baby + me yoga
A short offering of what a baby + me class is like, featuring Tranquil Space teacher Carol Collins and three of her star students (and their moms!).

Special thanks to Lisa + Sienna, Phaedra + Augusta and Wendy + Tony!

Labels: dupont, june10, yoga

each month we choose a pose to focus on in each class through strong attention to alignment, variations, and/or modifications as a way to grow and expand our yogic horizons.



hanuman was a famous, mythical monkey chief in the timeless sanskrit epic ramayana:

"it was the greatest leap ever taken. the speed of hanuman's jump pulled blossoms and flowers into the air after him and they fell like little stars on the waving treetops. the animals on the beach had never seen such a thing; they cheered hanuman, then the air burned from his passage, and red clouds flamed over the sky..."(excerpted from the ramayana, as retold by william buck and quoted in yogajournal.com).

this asana is dedicated to lord hanuman, the powerful monkey chief, and commemorates his famous leap from the southern tip of india to the lankan islands (believed to be the present-day sri lanka).

hanumanasana (monkey pose or full split):
hanu=chin
hanuman= one with a jaw

benefits:
stretches the thighs, hamstrings, groins
stimulates the abdominal organs
may have therapeutic applications for sciatica
helps cultivate patience, discipline, and reverence

cautions/contraindications:
may be contraindicated for individuals with groin or hamstring injuries

preparatory poses:
baddha konasana
janu sirsasana
paschimottanasana
prasarita padottanasana
supta virasana
supta padangustasana
upavistha konasana
uttanasana


song that most comes to mind while in the posture:
captain beefheart's "making love to a vampire with a monkey on my knee"

---------------------------------
asana girl, aka danielle polen, is a tranquil space yoga teacher.

Labels: june10, yoga

welcome to june!

i wanted to take a moment to honor the 2 month anniversary since my shoulder surgery. it's been an interesting ride since penning my initial challenges post-surgery muse in april. i have about 50% range of movement, am in ongoing discomfort, have a tightened capsule around the joint (whatEVER that means), lack the ability to move my right arm on its own fully, and continue with physical therapy 2+ hours per week.

alas, torn rotator cuffs and bone spurs aren't too fun and my surgeon reminds me that age is the culprit - just in time for my upcoming 37th birthday!

during my healing journey i made a visit to oklahoma to see my darling family and included photos above from the experience. driving a tractor, picnicking in the wildlife refuge full of bison and longhorn, playing cards with my soon-to-be 98-year-old gramma (can you stand her hat?), and crafting with mum was a treat especially after having a sedentary start to spring.

i've decided to take the summer off from teaching (first time since 1999) as i'll have orthoscopic thumb surgery on july 23 and be in a cast for 6 weeks plus have oodles of travel - LA, portland, kripalu, denver, texas. thank goodness for meditation and yin yoga! my saving grace as of late.

once september rolls around i should be injury-free and ready to rock my regular, beloved, and oh-so-needed vinyasa practice. these past 8 weeks have served up many lessons and reminders. here are a few:

1. yoga is an important emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual outlet (i know, we already knew this one!)
2. honor the small steps: stopping pain pills 3 days after surgery, getting around sans sling, sleeping sans swath, lifting a cane in physical therapy.
3. when life throws you challenges, make 'em sparkle: i added a sparkly cast cover to my swath and rocked it for weeks.
4. lighten your load: having two overstuffed bags in tow at all times is too much. i try to carry only the essentials now. in addition, i've done oodles of decluttering - physical and mental.
5. get comfortable saying "sorry, i can't": i've had to bow out of many opportunities that would have overstuffed an already full calendar or challenged a body in repair.
6. honor your energy: in the past when i'd come home from a long work day i'd open the computer and work until the wee hours handling e-mails, projects, online orders. now i find myself saying "it'll have to wait until tomorrow, i'm pooped!" and it feels good!
7. savor the slow down: life came to a slow halt for the first few weeks as i struggled to use my right hand again. somehow this helped me remember to smell the flowers along the way and to add time to all my usual tasks.
8. think big picture: these 8 weeks are a snippet in my life journey. i'm doing my best to move through these short-term struggles to have long-term gain.

may these injuries continue to teach me lessons and may i embrace them with a compassionate heart. ommmm. i hope these lessons help sprinkle a dose of inspiration into your own life and any struggle you may currently be going through.

this experience can only enhance my teaching and empathy for others suffering physical (and mental) challenges. this will come in handy as i continue my social work studies. ah, life is full of so many lessons and, thank goodness, i'm an eager student.

namaste,
kimberly

Labels: june10, yoga

• yintrospection – a yin and mind body workshop with danielle polen, thursdays 6/3/2010 - 6/24/2010, from 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
• yoga for core strength with melissa van orman, sun 6/6, from 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
• yoga for the not-so-bendy with hilary wentz, sun 6/13, from 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
• 2nd sunday class to benefit village health works with dibora amanuel, sun 6/13, from 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm
• hip-hop yoga with pary williamson, fri 6/18, from 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
• yoga for healing and health with melissa van orman, sun 6/20, from 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
• karma kids yoga teacher training, june 25 – june 27
• newbie yogi workshop with siobhan troy-carranza, sat, 6/26, from 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Labels: june10, yoga

Labels: boutique, dupont, june10

it is right around the corner and it is great time to work out the kinks in your diet, your practice, and your mental health. yes, coming the yoga mat is great start to clearing the cobwebs of the mind and it is a great place to realize that you are stuck emotionally. did you know that in our spa we have michell who is a licensed clinical social worker and can schedule a therapy session with you to enhance your life’s tool box? she is also a yogi so she understands how our practice can be a part of a balanced life.

you can set up sessions with michell by emailing her at michell@tranquilspace.com so while you work out the kinks in your physical body on the mat let your mental body get the same loving attention.

Labels: june10

i feel so lucky to be part of such a wonderful community here at tranquil space. i discovered tranquil space a few months after moving to d.c. and fell in love immediately. i was struggling to figure out my place in a new city, and finding tranquil space made me feel, for the first time, like i was home. i'll never forget that first evening, after only a few classes, when i came to the front desk to sign-in and was warmly greeted with, "hey pam! you're all set" before i even said anything! i was so inspired that i came home immediately after class and investigated how i could get more involved. a few months, a studio assistantship, a 200-hour teacher training, several amazing friendships, and now a new role as a teaching assistant later, here i am! i am so grateful for everything tranquil space has brought into my life and look forward to growing with this wonderful community for years to come!

Labels: community, june10, yoga

i first stepped onto a yoga mat over seven years ago, desperate to find some form of exercise that could help me get into shape as i found myself unexpectedly alone and depressed after the end of a ten-year relationship. to the hip tunes of a mtv yoga dvd, i painfully learned that i could hardly bend over to my knees. after the first five minutes i sat in a sweaty heap silently watching, unable to keep up with even the simplest moves, let alone the cheery dispositions. but there was something that peaked my intellectual curiosity, and unlike gyms and running which had been abandoned after the first attempt, i rolled my mat out again the next morning and hit play.

i have stepped back onto my mat nearly every day since. breathe by breath and pose by pose, i saw the pounds come off. i dreaded the thought of what each cheeseburger would feel like the next morning as i twisted and turned, so began eating better. my more destructive habits, partying, drinking and smoking, became easier to control, and finally quit altogether. i could stay focused at work, and i slowly became less confrontational. when i met and married melissa, a fellow yogi, my life seemed complete. for the first time, i felt happy.

practicing day after day is never easy, even when the benefits are so clear. i feel so fortunate now to have found tranquil space, surrounded by people i both admire and enjoy, in a space where i feel at home. each day, the studio makes the first step of getting to my mat easier. from there, a life’s practice unfolds.

namaste!

Labels: community, june10, yoga

this week i packed up the office that i have occupied for the past five years. as i do in nearly every situation, i thought of how this would be different without the benefit of my yoga practice. although we often think on non-attachment in relation to thoughts or feelings, i also think this a practical approach to physical things. i used to be much more likely to hold on to objects that i “might need someday.” yoga helps me think critically before i file yet another piece of paper. i was surprised that five years fit so easily into just four crates, but i know that the things i have learned and accomplished in this time goes beyond physical things. i am looking forward to continuing my job in a brand new space with minimal clutter and i have to think the movers will also appreciate my dedication to non-attachment.

Labels: community, june10

Tranquil Space is helping one of our yogis who travels regularly to Haiti collect supplies. She reports that five months after the earthquake there is still enormous need:

I have been going down to a “mash” hospital (that means it is in still in a tent) in Port au Prince. Right now it is the major trauma center in Haiti until the Haitian system gets up and running again. The hospital treats medically ill patients as well as those who sustained injuries during the earthquake. While we are well stocked with antibiotics we are lacking some simple over the counter items which would greatly help the patients with self care. Thank you for offering to spread the word and I am hopeful that yogis will be moved to contribute a duffel bag worth of items that I can take down on the next trip on June 12th. Small bottles are best but anything is welcome.

Items that would be helpful:

• Iron Pills - many patients have low blood counts and have to build up red blood cells to be safely operated on
• Vitamins both child and adult - Vitamin C aids in wound healing
• Pepcid, Zantac, or other medication for acid reflux many of the patients have gastrointestinal symptoms from the stress
• Selsun Blue Shampoo - helps control fungal infections
• Clortrimazole Cream or Lotion - treats yeast and other fungal infections
• Hydrocortizone Cream in small tubes (there is nothing worse than itching)
• Hotel Samples of soap and shampoo or other small bottle - you have to keep a wound clean for it to heal
• Toothpaste and toothbrushes

Basically anything you would buy at a CVS or Riteaid would help someone! If you feel moved to buy something for the cause bring your item in by June 8th. Unused items only please.

Labels: karma corner

We just got word from the foreman on the sidewalk job - here's the access info for the next 2 days:

TONIGHT
Enter through the front door using the ramp that goes over the wet concrete. Please do not step on any of the sidewalks as they are not cured yet. Access is probably best from the Safeway side of the building. Please watch your step!




TOMORROW
The front sidewalk that is wet now will be cured by tomorrow morning. You will also be able to enter the front door, however, access to it will be restricted to a pathway running along the front of the buildings starting on the R Street side of Tranquil Space.

All classes will be held on our normal schedule. Please feel free to call if you have any questions!

Labels: dupont, yoga

Labels: dupont

it has finally come to our block. this is the view outside tranquil space this morning!
we are open, but you may have to enter the studio through a different door to avoid the construction. we will keep you posted here as the best door to use. for yogis coming to the noon class on monday please go to the alley next to safeway walk behind the studio & we will let you in through the earth studio door. thanks for your patience.

Labels: dupont, yoga

tranquil space has a workshop for new students next weekend as well as a special workshop during the day on memorial day. see our website for more details.

• humane society adoption event.  sat, 5/29 from noon - 2:30pm. 
• newbie yogi workshop with anne thiel, sun 5/30, 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm.
• memorial day yoga with anne thiel, mon 5/31, 12:30 pm - 2:30 pm.

Labels: dupont, yoga

tranquil space is excited to be offering a fall level 2 teacher training this year!  our level 2 is a 200 certification approved by yoga alliance.  you can get the scoop along with dates on our website. sign up for the level 2 training before august 1st and get a special early bird rate.  note that our level 1 training is a prerequisite.

for teachers who are looking to continue their growth tranquil space will be offering it's 500 hour training with workshops starting in the fall.  you can take the full training over 1 year or 2 years or take select weekends for continuing education credit. 

Labels: dupont, teacher training

the latest "traffic report" for the dupont studio is up...

green :: least crowded... lots of elbow room.
yellow :: medium crowded... cozy, but not packed.
red :: most crowded... make sure you reserve a spot online or arrive extra early!

this is a great planning resource... it's updated quarterly(ish) or more often on the ts site at tranquilspace.com/traffic!

Labels: dupont, yoga

i recently read a fascinating article about the risks of sitting, that's right the risks of sitting.  "new research in the diverse fields of epidemiology, molecular biology, biomechanics, and physiology is converging toward a startling conclusion: sitting is a public-health risk. and exercising doesn't offset it." read the whole article here.

my husband, a research scientist who sits in front of his computer most of the day, decided to create a diy project to reconfigure his desk.  look towards the floor in the picture here and you will see his desk up on cinder blocks!  advocates of standing desks say it helps them focus and maintain energy throughout the day.  that is enough to get me to my feet.

do you have a creative office/work set up?  let us know about it.

Labels: community

here are some shots from yesterday's teacher retreat at tim's cabin in west virginia near berkeley springs.

during our afternoon together, we had a "show and tell" of what brings us tranquility (ex. ranged from pets to guitar picks to journals to mala beads), shared ideas on how to enhance the tranquil space experience (ex. offer yoga + hiking days), and reflected on ways to challenge ourselves as teachers (ex. new pose/class).

since i believe you can't have an event without goody bags, i pulled together a goody tray for people to choose what they wanted. the items ranged from organic chocolate, scented candles, markers, green tea, incense, and chocolate face masks.

tranquil space teachers are truly the most talented and dynamic beings i've ever met. honored and humbled to be in their presence.

exhausted after playing hostess, i spent the evening reading living the creative life curled up in the hammock with louis the pug = true tranquility.

check out today's washington post for a great article, dc yoga week: it's worth going to the mat. there's some great photos, including ts teachers dave kidney and kevin waldorf-cruz rockin' the yoga for men class!

reminder: dc yoga week starts sunday and yoga for men is every wednesday night at 7pm at the dupont circle studio!

Labels: community, dupont, yoga

Labels: may10, yoga

on may 22nd the anahata international is hosting a community gathering in support of our injured soldiers through yoga and song. it is also fundraiser that will send 10 injured veterans from the iraq and afghanistan wars to the anahata international retreat.

the event includes a yoga nidra practice plus music and guest speakers. more information is at anahatagrace.org.

Labels: community, karma corner

happiness is certainly something we all want more of, but according to this book, aren't always good at creating for ourselves. join the tranquil space book group on thurs, may 20 at 7pm to discuss stumbling on happiness by daniel gilbert.

Labels: community

i know i am supposed to wear sunscreen.
and a hat.
and light clothing that covers and protects my skin while out in the sun.

however...

one of the things i love about the warmer months is that i can just throw on a sundress & my chucks, and run out the door...and honestly, too often i can't be bothered with much more than snagging a cup of joe on my way out to enjoy the sunshine. right or wrong, that's often how it goes! so whether you're an ardent sunscreen slatherer, or tend more toward the sun-god/sun-goddess like me, i want to at least encourage you to nourish your skin in the coming summer months!

a note on sunscreen:
i know one thing that makes me wary of sunscreen is all of the chemicals in many brands, but in the spirit of encouraging serious skin health, please feel free to leave recommendations for good natural sunblocks in the comments section!

the two recipes below are good for adding moisture and emollience to the skin, as well as for exfoliation.

avocado butter mask
1 ripe avocado
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp evening primrose oil
1 tsp plain yogurt

puree ingredients in a blender. place a warm washcloth over a clean face to prep the skin. apply the mask and let set for 10 minutes. wipe off with a moist cloth, and moisturize.

cranberry enzyme mask
1/2 c chopped cranberries
1/2 c seedless grapes
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 pack gelatin

mix ingredients in a blender for 20 seconds. place in a refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to set the gelatin. when mix is slightly firm, apply to face and let sit for 10 minutes. rinse with warm water.

... to our most recent teacher training level 2 grads!

Labels: teacher training, yoga

Labels: boutique

as you may be hearing, tomorrow the dc council is meeting to discuss a new set of tax provisions that are designed to close the district's large budget gap. one of the proposed provisions would likely add the district's 6% sales tax to a variety of health-club services, including yoga. at the moment, only missouri taxes yoga.

where do you come out on the issue? you can let the district council know. the hearing on the bill is tomorrow, may 7th, beginning at 10am, in the council chamber of the wilson building, 1350 pennsylvania avenue, nw. if you would like to send an email to let your voice be heard, send it to aretha latta at alatta@dccouncil.us. feel free to let us know here in the comments too, and we'll send them along.

image credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bootbearwdc/ / CC BY 2.0

Labels: community, dupont

if you happened to see some people attempting eagle pose on the side walk out front of ts you may have encountered live green's green rush. they had about 500 participants and visited many of the other green spots in the area. learn more about live green here.

Labels: community, karma corner

Labels: community, dupont, karma corner

join hilary wentz, a holistic health counselor and tranquil space teacher, for yoga for athletes. the sessions will explore yoga as a cross training method for decreasing injuries, as well as increasing strength and flexibility. you will learn poses that can be incorporated as a warm up or cool down to your current favorite sport or as a brand new regimen that will enhance your mind body awareness.

thursdays from 7:30 to 9pm:
5/6/10 - week 1: hips, quads and hamstrings
5/13/10 - week 2: shoulders, back and core
5/20/10 - week 3: yin yoga for athletes
join for a single session or all 3. 

Labels: dupont, yoga

tranquil space has once again adopted dodo the orangutan with the organization orangutan outreach. they help protect orangutans from deforestation and loss of habitat. they are always looking for more help. you can check out who is available for adoption here.

Labels: karma corner

this year's doga was another great fundraiser and awareness raiser for the beloved washington humane society. tranquil space has been hosting these in rose park for six years now and each year it grows. despite the chaos of barking, overly excited, and docile dogs uniting for this great cause, fun is always had - the big "doga in the park" cake from doggie style bakery always helps!

a BIG thank you to everyone who came and supported the event. washington humane society raised a few hundred dollars (exact amount forthcoming). yay for making a difference for our 4-legged friends!

Labels: community, karma corner