Marching On…

New Course, Loving The Self & Farewell [ahimsa] Spring is naturally a time of transformation… but first we have to deal with the           surprises that are revealed when the snow melts, and not all of them are pleasant!               As the rain comes and the accumulated doggy doo is washed away, farmers and       gardeners are busy planting seeds. Which seeds do you want to plant this spring? Forgive my cheesy metaphors: there has been a great deal of “snow melting”                    and revelation in my life recently… The only way to enjoy it seems to be with              humour! … The Seeds I Am Planting Sunday March 25th Loving the Self. Yoga and Voice Workshop. Monday March 26th Last class at [ahimsa] 6:30-8:00 PM, followed by dinner             together. Mondays in April & May Pre-registered 8 week course in Ashtanga Yoga,                     mixed levels.

Loving the Self Yoga and Voice Workshop Do you feel that you love             yourself? What does love mean to you? Do you have enough love in               your life? Do you feel blocked in                 receiving love? Too drained                   to give love? How does your sense of self         enhance or hinder your ability                to love others and receive their         love? Sunday March 25th 2:00-4:00 PM Studio Flow Space This is the second in my series of monthly Yoga & Voice workshops. We will be           exploring our self-confidence, ideas about self-identity and our ability to give and          receive love. This workshop will focus on the solar plexus and heart chakras.                 Heart-opening yoga poses will be followed by chanting, singing, dancing, reflection             and deep rest. No previous experience in yoga or voice work needed! “Rhetta’s yoga chant workshop provided the space and time for a wonderful              gathering of open hearts and mouths. Deeply fun!” Ivan

Farewell [ahimsa] It is with deep sadness that I share with you news of the upcoming closure of [ahimsa] studio at the end of March. The loss to our community will be felt by so many, but it is a well thought out decision to transform… You can read Miranda’s heartfelt story here. Monday night classes at [ahimsa] will continue until March 26th: 6:30-8:00 PM Do join us in this beautiful space while we still have it! On March 26th I propose we share a meal together nearby following practice, perhaps at Casa del Popolo? Please let me know if you plan to join, in case I should ask about a bigger group.

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Facing Fear: Yoga & Voice Workshops

Sunday Feb. 19th 2-4 PM Studio Flow Space Montreal What are you afraid of? Singing? Being upside down? Failing? Being rejected socially or professionally? Do you face these fears on a regular basis? Is it getting harder or easier to face your fears as you get older? This is the first in my series of monthly Yoga & Voice workshops. We will be learning about fear and practice facing fear in a safe enviroment.Each workshop will guide you through yoga postures and vocal exercises that release tension and create connection within the body. These workshops will include energetic with with the chakras, and this first workshop will focus on the 1st and 2nd chakras. The root chakra and scaral chakra will give us a strong place from which to face our fears.No previous experience in yoga or voice work needed! Flow Space “Rhetta’s yoga chant workshop provided the space and time for a                   wonderful gathering of open hearts and mouths. Her familiarity with the         postures and Sanskrit proved insightful, and the real magic came with                      in-the-moment group exploration of chants, oms, and harmony.                             Deeply fun!” Ivan Mark Your Calendars Upcoming Yoga & Voice Workshops Sundays from 2-4 PM March 25th Loving the Self 3rd and 4th Chakras: Solar Plexus and Heart Centre

Changing Years, Changing Gears

Dear friends, students and strangers!

 

Changing Gears. In my case, I am downshifting. I am happy to tell you that (though I had been considering it), I haven’t come to a complete halt when it comes to teaching yoga!

I love teaching, but a few recent influences, such as workshops with Kino pictured at right, have re-inspired me to take my time as I move from the role of student to teacher. For now, and for the foreseeable future, my main role will be that of a student.

As a student, I practice 5-6 days a week, currently the Ashtanga Primary Series and the beginning of Second takes about 2 hours on the mat every morning. My teachers at Sattva Yoga Shala, the Darbys, have been practicing for decades. I still have so much to learn.

 

As I learn, I am happy to try to share my experiences, and I thank you all for your presence, or your interest, as I begin this new path as a teacher. Thank you! Truly, you have become my teachers too.

So, in this transition period, I will maintain my ties with the lovely [ahimsa yoga] studio and brand new Flow Space.

I will also be offering a guided 108 Sun Salutations at [ahimsa] to start the year on Sunday January 22nd.

Inspired by my experiences teaching voice and yoga together, and the choir that got me over my fear of auditioning, I will be offering a series of Sunday afternoon workshops at Flow Space.

My current teaching schedule and these special events are detailed here.

 

There has been a lot of debate about the benefits vs the risks of practicing yoga, following the recent publication of this article by the New York Times. Although I object to the listing of rather rare and extreme risks, rather than some common injuries, I do agree that “Yoga is for people in good physical condition. Or it can be used therapeutically. It’s controversial to say, but it really shouldn’t be used for a general class.”

I encourage you to read about the risks, and to continue to seek a practice that heals your own body. This may be yoga in some form, or another practice entirely. What is needed may change throughout your life. Remembering, that in any tradition, whatever a teacher instructs you to do, it is still the role of you the student to find a balance between challenging oneself and practicing patience.

For my part, I will continue as I have been: Emphasizing that each person’s body is different. You know your body better than any teacher can, and your work is to get to know it better and better. I plan to keep my classes small whenever possible… so that I have the chance to guide you and get to know your needs with you.

Don’t ever hesitate to contact me with questions, requests, or simply news about where life has taken you lately! I love hearing from you!

Wishing you all the best for the new year!

rhetta

PS Here are a few links and videos about various topics that have caught my eye recently.

How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body
Provocative, with some important points

How the NYT Can Wreck Yoga
A counterbalancing discussions of the risks of practicing yoga

(To Align or Not to Align?)
An article from 2004 discussing how to prevent injury.

Whole life take practice…
Short video with the founder of Ashtanga Mysore Style, Pattabhi Jois ”Guruji”

Living the Practice
Longer video with one of my favorite teachers, David Robson in Toronto, on the Ashtanga Method and his lifestyle as a teacher

Flow Space Montréal

Nouvelle Classe à Studio Flow Space

New Class at Flow Space Montreal

Ashtanga Flow – All Levels

Dimanche // Sundays // 11h30 – 13h00 

This class will be an exploration of flow (vinyasa) yoga based on the Ashtanga Primary Series. This sequence was created to help practitioners strengthen, align and release their body into wellness. Flow classes are relatively vigorous, as the heat generated purifies the body, and relaxation can readily be achieved following release of tensions in the body. This class will be suitable for students of all levels, as variations will be given for beginning students.

Yoga Pour le Monde // Yoga For the World

Eagle Spirit Workshop

The Eagle Spirit High Performance Camp has the primary goal to teach the Aboriginal youth that true success is a balance of multiple dimensions including academics, family, personal relationships, health, culture and self-esteem.

The camp is three days long, and was a gathering of about 50 Aboriginal youth from all across Canada. Run by the McGill Fist Peoples’ House, I was invited to lead a workshop on Yoga: Beyond the Postures.

We explored breath, the energetic body, relaxation, and the nature of the mind-body connection.

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Yoga at Santropol Roulant

As we welcome spring, come join us for our weekly lunchtime yoga class, Fridays 12:30-1:30.

** FRIDAY LUNCHTIME CLASS ENDED in AUGUST 2011 **

Come join us!

Mats available, beginners welcome!

The big open space with many windows

When the warmth arrives, there will be yoga on the lovely deck!

Feedback Please!

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/JN5WMDY

Yoga Chant Workshop / February 26th / @ Studio Yoga de l’Éveil

 

You can also contact me directly. Visit Contact page for all my info.

 

 

News

||  Yoga is a practice that can be enjoyed by anyone who is willing to let go of their expectations and explore their body through breath, movement, and stillness.

|| Our goal is to engage students in a practice that is both physical and mental.

Using physical poses and breathing techniques, the mind can be calmed.

Using the power of the mind to visualize and our ability to learn from new experiences, the body can surpass old limitations.

Yoga has the power to heal, especially when that is the intention shared by teacher and students.

Working towards accessible yoga for all who seek it.

|| Group Classes

|| Private Classes

|| Yoga Therapy

 

|| We do not see the world as it is.  We see it as we are.

~ Anaïs Nin