Join us in Kensington, MD for Pulling Down the Moon's Six Week Yoga for Fertility session. The classes will be held at:
Allay Yoga 10419 Armory Avenue Kensington, MD 20895
Pulling Down the Moon’s six-week Yoga for Fertility program was designed by yoga teachers and former fertility patients Tami Quinn and Beth Heller to meet the needs of women who are trying to conceive.
As Featured in the New York Times...Read More Here!
This six-week class is a journey into the healing powers of Yoga and how this ancient practice can help calm and heal the body, clear the mind and lighten the heart. You will learn a series of yoga postures designed to improve fertility by increasing blood flow into the pelvis, releasing stress and anxiety and balancing life energy flow in the body. In addition to this physical practice we explore teachings from yoga philosophy that help us frame the fertility journey in a way that reveals our personal strengths, reinforces the joy of everyday life and empowers us to create the family we are meant to have. Through this class you will also join the wonderful, positive healing community of Pulling Down the Moon and enjoy the energy of all the amazing women who have shared their journey with us.
The program has been offered to hundreds of women in Chicago over the last eight years, and data from in-house follow-up surveys show that nearly 75% of women who take the fertility yoga program report becoming pregnant within six months of class. Cost: $210 for 6 sessions (1-1/2 hour) Pre-Registration Required.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Green Smoothie Demo With Allay Yoga's Leslie Edsall!
Join Leslie for a Green Smoothie Demo -Sat., Dec. 3, 2011. 10 - 11 am. Learn how green smoothies can be fun and nutritious for the whole family. Come away with samples of new recipes for breakfast, on-the-go, post workout shakes and more! FREE @ Anytime Fitness, 4265 Howard Avenue, Kensington. No pre-registration required.
About Leslie:
Leslie has spent over 20 years in the health & fitness industry. Beginning as a long-time gymnast and head coach, she spent ten years as a personal trainer. Leslie has a B.S. in Exercise Science & Health Promotion from George Mason University and went on to become a Certified Health Education Specialist focusing on nutrition for woman, children and athletes. Leslie enjoys helping people develop a healthy relationship with food based on her background as a Board Certified Holistic Health Counselor. Leslie instructs yoga classes at Anytime Fitness, Mandara Yoga and Allay Yoga, holding an RYT 200 hr certification in Hatha Yoga. As a yoga teacher, she focuses on beginners yoga, level 1/2 classes and athletic flow. Leslie’s favorite aspect of teaching yoga is simply being in the moment, learning from her students. To learn more about Leslie, visit: www.LeslieEdsall.com.
Leslie teaches Beginner Yoga at Allay Yoga on Wednesdays from 6:30-7:30 PM
About Leslie:
Leslie has spent over 20 years in the health & fitness industry. Beginning as a long-time gymnast and head coach, she spent ten years as a personal trainer. Leslie has a B.S. in Exercise Science & Health Promotion from George Mason University and went on to become a Certified Health Education Specialist focusing on nutrition for woman, children and athletes. Leslie enjoys helping people develop a healthy relationship with food based on her background as a Board Certified Holistic Health Counselor. Leslie instructs yoga classes at Anytime Fitness, Mandara Yoga and Allay Yoga, holding an RYT 200 hr certification in Hatha Yoga. As a yoga teacher, she focuses on beginners yoga, level 1/2 classes and athletic flow. Leslie’s favorite aspect of teaching yoga is simply being in the moment, learning from her students. To learn more about Leslie, visit: www.LeslieEdsall.com.
Leslie teaches Beginner Yoga at Allay Yoga on Wednesdays from 6:30-7:30 PM
Sunday, November 20, 2011
The Difference Makes The Practice
I am on my way home from a weekend training in NYC. It has been an interesting weekend, filled with a number of challenges and breakthroughs physically, mentally, and emotionally (as many trainings are). I was very excited about this training because it was on a topic that you do not see often, but plays a part in many of my daily experiences as a teacher, student, and now studio owner. I came in with certain expectations of what I wanted to learn and how I would implement my new knowledge. But, of course, as life often goes, what I took from my practice over the last few days doesn't fit into the neat little package I had envisioned. As it turns out, the teacher and many of my fellow trainees had a different idea of what this training was about and what we were all supposed to takeaway.
As the weekend progressed, I found myself experiencing a range of emotions from anger and frustration to guilt for feeling angry and frustrated during a weekend dedicated to yoga, to excitement to awe to joy and beyond. Although I am still processing what occurred, I think that a majority of these emotions stemmed from my studying what is familiar and comfortable for me in a place that felt neither familiar nor comfortable in a way that felt neither familiar or comfortable.
As a teacher, I often invite my students to tune inward and let go of the comparison of their practice to their neighbors' because their body and their needs may be different than those of their neighbor. And, furthermore, I often propose that how they feel today may be different than they felt the day before or will feel tomorrow, and that recognizing this and listening to this is all part of their mindfulness practice. I do this with the hope that they can find ease in the moment, but also ease when the tendency to compare and judge arises off the mat.
This weekend was a true test of "practicing what I preach" or, more accurately, of living my yoga. At first, my reaction was to look at my "neighbors" and to say to myself, my practice does not look like their practice and to see this as a failing in some way on my part. I observed difference and turned that observation into right and wrong instead of acknowledging that our differences stemmed from the fact that we are in fact different, in different situations, with different experiences, and different needs and wants.
In this specific example, what I came to realize is this:
Each yoga studio has its own vibe, its own perspective on how a class flows, how poses are taught and assisted and its own unspoken language of how yogis interact before, during and after class. It is this unique vibe that draws us to certain studios and certain teachers. Another way of thinking about this vibe is authenticity. We are all different, with different experiences, different needs and wants and this allows us all to offer something a little bit different to our yoga community both as teachers and as students. And, the fact that we do all offer something a little bit different allows for a great diversity of options, great learning and growth, and great satisfaction with the connections that are created as a consequence of seeing and appreciating another individual's authentic vibe. My practice both on and off the mat is never going to be perfect because there is no perfect. The best that I can do is to keep my gaze (both inner and outer) open, and try to be authentic with where I am and what I can offer to myself and those around me in this moment.
I took so many valuable nuggets from this weekend's training. I may not implement them in the way that the teacher anticipated, but I will do it in a way that is right for me. Although I was resistant at first, in the end, it seems that the difference makes the practice.
As the weekend progressed, I found myself experiencing a range of emotions from anger and frustration to guilt for feeling angry and frustrated during a weekend dedicated to yoga, to excitement to awe to joy and beyond. Although I am still processing what occurred, I think that a majority of these emotions stemmed from my studying what is familiar and comfortable for me in a place that felt neither familiar nor comfortable in a way that felt neither familiar or comfortable.
As a teacher, I often invite my students to tune inward and let go of the comparison of their practice to their neighbors' because their body and their needs may be different than those of their neighbor. And, furthermore, I often propose that how they feel today may be different than they felt the day before or will feel tomorrow, and that recognizing this and listening to this is all part of their mindfulness practice. I do this with the hope that they can find ease in the moment, but also ease when the tendency to compare and judge arises off the mat.
This weekend was a true test of "practicing what I preach" or, more accurately, of living my yoga. At first, my reaction was to look at my "neighbors" and to say to myself, my practice does not look like their practice and to see this as a failing in some way on my part. I observed difference and turned that observation into right and wrong instead of acknowledging that our differences stemmed from the fact that we are in fact different, in different situations, with different experiences, and different needs and wants.
In this specific example, what I came to realize is this:
Each yoga studio has its own vibe, its own perspective on how a class flows, how poses are taught and assisted and its own unspoken language of how yogis interact before, during and after class. It is this unique vibe that draws us to certain studios and certain teachers. Another way of thinking about this vibe is authenticity. We are all different, with different experiences, different needs and wants and this allows us all to offer something a little bit different to our yoga community both as teachers and as students. And, the fact that we do all offer something a little bit different allows for a great diversity of options, great learning and growth, and great satisfaction with the connections that are created as a consequence of seeing and appreciating another individual's authentic vibe. My practice both on and off the mat is never going to be perfect because there is no perfect. The best that I can do is to keep my gaze (both inner and outer) open, and try to be authentic with where I am and what I can offer to myself and those around me in this moment.
I took so many valuable nuggets from this weekend's training. I may not implement them in the way that the teacher anticipated, but I will do it in a way that is right for me. Although I was resistant at first, in the end, it seems that the difference makes the practice.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Muse*Practice*Allay Welcomes Guest Blogger Jo Ann Kester: Jo Ann's November Bite: Savoring Harvest TIme (On the Time You Have)
november is a good month for food. thanksgiving decorations appear with pictures of cornucopias and magazines show off perfect turkeys and glossy cranberry sauce. farmers markets are still overflowing with vegetables and i start thinking about what i will cook for thanksgiving. of course even though i am dreaming of pumpkin pie my time for full days in the kitchen are pretty much limited to thanksgiving. it can be frustrating to think of delicious meals only to end up with 20 mins to make dinner (when i am already hungry!) and realize making that nice dinner is just another thing that isn’t going to get done. some days i want to use up the tasty food from the farmers market in my fridge, but end up dialling up pizza delivery instead. while there is nothing wrong with the occasional pizza delivery (or more than occasional - just ask my husband) there are ways of enjoying the plenty of fall without elaborate dinners. my yoga practice helps me to remember that things don’t always have to be complicated to be good. sometimes simple is just perfect. on thanksgiving i will spend the day cooking with multiple dishes and new experiments. but not every day will i have the leisure to cook all day (and have grandpa to baby sit). so some nights we keep it simple (and some nights i will call for pizza without guilt).
some ideas for enjoying the harvest simply include making hot mulled cider, making a stew in a slow cooker, or roasting squash or sweet potatoes. eat a fresh local apple or pear! i recently tried black bean chili with butternut squash. it was tasty, filling, and made a ton of food. i froze some of it for a quick meal at another time. do you have a favorite fall recipe that is good and easy? let us know in the comments.
about jo ann:
jo ann is a full time mom and part-time yoga teacher who has been know to go to three different farmers markets on consecutive days. she tries to be a mindful eater of local foods (when she isn’t sneaking a piece of chocolate). collecting cookbooks and reading food blogs are things she loves even though she can’t follow a recipe without changing something. in 2007 she graduated from the tranquil space teacher training program where she also worked as a studio manager for three years. she teaches beginners yoga on monday nights at allay and writes the monthly “jo ann’s bite.”
some ideas for enjoying the harvest simply include making hot mulled cider, making a stew in a slow cooker, or roasting squash or sweet potatoes. eat a fresh local apple or pear! i recently tried black bean chili with butternut squash. it was tasty, filling, and made a ton of food. i froze some of it for a quick meal at another time. do you have a favorite fall recipe that is good and easy? let us know in the comments.
about jo ann:
jo ann is a full time mom and part-time yoga teacher who has been know to go to three different farmers markets on consecutive days. she tries to be a mindful eater of local foods (when she isn’t sneaking a piece of chocolate). collecting cookbooks and reading food blogs are things she loves even though she can’t follow a recipe without changing something. in 2007 she graduated from the tranquil space teacher training program where she also worked as a studio manager for three years. she teaches beginners yoga on monday nights at allay and writes the monthly “jo ann’s bite.”
Monday, November 7, 2011
Muse*Practice*Allay Welcomes Guest Blogger Marisa Martucci: Open the energy of your heart on 11/11/11
On Friday 11/11/11 we have the opportunity to energetically enter the new era of Unity. What does this mean? Energetically talking, we have been living in the era of divisions/separation, between our human duality of good and bad. Starting Friday, with this energetic shift, we will all become aligned in the same shift of energy. This is why it is the era of Unity. Unity is based in love and its home in our bodies is the heart chakra.
In order to be open and receptive to this shift, take a moment this Friday (11/11/11) to connect yourself with the energy of the Universe. How can you do this? Just take some time to settle down, project yourself into this loving energy and allow your dreams to flow.
Here are some ideas how to connect and align with the Universal energy of love:
- Take a moment and just slow down. Open your heart and let it shine.
- Burn a candle; just take a moment to set an intention to the light of the candle, the same light that lives in your heart.
- Go for a walk. Let your senses open and feel the love inside you connecting with your surrounding.
- Practice some yoga. Connect your body and mind with your breathing, and feel the love and joy of your practice.
- Practice any kind of meditation. At least 5 minutes to center your mind in your heart, and be there
No matter what you decide to do, just feel it with your heart and give space to your dreams to flow in your life.
About Marisa:
Marisa is an Usui Reiki Master Teacher who holds a 200 hr Yoga Certification from Tranquil Space Yoga, Washington DC. Marisa started her yoga path back in her hometown of Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 2003. When she came to the States, she expanded her yoga certifications to children and children with special needs. Marisa enjoys diversity, small steps and the combination of different techniques to approach quality and wellness in life. She believes that everything happens for a reason, and the reason is always found during the journey. Marisa can be described as a joyful, energetic and creative yoga teacher.
Marisa's classes at Allay: Open Flow (All Levels), Mondays 7-8 pm; Kids Yoga (ages 4-6), Tuesdays, 5-6 pm.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
The Hum Sah Chronicles With Heidi Sohng: Just Perfect
Just Perfect
Sometimes I feel like being a mom brings out the worst in me. On my bad days I am a nagging, selfish, materialistic, perfectionist worrier. And all without a sense of humor. So I’ve been thinking about having more compassion for myself, because I know I can be hard on the people I love the most, including the person I hang around most often... me :)
Having compassion for myself means truly listening to what I need. For me, it’s getting to a yoga class whenever I can, and letting my husband spend daddy time with Lucy. It’s looking for a baby-sitter that I’m comfortable with. Maybe then I’ll be able to give more of myself in creative, unexpected ways. But for now, I’m just taking it one step at a time. Giving myself a break can help me to be kinder to my family, so that in the acceptance comes the wholeness, the perfection that we are seeking.
Where does this myth of the perfect mom come from? A lot of my mom friends seem to want to raise their kids differently from the way they were raised. But is this ideal putting too much pressure on motherhood, already the most difficult job out there? How about asking ourselves, what are the good things about our parents that we cherish and can pass on to our children, and in the way we parent? My mother has a knack for seeing the beauty in the ordinary. Growing up, we were never bored. She was pointing out things we would not notice, like interesting cloud formations, the way a tree or plant was thriving, the vastness of mountains. I find myself doing the same with Lucy, as we greet the morning sun, marvel at a flower, or watch a spider spinning its web. Then I remember my mom and feel the connection and wholeness.
Now that Lucy has turned one, she is everything all at once - adorable and exasperating, ebullient and frustrating, amazing and crazy-making - and yes, she is just perfect. Everything is as it should be. Accepting our seemingly imperfect selves can help us to embrace the goodness, or the perfection, that is already there, no matter what.
Here’s a beautiful prayer from the Upanishads ( The Upanishads are ancient texts from which yoga philosophy was born) that encapsulates this feeling.
Om purnam adah purnam idam
Purnat purnam udachyate
Purnasya purnam adaya
Purnam evavashishyate.
That is whole. This is whole. From the whole the whole becomes manifest. From the whole when the whole is negated, what remains again is the whole. (Instead of the word “whole”, you can also try to substitute the word “perfect” or “goodness”.)
About Heidi:Heidi discovered yoga as a way to center and ground herself and connect with others when she began teaching young children in NYC in the late 90’s. Her practice started at Jivamukti where she trainined with Sharon Gannon and David Life, her first and most honored teachers, and expanded to include Alan Finger, Shiva Rea, and Molly Kenny. She completed her Jivamukti training in 2009. As a school teacher Heidi loved bringing yoga into her classroom. Now that she’s a mom, she finds herself inspired by her daughter to delve deeper into child development and teaching fun, creative yoga classes for families. She loves the balance of teaching little ones and adults. Her motto is to find the middle path. Heidi credits yoga for keeping her balanced and sane, and loves the journey! Heidi lives in Silver Spring with her daughter Lucy and husband Pasha.
Heidi teaches Open Flow (All Levels) Thursdays at 8:00 PM
Sometimes I feel like being a mom brings out the worst in me. On my bad days I am a nagging, selfish, materialistic, perfectionist worrier. And all without a sense of humor. So I’ve been thinking about having more compassion for myself, because I know I can be hard on the people I love the most, including the person I hang around most often... me :)
Having compassion for myself means truly listening to what I need. For me, it’s getting to a yoga class whenever I can, and letting my husband spend daddy time with Lucy. It’s looking for a baby-sitter that I’m comfortable with. Maybe then I’ll be able to give more of myself in creative, unexpected ways. But for now, I’m just taking it one step at a time. Giving myself a break can help me to be kinder to my family, so that in the acceptance comes the wholeness, the perfection that we are seeking.
Where does this myth of the perfect mom come from? A lot of my mom friends seem to want to raise their kids differently from the way they were raised. But is this ideal putting too much pressure on motherhood, already the most difficult job out there? How about asking ourselves, what are the good things about our parents that we cherish and can pass on to our children, and in the way we parent? My mother has a knack for seeing the beauty in the ordinary. Growing up, we were never bored. She was pointing out things we would not notice, like interesting cloud formations, the way a tree or plant was thriving, the vastness of mountains. I find myself doing the same with Lucy, as we greet the morning sun, marvel at a flower, or watch a spider spinning its web. Then I remember my mom and feel the connection and wholeness.
Now that Lucy has turned one, she is everything all at once - adorable and exasperating, ebullient and frustrating, amazing and crazy-making - and yes, she is just perfect. Everything is as it should be. Accepting our seemingly imperfect selves can help us to embrace the goodness, or the perfection, that is already there, no matter what.
Here’s a beautiful prayer from the Upanishads ( The Upanishads are ancient texts from which yoga philosophy was born) that encapsulates this feeling.
Om purnam adah purnam idam
Purnat purnam udachyate
Purnasya purnam adaya
Purnam evavashishyate.
That is whole. This is whole. From the whole the whole becomes manifest. From the whole when the whole is negated, what remains again is the whole. (Instead of the word “whole”, you can also try to substitute the word “perfect” or “goodness”.)
About Heidi:Heidi discovered yoga as a way to center and ground herself and connect with others when she began teaching young children in NYC in the late 90’s. Her practice started at Jivamukti where she trainined with Sharon Gannon and David Life, her first and most honored teachers, and expanded to include Alan Finger, Shiva Rea, and Molly Kenny. She completed her Jivamukti training in 2009. As a school teacher Heidi loved bringing yoga into her classroom. Now that she’s a mom, she finds herself inspired by her daughter to delve deeper into child development and teaching fun, creative yoga classes for families. She loves the balance of teaching little ones and adults. Her motto is to find the middle path. Heidi credits yoga for keeping her balanced and sane, and loves the journey! Heidi lives in Silver Spring with her daughter Lucy and husband Pasha.
Heidi teaches Open Flow (All Levels) Thursdays at 8:00 PM
Thursday, October 6, 2011
a lesson from my favorite teacher
I want to be completely honest with you. I am slightly obsessed with my dog Lola. Ok, completely obsessed. For many of you, this admission is probably no surprise.
But, really, who wouldn't be? She's adorable, she's sweet, she's always happy to see me, she's entertaining, she's smart and she is one of the best yoga teachers I have ever had. Although her down dog is impressive, I'm not talking about learning the physical poses from Lola. I'm talking about learning to be mindful, which, for me, is a constant challenge.
Often I move through my days so quickly, trying to meet each demand that comes my way. Finding time to just be, to take in the present moment for all its glory somehow doesn't make it to the top of my priority list, even when I try to schedule it in, which, yes, I have actually tried to do--more than once. I literally try to PLAN times to be present. And, if that is not ironic enough, I rarely actually take the time to DO IT because there is always something else to plan or schedule. It's a vicious cycle.
But, there's good news. With the right teacher, one, even a MEGAPLANNER like me, can learn to break the cycle. In fact, today, for me, the cycle was broken. And, it was Lola that taught me how.
Here's how it happened: One of Lola's favorite pastimes is to lie down on the guest bed and look out the window, keeping watch of the neighborhood. Usually, I walk by her doing this very thing several times a day. I'll stick my head in as I pass by and whisper random lovely dovey sentiments in a high-pitched voice that she has no way of understanding and continue on my way, often back to planning. But, today, Lola wagged her tail so excitedly when I passed by that I decided to take an extra moment to lie with her. I laid down on my belly, right next to her and almost instantly I became acutely aware of the warmth of her fur. I could feel her belly swell and release with each breath as it pressed against my side. And, then, all of a sudden, I was tuning into my own breath. I noticed Lola's intense focus on an object out in the yard, so I turned my attention to the yard. And all of a sudden the colors of fall flooded my vision. I was just taking it all in. Having a moment. Being present. I couldn't seem to find this stillness on my own, but Lola had shown me how.
It can be difficult to step off the merry-go-round of life for even a minute, especially as we are knee-deep in back to school time, no matter how good our intentions. But, if we look, we can find teachers all around us. Just because you're not on the mat, it doesn't mean you can't practice. You just have to find the right teacher off the mat and your practice will find you...
But, really, who wouldn't be? She's adorable, she's sweet, she's always happy to see me, she's entertaining, she's smart and she is one of the best yoga teachers I have ever had. Although her down dog is impressive, I'm not talking about learning the physical poses from Lola. I'm talking about learning to be mindful, which, for me, is a constant challenge.
Often I move through my days so quickly, trying to meet each demand that comes my way. Finding time to just be, to take in the present moment for all its glory somehow doesn't make it to the top of my priority list, even when I try to schedule it in, which, yes, I have actually tried to do--more than once. I literally try to PLAN times to be present. And, if that is not ironic enough, I rarely actually take the time to DO IT because there is always something else to plan or schedule. It's a vicious cycle.
But, there's good news. With the right teacher, one, even a MEGAPLANNER like me, can learn to break the cycle. In fact, today, for me, the cycle was broken. And, it was Lola that taught me how.
Here's how it happened: One of Lola's favorite pastimes is to lie down on the guest bed and look out the window, keeping watch of the neighborhood. Usually, I walk by her doing this very thing several times a day. I'll stick my head in as I pass by and whisper random lovely dovey sentiments in a high-pitched voice that she has no way of understanding and continue on my way, often back to planning. But, today, Lola wagged her tail so excitedly when I passed by that I decided to take an extra moment to lie with her. I laid down on my belly, right next to her and almost instantly I became acutely aware of the warmth of her fur. I could feel her belly swell and release with each breath as it pressed against my side. And, then, all of a sudden, I was tuning into my own breath. I noticed Lola's intense focus on an object out in the yard, so I turned my attention to the yard. And all of a sudden the colors of fall flooded my vision. I was just taking it all in. Having a moment. Being present. I couldn't seem to find this stillness on my own, but Lola had shown me how.
It can be difficult to step off the merry-go-round of life for even a minute, especially as we are knee-deep in back to school time, no matter how good our intentions. But, if we look, we can find teachers all around us. Just because you're not on the mat, it doesn't mean you can't practice. You just have to find the right teacher off the mat and your practice will find you...
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