When I found the current location of One Yoga Center in the center of Hightstown Borough, one of my first thoughts was that of excitement over building and belonging to a community. Even though East Windsor had been a welcoming and wonderful home for so many years, the neighborhood feel of our current location was one that I welcomed. Fast forward six months in the studio and with the warmer weather allowing me to create a beautiful, inviting porch for folks to sit and chat on before and after classes, we are slowly building that community feel. The addition to the various groups such as: Book Club, Goddess Gatherings, and Drum Circles has allowed us to offer special free, by donation or at a low fee to the community and I continue to look for ways in which to build upon those efforts.
With life being as busy as it seems to have gotten for everyone, I know that I do not get to see my own family very much. In June we took our yearly family vacation with my husband and two daughters and it was such a nice week of re-connecting through some seriously needed down time (although we did do 108 Sun Salutations together on the Summer Solstice and trekked to the top of a pyramid for a meditation in releasing unwanted energy - so I guess I was still "working" a little). Then last week I got the chance to have my youngest niece with me for the week since she is off for the summer. While it was more work than I'm used to, it was great having more time with my family and brought me together with other members in different ways that week as well.
One Yoga Center has been my extended family since inception. All of the students, practitioners and friends who have come through the door and made OYC their home and me a part of their family has fulfilled me in so many ways that I continue to look for ways in which to repay you back. And I have realized, as you may have too, that even though I love my immediate family deeply, that we do not all have the same interests and hobbies, and having an extended family in which to provide more support in my endeavors has come to mean the world to me. I feel like I may be saying the same thing over again in different ways, but that is because I truly feel blessed for the friends and extended family that I have made through the years of teaching yoga, doing massage, and offering other workshops on energy and positive intentions.
I believe that we all need to build our extended family support groups. Whether you are close with your immediate family or blood relatives or not, you need friends and like-minded individuals to support your spiritual and emotional growth...because God knows, our immediates sure know how to push our buttons (but then, we allow them to).
If you are looking for a support group or are interested in guiding one at OYC, contact me to discuss the possibilities. We usually need to have one of our teachers there representing the studio, but we have a lot already involved in some activities that we offer now. Maybe you aren't familiar with the various groups or special classes that we have - so here is a short list of our ever growing support groups for our extended family:
Book Club - Once a month or every other month, we host a free book club meeting. Our books are spiritual in nature, but not necessarily related to yoga. All have positive and inspiring themes. Led by Barbara Galluci and Donna Aleckna, these meet from time to time and anyone is welcome to attend and discuss the book.
"Community" Hatha - we offer two yoga classes a week for those on a budget in the local community. For $5 you can take a 60-minute yoga classes guided by our various teachers or teacher trainees. Check the regular class schedule, but right now we offer them on Monday evening at 7:30pm and Friday at 5:45 pm.
Drum Circles - We are trying to host a monthly drumming circle. You do not need to be a drummer or have any experience drumming. This is a great way to come together learning tribal rhythms. Build upon our tribe and join us. Cost: $25 Instructed by Vincent Pierce-Smith
Goddess Gatherings - Once a month we host a Goddess Gathering where women come to gather and support each other in their life cycles. Together we create sacred space, share our stories, then bring in various "Goddess" energies to invoke to support us on our path to Spiritual and Emotional health and well being. These are by donation to offer something to the studio. Hosted by Tracey L. Ulshafer, founder OYC.
Yoga 4 Cancer - this disease affects so many that we offer a special class Wednesdays at 11:30 pm for anyone involved in treatment or recovery of cancer or who may be dealing with a loved one going through or who had been through cancer treatment. These classes are $8 and instructed by Barbara Galluci and Suzette Stoddard.
Yoga 4 Sobriety - we host special classes for those involved in any 12-step programs. These are usually $8 classes and can be found on our regular class schedule. Right now we offer them Wednesday 6 am and Saturday 8 am. The yoga classes are aligned to the 12 steps of recovery and can be taken by anyone. Instructed by Gwen Rebbeck & Joe Scarola.
Most of the special group gatherings can be found on the "Calendar" page on our website:
http://oneyogacenter.net/calendar.php
If you are interested in seeing another special community event, please let me know by emailing me at Info@oneyogacenter.net.
Thank you for continuing to support the growing community at One Yoga Center. And look for even more things coming in 2017!!!
In Love & Light.
Tracey
With life being as busy as it seems to have gotten for everyone, I know that I do not get to see my own family very much. In June we took our yearly family vacation with my husband and two daughters and it was such a nice week of re-connecting through some seriously needed down time (although we did do 108 Sun Salutations together on the Summer Solstice and trekked to the top of a pyramid for a meditation in releasing unwanted energy - so I guess I was still "working" a little). Then last week I got the chance to have my youngest niece with me for the week since she is off for the summer. While it was more work than I'm used to, it was great having more time with my family and brought me together with other members in different ways that week as well.
One Yoga Center has been my extended family since inception. All of the students, practitioners and friends who have come through the door and made OYC their home and me a part of their family has fulfilled me in so many ways that I continue to look for ways in which to repay you back. And I have realized, as you may have too, that even though I love my immediate family deeply, that we do not all have the same interests and hobbies, and having an extended family in which to provide more support in my endeavors has come to mean the world to me. I feel like I may be saying the same thing over again in different ways, but that is because I truly feel blessed for the friends and extended family that I have made through the years of teaching yoga, doing massage, and offering other workshops on energy and positive intentions.
I believe that we all need to build our extended family support groups. Whether you are close with your immediate family or blood relatives or not, you need friends and like-minded individuals to support your spiritual and emotional growth...because God knows, our immediates sure know how to push our buttons (but then, we allow them to).
If you are looking for a support group or are interested in guiding one at OYC, contact me to discuss the possibilities. We usually need to have one of our teachers there representing the studio, but we have a lot already involved in some activities that we offer now. Maybe you aren't familiar with the various groups or special classes that we have - so here is a short list of our ever growing support groups for our extended family:
Book Club - Once a month or every other month, we host a free book club meeting. Our books are spiritual in nature, but not necessarily related to yoga. All have positive and inspiring themes. Led by Barbara Galluci and Donna Aleckna, these meet from time to time and anyone is welcome to attend and discuss the book.
"Community" Hatha - we offer two yoga classes a week for those on a budget in the local community. For $5 you can take a 60-minute yoga classes guided by our various teachers or teacher trainees. Check the regular class schedule, but right now we offer them on Monday evening at 7:30pm and Friday at 5:45 pm.
Drum Circles - We are trying to host a monthly drumming circle. You do not need to be a drummer or have any experience drumming. This is a great way to come together learning tribal rhythms. Build upon our tribe and join us. Cost: $25 Instructed by Vincent Pierce-Smith
Goddess Gatherings - Once a month we host a Goddess Gathering where women come to gather and support each other in their life cycles. Together we create sacred space, share our stories, then bring in various "Goddess" energies to invoke to support us on our path to Spiritual and Emotional health and well being. These are by donation to offer something to the studio. Hosted by Tracey L. Ulshafer, founder OYC.
Yoga 4 Cancer - this disease affects so many that we offer a special class Wednesdays at 11:30 pm for anyone involved in treatment or recovery of cancer or who may be dealing with a loved one going through or who had been through cancer treatment. These classes are $8 and instructed by Barbara Galluci and Suzette Stoddard.
Yoga 4 Sobriety - we host special classes for those involved in any 12-step programs. These are usually $8 classes and can be found on our regular class schedule. Right now we offer them Wednesday 6 am and Saturday 8 am. The yoga classes are aligned to the 12 steps of recovery and can be taken by anyone. Instructed by Gwen Rebbeck & Joe Scarola.
Most of the special group gatherings can be found on the "Calendar" page on our website:
http://oneyogacenter.net/calendar.php
If you are interested in seeing another special community event, please let me know by emailing me at Info@oneyogacenter.net.
Thank you for continuing to support the growing community at One Yoga Center. And look for even more things coming in 2017!!!
In Love & Light.
Tracey
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