Encouraging Connection
Beginning September 7, we’ve got Barre classes on the schedule 5 days a week. This is great news for you! And if you haven’t yet tried Barre or found your Barre Groove, here’s your chance.
Purchase your Barre Blitz Intro offer: 5 Barre Classes for $45. The pass is good for 45 days, but when you step up to the challenge and use it in just 10 DAYS, you’ll get your first month of Unlimited Membership for half price.
It’s no secret that I receive wisdom from many sources. As one of my guides says, everyone is your teacher. It’s my habit to be reading fictional novels alongside poetry, to have a woo-woo book on astrology sitting beside takes from physicists and biologists. I listen to mathematicians, dead philosophers, social workers, and energy healers. Poets and prophets are ancient cousins. I use my herbal tinctures and essential oils everyday, and I got my vaccine.
I’m not saying everything is true. (There’s a lot of misinformation out there; use your inner wisdom!) I am saying that solid wisdom is repeated throughout the universe in various forms. What you find in nature, you’ll notice in the body. What you experience in math is embodied in music. Sometimes, it’s a matter of translation.
I’ve been itching to offer a series that focuses the connection between what we find when we move on a mat to what we experience in our relationships and the way we move about the world. One of the most assessable models is the Chakra model: centers of the body empower particular strengths. We’ll explore this concept using a spectrum of guides, both ancient and modern.
Each class in the series will use both teaching and discussion to explore topics related to an energetic principle. Then our tools of breath, movement, meditation and mantra will give us the opportunity to practice allowing the energy of belonging to flow through us with freedom and stability.
These 7 classes will be offered as a series package, but you can register for individual classes if that’s what your schedule permits. We’ll meet on Sundays for an hour and a half, every other week, beginning September 12. Each session will come with an online forum of follow up practices, discussion space, and reflection materials. This series is just full of my favorite things!
Be: The energy of belonging. It begins with roots. Our family story, our connection to place, and the way find solidity in the events of the world. From here, the way the energy of belonging plays into our life will shape our connections to our people, our work, and our propensity to feel safe or threatened.
Flow: The energy of creation. What do you want? And how do you know you want it? Who is telling you what to want? At the root of desire is a generative nature that comes from experiencing emotions.
Center: The energy of worthiness. Power and will are strong words, and much of the time women are hesitant to connect with them. But our sense of power helps us form the healthy boundaries that shape our relationships to all things: people, work, communities, and the world.
Open: The energy of love. Explore the space in between yourself and others. When this space gets crowded or distant, our love shifts, grows, or becomes stifled. Learn how to open your arms to the world in the midst of imperfection.
Speak: The energy of truth. Moving from a place of belonging, structure, and love, we co-create a world, beginning with our words.
See: The energy of imagination. Our bodies are wired to notice potential dangers. What possibilities arise when that bias is suspended and you see the world is full of goodness?
Know: The energy of connection. There’s a knowing beyond intellect and it’s woven into the fabric of our being.
It’s my goal to give you more of me than you expect in a typical All-Levels class. The resource material will be rich, and I hope the discussion even deeper. The per-session cost is $25; the series pass is $150 (the equivalent of one session free). If you purchase the series pass you will still want to sign up for the individual classes and use the pass for your payment option.
Yoga has helped me with so many aspects of my life: being present to the moment, appreciating the art of being still; but my work with patience began long before I ever stepped foot on a yoga mat. And my teacher, like yoga, is a divine master — my daughter.
To be fair, we have 2 amazing daughters. Jenna is 21 and a rock star nursing student at OSU. She’ll graduate in the spring and make saving lives part of her everyday activities. I am awed by her resilience and grace.
Our youngest daughter, Allie, is a miracle though, in her own right.
Allie suffers from a genetic, neurologic disorder called Rett Syndrome. She has limited mobility, has never spoken a single word, but has conquered mountains and taught me so many lessons in her 19 years of life.
For the past 12 years, we have held Allie’s Rett Walk: a time to gather with family and friends, raise awareness, and celebrate the life of this beautiful soul who speaks with her eyes and her heart. We’ve raised almost $80,000 over the years to fund research for a cure, and great progress has been made, but we are not there yet.
Our yoga community is a strong one, too – strong in body, mind and spirit. As we practice, as we work to be present, may we also be mindful of the struggles that each of us carry. Sending thoughts of love and compassion to our families, our co-workers, to those on the mat beside us is a powerful way to help others move their own mountains.
We all have loads to carry. Allie’s Rett Walk has been a way to shed light, raise funds and honor those who have an important message to share. Allie’s patience shines through as she waits for me to figure out what she wants, what hurts, or even why she’s smiling. I’m sure most days I don’t get it right. But I practice, and she’s patient.
It’s a joy and a blessing to share in these journeys with you and know that I cheer you on as you move mountains of your own. With presence, with practice, and always, with patience.
Pre-registration until August 27: $25 (forms also available in the studio)
Race Day registration: $35 (no guarantee for a shirt)
Forms will be available in the studio – or you’re welcome to give a donation in Allie’s honor.
Did you visit a yoga class long ago but feel unsure about jumping right into an All-Levels Class?
Or maybe you have a fair amount of fitness experience but hate the feeling of something being new/awkward/strange?
Our Newbies Jumpstart is our flash-baptism into yoga at Woven. Get familiar with the studio, the language we use to talk about poses and movements, and just get to know us before walking into a room of people “who know what they’re doing.”
Our one-hour Slow Flow for Newbies class is a 4-week series. You’ll be introduced to the basic poses of yoga and join with other beginners in establishing a movement practice on a mat in a studio. The goal of this series is to help you feel comfortable enough to join in other All-Levels classes.
To register, sign up using the fitDegree app/website link. Please bring your yoga mat to class. It’s best to practice barefoot in clothes that allow for easy movement (but fancy yoga pants aren’t necessary.)
$45 includes all 4 weeks.
Next week I’ll be visiting with the team at Angeline Schools & Industry to share about the importance of self-care and utilizing mindfulness as a means to practice it. I’ve presented to numerous groups on this topic and love to share resources.
(Script from Zensational Kids Educate2Be Training Resources)
Alternate Nostril Breathing
Podcasts to subscribe to:
Books:
How to Thrive Under Stress a podcast on 10 Percent Happier.
Kristen Bell on Anxiety Part 1 (The Robcast) – great info on the physiology of anxiety, the nervous system, and tools for shifting responses.
Kristen Bell on Anxiety Part 2 (The Robcast) – a way of thinking about anxiety that doesn’t view it as a pathology.
On Being: Interview with Richard Davidson A Neuroscientist on Love & Learning
On Being: Interview with Ellen Langer Science of Mindfulness and Mindlessness
Hey, Sigmund: Articles and practices for working with anxiety in children and teens.
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear (Elizabeth Gilbert) – In the first section Liz deals with fearful living vs. allowing curiosity guide us in life.
Mind Body Health Associates – mental health practice approaching the mind/body connection with mindfulness in Findlay, Ohio. Specialties in trauma and addiction treatment.
Stop, Breath & Think app – a guided meditation app
Zensational Kids – classroom training and resources.
Study: Writing about worries eases text anxiety (Chicago Tribune reports)
Writing About Testing Worries Boosts Exam Performance in the Classroom (Gerardo Ramirez, Sian L. Beilock. Science 14 Jan 2011: Vol. 331, Issue 6014, pp. 211-213 DOI: 10.1126/science.1199427)
Teacher Stress & Health: an issue brief by Penn State & the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Our Slow Flow for Newbies series spends 4 weeks covering the basic poses and movements of many of our All-Levels classes: it’s the best way to feel confident walking into a group of yogis, knowing you are familiar and “ready.”
But sometimes, 4 weeks in a row at the exact same time just isn’t possible. Sometimes, life happens.
We’ve added the Newbies Jump Start class to a monthly rotation. This is an 80-minute version of our Newbies introduction, designed to give you a jump start to attending open classes. If you have a regular movement practice (you’re a runner, weightlifter, prima ballerina, or cross-fit master, for example), this class might be completely sufficient to get you going. Or, maybe you want just a taste.
You can take the Newbies Jump Start class as often as you need to feel confident enough to join us in our open classes.
Folks, this is no year to skimp on the Mother’s Day celebration. She played teacher’s aide/tutor/school psychologist while also finding toiletpaper when it was impossible, on top of continuing her own work. And those children? They were at home ALL OF THE HOURS. They wanted to eat ALL OF THE TIME.
Give her what she wants: time away from her beloved family. (She loves you. She just needs a moment to BREATHE.)
Book your Mother’s Day Private Celebration for your own Wonder Woman, be it wife or mother (but please: choose one or the other). Each participant will receive 2 hours of:
Choose your ideal time and email to claim it. A $45 deposit will be required to hold the spot of your choice. There is a minimum of 6 participants required and a maximum of 12. Payment for the other participants will be required 2 weeks from booking to keep the scheduled session. After booking I will send you (via email, text, or social PM) a link for all participants to register.
Option A: Give her a card early and ask her to choose her favorite 5-11 ladies to join her.
Option B: Get those ladies to commit (directly or via a significant other as her own gift) with out her knowing and let it be a surprise!
If you’d like a custom gift card to present to her, just let me know upon booking.
As we move to 112 North Sandusky Avenue, we’re going to have more space for expanded product lines. Of course, we’ll keep our Manduka mats and accessories for sale. So far, all the new offerings I’ve sourced have come from small, local and woman-made businesses. I think it’s especially important to support women, who, while also raising children and even working other jobs, connect with a deeper sense of purpose that involves making things. I’m fortunate to have personal relationships with several of these women, and my personal interactions with the others have been top-notch.
I can’t wait for you to browse the shelves of our new offerings!
Last winter Val concocted a signature scent for me from a potion I just loved to use in Savasana adjustments. (Do you remember those days? I can’t wait to have them back.) She’s packaged up some Bliss, full of delicious essential oils. My hope is for a mid-day quench of the skin will help you remember your practice and the peace that’s always available to you.
Another local skincare company from Cedarville, Ohio. I love Lauren’s commitment to keeping her packaging plastic free! I hunted her down for her all natural deodorant and it did not disappoint. It’s a lightly scented concoction that goes on quite smooth and lasts the day. We’ll also have access to her shampoo bars and lip quench sticks.
Imee is a friend from Columbus who began whipping up her potions as a way of connecting to her ancestry. I’ve been using her Full Moon Body Butter for months now and it leaves my skin perfectly luscious. I’m keeping her ritual bath salts on the shelf – take a whiff of the tester jar and you’ll be in love, too.
I’m a huge believer of a well-timed powerful word, and when it’s pretty and witty then all the better. I’ve started with a small collection of cards and gifts from Amy’s line. They’re cute, thoughtful and witty – beyond your average drug store card.
We’ve made some adjustments to the schedule as we move into our new space! Here are the highlights:
