Welcome to IYCWM
Spring Gardening

“Everything is made new in the spring. Springs themselves are always so new, too. No spring is ever just like any other spring. It always has something of its own to be its peculiar sweetness.” ―  L.M. Montgomery,  Anne of the Island

We are now in our fourth week of online classes. Where does the time go? The April rains have begun to awaken the earth and our attention moves towards our gardens. Nature is even more enticing in this age of social distancing. Perhaps, the peculiarity of this Spring will be the awareness gained of simplicity and a deeper appreciation of the cycles of life that surround us. Cycles we had become oblivious to in our haste to meet the demands of our fast paced lives.

I ordered flower seeds for my garden since I cannot go to the local garden center to buy flowers. These tiny seeds amaze me. You can hardly believe the rainbow of colors, textures and fragrance that these tiny shriveled up seeds produce. Starting from scratch so to speak and planting these tiny seeds in the earth reminds me of how we need to constantly till the soils of our practice. The need to cultivate faith, courage and most importantly patience never ceases. When we cultivate Santosha - contentment, we become able to accept what is. Then we can be in the present moment, watering the seeds with no expectations of the outcome. We greet the future blossoms with awe and appreciation for the beauty of the process and gratitude for another day of learning and practice.

My garden has expanded into the virtual world. I have so enjoyed watching each of you blossom in our online classes as you have created a space for your practice in your homes. I am overjoyed to see the vibrancy of your embodiments as you go deeper into the exploration of your practice making it your own. I hope you can all savor the fragrance and colors that envelop you this Spring.

I continue to try to refine our schedule. Pranayama has now moved to Tuesdays at 9:00am and there is now a Yoga for Wellness on Sundays at 9:30am. See the schedule below for changes.

I look forward to our continued study - stay home and stay safe.

With gratitude and blessings to each of you,
Susan Elena

If you like our studio and benefit from our classes, please leave a review to help others find us. Click here to leave a review on Google; click here to leave a review on Facebook . Thank You!
FREE Online Classes
Curious about online classes? Try these free classes coming up this week.

Friday, April 17
7:30 -8:30pm Community Sutra Study Group

Sunday, April 19
9:00am - 10:00am: Meditation Tip of the Week!

Community Check In

It is amazing how quickly everyone has become so busy these days. We are happy to host a Community Check In, if the community has interest and time. It's a nice chance to visit, ask questions or just say hello as we celebrate our virtual community and support one another. If you would like to attend one in May, click the link below and let us know if you prefer a Sunday or Wednesday evening.

Fee: $30; Early price $25
if signed up by May 5.

All levels welcome

Pre-registration Required


LiveStream Yoga for Back Care & Scoliosis at Home Workshop with Susan Elena
NEW DATE: Saturday, May 16
1:00 - 3:30pm

This workshop focuses on how to incorporate the back care principles of lengthening and strengthening the core and spinal muscles at home. How can we modify postures and make props out of common household items? You will learn how to balance the shoulders and the hips - the "Four corners of the body." Great for those with spinal imbalances, lower back pain, neck and shoulder pain, sciatica, stenosis or other back care concerns. This session will pay particular attention to the Trapezius, Rotator Cuff, Quadratus Lumborum, Piriformis and PSOAS muscles and their roles in maintaining spinal health.
IYCWM Online Class Schedule
WARM YOUR BODY, HEART & SOUL
April 13 - APRIL 26, 2020 **Pre-registration is required
You can sign up for all our classes at  www.iycwm.com  or get the   W ellness Living App.
SPECIAL NEW CLASS SERIES:
HOME PRACTICE SUPPORT SERIES - POSE OF THE DAY
Monday through Thursday mornings from 8:00 - 8:45am
Join Susan Elena for an exploration of a single pose or daily vitamin. We will break down the pose and look at different ways to approach it. This is a great way to support your home practice and learn more about how to build home sequences or work on problem areas in the body. Please feel free to email pose requests to  Susan Elena. This is a series with 4 classes per week. $45 per week. All levels welcome. Next Series Starts April 20
MONDAYS:
8:00 - 8:30am: HOME PRACTICE SUPPORT SERIES - POSE OF THE DAY

9:00 - 10:00AM - MINDFULNESS MONDAYS - Start your morning off from a place of self-awareness and gratitude. Welcoming all levels of experience.

6:00pm - 7:30pm: MONDAY NIGHT BACK CARE - Focusing on the back care principles of lengthening and strengthening the core and spinal muscles. Great for those with spinal imbalances, lower back pain, sciatica, stenosis or other back care concerns. Every three weeks the topics change, covering a wide range of issues for the health of the spine.  All levels welcome, no previous experience necessary. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP
TUESDAYS:
8:00 - 8:30am: HOME PRACTICE SUPPORT SERIES - POSE OF THE DAY

9:00 - 10:00am: NEW DAY: PRANAYAMA - is the fourth limb of yoga. Prana means life force or breath sustaining the body; Ayama translates as "to extend or draw out." Together two mean breath extension or control. With regular practice of pranayama, the lines of vital energy are untangled and energy flows freely. This online course will teach you postures to open the body and relieve stress in order to prepare the body for breathwork. Some previous yoga experience preferred. Appropriate for those with one year of experience or more. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP

5:30pm - 7:30pm: LEVEL II - Deeper and more detailed study of the basic asanas, including the standing poses. Headstand develops into head balance; shoulderstand is advanced to include variations; unsupported backbends are introduced. Students will expand their knowledge of Iyengar Yoga.  CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP
WEDNESDAYS:
8:00 - 8:30am: HOME PRACTICE SUPPORT SERIES - POSE OF THE DAY

9:30am - 11:00am: MORNING YOGA - All levels welcome to this energetic fun Iyengar class combining movement with precision in alignment. All categories of poses explored in this Level I class emphasizing the fundamentals of alignment in Iyengar yoga while introducing philosophy. 
THURSDAYS:
8:00am - 8:30am: HOME PRACTICE SUPPORT SERIES - POSE OF THE DAY

9:00am - 10:00am: MEDITATION FOR RESILIENCE NOW!
During this one-hour class, we will learn a variety of resilience practices that build our immunity from the inside out. Now more than ever, when our usual supports and routines are being disrupted, we need to nurture ourselves and harness our inherent strength, allowing us to gracefully adapt to change and uncertainty.  CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP

7:00pm - 8:30pm: LIVING FROM WITHIN - This class is open to all levels of experience and will offer teachings and practices with a focus on self-compassion and embodiment.
FRIDAYS:
9:30am - 11:00am: HEALTHY SPINE - This back care class uses specialized sequencing and specific alignment instruction to help alleviate back pain and support a healthy spine. Appropriate for all levels and students with injuries or specific concerns. 

7:30pm -8:30pm: NEW! Free Community Sutra Study Group - Join members of the community to explore the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, the Bhagavad Gita and other important texts that inform our practice. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP
SATURDAYS:
8:00am - 10:00am: LEVEL II/III - A more explicit understanding of the poses is taught working on the Junior I & II syllabi, with regular inversions and backbends. Asanas are held longer with greater depth and sensitivity. Students should be beginning to develop their own home practice. This class, will also introduce Pranayama and draw the sutras into the asana practice. Students must have a regular practice of sirsasana, salamba sarvangasana and urdhva dhanurasana.

10:30am - 12:30pm TRANSITIONING FROM LEVEL I/II LAB - Intermediate class for those who have been practicing alignment based yoga for a minimum of one year with a solid foundation in standing poses and want to learn to practice inversions, backbends and forward bends. In this series, students will regularly practice headstand, handstand, shoulderstand and deeper backbends. Deeper and more detailed study of the basic asanas, including the standing poses. Headstand develops into head balance; shoulderstand is advanced to include variations; unsupported backbends are introduced. Students will expand their knowledge of Iyengar Yoga in a laboratory environment where we look at how the different category of poses influence one another. Bring your questions, notebooks and a sense of adventure! CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP
SUNDAYS:
9:30am - 10:30am: NEW CLASS: YOGA FOR WELLNESS - New class to support and boost immunity and relieve stress and tension. We will use a combination of movement and restorative postures to uncover the body's natural healing potential. By integrating the body, mind and breath bring the student to a place of integration and calm. All levels are welcome.

11:00am - 12:00pm: MEDITATION TIP OF THE WEEK
During this one-hour class, we will learn one unique skill to apply to your practice for the rest of the week. Now more than ever, when our usual supports and routines are being disrupted, we need to nurture ourselves and harness our inherent strength, allowing us to gracefully adapt to change and uncertainty .  CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP
Online Pricing for LiveStream Classes
LiveStream 1 or 1.5 Hour Classes
$15 drop in
Three - 1.5 hr or pranayama class pass for $42
Five -  1.5 hr. or pranayama class pass for $70 includes one free pranayama session

L iveStream 2 Hour Classes
$20 drop in for one 2 hr. class
Three - 2 hr class pass $55
Five - 2 hr class pass for $90 includes one free pranayama session

Home Practice Support Series: Pose a Day
Four 45 minute classes per week
price per week - $45, no drop ins, weekly sign ups only.

Here are some tips to navigate the New LiveStream System:

Bookmark this page. Scroll down to find class. Hit BOOK NOW button. If you have an
auto-renew pass, you will be enrolled or if all your classes are reserving other classes, hit PAY WHEN I ARRIVE. If you do not have an auto renew card, you will prompted to purchase a LiveStream package or drop in.

2. Create an area in your home with a door or wall nearby to practice. Gather yoga props (or home items to substitute such as blanket/towels/chair). If possible, have the equivalent of 2 blocks, 3 blankets, a chair and 1 strap. Find a good viewing location for your laptop or device. Breathe. 

3. You will receive an email 30 minutes before the class with a web link to join a Zoom meeting. (check your inbox, including Junk.) Try to be ready to join the class 10 minutes before it starts. If you are late be patient it may take the teacher awhile to notice you are waiting.

4. Click the link. Download ZOOM, say YES. Hover over the teacher's video box and select PIN or SPOTLIGHT so that video is larger and in the center. You can simply watch and participate in class or allow video so teacher can see you. Your microphone is automatically muted so your noise will not be heard.
Welcome to our monthly Student Spotlight.
April 2020 Edition
featuring Kimberly Fernald

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

We are so fortunate to have such a vibrant community with such creativity and diversity. To celebrate one another, we will publish the student spotlight each month. I hope you enjoy learning more about one another as much as I enjoy getting to know all of you as we explore the gifts of yoga.
Where is the Iyengar Yoga Center
of Western Massachusetts?
Located in the Brushworks Arts & Industry Building in Florence Massachusetts. Enter at the Main East entrance and go up one flight of stairs to the second floor, turn left and you will find Studio 246 right around the corner from Sun Studios. Parking is on the west side of the building at the Elks Lodge parking lot. Take a right into the lot and then park as close as you can to the Arts & Industry Building. There are stairs there to walk up to the front of the building.

Please note: We are a scent-free studio . Please refrain from wearing any perfume or scented lotions to class. Also, we do not allow water bottles in the studio during class. Please leave water bottles in the reception area and valuables at home.
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Iyengar Yoga Center of Western MA 221 Pine St, Studio 246 Florence, MA | 413 341-2434