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9/12/2018 0 Comments Words...Hello friends... It's been a while. Pull up a comfy chair and get a cup of tea. Let's chat. Let's talk about words... Words are powerful in many ways. In our yoga and meditation practices we often Om or even use mantras to deepen our awareness and focus. In our teacher training we practice, practice, and practice (just ask them how much we practice...) honing our words as we guide yogis in class. In our daily lives we use words to communicate all sorts of things. Have you ever been in a conversation and thought, "What are they really trying to tell me?" I was just in one of those this morning…
I've been thinking a lot lately about the power of words and how they help and hurt. And how even when we may have the best of intentions our words sometimes can still hurt. Or maybe we just aren't paying attention to what we are saying or who is around us. Do we realize the impact of our words? Do we miss the influence our conversations have on others? Are we unintentionally hurting others with just our words? And, if and when we realize our words have been hurtful to others, how do we reconnect or repair? Super important questions... In the Yoga Sutras, we learn about Ahimsa. When we talk about Ahimsa, or the concept of non-harming, we can look at our words as well. Traditionally, ahimsa is viewed as non-killing or even non-physical harming actions, but let's take it a step further. Patanjali refers not only to action but intention. Ahimsa is an attitude of harmlessness. It is the understanding that our attitude will either limit or expand our connection to every part of the universe around us, and that when we harm others we are harming ourselves. Maybe our intent is to be proud of what we are accomplishing. Maybe we are trying to feel better about ourselves by saying what an awesome job we are doing. Maybe we are intending to be positive and supportive but it is not received that way... More than a couple of times in the past weeks I have heard people say, "I'm trying to move past how those words made me feel". Wow. What a statement. First, there is the realization that they have an emotional reaction that may not be the intent of the statement made. This is human nature- we react and respond based on our experiences and stories we create. And to understand that this is a built in bias that is different than others is a great way to find understanding. Being able to separate our emotional reactions from our experiences gives us a stronger platform to connect and communicate. When we communicate from a place that we have released our emotional reaction and understand where it is coming from we can really hear what is being said. The second part of that statement is that the words used hurt. And the person using those words has no realization. Or does but either does not know how to recover, help, or heal or just doesn't want to. This is probably the hardest part of this dialog. When practicing Ahimsa, we intend to cause no harm, but sometimes, even with the best of intentions and practice, harm still occurs. So then what? It is our responsibility to follow up and recover. To heal what we can. Sometimes it's as simple (it's not simple at all, I get it) as "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way." Talk about powerful words- I'm sorry. But whoa, can those be difficult words.... and it is so difficult to be truly sorry when we are coming from a place of defensiveness (those emotions again!) So where am I going with this? Well, I think the purpose of this ramble is that I'm seeing everyone over stressed. I see so many people walk in our door at RedBloom and say they are too busy or have too much going on. The stress of this world is high right now and only getting higher. We rush into things, including conversations and we aren't taking the time to really pay attention and listen to what is happening. So I ask each one of us to pause before we speak. To really share love and support with each other through words and deeds. To find what is important to say and say it kindly. I'll start. I'll be honest that this blog is difficult. I have not put myself out there for a very long time because, well, words hurt and I don't want to be hurt. But here we go. Let's grow together. Let's make RedBloom the seed of kindness and community that spreads out to the entire world. This community is beautiful, and strong, and supportive of everyone. And I love that. I love you. Namaste
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11/16/2017 0 Comments Yet another amazing RedBloom teacher! Meet Carlin Caszatt...
Carlin’s yogic path began long before she ever stepped foot into a studio. Having been a former gymnast, as well as a coach, she went on to pursue a bachelors of science in health fitness from CMU. Carlin was soon drawn toward a more natural approach to health, and so decided to pursue a degree from the Naturopathic Institute of Therapies and Education. This holistic approach to health inevitably led her to yoga. After Carlin experienced her first group yoga session she was hooked. She eventually went on to earn her 200 hour yoga teacher certification, and then decided to focus on the vinyasa style of yoga. Carlin has an aptitude for inversions and believes that the combination of breath and movement in a yoga practice are priceless attributes to a healthy body, mind, and spirit. “Yoga soothes my nerves and nourishes my soul.” Three Questions for Carlin: 1.What is your favorite yoga pose? Handstands or inversions because they give me a new perspective and are very energizing. 2. What is the most surprising thing you have learned from your yoga practice? The most surprising thing I’ve learned from my yoga practice would probably be facing challenges on my mat and how it relates to challenges in my daily life. Honoring my breath and body on my mat helps me to respond with patience and tolerance in my daily life. 3. What advice do you have for new yogis? Advice I would give to new yogis would be to try all different styles of yoga and as many different teachers as possible. Enter your practice with an open mind and try not to push beyond what feels nuturing in the body. 10/11/2017 1 Comment More teacher Features! Meet Alison Miller!
My journey into yoga began over 20 years ago when my children were young. The craziness of being a young mom with three small children limited my ability to be away from my home other than during work hours. I began doing yoga in my living room and it just became a way of life. Over the past 20 years, as I was able to free-up time for myself I began running, cycling and swimming – and for all of those sports, I fell in love with distance. To both strengthen my body and to become more flexible and nimble, especially during intense times of training, yoga has become non-negotiable. I completed my 200 hour RYT in early 2017 and started teaching in February. I am now taking courses in Plant Based Nutrition and have recently joined an 18 month Yoga Health Coaching program focusing on the benefits of an Ayurvedic lifestyle. I encourage my students to explore their boundaries, listen to their bodies, and tap into the wisdom of nature. Three Questions for Alison: 1.What is your favorite yoga pose? My favorite pose is pigeon pose, hands down! I just think trying to move through life with tight, sore, or inhibited hips is like torture. There are many modifications for any body size or type in pigeon pose. Do pigeon pose and love your hips! 2. What is the most surprising thing you have learned from your yoga practice? Because I am a hyper-active, type A distance running junkie, I came into yoga thinking that it was all about the stretch. But what I have learned in my practice is that the asanas, or poses, are there to help me find space in my life to meditate and find peace. Yoga truly is the integration of mind body and spirit, but it can take time to cultivate all three of those things to work together. 3. What advice do you have for new yogis? Just practice. Find a teacher and teachings that resonate with you and go for it. Try every class and every teacher in the beginning and eventually you will find where you want to be. Be true to yourself! Do yoga! 9/12/2017 1 Comment Happy Yoga Month... Meet Stacey Graham!
Stacey teaches KULA all levels and Yin & Yang and Restorative for RedBloom Classes. Hi. My name is Stacey Graham and I am excited to be sharing my enthusiasm for the practice of yoga with you at RedBloom Yoga and Kula Yoga Outreach in Alma. I was first exposed to an asana practice in bush Alaska in 2004. I felt a difference in my overall wellbeing from the first time that I practiced asana. In 2011, I practiced in my first public class here in Alma. After I started to practice in a public class, I began to understand that Yoga is more than just movement and postures. In class one day we were moving in a sun salutation and I noticed a thought that influenced my decision to take a teacher training course in Mt. Pleasant. In the spring of 2013 I completed my teacher training and obtained my 200 hour certification and registered with Yoga Alliance as a Registered Yoga Teacher. Yoga has helped me to find peace in the moment and joy in my life. It has allowed me to notice my thoughts, feelings and sensations in my body without the judgment that I once felt. I am excited to join Kula in bringing additional opportunities for people to experience this full and rich practice of yoga. I look forward to practicing with you soon! Three Questions for Stacey: 1.What is your favorite yoga pose? My favorite pose...depends on where where I am! When I'm on a dock- simple seated pose, on my snowshoes- yogic squat, in the middle of a race- standing forward fold, on my paddle board- savasana, on my mat I love the transition between plank and down dog. 2. What is the most surprising thing you have learned from your yoga practice? I remember when I first started group yoga practice, my teacher cued childs pose “hips towards heels”. I didn’t think much about it after that until one day, months later it occurred to me, “My hips are touching my heels!” It continued to surprise me the way my awareness to my body, mind, and breath brings about subtle changes to my practice on and off the mat. 3. What advice do you have for new yogis? Make it your intention to pay attention to your breath and watch what happens! :) 9/7/2017 0 Comments Happy Yoga Month!We are celebrating Yoga Month at RedBloom! We would like to introduce you to our teachers. We will share a little bit about them here throughout the month of September. (You can also read about them on our wall at RedBloom the next time you are in for a class or event). Let's get started!  Meet Lauren Wemyss!
Lauren teaches classes for Kula in Alma (Wednesday 6:15pm) as well as Mt. Pleasant (Tuesday 7:15 pm) and subs classes at RedBloom. She has had a regular yoga practice for over 5 years. During graduate school, with a nagging back issue, Lauren stumbled upon power vinyasa yoga. With an urge to deepen her own practice, Lauren decided to pursue teacher training in September of 2016. What once started as a love for the physical engagement in asanas, slowly grew into a deeper appreciation for the holistic view of a person. Lauren ‘s goal is to develop as a teacher promoting health and wellness, helping people to live life more fully and peacefully. Three Questions for Lauren: 1.What is your favorite yoga pose? Half moon is my favorite pose. It makes me feel strong, but is also humbling because my ability to hold the pose varies day by day. 2. What is the most surprising thing you have learned from your yoga practice? I think the most surprising thing is when I moved past my focus on the asanas and began to use yoga as intended--deepening my self awareness and mindfulness. With practice I've been able to translate this into my daily life, helping me handle difficult situations more in a more heathy way. 3. What advice do you have for new yogis? Allow yourself to just be-- not focusing on what you can and can't do, but rather the process and growth you make each time you come to your mat. The point of yoga isn't to be the most flexible or best at challenging poses- that is an added physical benefit. The goal is to be good to yourself and learn how to take care of yourself. Stop in to one of Lauren's classes and get to know her as you practice together! 4/3/2017 1 Comment Its spring break!It's spring break for a lot of mini yogis this week- hopefully many of you are able to enjoy some down time or travels as well as get in some yoga! April is such a busy month for us at RedBloom. I was sitting down to write out our list of events this month and it is almost an entire page long! The best part is that we have a ton of FREE or donation based events that range from yoga classes- FREE YOGA ALL DAY APRIL 18TH!!!, to donation groups/classes with Michelle of Astro Dharma Den, and donation based Nia- every Thursday! We also have Reiki Circles, Empath workshops, new moon yoga, and we finish up the month with a special RedBloom Anniversary practice and potluck. Whew! I am on vacation this week to see my family. It is wonderful. What joy I receive in watching my daughters enjoy time with their cousins, seeing my daughter snuggle into my father's lap and listen to him read stories, to hug my parents, to be with my family. And then I think about my Michigan family. My biological family lives a day's drive away so we don't get to see them on weekends or spur of the moment trips. We create family where we are. And how lucky are we that we have the most wonderful people that are our "family" in Michigan. I have Michigan family that have been there since the beginning (since we moved here) and Michigan family that I have grown more connected with through my experiences. And then I have my RedBloom family. Who knew how big my family could become! I could go on and on, but I will just close with this. You are my family. I love you. Thank you. You fill my heart and bring me joy. You make me want to work harder and be better. You each mean the world to me. Peace and love.  3/25/2017 1 Comment Its been almost one year...
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