Batch of Sky Yoga

🌿 Exciting News! 🌿

This serene space at Veterans Oasis Park will be the setting for weekly sunset yoga practices starting in January 2027. 😍

I like to plan ahead, but city governments understandably take planning ahead to another level.

So watch for your winter edition of Chandler Parks and Rec's Break Time magazine to arrive this fall for details and how to sign up.

In class, we've started an exploration of the koshas -- the 5 layers of self. They're sheaths, veils, or like the layers of an onion, and they can be revealed through the process of inquiry through asana, meditation, and breathwork.

The first layer is Annamaya, which literally meals "made of food." This is our physical body: our skin, organs, tissues, bones, etc. This part of ourselves could also include the unconscious habits of how we use and move our bodies such as going to sleep early/late, clenching our jaw/fists/whatever, stress/emotional eating, mindless scrolling...you get the idea.

It's important to take good care of this foundational body through nutrition, movement, and rest, and as we move through our lives it's helpful to notice that the ways in which we approach these three pillars of physical health may need to change.

Being mindful and aware of what movements benefits us rather than harm us, what foods make us feel good and which ones make us feel not so good, and noticing what habits set us up best for a good night's sleep can make a big difference in how well we take care of ourselves.

We'll keep this conversation going with each other and ourselves this week before we move on to the other layers. Join me for public classes at LA Fitness or through Zoom by visiting the link below to sign up for at-home yoga classes.

https://batch-of-sky-yoga.offeringtree.com/schedule

Flashback to this 2017 family vacation. My niece Lila was the only one willing to wake up early and go to Yoga on the Beach with me.

We turned out to be the only attendees to this class, and it was taught by a former showgirl. 🫪

Lila is a dancer and competitive cheerleader, so I was way out of my league with these two. 😅 Thanks to my brother for this hilariously humbling photo. 🤣

Don't worry about what you look like. Just show up! Have fun. Make memories.

If you came to any of my classes last week, you probably recognized I wasn't my usual self. My voice was raspy (it still is actually), which in hindsight should have been a crystal clear indication to slow down.

But I didn't realize it. I powered through with excuses like, "It's too late to get a sub." Or, "It's just 30 (or 45 or 60) minutes so I can handle it." Or the worst excuse, "It's just yoga."

The problem with that thinking is:

🌿 Even when unplanned, sometimes we need a break without feeling guilty or ashamed. Rest is important, valuable, and necessary.

🌿 Pushing through and resisting what your body is trying to tell you can make things bad to worse. My voice is not healed, so I'm taking a two-and-a-half-day vow of silence until Monday. My son is elated! haha Text or email me please. Do not call. 😝

🌿 Yoga isn't just yoga. It's an extremely important part of my life and affords me a connection to myself, others, and the world that I value deeply. I can practice on my own, but without my voice I can't teach and share it in our community.

So though it's embarrassing I didn't take my own advice like listening to my body and finding a good balance between effort and rest, I eventually woke up and promptly went to bed! So please learn from me and don't forget to take care of yourself.

On a positive note, many of you were so sweet by offering lozenges, home remedies, what to order at Starbucks to nurse me to health, and the BoSY participants on Zoom tried to point out that I should be resting. Thank you for all of that.

I've been resting all weekend, including no massive bike rides in the heat. At my husband's gentle nudge I even went to get checked out. The doctor said I'll be fine and gave me some cough medicine.

I hope to be "normal" for Monday's in-person classes. To help with this, there will be no Sunset Yoga on Sunday or Sunrise Yoga on Monday. Here's our schedule through Friday. Register for Zoom classes using this link:

https://batch-of-sky-yoga.offeringtree.com/schedule

Take care of yourself! ♥️

Happy Father's Day to John B! Here he is showing me the ropes of cycling in the Summer of '76.

If you read my newsletter this morning, you have a better understanding of why I'm a yoga enthusiast, and it's all thanks to my dad. ♥️

If you didn't get it, shoot me a DM and I'll send it your way. It's a good story if I do say so myself.

Happy Father's Day to all the dads doing their best out there. We celebrate you today and always. 🙏🏻

A change for the better is here!

Sunset Yoga on Sunday afternoons at 4 pm via Zoom 🌄

It's the perfect kind of practice to settle a chattering mind and busy nervous system so you're able to rest better.

If you're feeling restless, anxious, or overstimulated on the heels of a new week, this langhana style of yoga can reduce excess energy through slow, gentle movement and breathwork.

Need to chill? Join us. Register using the link below:

https://batch-of-sky-yoga.offeringtree.com/offerings/sunset-yoga

When I started teaching yoga virtually three years ago, I wasn't sure how many people would attend classes. Though 5:30 am works well for me, it seemed a hard sell. Surprisingly, Sunrise Yoga typically has the most attendees, and we have quite a dedicated sangha (community). We'd love to welcome you to it!

Maybe you don't like waking up early, and that's fine. But maybe you've noticed on days in which you do wake up early and move about that you feel like you already won the day. I personally love that feeling. I also love being able to watch the sun rise and experience the freshness of a new day and the opportunities it may offer. So that's why I offer this option to you.

Sunrise Yoga is usually held every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 5:30 am AZ time. This Wednesday I have an early appointment, so I am unable to be there but Batch of Sky Yoga Members have access to replays of all classes and get to choose a favorite.

And if you live east of Arizona, it's not that early! 😄

Use the links below to sign up for classes or join the Batch of Sky Yoga Membership.

https://batch-of-sky-yoga.offeringtree.com/schedule

https://batch-of-sky-yoga.offeringtree.com/offering_packages

🌿 Yoga Enthusiast of the Month 🌿

The best part of my job is connecting with others. I've been introduced to so many remarkable human beings through teaching yoga, and they inspire me to be a better teacher and a better person. Each month, I share with you someone I'm grateful to have met.

I teach for several employers, one of which is Vitality in Motion. They offer seated yoga and dance classes to seniors in the Phoenix area, St. Louis, and Florida. I visit several assisted living and active adult communities for them every week, and one of my favorite class participants is Bill.

Bill's a thoughtful person and intentional with his words. He has a lot to say, and it's always interesting. As a Vietnam veteran who later helped construct the Alaskan pipeline, he has plenty of compelling and entertaining stories to share as we move through our yoga practices. Everything from how they'd shower in the rain in Vietnam to the gorgeous scenery and incredible wildlife (including bugs!) in Alaska. I strongly feel that our elders have so much to offer us. Beyond the anecdotes, they provide wisdom, advice, and ideas that enrich our own lives. If you're not tapping into this resource, you may be missing out. I'm grateful I get to spend time with so many of these folks.

Bill enjoys all the fitness classes his community offers because "variety is the spice of life!" What he likes most about yoga is how we move slowly. He especially appreciates that we exercise our eyes. Like most, he never purposefully exercised his eyes before and says he can tell an improvement in his vision after we do eye yoga.

Though I don't think yoga can fix vision problems, exercising our eye muscles can help them relax, which can relieve eye strain and support improved focus. Bill definitely takes the time to pause, consider, and understand the shifts that can come from a regular yoga practice. Be like Bill! 😍

Hard to believe, but 3 years ago I launched my website, pressed a button, and hosted my first live yoga class via Zoom. Now I typically host 6 classes a week from my yoga room.

🥳 If you've been here since the beginning, thanks for taking a chance on me.

🥳 If you're here now, I'm so glad you're part of this community.

🥳 If you haven't yet joined me virtually for at-home yoga practices, you're invited!

To celebrate Batch of Sky Yoga's 3rd birthday, I'm hosting a 30-minute yoga practice this Tuesday, June 2 at 11 am Arizona time on Zoom.

Join the festivities from wherever you'll be to feel alive and joyful!

Register for this class using the link below.

https://batch-of-sky-yoga.offeringtree.com/offerings/batch-of-sky-yoga-birthday-party