Meditation

Greetings Everyone!

Meditation has been on my mind, (get the pun..  :)) it has been an important part of my New Year 2018. I have also had the pleasure of teaching Yoga Nidra accompanied by Tibetan Singing Bowls and Music as well at the Sweatshop Health Club. (Yoga Nidra: deep form of mediation to bring about what we call as Yogic sleep)

What do you picture when you think of Meditation? 

Maybe its this, a Sunset, this is one that I took in Florida when visiting there.  The internet and You Tube are filled with pictures and videos of peaceful places and scenes which we always imagine as a peaceful place.  With daily meditation we have to create that place ourselves in our mind.  Creating: Peace, lightness and space I think of it as creating space, it is a time for me to let go of the need to "send and receive" and to find clarity during my day.

It is an important practice even more so when we are dodging the bits and pieces of the news that give us the impression of the world not being such a "Good Place"  When there is SO much goodness around us each day.  And that isn't a statement to disregard the news, it is disappointing to hear where we are with so many issues and so many lives being affected and changed forever.   We must continue to find the goodness, the clarity, the space and the peace in our own lives which then turns into joy and love to those around us.

Meditation is one way to find goodness, clarity, beauty or anything else that you are looking for. Even just a few minutes is all you need for a reset.  Enjoy it, Embrace it!

Next up:  Ideas on how to meditate 

Next Yoga Nidra Date: March 21st  www.sweatshopfitness.com

Happy New Year and New Beginnings

Greetings and Happy New Year Everyone!

I am continuing my healing from my injury, and almost can't believe it happened 10 months ago.
I true testament to yoga and pilates for all the physical and emotional healing that I have experienced.

To say 2018 is a year of new beginnings is exciting.  So many new habits, changes in lifestyle and fitness have happened over these last 10 months,  I have a renewed sense of focus, I sleep more and easily and I am so blessed with so many wonderful people in my private life as well as my work communities.

As I look at the year ahead, I have to say, I am very much in the moment, there are always those things on the horizon that may or may not come to fruition. Being in the state of each moment is such a blessing. 

Join me for a loving embrace of community, yoga and our mindfulness at the next Yoga Nidra Night at the Sweatshop.  February 11 Noon - 1:30.  Watch for event info on facebook.  And I hope you are continuing your new year on the right "foot" and "intention"

Namaste'  Denise

Happy Fall,  I cannot believe it has been all summer and now into November!  I have been busy with my continued rehab and strength building since my leg break this past Spring.  Always an interesting part of the journey when we have a new way of looking at our body and a new way of exercising and being mindful.

Fall brings many things with it, one of them being the need to exercise inside.  Gone are the lazy long days of Summer.  Now I have fall walk with my dog, Vigo, and exercising more inside.  This time of year it is important to pick something that is fun, interesting and not just the same old workout.
We all change through out the year, physically, mentally and emotionally.  It is time to tweak that diet and nutrition, eating more seasonally and also exercise needs to adjust.

Find a class, or something new to try!  Look at my class schedule and join me at class, do training, or take up a new class at one of the clubs I train at,  It is never too late to start something new.

Enjoy the fall, stay fit and active,   Denise

Memorial Day Weekend! What a fabulous time, long weekend, and enjoying family. friends and springtime.

Oh yea, AND Yoga! This weekend, do a yoga practice for you, find a class near you or tune in to your body and just practice what you need.

Most importantly RESTORE yourself.

Legs up the wall Pose
Shavasana: relaxation pose
Reclining Butterfly, all good ones to help you relax and restore.

bring joy to your weekend with all that you do! Peace and Light, Denise

Pilates and Yoga CLASSES!

Hi Everyone, I am so glad to be back at my places of work. Eden Prairie and the Sweatshop!

Classes are going and I hope to see you all there. Summer is the time of year when we do not necessarily want to be inside working out, BUT keep in mind yoga or pilates class is only ONE hour of your time.

Yoga and Pilates is a real testament to the practice and doing it regularly, my recovery has been an amazing up hill gain each day and it is all due to doing yoga and pilates. So keep it in your Summer Schedule! You will be happy that you did.

Namaste Everyone and Hope to see you in classes this week! Denise

Finding our way with Yoga

As some you know I have been recovering from a femur fracture, and I am up and about and back to teaching. My heartfelt appreciation to everyone who subbed and kept in touch with me during the past 2 and half months.

Finding my way mentally and physically has been a path and journey in and of itself, nothing I have felt before. My yoga practice has had to reflect it, I have made it a habit to not set stock on the same yoga practice each day.Instead I would do just what I needed or what I was especially in the mood for which always balanced me emotionally and physically. My practice has been very slow, low key and focused. Rehabbing a injury, specifically the thigh. In the beginning, I did many seated poses, to stretch and keep my soft tissue at ease. With there being no load for six weeks, creativity was at a peak for me. Favorite poses, Staff Pose(Dandasana) and Seated Open Angle(Upavista Konasana) and Navasana(boat). In addition, I did many other things, pilates and meditation. I mixed this practice each day for 6 weeks. Then from there it has changed each day, adding longer holds, standing poses, down dog, and yesterday some flow. All very slow and focused on mind/body how it felt in each moment of my practice.

I many times hear people say they stopped practicing yoga because of an injury or a set back physically, I often feel sad about it. As I know myself and many other teachers in my circle, suggest people come to class and do what they can. It is good to find a qualified teacher who can give you helpful tips for at home, OR find a teacher that will meet one on one, to discuss it with you. Usually one visit to get you started is all that you need. It is amazing, to use the practice to allow your body to be where it is and not where you think it should be. Even without an acute injury, yoga must meet our bodies needs on a daily basis. Through our practice this way, we can honor self, be compassionate to ourselves, and show ourselves love. If we do this our bodies will serve us well.



Happy Yogaing! Namasate' Denise

Appreciation and Karma Yoga

I am usually thinking about these two things as separate, and always in relation to others, not necessarily in relation to myself. Nischela Joy Devi in her Yoga Sutras discusses Karma Yoga as something we do for ourselves and then from that place we are able to serve others. This made me re-examine how I nurture myself and do Karma Yoga. Although I do a daily practice, examining, what I do daily, and if it is really serving my body and mind has been a wonderful exploration. During my rehab, exploring poses as I recuperate and build strength, is almost like doing some poses for the first time. My body reacts differently, postures that I wasn't much interested in doing before are now on my list. One of them being a least favorite pose, Upavista Konasana, it is absolutely a pose that feels amazing right now, and it feels so different from before my injury. I have such a deep appreciate for it and my practice. The other piece of appreciation is just for myself and the things I do in my life. While I have been unable to do things as I normally do, take cooking or laundry, I have not been able to do either, And the care I give both is something I appreciate about myself. I look forward with new appreciation to doing these things very soon! Already I have a list of recipes! So nurturing my yoga practice, and inspiring myself to read more and experience poses in a new way is very fulfilling. Then adding in the appreciation of those things that I do for myself and family are definitely working on Karma Yoga. Having a deep appreciation for yourself is amazing, and fulfilling.

And it is Spring time! I have amazing appreciation for it! Looking forward to enjoying the season. Peace and Light