Curious about Sivananda yoga? Join Emily for a Basics class in June!

Posted on June 5, 2017 by 4yoga

Several of you already have had opportunities to take class with Emily Pike Stewart, who moved to Bowling Green last August, and to enjoy the style of yoga she teaches, Sivananda. For folks who are unfamiliar with Sivananda yoga but interested in learning more, Emily has shared this description.

Created by Swami Vishnudevananda in the 1950s as part of his mission to introduce Western students to traditional yoga, Sivananda classes are taught worldwide and intersperse breathing practices and challenging but low-impact movements with brief periods of deep relaxation. This combination boosts energy and focus, strengthens/lengthens the muscles, stabilizes balance, and improves spinal and nerve health while calming the body, mind, and spirit.

Everyone is welcome in a Sivananda class! Variations are available for differing levels of experience or ability. The basic Sivananda sequence remains the same in each class, offering the opportunity to witness your own progression over time. Sivananda is a welcoming, accessible, classical practice that teaches us yoga is greater than physical exercise and can be as easy or as challenging as we need it to be. For more information, visit www.sivananda.org.

To experience Sivananda yoga yourself, join Emily for a Basics class this month on Tues., 6/6, or Tues., 6/13, both at 4 p.m.!

Posted in schedule, styles of yoga | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

June 2017 focus and class schedule

Posted on May 30, 2017 by 4yoga

It seems that everyone is feeling the joy of lush, new growth and the beauty of early summer with uplifting spirits! Focusing on purification of the body and mind this month seems appropriate, like sitting in a beautiful garden with warm spring rain washing away all impurities so that you can receive the light of the sun.

The first niyama, saucha, states that the process of purifying the body and mind results in being less distracted and less identified with them; as a result, we can see our true divine nature revealed. When our body is ill, we drag it around as a burden; in contrast, when it is healthy, we wear it like a glove. To detoxify the body, we have organs to do the work: the skin, lungs, kidneys, liver, and colon. But how do we detoxify the mind? One technique is to relax deeply, allowing both physical and mental tension to dissolve. Through this deep relaxation, we can create space to observe our thoughts and examine our desires.

To practice saucha in June, allow yourself to rest deeply in the savasana you experience at the conclusion of each class. For additional guidance and a more sustained relaxation experience, join us for one of our six Anjali Restorative classes. The Anjali style of restorative yoga, developed by Shannon Paige, with whom Angie is studying, provides imagery and breathing practices to help release tension and nourish the student. Restorative classes require no previous yoga experience, just a willingness to allow props and instruction to help you rest and restore.

New class and special event:

  • Weekly Restorative class. In response to requests for additional evening classes, in June we have added a Restorative class every Thursday at 7 p.m.
  • Book club meeting. Our quarterly book club, hosted by Cassandra, will meet on Sun., June 11, at 1:30 p.m. Our June books are Awakening Shakti: The Transformative Power of the Goddesses of Yoga by Sally Kempton and Meditations from the Mat: Daily Reflections on the Path of Yoga by Rolf Gates and Katrina Kenison. We welcome participation from everyone–you do not need to have finished either of the books to share your thoughts about them (along with tea and snacks).

June updates:

  • Classes at The Downing Museum. In June we continue at The Downing Museum for our second-Saturday yoga class and fourth-Saturday meditation class. The $5 class fee remains the same as at the studio, and we are grateful for the demand for these classes and for the opportunity to practice in such a beautiful space twice each month. See this post for links to the online registration forms—which will be disabled when the classes are full—and instructions about how to be added to the wait list.
  • Seven opportunities to practice with Debbie Marquette. We are excited to welcome Debbie as the teacher for seven classes in June; whether you enjoy a Gentle, Basics, or Mixed-level class, you will have a chance to practice with Debbie this month.
  • Sunday edition of Restorative class. In addition to the weekly Thursday Restorative classes, Angie will continue to offer the monthly Sunday-night Restorative class. This month, it meets on June 18 at 5:45 p.m. Create your own mini-yoga-retreat by taking Chie’s 4 p.m. Basics class that afternoon and then staying for the Restorative class.
  • Saucha focus for Living Our Yoga. This month’s Living Our Yoga class, on Fri., June 30, focuses on the first niyama, saucha. Team-taught by Alice and Angie, this class 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.

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

Installation_art2_Downing_2017-05

Installation artwork by Eleanor Davidson at The Downing Museum (May 2017)

Posted in book club, guest teachers, new class, schedule, yamas and niyamas | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Registration now open: June’s classes at The Downing Museum

Posted on May 27, 2017 by 4yoga
In preparation for next month, we have opened registration for June’s classes at The Downing Museum.  Because space in the gallery is limited, we require pre-registration to manage the class sizes and are unable to accommodate drop-in students.  Therefore, if you would like 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., 6/10, 11 a.m.—tinyurl.com/yoga-themuseum
Meditation@the Museum, led by Alice:  Sat., 6/24, 11 a.m.—tinyurl.com/meditation-themuseum

If you click on the link and discover that the class is already full, email Angie at yoga.me@gmail.com to be added to the wait list.  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.

And if your June plans keep you from joining us, remember that we offer the yoga class on the second Saturday and the meditation and movement class on the fourth Saturday of each month.  Of course the folks at The Downing Museum welcome you to visit the museum and/or the arboretum any time they are open!

Joe Downing pieces displayed in the gallery

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

Memorial Day weekend schedule (2017): join us for any or all of our 6 classes!

Posted on May 25, 2017 by 4yoga

If your Memorial Day weekend plans have you in Bowling Green, either as a resident or as a guest, please join us for a yoga class!  4yoga will maintain its usual class schedule on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and hold a special holiday class on Monday, giving you 6 opportunities to practice:

  • Friday, 5/26:  9:30 a.m. Gentle class with Angie.
  • Friday, 5/26:  5:30 p.m. Yin class with Alice & Angie (Living Our Yoga class focusing on the 5th and final yama, aparigraha or non-possessiveness).
  • Saturday, 5/27:  9 a.m. Basics class with Cre.
  • Sunday, 5/28:  8:30 a.m. Spiritual Warrior class with Cre.
  • Sunday, 5/29:  4 p.m. Basics class with Nicole.
  • Monday, 5/29:  9 a.m. Mixed class with Chie.

If you are visiting our studio for the first time, note that there is no need to pre-register for a class, although we do encourage new students to arrive about 15 minutes early. Also, you are welcome to borrow mats and other props at no additional charge.

All of our classes last 70 minutes, and our class fee is $5/class, payable by cash or check.

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

Special offer for South Warren Middle School parents: complimentary class!

Posted on May 16, 2017 by 4yoga

Update (6/10):  Registration is now closed for the two complimentary classes.  However, we invite you to join us for any of our 15 weekly classes:  see the full schedule here, and the class descriptions here.  In keeping with our mission to provide affordable yoga to our community, our class fee is $5 per student.

We are looking forward to returning to South Warren Middle School for its 3rd Annual Health & Safety Fair on Thurs., May 18. We hope the 7th graders are ready try some yoga with us again this year!

Heather Kessler leads SWMS students in tree pose (May 2016)

If your student brings home a business card offering a complimentary class at 4yoga and you would like to sign up for one of these special SWMS classes, follow this link to register: tinyurl.com/SWMSyogaclass.

Classes will be accessible for all levels of students, including beginners, and there are two day/time options:

  • Sat., June 10, 2-3 p.m.
  • Sun., June 11, 7-8 p.m.

You are welcome to register either for yourself or for yourself and your student; however, if your student would like to participate, a parent will need to take the class, as well.

Please note that space is limited and the registration deadline is 7 a.m. on Sat., June 10; we will disable the link and update this announcement when the complimentary classes are full.

If you are unable to attend one of the complimentary classes, we welcome you to any of our other affordable and accessible community yoga classes:  the class fee is $5, we provide mats and props, and you can see our full schedule on the calendar page.  If you have questions about the types of classes we offer, please check out the class description page and then email us (4yoga.me@gmail.com) if you have any questions about the best class for you.

We look forward to seeing many of you soon at the 4yoga studio in downtown Bowling Green–above The Pots Place (428 East Main Street), overlooking Fountain Square!

Posted in community, health fair | Tagged , | Leave a comment

June book club: join us on Sun., 6/11, at 1:30 p.m.

Posted on May 12, 2017 by 4yoga

On Sun., June 11, our quarterly book club, hosted by Cassandra Cantrell, will hold its third meeting.  We hope you can join us at 1:30 p.m. for tea, snacks, and discussion of elements of both of these books.  Even if you are only able to read part of one of the books, bring a snack and come share what you thought of what you read!

June’s books for book club!
(photo credit: Cassandra Cantrell)

Our June books:

  • Awakening Shakti: The Transformative Power of the Goddesses of Yoga by Sally Kempton
  • Meditations from the Mat: Daily Reflections on the Path of Yoga by Rolf Gates and Katrina Kenison (available on CD from the Warren County Public Library if you enjoy audiobooks)
Posted in book club, schedule | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

May 2017 focus and class schedule

Posted on May 1, 2017 by 4yoga

Yoga is a journey of creating harmony in one’s life and letting go of the blocks that keep us from this harmony. In the process, we discover a deeper reality of being, a place of contentment, wisdom and joy.                                                                   —Deborah Adele

Non-attachment is one of the essential, if not the most important, practices to Self-realization, the ultimate goal of yoga. The Self is the core aspect of you that is your true self. When you are identifying with the Self, you feel open, accepting, calm, compassionate, and trusting. The Self operates from divine intuition, whereas the (small-s) self is the ego that believes it is the doer of thought and action and is attached to the outcomes of its actions.

Fear is the only barrier to non-attachment, to letting go of desires that we think will make us happy and avoiding what we think will make us unhappy. There is a well-known practice to experience non-attachment, the Neti-Neti Meditation. Neti is Sanskrit for “not this.”  An online search will locate several guided options if you would like to practice at home.

Awareness and intention are the first steps to non-attachment:  notice your thoughts, desires, and aversions. They are usually connected to memory, to the past.  From practicing “present moment awareness” by focusing your attention on the sensations in the body and breath, you will learn to hear the voice of intuition.  You are fully equipped just as you are!  Just start practicing and join us in one of the many opportunities at 4yoga to realize your Self.
 
New teacher and class, existing class level adjustment:  
  • Welcome Beshka Moore and her Monday-morning Basics class.  We are thrilled that Beshka Moore is bringing her extensive yoga training and substantial teaching experience to 4yoga beginning in May!  Beshka will offer a weekly Basics class at 9:30 a.m. on Mondays, and she looks forward to seeing both new and ongoing students.  Learn more about Beshka in the introductory post on our website.
  • Wednesday-morning class becomes Basics level.  Beginning in May, Leslie’s class that meets on Wednesdays at 9:30 a.m. will shift its level from Gentle to Basics, allowing students who would like a morning Basics practice to enjoy three classes a week:  Mondays and Wednesdays at 9:30 a.m. and Saturdays at 9 a.m.  Students who prefer their Basics practice in the afternoon have three options, as well:  Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays at 4 p.m.
Special classes: 
  • Two monthly classes at The Downing Museum.  In May we continue at 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. We are grateful for the demand for these classes and for the opportunity to practice in such a beautiful space twice each month.  See our website for links to the online registration forms—which will be disabled when the classes are full—and instructions about how to be added to the wait list.
  • Restorative class on Sun., May 21, at 5:45 p.m.  For a special opportunity to relax deeply, join Angie for the monthly Sunday-night Restorative class.  Create your own mini-retreat by taking Nicole’s 4 p.m. Basics class that afternoon and then staying for Restorative.
  • Aparigraha focus for Living Our Yoga.  This month’s Living Our Yoga class, on Fri., May 26, focuses on the fifth yama, aparigraha. In this class, Alice and Angie combine 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.
  • Memorial Day class with Chie.  On Memorial Day (Mon. May 29), Chie will offer our traditional holiday class, a mixed-level one:  join her at 9 a.m.

For a full list of May classes, please see the calendar page or pick up a hard copy at the studio.  We also post updates each morning on our Facebook page, along with content from our blog, 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 new class, new teachers, schedule, yamas and niyamas | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

May classes at The Downing Museum: registration now open!

Posted on April 25, 2017 by 4yoga

In preparation for May, we have opened registration for next month’s classes at The Downing Museum.  Because space in the gallery is limited, we do require pre-registration to manage the class sizes and, as a result, are unable to accommodate drop-in students.  Therefore, if you would like to join us for one or both of these classes, use the link(s) below to reserve your space.

Yoga@the Museum, taught by Leslie:  Sat., 5/13, 11 a.m.—tinyurl.com/yoga-themuseum

Meditation@the Museum, led by Alice:  Sat., 5/27, 11 a.m.—tinyurl.com/meditation-themuseum

If you click on a link and discover that the class is already full, email Angie at yoga.me@gmail.com to be added to the wait list.  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 your May plans keep you from joining us, remember that we offer the yoga class on the second Saturday and the meditation and movement class on the fourth Saturday of each month.  And of course the folks at The Downing Museum welcome you to visit the museum and/or the arboretum any time they are open!

Downing_exterior_trees

Spring at The Downing Museum!

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

Welcome Beshka Moore to 4yoga!

Posted on April 20, 2017 by 4yoga

We are delighted to share the news that, in May, Beshka Moore will be joining us at 4yoga!

Beshka will teach a new Basics class that will meet at 9:30 a.m. on Mondays.  Although many of you already know Beshka from her years of teaching yoga in both Bowling Green and Glasgow, we are sharing her bio here to introduce her to all the members of our community.  We look forward to practicing with Beshka next month!

Shri Brahmananda said, “A miracle is a change in perspective.”  Whether someone is just looking for the tools to live a healthier, more balanced life or is recovering from some form of trauma, the yogic path is transformational. 

When I practice yoga, it is a chance to get out of my head and the mundane of everyday life and connect breath, body, and soul in the form of moving prayer to something transformative and divine. I discovered yoga in the early 1990s and was immediately drawn to the timeless philosophy, while the asanas and pranayama helped my body recover from earlier childhood trauma. More than anything, I craved balance in a chaotic world, and yoga was that for me. 

I began teaching in 2000, wanting to share with others the timeless tools of yoga. Whether practicing on the beach, in a studio, in church, a park, or alone, yoga connects us to something deeper, bigger, more meaningful, and to each other. 

Over the years I have taught a wide variety of yoga students and have over 1,000 hours of study in pre-natal, kids, restorative, chair, seniors, power, vinyasa, Ashtanga, meditation, chakra yoga/meditation and recovery from trauma. I am 200 RYT Yogafit and 500RYT Hatha/Vinyasa and a Reiki practitioner. I live in Glasgow with my husband and two children where I love to cook delicious vegetarian meals, spend time with my four-legged friends, and teach and practice yoga and meditation in my home studio. 

Posted in new teachers, schedule | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Gentle class hits the road: get ready, Ephram White Park!

Posted on April 1, 2017 by 4yoga

We are delighted to announce that the range of the Gentle class will soon be expanding from downtown Bowling Green out into Warren County—specifically to Ephram White Park!  For six weeks this spring, Angie will offer an abbreviated version of the Gentle class to the clients of the Warren County Parks & Recreation Department Senior Center.

The class will meet on Mondays at 11:30 a.m., shortly after the existing Zumba class concludes so that students can take both classes if they choose.  The yoga class begins on April 3.  Best of all, because Warren County is paying Angie directly, the class is free to participants!

If you or anyone you know would like to join us for this new class, please come out to Ephram White Park any or all of these Mondays:  April 3, 10, 17, and 24; May 1, 8.  We look forward to taking our community yoga classes into another community venue!

Ephram White Park sign

Join us on Monday mornings for yoga at Ephram White Park!

 

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