Props for Your Yoga Practice

September will be here before we know it so let’s get ready for your online yoga practice.

Many of you already know that during my in-person classes I provide a number of props and accessories for your ease and comfort. Props have a few main functions. They:

• Enable you to practice a pose with more comfort and ease

• Assist with functional alignment in a pose based on your body

• Provide a sense of grounding and anchoring

For your home practice you can often make do with items you already have on hand such as blankets, pillows, rolled towels, stacked books, etc. However, as we move to live online yoga classes for the foreseeable future you might like to invest in higher quality props and accessories. One thing for sure, a “sticky” yoga mat is essential. In addition, there are some non-essential items that I recommend:

Blocks: Two (2) blocks of the 4” size. The smaller 3” blocks can also come in handy for yin yoga classes. Cork and wood are natural options but are often expensive and quite heavy. Foam blocks are inexpensive and softer on the body. Stacked books of the same size and weight are another option.
Blankets: Two (2) firm blankets. High quality cotton, wool, or mexican blankets are ideal. Soft, fluffy, thermal blankets are okay but only to cover up with.
Belt: One (1) 8-foot-long, 2-inch wide, D-ring yoga belt. The 6-foot long belt is also okay but often too short for many of us. A housecoat belt or something similar can also work well in a pinch.
Bolster(s): One or two firm rectangular or round bolsters (they each have different advantages and sizes). If you google “Make your own yoga bolster” you’ll find several videos that you might find helpful.
Eye Pillow: One (1) lightweight silk- or cotton-covered eye pillow. A little bit of weight on the eyes and forehead allows for a deeper, fuller relaxation in savasana.

If you choose to invest in any of the items listed above, here are the main companies that I order from:

Halfmoon
This is my favourite supplier of yoga props and accessories.“We are inventors, makers and curators of the best yoga and meditation products available. We hand make yoga bolsters, meditation cushions, and other beautiful props in Burnaby, Canada where we fill them with natural materials and send them out the door to you.”
shophalfmoon.ca

Healthy Life Cycle
Yoga and Meditation Props and Home Decor. In particular I have ordered Yogavni products such as eye pillows, mexican blankets, standard/small round bolster, and inspirational banners.
healthylifecycle.ca

Amazon
There’s always the option of ordering items from Amazon but check the pricing and delivery dates then decide what’s best for you.
amazon.ca

Make your props or order them well ahead of when you need them to avoid disappointment. So many things are “out of stock” these days, as you have likely experienced.

If you have any questions feel free to contact me. I’m more than happy to help you.

Namaste,

Jeannine

Pivoting to Online Yoga Classes - Fall 2020

I’m taking the plunge. Getting out of my comfort zone. Letting go of what no longer serves me. Sound familiar?

During this unprecedented time of the coronavirus we all continue to push on through fears and obstacles as we slowly overcome new challenges in our lives. This so called “new normal” is what I like to refer to as the “new non normal”. Guidelines and strategies to live safely in this new non-normal world also extend to our yoga practice.

I’m challenging myself to let go of my attachment to how things were in my comfy little yoga studio, with you and others in the room, and to move forward into the uncharted realm of live virtual yoga classes.

Yes, I’m taking my classes on line for Fall 2020. I have to just do it, and I hope that you’ll join me on this journey! There will be a learning curve for all of us with this new class format but I’m confident the outcome will be worth the effort and the occasional frustrating moments.

My intention is to continue to cultivate and preserve our yoga community, for which I”m so very grateful. Things will look and feel different but I know the classes can be just as effective based on my experience of participating as a student in online classes with my yoga teachers.

If you haven’t practiced yoga for a while this will be a great opportunity for you to get started again, in the comfort of your own surroundings, with the personal guidance you’ve enjoyed in the past, and in the company of your fellow yogis! How great is that?

I’m in the process of finalizing class details but for now it looks like my schedule will be similar to what it was pre-covid. I’ll be posting the new schedule in the next few days, along with pricing details.

For now the registration process will be the same (by email, text, or phone) and payment can be made by e-transfer or snail mail (cheque).

As we pivot together to online yoga classes, at the very least it will be helpful for you to have a yoga mat. You’ll definitely need an electronic device (desktop computer, laptop, tablet, or smart phone) and a Zoom account which you can download onto your device(s) for free. More details to follow…

As always, if you have questions or concerns I’m available to help you.

In the meantime, the following is a quote from one of my favourite teachers, Judith Hanson Lasater:

“I like to think of the borders of my mat as sacred. Once I step on my mat I take a certain form of refuge: in the lineage, in the practice, in the moment. I step away from all the roles I play and who I think I am.”

Shanti,

Jeannine

Yoga, COVID-19, and the Silver Lining

As we are all dealing with the rapidly evolving disruptions in our daily lives due to the coronavirus pandemic, I’ve been wondering about the silver lining. I received an email this morning about an upcoming course and thought I’d share some of the content:

“While we are currently mostly concerned about how we can prevent becoming infected with the COVID-19 virus, there is a silver lining: If we focus on preventive measures derived from lifestyle medicine to strengthen immunity and reduce risk of infection, these same measures can also help us prevent common long-term age-related health issues.”

“Yoga, we might say, is the first form of lifestyle medicine, i.e. the systematic application of simple daily measures to prevent disease, foster greater health, and even slow aging.”

“As you use yogic techniques to improve well-being, you also build greater strength and immunity against disease. As you build greater strength and immunity against illness, you also reduce your risk of age-related chronic diseases and slow the rate at which your body ages. It's all one package.”

The practice of social distancing and only leaving the house if it’s absolutely necessary (I’m decreasing my risk as much as possible) is making me slow down and think about what’s important in this time of stress and uncertainty. I’ve decided to treat this time as a staycation. I can stay in my pyjamas all day if I so choose. I can study, read, play games, watch movies, and listen to podcasts while still balancing the need to have a routine.

Having a daily routine is helpful in times of stress. With this in mind, I’ve decided to get out of bed at the same time every morning and prepare exactly as if I was heading to an early morning yoga class. I then head downstairs, prepare my mat and props, and bring my focus inward so I can enjoy and benefit from a full 90-minute practice.

This is the silver lining, as mentioned above. I’m committed to building strength, resilience and immunity through my yoga practice in spite of the challenges and disruptions related to the coronavirus pandemic.

With gratitude, compassion, joy and equanimity, I invite you to do the same.

Jeannine

P.S. - Spring Session yoga classes at Studio 71 Yoga scheduled to begin March 28, 2020 are postponed until further notice.

Karma Yoga - July 24, 2019

Join me for Karma Yoga

Karma yoga is a form of selfless service (seva in Sanskrit) often defined as the yoga of action. Karma yoga classes are sometimes offered to raise funds for a specific charity or a meaningful cause. If you have that inner tug to help others and make a difference, attending a karma yoga class is one way of assisting you in meeting this goal.

Karma classes at Studio 71 Yoga are donation based. Proceeds for this class will go to The Stephen Lewis Foundation Grandmothers Campaign . Give what you can! Everyone is welcome!

When: Wednesday, July 24, 2019 @ 2:00-3:00 pm

Where: Studio 71 Yoga, 71 Promenade des Intrepides

Register: Complete and submit the form below or contact studio71yoga@gmail.com

Summer is almost here! Plans for Fall 2019!

It’s mid May and the sun is shining! For many of you, plans are underway for weekend and extended cottage and urban getaways, to enjoy activities such as camping, fishing, hiking, sightseeing, cottage life, road travel, and more. Or maybe this is a good year for a “staycation” at home, enjoying happy-hour and backyard barbecues in the company of friends and family. Maybe you’ll get to read that novel that’s been on your nightstand for so long!

I too am taking a break for the summer. I look forward to seeing you in the fall. Class are already filling up so register early if you’re planning to join us on the mat.

Whatever your plans are I wish you a wonderful time, with restful moments balancing out the high energy activities. Remember to include yoga in your day or week when you can, and acknowledge the goodness and preciousness of each day!