In our Bowspring practice we bow our belly forward and up rather than shortening our belly. This allows more space for fluids and breath to move. When we're relaxed our belly is soft and open; when we're moving our belly is long, strong, and toned.

Like the belly we bow our neck forward and up. Our throat is open, long, and extending up toward the crown of our head.

"Bow Your Belly, Open Your Throat" is our mantra this week as we practice. Join us in classes Tuesday and Thursday mornings and Wednesday nights at Matthews Community Center. 

​In keeping with our theme this month of supporting the Rachel's Kindness Matters Movement, we'll remember Williiam Wordsworth's quote about the importance of little kind acts.

We'll practice expanding our arms from a radiant heart. We'll focus on service arms, and we'll assist each other (with kindness from the heart) in some partner poses.
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Join us this week in class. This is the last week to sign up for a service project on December 1 or to make a tax-deductible donation in class to Rachel's Kindness Matters.

"You're ahead of me, striding into the arch of oaks that opens onto the fields
and stone walls of the road--
as a V of geese honk a path overhead, and you stop--
in an instant, without thought, raising your arms toward sky, your hands
flapping from the wrists,
and I can read in the echo your body makes of these wild geese going
where they must,
such joy, such wordless unity and delight, you are once again the child
who knows by instinct, by birthright,
just to be is a blessing..."
from "Moment" by Margaret Gibson

In our Tuesday class this week, this week of Thanksgiving, we'll celebrate the joy of being by raising our V-Vector arms toward the sky. We'll flap our wings like the wild geese, embodying the delight of being.

Join us Tuesday at 9:30am. Drop-ins are $12.
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Photo by Ethan Weil on Unsplash

​One of our primary ways to communicate is through speech. Before we speak we can pause, root ourselves, and examine what we are about to say using...

"The Four Gates of Speech

* Is it truthful?

* Is it necessary to say?

* Is it the appropriate time?

* Can it be said in a kind way?"
from "Anusara Yoga Teacher Training Manual" by John Friend

As part of our month-long celebration of kindness in support of the Rachel's Kindness Matters Movement, this week we'll focus on pausing and rooting ourselves before we speak (or hit the send button). We'll take time to root down through our feet, legs, and hips before we act.

Join us! Bowspring Yoga at Matthews Community Center...

We're celebrating kindness this month as part of our service project for Rachel's Kindness Matters, a movement to promote kindness in the schools in honor of Rachel Lucenius-Schick.

In Bowspring alignment we begin by expanding the ribcage from the center, from the heart. From the heart we push out on the sides, back, and front of the ribs, then lift the whole ribcage higher. We call this "Radiant Heart."

With a radiant heart we can offer kindness to the world. In class this month you'll have opportunities to sign up for service projects, donate to Rachel's Kindness Matters, even purchase a t-shirt or a hoodie as Peg is modeling in this photo. Note how Peg is expanding her back ribs by pushing her arms into the wall.
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Come practice with us this week, the first week of a new 8-week session.