What Are You Thankful for Today?

At Yogi Beans, one of the ways that we end our classes is with a gratitude pass.  During this exercise, every bean is given a chance to express something that s/he is thankful for. This helps our beans look on the bright side of things:  even if you didn’t have the best day, there is still something good to focus on.

Here are a few things that the Yogi Bean is thankful for today …

- A long, holiday weekend!  A chance to re-boot, spend time with family & friends, and get ready for the sweetness of summer.

- Sandals!  Warmer weather means it’s time to wear sandals and spread our Yogi Toes!  In Yogi Beans classes, we emphasize the importance of our feet and toes – they help us balance and keep us grounded and connected to this beautiful earth that we live on!

- Delicious summertime fruits – like fresh strawberries!  Take a trip with your bean to the local farmers market and enjoy all the fresh fruits and veggies that summer has to offer!  It’s important to fill up our bellies with good-for-you foods that provide healthy energy and nutrients to help our bodies stay strong.

- Prenatal Yoga classes!  Connect to the innate wisdom of your body and your baby in a calm, safe and nurturing environment.  We are fortunate enough to have the amazing Jennilyn Carson teaching these new weekly classes at our studio, so be sure to check out our schedule online.

- Summer-time classes and retreats at the Yogi Beans Studio!  Yogi Beans is holding a full schedule of classes this summer, as well as 90-minute retreats that include yoga, an art project and a healthy snack.  Bring your bean to a class to help them relax and wind down from a stressful and busy school year.

There is always something to be thankful for. What are YOU thankful for today?

Have a happy, safe, and relaxing holiday weekend!

- The Yogi Bean

Let the Sun Shine In!

As the summer approaches, and the days get longer, I am reminded of how grateful I am for the sunshine.  The sun now sets at around 8:00pm and that gives us and our beans more time to be outside playing, rather than inside on the couch.  Such a wonderful thing!

Each day in our Yogi Beans classes, we complete our Sun Salutations.  This helps our beans begin to show their appreciation for the sun and think about why we are thankful for it … the warmth it gives us, the light it shines on us, and the energy and life that the sun gives to the earth so graciously.

“Even after all this time the sun never says to the earth, “you owe me.” Look what happens with a love like that. It lights the whole sky.” ~Hafiz of Shiraz

The sun never asks for anything in return.  It just gives to the earth all that it is capable of.  This can help us to teach our beans about giving, rather than receiving.  The act of giving can make us feel just as good – or even better – than getting something in return.   We can light up our own lives by being gracious and giving to those in need.

Have a beautiful day and enjoy the sunshine!

- The Yogi Bean

A Beautiful Reminder …

“A child can teach an adult three things: to be happy for no reason, to always be busy with something, and to know how to demand with all his might that which he desires”

… A beautiful reminder of how very much the little beans in our lives can teach us!

I challenge you to take a moment each day and step into the mind of a child. Stop rushing from one thing to the next.  Giggle just because it feels good.  Enjoy some ice cream.  Draw with crayons.  Believe in your dreams with all your might.

Kids are incredible.  As adults, we tend to complicate things.  Take a moment to just enjoy the little things with your little beans!

Yogi Beans’ Studio’s First Month!

We have ended March and the last days of our free month of Yogi Beans classes. It has been a super fulfilling month, and we were able to meet many new beans and their parents, grandparents and caregivers.  The studio space was well received by so many parents!  Our hard work paid off in creating a space that is serene and comfortable for adults, while still maintaining a childlike feel.

One of the most rewarding experiences about this past month of free classes was seeing all the little beans who are returning to class week after week expressing their newfound love of yoga.  It’s so nice to hear parents coming over to me after class to say their son or daughter practices all the yoga poses they learned at home, and talks about their Yogi Beans class all the time!  In only four short weeks I was able to see such progress in so many of our new little beans!

A Spring In Your Step!

Crocuses in Central Park

Today, New Yorkers got their first taste of spring!  Central Park was packed with people walking, cycling and simply lying on the grass soaking in the warm weather.   After a wonderful day of teaching classes at our new studio, it was an absolute delight to walk home around 5:00pm with still an abundance of daylight and people outside.  As we strolled through the Park I noticed crocuses and daffodils in full bloom!  Spring is one of my favorite seasons: it evokes a sense of rebirth, rejuvenation, and an all around uplifting feeling.

I love asking lil’ beans what they notice around them as the new season unfolds.  One of my most favorite answers came from a little girl who told the class that she noticed a yellow flower “with a horn in the middle.”  It took me a moment, and then I realized she was talking about a daffodil!  It’s such a perfect description, and the way a child sees the world always amazes and inspires me!   Enjoy the changes in nature that come with this season.  Ask your lil’ beans  what they see and how they feel now that spring has finally sprung!

The Present is a Gift

One of the greatest gifts of teaching little yogi beans has been the opportunity to consistently meet new children. I am often amazed by children’s unique personalities, and find myself learning from them all the time. They teach me to be open to new ideas and remind me to stay in the present moment.

I try to begin each class in a calm and open state of mind. There have been times when the bus took too long or the train was delayed, and I had to rush to get to a class. These were opportunities for me to practice remaining present. Before I began teaching, I consciously slowed down my breathing and reminded myself that the stress of getting to class was over and now it was time to be in the moment.

Now

Although I like to write out a lesson plan for each class, I find that I very rarely follow it completely. Being open and receptive to the children’s energy each day allows them to contribute to the class and makes for a much more rewarding experience for everyone. There are times when I find myself spontaneously leading a fun new activity based on the children’s creativity. For example, this week one student suggested that we do a “Yoga Scavenger Hunt”. It turned out to be a fun way to mindfully search for different props and practice our poses. Being present with the children allowed this exciting new idea to surface.

Children are so intuitive and aware, and working with them each day allows me to deepen my yoga practice. If I ever get off track and find myself worrying about the past or fearing the future, I can be certain a little bean will remind me that “the now” is what’s important!

There’s No Place Like a NEW Home!

We are so excited that we have finally found a new home for the Yogi Beans studio! Our new studio will be located at 1018 Lexington Avenue at 73rd street.    

It’s an interesting story how we came upon this space. Back in June we saw 1018 Lex when there wasn’t even a “For Rent” sign in the window.  After a little research we found a broker who was able to show us the space.  The moment we walked inside we fell in love.  Something about this space seemed so right for Yogi Beans.  We put in our offer and were told the landlord was on vacation for a month.  (It was June so he must have been taking his summer vacation.)  In July, our broker got back to us and said that the building was being sold and the offer was no longer on the table.  To our disappointment, we moved forward and looked at various other spaces.   It was a tedious process as each new space seemed to have something wrong with it.  Seven months later in December we received an email from the same broker informing us that 1018 Lexington was back on the market.  We were in negotiations for another space a few blocks north, and right before closing the deal feel through – again!

1018 Lexington just kept coming back to us and this time it was for real!  Our studio search was a true lesson in patience and persistence. After four brokers, three leases and seven long months we couldn’t be happier with our new home.  Our new space boasts two studios, wall-to-ceiling windows, and is in close proximity to many schools and child-friendly stores (Mary Arnold Toys, Giggle and Zbaby just to name a few).  We are feeling very grateful and excited to welcome you into our new home!

Construction begins this week and our doors open March 5th.  We will be offering an entire month of FREE classes so check out our schedule and please stop in and say Namaste!   

Happy 2012! Tapas is More Than Just Appetizers…

Welcome 2012!  A new year, a new beginning!

As with many beginnings, there is a sense of starting anew, a clean slate.  Many of us begin the New Year committed to making changes in our lives that will promote our health and well-being.  These intentions are usually wholehearted and sincere.  However, by the time February rolls around, many of us fall back into our previous habits.  What we promised to ourselves for 2012 can often get lost in the daily grind.

In yoga philosophy, there is a concept called tapas.  Tapas is self-discipline.  It is one of the five niyamas (moral observances for interactions with yourself) and it teaches us the value of commitment to ourselves in order to purify our body, mind and soul.  The more you practice tapas, the better you get at it!  I find it helpful to remind myself about tapas a few weeks into the New Year when I may feel disconnected from 2012 intentions or resolutions. (feigning that sugary treat or going to grab that cup of coffee!) Instilling tapas takes hard work, though, that is not necessarily a bad thing.

Talking about discipline with kids is usually an interesting and insightful discussion.  I like to first ask our little beans what they think about the word.  This was an idea shared with me by one of Yogi Beans’ instructors, Sarita, and I loved it so much that I quite often incorporate it into my classes.  I ask the children if discipline has a negative or positive connotation.   Do they think it’s a good or bad thing?  The conversation will eventually lead to the importance of self-discipline.  For example, one Yogi Bean participant said that being neat takes self-discipline. It is hard for her to do; yet she feels better when she does it.  This dedication and hard work is tapas!  I encourage you to ask your little bean what discipline means for them and how they feel about the word self-discipline.

Wishing you all a happy and healthy New Year filled with Love, Light, Peace and Tapas!

An Interesting Juxtaposition for the Holidays…

The holiday season is now upon us!

It’s an interesting juxtaposition in that on Thanksgiving we spend the day immersed in gratitude expressing how thankful we are for all that we have in our lives. The following day, Black Friday, we go out and are willing to trample over another human in order to get the deal we want. Now, believe me, I love a good sale and I am not ashamed to admit shopping as a favorite pastime (who doesn’t love the Barneys Warehouse Sale or a great deal at Century 21!) However, that said, my yoga practice has definitely taught me to reflect on my “wants” for a new pair of jeans or a new boot, when I already have half a dozen pair of jeans in my closet and my boots from last season are holding up just fine. Why do we always want more? When is it ever enough?

In yoga philosophy there is a word called aparigraha. Aparigraha is one of the five yamas (moral codes), and is the Sanksrit word for greedlessness or non-grasping. Aparigraha means to take what is truly necessary and no more. The holiday season is a wonderful time to practice aparigraha. Now, I am not trying to be a Scrooge or take the joy out of the holiday season…I am just adding a little more mindfulness when the lists of what we want begin to accumulate.

Instead of creating a list of all the toys we want, try asking your little beans to create a list of what they are going to give. Another idea is to ask your Yogi Bean to choose one gift off of their list to give away to a child in need. You can also try hanging up two lists on your refrigerator door: one is a Thanksgiving list, which shows us all the things we are thankful for; and the other is our holiday list. Looking at the two lists side-by-side can certainly help children and adults alike realize that we usually have all that we truly need, and the most appreciable gifts are not those bought in stores!

Wishing you and your family a happy and healthy holiday season filled with love, laughter and aparigraha!

Gratitude Adjustment

We are in the swing of Fall! 

Most of us have adjusted to our school schedules and the crisp air is a delight.  With Thanksgiving just around the corner, it is wonderful time to take pause and think about what we are grateful for in our lives.  Explaining the notion of gratitude to children is an important concept that can help turn a frown upside doChild - Thank Youwn. You can easily explain that the word “gratitude” is another way to say “thankful.”  Personally, when I find myself in a state of agitation or complaining (waiting for the bus that never shows…), I remind myself to stay connected to gratitude. Even though the bus may be late I remind myself that I am lucky the bus stop is fairly close to my apartment, and I am even more grateful that I have a means of transportation to get me where I need to go. When we stay connected to a state of gratitude we can usually uplift our spirits even in the most dismal of situations.

Try asking the little yogibean in your life what he or she is grateful for (this is an especially useful practice when you notice a state of agitation or discontent coming on.)  It is totally acceptable to be grateful for one’s toys or video games; however, also ask your little yogibean if they are grateful for certain people or non-material items.  Explain that we can be grateful for the simplest of things; for example, the tree outside our window with its changing leaves, the yummy snack packed in our lunch box, or the hug we received on the way to school this morning.  You can also try making a Gratitude Calendar, writing something you are grateful for each day.

Staying connected to a state of gratitude keeps things in perspective and reminds us how much we have to be thankful for this season - no matter how old we are!