Whether Beginning or All Levels, I hope my classes will encourage you to:

• Come a bit further than where your mind believes you can go.
• Open the hips, shoulders, hamstrings in ways not previously discovered.
• Find the thrill & bliss of going upside down as you practice Inversions!
• Strengthen the core & allow the heart area to soar skyward in deep Backbends.
• Quiet & calm the mind as we open the back body in Forward Bending poses.
• Use the Balancing & Standing poses to take the strength & centeredness you discover in class & bring it into your everyday life.
• Use the left & right sides of the body equally to challenge that brain!
• Come and check it out! I really look forward to seeing you at the studio.

See my class schedule here

Quoted From Brain in the News, Mar-April 05 by Brenda Patpoine

You may know that chronic stress is bad for your health, but a widely publicized study now tells us it could take a decade or more off your life. The study found that chronic psychological stress effectively shaved the equivalent of 9 to 17 years off the length of telomeres, the structures at the tips of chromosomes that serve as a yardstick of biological age. The report, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in November, is the first to show a direct link between chronic stress and aging, and it hints of a possible biological mechanism for how stress can shorten lifespan.

The researchers, led by University of California, San Francisco clinical psychologist Elissa S. Epel and molecular biologist Elisabeth H. Blackburn, studied 39 mothers who were caring for a chronically ill child and compared them with 19 mothers of healthy children. They measured the length of telomeres in samples of the women's white blood cells, which play critical roles in immune function, and assessed the levels of telomerase, an enzyme that can extend shortened telomeres.

They also looked at cellular indicators of oxidative damage, a sort of "biological rusting" caused by free radicals that has been linked to aging and age related diseases. The researchers found that women who were more stressed, as measured both objectively (years spent caregiving) and subjectively (self-perceived stress levels), had shorter telomeres, lower levels of telomerase, and higher oxidative load. "We saw a clear association between the number of years of caregiving and the excessive telomere shortening and excessive loss of telomerase activity," says Blackburn. "It looks pretty much like cause and effect" that it's the stressful situation that is driving those read-outs in the cell."

"This is a provocative finding in the best sense of the word," said Stanford University stress expert Robert Sapolsky in a commentary published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. If the finding can be replicated and generalized to other populations, he wrote, it may ultimately "reveal a detailed pathway by which stress can influence a fundamental aspect of the aging process." Telomeres and telomerase have become the focus of intense study in aging research, a sort of fountain of youth at the most fundamental biological level. Each time a cell divides, its telomeres shorten a bit. At a certain threshold, the cell can no longer divide and begins to deteriorate. As cell populations throughout the body deteriorate, the physical effects of aging become apparent: hair turns gray, skin wrinkles, joints and bones weaken, organ systems begin to fail, and cognitive deficits appear.

Numerous scientific reports have documented the progressive shortening of telomeres with age, and at least one study has shown that shorter telomeres are associated with all causes of death in the elderly.

The Crystal Resonance Healing Workshop originally scheduled for the end of March, will be postponed while international presenter AwaHoshi Kavan recovers from a recent vehicle accident. We anticipate rescheduling Crystal Resonance Healing in the fall and look forward to this exciting, transformative workshop!
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Increasing your core strength, flexibility and muscle integrity improves your quality of life. Having core strength and ease of movement --or not having them-- impacts us on a daily basis. Core strength keeps us out of the chiropractor's office, at work, off of muscle relaxers, and out of pain. Studies have shown core strengthening classes can help prevent injury, fight osteoporosis and other chronic conditions.

Strength and range of motion enable us to more effectively function injury free every day doing every day things.

If you think of your core as a rectangular shape, then the core at the very least includes your shoulders, chest, abdominals/obliques, upper/lower back, hips, and buttocks. Both anterior (front) and posterior (back) sides of the body need to be addressed.

No muscle is an island. Often, when we work at strengthening a given area, there are corollary muscle groups assisting and reaping the benefits of the strength training. The body is designed to work not one-muscle-at-a-time, but in muscle groups, assisted by other muscle groups.

For instance, when working the chest, the arms and shoulders usually need to be involved whether you're holding weights, stretching bands, supporting one's own body weight, or performing through isometric posture. Therefore, the muscles in the arms receive strength training benefits in the process of targeting the larger muscles in and around the chest and upper back. Another example might be when working the glutes (muscles of the buttocks), the hamstrings -back of the thighs-- (and sometimes the quadriceps -front of the thighs--) will most often receive some benefits.

To perform any core strengthening movement students need proper body alignment and mechanics plus the cooperation of abdominals and erector spinae (muscles along the spine). Cueing from the class instructor on the do's and don'ts of alignment will safely guide you through the process and allow successful execution of the movements.

The final piece of a great Core Class is timing the breath work with the successful execution of the movements. To do this well, requires one's complete focus. The combination of focus, muscle strengthening, muscle stretching, and timed inhaling/exhaling additionally promotes a sense of calm and accomplishment once completed. Again, the instructor will guide you through the process with verbal cuing.

If injury prevention, increased strength and/or range of motion sounds like what you want, then a Core Strengthening class is probably for you!

If you are currently recovering from an injury, core strengthening is an effective tool to assist you in your wellness process. Always advise the class instructor if you are in the recovery mode, so that movement modifications can be recommended. NEVER perform any movement that hurts or feels compromising.

Fort Bragg Yoga Studio's Monday Core Stretch and Strength is offered at 8:30 a.m. and will perfectly compliment any existing workout routine you already have in place. Natalie Shoptaw, licensed personal trainer, leads the class and incorporates 25 years of exercise instruction experience into the strength/stretch workouts.
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We are celebrating this transition by adding 3 new early evening classes to the schedule – just the perfect way to unwind after work. On Monday nights from
6:00- 7:30 pm Sally Wells is teaching her wonderful Tai Chi class. Wednesdays from 6:00- 7:30 pm we have beginning and intermediate gentle Hatha Yoga. On Thursday evening we offer Kundalini Yoga with Siri Gian – an uplifiting and energizing experience suitable for beginners as well as seasoned Yoga enthusiasts.

We also are happy to announce two series of classes. On Friday afternoons, beginning in spring (date TBA) Cathy Hand will offer "Introduction to Western Astrology." This class lasts for 6 weeks, costs only $60, and everyone will be provided with their very own astrological chart as part of the deal! The class emphasis is on relationships and family dynamics. You can start any time but would benefit most by taking the entire series.

The next class series, "Yoga Through the Systems," is 8 weeks, every Wednesday from 11:00 am to 12:15 pm, taught by Karin Uphoff, Herbalist, and Yoga Instructor and begins January 31st. The cost is just $65 for the whole series, or $10 per class to drop in. Each week learn Yoga poses, acupressure points, and Chi Gung exercises to improve the function of a different body system. Week #1 is devoted to healing the digestive system naturally. This is your opportunity to learn Yoga as preventative medicine. To reserve space in either of these classes, call 367-3741. Otherwise, feel free to drop in.

We also have exciting weekend workshops coming up! Joy Metcalfe is presenting her "Consciously Creating 2007" Sunday February 4th, 10 am to 5 pm. Cost is $50. Kathleen Genereux is teaching on Saturday, February 24th, 1-4 pm : "Meditation for Every Day Living"; cost $35.

Meera Chatuvedi is offering "Introduction to Pancha Karma" (which is an Ayurvedic spring cleansing) takes place on Saturday, March 10th, 1-4 pm. Cost is $35.

We have an exciting, large, intensive training: Crystal Resonance Healing with internationally renown, AwaHoshi Kavan. This workshop is coming this Fall and will be 5+ full days. This is a Level 1 training for those wishing topursue licensure as a Crystal Sound Therapist. Please call the studio for more particulars.

Natalie Shoptaw is putting together a Brain Gym 101® class, a 24 hour level one class of the Edu-K Foundation. The class is to be offered one weekend day per month over three months, and organized around schedules of interested participants. Natalie is also offering in March (date TBA): Happy Birthday to All! " a Gluten and Dairy Free cooking class for creating alternative delicious desserts and such. If you wish to be included in either of Natalie's workshops, please call the studio.

Have fun everyone. Stop by the studio to pick up schedules of ongoing classes and weekend workshops, or visit us on line at:www.fortbraggyogastudio.com

– Charlotte
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