Monthly Archives: November 2013

Hello December!!!

photo-389    We will welcome in our new month of December with sculpting, toning, and strengthening with the bearing of our own body weight, and the use of external hand weights. Deb will also challenge you to a “three minute plank”!!! No worries, we will build up to that goal!!! Our Sanskrit focus will be “Manas”, or the mind, as we focus on letting it calm, relax, and connect to the body via our prana work. Our mudra is “Apan”, or the energy mudra, and we can all use some extra energy this time of year!!! This is also the perfect time to think about a healthy alternative to gift giving, and purchase some YFL gift certificates. As always, we look forward to seeing you on the mat very soon.—Namaste’, Deb

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM YFL!!!

photo-393photo-395      Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at YFL!!! We wish you and yours a most wonderful holiday!!! We are very grateful for all of our students, and your continued support of our teachings at YFL. We look forward to seeing you back on the mat, Monday, December 2nd.  We will be closed 11/28-11/30.—Namaste’, Deb

Restoration Week!!!

This week’s practice will be restorative in preparation for our first week of the holiday season. We will pranagize (energize with prana), and practice smizing (you have to attend class to learn this technique)!!! Our Sanskrit focus will be “Santosha”, or contentment, and our mudra is ushas (connecting to all things good). We have a shortened schedule due to the Thanksgiving holiday. All classes will meet Monday through Wednesday with one exception, NO HOT YOGA WEDNESDAY EVENING!!! We are CLOSED Thursday through Saturday, and will resume our normal schedule on Monday, December 2nd. Come see us for some deep stretching and relaxation on the mat this week.—Namaste’, Debphoto-383

Creative Vinyasa

photo-370  This week’s class is unique in that you, the practitioner, will design a short 3-5 asana standing flow, during the midst of practice, and repeat it until Deb engages you once again with her instruction. So far, students have really enjoyed this aspect of class. Come to the mat, and give it a try!!!—Namaste’, Deb

Moving Meditation

photo-373This week will examine and execute our practice from a viewpoint of mindfulness, reflection, and movement via the intuition of the physical body. We will begin as we  always do with the breath work, connect inwardly, and establish our resolve or sankalpa. One unique point of this week’s practice will be an initial free flow, as you the practitioner begin the practice with a sequence of 3-5 poses that your body, mind, and breath guide you through innately. It should be a liberating experience to move through your body’s will and intuition with the music, the breath, and your inner voice!!! Following this initial sequence Deb will then guide you through a practice of inner reflection with a gentle flow series. Our Sanskrit focus is Dhayana (Zen), or meditation, and our mudra is the whole body mudra or symbol for yoga. We can’t wait to see you on the mat this week!!!—Namaste’, Deb

Workshop!!!

photo-378 Leslie is in the midst of a cold, so Saturday’s workshop (11-16-13) will be rescheduled!!! Get well Leslie!!! Your yoga will help!!!  Stay tuned for information on a future workshop with Leslie.—Namaste’, Deb

Power of Props

photo-373   It is simple to empower your love for yoga even more with the use of props. They will allow a gentle deepening of the asana with a greater range of motion. Come learn about these powerful tools with Leslie on Saturday, 11-16-13, from 1:30-3:30 p.m. The cost is $25, and there is still time to register.—Namaste’, Deb

Practice At YFL: 11/11-11/16/13

photo-360This week at YFL our practice will emphasize backbending asanas for opening the 4th chakra, “Anahata”, the seat of compassion, love, understanding, and connection to one another. It is the portal to the upper and lower chakras, and thus it is very important that we keep this chakra in balance. Anahata means “unstruck sound” referring to the continued, rhythmic beat of our heart, which is palpable, and yet not a sound produced by a strike. It is the pulse of our “life force” or prana, and is thus connected to the patterns of our breath. This is our sanskrit focus for the week. Our Mudra is Ganesha, which opens us to compassion, connection, and opens our heart, and improves our respiration. The Ganesha mudra involves turning one palm toward the heart, and the other away as the fingers interlock. The mudra is pulled on the inhale, and relaxed on the exhale for 6 breath patterns, and then the hand lock is reversed for 6 breaths. The practice will also include the Sun Salutation for the 4th chakra. It is going to be a great week at YFL, so please come join us for this practice of the heart.—Namaste’, Deb