Taking a break

After about 2.5 months of this shoulder injury, I've finally come to the decision that I need to take a break from teaching for a while. It was a very tough decision, as I love my classes and students dearly. I really think this is the only way to get healed and get back to 100%.

Over the next few weeks, I will be phasing out classes. Some more quickly than others. Jackie Carey will be taking over all my classes at Gold's in Plano. My APY classes will be filled by another APY instructor on staff. I'm still searching for a replacement for my Express Fitness-Allen classes.

I am expecting to be off about 2-3 months, and hopefully that will give me time to heal. I hope to see you all back in class very soon!

B

Update on summer solstice event

Unfortunately, I've had a death in the family this week and will be traveling on Saturday, so I will no longer be able to participate in the summer solstice event at APY. Those of you that I've talked to who were going to go, I sure hope you can still make it and have a blast for me! Let me know all about it next week in class. :)

B

108 Sun Salutations for summer solstice!

Sunday, June 21st is the summer solstice. American Power Yoga is celebrating by offering a donation-only class benefiting Bryan's House. It will be 108 sun salutations taught by 10-12 different APY instructors. The events will be held on Saturday, June 20th, since Sunday is also Father's Day. The Richardson studio will hold their event at 10:30am and the Dallas studio will hold their event at 4:30pm, both on Saturday.

I will be leading 9 rounds of sun salutations at both events. The 90 minute class will be a lot of fun with great instructors and beautiful flows. Come join us to raise money for Bryan's House and just have a lot of fun! Remember, you don't have to be an APY member to come take class, this is just by donation.

B

Shoulders, revisited

It's ironic that so soon after posting that video about protecting the shoulders, I've hurt mine again. I didn't hurt it doing yoga, but did push the shoulder a little too hard physically and am now paying the price. I have to take it easy for a few weeks, and while I can still teach, I think it will be best to take a week off and really let my shoulder have the best chance of healing quickly.

So, with that, I am looking for subs for my classes this upcoming week. I will miss all of you, but will be back just as soon as I can, after having lots of rest. :) I will post subs for this week on the Schedule page, so check back there if you are interested in who will be filling in for me on what day. If I can't find a sub, no worries, I'll be there. If that's the case, then just like last week, I won't be demoing much.

B

Protecting the shoulders

If you've been in one of my classes, you know how important it is to me to keep the shoulders safe and protected in sun salutations, specifically when flowing from plank to up dog. I made this short video this morning for my nutrition coach, Melissa (check out her awesome blog). Thought I'd post it here to remind everyone to keep those shoulders safe.

It was also a good excuse to try out posting a video on the blog. :) If you have any questions, feel free to email me or ask me in class. Enjoy!

B

March schedule is up - a few days late

My apologies for the tardiness of the March schedule being posted. It's been a crazy few weeks. The March newsletter with the updated schedule has now been sent out as well.

There are just a few changes. For March and April only, I will be teaching the new Thursday evening class at Gold's Plano on the second Thursday of each month instead of the third Thursday. Beginning in May, we will switch to third Thursdays.

Additionally, Stacy will be subbing my Thursday, March 5th class at 10:30am at Express Fitness Allen. I know all of you Allen yogis love Stacy and will be happy to see her back for a class. Enjoy your time with her and I will see you next week!

B

Yoga, wine and chocolate is back!

The last time David Romanelli was in Dallas for his Yoga, wine, and chocolate workshops, they were absolutely incredible. A new class is now scheduled to celebrate the launch of Dave's upcoming new book. Click here for details. I highly recommend this class and can't wait to attend!

After a fun yoga class and an apres-class feast of exotic Vosges chocolates and fine wines, the message will be clear: the finest luxury is not a vacation home, stock options, or fancy handbag...but rather peace in your soul, chocolate in your mouth, and love in your heart.

B

Upcoming March schedule changes

I've got a couple of schedule changes coming up in March. Many of you know that I began the American Power Yoga teacher training program in mid-January. This lasts through mid-May and is pretty intensive. In an effort to free up a little more time, I will be letting go of my Friday 10:30am class at Veria Wellness Center in Plano. I am very happy to be turning this class over to Jackie. Jackie already teaches at Veria, so the students there know her. I know those students will be well taken care of. Thanks, Jackie. :)

I will be adding a once per month class on Thursday evenings at Gold's Gym in Plano. This class will be on Thursday nights from 6-7pm. This will regularly be Stacy's class beginning in March, but I will teach it every third Thursday of the month. So I hope to see many of you there!

And lastly, I will be taking a much needed vacation to Playa del Carmen, Mexico, from March 20-25, so please check the schedule page if you'd like to know who will be subbing for me that week. I will have that posted by March 1st.

B

Making 2009 Your Best Year Ever

Bill sent me a link to this article, which I think is terrific. I say these things in class all the time, but sometimes we don't hear them until they come in a different form. I think it's pretty cool that this was sent to me by my non-yogi husband. :)

The Single Secret to Making 2009 Your Best Year Ever

Enjoy!

B

Last minute schedule changes

A few last minute schedule changes to announce:

Thursday, January 8, 2009 - Stacy will be subbing my 6:15am Gold's Plano class. I've got a minor injury going on and need a little more rest.

Friday, January 9, 2009 - Jackie will be subbing my 10:30am Veria class. Same issue. Back to back classes can be physically tough.

Saturday, January 10, 2009 - I am no longer subbing Jackie's 10:30am class at Express Fitness Plano. Her schedule opened up so she'll be teaching her regular class.

That's it. Enjoy your week!

B

Yoga Music Flow - Christmas Time Is Here

I did finally put together a Christmas music flow yoga playlist. I worked on this for almost two weeks, and gave up completely a couple of times, but kept coming back to it. Most of the Christmas music that I have and enjoy has a very slow tempo, and it just wasn't quite coming together. However, last Monday evening I sat down to try one last time, and it finally worked.

I used this playlist in my early morning Gold's class on Tuesday morning before Christmas and it worked pretty well. Here it is.

In The Bleak Mid-Winter, Sarah McLachlan, Wintersong
River, Sarah McLachlan, Wintersong
Please Come Home for Christmas, Aaron Neville, Soulful Christmas
Happy Xmas (War Is Over), Sarah McLachlan, Wintersong
Santa Baby, Madonna, A Very Special Christmas
This Year, Christina Aguilera, My Kind of Christmas
Jingle Bells, James Taylor, James Taylor At Christmas
Xtina's Xmas, Christina Aguilera, My Kind of Christmas
Christmas Time, Christina Aguilera, My Kind of Christmas
Louisiana Christmas Day, Aaron Neville, Soulful Christmas
All I Want For Christmas Is You, Mariah Carey, Merry Christmas
Winter Wonderland, James Taylor, James Taylor At Christmas
These Are the Special Times, Christina Aguilera, My Kind of Christmas
Some Children See Him, James Taylor, James Taylor At Christmas
White Christmas, Aaron Neville, Soulful Christmas
Christmas Time Is Here, Sarah McLachlan, Wintersong

The last song by Sarah McLachlan is just spectacular, and a perfect song for Savasana. Enjoy!

B

6:15am Gold's Gym class 12/16/08 canceled

The 6:15am class at Gold's Gym this morning is canceled due to the weather. I attempted to send out a schedule update last night, but it was apparently never delivered. If you are a Gold's Gym member, you should have received an email last night from Amorette, the Gold's coordinator, announcing the cancellation.

If you did not receive an email and would like to be added to the distribution list, please email me and I will have you added to the list. The only emails you will receive being on this list are monthly schedule updates for Gold's Gym, and exceptions like this class cancellation.

I hope to see all you early birds on Thursday morning. Maybe it will be a little bit warmer!!

B

December schedule is posted

My new December schedule, including vacation subs and holiday class cancellations through New Year's Day, is posted. The new schedule will be sent out via email this evening, so add yourself to the mailing list if you'd like, by clicking the button on the right side of the page.

The only change this month is the removal of the Sunday Music Flow class at Express Fitness in Plano. I will miss that class so much! I begin my new teacher training program in mid-January, so letting this class go frees me up to take that program (on the weekends).

As the busy holiday season is now upon us, please remember to take time to take care of yourself. Placing a priority on your own personal yoga practice is a terrific way to do that.

B

Music Flow Yoga - My God Is Real

For all my Sunday students, here's the music flow playlist from today's class. If you weren't there today, yep, I did play Led Zeppelin and Guns N' Roses in yoga class. :) It was awesome! A huge thanks to Yeah Dave for all the new music ideas from his workshop.

Guaranteed, Eddie Vedder
What Am I To You?, Norah Jones
Gone Till November, Wyclef Jean featuring Canibus
Santeria, Sublime
Ramble On, Led Zeppelin
Hip-Hop Saved My Life (feat. Nikki Jean), Lupe Fiasco
Stay (Wasting Time), Dave Matthews Band
Sweet Child O' Mine, Guns N' Roses
Wiseman, Slightly Stoopid
Who Knows What Tomorrow May Bring, Traffic
Sullivan Street, Counting Crows
Society, Eddie Vedder
Marry Song, Band Of Horses
A Sunday Kind of Love, Etta James
My God is Real, Krishna Das

Next week is my last Sunday class at Express in Plano. I will miss all of you so much!

Enjoy!

B

Yoga + Chocolate + Yoga + Wine + Beautiful + Funny + Delicious + Chocolate Chakra Tour

This weekend was the workshop I've been looking forward to for months... David Romanelli's Yoga + Chocolate + Yoga + Wine + Beautiful + Funny + Delicious + Chocolate Chakra Tour. Click here for details. I had no idea what to expect, but I figured anything combining Yoga, Chocolate, and Wine must be good. And it far exceeded my expectations.

Dave is a terrific yoga teacher, is very funny, led four terrific workshops, gave incredible adjustments, and provided absolutely incredible wine, chocolate, cheeses, olives, and other snacks. I went with a couple of girlfriends and we all had an outstanding time. I have never laughed so hard while trying to hold yoga poses in my life. :) At the end of the weekend, I was sad to see the workshops come to an end.

If you get a chance to take a workshop with Dave, I highly recommend it. He also has a book coming out early next year, and based on some chapters he read us during the workshop, I expect it to be terrific and very, very funny. You can find Dave's website here: http://www.yeahdaveyoga.com/.

Several of my students are asking why I've had so many subs this month. I think this post and the previous one provide all the answers. :) What a terrific month! And thanks to my sweet yogi friends who have subbed my classes so I could enjoy so much of life these last few weeks. :)

B

Yoga by the Way

Having just returned from four beautiful days in Playa del Carmen, I had the incredible treat to be able to practice yoga in a brand new studio in Playa, owned by Ellen de Jonge, called Yoga by the Way. I have taken a yoga class once from Ellen, probably about 7 years ago, and was excited to hear that she had opened a brand new studio.

Ellen's studio is absolutely beautiful. Her teaching is just as wonderful as I remember from all those years ago, and the setting makes this an incredible yoga experience. Ellen's expertise in teaching is obvious, but it is her sense of humor and her incredible ability to make you feel like a lifelong friend from the moment you enter the studio that makes her classes truly special.

I only got to practice with her twice while I was in Playa, but I am already looking forward to going back and taking class with her again. Here are a few pictures of this gorgeous yoga studio on the northern end of Playa del Carmen. Her website is linked above and will be on my links page shortly, along with a few more pictures on my Photos page.

B

November schedule changes

I'll have lots of schedule changes coming up in November. The biggest one is that I've decided to give up my Saturday classes at Express Fitness Plano. It was a very hard decision, as this was my first class and I absolutely love the students that attend. But I'm working towards a new teacher training program that begins in January, and this is the first step towards clearing my schedule in that direction.

Veria lunchtime (12:30pm) classes are canceled as of November 1st.

And lastly, I will be adding early morning classes at Gold's Gym beginning November 11th. These will be on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 6:15am. So come join us bright and early for a great way to start the day.

B

Music Flow Yoga - Hallelujah

Here's the playlist from yesterday's (Sunday) music flow yoga class. I create and keep track of these by the Savasana (final relaxation) song, so that's essentially what I title the playlist. Jeff Buckley's version of Hallelujah has to be one of the all-time best songs ever, which puts this playlist right at the top of my favorites.

Have A Little Faith In Me, John Hiatt, The Best Of John Hiatt
Better Together, Jack Johnson, In Between Dreams
Peace Be Upon Us, Sheryl Crow, Detours
Love Love Love, Tristan Prettyman, Twentythree
Never Know, Jack Johnson, In Between Dreams
Every Ghetto, Every City, Lauryn Hill, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Shed, Macy Gray, The ID
Closer To Fine, Indigo Girls, Retrospective
The Way You Move (Radio Mix), OutKast, The Way You Move/Hey Ya!
She Talks To Angels, The Black Crowes, Greatest Hits 1990-1999
Simple As It Should Be, Tristan Prettyman, Twentythree
Wild World, Cat Stevens, The Very Best Of Cat Stevens
Angel, Jack Johnson, Sleep Through The Static
Hallelujah, Jeff Buckley, Grace

Enjoy!

B

Yoga Music Flow

As promised, here's today's playlist from Music Flow Yoga at Express.

Better Together, Jack Johnson, In Between Dreams
How To Save a Life, The Fray, How To Save A Life
Lovely Day, Bill Withers, The Best of Bill Withers
Superstition, Stevie Wonder, The Definitive Collection
Never Know, Jack Johnson, In Between Dreams
Love Song, Sara Bareilles, Little Voice
Suddenly I See, KT Turnstall, Eye To The Telescope
Are You Gonna Be My Girl, Jet, Get Born
Play That Funky Music, Wild Cherry, Wild Cherry
I Would Die 4 U, Prince, Purple Rain
She Talks To Angels, The Black Crowes, Greatest Hits
Champagne Supernova, Matt Pond PA, Music From the O.C.
Winding Road, Bonnie Somerville, Garden State: Music From The Motion Picture
Hundred, The Fray, How To Save A Life

Enjoy!

B

Music Flow Yoga!

One of my most fun classes of the week is my Sunday afternoon class, because it's Music Flow. That means I get to put together an eclectic mix of non-traditional yoga music, and we experiment to moving and flowing to different beats.

I spent most of Saturday and Sunday morning coming up with a new flow, as I had found a few new songs I really wanted to try. I struggled with this playlist, and didn't end up using several of the songs I had picked. I finally let it rest Saturday night and returned to the playlist Sunday morning, where it finally all came together.

I tried it out on the class today, and everyone loved it. It felt very good and inspiring to me, which always makes for a terrific class. So, for those who have been asking me to post my music flow playlists on my blog (are you reading this Megan?), here's this one... my new favorite. :) The length is 59:42.

Dreaming With A Broken Heart, John Mayer, Continuum
Stay Human, Michael Franti, Songs from The Front Porch
Love Love Love, Tristan Prettyman, Twentythree
Love Remains The Same, Gavin Rossdale, Wanderlust
Sunday Morning, Maroon 5, Songs About Jane
Forget About The Future, Sting, Sacred Love
What About Now, Daughtry, Daughtry
Butterfly, Jason Mraz, We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things
Breathe (2am), Anna Nalick, Wreck Of The Day
I'll Be, Edwin McCain, Misguided Roses
Breathe Me, Sia, Breathe Me
La Mar (The Ocean), The Beautiful Girls, Learn Yourself
Angel, Jack Johnson, Sleep Through The Static
I Shall Not Walk Alone, Ben Harper, The Will To Live

Enjoy!

B

Veria Thursday evening class

My Thursday evening 7:00pm class at Veria will be canceled as of October 1st. We just haven't had much luck getting regular students into this class, and the summer was very, very slow. Since Megan cheers at football games on Thursday nights, it works much better for me to cancel this class and have Thursday evenings free.

The lunchtime classes at Veria area doing great and will continue at least through October. If you haven't had a chance to try a class at Veria, definitely try it out. It's a great little spot! They are currently running a special for September that is buy one unlimited month of classes, get the next month free! It's a great deal and they have added a lot of new classes to the schedule. The first class is always free.

B

Lightening the Load

Over the summer I have added quite a few classes to my teaching schedule. I'm currently teaching ten classes per week as of last week. Add in subbing classes for some yoga teacher friends and I'm at full capacity.

Now that my kids are back in school, teaching in the evenings has become particularly difficult. In an effort to lighten my load a bit and make my home life less hectic, I have decided to give up my Wednesday evening classes at The Girls Room. It was not an easy choice, as I really love The Girls Room, and I especially love my Wednesday night students there. They are such a joy and make class so much fun. I will miss them very much.

Karyn has found a terrific teacher to take over this class, and I'm sure these lovely girls will be well taken care of. This week will be my last week at TGR, and while that makes me very sad, I am looking forward to a little more flexibility in driving the kids around to all their activities without relying on other parents every Wednesday evening.

I hope to be able to sub some classes at TGR, and perhaps I can return to teaching there at some point in the future if a class is available that works better in my schedule. I have truly enjoyed teaching in such a beautiful studio for the last ten months.

B

Fun in the Lululemon Window!

Last Saturday, my friend Karyn (owner of The Girls Room) invited me to join her in the Dallas Galleria Lululemon window for a little yoga. After a quick discussion, we decided to look through my Partner Yoga book and have some partner yoga fun. We spent a little over an hour having a blast, laughing hysterically and stretching our bodies further than they wanted to go.

It was really funny how many people walking through the Galleria stopped to watch and gawk. :) I've posted pictures on my Photos page (click the link in the menu at the top of this page).

It was a total blast, and I was very sore for several days. If you can find a partner yoga class, I highly recommend it. Karyn and I had so much fun that she's talking about offering a partner yoga workshop at The Girls Room. Email me if you are interested in taking a partner yoga workshop and I'll let Karyn know.

B