Yoga Opportunities in Bella Vista

I love teaching Yoga!  There are many opportunities to take a variety of Yoga classes in Bella Vista, Arkansas.  Check out this link:  Bella Vista Yoga.

News >From Recreation Manager Clem Morgan Thursday, October 17, 2013 -

Yoga class, anyone? Bella Vista Village's Recreation Division offers yoga in the morning, afternoon and evening! SilverSneakers Yoga Stretch, also referred to as chair yoga, is offered at the Branchwood Recreation Center at 9 a.m. each Monday and Saturday. The class is taught by Carrie Ridgeway. The cost is $3.50 per class or $30 for a punch card, which is valid for 10 classes. The class is free to SilverSneakers Members. The Branchwood daily facility fee or a monthly or annual fitness pass is also required. SilverSneakers Yoga Stretch is offered at Riordan Hall at 8:30 a.m. each Monday and Wednesday. Instructors are Nancy Keesling and Carolan Weaver. The class is free to SilverSneakers members. The cost for non-SilverSneakers members is $2.50 per class. Additionally, non-SilverSneakers members are required to have a current photo identification card issued by the Property Owners Association or pay the Riordan Hall facility fee of $2.25. SilverSneakers Yoga Stretch will move your whole body through a complete series of seated and standing yoga poses. Chair support is offered to safely perform a variety of seated and standing postures designed to increase flexibility, balance and range of movement. Restorative breathing exercises and final relaxation will promote stress reduction and mental clarity. Yoga for Active Adults is offered at 4 p.m. each Tuesday and Thursday at the Metfield Clubhouse. Instructor Carrie Ridgeway leads the class. The cost is $3 per class or $25 for a punch card, which is valid for 10 classes. Participants without a current POA-issued photo identification card will be required to pay the Metfield facility fee of $2.25 per class. Yoga for Active Adults is also being offered at the Branchwood Recreation Center at 4 p.m. each Wednesday through Nov. 13. The class is led by Carrie Ridgeway. Robin Smith will offer Yoga for Active Adults at 4 p.m. each Tuesday and Thursday, beginning Nov. 19. The cost is $3.50 per class or $30 for a punch card, which is valid for 10 classes. The Branchwood daily facility fee or a monthly or annual fitness pass is also required. Yoga for Active Adults classes offer a flowing style of Hatha Yoga that helps create core strength and increase flexibility and balance. Poses flow one into the other linked with the breath. The class is suitable for students of all experience levels. Students should bring a yoga mat. Other optional accessories include a yoga strap, yoga block and a blanket or cushion. Evening Yoga, led by Maureen Neagle, is available at 6 p.m. each Monday and Wednesday at Riordan Hall. The cost is $3.50 for one class or $36 for a punch card, which is valid for 12 classes. Participants without a current POA-issued photo identification card will be required to pay the Riordan Hall facility fee of $2.25 per class. Yoga classes are also offered at 9 a.m. each Tuesday and Thursday at Riordan Hall. Instructors Maureen Neagle or Carolan Weaver lead the class. Bring your own yoga mat! The classes are free with a current POA-issued photo identification card. Those without a photo identification card will be required to pay the Riordan Hall facility fee of $2.25. So grab your friends, visit one of our three recreation facilities and enjoy an hour of stress-relieving yoga exercises.

Gong Relaxation Anyone?

Last Saturday, I attended my second "Gong Relaxation" at It'z OK Yoga Studio.  If you want to experience a deeply relaxing, meditative state, attend one or more of these sessions with Pat Talbot.

So what is gong relaxation?  The gong (example below): 

is an ancient instrument.  The healing vibrations it produces have been used around the world. Listeners can benefit in many ways, including stilling the mind and strengthening the nervous system to effectively deal with daily, stressful situations.  All participants need to do is relax comfortably on their mats and breath deeply to experience sound healing.   Here's a link to a really informative website about gong therapy:  Gong Sound Healing.

The sessions at It'z OK Yoga studio usually last for an hour and a half.  The first few minutes are spent in focusing on our breathing and some gentle stretching that helps the nervous system to prepare for the sound vibration.  Then participants relax stretched out on our mats in Shivasana (final relaxation pose) with eye pillows (often scented with lavendar) and absorb the sound of the gong for the next 45 minutes.  I had no idea what the gong would sound like - actually I thought it would be very quiet.  In reality, it can be quiet and then build to a fairly loud sound.  Each sound vibration merges into the next.  It's a really cool sound!  At first, there is the tendency to fidget on your mat, and for the mind to flit from one thought to the next, but then things settle down and that's when the relaxation starts.   At the end, we spend a few minutes enjoying our feelings of relaxation and well-being while sipping on some delicious Yogi Tea, homemade by Pat, while talking amongst ourselves.

Each time you experience a gonging session, you may have a different experience.  The first time I went, I had no trouble at all letting go of the thoughts jumping here and there, and truly relaxing.  Towards the end, I had a sensation of a warm blanket gently covering my body - but there was no blanket there.  This last time, I felt a lot of involuntary muscle twitching and jerking going on.  Some say this is a sign of your body letting go of some concern or worry.  I have to agree, that this was exactly what was happening as I had gone through two medical tests in the two weeks before, which had turned out to be fine.  My intention that I had set at the beginning of the gong session was gratitude for health, so, now I feel like I've totally let go of the worry and LIFE IS GOOD!!  

If you are interested in going with me to a gong relaxation, let me know.  The next one is Saturday, October 19th at 3 pm.  (I probably won't make it to this one as it is Craft Fair Weekend).  Then another on Sunday, October 27th at 3 pm.