Yoga with Julie

Being Here Fully After my visit home to Long Island this past weekend, I have been reminded of the simple joys of spending time with family and friends.  Connecting in a way that is much more gratifying than any electronic form of communication will lend itself to.  To be completely engaged without having to look at a computer screen, phone, nook, ipod, etc.  It seems like such a simple concept, to spend face to face time with one another and not virtual time, but one we need to truly value much more frequently.   It is so refreshing to be in conversation with friends and family and not having a single person look down at their phone, even just for a brief period of time.  How often do you see groups of friends or a family all sitting together physically, but not engaged presently with one another because half/all of the group is glancing at their phones?  More often than not this is what you see.  We all do it, and I am guilty as well, but ...

2013 SPRING/SUMMER SCHEDULE ONE YOGA & FITNESS SUNDAY: Salute the Sunday Power Flow 9am-10 THURSDAY: Slow Flow 6pm-7:15 * First Thursday of each month: Monthly Meditation 7:30pm-8 Donations contributed to The Africa Yoga Project FRIDAY: Happy Hour Flow 5:30pm-6:30 (I alternate teaching with the lovely Gina Keefe.  Please see studio website for who is teaching each week).   STUDIO INFO: One Yoga and Fitness 1214 Bowman St, Clermont FL 34711 In Sunnyside Plaza off of Hwy 50 (407)-900-8039 www.oneyogafitness.com  GOLDS GYM  DR PHILIPS MONDAY: Yoga Flow  10:30am-11:30 FRIDAY: Pilates 9:30am-10:25 Yoga Flow 10:30am-11:30 GOLDS GYM INFO: 7733 Turkey Lake Rd,  Orlando ,  FL   32819   (407) 226-9996 www.goldsgymfl.com  *No membership required to take class.  Classes are $7.50 for non-members.  Please contact Julie at least 24 hours prior if ...

"The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn." Ralph Waldo Emerson  It has been quite some time since I have written a blog entry and I was inspired to write one on this beautiful sunny day.  The subject of this blog is one of my favorites to talk about in yoga classes, as seed planting and caring for those seeds is a metaphor for our life's intentions, goals, aspirations, etc.   Looking at a tiny seed, we see that most seeds are somewhat similar in size, all small to start, however there is a copious amount of sizes these seeds will transform into.  This tiny seed may manifest into a small flower or the tiny seed may be manifested as a huge tree.  Our intentions may start itself out as a single thought inside our heads that can manifest into a small, short term goal, or the intention may manifest itself into a life long dream.  No matter what kind of seed we choose to plant, it is important to realize that all of the ingredients to make...

  A very special holiday greeting to all!  No matter what you celebrate, I hope your holiday season is one of sweetness and togetherness.  I always like to say...MERRY EVERYTHING!!!  The holiday season is certainly one of excitement and sensations, and along with that comes a bit of anxiety and busyness.  As we are shopping for loved ones, we are bombarded with advertisements, bright store lighting, long lines, impatient fellow shoppers, and our own thoughts of finding the "perfect" gift.  Isn't it ironic how a season that symbolizes giving and opening our hearts, also contains an abundant amount of stress.   If you are feeling a tad overwhelmed by your shopping list and holiday commitments then I invite you to take some time to reconnect with the true meaning of what the season is about.  My teacher, mentor, guide, Shiva Rea, has invented the term "relaxasams," which she defines as a being peace practice of letting go and relaxing compl...

 This photo was taken at the first studio I ever taught in 8 years ago.  I was fresh out of my 200 hour yoga teacher training and at the very beginning of yogic journey as a guide.  This blog is dedicated to the path I have followed for the past 8 years including the successes, trial and errors, challenges, wise and not so wise moments, and memories of the fellow yogis I've met along the way... (ps this is very much a free-write/unedited blog entry...no judgements)... Many people ask me what made me want to be a yoga teacher?  Well, as a dance major in college I noticed how many of my modern dance teachers would start with a warm up that wasn't necessarily  "dance based," but more movement based with these held stretches in between. At the time I didn't realize they were yoga poses, but the more I practiced this for a few minutes a day the more I liked it.  Then when taking a 3 month summer dance intensive in Massachusetts we had yoga two times ...

      Hello there Yoga Friends!  Wow, it has been since the end of August since I have written a blog!  Well, now that it is the fall season I'd like to share a few quick tips on how to adjust your yoga practice for the fall in order to prepare the body and immune system for the cooler (if you are in florida like myself) or wayyyyyy colder weather (for all of my northern yogis)! I will teaching a "master class" at One Yoga and Fitness in Clermont on Friday Nov 2 from 5:30-7 entitled WonderFALL Flow, which will explore the aspects I am about to share with you.  If you are in the area, please come and experience this wonderfally flow!  All the information is at the bottom of the blog...  ~According the Ayurveda, yoga's sister science, the fall season is dominated by the air element.  This element cultivates dryness and brittleness in our internal environment (our body) and the external environment.  We need to engage in a self ca...

I'd like to thank the impending hurricane Isaac for inspiring this blog post.  May you be a gentle storm and make your visit brief... Time to prepare for the hurricane..flashlights check, candles check, water check, food check.  The good news of the hurricanes that exist in nature is that we can prepare for them and take necessary precaution as best as we can.  Although, you never know their true magnitude until they show up.  We know we can expect high winds, rain, perhaps some thunder/lightening/hail.  No amount of wishing will send the hurricane away and it is out of our complete control to re-route its path.  So what do we do once it arrives, we sit, watch, and wait for it to pass.  We know that it may be ugly, but eventually the hurricane will run its course and beautiful clear skies will once again be in our neighborhood.   Just as mother nature's hurricane, we have all experienced the mind's hurricane, where it feels l...