Yoga studio
Mindful Difference, Therapeutic Yoga

New early-winter yoga workshops- all on Zoom. Let me know if you are interested. All start next week! Very Slow-Gentle Flow Yoga - Mondays 6:15-7:30pm. Classes meet 1/4, 1/11, 1/18/, 1/25, 2/1, and 2/8 A gentle asana (posture) practice where we flow slowly. The beginning and end of this class will be slow and gentle allowing everyone a stiller practice that many bodies crave this time of year. $75/online-live, $55/video only... Gentle Yoga and Strength - Tuesdays Noon-1:15pm. Classes meet 1/5, 1/12, 1/19, 1/26, 2/2, and 2/9 This class will blend a gentle asana practice with strength building exercises to improve muscle tone and endurance. We will regularly use small hand weights (2-12 lbs range) and therabands. $75/online-live, $55/video only. Myofascial Release and Restorative Yoga - Wednesdays 5:15pm-6:15pm. Classes meet 1/6, 1/13, 1/20, 1/27, 2/3 and 2/10 This class will be an hour of myofascial release using a foam roller and balls (tennis, golf, racket, lacrosse) and gentle, restorative asanas mostly done seated, lying down or with the support of a chair. We will roll out a muscle (gorup) and then stretch the same area. Each pose will be held longer than in a conventional class and use props to support the body with the hope that you will end each session relaxed and restored. $75/online-live, $55/video only. You will need a foam roller, balls, bolster and yoga props for this class. (I have a couple full length, high density- black- foam rollers for $25, if you are local). Discounts: 10% discount if you sign up for 2 or 3 workshops Workshops require 3 people total to run. Please email me to register or with questions. Make sure you include information about which workshops you are interested in. I am also available for small group and individual sessions. In the last few months I have done several online classes for families and friends who aren't able to interact in person. I have also done sessions for sports teams and study groups. Let me know if I can be of any help.

I have new workshops beginning next week. Please let me know if you are interested in signing up for anything. Very Slow-Gentle Flow Yoga with a focus on Mindfulness Tools - Mondays 6:15-7:30pm. Classes meet 10/12, 10/19, 1026, 11/2, 11/9, and 11/16. A gentle asana (posture) practice where we flow slowly. The beginning and end of this class will be a very slow and gentle allowing everyone a stiller practice that many bodies crave this time of year. $75/online-live, $55/vid...eo only Gentle Yoga and Strength - Tuesdays Noon-1:15pm. Classes meets 10/13, 10/20, 10/27, 11/3, 11/10, 11/17, This class will blend a gentle asana practice with strength building exercises to improve muscle tone and endurance. We will regularly use small hand weights (2-12 lbs range) and therabands. $75/online-live, $55/video only. Restorative Yoga - Wednesdays 5:15pm-6:15pm. Classes meet 10/14, 10/21, 11/4, 11/11, 11/18 (Please note there is no class on 10/28) This class will be an hour of gentle, restorative asanas mostly done seated, lying down or with the support of a chair. Each pose will be held longer than in a conventional class and use props to support the body with the hope that you will end each session relaxed and restored. $65/online-live, $55/video only. ($12/$10 Discounts for currently enrolled students to accommodate makeup class 10/14) Discounts: 10% discount if you sign up for 2 workshops 15% discount if you sign up for 3 workshops Space will be limited in the online-live options and require 3 people total to run. Please email me to register or with questions. Make sure you include information about which workshops you are interested in. I am also available for small group and individual sessions. In the last few months I have done several online classes for families and friends who aren't able to interact in person. I have also done sessions for sports teams and study groups. Let me know if I can be of any help.

The summer workshops were so successful, I am running a second series before the fall. Let me know if you are interested. Very Slow-Gentle Flow Yoga with a focus on Mindfulness Tools - Mondays 6:15-7:30pm. Classes meet 8/24, 8/31, 9/14, 9/21, 10/5 A gentle asana (posture) practice where we flow slowly. Each week I will introduce a mindfulness tool at the beginning of class. I will reference back to this tool again and again as we practice and incorporate it into the slow flo...w. (Please note this class does not run on continuous Monday's. There is no class on Labor Day and Yom Kippur) $70/online-live, $55/video only Gentle Yoga and Strength - Tuesdays Noon-1:15pm. Classes meets 8/25, 9/1, 9/8, 9/15, 9/22, 9/29 This class will blend a gentle asana practice with strength building exercises to improve muscle tone and endurance. We will regularly use small hand weights (2-12 lbs range) and therabands. $70/online-live, $55/video only. Restorative Yoga - Wednesdays 5:15pm-6:15pm. Classes meet 8/26, 9/2, 9/9, 9/16, 9/23, 9/30 This class will be an hour of gentle, restorative asanas mostly done seated, lying down or with the support of a chair. Each pose will be held longer than in a conventional class and use props to support the body with the hope that you will end each session relaxed and restored. $70/online-live, $55/video only. Discounts: 20% discount if you sign up for all 3 workshops 15% discount if you sign up for 2 workshops Space will be limited in the online-live options and require 3 people to run. Please email me to register or with questions. Make sure you include information about which workshops you are interested in. I am also available for small group and individual sessions. In the last few months I have done several online classes for families and friends who aren't able to interact in person. I have also done sessions for sports teams and study groups. Let me know if I can be of any help.

Summer Workshops! Gentle Yoga with a focus on Meditation and Mindfulness Tools - Mondays 5:15pm-6:30pm. Classes meet 7/6, 7/13, 7/20, 7/27, 8/3, 8/10 A long, gentle asana (posture) practice. Each week will explore a different mindfulness tool to use during the practice. Handouts on the mindfulness tools will be sent via email after classes. $70/online-live, $50/video only... Gentle Yoga and Strength - Tuesdays Noon-1:15pm. Classes meet 7/7, 7/14, 7/21, 7/28, 8/4, 8/11 This class will blend a gentle asana practice with strength building exercises to improve muscle tone and endurance. We will regularly use therabands. $70/online-live, $50/video only. (Optional theraband kit mailed to you $15) Restorative Yoga - Wednesdays 5:15pm-6:15pm. Classes meet 7/8, 7/15, 7/22, 7/29, 8/5, 8/12 This class will be an hour of gentle, restorative asanas mostly done seated and lying down. Each pose will be held longer than in a conventional class, use props to support the body with the hope that you will end each session relaxed and restored. $60/online-live, $50//video only. Alignment Workshop with a very gentle flow - Thursdays Noon-1:15pm. Classes meet 7/9, 7/16, 7/23, 7/30, 8/6, 8/13 Each week will explore the alignment of a few yoga asanas. Each pose will be done from the floor/foundation up and explored for the horizontal and diagonal lines it creates. Each class will conclude with a slow, gentle flow of the poses explored, followed by a slow transition into savasana. $70/online-live, $50 video only. Discounts: 20% discount if you sign up for 3 or more workshops 15% discount if you sign up for 2 workshops 50% off 1 hour private yoga therapy session with any registration. ($40 value) Space will be limited in the online-live options and require 3 people to run. Please email me to register or with questions. Make sure you include information about which workshops you are interested in and any extras like the thera-band kit or a private session. I am also available for small group and individual sessions. In the last few months I have done several online classes for families and friends who aren't able to interact in person. I have also done sessions for sports teams and study groups. Let me know if I can be of any help.

When the world feels complicated and chaotic, I shift back to the most basic and profound mindfulness tools, breath and groundedness- the things that hold me centered in my body and tethered to the earth. I've been seeing clients virtually since March.When the world feels complicated and chaotic, I shift back to the most basic and profound mindfulness tools, breath and groundedness- the things that hold me centered in my body and tethered to the earth. I've been seeing clients virtually since March.

Six weeks ago today, I taught my first yoga class on Zoom. This morning I had 50 people show up for a Gentle Hatha class. It has been a challenging and surreal experience to live in our current world. These classes and the people who show up are a highlight to my day. If you are interested in joining us they are at 9am PST M-F. Gentle M/T/Th, Vinyassa-flowing W/F. Send me a message and I will get you the information. I think we will be here awhile longer.

I will continue to offer yoga classes through April (and beyond if the world remains closed) via Zoom. Classes are Monday-Friday at 9am PST. Gentle Hatha M/T/Th Vinyassa (flowing) W/F... All are welcome. Donations accepted, but not required. Message me if you want more information.

(Online Yoga Offerings) Yoga friends, Friend-friends, First and most importantly I hope this finds you well. I hope that both your body is healthy and slowly adjusting to its changing routine and that you are finding ways to cultivate moments of calm and acceptance for the so many unknowns in the world right now. ... Yoga and the mindfulness practices it teaches are a wonderful way to keep both your body and mind well. If you are missing your group practice or if you have never/rarely practiced, but think yoga might help you right now I am trying to find ways to help. Starting Tuesday, 3/17 I will be offering five yoga classes a week via Zoom (a videoconferencing website). This is a new format for me and I hope that if you are interested you will be patient as we both learn new things. I will teach the following classes this week at Tuesday, 9:00am PST Gentle Hatha Wednesday, 9:00am PST Slow Vinyassa (flowing) Thursday, 9:00am PST Gentle Hatha Friday, 9am PST Vinyassa a bit more powerful than Wednesday) The following weeks, I hope to add a class on Monday. I will determine the format later this week as I see who is interested and participating. I believe I can share classes with people to watch/do later if the time is not good for you. (Again I'm working on my Zoom learning curve it might take a few days for this to work). I suggest people donate $20 for the 2+ weeks of classes in March. More is welcome. And if that is to much for you, you are still more than welcome to yoga with us! If you are interested, please message me with your email address. I will send you a Zoom invite. If you want to make a donation let me know and I will send you a Square invoice. (A mailed ckeck would work to). I need to enter an amount on the invoices, so please let me know what you would like to donate. But again, your health and mental wellbeing are more important to me than a donation. I hope to see you on my screen soon. Please feel free to pass this onto anyone you think might be interested. Sending love to you and all the world right now, Tara Atkinson Mindfulness Difference Therapeutic Yoga PS. I am also offering online Yoga Therapy and Personal Training sessions. So if you need something specific like 1-to-1 yoga/anxiety/breath work or a jump start into how to work out at home with body weight exercises please reach out. More on this later this week.

Who wants to learn to fall safely? Occasionally I get off my yoga mat and teach this. Yes, I get older folks with canes and walkers. But, I also have had competitive senior skiers, trail runners, those fit and agile in their 5th and 6th decade who figure this is the best time to practice good falling techniques. Falling well takes practice, practice, practice and that is what we do with big and small gymnastic mats to catch us.

Free advice Friday: Question: So, I am attempting to get as flexible as possible, I am already doing yoga each morning for 30 mins. but am trying to find the quickest way to be more flexible. but It is a bit difficult to find out what to start doing My Answer: ... A few thoughts.... *Though one can certainly get lots more flexibility in yoga, part of what yoga is about, as well, is acceptance for all this is (frequently that includes acceptance for the body we have in all sorts of ways). *Getting flexible in one part of the body/muscle/muscle group isn't going to change another part very much. So... Lots of hamstring stretching will help the hamstrings but not the chest. *To truly gain flexibility you have to relax into the stretch you are doing. Often we want something so much that we push it. When we push into a stretch the muscle contracts. (Think of holding a a tight fist and then trying to stretch the fingers. It doesn't work!) *A good gauge for "are you relaxing?" Is can you breathe slowly and deeply into the stretch you are making. *Once you are in a stretch and relaxing/breathing well into it, to gain the most flexibility, you want to hold it for a minute or more. (That said it is hard to relax and watch a clock, so I would recommend holding a stretch for 8-15 slow deep breaths.) If you have a yoga question, message me. I will try to answer another one next Friday.

https://www.bbc.com//yoga-in-schools-has-profound-impact-o

https://shutupandyoga.com/breaking-yogas-alignment-stereot/

This is what we are working on in all my yoga classes today and tomorrow - getting up and down with good posture and alignment with a focus on the strength and flexibility required. A good read even if you can't make it. https://www.npr.org//lost-art-of-bending-over-how-other-cu

Yogis- Hillary Clinton and alternate nostril breathing. It works! https://www.facebook.com/cnn/videos/10157309938711509/

A new study reports the rhythm of your breathing can influence neural activity that enhances memory recall and emotional judgement. http://neurosciencenews.com/memory-fear-breathing-5699/