!
Daily Downward Dog readers can always take advantage of Save 10% on any purchase from Manduka with offer code MARIAMEDIA.
