Fall Sessions

Namaste!
The summer is nearing its end and I hope you have all enjoyed the glorious weather and found some time to enjoy life and possibly even get away.
I am printing the fall brochure and will mail out early next week. The fall schedule will be posted on the website the first week of September. If you are interested in any of the fall classes or workshops, please call me to reserve a space and then you may forward me your post-dated cheque upon confirmation. If you are interested in a particular class, it is best to call asap as many of the classes fill quickly.
I am excited about the fall line up of classes and workshops and have some new classes that I am pleased to offer. Some of the new offerings for fall will include additional morning options: Yin/Yang Fusion, Gentle/Beginner and Kundalini Intro. Tracey will be teching a 1 hour General class on Tuesdays from 5-6 pm to get you home before dinner. Courtney will be returning for a 4 week Prenatal Class on Saturday mornings in October. Due to a schedule change, Paola's class will be moving to Thursdays and I will be offering an evening Yin class in the Wed. time slot.
To alleviate some of the back to school, back to work chaos that happens after Labour Day, the fall session will not be starting until the 3rd week of September so that we may catch our breath, organize everyone we need to and then have time for ourselves.
I feel blessed that we have such an extraordinary group of teachers at the studio and each of them brings something different to each class!

Look forward to seeing you in September!

Peace,
Sharon (Bridget, Pam, Tracey, Paola, Courtney)

Our Dear Teacher Lila Ostermann

I just received news today that our beloved teacher Lila Ostermann passed away on Thursday June 24th. She was 90 years old. For those of you who had the honour of knowing Lila, she was a woman whose presence will be missed but whose memory will be forever etched in our hearts.

Lila left our community of Lindsay to move to Salt Spring Island about 8 years ago and for the past couple of years had been living in an assisted centre for Seniors. Her son, Mattias Ostermann, had passed away early last year. Lila apparently became poorly mid-June and deteriorated quite quickly. Her loving friends were with her as she passed and they chanted Om Tryambhakam for the last 2 hours of her dear life. She was embraced by the light, in peace and stillness, with her loving Babuji waiting to receive her.

Lila was a remarkable, loving and strong woman with a personality to match. She touched and affected many people throughout her years of teaching yoga and truly lived what she taught. I think for those who knew her, we all have a "Lila" memory - one that may make us smile, laugh or bring a tear to our eye. It was hard to not embrace this tiny powerhouse of a woman! She was definately a catalyst in my life, as she brought me a respite from the stresses of both my inner and outer worlds -- without being aware of the shift her classes were bringing to me. She allowed compassion to move into our lives and to think about the words we spoke to ourselves. She made us laugh, as she marched us into the ladies room of the Armouries to show us how to do a proper "squat" should we ever find ourselves in India. She was the first teacher who exposed us to Laughter Yoga as she would just start to laugh....HA HA HA.... and before we knew it, the whole class was in laughter. Her stories of her life both prior to yoga and within the ashram, intrigued us all as she shared snippets throughout the years. She was a unique woman who changed perspectives of many as she brought yoga into our small community of Lindsay.

For those of you who have been in our studio, the photo of Lila (taken by Anders Widjedal) truly captures her personality and sparkle. Please take a moment for Lila to honour her life. Honour the gift that she gave to you through her yoga, whether it was one class or numerous. Namaste Dearest Lila. I bow to the light in you.


The Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra
Om. Tryambhakam Yajamahe
Sugandhim Pushtivardhanam
Urvarukamiva Bandhanan
Mrityor Mukshiya Maamritat


We worship Shiva - The Three-Eyed (tryambakam) Lord (yajamahe);
Who is fragrant (sugandhim) and nourishes (pushti) and grows (vardhanam) all beings.
As the ripened cucumber (urvarukamiva) is automatically liberated (bandhanaan) (by the intervention of the "farmer") from its bondage to the creeper when it fully ripens;
May He liberate us (mokshiya) from death (mrityor), for the sake of immortality (maamritaat).

Spiritual Significance of the Shiva Mahamantra
Lord Shiva is referred to as tryambakam, the three-eyed one, because his third-eye has been "opened" by the powers of penance and meditation.
The third eye is said to be located in the space between the eyebrows, and is "opened" when one experiences spiritual awakening. So, when we pray to Lord Shiva, we are in essence asking for his blessings and assistance in opening our third eye of spiritual knowledge. The natural consequence of this awakening is that we will be led towards spiritual liberation or moksha, and attain freedom from the cycles of death and rebirth. The goal of chanting this mantra is to spiritually "ripen" so that we can free ourselves Lord Shiva can free us from our bondage to all the material things that bind us!

4 Week PreNatal Yoga Intro

There are still a couple of spaces available in the 4 week PreNatal Yoga Introduction series beginning on Tuesday July 6th at 11:15 - 12:45pm. If you are interested in registering or require further information please contact the studio by phone or email.

Mini Summer Sessions for July & August

Registration has begun for our summer offerings in July & August.
The classes are pre-registered to ensure that there will be enough clients for a class to run. We will then take drop ins to fill any available places.
If you are interested in further information, registration or to be placed on our mailing list for fall classes, please call or email the studio @ pathtostillness@sympatico.ca

Many thanks to Food for Heroes!

A sincere note of gratitude to Rachel Spearing's Food for Heroes, for hosting and providing a wonderful space for our morning of Nia & Yoga! It was a delight to be amongst the beautiful surroundings, create group energy in our Nia and Yoga, and nourish our bodies with such a delightful lunch!
Many thanks to those who attended and to the Spearing Family for making this morning an enjoyable and successful workshop!

Morning of Yoga & Nia at Elysian Fields

There are still af few spots available for the morning of Yoga & Nia in Bethany this Sunday, June 13th. Contact the studio for further information.
Please bring a yoga mat and shoes that are comfortable and supportive for your Nia practice. Looking forward to moving and connecting with the energy of the earth in this beautiful space!

End of Spring Session

Namaste fellow yogis! This week ends our spring session (other than Saturday classes which end June 19th). We have added a few extra classes over the next 2 weeks for those of you who had expressed an interest in continuing until the end of the "school year" in June.

Additional Classes that will be running are:
Yin Yoga - Tues. Morning ~ 15th & 22nd @ 9:00-10:30 am** note time change
General Yoga - Tues. Evening ~ 15th & 22nd @ 6:15 - 7:45 pm
Experienced Yoga - Wed. Evening ~ 26th & 23rd @ 7:45 - 9:15 pm
Continuing Yoga - Thurs. Evening ~ 17th & 24th @ 7:00 - 8:30 pm**note time change
*please note these are not "makeups"

Our summer yoga offerings will be running on a reduced schedule in mini sessions of 4 weeks for July & August with both morning and evening options. I'm very excited to have Paola teach 3 weeks of Kundalini yoga and allow us to experience it on a weekly basis in July. Classes are pre-registered if possible, so that we may know that people are interested in that particular class running. At present time, the schedule is tentative based on registration. We will then offer drop in availability once our "minimum" number has been reached.

For those of you who have finished the spring session and are taking the summer off, have a safe and relaxing summer. Thank you for your continued support of the studio, it is most appreciated and we look forward to seeing you in the fall.

The summer schedule will be posted next week and if you are interested in registering or drop ins, please give the studio a call or an email.

Blessings,

Sharon, Bridget, Pam, Tracey & Paola

New for Summer ~ PreNatal Yoga

We are pleased to be offering a 4 or 6 week PreNatal Yoga Introduction series beginning Tuesday June 22nd until July 27th (or 4 weeks July 6th-27th) from 11:15 am - 12:45 pm with Courtney Jeffery (CYT200). The classes will include relaxation, breathwork and gentle movement to nurture you and your baby during pregnancy and help prepare you for birth and motherhood. Yoga is an ideal modality for all stages of pregnancy. The emphasis on increasing body and breath awareness can allow you to work with the transformations of pregnancy with calm and confidence. Variations will be given for all stages of pregnancy. No experience necessary. The class size will be limited to 8 to ensure a safe and supportive environment. The 6 week session is $100.00. The 4 week session is $68.00. Both prices include HST.
Pre-registration is required.

Courtney Jeffery is a prenatal yoga instructor, trained Doula and mother. She has been practicing yoga for 12 years and teaching for 8 years. Courtney has a holistic approach to yoga and honours the individual needs, according to lifestyle, body and mind connections. She is a trained Kripalu yoga teacher who has studied prenatal yoga with Janice Clarfield and completed her doula training through Dona with Kim Ethrington of Oshawa.

We are happy to have Courtney return to the studio after 6 years of study, travel and motherhood! Courtney taught a successful yoga for teens class at the studio before moving away from our community. Congratulations Courtney on the birth of your beautiful babe - Ember!

A Morning of Yoga & Nia in the Country

To help celebrate a new venture of one of our studio yogis, we will be participating in a morning of yoga & nia at Elysian Fields in Bethany on Sunday June 13th from 9:30 am- 1:00 pm.

Elysian Fields will nourish your soul as we join together to embrace joy of movement with Nia, centre and ground ourselves through yoga, walk in meditation and feed our bodies with an organic seasonal lunch from Food for Heroes. The beautiful setting will allow us to move amongst the fields of flowers, singing songbirds and a plentiful garden as we celebrate the coming of summer. Rachel Spearing has combined her passions for healthy living, gardening and cooking with her new business, Food for Heroes at this breathtaking setting in the country. Paola and Sharon are happy to share in this inaugural workshop morning in honour of this new venture.

The morning will include a 45-minute Nia practice, a 75-minute yoga practice followed by a meditative walk through the property. We will finish with a light seasonal lunch in the garden provided by Rachel. The classes will be held outdoors (weather permitting) so please dress accordingly. In case of inclement weather, we will move into the greenhouses. A selection of seasonal organic herbs and vegetables may be available for purchase following the workshop.

Space is Limited. Pre-Registration Required. Payments by cash or cheque only.Cost: $50.00
For further information or to register, please call the studio.

Victoria Day Weekend Closures

Namaste.
What a beautiful day yesterday. Hopefully the good weather will continue into the upcoming Victoria Day weekend.
The studio will be closed Saturday to Monday (May 22-24) with classes resuming on Tuesday May 25th. Please note that there are only a few weeks left of the spring yoga session and if you are wanting to do any makeups please do them over the next 2-3 weeks.
Have a wonderful holiday weekend. Safe Travels.

Sharon, Bridget, Pam, Tracey & Paola

Cancellation of Nia Workshop - Tuesday May 11th

With great regret, Martha Randall is unable to present her workshop on Tuesday May 11th at Alexandra School Gymnasium. Please contact the studio for refunds for pre-registration. We look forward to continuing our Nia Journey with Martha in the fall.
Get Well Martha!

Journey of the Heart Nia Workshop

Nia is a path to condition, heal and express your self through movement and sensation. A dynamic blend of dance arts, martial arts and healing arts, Nia revolutionized the face of fitness in 1983, and has since changed millions of lives and bodies across the globe. Balancing technical precision with free-form expression, Nia brings the body, mind, emotions and spirit to optimum health through music, movement and self-expression, guided by the sensation of Pleasure.

Nia is designed for any body. It is ageless and limitless, transformational and effective for every person everywhere, from athletes, dancers and fitness instructors, to children, special needs groups and the elderly. With the philosophy, Through Movement We Find Health, Nia addresses the whole person through music and movement integrated from nine traditional movement forms.

Please join Martha Randall, Nia Black Belt and Trainer, for a nourishing, funfilled evening of dance and movement and be inspired by music and movement. We are so fortunate that Martha makes her trek to Lindsay twice a year to allow us an opportunity to find freedom, laughter, fitness and joy as we dance on this Journey of the Heart.

The workshop is held offsite at Alexandra School Gymnasium, 66 Sussex St. North, Lindsay on Tuesday May 11th from 6:15 - 8:00. Pre-registration requested. No experience required.

An Introduction to Meditation & Mindfulness

Have you ever been curious or contemplated Meditation?

This introductory workshop will allow you to experience simple meditation techniques and learn how to begin and work towards the practice of meditation and mindfulness. Meditation is not a technique. It is more a state of mind or quality of awareness. We practice meditation techniques in order to promote these states of mind or ways of being.

Jack Connelly draws on a wide range of experiences and the workshop will introduce the basics of meditation and mindfulness. The workshop is suitable for complete novices, those with minimal meditation experience or those just wanting to see what it is all about. If you are concerned that you can only do meditation sitting cross-legged on the floor, there are chairs and many props to support you comfortably.

If you are interested in this 2 hour workshop on Saturday May 8th ~ 10:30 - 12:30 pm, please contact the studio for registration information.


"Do you have the patience to wait till your mud settles and the water is clear?"

Lao-Tzu

Releasing the Spine ~ Backbends Workshop

This Sunday, May 2nd, Paola will guide us in a workshop to explore Backbends in yoga practice. Backbends can be intimidating for some, but we will look at deconstructing and working with asanas for all abilities in this workshop. There are many backbends in yoga; from locust to pigeon to wheel ~ poses for students of all levels. We will explore both restorative as well as more active backbends.

The benefits of backbends include bringing freedom and movement to the spine, release of tension from the pelvis, heart and throat and finding a sense of energy in the body. There are a few spots available, please contact the studio if interested.


Slow and deep into the heart of the day.
With each inhalation comes an exhalation twice as long.
Slow and deep filling the lungs with infinite space,
the sun rises and sets in each single breath.
Forget about tomorrow.
Now is an eternity and life is a victory to celebrate
the heart of the day.

Leza Lowitz " Yoga Poems"

Chakra Workshop

Tracey will be offering a 2 hour introduction to the chakras workshop entitled Balancing Energy in the Body this Saturday, April 24th from 10:30-12:30 pm. Space is still available. If you are interested, please contact the studio for registration.
Additional upcoming workshops will be Releasing the Spine Through Backbends: For All Abilities ~ May 2nd and Journey of the Heart A Special Nia Class/Workshop on Tuesday May 11th. Jack Connelly will be returning for 2 Meditation Based workshops ~ Introduction to Meditation and Mindfulness on Sat. May 8th and Meditation: A Deeper Exploration on Wed. June 16th. That will end the offerings of studio workshops until the fall.

Yin Yoga

The teachers at the studio continue to expand their knowledge through continuing education and trainings in many aspects of yoga. We are pleased to offer YIN yoga at the studio and 3 of our teachers completed Yin Yoga Trainings this spring. Bridget recently returned from Chicago after completing an intensive 25-hour Yin Yoga: Practice and Theory Teacher Training with well known Yin Teacher Paul Grilley. Pam completed a comprehensive 40-hour Yin Yoga Teacher Training Intensive with Tracey Soghrati in April. Sharon participated in both trainings in Chicago and Toronto. We feel blessed to have studied and learned from these accomplished teachers. We are offering an Introduction to Yin Yoga and also will be incorporating Yin yoga approach into our hatha classes. This is a therapeutic practice that is both challenging and meditative. Congratulations to Bridget, Pam & Sharon!

Workshop Cancellation

The workshop on Arm Balances and Inversions on Sunday April 11th, has been cancelled and will be re-scheduled later in the season.

Holiday Closure

Is is wonderful to see the sun shining and the temperatures warming.
Hopefully spring is just around the corner....

Just a reminder that the winter session of classes will be finishing on Friday March 12th. The studio will be closed for the March Break school holiday from Sat. March 13th to Friday March 19th. Classes will resume on Sat. March 20th as we begin our Spring Session.
Registration is open and will be on-going as long as space permits.

Namaste.

A Warm Welcome

It is with great pleasure that we welcome Senior Teacher Paola di Paolo, RYT500, OYA-R to our studio for the spring session 2010.

Paola has been practicing yoga since 1984 and has been teaching since 1990. She is certified to teach both Hatha Yoga and Kundalini Yoga (3H0). Paola has studied Iyengar Yoga, Scaravelli influenced yoga with Esther Myers and Kundalini Yoga with Hari Darshan Singh Khalsa. She enjoys the dynamic relationship between asana, breath and energy. Her particular teaching interest lies in encouraging students to explore their own authentic experience of the postures in order to deepen their practice. Paola is on the faculty of the Teacher Training Program at Esther Myers Studio in Toronto and has directed a YTT (RYS200) program at her Keswick studio, Four Directions Yoga.

Paola will be teaching a new EXPERIENCED LEVEL Hatha class for those wishing to deepen their understanding of yoga on all levels in an integrated practice. These classes are suitable for those familiar with asana at an intermediate or advanced level, yoga teachers and those wanting to benefit from the energy and support that a group class experience offers.

Paola will also be facilitating a MOVE DEEPER INTO YOGA series for yoga teachers and/or experienced students. This series will allow an opportunity to gain clarity and understanding through exploration of yoga from both practical applications and discussion based on the "focus" of the class. The class will be limited to 8 students and is held every 3 weeks for a 4 class session.

Welcome Paola!

Sharon, Bridget, Pam & Tracey

Spring Schedule 2010

Namaste

The spring 2010 schedule brochures have been mailed out to those on the mailing list or who were away from class this week. Registration has now begun for our spring session. Please call to confirm available space in a class or workshop. A post dated cheque is required within one week of registration to hold the space.
The Spring Schedule will be posted on the website early March.

The upcoming Ashtanga Fusion Workshop with Caroline Owens (March 28th) is now full but we have a waiting list, for those still interested in attending if a cancellation occurs.

Do you have the patience to wait
Till your mud settle and the water is clear?
Can you remain unmoving
Till the right action arises by itself?

Lao-Tzu