July 4th is a national holiday: Independence Day. Every year I close the yoga studio to honor our freedom. I've always thought that keeping the studio open on a major holiday was a silly idea. But when a local studio, Fitness Yoga in Mullica Hill, was going to be open for a morning Yoga Renew class on the 4th at 9:30 am, I thought to myself, "what a great idea. I'm so glad that I have a class I can attend in the morning."
After checking in with the owner to determine if this was in fact correct, Laura confirmed that yes, she was open for class, and that she would be teaching. Great. So I set out to attend a class, thinking it would be a few of us in attendance. Well, I think that there were about 22 people in the room. I was astonished to see so many faces there on a holiday. I wondered if it was the fact that it was a Thursday or just that people had off and were taking advantage of being able to do yoga. I guess I will never know, but it has gotten me rethinking being open at our studio for holidays.
I've been to Fitness Yoga studios a few times as it is so close to my house. I've spoken with the owner, Laura Bonnani, several times, and I've gotten to know some of the teachers and students there. It's a very nice little studio in a house off of the main road (Rt. 322) next to a busy intersection. For years I would drive by wondering if they were open as I never saw more than 2 cars in the drive. It wasn't until recently that I realized there was a whole lot in the back of the house for parking. The yoga room looks like a dining and living room of a house that were integrated into one large "L" shaped room. From one end of the L you cannot see what is happening on the other end, but then, why should you? The teacher sets up in the corner to see everyone in the room, but usually it has been my experience that the teachers do walk the room more than instruct from the front anyway.
At first I thought that the windows and the traffic of the area would be a distraction, but I've never found this to be the case. I think that Laura has put together a nice studio for folks to have a practice. I subbed there once and asked that the air conditioning be turned off. One of the students had a problem with this. I have noticed that the air is usually on in spring and summer months, and I do prefer to practice without it, but as we were in the midst of a several day 90 degree temp heat wave, I figured it actually may be a nice change to my normal routine of a heated (or at least non air conditioned room).
Laura started the practice with a nice welcome and greeting. Her husband told her to lock the door as to not let anyone else in, but she aptly replied, "No, our doors are always open." We all laughed. Of course I've been to so many workshops and events where yoga mats are literally stacked an inch from other mats, that I found myself to have ample space to my sides and front and back. From what I could see, there was still plenty of room to squeeze more people in. But, then again, in the suburbs, people do like their space!
The class was called "Yoga Renew." It was a very eclectic group of students. I'd say from 20's to 60's - although more on the mid to upper side of those numbers. I had mentioned my wrist issue to Laura before class so she knew that I would be modifying. I hoped that she would also remind me to, which she did, several times, albeit to the group as a whole instead of singling me out, which was preferable.
We did a pretty standard Vinyasa sequence and my wrist seemed to hold up nicely. I could feel much more strength in it than I had a week before at Yoga Inspired, but I still had pain in my elbow and wrist. I had a better sense at this point that it was muscular instead of joint related, so the few tiger balm applications had seemed to relieve a lot happening there, yet it was still there enough to keep me mindful of it.
I was initially surprised that a "Yoga Renew" would be a Vinyasa class. Not that I minded at all, because I truly love Vinyasa. But I wondered if some of the folks that had come were really at the appropriate level. I had to fight not to look around at the many poor alignments in the room. "You aren't the teacher, you are a student today," I reminded myself throughout. Everyone seemed to leave with a smile and looked happy, so I think that the name of the studio is fairly appropriate as it does tend to have a fitness bend to it. While Laura did do a reading and chanted an "OM" at the beginning and end of class, it was mostly focused on the body. I think this is what I needed this day anyway. As I am about to embark on a month-long yoga road trip, I need to be more aware and strong in my body. As my own practice has slipped since my emergency appendectomy a little over two years ago, it was only about 6 months ago that I was able to start using my core again and truly begin to practice. I welcome the opportunity to strengthen my body and hopefully regain the yoga body I had a few years ago from a steady practice.
The one thing I still struggle with is the temperature. Ideally, I need my yoga room to be at least 80-86 degrees. We got a nice flow going, but just as I was about to break a sweat, we began to slow down. In a hotter room (not "Hot Yoga" just hotter or no A/C) I can really sweat and detoxify, but in an air conditioned room, I'm simply not open enough. I can even feel that my stretch is less than I'd like. I did feel much more confined in my body this morning, which was a little upsetting. But I have to remember that there is an importance to starting off slowly and mindfully on this quest.
I am grateful that Laura has created Fitness Yoga, a stone's throw away from my house, so that I can pop in whenever it's possible. The people there are so nice and the practice is never overbearing. I can modify as I need to, and I know that I can leave my house 10 minutes before class. This must be what my students feel like in East Windsor! I feel blessed to have the freedom to practice yoga this close to home and whenever I can. So next year when One Yoga Center is open, I hope it will be a local teacher there teaching.
Namaste.
After checking in with the owner to determine if this was in fact correct, Laura confirmed that yes, she was open for class, and that she would be teaching. Great. So I set out to attend a class, thinking it would be a few of us in attendance. Well, I think that there were about 22 people in the room. I was astonished to see so many faces there on a holiday. I wondered if it was the fact that it was a Thursday or just that people had off and were taking advantage of being able to do yoga. I guess I will never know, but it has gotten me rethinking being open at our studio for holidays.
I've been to Fitness Yoga studios a few times as it is so close to my house. I've spoken with the owner, Laura Bonnani, several times, and I've gotten to know some of the teachers and students there. It's a very nice little studio in a house off of the main road (Rt. 322) next to a busy intersection. For years I would drive by wondering if they were open as I never saw more than 2 cars in the drive. It wasn't until recently that I realized there was a whole lot in the back of the house for parking. The yoga room looks like a dining and living room of a house that were integrated into one large "L" shaped room. From one end of the L you cannot see what is happening on the other end, but then, why should you? The teacher sets up in the corner to see everyone in the room, but usually it has been my experience that the teachers do walk the room more than instruct from the front anyway.
At first I thought that the windows and the traffic of the area would be a distraction, but I've never found this to be the case. I think that Laura has put together a nice studio for folks to have a practice. I subbed there once and asked that the air conditioning be turned off. One of the students had a problem with this. I have noticed that the air is usually on in spring and summer months, and I do prefer to practice without it, but as we were in the midst of a several day 90 degree temp heat wave, I figured it actually may be a nice change to my normal routine of a heated (or at least non air conditioned room).
Laura started the practice with a nice welcome and greeting. Her husband told her to lock the door as to not let anyone else in, but she aptly replied, "No, our doors are always open." We all laughed. Of course I've been to so many workshops and events where yoga mats are literally stacked an inch from other mats, that I found myself to have ample space to my sides and front and back. From what I could see, there was still plenty of room to squeeze more people in. But, then again, in the suburbs, people do like their space!
The class was called "Yoga Renew." It was a very eclectic group of students. I'd say from 20's to 60's - although more on the mid to upper side of those numbers. I had mentioned my wrist issue to Laura before class so she knew that I would be modifying. I hoped that she would also remind me to, which she did, several times, albeit to the group as a whole instead of singling me out, which was preferable.
We did a pretty standard Vinyasa sequence and my wrist seemed to hold up nicely. I could feel much more strength in it than I had a week before at Yoga Inspired, but I still had pain in my elbow and wrist. I had a better sense at this point that it was muscular instead of joint related, so the few tiger balm applications had seemed to relieve a lot happening there, yet it was still there enough to keep me mindful of it.
I was initially surprised that a "Yoga Renew" would be a Vinyasa class. Not that I minded at all, because I truly love Vinyasa. But I wondered if some of the folks that had come were really at the appropriate level. I had to fight not to look around at the many poor alignments in the room. "You aren't the teacher, you are a student today," I reminded myself throughout. Everyone seemed to leave with a smile and looked happy, so I think that the name of the studio is fairly appropriate as it does tend to have a fitness bend to it. While Laura did do a reading and chanted an "OM" at the beginning and end of class, it was mostly focused on the body. I think this is what I needed this day anyway. As I am about to embark on a month-long yoga road trip, I need to be more aware and strong in my body. As my own practice has slipped since my emergency appendectomy a little over two years ago, it was only about 6 months ago that I was able to start using my core again and truly begin to practice. I welcome the opportunity to strengthen my body and hopefully regain the yoga body I had a few years ago from a steady practice.
The one thing I still struggle with is the temperature. Ideally, I need my yoga room to be at least 80-86 degrees. We got a nice flow going, but just as I was about to break a sweat, we began to slow down. In a hotter room (not "Hot Yoga" just hotter or no A/C) I can really sweat and detoxify, but in an air conditioned room, I'm simply not open enough. I can even feel that my stretch is less than I'd like. I did feel much more confined in my body this morning, which was a little upsetting. But I have to remember that there is an importance to starting off slowly and mindfully on this quest.
I am grateful that Laura has created Fitness Yoga, a stone's throw away from my house, so that I can pop in whenever it's possible. The people there are so nice and the practice is never overbearing. I can modify as I need to, and I know that I can leave my house 10 minutes before class. This must be what my students feel like in East Windsor! I feel blessed to have the freedom to practice yoga this close to home and whenever I can. So next year when One Yoga Center is open, I hope it will be a local teacher there teaching.
Namaste.
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