Hillary Steinitz teaching Standing Hip Opening: http://youtu.be/8-jWp9wgrQg

Frances Frischkorn teaching Kundalini http://youtu.be/T7N-G-Jew5o

*    Baddha Konasana (bound-angle pose) = Great for opening the inner thigh and hips
*    Sukhasana (easy pose) = Great chill pose for meditation
*    Agnistambhasana (fire-log pose) = Great for opening hips
*    Virasana (hero’s pose) = Great for opening hip flexors and quads
*    Gomukhasana (cow-face pose) = Great for opening shoulders and outer thighs
*    Dandasana (seated staff pose) = Great for hamstrings

Rebecca teaches Slow Flow Vinyasa Yoga on Tuesdays at Noon

Bring your body into a state of deep relaxation with Restorative Yoga and the mindful poetry of Danna Faulds.  In this workshop, we will learn about the Relaxation Response, and why it is so important to our health and well-being to allow our bodies to rest effortlessly.  During the transition from each pose, we will experience the mindful words of esteemed poet, Mary Oliver.

Restorative Yoga uses many props (bolsters, blocks, and blankets) to achieve maximum comfort in each pose.  This style of yoga is perfect for beginners and advanced students alike.  If you are looking for relaxation, this is the workshop for you.

Frequently Asked Questions:

I’m new to yoga.  Is Restorative Yoga right for me?

Yes.  Restorative Yoga is different from most yoga classes in that the purpose of a restorative yoga class is to relax, not to stretch.  Using props, the body is supported and therefore able to hold each position for an extended period of time.  Most poses are held 15-20 minutes to allow for the body’s natural Relaxation Response to kick in.  That is when we can achieve deep levels of relaxation in the body and the mind.

Do I need to bring anything to class?

No.  All the props will be provided for this workshop.  If you have a favorite yoga mat, blanket, or eye pillow, you are welcome to bring them, but everything we’ll need for this workshop will be provided for you.

What should I wear?

Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing.  You may want to add a few layers such as a light sweatshirt or sweater.  You may also want to wear some warm cozy socks to keep the feet from getting too cold.

Kristy is a Blue Belt Nia Instructor and a Certified Restorative Yoga Instructor.  She spends her days managing the UVA Mindfulness Center and her evenings spreading JOY through the Nia Technique.  In addition to teaching classes all over town, she is also available for private sessions of Nia or yoga.  For more information, visit: www.bodymindjoy.com.

Winalee is one of the choreographers of the playful and powerful “Birth” routine and is a Nia White, Blue and Green Belt trainer. She thrives on sharing the joy of movement as well as her playful philosophies for balance and wellness.  With over 31 years of teaching experience in the fitness industry, Winalee actively and eagerly teaches mindbody wellness. In her words, “What am I bringing? Play Play Play. HeArt. Passion. Me.”

Lyn-Dell Wood invites you to her New Pilates Mat Class on Saturdays at Studio 206, beginning May 12th at 11:30am.  She will use the Stott Pilates technique for this open level mat class.  The class focus will be on developing longer leaner muscles, a stronger and more stabilized core, better coordination, increased balance, flexibility, improved posture and a greater mind-body awareness.  Students may bring their own mat to class if they wish.  Flex bands and eventually the stability ball will be used as part of the class regimen.

She came to Pilates through dance while in graduate school and teaching dance in the early to mid 1990s.  She found Pilates helpful and incorporated it into her own personal fitness routine.  In 2000, she moved from Columbus Ohio to Palm Coast Florida.  While there she began to teach dance, yoga and Pilates.  Then after two car accidents which required Physical Therapy and Pilates rehab she returned to her hometown of Charlottesville.  She then started the Stott teacher training program through Balanced Pilates in Richmond, VA and received her Stott certification in early 2011 in mat Pilates through the advanced level.

After receiving her certification she taught freelance and substituted mat classes.  She has along the way continued to work with private students.  In addition to her certification she previously received her B.S. in dance from Radford University and her M.A. in dance from The Ohio State University.

Lyn-Dell, brings her twenty plus years of teaching dance to her love of Pilates.  Her hope is to train each student through educating them in the Pilates method with her own caring style so that they can achieve their own personal goals.  When off the mat, she enjoys dancing, her turtle Lemon, her guppies and snails and hanging out with Joe.

Divine Play is sponsoring Nia Faculty Trainer Winalee Zeeb for this special Plearning event! Join us at Studio 206 and experience the joy, play and inspiration that only Winalee can deliver! This special routine, Birth, will be gently learned through an amazing process of relaxed somatic reception and absorption… allow the gift of Nia to reveal itself and embody Birth! Participants will receive song handouts throughout the weekend and explore a variety of Nia experiences, including:
· FreeDance
· Teaching What You Sense
· Nia’s 7 Cycles
· Music Appreciation
· And other Nia tools.

Winalee Zeeb is a Nia Teacher and Faculty Trainer who shares her generous, clear, and inspiring delivery of the Nia Technique all over the world.

* This is Winalee’s first Plearning event in Charlottesville! *

In this workshop, we will bring awareness to how judgment affects our lives. Through journaling exercises, guided imagery, meditation and group discussion, we will shed light on the process by which judgment is created, bringing consciousness to how that process affects our bodies, minds, and energetic systems. A practice to disentangle yourself from the judgmental mind will be offered. In addition, practical tools and guidance will be given to help you address the energetic imbalances created by judgment. Join us as we hone our ability to be present, see clearly, and experience balance.

Caverly Morgan has been devoted to Zen Awareness Practice for the last sixteen years, during eight of which she lived and trained at a silent Zen Monastery. She is the Founder and Director of the nonprofit One House of Peace. onehouseofpeace.org

Blending shamanic journey with Nia, Instructor Elizabeth Britt brings simple Nia Style movements and meditative phrases into this unique Nia offering. Elizabeth currently is working with meditations created by Linda Star Wolf focusing on encounters with Egyptian Neteru.

More information about Journey Nia is available at: http://studio206downtown.com/pages/sunday-classes/900-100am-journey-nia-with-elizabeth/

One of the most potent yoga practices I carried back with me from the yoga retreat I led to St John last month was a partner practice. Inspired by that practice, we will move through a variety of Hatha yoga poses focusing on breath and touch. We will close with each partner receiving a long, luxurious savasana (final relaxation) massage.

This workshop invites pairs of all sorts: friends, partners, those celebrating Mother’s Day.

All levels welcome. 16+ please. Registration required

UNERGI- a mind-body psychotherapy, has great versatility to invite and assist you into a time of renewal, re-generation and excitement. Our bodies are a mirror of our feelings, intentions, and experiences. Through this process we learn to explore new possibilities filling our lives with hope, healing and vitality. We witness the power of Nature in Springtime in the unfolding  of Nature and in our minds and bodies. This workshop/demo assists attendees to move forward with a renewed sense of possibilities for growth without limits. We acknowledge the winter’s teachings and process our personal experience to transform dormant energies. We learn to say goodbye to any suffering and trauma we experienced in the winter season and move forward into this wondrous time of rebirth. This demonstration of healing invites you to anticipate this annual change period, and to welcome what change may be bringing to you.

UNERGI employs a variety of  movement, energy healing  and cognitive modalities to allow a new sense of Unity and Energy to emerge.  Please explore www.unergi.com.

Jim Clark is a clinician at a local human service agency.  In private practice, Jim has been a UNERGI practitioner since completing the 3 year training program in 1997.  Jim holds a Masters Degree from the College for Human Development of Syracuse University.