December, 2008 Newsletter

New Year’s Day – FREE Class!
Bring your friends.  As is our tradition to celebrate the New Year I invite you to come and bring your friends for a Free 10 am Hot Yoga Class.  This will be the only class of the day and what a great way to start the year!

Yoga Challenge is Back!
That’s right beginning in late January and running through March to help you stick to those New Year’s Resolutions we will bring back the Yoga Challenge.  There will be prizes along the way, a grand prize and 2 FREE classes to all who participate and complete the challenge.  This year we are going to ask that you pick a buddy or meet one at the studio so you have that extra nudge of support as you do the challenge.  More details to come.

Mat Clean Out – January 11th !
Another tradition at the studio – the annual mat clean out.  We will ask that you take your mats Home by Sunday January 11th.  Any mats left in the room on Monday January 12th will be considered unclaimed and moved out of the room and into the used mat sale.  We will give you plenty of reminders between now and then.  We do this once a year to help keep the room tidy and fresh smelling. 

On that note, the New Year is a great time to buy a new mat if that mat of yours is starting to show its age.  Yoga requires very little “equipment” – no fancy clubs like in golf or snazzy running shoes – so your mat is your golf club, your running shoes, your mountain bike and in the scheme of things way less expensive.  Splurge by a new one once in a while or a Skidless towel to help your practice – you’ll be amazed how much you’ll like this towel.

It seems our peers are beginning to discover what yogis have long known – a regular practice of yoga cures what ails you.  Today leafing through the Kansas City Star there was an article in the FYI section touting the therapeutic benefits of yoga in curing ailments from cancer to menopause to chronic back pain.  Researchers in this particular article were unsure of the scientific reasons behind this phenomenon but seemed to believe that it has something to do with yoga reducing stress.  This is not front page news to those of us who have been practicing yoga, especially Hot Yoga, for all these years and singing its praises to anyone who will listen.  Yoga is beginning to be a little more common place in our general lexicon.  Yoga has made an appearance in a Glade commercial, there are numerous articles cropping up in various newspapers (generally being very surprised and awed at what a great practice this is for your health), celebrities routinely mention their practice as a fountain of youth – and yet yoga still lies in a shroud of mystery.  I’m sure when you mention Hot Yoga to your friends many of them still smile at you and say things like “they could never take the heat” or “gee I can’t get my leg behind my head or do half the crazy stuff you guys do” or “gee isn’t that just a lot of breathing and crunchy granola stuff.” 

Thank you to all of you who have been such trail blazers for your health.  It takes a brave soul to embrace something unknown and challenging.  All of you have taken that step at some point by gracing the doorstep of Yoga Fix Studio.  We had a great November with a flurry of activity in the studio.  Classes have been busy and we have been working on numerous workshops for the holiday season and the upcoming year.  Yes the New Year will here in a flash bringing with it all those New Year’s resolutions to get back into a workout routine, lose weight and get in better shape.  So as you make your New Year’s resolution list I would like to ask you put Yoga Fix Studio right there at the top of the list.  Make a commitment to 3 to 4 times a week.  I say this obviously because I’d like your business (without you we can’t exist); but I say this out of love as well. 

In a society whose number one killers are obesity and stress; whose future is filled with over-capacity nursing homes and care facilities; I ask you to make a commitment to yourself.  Those of you who are coming 3 or 4 times a week can tune out for a moment – the rest of you take heart and hear these words.  If you’ve been waiting for January to start your practice because the holidays are too busy – come in now get back into the habit of coming and then commit to 3 to 4 times a week.  If you’ve only been coming once a week – I commend you for making it here, but I challenge you to step that up to 3 to 4 times a week.  It’s a time commitment.  It’s a financial commitment.  It’s a mental challenge to commit and it will take some rearranging of your schedule.  It will all be worth it! 

You will thank me in the weeks to come, the months to come when you have more energy than you have ever had, when you shed those few extra pounds, when you’re breathing easier, when you feel less stressed and when people start telling you how fabulous you look and want to know what you’ve been doing.  Share the secret with them.  Encourage them to start their own practice.  Offer to come to class with them.  Offer to drive them their first time – make it an outing – get a group.  If this sounds like I’m laying it on a little thick; it’s because I truly believe we need to be logging less time on the couch in front of the television, less time running from activity to activity, less time working and more time breathing, meditating, being present, and being healthy body and spirit.  And I want you to join me because when we have enough people doing this we will have an incredible shift of joy in our lives.  Who wouldn’t want to share that gift?  Ok, I think I’ve made my point – Yoga 3 to 4 times a week top of the “resolution list.”

We have a lot of workshops coming up the rest of this month and in the upcoming year; so I am going to dispense with the normal content of this newsletter and focus on the wonderful things happening at the studio.

Sincerely,
Mary Horvatin

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What a way to kick off the New Year!
January 4th
6:30 pm – 8:00 pm

Beginning January 4th I have invited Jill Tupper do a once a month Meditation and Kundalini Yoga practice from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm on Sundays evenings – that’s the first Sunday of each month – February, March, April – you get the idea.  These sessions will be FREE of charge although I encourage you to make a donation to honor the time Jill is giving to the studio.

Jill held her first Meditation and Kundalini Yoga workshop at the Studio December 7th.  There were 26 people in attendance and it was such a phenomenal energy that I have set aside time for an ongoing practice.  Jill shared her personal philosophy of mediation with us and why she finds it to be so beneficial in her life.  Then she gave us some basic knowledge and tools to use in our own practices at home.  After setting the foundation, Jill walked us through some Kundalini yoga to open us the body and prepare us for some meditation.  We had a twenty minute session of deep breathing followed by some OMs which I have to say felt very powerful to me as it resonated through the room.  I hope you will join us in the upcoming months and experience this for yourself.  Jill will be leading us through Kundalini Yoga, meditation and Jin Shin Jhyutsu as she helps us to deepen our practice with each session.  

No reservations necessary.  Just bring a towel or mat to sit on.  Wear comfortable clothing.  If you have questions feel free to call us at 913-384-3200 and join us on January 4th as we kick off the New Year with meditation!

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Women’s Self Defense Class with Elizabeth Barrett

February 1 through March 8, 2009
Sundays 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm
6 week session

Why Take a Self Defense Class:

While this may not seem very yogi, I actually believe it is and I also think it is a very important thing to learn. This is a personal class to me as I was attacked outside, in front of my home one morning on my way to work. While I was lucky because I fended off my attackers and got away with ten stitches in my forehead; it makes one realize there are skills in this world we may not relish learning but would be well served to know. Now this was at least 3 years ago and I have always thought “gee I should take a class,” in fact many of my friends said they would take a class if I’d organize one. Well, I never seemed to get around to it. Now I have the facility and the resources to organize such a class. So I ask you to join me in this non-threatening environment where we can learn together the mind set and the techniques we need to know to “get away.”

I have always been a little shy about learning self defense and that is why it has taken me so long to do this. I really wish that morning when facing two men running at me, one with a club in his hand that I had taken just such a class; because I am keenly aware that that morning could have turned out far worse had the door to my house been unlocked, or I hadn’t had a “sense” to turn around right before they got close enough to grab me from behind. Many women are not so lucky in these situations and a few stitches won’t be enough. So as much as we don’t feel comfortable (many women I know) talking about these things or being aggressive, I invite you to come learn the skills you need and bring your friends and your daughters because we all need to be strong and know what to do if we are ever faced with a potentially threatening situation.

What You will Get From this Class:

The class is divided into six sessions. Hopefully this will be enough time to develop the kind of muscle memory and coordination needed for these techniques, as well as a habit of regular practice.

By the end of the 6 weeks you will learn three basic things:

1. You will develop an arsenal of reasonably easy-to-learn techniques which can be used in a wide variety of common confrontational situations.
2. You will learn practical psychological techniques for recognizing and preventing most dangerous situations.
3. You will take with you the tools to continue your learning on your own through consistent practice and outside resources. This class will be most effective if the student practices the physical and psychological techniques for a few minutes daily throughout the course.
   

The class is divided into six sessions primarily because it takes time to develop muscle memory and coordination to do these kinds of techniques, as well as time to develop a habit of practicing regularly. By the end of the 6 weeks you will learn three basic things:

1. You will develop an arsenal of reasonably easy-to-learn techniques which can be used in a wide variety of common confrontational situations.
2. You will learn the psychology of self-defense. The majority of physical confrontations can be prevented by psychological techniques.
3. You will take with you the tools to continue your learning on your own through consistent practice and outside resources. Make no mistake you will need to think about this outside of class as you progress through the 6 weeks and practice for a few minutes each day the techniques you’ve learned so that you will be prepared for the review that begins each session.
   

A General Outline of the Six-Week Course::

Session 1

• Basic movement principles: Defense through blocking and side-stepping, simple counter-attacks.

Session 2

• Expansion on basic defense principles: Judging distance from the opponent, principles of joint locks, hip control and center of balance.

Session 3

• Wrist grab defenses and applications: Single and double wrist grab defenses, lapel grab defenses, and knife defense techniques.
  

Session 4

• Lapel grab defenses and applications: Single and double lapel grab defenses, front and behind choke defenses.

Session 5

• Defenses for grabs from the side and from behind: Includes defenses for bear hugs, head locks, hair grabs, and other such attacks.

Session 6

• This class is generally devoted to requests from the students. This could include basic defenses from the ground, knife defense, club defense, or gun defense.

About the Instructor and the Class

Elizabeth has studied martial arts for the last 19 years. Her training has included hard martial arts, such as Tang Soo Do, Tae Kwon Do, Jiu-Jitsu, and Chinese Wushu, as well as the soft meditative/martial arts of Taijiquan and Qigong. All of these martial arts influence her style of self-defense teaching, with the greatest influence coming from Tang Soo Do. Elizabeth spent two years in China as an English teacher, during which time she was able to deepen her martial arts studies and glean some information about Chinese medicine and philosophy. Drawing on this extensive experience, Elizabeth has developed a self-defense course that she has been teaching for the past year.

How to Register:

Sorry men – women only this time. Please pre-register by calling 913-384-3200 or coming by the studio to sign-up. It is important that you make a commitment to all 6 sessions. Cost of class: $45 for 6 weeks beginning Sunday, February 1 through March 8, 2009. Classes will be 60 minutes from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm.

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Laughter Yoga Workshop with Becky Holsen

Saturday the serious Hot Yoga atmosphere morphed into giggles then outright bursts of robust laughter as it bounced off the ceiling, the mirrors and the walls filling the room with unbridled joy.  For those who ventured out on a late Saturday afternoon in the midst of busy holiday schedules: I think they left feeling quite rewarded.  From outside the studio room door I could hear the laughter growing and bursting from the room causing a smile to come to my face as I listened, and a few giggles - the laughter was so infectious.  The class was attended by all ages and as one of the students said afterwards, “it was so much fun to watch the kids laugh.  One little girl was laughing so hard she was dancing around.”

When the students exited the room after an hour of laughter I could literally see the physical change.  People were talking and laughing still and their faces looked brighter and more energized.  What a transformation laughing brings about.  This was our first experience with Laughter Yoga at the studio.  I look forward to bringing this back to the studio.  So keep an eye out for our next session and make sure to come check it out!

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