Yoga Nepal 2011: Pilgrimage and the 21st century Yogi

Posted 28 Jun 2011 — by WelcomeOmDC
Category Events and Workshops, Inspiration, Yoga

Today’s guest post is from Marni Kravitz, director of Yoga Nepal, a dharma student, and freelance film and TV producer from Washington, DC. She interviewed Radhika Thakkar and Shawn Parell, co-teachers for Vinyasa: Finding Your Flow, November 7-18, 2011, a retreat taking place in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Registration ends soon! For more information visit Yoga Nepal‘s website.

*****

It’s hard to believe that Yoga Nepal 2011 is already approaching.  It seems like only weeks ago that Cory Bryant, Radhika Thakkar, and I led our 2010 retreat through the Kathmandu Valley.  Practicing in the sacred valley where Buddhist and Hindu cultures converge brought us closer to the meaning and purpose of yoga. We had the chance to immerse ourselves in the cultural riches of the valley’s many temple towns, brave Kathmandu city traffic together, receive teachings from Buddhist masters, and take many deep breaths in the presence of the Himalayan mountains.  The retreat was the perfect mixture of pilgrimage and play, and most importantly, genuine friendships grew among the participants that continue even now.

Gearing up for this fall’s programs, I had the chance to talk to Radhika, who returns for 2011, and DC’s own Shawn Parell, who will co-teach this year’s retreat, and find out what pilgrimage, practice and retreat means to the modern yogi.

Marni: What motivates the two of you to teach yoga?
Radhika:
I was drawn to yoga after my first class in 1999 – after an hour and a half of fluid, vinyasa movement, I felt like I had hit a refresh button on my physical and mental energy and washed tension out of my body and heart.  For me, a vinyasa yoga practice – movements inspired by the connection between breath and body – is like a moving meditation.  I teach to create this experience for others – whether they are looking for a workout or a chance to connect with something greater in their lives.  I offer my students a fluid but challenging physical vinyasa flow infused with inspiring music to help them find their internal body and breath rhythm, disengage from the typical patterns of stress often played out in their daily lives, and connect with themselves on a deeper level. 

Shawn: I teach yoga as an offering of devotional service.  As the greatest agent of integration and change in my own life, after 15 years of daily practice, it is also the most personally inspired gift that I have to share with others.  My intention in teaching is to hold space for others’ awakening and healing. How does it work? We simply move, and breathe, and bring kind attention to the energetic unfolding of practice. In an alchemical conversation with self, we discover our vibratory, essential, and expansive aliveness. And as we awaken to the nature of our own being, we realize that we are connected to the beings around us — that we belong to the natural flow of the universe.

Marni: What role has pilgrimage and retreat played in your life?
Radhika: Pilgrimage enables us to dedicate time and focus to deepen our own practice, however we define ‘practice’.  One doesn’t need to be very religious or ‘yogic’ to go on pilgrimage, and everyone, even the casual yoga studio aficionado, can benefit from retreat. In a very fast moving world, with lots of professional, personal and social activities and commitments on my plate, I sometimes find myself so caught in the motions and rhythm of life that I am disconnected from the purpose of my actions.  Going on retreat represents the ability to silence the noise of our life and practice the act of absorbing, reflecting and grounding ourselves.  I find myself more connected to my work, the people in my life and my sense of self after taking time off to practice living yoga.

Marni: Radhika, what inspired you to teach in Nepal again this year?
Radhika: I loved that the stunning scenery, natural beauty and many symbols of Nepal’s varied religious and cultural history were uniquely inspirational.  More profoundly, the Kathmandu Valley seems to represent a place of living spirituality. Whether it’s a quick glance at prayer flags flapping in the wind, watching devotees offer flowers to the feet of Ganesh, quietly reciting mantras with a mala in hand or performing prostrations in public, people’s actions and the physical spaces they occupy serve as a reminder of connection to something greater, more universal.
I vividly remember seeing school children in uniform and grandparents with canes circumambulating the stupa at Boudhanath early in the morning on their way to school or opening up their stores and offices and thinking how beautifully people have woven their spirituality into their everyday lives.  I left Nepal with that lesson in my heart – regardless of what we believe in, we can so easily keep ourselves connected to what matters in the bigger picture with a simple action or quick glance at something that reminds us to connect to our beliefs on a daily basis.

Marni: Shawn, why do you think pilgrimage and retreat is so important to the path of yoga?
Shawn: As students of yoga and mindfulness, we are asked to explore the sacred that lives within and around us in any moment. Although our intentions for mindfulness practice may be resolute, many of us nevertheless experience our daily lives as both abundant and demanding, blessed and (… let’s face it) stressful. If we are paying attention, in any moment we can catch ourselves in a consuming cycle of thought: determining what we could or should be doing, wondering what others think, trying to figure things out, organizing and digesting information, trying to solve a problem, planning for the future, reviewing the past, etc etc. The more we pay attention, the more we wake up to the fact that we spend much of our lives caught in a trance of wanting to get somewhere else.  Making time for retreat is a commitment to step out of that trance and to reconnect with our basic and essential flow of being. In this sense, the true destination of a pilgrimage is never a place, but a new way of seeing. As a macrocosmic gesture of pratyahara (one of the eight limbs of classical yoga that describes the process of attuning one’s sensory experience from the external world to our inner landscape) it is also an integral step along the path of yoga. As writer Lillian Smith put it, “no journey carries one far unless, as it extends into the world around us, it goes an equal distance into the world within.”  This is the essential invitation and opportunity of pilgrimage: to step out of our responsibilities and routine intentionally, to shift our attention inwards with compassion and possibility, and to open to the deeper currents of consciousness within us through this process. And, in so doing, we just may find our hearts, minds, and eyes open to the world in a brand new way.

*****

Join Radhika and Shawn for Vinyasa: Finding Your Flow, November 7-18, 2011, Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Registration ends soon! For more information visit Yoga Nepal‘s website.

Honest Names for Yoga Poses

Posted 24 May 2011 — by WelcomeOmDC
Category Yoga

My sister-in-law shared this little gem on my Facebook Wall, and I couldn’t help but chuckle. So raunchy! (But so true!)

My personal fave: “The Reason Guys Stand Behind Girls in Class.”

Credit for this design goes to Pleated Jeans.

Posted by Kelly

Phillip Askew – New York City Vinyasa

Posted 13 May 2011 — by WelcomeOmDC
Category Inspiration, Video, Yoga, Yoga Off the Mat

Some of my favorite images are those that juxtapose the craziness of city life with the calm tranquility of yoga practice. This video of Phillip Askew is one of the best I’ve seen of this genre – and captures his practice in some of NYC’s most-trafficked spots, and also India’s. (Stick around until the end of the video, when a swarm of Indian children clap in delight over Phillip’s practice… It’s so touching!).

Thank you for being an inspiration…

Posted 14 Mar 2011 — by WelcomeOmDC
Category Community

Cherry Blossom Yoga 57
There are no right words to choose in this situation, so I am just going to come out with it: what happened Friday night in Bethesda sucks.

It is absolutely horrific, sickening, maddening, unjustifiable, and unfair beyond belief. I hope that whomever is to blame is found, put on trial, and brought to justice.

Jayna was a wonderful, energetic, positive, active, smart, amazing person. And it is just not fair that her life had to end so abrubtly and unjustly.

But even in the darkest and cloudiest of situations where all you want to believe is that humanity is atrocious, there is a tiny glimmer of light. Here, it is in the form of the community’s outpouring of love and concern.

In the immediate aftermath, a Bethesda business donated $10,000 to Crime Solvers in addition to the $1,000 already offered in the investigation.

Messages of condolences from the store’s fans poured in on lululemon Bethesda’s Facebook page. Dozens and dozens of Jayna’s friends have been writing message of love and gratitude for her life since Saturday evening.

On Saturday, someone left a laminated note on Logan Circle’s lululemon storefront, with a picture of a candle flame and a message to “stay strong.”

On Sunday, lululemon Bethesda store ambassador Greg Marzullo dedicated his Fusion yoga class to “the tragedy” – leading 108 rounds of 108 rounds of “Lokah Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu”, or “May All Beings Everywhere Be Free From Suffering.”

And Kimberly Wilson hosted a healing class for lululemon employees on Sunday evening in her studio on Arlington, VA studio – the town where Jayna resided.

For those of you who don’t know Jayna, you can get a glimpse of the kind of person she was from this Washington Post article about her.

***

I cannot speak for anyone else but myself when I say this, but I think the most that the most we can hope for while we are on this earth – no matter how long or short our time here – is that we get the chance to express all of the life that is inside of us.  We don’t know how long we have here, and we can’t really understand why we are here, or why some people get to live longer lives than others… but all we can do is try to live a full life while we have this time.

In a very bittersweet way, the lululemon manifesto message rings true here, “Do it now.” Whatever it is you want to, do it now because it is your chance to express yourself, to reach a goal, to be great, and to be the best version of you possible.

Jayna had a remarkable energy and love for living, and was clearly dedicated to making the most of herself and her time here.  To me, the message of her life is to be the best person you are meant to be, and live the life you choose everyday.

And judging by the community’s reaction to the loss of her life, the message of her life was heard loud and clear.

Thank you for being an inspiration, Jayna.

***

We’ve been getting some messages and emails from members of the yoga and fitness communities asking how they can be of help, and it has been completely amazing and inspiring to feel the outpouring of love and desire to honor this life.

If anyone would like to host – or has any information on – a yoga, fitness, or community gathering dedicated to Jayna, please post in the comments below. We will aggregate the information and place in a follow-up post and publish it on our Facebook page to help inform the community.

Stay tuned.

Update 3/14 @6pm: An investigation is currently underway – and a $136,000 award is currently being offered – to find who committed the terrible and senseless act. If you have any info regarding the incident you are urged to contact the Homicide/Sex Section at 240-773-5070. Those who wish to remain anonymous may call Crime Solvers of Montgomery County toll-free at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477) or 240-773-TIPS (8477).

Note: Because of the sensitive nature of this issue, comments on this post will be moderated. Thanks.

Posted by: Kelly

Take Your Practice Off The Mat (Part 2)

Local yoga teacher Holly Meyers joins us again for part 2 of her series on the upcoming Off the Mat Into the World Intensive Workshop coming to DC later this month. Enjoy!

(For part 1, scroll on down…)

*****

I hear there are about 10 spots left in the Off the Mat Into the World ® (OTM) Intensive here in DC.  If you’re still wondering whether this training is for you, please consider how my experience has shaped my life…
 
I never imagined, after participating in “Yoga, Purpose & Action” at New York’s Omega Institute last June, how much inspiration and support I would continue to receive from the OTM team – plus, from their regional ambassadors around the world.
 
When I arrived at the OTM Intensive last June, I had a pretty clear idea of my “purpose” – to establish an organization that decreases violence in families and among youth, by passing on the healing tools of yoga and related practices.  Today, as teens and young adults in my urban neighborhood murder each other in the streets, and as families in the suburban neighborhoods of my childhood hide their troubles behind closed doors, I remain committed to this cause.
 
To start this organization, I will need help.  I will need collateral.  I will need collaborators.  I will need community support.  Through ongoing involvement with and mentoring from OTM, I am learning what it takes to develop this help.  I am getting some practice in all of these areas.


 
Participants in the OTM Intensive have the option to continue working with the organization as “ambassadors” in their local regions by coordinating Yoga in Action (YIA) events.  YIA is the grassroots initiative that brings the Off the Mat experience to the local level.
 
For example, last fall, I lead the Yoga in Action DC campaign on Facebook.  OTM introduced this fund/awareness raising initiative worldwide and asked local ambassadors to help spread the word.  For me, the campaign was a small effort (compared to the fund-raisers and events that more experienced OTM ambassadors held); at the same time, it helped me continue to come out of my shell and incubate the OTM presence here in DC.  Until that activity, I felt a little shy about reaching out to Washington-area Karma Yogis.  I’d been practicing yoga in the city since 1993, but only started to feel linked-in after my teacher training in 2008 (to no fault of the community; just my own self-doubt).  Coordinating the YIA-DC campaign pushed me to seek and connect with fellow yogis who are devoted to service.  It also forced me to embrace Facebook!  As friends point out, I went from 0 to 60 in no time on the social network!  I now love connecting with and being inspired by yoga and other mindful pals around the world.
 
There are infinite ideas, inspiration and motivation out there.
 
When OTM announced their DC Intensive, I offered to lead a “bridge event” that would raise awareness about the style of OTM trainings.  “Chill Time with Yoga in Action” was held last December at Past Tense Studio in Mt. Pleasant.  In the two-hour class, participants built an altar, shared about their service-related jobs, family roles and community activities, then practiced yoga collaboratively.  This community-building class will continue at Past Tense quarterly, so additional Karma Yogis can join the circle for rejuvenation in their lives and sustainability in their work.  The best part was – I didn’t have to invent the concept.  OTM leaders and ambassadors helped me shape the Intensive elements to meet the needs of DC’s active Seva community.
 
Collaboration is a huge part of OTM and YIA work.
 
In fact, I am looking forward to meeting potential Yoga in Action co-facilitators at the March “Yoga, Purpose and Action” Intensive!  All three of the DC yoginis who attended the Omega training last year moved away from the area soon after, sadly.  My next hope for YIA activity is to lead the 7-Week Small Group curriculum, which unites a finite group for a journey of peer-supported self-inquiry, collaborative exercise, and yoga practice (of course!), leading to a unique Karma Yoga project for our DC community.  OTM’s vision is to seed these YIA small groups of change among local communities, to inspire collaboration and connection among yoga activists.
 
I have been deeply inspired seeing the amount of noble service work accomplished by YIA facilitators and other relationships that have bloomed out of the Intensives.  Last year, past OTM Intensive participants cheered-on each others fund-raising efforts for OTM’s Global Seva Challenge.  And as the emotional stories from that recent South Africa Seva journey currently saturate the walls of Facebook, this year’s fund-raising Challenge for a 2012 Haiti project is in full swing.  Here is another way that OTM’s mentorship can support my own vision to start an organization – by participating in the Global Seva Challenge, I would get great fund raising experience!  

Since the Omega training, regular conference calls with Off the Mat Into the World mentors – including Hala Khouri, Claire Williams, Kerri Kelly and Davian Den Otter (all of whom you will meet next week at the DC Intensive if you attend) – have infused me with creativity and confidence.  Off the Mat Into the World is committed to investing in their Intensive participants’ leadership growth – as regional OTM ambassadors, and, toward their own visions and purpose.  Hearing the experiences of others who participated in the 5-day Intensive around the world has been immensely fortifying – for my YIA work, my yoga teaching, and, my life.

We all support each other as brothers and sisters who experienced the intensely deep journey of self-inquiry, connecting to our purpose and each other, and activating into the world.
 
OM Shanti, Shanti, Shanti.  Peace, Peace, Peace.
 
Learn more about OTM’s Yoga in Action initiative, the Global Seva Challenge and future “Yoga, Purpose & Action” trainings here.

*****
Yoga teacher Holly Meyers is a DC ambassador for Off the Mat Into the World ® (OTM), a nonprofit that uses the power of yoga to inspire conscious, sustainable activism and ignite grassroots social change.
 
OTM’s 5-day “Yoga, Purpose & Action” Intensive – coming to DC March 10-14 – guides participants through a deep, transformational process of self-inquiry and skill building facilitated by yoga, visioning, lecture and group process. There are still a few slots left for this amazing journey.  Visit Flow Yoga Center’s website to register.

Take Your Practice Off the Mat

Posted 22 Jan 2011 — by WelcomeOmDC
Category Community, Events and Workshops, Guest Posts, Inspiration, Yoga Off the Mat

Yoga teacher Holly Meyers guest blogs for us today. She is a DC ambassador for Off the Mat, Into the World ® (OTM), a nonprofit that uses the power of yoga to inspire conscious, sustainable activism and ignite grassroots social change. OTM’s 5-day “Yoga, Purpose & Action” intensive – coming to DC March 10-14 – guides participants through a deep, transformational process of self-inquiry and skill building facilitated by yoga, visioning, lecture and group process.

The early-bird discount (a $100 savings!) for OTM’s March 2011 “Yoga, Purpose & Action” Intensive is available through TODAY, Saturday, January 22nd!  Visit Flow Yoga Center’s website to register – payment plans are available. 

*****
Last June I participated in Off the Mat Into the World’s 5-day leadership intensive at the Omega Institute in New York. As the DC intensive approaches, I’m feeling as giddy as a little kid!
 
I am super excited to practice with three of the most effective teachers of yoga and leadership. OTM founders Seane Corn, Hala Khouri and Suzanne Sterling are like a power trio who fuel the training with their unique strengths.
 
My first experience with Seane – whose advanced yoga poses grace the covers of Yoga Journal and other magazines – was one year ago, at her 3-day Chakra Vinyasa workshop. Being a traditional Hatha teacher with just a little Vinyasa experience – and, knowing about Seane’s butt-kicking Asana practice – I was a bit nervous! My fears soon dissolved as I immersed myself in one of the most liberating experiences of my life. I did not simply “get through” the three days – Seane’s prayerful support and encouragement propelled my practice beyond my imagination.
 
Complementing Seane’s intensely physical style is Hala’s wisdom as a psychologist. Her music choices uplift the heart and soul, and encourage emotional release through the body. During last year’s intensive, U2’s “Grace” hit the air and I felt a visceral surge of self-acceptance that still brings me great serenity today. Hala’s lecture on Somatic Experiencing provided tools for maintaining balance during emotional triggers, which are invaluable for people like me – a survivor of hardship who now works in service to those with similar backgrounds.
 
Suzanne rounds out OTM’s leadership with her mystical energy, and background in indigenous ritual, percussion and vocalization. Her compassionate heart, attentive ear and motivational voice sparked rich levels of self-discovery, openness and security among the 40 participants at Omega last year. Her drumming and chants provided a cohesive soundtrack for the week’s process. In my classes I often play her celebratory “Jai Ma” – which she chanted as a gentle lullaby during our deep relaxation – during Sun Salutations and her ethereal “Savaasana” during Yoga Nidra.
 
Seane’s, Hala’s and Suzanne’s fusion of transformational Asana, psychological empowerment and liberating ritual are beyond compare for leadership development for Karma Yogis, Yoga Activists, Seva Yogis…whatever you choose to call someone who takes his or her yoga practice off the mat to be of service in their everyday world.
 
Through OTM’s intensive, any yogi who plays a role of service at their job, in their community and/or for their family will find the nourishment, rejuvenation and empowerment to do that work more sustainably. I hope to see you this March!

*****

Stay tuned for Part 2 of Holly’s blog,coming in February, describing how ongoing mentorship by OTM leaders encourages her leadership growth, empowers her yoga teaching and sustains her service work.

Weekend Warrior: January 21-23

Posted 20 Jan 2011 — by WelcomeOmDC
Category Weekend Warrior, Yoga

…And we’re back! Sorry about the, um, Holiday hiatus folks.

Its (been) a New Year (for a while now) and it’s (about) time for weekend warrior!

Friday, January 21
7:00 – 8:30 p.m. India Night Benefit (Tranquil Space, Dupont Studio,1632 17th Street, NW). Don a sari, sip specialty chai tea, and join Tranquil Space for a celebration of all things India. TS yogis have recently returned from a 10-day adventure in Rishikesh and are excited to share tales of the trip. This special evening will include photos and videos of their journey, henna painting, yummy Indian cuisine, a trunk show featuring Indian-made malas, clothing, and accessories, and more. Investment: $10 suggested donation. All sales go to charity.

9:45 – 11:55 p.m. Midnight Prana Flow (Flow Yoga Center, 1450 P Street, NW). The first of two liberating and soulful workshops combining vinyasayoga, live drumming, and spoken word with Shawn Parell and special guest poet and percussionist John de Kadt. Bring your body, your breath, and your spirit, and invite this practice in to deepen and awaken your connection to the source within and inspire your daily living. Investment: $25, or attend *Saturday’s workshop too and get the two for $55.

Saturday, January 22
10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Breaking it Down: Explore/Re-explore Yoga Basics (Yoga District, 1910 14th Street, NW Unit 1). Ease into your yoga practice in 2011 with a workshop that breaks down yoga poses, meditation, and yogic philosophy. Led by teachers Jasmine C. & Aqeel. Investment: $20 w/ proceeds benefit Yoga Activist.

10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. The Pursuit of Happy Hips: Theory and Vinyasa (The Studio DC, 1710 Connecticut Avenue, NW). Join visiting yoga teacher Eoin Finn for this workshop that will explore pelvic anatomy and the psychology of the hips. You’ll find out what rules we need to follow to help keep the yoga practice safe and beneficial to your physiology, while also learning how many rules actually restrict you. Then participate in Eoin’s flowing series of poses that will leave you feeling blissful and ecstatic. Investment: $40,

3:30 – 5:30 p.m. Extended Ecstasy Hour (Flow Yoga Center, 1450 P Street, NW). Move towards the embodied essence of yoga and awaken the heart in this week’s special extended Yoga Ecstasy Exploratorium. In this expansive yet grounded vinyasa flow workshop with poetry and drumming, you’ll journey deep into the pulse of the drum, the rhythm of the body and the creative juice that flows from accessing prana. No experience necessary. Drums will be provided! Investment: $40 or $55 for *both workshops (see above).

Sunday, January 23
DC Yoga Challenge Launch
12:00 p.m. Yoga Book Club (sponsored by Yoga Outdoors, meet at Kogod Courtyard of The Smithsonian American Art Museum, 8th & F Streets, NW). Yoga Outdoors members will be discussing Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, Pada (chapter) 1, at this informal gathering. A great way to meet some other yogis, learn more about Yoga Outdoors, and get your weekly philosophy discussion in. More information is available on their Meet-up page. Investment: FREE!!

(warning: shameless self promotion!)
4:30 – 5:30 p.m. NEW Pre-Natal Yoga Class (STROGA, 1808 Adams Mill Road, NW). Mama’s-to-be: join Jamie Boese (hey , that’s me!) for pre-natal yoga as part of STROGA’s new, expanded schedule of class offerings. Through asana, pranayama, and toning work, you’ll connect with your little babe to be and strengthen your changing body while working toward the adventure of labor and delivery! Investment: $15 for walk-ins.

Posted by: Jamie

Back On My Feet

Posted 08 Dec 2010 — by WelcomeOmDC
Category Guest Posts, Inspiration, Running

Back on My Feet. Those four words might not mean anything to some people, but to an increasing number of people in the District and around the U.S. it means family, commitment, hugs, friendship, accomplishment, running, fitness, relentless movement forward, and so much more.

I became involved with Back on My Feet in the Spring of 2010. At that time I was earning my Master’s in Sports Industry Management from Georgetown University. I read that Back on My Feet was opening a chapter in D.C. and recalled reading an article in Runner’s World a few years back about a woman (president & founder- Anne Mahlum) in Philadelphia who had this great idea of using running to move lives forward. Back on My Feet is a non-profit that promotes the self-sufficiency of the homeless population by engaging them in running as a means to build strength, confidence, and self-esteem. I checked out the organization’s website and registered for a volunteer orientation to get involved. After attending the orientation at a Pacer’s Running Store, I made it out for the first ever Back on My Feet D.C. morning run. Not exactly sure what to expect, I woke up at 5 a.m., a time I once dreaded and now love, grabbed a protein bar and hopped in the car to drive to the Clean and Sober Streets location. Upon arriving, I walked up to a huge circle of people and was immediately greeted by a hug from a middle aged man in a bright yellow beanie. I then met all the other res (homeless) and non-res (volunteer) members. We went around the circle, introduced ourselves, broke the ice, and then hit the early morning streets of D.C. for a run. The first run was only a mile, but the sense of accomplishment and feeling of friendship was strong. I went home that morning knowing that this organization was something special and something I wanted to be involved with.

It’s hard to believe that day was almost nine months ago. That middle-aged man in the yellow beanie I came to know as Dave Withers, a res-member at Clean and Sober Streets, and someone whom I now consider a great friend. I have witnessed attitudes change, friendships formed, members placed in jobs, and races run. Upon completion of my Master’s, Back on My Feet D.C. had an opening for Director of Corporate Communications & Special Events. I don’t think that was a coincidence. I now serve in that role and have seen tremendous growth and change in the Back on My Feet D.C. Chapter. I could take up plenty of your time recalling the numerous heart-pulling and inspirational stories that I have had the privilege to experience, but instead I hope you will take several minutes to watch the below videos and see what we’re all about. It’ll be the best 8 minutes of your day.

CNN
CSN

Back on My Feet does not provide food or shelter, but instead provides a community that embraces equality, respect, discipline, teamwork and leadership. Our organization consists of much more than just running: our members participate in a comprehensive program that offers connections to job training, employment and housing. Those benefits are earned by maintaining 90 percent attendance at the morning runs three days a week for our six to nine month program. Find more about the program here.

Back on My Feet is a family. It doesn’t matter if you’re black or white, rich or poor, young or old. When we’re together we are runners, friends, and teammates. I encourage you to check out Back on My Feet and get involved. Even if you’re not a runner or can’t fit the runs (M/W/F mornings- 6 different locations and Thursday nights/Saturday mornings) into your schedule consider attending one of our multiple other events. We also occasionally supplement morning runs with Yoga through Yoga Activist or Strength Training  at BodyfitDC. Next time you’re at a race or on a run, keep a look out for Back on My Feet.  Interested in getting involved, running a race for Back on My Feet, or have questions? Contact me.

Back on My Feet realizes the importance of tracking results and continuing to grow a program that is effective in promoting social change. It is a cause to believe in that gets results. Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions about Back on My Feet!

*****

Andrew Dawson is the Director of Corporate Communications & Special Events for Back on My Feet D.C. He recently ran his first marathon, ING NYC 2010, in 3:44 and plans to run the SunTrust National Marathon in March to celebrate Back on My Feet’s D.C. Birthday and first marathon distance for its members.

Weekend Warrior: December 3-5

Posted 03 Dec 2010 — by WelcomeOmDC
Category Weekend Warrior, Yoga

Brrrr… its cold out there, time to do some yoga in the atmosphere (and warm things up warriors)!


Friday, December 3
Cuddle up for warmth, celebrate the third night of Hanukkah, or hit the Midnight Flow Class with Rob Hess (Flow Yoga Center, 1450 P Street, NW). This invigorating practice will get you ready for the weekend. Class is from 9:45 – 11:55 p.m. Investment: $16.50

Saturday, December 4
1:30 – 3:30 p.m. Yin Yoga: A Donation Workshop with Megan Davis (Yoga Chai, 1744 Columbia Road, NW, 2nd Floor). Yin yoga provides the perfect balance to your active (yang) yoga practice. Yin utilizes long-held floor poses, meditation and breath work to target the connective tissues of the body—the ligaments, tendons and cartilage. Working on these connective tissues can help to increase flexibility and decrease stagnant energy in the body. This deep practice is gentle, yet intense, helping students not only to open the body, but also to cultivate the ability to observe the body and the mind and stay with sensation. Sounds like a perfect way to welcome the stressful Holiday season! Investment: Recommended donation $20, proceeds will go towards Megan’s project to develop an adaptive yoga manual and teacher training for Anahata Grace teachers on the ground in Rwanda.

2:30 – 3:45 p.m. Budukon Master Class with Founder Cameron Shayne (Vida Fitness Verizon Center, 601 F Street, NW). As if meeting Cameron Shayne isn’t enough of a draw for you to participate in this amazing opportunity, you can also be inspired by our post about local Budukon teacher Mimi Rieger and take her word for it! Investment: Free for members, $25 for nonmembers

3:15 – 7:15 p.m. (Training takes place Saturday AND Sunday) Yoga Activist Training (Yoga District14th Street Studio, 1910 14th Street, NW). Learn how to share yoga and other helpful mindfulness practices with communities in need! Join YogaActivist.org founder and experienced yoga outreach teacher Jasmine Chehrazi along with social worker Kate Baasch of Miriam’s Kitchen for this training. You do not need to be a yoga teacher to benefit; enthusiastic yogis can pair up with a certified teacher to serve as understudies in homeless shelters, soup kitchens, and other facilities serving these communities.  More Information available on their website. Investment: Donation-based registration spots are left!

Sunday, December 5
2:00 – 4:30 p.m. Couples Yoga Workshop for Labor and Delivery (Capitol Hill Yoga, 641 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE). This workshop is an opportunity for pregnant women and their partners or doulas to practice yoga poses and breathing techniques that many women have found helpful during labor and delivery. In addition, partners will learn how to guide mothers in their relaxation between contractions, as well as some massage and acupressure techniques. Recommended for women in the third trimester of pregnancy. Investment: $80 per couple

And if the cold isn’t enough of an inspiration to practice this weekend, maybe the potential life-saving skills it teaches you are.

Rocket Man

Posted 01 Dec 2010 — by WelcomeOmDC
Category Yoga, Yoga Teachers

Two weeks ago, I had the chance to attend David Kyle’s Rocket Class at lululemon georgetown with an amazing group of yogis. There is something so fulfilling about being in a room with a teacher who can command a space just with his humble words and lighthearted jokes while simultaneously leading you through a practice that energizes as it strengthens. Amongst the challenging poses, grunts and groans through ujjayi breathing, and handstand contest, the class was awesome and I think everyone who attended would agree. Photographic evidence follows.
DSC_0726DSC_0704DSC_0696DSC_0679

More photos on our Flickr page.

Posted by: Jamie