June 2021: outdoor classes, limited indoor classes, meditation workshop

Posted on June 1, 2021 by 4yoga

Since March 2020, we have enjoyed expanding our connections with all of you beyond the walls of the studio itself.  We have experienced some truly magical days of outdoor yoga, with perfect weather conditions and chances to see and talk with each other.  And, during the winter, we have practiced with students from five states via Zoom.

However, we know from your feedback that you are eager to return to the studio, and we are happy to announce that we will begin a gradual studio reopening* for vaccinated students and teachers in June!  

For vaccinated members of our community, June offers a weekly Chair class, taught by Angie and Frances, on Thursday mornings at 9 a.m.  We particularly look forward to seeing former attendees at the Gentle classes as we ease back into our practice together.

Also in the studio, we will offer two one-off Basics classes as Heather and Susan each try out a noon time spot, which is an option some of you have requested. Please see the attached PDF copy of the schedule for these dates.

If you are not yet vaccinated, we welcome you to our 14 outdoor classes—including one at 7 a.m.—and Zoom meditation workshop.  The outdoor classes will continue to meet at the Bowling Green-Warren County Regional Airport, with regular morning classes now beginning at 9 a.m.

In June, we also welcome Danny Brewington back for his third Zoom meditation workshop.  On Sat., June 19, Danny will continue to explore the connection between mindfulness and the body with a special focus on relieving pain and discomfort.  The workshop will conclude with Yoga Nidra.

Workshop description: In today’s world, it’s important to know how to relax and renew ourselves with meditation. This 90-minute workshop continues to address the challenges of releasing tension within the body. Students will practice mindfulness techniques designed to stimulate alpha brain waves to achieve deep levels of relaxation and rejuvenation.

If you plan to join us in the studio, please review this post.  For information about attending airport classes, please see the end of this post.  To join us for the meditation workshop, register here so that Angie can send you the meeting link.

Finally, if you would be interested in private or semi-private studio classes with one of our current teachers to help you reconnect with your practice, please reach out to her directly for availability and pricing.  If you do not have her contact information, send a message to this address, and Angie will forward it.

Taking an outdoor class?  

If you have any questions about preparing for or participating in an outdoor class, please send an email to this address or message us via our Facebook page.

  1. Complete the 2021 online waiver form if you have not already done so this year.  (You need only complete it once, not for each individual class.  If you forget to do it before class, the teacher will have a QR code for you to scan when you arrive.)
  2. Check our Facebook page or online schedule one hour before class if the weather is questionable.  We will update in both places if we need to cancel class. 
  3. Bring or wear these items:  mat and any props you would like to use, water, sunscreen if it’s warm, layers if it’s cool.
  4. Arrive 10-15 minutes before class begins to give yourself time to settle in.

Location:  Bowling Green-Warren County Regional Airport, 1000 Woodhurst Drive.

Class fee:  $10.

* Although Warren County has recently dropped to a “moderate” level of COVID-19 community transmission (hooray!), we continue to struggle with relatively low vaccination rates.  As a result, our transition back into the studio will be slow and deliberate.  If you would like help finding a vaccination location or arranging transportation, please reply to this email, and Angie will be happy to help.

(CDC vaccine data, as of May 28:  Warren County fully vaccinated: 29.7%, nationally:  40.2%. Warren County 18 and older fully vaccinated:  37.8%, nationally 50.9%.)

The Pots Place from Fountain Square Park
June 1, 2021

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Preparing for June: information about returning to the studio!

Posted on May 30, 2021 by 4yoga

In the June email, we will share more details about our month’s schedule, which will include three outdoor weekly classes, one indoor weekly class, three additional classes, and a Zoom meditation workshop.  We are looking forward to all of these opportunities to practice together!

If you are vaccinated, we will welcome you back to the studio for a weekly Chair class, which will meet at 9 a.m. on Thursdays. Angie and Frances will teach these classes.  If you are not vaccinated, please join us for outdoor classes or the Zoom meditation workshop.

To prepare to attend an indoor class, please review this post carefully.  If you have questions that we have not yet addressed, please send us an email at 4yoga.me@gmail.com so that we can answer for you—and maybe add them, anonymously, to this post, as well!

Preparing for indoor (studio) classes

Please follow these steps to prepare to take a studio class:

  1. Pack your mat and any props you would like to use.  (The props closet is not currently open; however, chairs are provided.)
  2. Arrive 10-20 minutes before class begins to give yourself time to sign in and get settled.
  3. Enter the front door of The Pots Place and come up the stairs to the studio. 

Location:  upstairs at The Pots Place, 428 East Main Avenue.

Class fee:  $10.

FAQs for indoor (studio) classes

Please review these questions and answers to help you prepare for indoor classes.  We look forward to seeing you at the studio!

Q:  How will you determine vaccine status?

A:  We will trust each member of our community to practice the first two Yamas—ahimsa (non-harming) and satya (truthfulness)—and only attend indoor classes if fully vaccinated.

Q:  Will masks be required?

A:  No, following the CDC’s guidelines for fully vaccinated people.  Of course, you are welcome to wear one if you prefer.  

Q:  Is it necessary to pre-register or pre-pay?

A:  No.  We will continue to offer classes on a drop-in basis to be convenient.

Q:  Will there be a limit on the number of students per class?

A:  No.  Because everyone at indoor classes will be vaccinated, we will not limit class size.  However, we expect students to return gradually, as they feel comfortable.

Q:  How will the sign-in process work?

A:  We will use our traditional sign-in process with paper sign-in sheets.

Q:  What are my payment options for the $10 class fee?

A:  We continue to appreciate cash payments.  However, teachers will also post information at the studio that includes the digital platforms they use, typically PayPal, Venmo, or both.

Q:  Will mats, blankets, blocks, straps, and bolsters be available?

A:  In June, we will be providing only chairs as props.  Please bring your own mat and any other props you would like to use.

Q:  Why is only one class meeting indoors in June?  And why a Chair class?

A:  With our return to the studio, we are especially eager to see students from our previous Gentle classes and support them in their return to a consistent practice.  Chairs provide us with a single, easily cleaned prop for these classes.

Thanks to Frances Strickler, Dewey Strickler, Heather Kessler, and Angie Jones for cleaning the studio!
(photo credit: Heather Kessler)
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Training Thursday: Shigeko completes Warriors at Ease Level 1 Training

Posted on May 27, 2021 by 4yoga

As we approach the Memorial Day weekend, this Training Thursday post reports on what Shigeko Sleeper has learned about supporting veterans through yoga!  In February 2021, Shigeko completed the Level 1 training for Warriors at Ease.  

The Warriors at Ease approach was developed in 2006, growing out of its founders’ research on yoga and meditation at Walter Reed, and it has since grown into a network of more than 1,000 teachers.  Its approach is trauma-sensitive, evidenced-based, and informed by the unique aspects of military culture.  (For more information on the program and its instructors, see its page on Yoga International.)

Shigeko noted that the training taught her “how words and my own attitude can influence people with physical and mental challenges,” both veterans and non-veterans alike.  She mentioned the 30-hour program’s emphasis on understanding military life and culture as one of her biggest takeaways.  Finally, she stated, “there are many veterans who served for our country and came back wounded physically and mentally.  I am grateful if I can help even one of those veterans.”

We appreciate Shigeko for continuing to learn how yoga and meditation can assist members of our community who may not immediately seek out a studio and who may especially benefit from what yoga has to offer.

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Training Thursday: Beshka completes 108-hour meditation training!

Posted on May 13, 2021 by 4yoga

Over a period of six months, Beshka Moore completed a meditation teacher training program through Full Circle Yoga School in Cocoa Beach, Florida.  This 108-hour program took place between Nov. 2020 and May 2021 and was provided by Jolie Wilson, the school’s owner and lead teacher, and Nina Chin, a facilitator.  

Beshka reports that “it was wonderful to have an entire training devoted to all things meditation.”  The course included both experiential components and strategies for sharing meditation with students, highlighting “what happens to our mind, body, and nervous system before, during, and after meditation.”  Beshka also notes that it “encourages getting used to writing and listening to my own meditations to prepare me to teach in front of students, either in person or through recordings.”

We hope that Beshka agrees to share what she learned by leading one of our ongoing monthly meditation sessions later this year!  In the meantime, to practice yoga with Beshka, please join her at her Glasgow studio, BMoore Balanced Yoga and Meditation, where she is now offering daily classes!

Beshka Moore 2021
(submitted photo)
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Looking for an accessible meditation experience? Join Angie on Sat., May 15, 11:15 a.m., on Zoom

Posted on May 11, 2021 by 4yoga

In 2021, we have taken a new approach to our monthly meditation offerings: taking advantage of the reach of the Zoom platform, we are alternating between 90-minute workshops with Danny Brewington of Sanctuary for Yoga in Nashville and 70-minute sessions led in-house, by 4yoga teachers.

Although Danny’s sessions require pre-registration and a workshop fee, our teachers’ sessions are drop-in and offered free of charge. Our teachers donate our instruction to ensure that everyone who would like to begin or re-start a meditation practice finds it accessible to do so. Both types of sessions feature a series of brief and accessible guided meditations, and they are always appropriate for students at all levels, including those who are new to meditating.

Angie Jones will lead our May meditation session on Sat., May 15. It will begin at 11:15 a.m. central (a little later than usual because she is also teaching the in-person yoga class at the airport that morning). To indicate interest, receive a Facebook reminder, or ask any questions, check out the Facebook event page. To hop directly onto the Zoom call, follow this link. Angie looks forward to seeing you on Saturday morning!

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Training Thursday: Shigeko completes two modules with Sanctuary for Yoga

Posted on May 6, 2021 by 4yoga

As you can tell from recent Training Thursday posts, Shigeko Sleeper has been devoting a great deal of time to completing continuing education workshops in the past year!  Today we bring you information about two of those trainings that contributed toward her 300-hour teacher training program at Sanctuary for Yoga in Nashville.

  • In August 2020, Shigeko completed Advanced Sequencing:  The Sacred Architecture of a Class, one of the five core modules for Sanctuary’s program.  This 30-hour training, taught by Sanctuary’s founders Daphne Larkin and Tom Larkin, “explore[s] the relationships between asanas and the deliberate unfolding of a sequence to a peak.”  About the module, Shigeko comments, “this training helped me learn how to plan and execute flow classes,” increasing her confidence in offering that style of class.
  • In December 2020, Shigeko completed Anatomy, a 20-hour elective module for the 300-hour program. This module was taught by Sonjé Mayo and Daphne Larkin.  As Shigeko notes, anatomy is an area where teachers build foundations of understanding in our 200-hour training programs and later benefit from returning to formal study to “reinforce [our] knowledge and remind [us] how important it is to teach yoga in a safe manner.”

We appreciate Shigeko’s dedication to continuing her own learning about yoga and the teaching of yoga, and we enjoy the opportunities to reap the benefits of these trainings in her classes!

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May 2021: 3 weekly outdoor classes + monthly Zoom meditation

Posted on May 4, 2021 by 4yoga

Although April showers took priority over some of our recent class plans, we have high hopes for May flowers and sunshine for our upcoming ones!

We know, from our recent survey and individual conversations, that many of you are fully vaccinated and eager to return to indoor classes at the studio.  So are we!  We look forward to practicing with you there when the public health situation improves even further.  However, for May we will continue to prioritize safety by keeping classes outdoors.  These outdoor classes meet on the lawn near the parking lot at the Bowling Green-Warren County Airport.  

The outdoor option also allows us to continue to provide drop-in classes with no pre-registration required:  just arrive a few minutes before class, contribute your class fee ($10), and claim your spot!  We have heard from some of you concerned about perhaps arriving a few minutes late—we understand that sometimes schedules don’t go according to plan and, in fact, sometimes the days we are running late are the days we most need yoga!  So we welcome you to join us whenever you can.

May yoga classes

See the overview of the May schedule in the list below and the information at the bottom of this message for step-by-step instructions to joining us for an outdoor practice.  As always with outdoor classes, please check our Facebook page or online calendar before traveling in case weather necessitates a cancellation.

  • Mondays at 5:30 p.m. (exception:  Memorial Day, when the holiday class will meet at 9:30 a.m.)
  • Wednesdays at 9:30 a.m.
  • Saturdays at 9:30 a.m.

May meditation session

Join Angie on Sat., May 15, for this month’s meditation session:  please notice that it will begin at 11:15 a.m. because Angie is also teaching the outdoor yoga class that morning. 

This class is a drop-in one; it will be held on Zoom and is offered at no charge.  It will feature three guided meditations and optional time, after the meditations conclude, to discuss our meditation experiences together. 

Here is the link to our Zoom meeting, or you may also join using the Meeting ID (897 8269 8358) and Passcode (217420).

Taking an outdoor class?

Use this information to join us for our outdoor yoga classes, all of which take place at the Bowling Green-Warren County Regional Airport.  If you have any questions about preparing for or participating in an outdoor class, just send an email to this address or message us via our Facebook page.

  1. Complete the 2021 online waiver form if you have not already done so this year.  (You need only complete it once, not for each individual class.  If you forget to do it before class, the teacher will have a QR code for you to scan when you arrive.)
  2. Check our Facebook page or online schedule one hour before class if the weather is questionable.  We will update in both places if we need to cancel class. 
  3. Bring or wear these items:  mat and any props you would like to use, water, sunscreen if it’s warm, layers if it’s cool, class fee ($10).
  4. Arrive 10-15 minutes before class begins to give yourself time to settle in.

Location:  Bowling Green-Warren County Regional Airport, 1000 Woodhurst Drive.
Class fee:  $10.

Join us for a class at the airport!
May 3, 2021
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Meditation Made Easy: the April edition!

Posted on April 15, 2021 by 4yoga

We are hearing from some folks that they are interested in the joining us for Danny Brewington’s meditation workshop on Sat., April 17, at 11 a.m. but aren’t sure about the process. So we’re posting this information to make sure to reach as many meditators and meditators-to-be as we can! If you have any questions, drop us an email at 4yoga.me@gmail.com or send a Facebook message.

Description:

In today’s world, it’s important to know how to relax and renew ourselves with meditation.
This 90-minute workshop continues to explore the basic fundamentals of a meditation practice, delving deeper into the techniques for physical relaxation.

Students will take a mindfulness journey through the body, experiencing the incredibly rejuvenating practice of Yoga Nidra.

The investment for this workshop is $20.

Beginners welcome—no meditation experience required!D

Process:

  1. Register for the workshop by clicking on this link: tinyurl.com/4yoga-med-made-easy-April . Note: if you’d like a confirmation of this form, select “send me a copy of my responses” right before you hit “submit.”
  2. Submit your payment in one of the ways indicated on the registration form.
  3. Check your email on Friday evening for a message with the meeting link.
  4. Click on the meeting link a few minutes before 11 a.m. on Saturday to join us for the workshop. If you are joining us from another region, please note that the time is central.
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Training Thursday: Shigeko completes Truth: Finding Your Authentic Voice

Posted on April 8, 2021 by 4yoga

In this Training Thursday post, we highlight Shigeko Sleeper and her completion of a 30-hour module with Daphne Larkin of Sanctuary for Yoga in Nashville. Truth: Finding Your Authentic Voice is one of the five core modules that form the base for Sanctuary’s 300-hour yoga teacher training program.

Shigeko completed this module in June 2020 and found it “a good experience spending time [to recognize] how I was, I am, and I will/want to be in my future.” This module, in her words, “helped me to find out about myself.”

Congratulations, Shigeko, on completing this training, along with your other progress toward completing your 300-hour credential!

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April 2021: 2 weekly outdoor classes + meditation workshop

Posted on April 3, 2021 by 4yoga

As we welcome a new month, we are excited to share our April schedule! 

Special thanks to those of you who completed our recent survey to let us know what you would like to see in our community in the months ahead.  Like you, we are excited for a return to in-person classes:  given increasing vaccination rates in our area and your self-reporting of vaccination status on the survey, we are hopeful that we will be able to return to the studio soon.

For April, we will feature outdoor classes for yoga, and we will use Zoom for our second meditation workshop with Danny Brewington.  

Yoga classes

Wednesdays and Saturdays:  yoga classes will meet at 9:30 a.m. on the lawn near the parking lot at the Bowling Green-Warren County Regional Airport.  These classes are drop-in (no pre-registration required) and are offered for $10.  See the end of this message for the instructions and a link to the 2021 online waiver.  As always with outdoor classes, please check our Facebook page or online calendar before traveling in case the weather requires us to cancel.

Meditation workshop—Meditation Made Easy:  Physical Rejuvenation

Saturday, April 17:  this 90-minute workshop with Danny Brewington begins at 11 a.m. and will meet on Zoom.  As many of you know, Danny teaches weekly classes and leads an annual meditation immersion training at Sanctuary for Yoga in Nashville.  We were delighted to host him for a meditation workshop in February and are happy to welcome him back to our community in April. 

This second workshop will continue to explore the basic fundamentals of a meditation practice, delving deeper into the techniques for physical relaxation.  Students will take a mindfulness journey through the body, experiencing the incredibly rejuvenating practice of Yoga Nidra.  Beginners are welcome, and you do not need to have attended the first workshop to join us for this one.  To post questions about or receive reminders for the workshop, check out its event page on Facebook; to register, please complete this brief form.

About Danny Brewington:  Danny is a Tennessee native who discovered meditation in 1987. Now, with over 30 years of study and practice, he enjoys great powers of concentration, breathing control, and expanded awareness. His understanding of meditation comes from a combination of philosophies, technologies, and life experiences. He hopes to inspire others to transform their lives with the power of meditation.  You can read more about him on the Sanctuary for Yoga website.

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Taking an in-person class?  

Please follow these instructions for outdoor yoga classes, all of which take place at the Bowling Green-Warren County Regional Airport.  If you have any questions, just send us an email (4yoga.me@gmail.com) or message us via our Facebook page.

  1. Complete the 2021 online waiver form if you have not already done so this year.  (You need only complete it once, not for each individual class.  If you forget to do it before class, the teacher will have a QR code for you to scan when you arrive.)
  2. Check our Facebook page or online schedule one hour before class if weather is questionable.  We will update in both places if we need to cancel class. 
  3. Bring or wear these items:  mat and any props you would like to use, water, sunscreen if it’s warm, layers if it’s cool.
  4. Arrive 10-15 minutes before class begins to give yourself ample time to set up.

Location:  Bowling Green-Warren County Regional Airport, 1000 Woodhurst Drive.

Class fee:  please place the $10 class fee in the container the teacher provides.

Fountain Square Park
March 28, 2021
photo credit: Heather Kessler

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