Events
Intermediate Yoga
Workshop
Looking to fine-tune your practice, transition from beginners' classes or just want to learn how to approach more advanced poses?
This workshop's for you!
In 3 evenings you'll learn how to get the most out of open level classes and take your practice to the next level!
Wednesdays, July 14th, 21st and 28th
8:15 - 9:30pm
with Megan Murphy
$75 for all three sessions*
Class 1 - Perfecting your Vinyasa: Sun Salutes are the foundation of any yoga class. You've done them a million times, but are you doing them correctly and getting all the benefits? We will break down these vital vinyasas - chaturanga, updog, jumping forward and back - so you move through them with impeccable alignment; building strength, flexibility all while keeping your body safe.
Class 2 - Safe Backbending: Learn how to approach backbends safely. Apply that knowledge in wheel pose and other more advanced backbends. Develop a safe backbend practice geared at opening your heart and improving spinal health. Watch your asana transform!
Class 3 - Approachable Inversions: We all want to do inversions but they can be scary and seem impossible. We'll show you step by step how you can conquer your fears and get upside down! We will work on headstand, handstand and forearm stand.
Sign-up now, either on your next visit to the East Yoga studio or online at www.eastyoga.com (via the online scheduling system under the 'workshop' tab)
*Must sign-up for all three sessions. There are no make-up dates if a session is missed
Guided Meditation for Beginners
As New Yorkers, we live busy, stressful lives. Finding time to relax, let alone sleep, can be a challenge! We want to help you find more serenity and calm in your life. Weekly, donation-based meditations at East Yoga are a perfect way to cultivate a more peaceful frame of mind. Taught by Robert Fitzpatrick, our resident meditation guru, these sessions are comfortable, welcoming and enlightening.
If you have never tried to meditate before, now is a great time!
We have added a Sunday evening meditation session that will focus on beginners. We will provide you with the tools and guidance needed to begin to develop your own practice.
Guided Meditation for Beginners
Sundays, 6:30-7:15pm
July 11th, 18th and 25th
With Robert Fitzpatrick
By Donation
** The Sunday meditation is in addition to the regular Thursday sessions from 8:15-9:00pm. No advanced sign-up is required for either the Sunday or Thursday sessions. Just show up!
What is meditation?
“Meditation” sounds intimidating, but is actually easier than you might imagine. Most of us practice meditating without knowing it – taking deep breaths to relax before a big presentation, sitting quietly to calm down after an argument, and of course during savasana at the end of yoga class. Meditation is a process of quieting and transforming the mind. It is an approach that anyone can use to cope with stress and anxiety.
Why should I meditate?
Meditation has so many positive effects on the mind and body. Meditation leads to a deeper level of relaxation. It relieves stress and helps you feel fully energized. It will give you greater focus and help you improve your concentration. You will feel more clear and gain a better sense of self.
What should I expect at East Yoga’s meditation?
Robert will guide you through the meditation. He uses his voice to provide images and direction to calm your mind. There is no right or wrong behavior at the meditation. What is most important is that you are comfortable – whether that means sitting cross legged, lying down or using the bathroom when you need to. We invite you to come explore, ask questions and unravel your inner meditator.
Prenatal Yoga
Workshop
As you prepare to give birth to your child many inner and outer changes take place. The practice of yoga is a great aid to their smooth unfolding. Sarah will guide you through the stages of pregnancy.
Prenatal Yoga Workshop
Sunday, July 18th 2-4:15pm
$35 per person
Taught by Sarah Tomlinson
You will discover how to create a supportive yoga practice and receive many suggestions to aid your self-nurturing during the three trimesters.
This is a wonderfully informative class for moms-to-be at all stages of pregnancy so they can comfortably and safely continue practicing. This workshop is also great for yoga teachers who would like to guide their expectant moms safely through their Open Classes.
The class is a combination of lecture, asana, pranayama and drawing.
Sign-up now through our online scheduling system. Go to eastyoga.com click on 'schedule'. Sign-up under the workshops tab.
Focus of the Month: Immersion
Written by Megan Murphy
Most people that I talk to assume that I do yoga every day. I wish. I make the forms, I move my body, I breathe, but I only practice 2 or 3 times on a good week. A busy yoga instructor, with a full teaching schedule probably teaches 15 classes per week tops. I regularly teach 27 classes per week. It's insane. But in the summer my schedule thins out. Right now I feel like I'm barely working. It's great! I finally have time to relax, take each day as it comes, and DO YOGA!
I decided to take a yoga class every day, for seven days to see how a daily practice felt. Throughout this journey I kept a journal.
I started this immersion into a daily practice right after my last busy week of work. My first journal entry is sad. I was exhausted and unmotivated. I didn't even manage to start on the day that I said I would.
Throughout the first three consecutive days I practiced, I felt good, but not significantly different. To a certain degree, I think I was still in the zone of just making forms with my body. I was skeptical that there was any real value in a daily practice. The benefit of yoga hadn't fully sunk in yet.
On day four, I taught a class in Manhattan, a private in Brooklyn, then another class in Manhattan. I got home around 7 pm, showered, and plopped down on the couch. It was Saturday night and I couldn't find a yoga class to go to. I was trying to motivate to practice on my own when my boyfriend handed me a margarita. That was that, no yoga happened. All of a sudden, I realized that I had WAY more respect for people that show up to class after a long day of work, especially the 8:15/8:30 pm crowd!
When I woke up the following morning, I felt good and rested. I realized that taking a day off is not the end of the world and actually has value. After a day of rest I was up for a challenging class. A new studio in my neighborhood was offering a Primary Series class. I decided to go, but must admit I was nervous, as I hadn't done the Primary Series in probably 5 years. For those of you that aren't familiar with the Astanga practice, it's hard, quite athletic, and very structured. Since moving to NYC, I hadn't been interested in doing such a hard practice. Living here is hard enough.
Class was great! The teacher got me into postures that I never do, and she did it in a very gentle way. It felt so good to work hard and sweat, but not in a way that I was bothered by the intensity. My memories of doing Astanga from years ago didn't match the experience I had last week. I remembered the practice as being torture, so structured and repetitive, but this class felt good, not nearly as hard as I remembered, and exactly what my body needed. Because I felt so motivated, I continued to do the Primary Series on day six and seven. I felt my injured hip start to heal, my excessive low back lordosis finally begin to round out, and my whole self become steadier.
I never would have guessed that by day seven of this immersion I'd be practicing Astanga. Doing yoga every day opened doors of possibility for me. Instead of only going to my regular classes and studying with my favorite teachers, the daily mission of taking a yoga class forced me to try new classes and new teachers. It's obvious to me now, that by trying new things, we learn and grow. When every day we incorporate this ritual of practice, life seems way simpler. All of a sudden, the drudgery of days that smear into weeks that smear into hazy months disappears. In its place appears one simple day at a time.
Whether it's taking a yoga class, writing in a journal, or going for a walk, I encourage all of you to practice something daily, weekly, or at least regularly. Immersing yourself in a consistent positive ritual is bound to add richness to your life and who knows what doors it may open.
Yogi of the month:
Katie Novello
Written by Megan Murphy
The first time I saw Katie Novello, she was lying on her stomach waiting for class to begin. I remember thinking to myself how adorable she was. Most students trickle into the studio, gather their props, and either lay on their backs to stretch or relax before class, or they sit, eyes closed, in stillness. Katie lies on her stomach as if she were watching tv, knees bent, feet in the air, toes wiggling. There’s something so relaxed, humble, and unpretentious about her body language.
From that day over two years ago until now, she’s been a regular in my classes. Although she’s fully capable of taking Phil or Kari’s most challenging class, she consistently takes my beginner classes. And she takes these classes like a true beginner, following my lead in instructing the basics. She doesn’t try to prove she’s capable of more. She continues to exude humbleness as she moves on her mat.
When Katie and I realized that we had a mutual friend, we began to hang out outside of the studio. As I got to know her, she continued to make me smile. Katie works in television, constantly dealing with very needy actors, and regularly finding herself in hilarious situations. Every time I see her, she has a good story to tell.
Even though her work is extremely demanding, I’ve never seen Katie upset or tired. I don’t know how she does it. A few weeks ago, she told me that she handles the stress of work differently now because of her yoga practice. She said that she’s able to step back and take things as they come. Moments like that make being a yoga instructor immensely satisfying. Every week I attempt to inform and inspire people in their practice. Every week Katie helps fuel that inspiration by simply showing up and being herself.
Today, I consider Katie a dear friend and feel blessed that she came into my life.
If you see Katie at East, the dog run, coffee shop, or community pool, don’t hesitate to smile or say hello.
