Training Thursday: Angie completes weekend with Nicki Doane

Posted on November 9, 2017 by 4yoga

Thanks for checking out this third installment of our occasional series, Training Thursdays!  One of the best aspects of yoga is that we all continue to learn more about it every day, and this series highlights some of our teachers’ ongoing learning experiences.

In this installment in the series, we report on Angie’s latest set of weekend workshops, this time with Nicki Doane of Maui—on Oct. 27-29, Nicki brought her Maya Yoga to Nashville.  Angie enjoyed Nicki’s blend of both Ashtanga and Iyengar styles throughout these five workshops:

  • Maya Yoga Hip Openings
  • Make Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras Juicy and Exciting
  • Introduction to the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
  • Therapeutic Yoga for Feet, Knees and Hips
  • Wake Up Your Shakti

In addition to introducing her to Nicki’s style and providing new ideas for teaching and future study, these workshops also counted as electives toward Angie’s 300-hour training program at Sanctuary for Yoga in Nashville.

Posted in styles of yoga, Training Thursdays | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Registration open: November classes at The Downing Museum

Posted on November 1, 2017 by 4yoga

To greet November, we have opened registration for the month’s special classes at the spectacular Downing Museum.  Because space is limited, we require pre-registration to manage the class sizes and cannot accommodate drop-in students.

To join us for one or both of these classes, offered at our usual class fee of $5, use the link(s) below to reserve your space.

  • Yoga@the Museum, taught by Cassandra:  Sat., 11/11, 11 a.m.—tinyurl.com/yoga-themuseum
  • Meditation@the Museum, led by Alice:  Sat., 11/18, 11 a.m.  Note that this month’s meditation class will take place a week earlier than usual to allow the museum staff to close the facility over Thanksgiving weekend—tinyurl.com/meditation-themuseum

If you click on the link and discover that the class is full, email Angie at yoga.me@gmail.com to be added to the wait list.  In your message, include your first and last names, your preferred email address, and whether you will bring your own mat.

If you register and later find that you are unable to attend, please email Angie immediately so that she can offer your place to someone from the wait list.

If you miss us at the museum in November, we hope to see you there in December.  And the folks at The Downing Museum welcome you to visit the museum and/or the arboretum any time they are open!

Door Installation at The Downing Museum
photo credit: Alice Simpson

Posted in community, meditation, mindfulness, places for yoga, schedule | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

November 2017 focus (receiving) and class schedule

Posted on October 31, 2017 by 4yoga

As we enter the month of Thanksgiving, remember to make time and space to receive as well as to give. As we add holiday expectations to our already busy schedules, it is easy to get stressed out with the yang action of doing. Adding yin and restorative classes to your practice offers a wonderful opportunity to create time and space for yourself. And savasana, at the end of every class, provides an opportunity to receive the benefits of each practice.

When getting together with family and friends, practice receiving what they are saying–or not saying. Often, we jump ahead to our own response in our minds and are not present. In relationships, you can practice this method of intentional communication: establish one person as the sender and the other as the receiver. Set a time such as 3 or 5 minutes for the sender to “send.” The receiver must only listen during this time. When the time is up, the receiver tells the sender what he or she received or heard. Then swap roles. Setting intentional time for authentic communication is a wonderful way to clear up misunderstandings that can fuel stress this time of year.

November updates and special events:

  • Monthly @the Museum classes. In November, we celebrate a year of practicing together at the The Downing Museum! Join us for one or both of our two monthly classes: with Cassandra for Yoga@the Museum on Sat., Nov. 11, or with Alice for Meditation@the Museum on Sat., Nov. 18. (Please note that, to avoid a conflict with Thanksgiving weekend, this month’s meditation class takes place on the third Saturday instead of the usual fourth Saturday.) To register for each class, click on the appropriate link: Yoga@the Museum or Meditation@the Museum.
  • Chances to practice with Debbie Marquette. We are fortunate to have Debbie teaching at 4yoga during the first week of November; check out the attached schedule to see her classes this month!
  • Thanksgiving mixed-level class at 9 a.m. on Thurs., Nov. 23. Join Cassandra for this traditional holiday class on Thanksgiving morning–all students are welcome at mixed-level classes.

For a full list of November activities, please see the calendar page or collect a hard copy at The Pots Place. We also post updates each morning on our Facebook page, should you find it convenient to keep up with us there.

Accessing studio after class has begun: Remember that even if the front door is locked when you arrive, you can still join us for class. Just come to the back door of The Pots Place (look for the blue building) and ring the buzzer. The teacher will then unlock the door remotely for you to enter through the pottery studio.

Posted in holiday, meditation, schedule, yin | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

6th anniversary party: join us on Fri., Oct. 20, 7 p.m.!

Posted on October 16, 2017 by 4yoga

On Friday evening, we are gathering to mark six years of 4yoga!  Whether you have been with us from the first class at Dance Images, back on September 27, 2011, or just joined us recently, we hope you can attend and celebrate with the members of our yoga community.

Posted in party, schedule | Tagged , | Leave a comment

October 2017 focus (Ishvara Pranidhana) and class schedule

Posted on September 29, 2017 by 4yoga
As we notice the changing colors of plants and the softer, lower light of the sun in Autumn, we see there is beauty in letting go. Plants let go of active growth as they shut down the process of producing and drop their seeds into the earth where they will rest dormant through the winter darkness and gather resources to strive again for the light in the spring.

Honor your instincts to let go and slow down as you tune in to the natural world; surrender to the life force or ultimate reality that is the source of all life. The egoic nature of humans is to push against this source, to believe that we can dominate it. But we are humbled when we see the news of a hurricane, earthquake, or forest fire. The attitude of surrendering the fruits of your actions to this source of life is a practice called, in the yoga tradition, Ishvara Pranidhana.  In the Upanishads, Ishvara refers to a collective unconsciousness–a concept that on some level we are all one.

In your asana practice, notice when you push yourself to a vigorous flow when your body really needs a restorative class. In the daily actions of life, notice when your mind is not present, when it races ahead to judging the outcome of what you are doing; “Will I be judged as wrong? Will my boss not like me?”  Reel your mind in and complete your action with no attachment to the outcome.  This is the attitude of surrendering to the Ultimate Reality and acknowledging your life as connected to it.

October updates and special events: 
  • Next book club meeting. We will gather on Sun., Oct. 15, at 1:30 p.m. to continue discussing two reach books.  Join us to share your thoughts about Sally Kempton’s Awakening Shakti and/or Rolf Gates’ and Katrina Kenison’s Meditations from the Mat.  Meditations from the Mat is available as an audio book from the Warren County Public Library.  We welcome anyone with an interest in either book to join us; please bring a snack and ideas to share.
  • Classes at The Downing Museum. In October we return to The Downing Museum for our second-Saturday yoga class and fourth-Saturday meditation class.  The class fee remains the same as at the studio ($5), and we are grateful for the opportunity to continue to practice in such a beautiful space.  See our website for links to the online registration forms.
  • Sixth anniversary potluck. On Fri., Oct. 20, we will host a potluck evening at the studio to celebrate six years of practicing together as 4yoga.  Stop by 7-9 p.m., after the Living Our Yoga Yin class concludes.  Or join us for class and stay for the party!
  • Ishvara Pranidhana focus for Living Our Yoga. This month’s Living Our Yoga class, on Fri., Oct. 20, focuses on the fifth and final niyama, Ishvara Pranidhana.  Alice and Angie return to team-teaching this month in this class that combines the traditional yin asanas with thematic readings and teachings to enhance students’ experience and to create conditions that may take them deeper into the mind, body, and spirit aspects of their practice. 
  • 10 a.m. start time for Basics class on Sat., Oct. 21.  On Sat., Oct. 21, several events will travel through or happen in downtown Bowling Green.  One of those is The Medical Center Health 10K Classic, and the race course includes Fountain Square.  Therefore, to give us extra time to reach the studio, we have moved the starting time of that Saturday’s Basics class to 10 a.m.
  • Wednesday 6 a.m. class on hiatus. In October, the 6 a.m. Flow class will go on hiatus; for a Wednesday practice, we invite you to join Leslie for the 9:30 a.m. Basics class or Frances for the 5:30 p.m. Flow class.

For a full list of October activities, please see our online calendar or pick up a hard copy at The Pots Place.  We also post updates each morning on our Facebook page, should you find it convenient to keep up with us there.

Posted in book club, party, schedule, yamas and niyamas | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

October classes at The Downing Museum: registration open!

Posted on September 25, 2017 by 4yoga

In preparation for October, we have opened registration for the special classes at the spectacular Downing Museum.  Because space is limited, we require pre-registration to manage the class sizes and are, therefore, are unable to accommodate drop-in students.  To join us for one or both of these classes, offered at our usual class fee of $5, use the link(s) below to reserve your space.

If you click on the link and discover that the class is full, email Angie at yoga.me@gmail.com to be added to the wait list.  In your message, include your first and last names, your preferred email address, and whether you will bring your own mat.

If you register and later find that you are unable to attend, please email Angie immediately so that she can offer your place to someone from the wait list.

Remember that we offer the yoga class on the second Saturday and the meditation and movement class on the fourth Saturday of each month, so if you miss us in October, we hope to see you there in November.  And the folks at The Downing Museum welcome you to visit the museum and/or the arboretum any time they are open!

Sept. meditation in the A/V room

Posted in community, meditation, mindfulness, places for yoga, schedule | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Labor Day weekend schedule (2017)

Posted on August 31, 2017 by 4yoga

If your Labor Day weekend plans include being in Bowling Green and enjoying yoga, come join us downtown, overlooking the Fountain Square renovation project, for any or all of our 6 available 4yoga classes!

Friday, Sept. 1:

  • 9:30 a.m. Gentle with Nicole
  • 5:30 p.m. Yin with Chie

Saturday, Sept. 2:

  • 9 a.m. Basics with Shigeko

Sunday, Sept. 3:

  • 8:30 a.m. Spiritual Warrior with Cre
  • 4 p.m. Basics with Shigeko

Monday, Sept. 4 (Labor Day):

  • 9 a.m. Mixed level (all students welcome) with Cassandra.  Note:  this morning, mixed-level class, is our only class on Labor Day.  As is usual for our holiday schedule, it replaces the usual classes on this day.

In addition to our ongoing community members, we welcome guests who are visiting Bowling Green for the holiday weekend!  All of our classes are drop-in, and the class fee is $5, payable in cash or check.  We also have mats and many other props available at the studio for your use at no additional charge.

Free parking is available on the street or in the parking lot immediately behind The Pots Place (next to Steamer Seafood restaurant).  For more details about each type of class, please see our class descriptions page.

Posted in holiday, schedule | Tagged | Leave a comment

September 2017 focus (swadhyaya) and class schedule

Posted on August 30, 2017 by 4yoga

We can begin to sense the obvious, yet subtle, changes in our environment indicating that fall is coming (again!). However, it’s not so easy to sense the subtle effects of change within us. Unless we become masters of self-reflection, often what we experience is a murky, vague feeling that we must adapt to the changing circumstances around us. Usually we “like” some changes and “don’t like” others.  This is not just with the seasons, but with all the vicissitudes of life.

How do you adapt to the changing circumstances of life that you cannot control? This month we use the practice of the fourth niyama, swadhyaya, self-study or self-reflection, to examine that question. We can use the changing circumstances of our lives as reference points to examine our values and look deeper into the core question: “Who am I?” Loss of a loved one, a job, a financial position, a relationship, or a function of your body with age or illness can all be catalysts for self-realization.  Using spiritual texts as guides for self-reflection, gathering in small groups for discussion, and meditating are all ways to practice swadhyaya. For another opportunity to look within, join us on the last Friday of the month for our Living Our Yoga yin class.

September updates and special events: 

  • Next book club meeting. We will meet on Sun., Sept. 10, at 1:30 p.m. to continue discussing two books from our June book club gathering.  The books are Sally Kempton’s Awakening Shakti and Rolf Gates’ and Katrina Kenison’s Meditations from the Mat, which is also available on audio book from the Warren County Public Library.  We welcome anyone with an interest in either book to join us:  bring a snack and stop by to discuss whatever sections you’ve read.
  • Classes at The Downing Museum. In September we return to The Downing Museum for our second-Saturday yoga class and fourth-Saturday meditation class.  The class fee remains the same as at the studio ($5), and we are grateful for the demand for these classes and for the opportunity to practice in such a beautiful space.  See this page for links to the online registration forms.
  • Sixth anniversary of 4yoga’s founding. On Wed., Sept. 27, we mark six years as a yoga studio!  We will celebrate more fully in October and appreciate your ongoing support for our community yoga classes.
  • Swadhyaya focus for Living Our Yoga. This month’s Living Our Yoga class, on Fri., Sept. 29, focuses on the fourth niyama, swadhyaya. This month, Alice will teach this special class solo.  Living Our Yoga combines the traditional yin asanas with thematic readings and teachings to enhance students’ experience and to create conditions that may take them deeper into the mind, body, and spirit aspects of their practice.
  • Tuesday-afternoon class on hiatus. In September, the 4 p.m. Tuesday Basics class will go on hiatus.  If you would like a Tuesday afternoon or evening practice, please let us know what time and style you would prefer.  Note, however, that Balance Tai Chi meets at the studio at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays; therefore, that time is unavailable for us to hold yoga classes.

For a full list of September activities, please see the calendar section of this site or pick up a hard copy at The Pots Place.  We also post updates each morning on our Facebook page, should you find it convenient to keep up with us there.

Posted in schedule, yamas and niyamas | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

September classes at The Downing Museum: registration open!

Posted on August 28, 2017 by 4yoga

As we prepare for September, we have opened registration for next month’s classes at the spectacular Downing Museum.  Because space in the gallery is limited, we require pre-registration to manage the class sizes and are, therefore, are unable to accommodate drop-in students.  To join us for one or both of these classes, offered at our usual class fee of $5, use the link(s) below to reserve your space.

If you click on the link and discover that the class is full, email Angie at yoga.me@gmail.com to be added to the wait list.  In your message, include your first and last names, your preferred email address, and whether you will bring your own mat.

If you register and later find that you are unable to attend, please email Angie immediately so that she can offer your place to someone from the wait list.

Remember that we offer the yoga class on the second Saturday and the meditation and movement class on the fourth Saturday of each month, so if you miss us in September, we hope to see you there in October.  And the folks at The Downing Museum welcome you to visit the museum and/or the arboretum any time they are open!

Print Mafia work in the AV room at The Downing Museum

 

Posted in community, meditation, mindfulness, places for yoga, schedule | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Work to begin on front of The Pots Place

Posted on August 21, 2017 by 4yoga

On Tues., Aug. 22, a crew will begin work to replace the awning and maintain the brickwork on the front of The Pots Place.  The project will take about two weeks and involve equipment and people in front of the building, including outside the studio window.  However, we will continue to use the front door for access during the upgrades.

We look forward to seeing the new awning installed and appreciating how it enhances the distinctive “face” of the building!

The Pots Place on June 19, 2017

Posted in studio | Tagged , | Leave a comment