Towanda Yoga

Check out what’s going on at the Gayatri Yoga Center in North Towanda! I will be teaching on Thursday evenings here, as well as holding pop-up classes throughout the community! First pop up is tomorrow evening at 5pm at Woodside! Come join me, all ages and abilities are welcome!

Look for our first installment tomorrow at towanda.yoga! A half hour power flow and breath practice followed by an outdoor cooking adventure and conversation with a local Towanda high school teacher, Emily Hockenberry! #hillbillyhearttalks #towandayoga #woodsidelumpcharcoal #poweryoga #outdoorcooking

Good morning from the Endless Mountains at the end of Appalachia #fireinthesky #nofilter #endlessmountains #appalachia #sunrise #getupstandup #goodmorning #towanda #IGottheSunintheMorninandtheMoonatNightImAlright #GodGotUs #TheVerseGotUs #hope #faith #onbeing #human

(Warning: Imma go a little raw) How do we find balance on uneven ground? How do we move when what protects us also restricts us? I took off the carhartt and gloves, stripped down and jumped in the crick on days colder than this. Out of my mind? No doubt. That was the point- to get out of my mind and into my body. To feel when my mind said, No, that shit will hurt! My mind was right, and my body knew I needed that pain because it knows far better than my mind that WE CAN DO... HARD THINGS. Today I kept the coat on. This morning my bones didn’t need to freeze to come alive. I felt the constriction in my shoulders as the bulk of my coat restricted their range of movement at the same moment the sudden raise of layers chilled my low abdomen. How we practice is how we live. It doesn’t matter what the practice is. It can be hard af to focus, especially when it feels so much safer to look away, to stay distracted, but let me repeat- WE CAN DO HARD THINGS. And when we find ourselves distracted again, (and this is really the most important and hardest part) don’t judge the distraction. Notice it, analyze how it came to be perhaps, and then come back to the present, back to the practice at hand. Over and over we come back to our breath, back to our first practice. Where is your breath in your body in this moment? Where does it begin and end? Is it rough or smooth, cool or hot? Are you breathing out of one nostril more than the other? Without judgement, just notice and stay with it until it becomes the distraction and the next practice presents itself. When the feels feel overwhelming, root down, ground and take a big deep breath. It CAN help us not hit our kids, not gun each other down for trying to follow government mandates or for jogging while black in the south. Life is fucking hard, and while we are all in the same storm, we are not in the same boat. It is much harder for some to breath than others. If you can read this, please breath for those who cannot. With a humble heart and mind, I ask. #yogaeverydamnday #yogasutras #meditation #wimhofmethod #hillbillyheartpower See more

Only teaching one meditation class online per week is a big switch from teaching 4-12 mixed variety, face-to-face classes each week. I miss sharing physical space with people I didn’t birth, or was born from. The woods are much quieter, slower teachers than y’all. I love the woods with all my heart, and I miss the bustle and noise of civilization. I hope to always keep learning their language, so I can bring more of their teachings with me when we get to be together again. #theoverstory #socialdistancing #yogaeverydamnday #meditation #woodworking #homehaircut

No classes at the Zen Den or Ashram this week. The Den will stream some live classes though, so check back for more info on those!

Whether you are new to meditation and want an introduction, or already have a practice and want to learn more, this class is a great place to jump in to or refresh your meditation practice! It starts April 7th and runs for six weeks, every Tuesday 5:45-7pm! Each session will contain lecture, discussion and practice, as well as handouts to take home! Space is limited, so register now and save $10! Registration after March 31st is $75 for all six sessions and materials. Contact either the Zen Den or Towanda Yoga to ensure your spot, today!