Who else is not good with transition? We would love some help with ours!

April 18, 2021

Greetings!

I don't know about you, but transitions have always been difficult for me. I have been thinking about this a lot lately in regard to the beginning and ending of a practice. It might be a stretch to think about a yoga class being a microcosm of our lives, but I do truly believe that a steady yoga practice helps with many aspects of coping in this sometimes incredibly turbulent and unsteady world. So, I have been taking a little extra time at the beginning and end of each class to acknowledge the transition away from our daily life and routine and then the return.

The past year has been nothing but extraordinary, unsettling, and sometimes terrifying. It also has evoked a sense of stillness, peacefulness, and yes, even a weird sense of safety. When I was a kid, my mom would keep me home from school a lot. She was lonely and depressed, and wanted my company and my comfort. I remember she would create this incredibly safe and warm space. We would watch movies, eat comfort food, and sleep a lot. It was so hard for me to go back out into the world after these times.

This past year has reminded me of that feeling. Staying home, while boring, was also safer than the world outside. Or at least that is what my subconscious said and still says. So much of what O2 was about before the pandemic now seems unbelievable, and even dangerous: adjustments, occasional hugs, 50 people in a room practicing together, and our teachers walking around giving verbal and hands-on cues. How could that be??

And then there is the simple question of will this ever be "normal" again? I have had so many challenges in my life. And, quite frankly, it can be exhausting having to constantly be resilient. I can honestly say that there have been many times when I just didn't think I could keep going. That said, I cannot and will not give up on what we have built together over the past 20 years.* That is, if you won't give up either. So, I could really use your help in a few ways:

Show up for classes, either online, in-person, or both.
Fill out the short survey described below so we can better understand how to move forward.
Practice regularly, as it makes your nervous system, your mind, and your body healthier, stronger, and, yes, more resilient in order to be able to help others through these difficult transitions.
Be brave and honest with yourself and others about what you are experiencing.
Be kind, patient, and smile with your eyes.

With so much gratitude, love and light,

Mimi

*January 2, 2021 was the 20th birthday of O2 Somerville!

Plans for the Return of In-Person Classes and the Continuation of Online Classes

Here is our short-term plan for re-opening the studio:

All of our staff and teachers will be fully vaccinated.
We will require all in-person students to register online (no walk-ins) and be fully vaccinated to attend in-person classes.
We will follow guidelines from the City of Somerville regarding social distancing and masks.
We will continue with the vast majority of online classes and likely will livestream the in-studio classes.
We are looking to begin in-person classes in late May. We will start with just a handful of classes, and add on as our staff and students get vaccinated and class sizes grow.

Please fill out our brief survey to let us know your thoughts about returning to the studio for in-person classes, and continuing to practice with us online. Thank you to everyone who already has weighed in on social media and taken the survey.

Weekly Online Classes with Our Newest O2 Yoga Teachers

As March turned to April, three graduates from our O2 Yoga Teacher Training Class of 2020-2021 shifted from leading karma classes as teachers-in-training to leading "regular" O2 Yoga classes as certified teachers.

Join Dawn, Jon, and Jimena each week:

Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m. Intermediate with Dawn
Saturdays, 12 p.m. Basics with Jon
Sundays, 4 p.m. Intermediate with Jimena

Sign up via MindBody in advance to receive the Zoom links to join these classes. Monthly memberships, class cards, and drop-ins apply.

Jimena

Jon

Dawn

April Astanga Primary Series Workshop

Tuesday, April 27th

7-8:30 p.m.

$20

Registration link

Join Elliott once per month for a tour through the Astanga primary series. We'll have time before practice to talk through the narrative of the sequence, and after to break down poses and talk about modifications.

This month's workshop will be on Tuesday, April 27th from 7-8:30 p.m. The Zoom link will be sent to registrants 25-30 minutes before the workshop begins.

Pose of the Month

This month we will be focusing on squat pose. There are many variations that require you to be close to the ground with full flexion of the knees. Knee folks, do not despair! As with all of our classes, there will be lots of variations of these poses that do not require the full poses.

XOLO Kitchen Vegan Corner: Ch-Ch-Chuna

One of our most popular items on the VO2 Cafe menu was our chuna (chickpea tuna). I just made a batch today, and it is so good! It is quick, easy, healthy, high in protein, soy-free and nut-free! Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

1/2 sweet onion

2 large celery stalks

2-3 dill pickles, pulsed in the food processor until evenly and finely chopped

1 can chickpeas (drained)*

1/3 cup Vegenaise (use the soy-free version if needed)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon nori flakes (or you can use Trader Joe's Furikake Japanese Seasoning)

Directions:

Pulse all of the ingredients until combined. You can play with the proportions here if you like more or less of something. The seaweed adds flavor, as well as a boost of iodine and micronutrients.

*Save the liquid from the chickpeas to make your own homemade aioli, or other cool recipes. Google aquafaba and you will be surprised at what you can do with this stuff!