Category Archives: pilates

Postnatal/Mommy & Me Yoga now offered 3 times a week!

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More time for you and your little one… Postnatal/Mommy & Me Yoga classes will now be offered on Saturdays at 2:45pm with Clare Friedrich starting April 16th!

Sangha’s Postnatal Yoga classes focus on rejuvenating your body after childbirth though a flowing asana sequence while connecting with your newest addition in a playful and safe environment for babies. Rebuild strength and core needed to repair the abdominal muscles and pelvic floor stretched during pregnancy & labor. Learn baby yoga exercises to strengthen growing muscles, aid in digestion, promote better sleeping patterns, and help your infant towards their next stages of development.

Postnatal/Mommy & Me Yoga Schedule:

Tuesdays & Thursdays 10:45-11:45am

Saturdays 2:45-3:45pm

Click here to view our full schedule (including kids and family yoga classes!)

Meet Clare:

Clare recently moved to New York from Madison, WI where she worked as an educational planner for an architecture firm and taught yoga, pilates and meditation. In her new big city, she works as an education consultant for the Department of Education, teaching yoga and health advisories to middle and high school students and teachers.

Practicing yoga for over a decade, Clare’s true passion was sparked while living in Mongolia as a Peace Corps volunteer. Yoga became a personal endeavor and a community event, bringing friends together for weekend asanas and pancakes. The strength and mindfulness discovered in Mongolia has carried her through countless challenges. Specializing in teaching individuals with special yoga needs, Clare loves to work with students during exceptional times of their lives. She is a certified prenatal instructor, and has trained and worked with children and adults with autism, clients with multiple sclerosis, and aging populations. She also works as a holistic health coach, working primarily with teens and busy teachers.

Clare practices and values care of the body, mind, and spirit – knowing that each supports the health of the others. To Clare, living a full and responsible life is also about valuing and encouraging the spirit of humanity in the larger community.

New Prenatal Class at Sangha!

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Sangha is happy to announce that we are now offering three Prenatal Yoga classes week!

Mondays 6-7:10pm with Aimee McCabe

Wednesdays 6-7:10pm with Shahar Yannay

Sundays 9-10:15am with Shahar Yannay

Our prenatal classes are designed for all levels and experience. Students will be guided through gentle stretching and toning of the muscles in an intelligent and compassionate manner geared towards preventing and relieving common discomforts of pregnancy. We will also explore the physical, mental and spiritual shifts during this beautiful time in a comfortable supportive environment, building a strong sense of confidence and community.

Did you know that Sangha also offers Postnatal/Mommy & Me, Kids and Family Yoga classes? View the schedule here!

Postnatal/Mommy and Me classes every Tuesday and Thursday!

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This class focuses on rejuvenating your body after childbirth through a flowing asana sequence while connecting with your newest addition in a playful and safe environment for babies. Rebuild strength and core needed to repair the abdominal muscles and pelvic floor stretched during pregnancy and labor. Learn baby yoga exercises to strengthen growing muscles, aid in digestion, promote better sleeping patterns, and help your infant toward their next stages of development.

Classes are held every Tuesday and Thursday 10:45-11:45am with certified Postnatal/Mommy & Me Yoga instructor Sheila Lucas.

 

Click here to sign up!

Click here to meet Sheila!

New Basic Vinyasa classes at Sangha!

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If you’re new to Yoga or just want to take your practice back to the basics our Basic Vinyasa classes are open to all and are now offered three times a week!

Basic Vinyasa is a great class for those who are new to the practice of yoga or for those who want to revisit proper alignment of the poses. This class focuses on breath and healthy alignment.  Basics introduces yoga breathing techniques, foundational philosophy, and simple sequences designed to strengthen and open the body. Standing and seated postures will be broken down and discussed in detail.

Basic Vinyasa Schedule

Tuesdays 6-7pm with Jessica Chazen

Thursdays 6-7pm with Domenick Schiavone

Saturdays 1:30-2:30pm with Kate Parisian

 

Prenatal Yoga begins August 29th at Sangha!

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Sundays at 9am and Wednesdays at 6pm

with Shahar Yannay

Our prenatal classes are designed for all levels and experience. Students will be guided through gentle stretching and toning of the muscles in an intelligent and compassionate manner geared towards preventing and relieving common discomforts of pregnancy.  We will also explore the physical, mental and spiritual shifts during this beautiful time in a comfortable supportive environment, building a strong sense of confidence and community.

View our current class schedule here!

About Shahar:

For the last ten years Shahar has been practicing various forms of Yoga and meditation. She attended numerous Vipassana silent meditation retreats that were taught by S.N Goanka and received her Yoga teaching certification from Bhava Yoga. In 2008, she completed Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training at the Integral Yoga Institute in NY. Shahar is a Certified Movement Analyst (CMA) from the Laban/Bartenieff Institute of Movement Studies in NYC. She is fascinated by and continues to study extensively anatomy, psychology, and developmental movement. In addition to Prenatal yoga classes, she teaches Yoga private, group classes at Pratt institute and creative movement/Yoga classes for early childhood. In her classes she offers a safe environment where individuals can explore the relationships between emotional and physical being through movement.

January 2010 Sneak Peek

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{EVENT} Putting Yoga in Focus: Sequencing for the Serious Practitioner with Cory Washburn
Sun 1/17/2010 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
When you are putting together a sequence for practice how do you incorporate Utthistha Sthiti, Upavistha Sthiti, Paschima Pratana Sthiti, Parivritta Sthiti, Viparita Sthiti, udara akunchana sthiti, purva pratana sthiti with your surya namaskar? How do you plan your home practice within a week or within a month? This workshop will look at how poses link together, we will also look how asana’s are grouped in terms of heating or cooling as well as how breathing fits into your asana practice.  Learn more and sign up

{BONUS} 1 Month Unlimited = 1 Month Free Mat Storage
Get a month of mat storage on us with your January month of unlimited yoga.  Ask next time you’re in the studio for more information

{EVENT}  Very Vinyasa Yoga Tuesdays
Join Alana Kessler the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of January at 4:30pm for a free basic 2 yoga class.  Tell your friends!  Save your spot. We will be collecting donations on the January 19th class for Haiti relief efforts. If you’d like donate and can’t make it to class, click here.

{ASHTANGA} Intro Program
For those interested in starting an Ashtanga practice.  Learn more.

{PRE-NATAL}Pre-Natal moves to Wednesday evenings from 5:30-5:45pm

{PILATES} Mama Moves Post-Natal Pilates moves to M & W 1-2pm

{VINYASA}  Late Night Vinyasa Yoga continues
9:30-10:30pm with Stephanie Lum

{Prices}  New and improved
We’ve updated our prices… check ‘em out! Plus, we are offering our monthly unlimited for non-ashtanga classes at $100 for the month of January. View updates

{New Student Special}
2 weeks of unlimited classes for $40.  Excludes ashtanga.

Manduka Mania

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It’s holiday season, which means amongst chilly weather and sniffly yogis, ’tis the bountiful season of merchandise.  Our little boutique (only little in size…for it is all-mighty in ambition) has been stocked to the brim with some lovely new retail goods.  Much to my yogic delight I entered the studio last week and came face to face with some new Hard Tail long-sleeve tees, lots of fun Hard Tail Pants, and a rainbow of new Earthlust metal water bottles.  Today I came into the studio and -gasp- the Manduka mats that have been so highly touted have arrived!  All hail to the mat gods.

We here at Sangha have ordered a small bundle of Manduka eKO Lite Mats for our boutique (okay…and ourselves) because they are Tops. Capital-T Tops.  Not only are they high-quality in performance, but these mats are every bit the eco-friendly that we ourselves aim to be.  This specific line of Manduka mat is made from 100% tree rubber, which means that somewhere down the road, when you are finished with this mat, it won’t sit in a landfill for the rest of man’s existence.  The mat is completely biodegradable; it will disappear into the earth in some number of years.  But not to worry, it won’t corrode in the middle of your plow pose.  These have, despite their seemingly flimsy and leafy roots (no pun intended), what their website boasts a “natural closed-cell rubber and comfortable sea-grass texture”, which basically means that the mat is both soft to the touch yet super grippy and durable for a non-skid downward dog.

But the biggest selling point for me (as if all that weren’t enough) was that these mats are super light and compact, and easy to take around the city.  Each mat weighs a mere 3.5 pounds, and since they are only 1/8in. thick, the mats roll up nice and snug- probably around the same size of  one of your Hall & Oates posters all rolled up.  Commuting with yoga mats can sometimes be a pain in the tush, especially when you’re walking to the Whole Foods in Union Square…or standing in line at Trader Joe’s…or riding the L-train at 6:30 into Brooklyn on a Monday evening (you get the point).  So this ups our cause of looking cool by yet another factor.

In the Sangha boutique, we currently carry four (4) different colors. Come in and take a look.  They are being sold for the same price as on they are on the website- $42 (but secret hint: you should get them here so you don’t have to pay for shipping).  If you’d like any other color, or even any of Manduka’s other mats (all their mats are super eco-friendly, this one just happens to be more than the rest), just browse their website and let us know.  Next time we make an order we’ll add yours in on it.  If you’re not looking for yourself, please surprise your yogi friends with some holiday generosity and get one for them!

Free Event For New Moms

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prepostpreg web picNew Mom Tea Talk
 Monday, October 5th
2pm – 3pm
Free
with Charlotte Blake and Alana Kessler
Sign up now

You will be taking part in a 30-minute Pilates Class taught by Charlotte, pre/post trainer and instructor, and a 30-minute nutrition discussion with Alana Kessler, registered dietitian and founder of Sangha Yoga Shala. Tea and a healthy snack will be served with a take home quick and easy recipe. Bring your pre-crawler!

Top 5 Tips for creating a “New Mom ‘Me’ Moment”

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While motherhood is filled with many joys, every new mom is faced with many new challenges.  Along with lack of sleep, possible challenges with breast feeding, change in the dynamic with your partner and/or other children, and getting used to your baby’s schedule, women are healing their bodies.  Most new moms are also desiring to get back into shape and are often times desperate for a quiet moment alone.

Here are our top 5 tips for creating a “New Mom ‘Me’ Moment”:

1. Breathe. While breastfeeding, while your baby naps, or perhaps while bathing your baby, take five long and deep breaths.  Inhale through your nose for 5 seconds, hold for 2 seconds, and exhale through your mouth for 5 seconds.  Each time, inhale a little deeper and exhale more freely.  Don’t be afraid to make sounds while exhaling or try fluttering your lips.  It’ll feel good!

2. Stretch. Stretching releases stress and rejuvenates the body.  Here are three stretch options:

  • When sitting with your baby on the floor, straddle your legs and take a moment to reach one arm overhead toward the opposite leg or simply fold your upper body forward toward the floor.
  • While standing, rest your right arm on a table or counter with your right hip a few inches away from the table.  Reach your left arm overhead and lean to the right.  Try to focus on lengthening both sides of your body, focusing on stretching the left side.  Repeat on the opposite side.
  • Downward facing dog.  You know you love it and new moms NEED it.  Start on hands and knees, plant your hands and feet into the floor and send your hips up toward the sky.  Feel your back body stretching out and releasing tension.  If this hurts your wrists too much, be gentle. The hormone relaxin is still apparent in a new mom’s body and may still be affecting joints. (New Mom Yogi/Pilates Bonus! End your down-dog with a child’s pose.)

3. Be a lady who lunches. Find a new mom group in your neighborhood so you can be social with other women in your community while indulging in a healthy luncheon out!  Not sure how to find a new mom group?  Search for the Yahoo Group that caters to new moms in your neighborhood.  Live in Sangha’s hood, Williamsburg?  Join the parenting group “brooklynbabyhui”.

4. Nap when your baby naps. Just do it.  Hire someone to clean your apartment or house one to three times a week, just for the first few months. With this service, you can focus on getting the sleep YOU need.

5. Go for a walk. It’s gorgeous out.  The leaves will be changing soon and the air is crisp, refreshing, and uplifting.  It can be daunting to pack the stroller and diaper bag BUT, we encourage you to take that walk and honor the hour or two you are giving yourself to be in nature and fresh air.

By giving yourself a “New Mom Me Moment” you will be a happier mother and, as a result, your baby will be a happier baby.  We hope you incorporate these tips into your life for a more balanced YOU.

–Charlotte

Join us for a Sangha Yoga Shala New Mom Tea Talk on Monday, October 5th at 2pm. You will be taking part in a 30-minute Pilates Class taught by Charlotte, pre/post trainer and instructor, and a 30-minute nutrition discussion with Alana Kessler, registered dietitian and founder of Sangha Yoga Shala.  Tea and a healthy snack will be served with a take home “quick and easy” recipe.  Bring your pre-crawler!  FREE!

Can’t wait until October to try out Pilates with your little one?  Join Charlotte for Mama Moves Pilates for new moms and their pre-crawlers on Wednesdays at 11am!

We hope you can join us!

Articles on Yoga and Breast Cancer Survivors

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Do you have any suggestions for poses to avoid or poses to include for a breast cancer survivor? I have had a lumpectomy and axial node dissection and chemo and radiation.

—Helen Birmingham, Alabama

Jaki Nett’s reply:
A lumpectomy is the removal of a lesion from the breast, preserving the essential anatomy of the breast. In a lumpectomy the incision is made directly over the tumor read more

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – In a small study of breast cancer survivors, researchers found that a tailored yoga program helped relieve severe hot flashes and other bothersome menopausal symptoms. read more

Marcie Pruett, 39, of San Diego, California has been battling breast cancer for the past three years. After two surgeries, two cycles of chemotherapy and radiation, and a course of oral chemotherapy for the past six months, she feels thirty years older than her age. “My bones and my muscles ache, and it’s difficult to move around or crouch.” Six weeks ago, she started a beginner’s yoga class read more

During three-hour chemotherapy treatments, Alison Rubin would close her eyes and focus on the gentle rhythm of her breath.

“Be still,” she often told herself, concentrating on the words of her mantra as she slowly inhaled and exhaled.

“Be open to the moment.”

Her ability to meditate along with her daily yoga practice sustained Rubin through eight months of breast cancer therapy – read more

  • Yoga Decreases Menopausal Symptoms in Breast Cancer Survivors By Duke Medicine News and Communications (Dukehealth.org)

Durham, NC – Breast cancer survivors often have more severe hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms than other women, yet they have limited treatment choices. Hormone replacement therapy, for example, is not an option for cancer survivors because it may increase their risk for disease recurrence. Therapies widely used to prevent cancer recurrence, such as tamoxifen, also tend to induce or exacerbate menopausal symptoms. read more

  • Cancer Survivors Thrive with Yoga by Bevin Wallace (Gaiam Life)

“My neck is so tweaked.”

“These hips are killing me, they’re so tight.”

I’ve heard students grumble about a lot of legitimate aches and pains in many a yoga class. Then I showed up to Laura Kupperman’s Yoga for Survivors class. Here, the complaints were a bit weightier.

One woman was fatigued from her new chemo meds. Another was having bone-density issues. Another was sore from all her immunizations — her treatment had wiped out her immune system. read more

Q
Gail: Are Pilates and yoga good forms of exercise for breast cancer survivors?

Answers —Miriam Nelson, Ph.D.: I’d say that any exercise is good for breast cancer survivors. The exercise that you are going to enjoy the most and stick with the most is probably the best exercise that you can do. When you talk about being more specific about the benefits, yoga read more

If you are looking for a Breast Cancer Survivor class, try looking at A Red Lotus.  There, you will find listings of specialty classes in and around the NYC area.  Here at Sangha, our Yoga Through and After Cancer class starts September 3rd and will be held every Thursday from 5pm.

–posted by Bendyburg