Sonic Massage sessions with Faye Henry: Sun., May 8 & Mon., May 9

Posted on April 25, 2016 by 4yoga

For two evenings in May, we are pleased to host Faye Henry, an internationally recognized gong artist, who will provide hour-long sonic massage opportunities:

  • Sunday, May 8 (Mother’s Day):  6–7 p.m.
  • Monday, May 9:  7–8 p.m.

The fee for each session is $25.  To register and reserve your space, please email us (4yoga.me@gmail.com) and indicate which day you will attend.

Past participants have experienced additional relaxation in their sonic massage when they have practiced yoga before the session.  Therefore, we scheduled Faye’s events after our yoga classes for these two days and invite you to join us for class, as well:

  • Sunday, May 8 (Mother’s Day):  4 p.m. Basics with Angie
  • Monday, May 9:  5:30 p.m. Flow with Chie

For more information about Faye and sonic massage, please see her website:  Touchstone Vibrations.

Sonic-Massage-4yoga

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

Celebrate with Susan Polk: Fri., 4/29 @ 7 p.m.

Posted on April 16, 2016 by 4yoga

As many of you have heard, Susan Polk and her husband, Doug, will soon open their own business, Be Happy Yoga and Salt Cave. To allow her to focus on the yoga classes that she will offer at her new location, April will conclude Susan’s teaching at 4yoga. To celebrate her invaluable contributions to our community yoga group, we will gather together at the end of this month.

Please join us on Friday, April 29, 2016, at 7 p.m. at the studio to wish Susan well in her exciting new adventure! For this casual potluck, 4yoga will provide a selection of beverages and several snacks. Feel free to contribute anything you like—or just to stop by and thank Susan for all she has shared with us and to congratulate her on the start of the next phase of her yoga teaching career.

We hope to see you on April 29!

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

Next Community Ed beginners series to start April 17, 2016

Posted on April 12, 2016 by 4yoga

If you or someone you know would like to begin a yoga practice, we invite you to join the next Introduction to Yoga series, taught by Susan Polk and DeAnn Stanley through Community Education and meeting at the 4yoga studio.  Find out more about the series by watching Susan and DeAnn on today’s episode of Midday Live!

This series costs $48, runs for 4 weeks, and meets on Sunday afternoons, 1:45–3:00 p.m., on the following dates:

  • April 17
  • April 24
  • May 1
  • May 15

If you are looking for an affordable and accessible introductory yoga series, click on this page of the Community Ed website to register.

Posted in beginner, beginner series | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

April 2016 focus and class schedule

Posted on April 2, 2016 by 4yoga
Fountain_Square_2016_04_02-3
Spring!  An upward, outward burst of energy that we feel in our step as we perceive this force all around us in the natural world. From the coiled stillness of winter, Spring does indeed seem to explode into blossoms and color and new life. Contemporary poet Billy Collins captures the essence in his poem “Today“:

If ever there were a spring day so perfect,
so uplifted by a warm intermittent breezethat it made you want to throw
open all the windows in the house

and unlatch the door to the canary’s cage,
indeed, rip the little door from its jamb,

a day when the cool brick paths
and the garden bursting with peonies

seemed so etched in sunlight
that you felt like taking

a hammer to the glass paperweight
on the living room end table,

releasing the inhabitants
from their snow-covered cottage

so they could walk out,
holding hands and squinting

into this larger dome of blue and white,
well, today is just that kind of day.

Often an asana practice will end with a reclining twist, the perfect pose to experience this upward spiral of energy. As you twist, imagine that whatever issues you may be dealing with associated with the lower chakras–safety, fear, pain/pleasure, isolation (sound like winter?)–are released to move upwards to the heart center where we can melt them with love and compassion as the twist opens the chest. The sensation may be one of expansion and spaciousness.  A lotus flower bursts open from your own heart!

If you experience this powerful transition of Spring to be overwhelming, remember to bring balance with grounding poses such as lunges and standing warriors, poses that focus on sending root energy down from the tailbone through the legs into the earth.

April updates:
  • Gentle class teachers.  Kathie has decided to take a break from teaching the Tuesday Gentle class, and we welcome Frances as its April teacher.  We also appreciate Susan’s willingness to teach the Friday Gentle classes this month.  As many of you know, Susan will soon be leaving us to devote her time to Be Happy Yoga & Salt Cave, so be sure to enjoy her 4yoga classes while you can!
  • Talk/meditation session.  This month, Juanita will host this session on Friday, April 22, at 6:45 p.m.  As always, there is no charge for this informal gathering, which provides an opportunity to ask questions about and discuss meditation and to experience a short meditation.
  • Living Our Yoga Yin class.  Angie and Alice will continue this series on Friday, April 29, with a focus on the next yama, Brahmacharya (non-excess).  The class includes readings and teachings to enhance students’ experience and to create conditions that may take them deeper into the mind, body, and spirit aspects of this wonderful gift of yoga. The traditional yin asanas remain the same as in our classic yin class.

For a full list of April classes, please see the attached schedule, the calendar section of our website, or a hard copy available at The Pots Place.  Note, too, that we post daily updates on our Facebook page, should you prefer to keep up with us there.

Community bookshelf:  We have recently added a community bookshelf to our community yoga studio!  Please browse its offerings during your next visit and take anything that you would like to read.  Or, if you have magazines or books that you would like to share with our community, please drop them off for others to enjoy.

Accessing studio after class has begun:  Remember that even if you are running late when the gallery downstairs is closed, you can still join us for class.  If the front door is locked, 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 poems, schedule | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Gallery Hop begins Fri., March 18

Posted on March 16, 2016 by 4yoga

The 2016 season of Bowling Green’s annual Gallery Hop series begins this Friday, March 18.  4yoga continues to offer its usual Yin classes at 5:30 p.m. on Gallery Hop evenings, and students may want to allow a little extra time to park and make their way to the studio before class.  Students may also want to spend time after class checking out the displays at The Pots Place and other downtown galleries.

For more information about the Gallery Hop, see the event’s website or Facebook page.  The website also features a helpful map of all the sites to help you plan your visits.  If you cannot enjoy the galleries this week, you will have four more opportunities this year:  additional Gallery Hops will take place on June 3, August 5, October 14, and December 2.

Posted in schedule | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Community books & magazines available

Posted on March 11, 2016 by 4yoga

Recently, 4yoga students and teachers have decided to share books and magazines that they no longer need.  Kathie, in turn, has generously provided a bookshelf for us to use to exchange these reading materials with each other.

community book case
current offerings

The next time you’re at the studio, we invite you to browse through the offerings and take any that interest you.  Or, if you have items to donate, please drop them off for others to enjoy.

Although most materials will likely pertain to yoga in some way, that is not a requirement–feel free to share anything you think would interest other members of our community.

Posted in gratitude, studio | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

March 2016 focus and class schedule

Posted on February 29, 2016 by 4yoga

March brings balance all over the globe: on Sunday, March 20, the vernal equinox balances the length of the day and the night. Yoga can give us a sense of balance within ourselves, both physically and emotionally. Physically, we know that to achieve balance in a standing pose requires a visual focus on a single point—as our attention is drawn into that point, the wobbling settles into stillness.

Similarly, we can use focus to achieve emotional balance by becoming aware of our breath. The focusing point of the energetic or emotional body is the spine, and either side of its channel house the upward and downward energy flows. Focusing on that center helps develop emotional detachment from being pulled this way and that by the ups and downs of life.

To practice, first calm the feelings of the heart. Then concentrate on the energy flow in the spine as you inhale and exhale smoothly, evenly, and deeply. You may become aware that disruptions in this energy flow are the cause of any emotional reactions you may have. By controlling our breath and centering our awareness in the spine, we can control our emotional reactions—and experience balance.

March updates:

  • Talk/meditation session on Friday, March 18. This month, Juanita will host this session on Friday, March 18, at 6:45 p.m. As always, there is no charge for this informal gathering, which provides an opportunity to ask questions about and discuss meditation and to experience a short meditation.
  • Living Our Yoga class on Friday, March 25. Angie and Alice will continue this series on Friday, March 25. The class includes readings and teachings to enhance students’ experience and to create conditions that may take them deeper into the mind, body, and spirit aspects of this wonderful gift of yoga. The traditional yin asanas remain the same as in our classic yin class.
  • Restorative class takes a hiatus. In March, the Sunday Restorative class will be on hiatus; however, please let us know if you would like to see that class return to the schedule for April.

For a full list of March classes, please see the calendar page or pick up a hard copy available at The Pots Place. Note, too, that we post daily updates on our Facebook page, should you prefer to keep up with us there.

Accessing studio after class has begun: Remember that even if you are running late when the gallery downstairs is closed, you can still join us for class. If the front door is locked, 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 schedule | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Buddhist meditation event @ Christ Episcopal Church, Sun. 2/28, 3 p.m.

Posted on February 18, 2016 by 4yoga

Sharing a message from Leslie Weigel about an upcoming meditation opportunity:

I want to invite you to a special event in our community at Christ Episcopal Church, Moore Hall, beginning at 3:00 pm on Sunday afternoon, 2/28.

Tsering Phuntsok will lead a Tibetan Buddhist Chod ritual. This meditation ritual employs chanting, drums, bells, and horn and moves us on a spiritual path to cut through obstacles, negativity and self-delusion.

Tsering has been a practicing Buddhist monk for over 25 years. His root monastery is in India and his home is a short 2 minute walk from the Dalai Lama’s temple in Dharamsala. Over the last 10 years he has been working to bring American social work students to India for study abroad. In the last few years, Tsering has led two community Tonglen meditation practices in Bowling Green.

The session will last about 1-1/2 hours. Christ Episcopal Church is located next to the Public Library on State Street in Bowling Green. Access to Moore Hall is through the covered walkway on the library side of the church. Dress comfortably and bring meditation cushions if you have them. There will be some yoga props and chairs available at the church as well.

There is no admission fee, but we will collect cash donations from participants to present as a gift to Tsering. Please share this information with others who might be interested in this unique opportunity to experience a classic Tibetan Buddhist spiritual practice. No pre-registration is required.

Posted in meditation | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

How to find the right yoga teacher for you

Posted on February 15, 2016 by 4yoga

At 4yoga, we field many inquiries from potential students searching for the right yoga teacher and yoga studio for them to begin or to enhance their existing practice.  We are always happy to answer those questions and help guide folks to the right fit for them–and we are fortunate to, among our teachers, have a wide range of experience of other local teachers, as well.  So definitely keep those individual questions coming!

If you are looking for general advice about finding the right teacher, though, you might find this piece by Pamela Nixon helpful.  Titled “Finding the Right Yoga Teacher,” it provides six questions to ask and shares information about why those questions are valuable.  Bowling Green enjoys a thriving yoga scene, and we hope everyone can find the right fit for his or her practice.

Posted in beginner, training, yoga | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

February 2016 focus and class schedule

Posted on February 1, 2016 by 4yoga

How are your New Year’s resolutions coming along? Are they beginning to fade away? The deep groove of habits is not easy to change. If you find yourself slipping into the old habit patterns you thought you wanted to change, do not condemn yourself! Instead, ask yourself, “What do I really want?” Let that question come from the depths of your inner being. The answer that comes deep from within will come with the spark of sankalpa shakti, or willpower. Nothing can change without this spark of determination.

If you find yourself needing a little boost or inspiration, check out this article on Yoga International. In it, the author cites research into three concepts—willpower, self-compassion, and surrender—that are essential in overcoming temptation.

‘Tis in ourselves that we are thus or thus.
Our bodies are our gardens
to the which our wills are gardeners. —William Shakespeare

Join us in practice this month to tend the garden in your asana practice…

February updates:

  • Super Bowl Sunday classes. We will hold our full class schedule on Sunday, February 7, with all three classes meeting as usual: Carly will teach the 10 a.m. Basics class, and Chie will teach the 4 p.m. Basics and the 5:45 p.m. Restorative.
  • Talk/meditation session on Friday, February 19. This month, Juanita will offer this session on Friday, February 19, at 6:45 p.m. As always, there is no charge for this informal gathering, which provides an opportunity to ask questions about and discuss meditation and to experience a short meditation.
  • Living Our Yoga class continues on Friday, February 26. Thank you to those of you who attended and shared feedback about the Yin class that Alice and Angie team-taught in January! We will offer another session of this special class on Friday, February 26. The class introduces readings and teachings to enhance students’ experience and to create conditions that may take them deeper into the mind, body, and spirit aspects of this wonderful gift of yoga. Practicing the traditional yin asanas will remain the same as in our classic yin class
  • Welcome new teacher, Cre Dye: Dr. Lacretia “Cre” Dye is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Counseling and Student Affairs at WKU. As a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor and a National Certified Counselor, Dr. Dye has served her local, regional and national community with Heart, Mind and Body Wellness for over 15 years. Dr. Dye is a Certified Yoga Calm Instructor & Trainer, Adult Yoga Instructor (RYT-200) and licensed Professional School Counselor. She is currently conducting research on mindful yoga and graduate student well-being.

For a full list of February classes, please see the the calendar page or pick up a hard copy available at The Pots Place. Note, too, that we post daily updates on our Facebook page, should you prefer to keep up with us there.

Inclement weather policy: During inclement weather, we decide whether or not to cancel classes independently of area school districts’ decisions. However, if we do need to cancel a class, we publicize that information at least one hour before it begins, and we announce all class cancellations in these three ways:

  • an update to the online schedule of classes
  • an email to all members of our list  (please let us know if you want to be added to this list)
  • a status update on our Facebook page

Accessing studio after class has begun: Remember that even if you are running late when the gallery downstairs is closed, you can still join us for class. If the front door is locked, 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 purpose of yoga, schedule | Tagged , , | Leave a comment