Aug 30, 2012 |
Look out, you rock and roller yogis, the summer is coming to an end, and the Daily Downward Dog’s yoga class schedule is ch-ch-ch-changing!
Yep, this week is my last full week of beach yoga classes. As sad as that always makes me, I’m really excited about my fall schedule, a few new projects I’ll be working on (that combine my love of yoga, meditation, and travel), and new opportunities to grow in my own personal yoga practice.
The Yoga Lady Has Not Started Singing on the Beach Yet!
I have added a few September beach yoga classes, so after this Saturday you can still get your beach yoga fix on these days:
MONDAY September 3 – LABOR DAY – 8:30 AM (final class at Main Street Beach Vermilion)
Thursday, September 13 – 6:30 PM – Sunset Beach Yoga at Firefly Beach, Huron (NOTE the earlier start time due to the days getting shorter)
Sunset Yoga Class at Firefly Beach
Saturday, September 15 – 8:30 AM – Firefly Beach, Huron
Thursday, September 27 – 6:30 PM – Sunset Beach Yoga at Firefly Beach, Huron
Saturday, September 29 – 8:30 AM – Firefly Beach, Huron
In October I’ll be teaching at a new yoga studio opening in Vermilion and will post more details on that very soon.
Akron and Richfield Yoga Class Schedule
Mondays at 6:00 PM – Gentle Yoga Flow at Yoga Bliss Akron (beginning September 10)
Beginners’ Workshops
Are you hankering to give yoga a try, but want to start out slow in a supportive and fun environment? Check out my 5-week beginners’ series. I’ll be teaching this series at both Nirvana Yoga and Yoga Bliss in October.
Yoga Bliss Akron – Wednesdays from 7:30 to 8:30 PM, October 3 through October 31
Nirvana Yoga in Richfield – Thursdays from 7:00 to 8:00 PM, October 11 through November 8
I have a full description of the workshop here, and you can contact either Nirvana Yoga or Yoga Bliss Akron to register. The space is limited in these workshops, so sign up early to secure your spot.
Private Sessions, Workplace Yoga, and Parties—Oh My!
I am always available for private yoga sessions, workplace yoga, and yoga parties, so contact me for more information.
Continuing Education
September is going to be a busy month as I’ll travel to Yellow Springs, Ohio, to study with Erich Schiffman and also to Brecksville to study with Doug Keller at Namaste Yoga Studio. I’m super excited to continue my yoga studies and to learn from these two internationally known yoga masters.
Hugs & Kisses
I just want to send out a HUGE shout out and THANK YOU to all the students that showed up at the beach (through the heat and the rain) this summer and honored their bodies with the practice of yoga. It was such a gift to see all of you grow both in flexibility and in spirit. I hope the peace of the lake, the warmth of the sun, and the connection with nature will stay with you for a long time.
As you flow into this new season, do not resist the change, but rather find comfort and be glad for it. To quote a few inspirational folks:
“If we don’t change, we don’t grow. If we don’t grow, we aren’t really living.” – Gail Sheehy
“Action and reaction, ebb and flow, trial and error, change – this is the rhythm of living. Out of our over-confidence, fear; out of our fear, clearer vision, fresh hope. And out of hope, progress.” – Bruce Barton
“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” — Mahatma Gandhi
“Never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world. For, indeed, that’s all who ever have.”
— Margaret Mead
Take me out David….
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMQ0Ryy01yE[/youtube]
September Image: Geri-Jean Blanchard
Aug 28, 2012 |
Better yet, what’s SUP Yoga? If you keep seeing the letters SUP and wondering what the heck they mean, no, they are not some shortened text lingo. They stand for Standup Paddling, a new craze hitting the shores worldwide – and even right here on the shores of Lake Erie.
I got the opportunity to try standup paddling (SUP) last week with a good yogini buddy of mine, Trisha Yourkvitch. We traveled to Lakeview Park in Lorain, Ohio, to meet up with Jim Lawhead, the owner of Lake Erie Paddlers.
Jim is a long-time surfing aficionado who got introduced to SUP on surfing trips in Hawaii and California and decided to bring this cool new water sport back to the north shore of Ohio. He runs his business out of a surf shop in Lorain, Ohio, and offers SUP lessons, rentals, and excursions at Lakeview Park, the Black River, French Creek, and the Jackalope Cove in Lorain, as well as at locations in Cleveland and Rocky River.
My first experience started with a 15-minute beach tutorial on SUP paddling and balance fundamentals. Then we launched the 11-foot 6-inch by 32-inch Surftech Universal boards into the water and climbed aboard.
Standup Paddling on Lake Erie at Sunset!
I’m thinking all of the yoga helped, but it was incredibly easy to stand up and get my balance. And please know that these boards are five inches thick and long enough that you will feel stable.
Trisha and I paddled into the sunset (literally) with Jim to guide us along, and all I have to say is that this was the most relaxing thing I’ve ever done on a Monday night after work. It was so peaceful out there on the lake gliding along on my board with a warm breeze brushing across my face. My mind stopped racing, and with such an expansive body of water in front of me, it was easy to let go and connect with the beauty of nature all around. The glowing pink sunset was an added bonus, and I quickly slipped into a state of utter spiritual bliss.
Sunset Bliss!
After about 20 minutes, I started to turn my board around and could not believe how far out from the shore Trisha and I paddled. Other than the few moments when a small wake kicked up (courtesy of some jet skiers), when I was truly riding the waves on my SUP board, I felt totally safe and at ease. I don’t think I would want to try SUP on a wavy Lake Erie day, but there are plenty of rivers around here that would be much more stable.
One of the reasons I’m not a big fan of kayaking is that I always have a hard time steering my kayak, but on the SUP board I had no trouble staying on course. When those waves kick up, you just bend your knees.
After we got closer to shore, the real fun began when Tricia, Jim, and I started breaking out some yoga poses on our boards. The concept of SUP Yoga has recently morphed into existence, and experienced yogis and yoginis are now taking their yoga practice to the water. Jim is currently working towards his yoga teaching certification, so he is well versed in teaching yoga on the SUP boards. The standing and balance poses were quite challenging, but seated poses on the SUP are awesome. Trisha and Jim both got themselves up into headstand, and I was doing a pretty mean downward dog and reverse plank on mine.
Downward Dog SUP Yoga Style
The only bad thing about my virgin SUP experience is that it ended too soon, when the sky got dark and it was time to carry the boards back in. The board I used only weighs 35 pounds, so it was no problem for me to carry it up the beach and a hill for storage.
I can’t wait to try SUP again. I’m dreaming of going out on Lake Erie on a calm morning and practicing some more SUP Yoga – so much so that I think it could get addicting. I’m hoping to get out a few more times before it gets too cold here. It’s a great workout, and you can’t find a better setting!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eu5TewEW8k[/youtube]
If you live in northeast Ohio and want to try SUP, please check out the Lake Erie Paddler website, and watch this video featuring a SUP yoga class taught by Jim. No worries about summer coming to an end, Jim tells me he will keep offering rentals and lessons as long as the water temperature is over 60 degrees and then wetsuits can be used when the water is between 45 and 60 degrees.
Aug 24, 2012 |
If you’ve come to one of my yoga classes, you know that I continually make reminders to be present, let the mind go so you can focus on the union of the body and the breath, coming into the essence of what yoga is all about.
Of course, being present isn’t always the easiest thing to do. So, if you need an extra little reminder to take you to that place of calm, you might want to check out the line of simple and super comfortable yoga clothing by a company aptly named – Be Present.
Their cute lotus-themed logo can be found on most of the pieces, and when I wear mine and get a peek of that logo as I fold forward into uttanasana, it always give me a subtle reminder to stay present in my practice.
The cool folks at Be Present recently sent me two pieces of clothing from their line, and I wore them this summer when I taught yoga and also attended classes.
I have to say that I absolutely love the Modal Racerback Tank they sent. I’d never heard of modal, but this fabric feels silky and soft on the skin, and it fits tightly around the waist. I like the unique detail of the gathered racerback, and the ruching in the front provides a very flattering fit (especially if you want to hide your belly).
When I first tried on the Mobility Pant, I felt more like I should be taking off for an African safari than going to teach a yoga class. But, these pants are so comfortable, and that long side slit provided a nice breeze up my legs as I taught on the beach on hot summer days. I can see myself lounging around in these on a lazy Saturday afternoon as well.
Here are a couple of cool things you need to know about Be Present:
- All their clothes are made in the USA.
- They are a small, family-owned business that follows environmentally friendly practices.
- The colors for their line are inspired by the colors of the chakras. (Humm, they sent me my Mobility pants in purple, the color of the crown chakra, associated with wisdom and the spiritual world. I like that and feel very wise when I wear them!)
- Their clothing is perfect both off and on the yoga mat, and they have great styles for men too.
ENTER TO WIN A FREE PAIR OF MOBILITY PANTS
To help celebrate my blogiversary/birthday week here at The Daily Downward Dog, Be Present is offering a pair of FREE Mobility pants to one lucky DDD reader. To enter, please do one of the following:
Like Be Present on Facebook
Follow Be Present on Twitter
Check out their clothes at www.bepresent.com – especially their new VOTE shirts!
Then leave a comment below and let me know a technique you use to help yourself to be present either on or off the yoga mat. I’m hoping to pick up a few tips from all of you, and if you struggle with presence of mind be sure to browse through the comments!
The deadline to leave a comment and officially enter this giveaway is Friday, August 28th at noon, when one winner will be randomly pulled from a hat. The winners will be announced here and also on The Daily Downward Dog’s Facebook page. Giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.
If you’re feeling a little love in your heart, please tweet or share this giveaway on Facebook or with a friend.
I’m going to purchase this shirt below to serve as an extra reminder to my students to BE PRESENT!
Wear Be Present to be in the moment, to live!
Aug 16, 2012 |
I’m really lucky in that I’m blessed with an awesome group of girlfriends. I recently had a bunch of them come to visit me for a girls’ weekend and invited them to bring along their yoga mats if they wanted to catch one of my beach yoga classes.
Here is how one of my friends replied to the invite. “Hi gang, sorry for the delay in responding. I was busy getting a note from my doctor stating it’s in the best interest of all that I not participate in yoga due to I may scare everyone and look like a jackass trying.”
Her response made us all chuckle, and to be honest, I’m sure that is what a lot of people want to say to me when I encourage them to give yoga a try. There just seems to be this notion out there that you have to be young, skinny, and super bendy to practice yoga. The truth could not be further away.
Yoga is for everyone!
When my friend arrived, she told me that she really was curious about yoga and wanted to give it a try. I assured her that everyone in class is there to support her, not laugh at her, and as long as she promised to not crack jokes throughout that she should just come to class with an open beginner’s mind and give it a try.
I love teaching a class when I have friends or family members attending, and the class she attended was so much fun to make eye contact with my gal pals during class and see them smiling right back at me.
After class, my friend told me how relaxed she felt and how yoga could be a great stress-reliever for her. She also admitted that the class was harder physically than she thought it would be and that she “cheated” in class. I was quick to set her straight, because in my mind, there is no such thing as cheating in yoga class. If you can’t do a pose and make a modification to allow your body some ease and comfort, you are doing the wisest thing a yogini can do – you are honoring your body.
If you’ve been straightening a leg in Virabhadrasana II (warrior 2) because your thigh is quivering, or coming down on your knees in plank pose, that is not cheating. That is the most beautiful thing you can do for your body. The strength will come, and the flexibility will come, all in due time. In the meantime, stop beating yourself up, keep breathing, and make the modifications you need to flow through your yoga practice safely.
Don’t cheat yourself – give yoga a try!
Aug 2, 2012 |
Sharing a little TV love today with a video clip from the July 27 New Day Cleveland show on Fox8. David Moss visited Vermilion, Ohio, and along with the entire production team behind New Day Cleveland, put together an incredible show that showcased Vermilion as a road trip and vacation destination. It’s less than an hour away from Cleveland and Akron and is a great place to escape for some beach time, great food, shopping, and beach yoga!
I was thrilled that New Day Cleveland decided to include a segment on the Daily Downward Dog beach yoga classes that take place every Monday and Wednesday morning at Main Street Beach in Vermilion.
[youtube]http://youtu.be/aNxuCvVa7Vg[/youtube]
Woo Hoo, my 15 seconds of fame! At least my mother got to see it, and I think she’s pretty proud of me.
Sending a big THANK YOU and shout out to my yoga students who appear in the video, David Moss, New Day Cleveland producer Kristen Wunderle, and to the real stars of the show, the beautiful city and people of Vermilion, Ohio.
Beach yoga classes at Main Street Beach will continue through the end of August and are free and open to the public. My full schedule of summer beach yoga classes can be found below and you can find additional details on locations, class description, and fees at: https://dailydownwarddog.com/beach-yoga/
2012 Summer Beach Yoga Schedule
Mondays
8:30 – 9:30 AM | Main Street Beach, Vermilion | All Levels Hatha Flow (through August 27)
Tuesdays
7:30 – 8:30 PM | Linwood Park Beach, Vermilion | Sunset Yoga (through August 28)
Wednesdays
8:30 – 9:30 AM | Main Street Beach, Vermilion | All Levels Hatha Flow (through August 29)
Thursdays
7:30 – 8:30 PM | Firefly Beach Resort – Huron, OH | Sunset Yoga (through August 30)
Fridays
8:30 – 9:30 AM | Firefly Beach Resort – Huron, OH | All Levels Hatha Yoga (through August 31)
Saturdays
8:30 – 9:30 AM | Firefly Beach Resort – Huron, OH | All Levels Hatha Yoga (through September 1)
There’s just one month left of Lake Erie summer beach yoga, so plan your road trip to Vermilion today and go from stressed out to blissed out with the Daily Downward Dog.
