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December 2014

 

Leslie Ellis 09

  

I have heard so many people say recently, something about "this time of year" and the fact that they feel overwhelmed in some way by it. There is an anticipation of activity, family gatherings, needing to meet expectations and just a sheer energy output required that is already setting them up for stress.
 

"The Holidays" come every year and with them a sense of hurry, responsibility and overwhelm.  You may feel both the draw toward the excitement and want to really experience joy in your world while also feeling that there is too much to do and that the commercialization of the holidays takes away from the quality of peace and connection that you want. You may cherish your family traditions and the spirit of Chanukah or Christmas, you may enjoy the beautiful lights and decorations, you may love getting together with family and friends and still you may find that there is something not quite right - you may feel tired, or irritable or even, stressed.
 

Over the years I have found that having some time during "this time of year" just for myself and for some ceremony and ritual that is intended to really connect me to spirit - the divine light in everything - and to stop and contemplate the return of light to the earth, has been immensely helpful in sustaining me.


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Namaste,

Leslie
GrowingYourYoga
And blessings from the whole HeartSong team!  Lani, Kayci, Noemi, Lynn, Heather, Lloyd, Amarylis, Susana and Kasey...
Growing Your Yoga
Rest and Digest: A Useful Mantra for the End of 2014
by Lloyd Pauze

As an excited new teacher at HeartSong Yoga, I want to wish everyone happy holidays and healthy food choices. Plenty of ginger in your diet and warm sesame oil massages for those damp winter months to avoid colds and dryness on the inside and outside of the body. I feel very special and privileged every time I teach a class in this spacious yoga studio because of the beautiful panoramic view that offers us enjoyment while exploring movement. The variety of new yoga classes coming to HeartSong in 2015 balance purpose and warmth with the overall intention of all concerned at HeartSong Yoga.
 

Students who are new to my teaching lineage ask me, "what is a breath centric practice"? 
doyouknow

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Do You Know...
iRest? Lying Around is "Real Yoga"!

It's true:  not all yoga involves moving the body. Unlike the physical practice of Yoga asana, Yoga nidra, the yoga of "wakeful sleep", is an internal form of yoga that explores the more subtle layers of mind and body.
 

Integrative Restoration®, or iRest®, is a particular form of yoga nidra -- a formatted method used to explore the physical, energetic, and emotional layers of being.  This deeply soothing practice is used in the clinical treatment of PTSD and as therapeutic support for anxiety, depression, grief, addictive behavior and sleep disorder.

 

Yoga nidra is generally experienced as reclining practice, so laying around is totally legit.  Bolsters, blankets and eye pillows support relaxing the body and quieting the mind, allowing for a deeper and more refined practice.  In using the "felt body sense" of experience, practitioners build the capacity to observe the present moment with calm, compassionate, curiosity - a skill that shows up off the mat as decreased stress, improved emotional steadiness, and a general boost to feelings of wellbeing. Repeated practice soothes the nervous system and restores deep internal balance to the mind-body.

 

communityhighlightCurious? Try out iRest for yourself! Join embodied mindfulness professional Suzanne Bigelow for the upcoming workshop on iRest for improved sleep.  Learn more...

 


Community Highlight
Student Snapshot: Marcy England

How long have you been practicing yoga?
About 14 years, I think. I'm not sure when I started, but I remember early in my practice part of the lesson after 9/11 being restorative and cathartic.
 

What was it that drew you to yoga in the first place and to HeartSong in particular?
I started yoga because I'd had muscle issues in my low back. I really disliked getting "adjusted" by a chiropractor, and thought strengthening and toning the muscles might help. I haven't been back to the chiropractor since. I studied at two other studios before finding Heartsong, but the drive to those was hectic. Heartsong is much closer to home. I was impressed by Leslie's understanding of the human body and her ability to explain how poses should be done to prevent damage to the body.

ResourceCenter
 

Visit our blog to read the rest of the interview...
 

Resource Center
Paul Telles - Your Tech Industry Wellness Resource
                                                                                                       
As we transition into 2015, we are so pleased to welcome Paul Telles to the HeartSong community. If you've met Paul before, you might know his story is pretty inspiring. He began his yoga practice in his late 40's in response to lifelong obesity and health challenges that stemmed from that condition. He went on to lose 95 pounds over the course of 9 years and tells us that nearing 60, he's now in the best shape of his life physically, emotionally and psychologically. What an achievement!

As a tech industry veteran and yoga teacher, Paul is well-acquainted with the stresses of working in this field, such as tired eyes from looking at the computer screen too long, sore back and hip muscles from prolonged sitting and other posture-related difficulties. It is these life experiences that have led him to develop a yoga class geared toward helping tech workers get moving, stretching and best of all, relaxing!

Do you know of anyone in the tech industry who could benefit from yoga? Use the button at the bottom of this newsletter to forward this issue to them!workshops

 Learn more about his upcoming workshop and series coming in January.
 
Workshops & Events


the greatest gift this holiday season is the gift of self-care...

Restorative Yoga for the Solstice
with Leslie Ellis
Friday, Dec. 19th | 6 - 8 pm

The holiday season is a time for togetherness, love and festivity-but at times, it can feel like festivity overload! To help counteract the inherent busyness of this time of year, you're invited to join us for this annual celebration of the return of the light.
 
 




Try something new in 2015...

techies
Yoga for Techies
with Paul Telles
Workshop: Saturday, Jan 17th | 1 - 3 pm
6 week series:
Thursdays, Jan. 29th - Mar. 5th | 6 - 7:30 pm

Taught by a certified yoga teacher who is also a tech-industry veteran, this workshop and series will feature a simple, accessible yoga practice you can use in your home and cubicle. Come and stretch the parts of your body that need it most!


 


iRest

Integrative Restoration for Improved Sleep
with Suzanne Bigelow
5 week series: Mondays, Jan. 12th - Feb. 9th | 7:15 - 8:30 pm

Difficulty Sleeping? Challenged by a busy brain? Forgot what relaxed feels like? Join yoga therapist and mindfulness consultatnt Suzanne Bigelow for iRest® -- a somatic-based mindfulness training founded on the ancient practice of Yoga Nidra.


 


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Our next Advanced Studies Teacher Training and Immersion
starts in February of 2015

...and the immersion track is changing next year -- check it out!

Is 2015 going to be your year to deepen your practice? 

Attend a free info session on: 
Thurs. January 8, 6-9 pm or Sunday, January 18th, 12-3 pm.
Just click either date to register!

Can't make it on either date?
Call (503) 644-1865 to schedule a free phone consultation with Leslie. 

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With the holidays approaching, please be aware that we will be operating on a limited holiday schedule from 12/21 - 1/1.

View the Schedule
During this time period, we will ask that all students sign up for classes ahead of time to ensure that we have enough people attending to ask teachers to come in. Drop-ins will be allowed, however classes will be cancelled without a minimum of 5 people signed up ahead. We'll make it as easy as possible for you to know ahead of time about any cancellations by posting them on our website and if you're registered, you'll get a call and notice by email.


Save 25% on Gift Certificates in December!
How do you want to express gratitude to your loved ones during this season of giving?  Why not gift friends and family with experiences that help them to lead happier, healthier lives? These are some of the greatest offerings we can make -- so give the gift of yoga!  Here are some of our favorite gift suggestions available now.
 
To Purchase Discounted Gift Certificates:
- print coupon or show on mobile device when buying at the studio
- call us at 503.644.1865 to order over the phone
- visit our online store and enter coupon code "GIFTOFYOGA2014" upon
 checkout
HeartSong Logo 2013

Offer expires December 31st, 2014

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