Mermaids and cows

 

There's still time for you to join the challenge! Follow us on instagram!  @emilydoesnotloveu @greatdestroyerofcupcakes @jaiyogaarts #openyourheart #bekindtoyourjoints #theyogablockisyourfriend #septemberyogachallenge

Yoga teacher training in Bushwick!

You don't have to want to become a teacher to do a teacher training in Yoga. I did mine just wanted to get more out of yoga. However, it does get addictive. I didn't intend to teach at all...and soon after completing the training...people were asking me to teach them! With that said...its the type of experience that will take you anywhere and everywhere. Jai has a really great teacher training coming up in Sept! I may not have done my 200 hr there but I may as well have -been studying with Ella for the last 3 years and have learned so much from her!

jaiyogaarts.com

Talking about leap of faith...

It requires trust and surrender. I used to resist surrender. It sounds so weak and I'm someone who wants to work hard and push forward, accomplish. Surrender is the opposite of that! Well, that's what I thought. I can't control what's out of my hands. The universe is bigger than me. Small things...don't...matter. There is something greater out there. And no matter what...the earth is under my feet. Now...that's surrender.

My leap of faith is that I am going to try and actually BE a yoga teacher. I never thought of myself as one...but a few years ago I began hearing my friends refer to me as a "yoga teacher". At first I rejected it...that's not me! And then I got used to hearing it but not being it. I decided I am going to start doing it like its me. So I am now going to be teaching group classes 4x a week that are open to the public. I have resisted for so long giving up my time to do this...and why not? It always feels good to teach a class...its work that I can enjoy. So here I am...diving in. #leapoffaith

Thank you, satsang

Today was one of those days...that when I was teaching my class I felt like I was  in my own skin and as I was teaching I was thinking...this is a dope class. Usually I'm thinking I hope they like this...I hope I'm not making this too boring/easy or too hard. But today I felt like I sat in my skin and gave them a class in which I felt good about. I wish I could do this every time! Not only that, but after class every student in class, legit, told me they had a great class! I think most of the time people say that to be nice but each person lingered when they said it and I felt like...geez they actually really liked it. Maybe it is the theme of satsang this month at Jai that is bringing people together and making me feel a little more held up in my class, by the people in it.  On average I usually teach anywhere from 3-5 classes a week which would make me more of a part-time yoga teacher and full time yogi. I definitely think full-time teachers have a different way about teaching that is way more skilled and confident. Maybe that'll come one day for me. In other news, satsang today was so much about separating out the microcosm of meditating within yourself to find balance and then taking that balance in the macrocosmic way to feel aligned with what's around us. Energetically and off the mat...what do we do with all this yoga? Hopefully we are happier and nicer people!

Just being in my own flow today.

Thanks to all the inspiring students who came to my class today!

July 4th Yoga!

Celebrate the 4th by taking noon class at Jai Yoga Arts!

What is Reiki?

I just got Reiki III certified!

Reiki is the laying on of hands for energy healing. 

If you'd like to try some good Reiki juju come to Jai Yoga Arts!

Community Reiki event
This workshop is for both Reiki practitioners and non-practitioners!

Feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or off balance? Come experience Reiki healing sessions with certified practitioners. Enjoy a relaxing,
balancing, and rejuvenating technique in a warm and supportive environment.

Are you a Reiki practitioner? This series at Jai allows you to develop your skill and strengthen your confidence and connection to universal life force energy.

Saturday April 6th, 13th, and 20th from 2-4pm
$40 for whole series
$35 early bird pay by March 30th
$15 drop-in session

Mantra Meditation. Oct 21 at Jai Yoga Arts

Mantra Meditation
with Gadadhara Pandit Dasa

Pandit is back by popular demand to give a very special workshop on Mantra Meditation. Come experience the calm sense of empowerment mantra meditation can provide you.  Beginners welcome!
Click here for details! $9

Sunday, October 21st
4:30pm-5:30pm

Weekend at a glance. Stay hydrated folks!

The BEST iced chai is at Swallows in Bushwick

Some of my favorite Muay Thai training partners, favorite
Sitar player at my favorite Yoga studio.

Watermelon smoothies were on sale. Buy 2 get 1 free.

Sitar music returns to my class July 7th!

Live Sitar Music by Egemen Sanli in my Yoga class!
Saturday July 7th 4:30
Jai Yoga Arts
L train to Morgan Ave

Come learn about Chakras at Jai!

Chakras! YAY!

I have been doing guided chakra meditations and also our monthly focus at Jai is now Chakras! The chakras and poses that I think connect with each.

1- Root -what grounds us. Earth energy. Its home base, basic needs for survival. Creating rooting or foundation. Practicing mulabhanda, pachimotanasana, tadasana.
2- Sacral -I like that sacral is sacred. The sacrum and hip bones surround and protect our reproductive organs. Sexual energy. But to me this is a lot about developing boundaries and what we keep protected. Bridge pose
3- Solar Plexus -Digestion and fire energy. Stomach and intestines. This is about differentiation. How we build our identity and ego. How we label ourselves. Side angle twist, any twists!
4- Heart -After differentiation we arrive at compassion. Oneness. This is how we start to become different from other animals. Upward facing dog, back bending
5- Throat -Communication, speech. This is what really makes us different from other animals. Also its how our internal body starts to have connection to the outside. Shoulderstand, bridge pose, camel
6- Ajna/third eye -Where we do our Yoga and meditation. Its our inward journey and our thinking mind. Balancing poses -tree, utitha hasta padagustasana. Or seated meditation, tratak.
7- Crown -Above the actual crown of the head, our spiritual connection. What connects us to the cosmic universe. Warrior 3, plank. Meditation.

I find a connection to this system with the nervous system. They align along with the spine and the brain. Our Yoga practice really opens up these chakras, especially because the stresses in life tend to cause us to create blockages.

Thinking of doing more about the Yoga in your life?

I never thought I would teach Yoga. I did a teacher training for the sole purpose of being able to teach myself Yoga. I wanted to find more of what I liked in Yoga and reconcile my issues with it. Also to deepen my practice physically and gain some understanding about certain poses. I did all of that and more. Now to tell you about Jai Yoga Arts, the place where I teach Yoga. It is a really awesome community. One of the main purposes of the studio is to do just that...build community. Ella is an amazing teacher and mentor. She has a way of teaching Yoga that makes it accessible to everyone. Beginners and long time practitioners. Jai is such an awesome place to teach Yoga but also to take Yoga classes. Everyone in the community is warm and friendly. The best part of class, having tea together afterwards. You really get to know the people at the studio and they all get to know each other. Jai is really such a true manifestation of the idea of Yoga as "union".

Do your teacher training here!

What an amazing day!

Live Sitar turns out to be a seriously amazing thing to have in a Yoga class. Thanks to all the amazing people who showed up today. If you missed out, don't worry...we will make it happen again!

Things are happening at Jai in Bushwick!

April is Dhyana month! We are focusing on honing our meditation skills. All last month we worked on Dharana focus and concentration. As we practice that we can get to a place where meditating just happens. I like this idea that if you just sit and do...and even fake it sometimes...you will find yourself in it. Meditating. That is Dhyana. I think we all get there sometimes but we just don't realize it. Come to class and meditate with us!

This week we've been cleansing ourselves of gluten. Its going pretty well for me. I don't feel as sleepy and on top of that, have less a need for caffeine! Next week we're giving up sugar!

Satuday...is my LIVE Sitar music class! So If you haven't been to Jai Yoga Arts yet...its a great time for you to try it out -so come on down!

And to be random...a link to 13 simple steps to get you through a rough day...
I know its not Friday yet...I personally work all weekend so I am not much for looking forward to the weekends but if you're feeling down and out...things could be worse...or you can just read this.

Day 1 of being meatless

Today starts the first day of going meatless on our community wide cleanse at Jai Yoga Arts. I am not giving up eggs but I will give up seafood! But again...having cheese again. Still trying not to have so much cheese since now that I started eating it again I am tempted to want it in every meal. So byebye suckling pig. Its only a week. I shall see you again soon! :)

In other news, I got my level 1 Reiki Certification yesterday. We will be running another one soon at Jai. Check the website for updates!

I know this is not very Yoga-like of me but hey...

Spring Cleansing! Part 2 update

OK so I was supposed to blog all about it right? We ended up giving up dairy for 2 weeks! I started eating cheese again last night. I gave up eggs for only 3 days...couldn't keep that going since its almost 1/3 of my diet! Yes I eat a lot of hard boiled eggs...they're so convenient and portable!

Anyways...I read labels and for the most part stayed dairy free unless the label said "may contain traces". Pretty good, yeah? I even drank black iced coffee cause one of the places I use as a study spot doesn't have soy milk. I don't necessarily feel that different. Forgoing chocolate was probably the hardest part mentally. What I did notice was how much cheese I eat normally! Because I had to rethink each meal making sure there was no dairy involved...I noticed how much I would have normally had cheese -every day at lunch! What?! I also did notice when I had cheese again last night...not just how AMAZING it is but how salty it is. Cutting cheese out really cut down my salt intake too...which was the added bonus part. Starting Sunday I'm going to be giving up Meat -I will not include eggs but I will include seafood. That should go fine as long as I don't encounter Luke's Lobster truck!

Level 1 Reiki Cert at Jai

Learn Reiki Healing!
Level 1 Certification At Jai

In this 2 part workshop you will become a level one certified Reiki practitioner. Taught by Master Reiki instructor Darcy Skye. Reiki is a hands on healing modality great for calming anxiety, relaxing the body, and relieving pain and stress. Through your touch, unconditional love will flow. Learning Reiki is an empowerment process that awakens your ability to heal on a physical, emotional, and spiritual level. You will connect more deeply to your sense of purpose and replenish your well of creativity and passion for life.

March 18th and 25th
2:30-5pm
$69 includes both classes
Save $10 with Advance Registration before March 17th

Spring Cleansing!

We are conducting a community cleanse at Jai Yoga Arts. Each week for 6 weeks we will give something up in our diet collectively. This is obviously optional! But the purpose is to gain awareness of ourselves. How we related to these foods, how our body reacts without them or with them. Its a great way to discover a healthy way of eating without having to fast or really deprive ourselves in an unhealthy way.

So starting next Monday 1 week of no dairy! Want to take the challenge with us?! I will be blogging about my progress for the 6 weeks. At the end of 6 weeks you can come up with your own healthy cleanse or just fixing your diet according to what you've learned. At Jai those who want to, will work with our Ayurvedic counselor to begin a cleanse or find healthier eating habits.

Groggy, gray, sleepy and hitting snooze?

It's hard waking up when its all gray and cold outside. You want to hit snooze...you feel like you just fell asleep. And there is the alarm going off. The best way to wake up?

Step 1...instead of hitting snooze a second...third....fourth time. GET UP!
Sept 2. Do five sun salutations.

Amazing...trust me!

The early morning hours are the best time to practice Yoga! The world is still, your mind and body are still. The energy is less tainted and it allows for focus and concentration.

Come and practice with me in Bushwick! Thursday mornings 6:45-7:45 am. I will start on time and end on time...and you can get to work...on time!