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Dear
This week I had the privilege of attending a yoga and meditation class at the Warkworth penitentiary. I wasn't sure what to expect, never having been to a prison before.
I went with two other yoga teachers, one who has been teaching the class for a while and wanting to step down, and another who, like me, is considering volunteering to teach classes there.
As each of the men came to the class, they introduced themselves to me, shook my hand, looked me in the eye and thanked me for coming. I had some time to mingle with the inmates both before and after the class, and they were friendly, and expressed a great deal of gratitude for the opportunity to attend the program, called "Freeing the Human Spirit" that brings yoga and mindfulness meditation to prisons across Southern Ontario.
Something that has always struck me about teaching yoga, and meditation, is how the practices remove barriers. When practicing yoga, doing meditation or receiving a massage, most people let the masks of their daily lives slip away a little bit. As they move their attention inward, to their bodily experience, the breath, and the mind, they become more "real," and less of the image that they choose to show the world.
Many of the men in the prison yoga class were challenged to bend forward, or move from pose to pose in the sun salutation, or lift their heads in cobra, but they gave it their full attention, even one inmate in a wheelchair. The benefits of the practice outweighed the risk of being vulnerable or appearing incapable. During the meditation portion at the end of the class, they sat for two 10-minute rounds of seated meditation, with a few minutes of walking meditation in between.
What I realized by the end of my time there is that we are only as free as we allow ourselves to be. If we are afraid of looking foolish or being judged (or judging ourselves) while practicing yoga, we are prisoners in our own bodies. If we're not willing to risk the discomfort of sitting with our demons in meditation, we are prisoners in our own minds. If we refuse to acknowledge and connect with the mystery of life, we imprison our free spirits.
This program brings the ultimate freedom to those who are physically detained, and reminds me that the most important aspects of ourselves are always free. It's the restrictions that we place on ourselves that determine whether we enjoy that freedom, or feel like prisoners in our own lives. I think I'll be going back to jail to help foster freedom from within!
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Learn to Chant - Register Now - begins April 23
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 For the Love of Chant -
A Vedic Chant Workshop
This workshop will give an overview of the fundamental principles of Vedic chanting and introduce students to some of the most beloved healing chants from the vedas. Each class will include a movement and breathwork practice incorporating simple sounds to enhance the effectiveness of the asanas. A new chant will be introduced each week, and the previous week's chant will reviewed, with an opportunity to ask questions and make corrections. You will learn the correct posture for chanting, how to breathe most effectively for vocal control (this also applies to singing) as well as the meaning of the chants that you will learn. Chairs are provided, however, participants are welcome to sit on cushions on the floor if that's more comfortable. Dates: Tuesdays - April 23, 30, May 7, 14
Times: 6:30 - 9:00 p.m.
Cost: $110 plus HST Click here for more information and to register. |
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Spring Yoga Classes - Classes start Monday, April 22
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There are no classes the week of April 15. Have a great week.
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Yoga for Children and Teens
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Join us for a new session of yoga for the younger crowd, taking us to the end of the school year.
Yoga for children 5-8 on Saturdays from 9:00 - 9:45 a.m.
Yoga for children 9-12 on Saturdays from 10:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Yoga for teens 13-19 on Mondays from 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Why enroll your child or teen in yoga classes?
Studies have shown yoga's effectiveness in:
- reduction of the symptoms of asthma
- reduction in the symptoms of ADHD
- motor skill improvement
- improvement in cognitive function
- increase in the ability to memorize and process information
- increase in academic performance
- greater social adaptability
- increased self esteem
- increased ability to handle stress
- improved flexibility, strength and endurance
For details on these studies and more regarding yoga's benefits for children, click here.
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Spring Fling - Yoga Dance
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Tiina's blend of yoga and dance combines the mindfulness of yoga, with the playfulness of dance; the alignment of the postures, and the flow of your body as it grooves along with her fabulous music selections.
Tiina's style of teaching gives enough instruction so that you're completely comfortable with the movements, and leaves enough space for you to express your uniqueness.
This workshop is open to both men and women, as well as teens.You don't need to have any experience in either yoga or dance, but a willingness to move and free your body and soul.
Saturday, April 27, 4:00 - 5:30
$20 including HST
Register online here: www.wavelengthsyoga.com/workshops.html
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Teacher Training News
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300 Hour Advanced YTT
Graduates, and current students, of Wavelengths Yoga's 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training Program can now apply for our advance training program. For graduates of other 200 hour yoga teacher training programs, stay tuned.
This program is in compliance with standards set by Yoga Alliance, and graduates can apply to be recognized as a 500-hour yoga teacher. (RYT-500) This is the maximum level of training currently recognized for yoga teachers.
The program begins January, 2014. Early bird applicants receive a discount on the total cost of the program if the application is received before April 19, 2013.
Details are now available at
www.wavelengthsyoga.com/teacher_training.htm
200 Hour YTT News
This past weekend, we explored the benefits of yoga during pregnancy, and the students had the opportunity to discover some of those benefits first hand.
In March, we held our annual Teacher Training retreat at Harmony Dawn Eco Retreat Centre near Hastings. We spent the weekend completely off the grid, enjoying the incredible food prepared by our gracious hosts, Andy and Nicola James. Between sessions, we had time to explore the acres of woods on the property, which is a short walk from Rice Lake. Here's a group shot of this year's 200 hour yoga teacher trainees at Harmony Dawn. 
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What goes around, comes around
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Next time you're at the studio, have a look through the Lost and Found bag (on a hook behind the front door) and claim any items you may have left behind. Whatever's left at the end of the month will be donated to charity.
SPECIAL LOST ITEM: We've been hanging onto a pair of sunglasses that someone is sorely missing, I'm sure. They were left at the studio sometime last fall and are Ray Ban prescription sunglasses with red plastic frames. Please claim them if they belong to you.
Please avoid wearing perfumes or using heavily scented body and hair products when you're coming to the studio. Some students are very sensitive to such scents, and what smells good to you may be unpleasant, or even harmful, to the person next to you. Thank you!
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I look forward to seeing you for the spring session of classes.
Caroline
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