Guest teacher Eri Golden: Sun., 1/19 & Sun., 1/26

Posted on January 12, 2014 by 4yoga

4yoga is pleased to introduce Eri Golden, an RYT 200 with credentials in prenatal and chldren’s yoga, who will be guest teaching two Basics classes this month.  Eri will teach the 4:30 p.m. Basics classes on these Sundays:  Jan. 19 and Jan. 26.

A native of Japan, Eri has been a longtime student of hip-hop and jazz dance.  She began practicing yoga in Japan and completed her teacher training while living in the Republic of Georgia.  As a new Bowling Green resident, Eri is excited to share her knowledge of anatomy and yoga philosophy, and her classes provide a meditative environment in which students can observe their own selves.  Her classes will focus on improving flexibility, strength and balance while enhancing posture, coordination, and mental focus.

Please join us in welcoming Eri to the Bowling Green yoga community by attending one or both of her upcoming classes!

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January 2014 focus and schedule

Posted on January 2, 2014 by 4yoga

As we welcome the New Year, we can take the opportunity to shed the old habits that are not useful and to re-affirm our intentions to be healthy and happy.  This may require a little reining in of the senses if celebrating the return of the light has led to overindulgence of them.

The chariot metaphor of the Self navigating through this life as described in the Katha Upanishad has some beautiful analogies of this process. The Self (our true nature of love and bliss) is a passenger in a chariot, the body is the chariot, the intellect (our ability to discriminate) is the charioteer, and the mind (the instrument of consciousness) is the reins. The senses are the horses and the sense objects (all the things we desire or resist) are the paths around them.  When one lacks understanding of how all this fits together, his or her senses do not obey and, as bad horses, can end up taking the passenger on a wild ride and even destroying the chariot.

As a practice this month, we can follow the example of the natural world around us as it appears still and silent to chart our course or to re-calibrate the course we are on to health and happiness. Give yourself time each day to approach stillness and silence and assess your ride in the chariot.  Where do you want to go? Is your driver on the job?  What is the condition of the reins?  How well are the horses under control?

During January, we look forward to continued practice with those of you we already know and to welcoming new students.  To review the month’s class schedule, please see the attached file, the calendar section of this site, or a hard copy available at The Pots Place.

Upcoming special events:

  • Friday, 1/24:  5:30 p.m.  Restorative class with Kim.
  • Friday, 1/24:  6:45 p.m.  Talk and meditation hosted by Juanita (no charge, all are welcome).

Inclement weather policy:  If we need to cancel class because of winter weather, we will announce that cancellation at least one hour before the beginning of the class, and we will share the cancellation notice both via email and on Facebook.  If you would like us to add a supplemental email address for you so that you receive these notices quickly (e.g., if you want both your work and home addresses in our list), please let us know.

Studio access Continue reading →

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New Year’s Eve 2013 and New Year’s Day 2014 at The Pots Place!

Posted on December 27, 2013 by 4yoga

Both New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day will bring opportunities to practice yoga and to socialize with friends at The Pots Place.  We invite you to join us for one or all of the following events!

New Year’s Eve (Tues., 12/31):

  • 9:00-10:10 a.m., Mixed-level yoga class taught by Angie–all students are welcome.
  • beginning at 6 p.m., Annual New Year’s Eve Throw Down hosted by Bob Brigl–opportunities to play with clay, to dance in the studio, and to mingle with potters, tai chi practitioners, and yoga practitioners.  Please bring a small appetizer (enough to serve 4-6 people) to share.  Wine, beer, and soda provided.

New Year’s Day (Wed., 1/1):

  • 10:00-11:10 a.m., Mixed-level yoga class taught by Kim–all students are welcome.
  • 11:15 a.m., Casual Potluck hosted by 4yoga.  Hot tea and juice provided.  Please bring something to share.
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December 2013 focus and class schedule

Posted on November 30, 2013 by 4yoga

Once again it is December and we are left wondering how did these past months go by so quickly.  In reviewing our focus from last December, it seems appropriate to revisit or perhaps for the first time notice the importance of taking time for ourselves.  Our message from last December begins with a familiar phrase from our past.

“Hello darkness my old friend….” These words of Paul Simon come to mind as we once again approach the darkest day of the year, the winter solstice, in the cycle of seasons. As we encounter this darkness, we need to in draw in its opposite, the light. During our evening practices (when darkness has descended by 5:00 p.m.) the view of glittering tree lights on the square brings a sense of sparkle and warmth to our spirits. We can only appreciate the light because of the darkness.

Exhaustion, stress, and loneliness are forms of internal darkness that we may encounter as we turn our focus inward. It is important to acknowledge them as friends, as Paul Simon’s words express, and not to make them our enemies. We often have a tendency to add more pressure and stress by pushing them away and judging them as uncomfortable. However, they are signals to light the flame of the true self in the heart, healing the sense of fragmentation into wholeness and acceptance. Making time and space in your daily routine for even a few moments of stillness and contemplation is a great gift to yourself, accepting all the parts of you.

During this month of December, we are thankful for the light of our community and practice together. We look forward to continued practice with those of you we know and to welcoming new people who wish to begin the practice of yoga.  To review the month’s class schedule, please see the attached file, the calendar page of the site, or a hard copy available at The Pots Place.

Upcoming special events and schedule changes:

  • Friday, 12/13:  7:00 p.m. Holiday party with yoga folks, tai chi folks, and potters (beginning after the yin class).
  • Friday, 12/20:  6:45 p.m.  Talk and meditation hosted by Juanita (all are welcome, no charge).
  • Tuesday, 12/24 (Christmas Eve): no classes.
  • Wednesday, 12/25 (Christmas Day):  no classes.
  • Tuesday, 12/31 (New Year’s Eve):  9 a.m.  Mixed-level class (all are welcome).
  • Wednesday, 1/1 (New Year’s Day):  10 a.m.  Mixed-level class (all are welcome), followed by casual potluck brunch.

Inclement weather policy:  If we need to cancel class because of winter weather, we will announce that cancellation at least one hour before the beginning of the class, and we will share the cancellation notice both via email and on Facebook.  If you would like us to add a supplemental email address for you so that you receive these notices quickly (e.g., if you want both your work and home addresses in our list), please let us know.

Studio access: If you arrive at The Pots Place after a class has begun, remember that you can still join us. Just go to the back entrance facing Mariah’s (look for the blue building) and press the buzzer next to the door; the teacher can then unlock that door remotely.

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Thanksgiving weekend classes

Posted on November 27, 2013 by 4yoga

As we head into the Thanksgiving weekend, we are grateful for the opportunity to continue to practice with members of the Bowling Green yoga community!  If you are in town for the holiday, we invite you to join us for any of the following classes that fit your schedule.

  • Wednesday (11/27):  5:30 p.m. flow class
  • Thanksgiving Day (11/28):  9:00 a.m. mixed-level class to which we welcome all levels of students
  • Black Friday (11/29):  5:30 p.m. yin class
  • Saturday, 11/30:  9:00 a.m. basics class.  (Also Small Business Saturday, being celebrated by many businesses on Fountain Square.)
  • Sunday, 12/1:  4:30 p.m. basics class that concludes with a restorative pose
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Free online 21-day meditation: desire and destiny

Posted on November 10, 2013 by 4yoga

A student brought this free online meditation experience to our attention.  Whether you participated in the first meditation practice hosted by Oprah Winfrey and Deepak Chopra or not, you may wish to join this one on the theme of desire and destiny.  It begins tomorrow (Nov. 11), and you can register here.  Thanks for the heads-up, Megan!

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November 2013 focus and schedule

Posted on November 1, 2013 by 4yoga

Many people who begin the physical practice of yoga notice that their awareness about non-physical parts of themselves changes.  This process of moving inward from the denser layer of our bodies towards our true nature is the goal of yoga!  We get hung up on (attached to) so many obstacles along the way: what we think we know, our appearance, what we “like,”what we “don’t like,” and on and on.

The seat of our true nature can be found in the heart region and is experienced as bliss, that state of consciousness where Love excludes no one and no thing.  The Sanskrit words Sat-Chit-Ananda are a beautiful pointer to our true nature.  They are usually translated as Sat–existence, Chit–consciousness, and Ananda–bliss.

Here is a little practice using relationships for this month, especially at potentially stressful times of holiday functions.  As you are with someone in conversation, be aware of all thoughts that are judging (I like/don’t like this, I know this or that, etc).  Just noticing them is a big first step.  Then try to let go of them or not be influenced by them.  Notice your breath and drop down into your heart space. Practice listening from your heart. See what happens!

We hope to practice with you in November; to review the month’s class schedule, please see either the attached file or the calendar section of the site.

November special events:

  • Friday, 11/22  6:45 p.m. Talk/meditation led by Juanita (all are welcome, no charge).
  • Thursday, 11/28 (Thanksgiving Day):  9:00 a.m. Mixed-level class (all levels are welcome).

Studio access:  If you arrive at The Pots Place after a class has begun, remember that you can still join us.  Just go to the back entrance facing Mariah’s (look for the blue building) and press the buzzer next to the door; the teacher can then unlock that door remotely.

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October 2013 focus and schedule

Posted on September 24, 2013 by 4yoga

October invites us to “come to our senses,” witnessing the changing color of foliage that delights our sense of sight, feeling the cooler air on the skin as a reaction to the sense of touch, and experiencing the sense of smell by catching a whiff of the musky fallen leaves.

Our yoga practice is not confined to showing up for class or sitting in a cross-legged posture to meditate.  In fact, the essence of all yoga practice is in learning to focus your attention on what you are experiencing.

A great practice both on and off the mat for this month is to use the senses as doorways to go beyond them.  If you want to do this, each day choose one of the five cognitive senses (hearing, touching, seeing, tasting, or smelling) and spend some time focusing your attention on that sense.  Just notice what you experience!  You may notice that the practice brings you to an expansion of your awareness, to a deeper experience of being fully present in the moment.  Happy Sensing!

We hope to practice with you in October; to review the month’s class schedule, please see the calendar section of this site.

October special event and schedule adjustment:

  • Friday, 10/11:  6:45 p.m. Talk/meditation led by Juanita (all are welcome, no charge).
  • Saturday, 10/19:  10:00 a.m. start time for Basics class because of The Medical Center’s 10K Classic.

Studio access:  If you arrive at The Pots Place after a class has begun, remember that you can still join us.  Just go to the back entrance facing Mariah’s (look for the blue building) and press the buzzer next to the door; the teacher can then unlock that door remotely.

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September 2013 focus and schedule

Posted on August 31, 2013 by 4yoga

The transition month of September brings us to the end of summer days.  Transitions in life are inevitable and challenge us to come back to our center as we adjust to that “wobbling ” of change.

Mastering transitions is a skill that our yoga practice can help us with.  In a practice, you can be aware of all the stages of every pose and notice how it feels to finally settle into the expression of, let’s say, child’s pose, and then how it feels to release that pose and move into the next pose.  There may be a resistance to change if it is one of your favorites, or a relief if it is a pose that you don’t like.  Just notice that there is something there in response to the change no matter what it is.

One way to stay in your center throughout any change that can throw you off balance is to breathe into your belly as you connect with the deepest core of what you believe in or what brings you great passion and  joy.  Take this feeling into the space of your abdomen with your breath and ground yourself there.  Allow yourself to be centered in this essence of who you are.

In this spirit of transition, the September schedule features a new class at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesdays.  We have added this Basics class, taught by Susan Polk, in response to requests to provide another Basics-level practice during the week and as an alternative to the 5:30 p.m. class time.  We look forward to seeing both returning and new students on Tuesday afternoons.

To review the full month’s class schedule, please see the calendar section of this site or pick up a hard copy at the studio.

September special events:
  • Monday, 9/2 (Labor Day):  9:00 a.m.  Mixed-level class with Kim (all levels of experience are welcome).
  • Friday, 9/20:  6:45 p.m.  Talk/meditation led by Juanita (all are welcome, no charge).
  • Friday, 9/27:  2-year anniversary of the founding of 4yoga!  Celebrate by practicing with Kim this weekend or by visiting Angie at the Information Booth at the Bowling Green International Festival in Circus Square Park on Saturday.
Updating email address:  If your email address is changing from “insightbb” to “twc” or another service and you would like to continue to receive our messages, please let us know your new address so that we may update our contacts list.  Many thanks to all of you who have already shared your new address with us.
Studio access:  If you arrive at The Pots Place after a class has begun, remember that you can still join us.  Just go to the back entrance (look for the blue building) and press the buzzer next to the door; the teacher can then unlock that door from the studio.
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New class for Sept.: Basics @ 4 p.m. on Tuesdays

Posted on August 18, 2013 by 4yoga

Based on feedback from members of our yoga community who wanted an option for a Basics practice during the week, we have decided to add a new Basics class for September.

This class will meet each Tuesday from 4-5:10 p.m., and we are delighted that Susan Polk of Don’t Worry, Be Happy Yoga has agreed to teach it.  If a Tuesday-afternoon class fits your schedule, we hope to see you next month at the studio at The Pots Place!

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