We will leave the light on for you: Plans for February and into the spring at O2 Yoga

January 31, 2021

Greetings!

I don't know about you, I feel like things around me are lighter, brighter, and more stable. There is a newness and steadiness in the air that I, for one, needed desperately. As we look forward to the next few months, I have decided (for my own sanity) to not plan to open the physical studio until June at the earliest. The uncertainty has been incredibly stressful. I applied for a second Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan, and that hopefully will get us through the next few months. And, with that in mind, I am putting my all into improving and expanding our online presence. Take a look below to see what is happening; workshops, free classes with some of our newest teachers, and pop-up classes with some of our "old" (ahem, I mean experienced) beloved teachers like Aileen Wong, Kate Brigham, and Sarah Rose!

When I was interviewed recently by Arun Rath of GBH Radio, he asked me if there were certain poses or elements of the practice that I turned to in times of challenge and difficulty (like the past year and then some.) I have been thinking about that ever since. Yoga practice is about the whole not the parts. It is about steady dedication and focus for long periods of time, not just when things are going well, but especially when they are not. It is easy to get on my mat when I feel good, centered, strong and healthy. The irony is that I need yoga practice less in those times. It is so much more difficult to get on my mat when I feel bleak, exhausted, depressed, and heavy. And, that is when yoga practice is needed most. I feel lucky that I found this practice that feels consistent with who I am, no matter where I am.

I keep learning from my teachers and all of you as we continue down this path together. O2, in all of its forms, has saved my life literally and figuratively. And, I have heard that refrain in various forms from many of you. So, here's to keeping the light on for each other, passing it along when we have a little extra, and letting someone else light our way when we have very little. Here's to a continued steady effort towards adding more light to a world that needs it desperately.

Thanks so much for all of your continued support. We love seeing you, hearing from you, and practicing with you in any way that works for you: in online classes, through the Namastream prerecorded classes, on social media, email, or all of the above.

With so much gratitude, love and light,

Mimi

Free Classes with Members of the O2 Yoga Teacher Training Program

I would like to welcome our newest teachers. They are so new they aren't certified yet! But, that is not going to stop them from showing what they have learned in the O2 Yoga Teacher Training Program. Members of the training program will be teaching five 60-minute Intermediate level classes each week, starting tomorrow, February 1st. These class are offered for free (for now) to allow these bright young things to work out the kinks and practice teaching. I have had the pleasure to take class with each of them. Their classes are straight up, strength-building, O2 Yoga classes!

Mondays, 7 a.m. with Taylor
Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m. with Dawn
Fridays, 7 a.m. with Kimberly
Sundays, 12 p.m. with Jon
Sundays, 4 p.m. with Jimena

Jimena

Jon

Dawn

Kimberly

Workshops on the Horizon

We will be offering two workshops in March. These workshops are electives in our 200-hour teacher training program and are appropriate for existing 200-hour Teachers-in-Training, previously certified Registered Yoga Teachers (RYTs), and students who want to learn more about some of the technical, fun, and behind the scenes aspects of teaching and practicing O2 Yoga.

Contact mimi@o2yoga.com if you have questions.

Modifying O2 Yoga classes for Common Injuries and Pregnancy and All the Ways to Use Props

March 13th-14th

Saturday 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

$195 total for both days

Registration link

Mimi will lead this workshop on how to use props for modifying and varying the practice.

Astanga Second Series and Teaching Advanced Postures

March 19th-20th

Friday 5 p.m.-9 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

$195 total for both days

Registration link

Mimi and Elliott will lead this workshop on Astanga Second Series and teaching advanced postures such as Lotus,

headstand, forearm stand, shoulder stand, and arm balances.

Teacher Guest Appearances

Keep your eyes on our social media and online schedule to see when some of our beloved teachers, Aileen (bottom left), Sarah Rose (right), and Kate (bottom right), will be returning for pop-up classes!

O2 Yoga in the News

Mimi was back on the radio in early January for a follow-up interview with Arun Rath as part of GBH Radio's In It Together. Check out the conversation here, starting at the 16:13 mark.

New Year's Membership Follow-Up

We have been so impressed with seeing you all taking so many classes in this new year! We would love to hear how it has gone for you and if our New Year's special was helpful in building your practice. What can we do to help you keep it up?? Share your stories and feedback with us: info@o2yoga.com.

Building Support, Encouragement, and Community: Prenatal Yoga Classes at O2 Yoga

Join Barrett on Sunday evenings at 7 p.m. for prenatal yoga. Drop-in online prenatal classes are $15 each. After purchasing a drop-in class pass, be sure to then sign up for the particular class you want to attend. We look forward to supporting all of you parents-to-be!

Reflections from Barrett and Prenatal Yoga Students

Sunday night at O2 yoga has been a way station for so many pregnant people over the last 16 years (we started our prenatal class Fall 2004). It’s been a weekly stopping point on the journey towards becoming a parent, and then also for new moms and their babies in our postnatal/new moms classes.

I taught prenatal yoga for 9 years before I became a parent myself, and all those moms who came before and after have been the best cohort of parents to laugh, cry, commiserate and *just be* with. Here, I’ve woven together a few stories, from my own recollections and from a few students, to paint a picture of the studio on Sunday nights.

First, there’s something so positive that immediately washes over me when I step into the studio (and wow, am I missing that during COVID!) It begins with a sense of calm as soon as I step in the door, which I bet is a familiar feeling for many of you regulars! But then comes a sense of purpose and focus. I love that this is a dedicated space for yoga. Nothing else happens in here, but what does happen is really something! Some weeks, in prenatal yoga, it feels like the most important revelations are coming through.

Here is Claire’s remembrance (from 2015 and 2019): "The movement, breathing, and centering of the practice always left me blissfully calm, no matter how I had entered the class. Even in my second pregnancy when hormones made me feel like an emotional wreck, I could come to class and shed a couple of tears on the mat, and then leave that state of mind for a while to just be in the practice.”

One of my favorite things I know is happening in our classes is community. So many students have told me they found their best mom friends in class. Or even better, the kids of the moms in class have become best friends – and it all started at yoga!

Katie (from 2011 and 2014) writes: "Prenatal Yoga with Barrett was such a magical part of my last two pregnancies. In the class I was given the much-needed time, space, and encouragement to slow down and focus on my baby and our connection. Especially with my third pregnancy, when my other two kids were so demanding, this carved out time felt like such a gift. In class, I met women who are now my dear friends, their kids are my son's friends, and our families are a wonderful support to each other."

In prenatal yoga, week by week we can take the time to really think of all the phases of the childbearing year. So often, books and even classes are focused on labor and birth. Now that’s a very important day (or two or three depending on your labor!), but all the days leading up to it and coming after need attention too. One of my goals has always been to incorporate all the parts of our selves into the practice, as well as all the phases of the journey towards parenting. So, we talk about using the practice to help us with the current discomforts of pregnancy, and also give tips and tools for labor and birth, and also start to lay strong foundation for postpartum.

Jen (from 2014 and 2016) writes: "Sunday nights was the 'club' I most looked forward to attending in my week; hearing how other women were doing throughout their pregnancy, learning new tips to handle the sometimes difficulties of carrying, and taking the time to connect with myself and my baby was so restorative for my body, mind, and spirit. I even met a dear friend of mine through class. I took my skills to labor where I used warrior two pose as though I were riding a wave throughout my contractions. Loved, loved, loved prenatal yoga!"

Even now, in virtual practice, I see all these threads come together – support, encouragement and community. We all want to be back in person, but I have so heartened that our virtual practice still provides these necessary ingredients.

Kristen (from 2017 and 2020) writes: "Prenatal yoga was my saving grace during both of my pregnancies for different reasons and under very different circumstances. For my first, I had lived an active lifestyle pre-pregnancy. I felt frustrated having to modify 'regular' yoga and do things differently from the other students in class. I loved that in a prenatal class everything was tailored to what was accessible to and beneficial for me. I returned to prenatal yoga last year as a tired mom of a toddler during a pandemic, confined to my home and missing social connections. After every virtual class I would notice that it was the best I felt physically all week and I appreciated the community aspect more than ever. I was always uplifted after seeing a familiar group of friendly faces and sharing with other moms-to-be."

So, if you, or someone you know, wants to feel good in pregnancy – physically, mentally and emotionally – I hope you’ll consider joining our class. We are mostly local, but always have a few students virtually from out of state too. I *always* look forward to Sunday nights, and I love that the women who join our class look forward to it too. See you on the mat!

- Barrett

XOLO Kitchen Vegan Corner: Grapefruit Icebox Cookies

So, you know when you buy some beautiful fruit and then it just languishes in your fruit basket? Every time I would walk by these two grapefruits (which are in season right now), they would look at me accusingly. "Do not feed us to that pig," they said. (How the hell did they know?!)

Anyway, fruit guilt is a powerful thing. Here is my version of grapefruit icebox cookies. They are so good! They are a nice little bit of sunshine during this chilly time of year. And, just to be clear, I juiced the grapefruit and then guess who got the rest? (Answer below.)

Recipe

Cream together:

3/4 cup plant-based butter (you probably could use coconut oil here instead)

1/2 cup sugar

Add and beat until fluffy:

1/4 cup grapefruit juice

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Mix in:

1 3/4 cups flour

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon each salt, baking powder and baking soda

Put the dough in the fridge for an hour or so. I used a small round scoop to make mine even, but you can also roll into a long tube, wrap in parchment, put in fridge to chill, and then cut them. I was too lazy to do that.

Bake for 11 minutes at 350 degrees. I like my cookies a little underdone, so you can adjust here.

Icing:

Mix together 1 cup powdered sugar and approximately 2 tablespoons grapefruit juice. You want this to be like a thick paste. Mix in 2 tablespoons grapefruit rind or sprinkle on top.

Ice cookies once they are cooled, and enjoy!