Summertime Yoga

 

"Slow buds the pink dawn like a rose from night's gray and cloudy sheath, softly and still it grows and grows, petal by petal, leaf by leaf." Susan Coolidge

Summer is the time to enjoy all the earth elements, soak in the sunshine, breathe in the air, swim in the ocean, and be in nature. In years past, I have taken time off from teaching yoga while my kids are on school break. As my kids grow older, they are more independent, responsible, and focused on their own interests. I am finding myself with more personal time on days off to unwind, tend to my garden, read the many books I have stacked up, and to share the practice of yoga that brings joy and peace to my body, heart, and mind. This being the season of longer days, I'm looking forward to vacation with family and friends, moments of play, spontaneity, and relaxation. I aim to bring that energy into my life by not overfilling my schedule and creating spaciousness in my offerings. 

Please find my summer schedule and links to FREE yoga and meditation below.

Weekly in-person classes:

$5 drop in at Wakefield and Melrose Senior Centers. 

Monday Chair Yoga (11a-12n) in Wakefield, MA at the McCarthy Senior Center will be led by my friend and colleague Mimi Izzo for July and August. 

Thursday Gentle Yoga (8:45a-9:45a) and Chair Yoga (10a-11a) in Melrose, MA at the Milano Senior Center will continue with me. 

I'll sub in yoga classes as I can at all 4 YMCA Metro North branches in Melrose, Saugus, Peabody, and Lynn. I'm scheduled to teach Yoga Flow on Sunday July 28 10a-11a in Peabody, Gentle Yoga on Saturday August 10 10:15a-11:15a in Saugus, and Chair Yoga on Friday August 16 11a-12n in Peabody. 

Starting July 16, I'll be sharing FREE virtual yoga at my local library on Tuesdays 11a-12n. I'll guide you through 4 weeks of a slow flow, restorative poses, focused breathing, and mindful meditation to soften into summer. Register for each class on the Melrose Public Library website or call 781-665-2313 for assistance. 

I recently recorded 2 new videos and posted to my YouTube page. 

Chair Yoga with Weights is a ~30 minute active seated practice.

Summer Slow Flow is a ~55 minute practice to welcome the warmth and light of the season. 

You can find all my yoga videos here and my guided meditations here.

Lastly, Joshin Kokyu Ho is a reiki breathing technique known as the light breath. I share this technique often in my yoga classes, it's a gentle breath to welcome in Summer.

Find a comfortable seat with your spine supported, place your tongue at the roof of your mouth. Bring your awareness to the crown of your head, inhale through the nose, pull the breath into your body and imagine light pouring in through the crown of your head. As you hold the breath in your body for 1-2 seconds imagine the light extending down into your heart, arms, lower abdomen, and legs. Release your tongue to the lower palate as you exhale through your nose, allow the image of light to flow out through your hands, fingertips, feet, and toes. Imagine the light surrounding you and with every breath in and out the light continues to hold you. As you surround yourself with healing light, allow this light to extend outward. You may want to bring someone, something, or someplace into your mind's eye and transform the image of light into loving kindness energy. This practice of holding, caring, and supporting is reiki light energy. When you feel complete, return to a natural flow of breath. Notice how you feel.

Mandala is a Sanskrit word meaning both "circle" and "center" representing the visible world around us and the invisible world within us. 

June's new moon nature mandala led to the summer solstice, the longest day when the sun "stands still" holding light. These mandalas symbolize intention in the ordinary moments of the day, staying connected to the earth as the seasons change. Look around your home, go outside for a walk, get into nature, see what beauty you can gather. Nature mandalas are easy to create, follow your inner wisdom.