Student & Community Spotlight

Kathleen Slattery-Moschkau

This month Inner Fire Yoga is excited to feature Kathleen Slattery-Moschkau of the Kathleen Show for both the Student and Community Spotlight. Kathleen Slattery-Moschkau is a filmmaker, radio host, and dedicated yogi who encourages people to live their boldest and healthiest lives. You can catch up with her on her nationally syndicated radio program, The Kathleen Show (heard locally on 92.1 The Mic) or on Facebook. Enjoy!

"Before finding hot yoga at Inner Fire, I had given yoga a good old college try on several occasions spanning many years. I'm a runner and someone under constant deadline for my work in the media and as much as I knew I needed help on flexibility and posture and mindfulness, I found myself antsy, bored, frustrated and watching the clock each class.

But one day I stumbled into a heated class at Inner Fire and half-way through, I started to cry. Not sad tears, just some sort of amazing release that caught me off guard. The heat felt so good on my body and mind, the sweat pouring off my body felt so cleansing, and the calming instruction was exactly what I needed to regroup. I felt my center, maybe for the first time ever...a level of euphoria and peace I desperately needed.

From that day on, hot yoga (Flow and a bit of Hot), became part of my life. I hesitate to call it an addiction, because that word can ring negative. What I do know is that when I'm diligent about attending 2-3 classes per week, things feel right-my relationships go better, my work is more creative, my body feels alive.

When I walk out of a hot yoga class, I feel beautifully spent and calm and I'm grateful. I sing that from the rooftops to my friends, family, and on my show because I do believe it has saved my life."

The Kathleen Show

Hosted by filmmaker, mom and Inner Fire yoga student Kathleen Slattery-Moschkau, The Kathleen Show is a nationally syndicated radio show that encourages people to say "hell no to the status quo" and live their boldest and healthiest lives. Through engaging interviews with the country's most provocative thought-leaders like Maya Angelou, Michael Pollan and Deepak Chopra she leaves listeners fired up to make changes in their lives. The fun and inspiring show can be heard locally on 92.1 FM The Mic or online at www.thekathleenshow.com.

Prior to hosting The Kathleen Show, Kathleen wrote and directed two films about the misleading marketing tactics of the pharmaceutical industry (Side Effects starring Katherine Heigl and Money Talks). She has been recognized as a consumer health advocate around the world and uses her past experiences to help people push back on their business as usual lives.

► If you are an Inner Fire Yoga student involved with a organization in the Madison area and would like to be featured in our newsletter and our website, please contact us.

Teacher Spotlight

Megan Brown

Our dedicated and wonderful yoga teacher and long time community member in service to Inner Fire Yoga, Megan Brown, is REACHING HIGHER AND BURNING BRIGHTER by moving to New Orleans, LA next month. (Her last classes will be Monday night Dec. 20th, 5pm Power Flow and 7:45 Hot Yoga.) Megan, thank you sincerely for your many years of service, as yoga student, receptionist, budding yoga teacher and finally as a highly skilled yoga professional. We will miss you! Best wishes to you - to lead a full, peaceful and abundant life. We look forward to seeing you again soon! Keep yoga-ing!

Inner Fire Yoga Diplomats

You may have noticed some new friendly faces greeting you at Inner Fire? These women are our new diplomats (Sandra, Sara, Amber, Brook, Sue and Sophia)! Their primary job is to serve new students by answering their questions and giving them support. We have chosen our diplomats based on dedication to their yoga practice and great personalities. The diplomat position is a trade position that we are test-driving during our busy winter months. We would love your feedback as we determine whether or not to continue this service throughout the year.

Click here to read Sandra, Sophia, Amber and Brooks bios. Sue and Sara's will be coming soon.

This special Power Flow Class will offer a taste of the upcoming Inner Fire Yoga Beach Yoga Retreat with Jackie and Ken. After class join them for a "Retreat Q&A". There will be chips with guac and beverages too!

10:30am Power Flow
Saturday, December 18, 2010
This is a regular class. All students welcome!

Register online now.

• 2 yoga classes per day; power flow and yin yoga
• regular meditation sessions
• beautiful, beach-front accommodations
• three gourmet healthy meals per day

For more information (including a new Q&A sectioun), rates, general information, terms and conditions, click here.

Forrest Yoga Weekend Workshop
Featuring Senior Forrest Teachers Steve Emmerman and Talya Ring, Owners of Turbo Dog Spirit Center in Chicago, IL

Friday, Dec. 3 - Sunday, Dec. 5

Friday Evening 6:30-9: 30pm (asana + guided meditation) Our Internal World
This is a hot and sweaty asana practice with a guided meditation session. Dive with curiosity into the universe that exists inside you. What places are you comfortable with?  What places do you never acknowledge?  Learn to make space by connecting to that which lives beneath your skin.

Saturday Afternoon 12:30-3:30pm (asana + meditation) Translate Strength Into Power
Unlock 1st and 2nd chakras and use their specific energies to connect to your power in this strength building practice.

Saturday Evening 6-8:30pm (asana + assists clinic) Hands-on Assists Workshop
Learn how to give assists which helps teachers and students. Teachers - Learn to heal using a loving touch. Students - Understand how to move your own body into poses by practicing giving assists to others.

Sunday Afternoon 12:30-3:30pm (asana + meditation) Open Your Heart
Develop your backbends without pain through the wisdom of Forrest Yoga sequencing. 

COST:
1 Session $45
2 Sessions $80
3 Sessions $115
4 Sessions $150

Register now

Moving Breath and Spirit into the Hips
with Joan Bliefernicht

Saturday, December 18^th
1-3:30pm

Take a Break from your Holiday Chores and Duties and give yourself an opportunity to experience a deep yoga class designed specifically for the hips.

This class is designed to open and expand your awareness of the pelvic and hip area. We will start with a warm up to build strength and energy and then continue to go deeper to experience a greater awakening of our energies in pelvic/hip area. This will be a very 'yang' and 'hot' class. We will delve into every nook and cranny to develop deeper flexibility, mobility, and range of motion.

Please bring a strap and a block or two!

$25 by Wednesday, December 15^th
$30 December 16^th-18^th

Register now for early bird discount and give yourself a planned holiday yoga retreat.

What could possibly be a better way of jump starting the new year? Join teacher Ken Kloes as we close the door on 2010 in true yoga fashion.

The class will begin at 10:45pm and end at 12:15am. Regular class fees apply.

Bring a friend or loved one. Let your first breath in 2011 set the tone and intention for the year!

Register online now.

New Year's Detox Yoga Flow Class
with Joan Bliefernicht

Saturday, January 1, 2011
6-8pm
Regular rates apply

Get rid of the old and bring in the new. Be ready to engage in a hot, sweaty, fun, and invigorating flow designed to detox the mind, body, and spirit. Bring your intentions and resolutions for 2011 and release old patterns yoga style.

Register now

Power Yoga Mini-Bootcamp
with Jackie Meacham and Karen Erstad

Saturday, January 15, 2011
1-3:30pm

Start your new year with a new vision and learn the tools to transform your way of being and find a greater degree of happiness, health, and peace in the process.

In this mini-bootcamp, we'll cover Baron Baptiste's Laws of Transformation from his book 40 Days to Personal Revolution, and we'll talk about how these principles can help you manifest the vision you have for you life. Please, bring a pen and paper.

$30 early bird rate
$35 on January 14 or 15

Register now for early bird discount.

The First Yama, Ahimsa. The practices of Yama are the codes of conduct that remove obstacles from our path of Yoga. Ahimsa means non-violence, and this is the first and most important practice on the path. In the wisdom teachings of the Yoga Sutra the sage Patanjali writes:

2.35 As a Yogi becomes firmly grounded in non-injury (ahimsa), other people who come near will naturally lose any feelings of hostility.

Read the simple words of Patanjali and smile. When you practice non-violence others will also benefit. You will spread peace. How beautiful is that? Let's get started!

Practicing non-violence seems easy at first glance. Don't harm. For many yogis this extends very far, but you can choose the depth of your practice. At most yoga ashrams ahimsa means a vegetarian lifestyle, extending non-violence to animals. Ahimsa means non-violence in thought as well as action. We work on controlling our spontaneous anger and removing any lingering resentments. We are emptying our backpack of anger that we may have carried for years. In Ahimsa we turn from retaliation to acceptance.

And what of non-violence to self? We look to stop harmful actions we may consciously or unconsciously take toward ourselves. On the mat, we pay attention to signs from our body. We modify poses, without prompting. We stop competing with ourselves, having to go deeper everyday, and begin to practice with compassion for ourselves. Just because we can do the pose, does not mean we should.

The benefits flow. When we cease to harm, we remove stress and strain on our bodies and our souls. When we modify a pose in an act of ahimsa, others who may be near also benefit. Ahimsa builds community. Where violence is absent, love has room to flourish.

Ahimsa does not mean becoming a doormat and letting others walk over you. Remember Mahatma Gandhi who said, "I am a soldier of Peace," as he led a nation in a declared non-violent battle against discrimination. Ahimsa.

My yoga teacher Rolf Gates says, "Yamas are the firm ground on which we stand as yogis." Think of Ahimsa as you bring heels and big toes together, find the four corners of the feet and bring your body into Tadasana. Then let it flow from you to others.

Yoga Medical News 


New Study Finds New Connection Between Yoga And Mood

Source: Boston University Medical Center

Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have found that yoga may be superior to other forms of exercise in its positive effect on mood and anxiety.

Read the full article here at Medical News Today.