Vancouver Yoga Center Newsletter     

SW Washington's Premier Yoga Center & School
Vancouver Yoga Center

 

 

Happy NEW YEAR!

 

2014 was a full and vibrant year at the studio. We celebrated a full year in our new space! We welcomed in a few other teachers and the studio feels more and more like the community I desired when I created the studio 15 years ago. I hosted many different workshops on philosophy, health and healing, and loved getting back in that teaching direction.

 

I'm not a big fan of New Years resolutions. Rather I like to think of a theme for the year and see how to weave that into my life more and more throughout the year. This year I picked a theme and thought how this might benefit everyone so I'd like to share these thoughts and goals with you throughout the year.

The theme is Transformation. I am going to apply it to the classic goal of health. So this year I'm committing to being consistent with the newsletter on a once a month basis. I will offer the health goal for that month along with an inspiration reading or movie and recipe. Hope you enjoy these small simple tips on how we all can improve our health and wellbeing.

 

Changes at the studio:

We have deleted, added and changed up a few classes at the studio, so be sure to check the schedule on-line.

Do to low attendance we will no longer have the prenatal class. 

If there is popular demand we will happily bring it back. 

No more Gentle yoga on Wednesdays at 7:15pm and the Gentle class on Thursdays at 4pm has been changed to "Revitalize and Renew ~Yoga For Those In Healing: 

I am very excited about this Revitalize and Renew class. Through the years I have seen some of my students go through tough body traumas like surgeries, cancer treatments, dealing with MS, rheumatoid arthritis or other autoimmune diseases. Their bodies were craving rest and repair. A part of our nervous system that allows for that rest and repair is called our parasympathetic nervous system. Within yoga we have many tools to help turn that parasympathetic nervous system on. This Yoga for Healing class will teach you those tools and help you on your way to recovery and vibrance again. 

 

If you have any requests for classes to be added to the schedule for 2015, please let me know.

 

Looking forward to another full year of adventures, learning and transformation with you all!

 

In Wellness,

 

Melonie


 

Many Blessings from the rest of the teaching team:

Tish, Lauren, Lindsey, Sara, Karen, Matt, and our recent Yoga Trainee graduates; Kelly, Jenny, Debra & Pierre

Optimal Health Goal for January.....

 

Drink more water

 

If you are anything like me, you get busy in your day and forget to drink enough water.

Our thirst mechanism is actually delayed. Once the symptoms of dry mouth or lips come up, we are usually past our bodies need for water.

 

Some simple facts:

We do not store water and need it replaced constantly.

Our bodies are comprised of 50-70% watery substance.

We lose about 2.5-3 liters of water a day for an average adult. We need to replace this water daily.

 

Some signs of dehydration might be:

Thirst, headaches, lethargy, mood changes, dry nasal passages, dry lips, dark colored urine, weakness, tiredness, confusion or hallucinations.  

 

Your goal for this month is to drink your bodies weight in ounces a day. So if you weigh 150# you should drink 75oz of water a day. If this is more than what you are drinking each day, you may be running to the bathroom more often at first. Think of this as extra exercise :) It should normalize when you become more properly hydrated.

Just like a plant that hasn't been watered in a long time. When you do water it, the water rushes through it. Similarly let your tissues get their fill and give your body time to adapt to all this new water.

 

Here are a few tips to hydrate back up again:

 

Upon rising drink 32 oz of room temperature water to kick start your day. For many this will also stimulate your morning evacuations. You may even find you don't require as much coffee to wake you up or get things moving.

 

Get a larger water bottle that you know how many oz it holds. Fill it and bring that to work.

 

Drink your water room temp as iced or cold drinks interfere with your digestive fire.

 

Squeeze 1/2 a lemon in your water. This adds electrolytes, flavors the water and has a mild cleansing effect on the body.

 

Try not to include coffee or other drinks into your water intake goal for the day. Instead, if you desire them, add them as extra.

 

Do not drink large amounts of water with meals. Sip warm to hot water during meals. Wait at least 1 hour before or after a meal to take in larger amounts of liquids. This will help support your digestive enzymes and digestive abilities. 

 

If you want to read more on the bodies need for water see the link below:

 

Your body's many cries for water: 

http://www.coralclubprague.ru/site/site-files/Knigy/Fereydoon_Batmanghelidj%20-%20Your_Bodys_Many_Cries_%20for_Water_eng.pdf

 

Movie Recommendation

 

Food Inc

 

This documentary focuses on unsustainable corporate farming practices that produce food that is unhealthy, environmentally harmful, abusive to the animals and the employees.

  

An oldie but a goodie. I have seen this movie three or four times. Each time it gets me more motivated to get more informed on where my food comes from. And has been a big inspiration and driving force to find the time to create my own small garden and support our local CSA(community supported agricultures).

 

Large scale mono crop growing is not supporting the health of us, our land, our animals we eat or our economy. 

We are blessed in the NW to have many small local farms we can support, offering better quality animals and vegetables. You have the ability to keep your money in local hands and out of a few rich corporations pockets. Let's vote with our dollars and support our health and economy by searching out quality local farms and supporting them!

 

Here is a TED Talk by Mark Bittman on the state of of food, i also found interesting.

http://www.ted.com/talks/mark_bittman_on_what_s_wrong_with_what_we_eat?language=en

 

 

If you have a movie  or book you would like to recommend to our Yoga community, write a short summary of it or what about it resonated with you,  and send it my way for a possible spot in an upcoming newsletter.

 

See you at the farm

~Melonie

 

Free Intro to Yoga

 

Do you know anyone a bit scared to try a yoga class? Maybe they think they are too stiff, injured, overweight or not very coordinated. This is the place to start!


 

The first Saturday of every month we will offer a free introduction to yoga class. Taking students through the basic concepts and movements of yoga in a very slow and easily accessible way. A great introduction for those friends and family members than have never tried yoga and might be a bit scared.


 

1st Saturday of the month starting in February 

10-11am

 
Asana Workshops 
with Melonie

 

                                   $45 per workshop


 

Restorative Yoga, Pranayama, & Meditation Jan 17th 2:15-5pm

Resting poses held for 5-10 minutes, all breathing techniques of yoga will be explored and poetry and mediation woven throughout, this workshop designed to reset your nervous system and get you comfortable with the other more subtle practices of yoga.


 

Partner Yoga Feb 21st 2:15-5pm

Bring a friend or just yourself and come explore playful yet deeply stretchy yoga poses with the assistance of a yoga buddy. Leave feeling like you got a workout and your body got a massage, all in one.
 

Meditations 
with Dr. Matthew Zorn

 

Second Sunday of the Month

10-11:30am $20 per class


Each month Dr. Zorn will explore a different philosophical topic of the mind or heart. Topics and lectures are inspired by those who come and how the dialogue unfolds organically between Dr. Zorn and his students.

Past topics have been:

The ego

How to surrender to the moment

How is the mind holding you back

How to open to grace

Cultivating contentment

Recipe

 

Here is a recipe offered by our yoga teacher Jenny Jasinski....it's a raw salad, but the kale breaks down with loving - mindfulness massage!
 
Adapted from "The Complete Book of Raw Food" 

Kale Medicine Salad
 
Ingredients for the salad:
 
1 bunch lacinato kale 
1- 2 ripe avocados 
1 zucchini (I use carrot as a sub in the winter) 
1/2 of 1 large beet 
1 bunch basil 
2" ginger root (I've used a dash of powdered ginger when I was out of fresh) 
2" turmeric root (I've used a dash of powdered turneric when I was out of fresh)
 
for the dressing:
 
1 clove garlic, pressed 
1/4 cup olive oil 
celtic sea salt to taste 
green powder to taste 
1-2 Tblsp apple cider vinegar to taste
 
Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl with a fork or wisk until smooth. Place finely chopped kale in a large bowl, pour on dressing and massage with love and gratitude. The massaging softens the kale. De-pit the avocados and slice into cubes, chop or shred the beet, zucchini, turmeric and ginger root and add to bowl. Add basil leaves, whole or chopped.
 
Enjoy, it's addictive! 

If you have a favorite recipe you would like to share just reply to this email and send it along!

 

Treatment room rentals

 

Our studio has one extra room we are looking to rent out full or part time to a wholistic healthcare practitioner such as Massage Therapist or Acupuncturist.


 

If you or someone you know might be interested in one of these rooms please contact Melonie at the center.

[email protected]

Full Schedule back in Session January 5th:
 
 


About Vancouver Yoga Center

 

We pride ourselves on teaching Yoga to each individual. Our yoga teachers are certified and highly trained in the movement and alignment of the body. Drop by the studio anytime or visit us online at VancouverYogaCenter.com for more information about our class schedule, massage therapy, and yoga therapy.

 

 

1101 Broadway St #216

Vancouver, Washington 98660

Vancouver Yoga Center

360-521-1609

In This Issue
Health goal
Movie recommendation
Intro to Yoga
Asana Workshops
Meditations
Recipe
Room Rentals
Upcoming Lectures, Events & Workshops


Meditations- Jan 11th
Restorative Yoga- Jan 17th
Intro to Yoga- Feb 7th
Partner Yoga- Feb 21st

 
Full schedule back in session:
Jan 5th

 

 

 

  

 



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