My husband is quite the comedian. Earlier this week he sang, “Five little monkeys, jumping in your head” and although it would sound like this tune was directed to a young child, in this case he was referring to me. I guess the multi-tasking of motherhood can make one look a little whimsical and somewhat indecisive. Let this be the confession of a yogi who admits that missing too many of those morning meditations and asana practices, has recently resulted in a bit of a ‘monkey mind’. This Buddhist term, is used in reference to a stream of thoughts that come and go without control. Thinking too much about the week ahead, all sorts of stories begin to surface. The ‘what if’ and ‘how about’ thoughts are classic and all humans experience these different mind energies. The ebb and flow of thoughts – both pleasant and unpleasant – are totally natural, but controllable and need not be troublesome.
Somehow I manage to stop everything, get outside to sit in the park, BREATHE and slow the thought patterns. The little one who just learned to crawl this week, falls asleep in the stroller beside me and I am gifted a moment to write this. The late afternoon sun feels heavenly and there is a realization that everything that needs to get done, eventually will. It may even be enjoyable. September along with every other month will come and go, and in the meantime I choose to smile and think, “No more monkeys jumping in my head”.
Peace & Blessings,
Lori Charko
btw, have a stellar long weekend and please refer to the schedule before going to the studio…
Student of the Month
Congratulations Bonnie Mar-Wong! We are happy to acknowledge you as our outstanding student of the month, due to your on-going bubbly presence these past summer months. It has been a pleasure to see you and your daughters at the majority of beach classes, and an honour to support you in your growth both inside and outside the studio. Bonnie notes, “I feel truly blessed to be apart of Body Harmony Yoga studio for the past many years. Sandwiched between caring for elderly parents and busy teenagers, my time at the studio has been invaluable. Each session allows me to rejuvenate, calm my mind, and find inner strength and tranquility. I thank Lori and her wonderful staff for their dedication, gentle guidance, and positive energy. I look forward to bringing the next generation of yogis to the studio.” We welcome that day, and are happy to serve.
Mom & Baby Yoga with Lori Charko
Join us this fall for Hatha Yoga classes that explore postures and breathing exercises in a welcoming environment for you and your baby. You will improve your endurance, flexibility, and pelvic floor movement in a fun and safe space. Celebrate being in a community with other Moms & Babies and then enjoy tea and cookies with us after class. Contact us to reserve your space today.
Mondays OR Wednesdays
$135.00 plus HST – Pre-Register Now
Yoga from the Core with Lori Charko
If you have never done yoga, you will learn fundamental back and abdominal conditioning exercises, appropriate positioning for sun salutations and improve your awareness of the core. If you have done yoga, you will benefit from clarifying the detailed anatomy of the core, as well as pick up fine tuning techniques and core visualizations. The yoga postures will be taught with adjustments to work safely with the physical conditions and postures of the individual students. Maximum 12 students.
Sunday September 11
12:30 – 2:30pm
$20 plus hst –Preregister Now
Yoga the Intelligent Way with Nara Henderson
Discover how to get the most out of yoga with respect to stability and mobility, while remaining injury free. This workshop will cover a number of yoga postures, movements, and sequences. You will receive a mixture of movement and educational information relevant to the poses and sequences taught. Discover how to move safely and efficiently in order to get the maximum benefit out of your yoga practice! You will be able to take the information and tools you learn in this workshop and apply them in your yoga classes or home practice in order to take your practice to the next level, safely. All levels welcome.
Sunday September 25
12:30 – 2:30pm
$20 plus hst –Preregister Now
One School One Day
Come join us to support a day of action, where the health and fitness industry will join together to raise $100,000 towards a school in Ethiopia. On Saturday, September 24th, Body Harmony will host a one hour class to join in over 5,000 participants and yogis moving together in support of education . The class will be led by Nathalie Saunderson from 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm, with all $20 donations going towards the cause. If you would like to find out more about this event, or to reserve your spot, follow the link to 1 School 1 Day for an hour of movement and fun!
Green Tip
While enjoying the variety of fresh recipes one can create from the garden, our Nathalie from the studio stumbled across Karina Allrich’s amazing food blog, which inspired her to flex her inner chef. Here’s one recipe that will continue the freshness of summer eating well into September.
Snappy Crunchy Vegan Coleslaw2 heaping cups chilled cabbage (sliced thinly)
1 tart or sweet apple, peeled and julienned
1 small carrot
1 small radish sliced thinly
1/4 cup dried yellow raisins or cranberries
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1-2 tsp raw organic agave
1/2 tsp caraway seeds, dill and pinch of cumin
salt and pepper to taste
To find out more about gluten free, or vegan recipes, follow the link below to check out her blog and abundant food creations. Enjoy!