Om Shanti! Which is my way of saying peace and welcome. I'm starting this post with my favorite sanskrit phrase because I'm going to write a personal update about yoga. I wrote a post in 2014 about how I was embarking on a new journey to become a certified yoga teacher. Although I've been teaching private yoga sessions to a few friends and classmates, my first group class at a yoga studio is in a few weeks and I couldn't be more excited. The process of becoming a yoga teacher was an experience I will cherish forever. I learned so much beyond studying the asanas (physical poses of yoga) and I can't wait to share everything yoga has taught me with people who attend my classes (or take private yoga sessions with me).
An integral component of my own practice and something I want to share with others through yoga is the idea of treating all people with love and kindness. Yoga teaches us how freeing it is to let go of your ego and do all things with an open heart because that is when we connect most deeply with ourselves and others. Because of this, I've decided to make my first yoga class focused on heart-openers, which are poses that stretch and expand the chest. I'm also donating all of the profits of this class to God's Love We Deliver, a charity which cooks and delivers nutritious meals to those living with critical illness in the New York-Metropolitan area. This particular cause is special to me because of seeing first-hand just how important proper nutrition is to those who are ailing.
If you've never done yoga or if you haven't had a truly enlightening experience, I encourage you to pick up a book on the philosophy of yoga and attend local yoga classes in your area until you find a community that makes you feel at home. Yoga is suitable for all people who wish to expand their consciousness through movement, better understand themselves, feel connected in a community, or for those who simply need to relax.
I plan on writing more about yoga and I will have an even more exciting announcement about yoga/wellness in the future so keep reading.
Update: a previous version of this post has the time, date, and location of my donation-based yoga class. To stay updated with details related to this class, follow vitamin valentine on Facebook and Instagram @vitaminvalentine, as there have been several changes related to this class.
Namaste <3
-Jess
joannegiacomini
I love doing yoga myself. I do about 10-15 minutes worth of stretches after my meditation in the morning, and want to get back to doing a full yoga workout 2 days a week to balance out my Zumba workouts. The two together(meditation and yoga) have helped me become calmer, more focused, and I have developed more muscle strength. I recommend it to all my Mom friends to help build resilience, peace and strength. It is also a great tool to combat anxiety.
Jessie @ Vitamin Valentine
That's awesome! It sounds like you have a great balance of cardio and relaxation 😊
Maddie
Om shanti govinda radhe
Jessie @ Vitamin Valentine
om shanti friend! Hope to see you at my yoga class 🙂