Shelburne Falls Yoga

Friday morning class is ON! 1/27

2012-01-27T04:02:00.001-08:00

See you soon!

2012-01-09T10:31:00.000-08:00

Sloppy Journalism? TALK BACK!

Did you see the article appearing recently in the New York Times Magazine discussing the dangers of yoga? Below is my reply to the editor about this misleading and narrow-minded article. Though it won't likely be printed, I wanted to share this with those of you who might have concerns about what you read:

Thank you for your provocative and informative article about the dangers of yoga, “All Bent out of Shape”, appearing in the January 8^thmagazine. As a full time yoga teacher and studio owner dedicated to helping students heal from and prevent injury, I appreciated the cautionary tales from students and teachers who suffered at the hands of overzealous and undereducated instructors.

However, I’d like to point out one important distinction missing from your article; as one might expect in a practice that has developed over a period of thousands of years, schools of yoga vary widely. In fact, though they often use the same names for yoga postures, the approach in teaching and practicing these postures can be as different as night and day. William Broad focuses his article on a particular approach to Iyengar Yoga, one school of many, and the practices and experiences he describes bear no resemblance to the gentle, awareness and safety based approach that so many teachers and practitioners enjoy today.

The dangers he discusses are real but also very much understood by a large number of teachers from a wide range of traditions. If teacher Glenn Black received a lukewarm reception to his talk about the dangers of yoga, I would suspect it was due not to the fact that “people don’t like to hear that” but to the fact that most of those in attendance wouldn’t dream of using the kinds of tactics that were so injurious to him.

I was saddened by both the author and his subjects’ inability to distinguish between the many types of yoga available today but also a bit amused by it. Black’s advice to avoid yoga sounded as inane as advising people to stop walking altogether simply because striding unaware over a bed of hot coals can cause a burn. How about taking the time to look at where you are treading instead?

Kate S. Pousont

Director, Shelburne Falls Yoga

1 Deerfield Ave. Shelburne Falls MA 01370

413-475-2441

Schedule Updates

2012-01-09T10:26:00.000-08:00

A few updates for the winter schedule:

Zumba will not meet for the remainder of January. Zumba will resume in February on Wednesday evenings at 6. Please join us!

Morning yoga WILL meet on Mon. Jan. 16. Kate is training at Kripalu and the class will be taught by Cordelia McKusick, a delightful Kripalu teacher. Come and say hello to Cordelia! Jody will be away for the holiday so there will be NO morning cardio or noon pilates.

The Yoga Freedom Project. Please join us!

2012-01-05T08:02:00.000-08:00

The Yoga Freedom Project

at Shelburne Falls Yoga

with Robert Markey and Kate Pousont

Saturday Jan. 28 4-5pm, suggested donation $5-$25

Add your voice to those around the world calling for an end to modern-day slavery and human trafficking. Join us for an all-levels yoga class taught by SFY director Kate Pousont with sitar accompaniment by Robert Markey. All proceeds go to the Somaly Mam foundation, one of the primary organizations in the world working to stop trafficking and to help survivors. After class, view and discuss Robert’s latest paintings of children from Brazil and Cambodia.

Psychotherapy and Yoga Psychotherapy now offered in the treatment rooms at Shelburne Falls Yoga. Welcome Jess Kuttner!

2012-01-05T07:53:00.001-08:00

Jess Kuttner is a Registered Yoga Teacher and Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker. Jess completed her yoga teacher training at Karuna in Northampton and holds an MSW from Simmons School of Social Work. While in graduate school Jess was given Amy Weintraub’s book “Yoga for Depression” which sparked her interest in the applications of yoga in psychotherapy. Jess believes deeply in the power of yoga to offer a pathway towards healing. Jess has received training on yoga therapy at Kripalu where she studied with Amy Weintraub, Bo Forbes, and Gary Kraftsow. Additionally, Jess has completed trainings on yoga and the treatment of trauma at the Trauma Center in Brookline, and applications of yoga in clinical social work through B.U. School of Social Work.

Jess has over 12 years of experience in the counseling field. She has worked in a diverse range of settings including a domestic violence shelter, an inpatient adolescent psychiatry unit, public schools, a therapeutic boarding school for troubled adolescents, and outpatient psychotherapy centers. Jess has experience treating anxiety, depression, PTSD, relationship/couples distress, parenting struggles, grief and loss, and oppositional defiant disorder. Jess starts from the belief that each client has a self that is larger than their symptoms. With compassion and patience, Jess helps clients identify their strengths and to move through whatever pain has brought them to counseling in order to meet their goals. Jess uses a variety of counseling techniques, such as: mindfulness, cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, and dialectal behavior therapy. Most recently Jess developed a practice at a local therapeutic school offering yoga psychotherapy sessions for students. These sessions combined traditional psychotherapy methods with breathing techniques, guided relaxation and restorative yoga postures.

Jess is very excited to be offering psychotherapy and yoga psychotherapy sessions at Shelburne Falls Yoga. She accepts many different insurance plans for sessions. Please contact Jess if you are interested in a free phone consultation to decide if working with Jess would be beneficial for you. jkuttner@gmail.com (413)522-9732

Holiday Greetings from Kate Pousont and Shelburne Falls Yoga

2011-12-16T08:53:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

The other evening while walking through the fields and forests behind my home, I came to rest on a fallen log and began to survey the scene with all the yoga-inspired attention to detail that such a setting deserves. As my eyes lifted upward to the still partially sunlit sky, my gaze rested on the moon; half full, luminous white, and suspended above as if emerging from some mysterious faintly blue haze. I couldn't help but wonder what it must have been like to live in a time before we humans thought we had all the answers. I imagined never having learned anything of moon's mass, physical make-up, or distance from the earth. It was a simple yet awe inspiring experience.

A beloved teacher of mine, Devarshi Steven Hartman, discusses the danger of thinking we have it "all figured out", that we know all the answers. He aptly points out that the human habit of judging others comes from a false sense of "knowing it all" about a person or situation when, in fact, we often know as little about the people around us as we do about the true nature of the moon above us. How easy it is to hold on to our beliefs about the world, about others, about ourselves. There is great comfort to be had in the stories we and our culture create to make sense of ourselves and the world around us. But how often do these stories speak to the true nature of the object of our observation? How often do they lead us to a true sense of who we really are?

For an answer I, as have generations of yogis before me, turn to the Bhagavad Gita. The Gita was written around the start of the Common Era and is one of the most widely read yogic texts (it was favored by both Emerson and Thoreau, and Gandhi discovered the Gita through the transcendentalists' works).

The Bhagavad Gita, through a beautiful, clear, compelling, and very human story of struggle, provides a road map for a deeper understanding of the true nature of our selves. It ultimately leads us to an understanding that each of us has, at our core, a unique and untouchable essence that exists separately from our experiences, our thoughts, our bodies, our struggles. It is this essence that a yoga practice seeks to strengthen.

Whether we believe as some do that this core essence represents spirit or soul, or whether it is more simply a convergence of breath, body, and mind that is greater than the sum of its parts, yoga leads us beyond the limiting ideas we so often hold about ourselves and toward the fullest possible expression of our own individual gifts, talents, and joys.

In the practice of yoga our tools are simple ones, body, mind, breath, and intention working in union toward a greater whole, but the results can be profound and varied. From greater lung capacity, increased strength and flexibility, and a better ability to calm and focus the mind to a growing awareness of our unique purpose in life, yoga can help us grow the skills we need to experience ourselves, others, and our surroundings with a sense of appreciation and clarity.

It is in this clarity that the moon, the world around us, our loved ones, and our selves begin to shine more brightly.

Peace,
Kate

2011-12-05T07:42:00.001-08:00

Greetings!

It's the season of thanksgiving and yogis everywhere are talking about gratitude. Did you know that the simple act of choosing to view the world with gratitude and compassion creates an immediate and measurable change in brain and heart function as well as in the breath? With this choice comes an opportunity for synchronicity; an alignment of the oscillating systems of the body and an accompanying sense of relaxation and well-being result. Both science and experience continue to speak to the simple yet profound power of intention.

I was recently reading an entertaining (and illuminating) 1950's copy of a farming and rural living magazine and, embedded in an article about old Maine woodsmen, found these words by Douglas Jerrold: "Troubles are like babies, they only grow by nursing". Those who have studied yoga philosophy understand the truth in this statement and in the opposite side of the equation as well; our higher capacities such as love, compassion, and gratitude are grown in the same way, through care and conscious attention.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving I have a bit of gratitude of my own to offer:

Thanks so much to all of you, far and near, who've been an integral part of growing, shaping, and maintaining the community that is Shelburne Falls Yoga. To my teachers (and my teacher's teachers), thank you for sharing your studies, gifts, and experiences and giving me the tools to shape my own experiences into a unique expression of Kripalu Yoga. And, to those of you who have chosen to make my class a regular part of your weekly routine, it's been a joy to guide you on your own journey of growth and discovery.

If you haven't yet ventured into the studio, please do. There's always a space and mat available for you regardless of how long it's been or how often you can attend!

Thanks and Happy Holidays,

Kate

Relax, Heal, & Celebrate Community at Shelburne Falls Yoga

2011-10-11T07:17:00.001-07:00

A few changes for the fall schedule

2011-09-26T12:14:00.000-07:00

Dear Students,
The Tuesday evening Yoga for Peace and Thursday's Early Bird Yoga will be on hiatus for the remainder of the fall. Early Bird Yoga will continue to meet on Tuesday mornings at 7:00--hope to see you there.
Happy Fall!
Kate

No class on Sunday August 28

2011-08-26T18:42:00.000-07:00

Class will not meet this Sunday due to the Tropical Storm forecast for the weekend. Saturday morning's class will meet as usual. Hope to see you there!

Bridging Form and Expression: A Workshop for Dancers and Movers with Paul Dennis and Kate Pousont, August 20 and 21

2011-07-26T12:25:00.000-07:00

A tw0-day workshop of yoga and dance exploring our internal landscapes and the role of movement as a medium of expression and communication. Suitable for movers and dancers of all levels, the workshop includes daily classes in yoga, modern and contemporary movement modes, and exploratory ballet technique. Attend on Saturday for $75 or both days for $150. Classes will begin at 9:00 on Saturday and end by 5:00 on Sunday afternoon.

Please call Kate at 413-475-2441 to register. Visit Shelburne Falls Yoga on Facebook for more information about the workshop and presenters.

Yoga will meet on May 30. See below for other cancellations.

2011-05-26T05:32:00.000-07:00

Dear Students,

We will have 8:30 yoga on May 30, but early morning fitness will be cancelled. Dance classes, including dance and stretch on Monday evenings, have concluded for the summer and will be resuming in September.

George's Tuesday evening Yoga for Peace will also be cancelled this week.

Please come to class on Saturday morning to say farewell to Thom as he heads off for Chicago. Saturday will be Thom's last class with us at Shelburne Falls Yoga. If you missed our Monday performance, come to see Thom and Kate perform their movement duet on Saturday morning immediately following dynamic yoga class!

best wishes,

Kate

Monday Feb 7 fitness class canceled

2011-02-07T03:15:00.000-08:00

Jody is sick so today's early morning fitness class is canceled.

Weds Morning and evening classes cancelled for FEB 2

2011-02-02T05:06:00.000-08:00

Due to snow. Please check with Kate to see about the noon class.

Fitness Class Canceled

2011-01-18T04:13:00.000-08:00

Tuesday Jan 18 fitness class canceled due to bad weather.

Working with the Eight Limbs of Yoga

2011-01-14T11:50:00.000-08:00

by Kate Pousont

The First Limb: The Yamas

Those of us who have been practicing yoga for any length of time have likely encountered the familiar postures and breath techniques included in a traditional yoga class. But these elements represent just two limbs of the eight-limbed path of yoga outlined by the yogic scholar Patanjali, who lived sometime around the start of the Common Era. In addition to Asana (postures) and Pranayama (breath control), this eight limbed path includes three states of meditation, control of the senses, and a set of practices known as the Yamas and the Niyamas. These practices are meant to lay the foundation for a complete yoga practice and lead to a deeper experience of self-realization. Through the use of the eight limbs, a student of yoga works toward removing the obstructions that prevent us from experiencing our natural state of wellness and health.

In our Friday morning yoga class we have begun an exploration of the Yamas. Traditionally yoga students began working on this first limb before learning the postures, but, through the ages, students of yoga have come to explore the eight limbs simultaneously. The Yamas include the following five practices:

Ahimsa: avoiding all forms of violence toward self and others- practicing compassion, patience, and a sense of worth.

Aparigraha: non-attachment to possessions and relationships- creating inner fulfillment.

Asteya: non-stealing- respect for the talents and objects of others, and letting go of desires for talents or objects you do not have.

Bramacharya: moderation- management and balancing of sensual cravings and responsible use of energy.

Satya: truth-to refrain from acts of deception or dishonesty. (Kripalu Yoga Teacher’s Manual 2006, 2.8)

Working with the Yamas can be as simple as remaining aware of one of these observances during a class, practice, or over the course of the week. Notice which of these speaks to you and how you respond to a relevant situation that arises in your life or in your yoga practice. It can be helpful to check in with a friend or teacher at the end of the week. You may notice a shift in your perception or behavior.

My teachers at Kripalu likened the study of the Yamas and Niyamas to picking up a pearl on a necklace; when you take hold of one the others naturally follow. The Yamas are a practice not a precept. They offer guidance for navigating one’s life without fear of reproach if practicing the Yamas is not for you. Many students find a satisfying and beneficial yoga practice without the use of the lesser known limbs, but they represent an ancient wisdom that has guided generations of yogis on the path toward wellness and happiness. As my teacher Devarshi Stephen Hartman once invited me, why not try?

Yoga on Wednesday Jan. 12 Snow or Shine!

2011-01-11T13:05:00.000-08:00

Dear Students,
Despite the impending storm, all yoga classes will be held this Wednesday! For those who work in Shelburne Falls and are looking for a lunch hour class, Kate will be teaching a Beginner's Yoga class on Wednesdays from 12-12:50. This is a $6.00 special class for the month of January. Hope to see you there!!

Level 2 Yoga Cancelled Dec 27

2010-12-27T08:20:00.000-08:00

Due to the storm the 6-7:15 Level 2 Class is canceled tonight.

Monday Morning classes cancelled

2010-12-26T14:23:00.000-08:00

Due to illness and snowstorm classes Monday's classes are cancelled.

Winter Solstice and Holiday Schedule

2010-12-21T06:24:00.001-08:00

As the winter solstice approaches, we move towards a place of deep quiet, the earth hovering like the pause at the end of a long exhale (much like the yogic practice of kumbhaka), a stillpoint before the next inhalation of breath and light. In the dark interlude we can fold inward to witness the vast peace that supports our busy active lives and then spring forth into the lengthening days with the energy garnered from there.
The holiday schedule of classes will remain the same except for no classes on Christmas Day, or New Year’s morning. We will have a special New Year’s class in the afternoon from 4-5 before the Redbird concert at Memorial Hall.

Holiday Schedule and New Year's Day Special class

2010-12-20T10:02:00.000-08:00

Dear students and friends,

The holiday schedule of classes will remain the same except for no classes on Christmas Day, or New Year’s morning. We will have a special New Year’s class in the afternoon from 4-5 before the Redbird concert at Memorial Hall.

We now have a broader range of classes at the studio—another gentle class has been added on Saturday morning at 9 and there is an introduction to yoga class on Thursday morning. Two more active, higher level classes have been added on Monday evening and first thing Sat and Sun mornings. An early morning cardio workout with Zumba is on Friday mornings as well. The Tuesday Zumba class will not be held for the rest of December. Please see the schedule and class descriptions for more information and visit the blog for updates on classes and possible cancellations due to bad weather.

If you are on Facebook we invite you to “like” Shelburne Falls Yoga to follow studio news and other more general information about yoga.

Come join us with the practice of yoga that best fits your needs and interests. Happy Holidays to you all!

Namaste, Penfield

Tuesday Zumba cancelled for rest of December

2010-12-13T10:44:00.001-08:00

The Friday morning Zumba and fitness class is still on. Please call Staci or Penfield if you would like to join the Tuesday Zumba class in January.

Classes on for Fri and Wkd Special Friday eve Candlelight class

2010-11-26T05:26:00.000-08:00

The schedule will be the same this weekend except for a special candlelight class this evening from 6-6:45 (free, donations accepted). Come take a quiet moment from the moonlight magic/madness!

Women's Peace Collection & Yoga November 19th

2010-11-01T17:36:00.000-07:00

Purchase A Meaningful Gift
This Holiday Season-
and Empower A Woman in the world!
We are pleased to host a very special
Women's Gifting Circle Event
November 19th
after a relaxed session of yoga at the studio.
Yoga- 6-7pm- ( donation only )
Peace Collection Sale
and light food and drinks 7-9pm

Amber Chand, Founder of the Women's Peace Collection will be joining us - and introducing us to her Collection of lovely gifts created by talented women around the world. Silk scarves and bracelets from Afghanistan, luminary peace candles from Israel and Palestinw, woven baskets from Rwanda and Darfur - these are just some of the gifts you will discover!
It promises to be an inspirational evening with Amber sharing some of her stories of women's resilience and beauty around the world.

10% of the proceeds from the event will be donated to Shelburne Falls Yoga to start a scholarship fund

womenspeacecollection.com

SHELBURNE FALLS YOGA - #1 Deerfield Avenue, Shelburne Falls, MA 01370 413-297-1898
shelburnefallsyoga.com

Zumba Class starts Nov 2

2010-11-01T11:27:00.000-07:00

Please join the Zumba class which has returned to Shelburne Falls Yoga. Sign-up with Staci or come by to drop in.

Full Circle Yoga on Tuesday evenings cancelled due to illness

2010-09-21T07:57:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately Full Circle Yoga will be postponed until the next season. We hope to welcome Sheila to the studio at that point.

Sign-up for Zumba starting in October

2010-09-21T07:55:00.000-07:00

Zumba is changing to be a sign-up class. Please contact Staci or Penfield to sign up for the next series to start in October. Until then class will be postponed.

Workshops with Charles MacInerney

2010-09-07T07:17:00.000-07:00

Welcome Leonardo!

2010-09-05T13:06:00.000-07:00

Thom & Stephanie's baby boy Leonardo was born on Friday!

No Monday Sept 6th - 7:30 AM class

2010-09-05T13:04:00.000-07:00

Jody's class is canceled on Monday - Sept 6
All other classes as usual.

Fitness for all! Jody's grandbaby helps her teach fitness class

2010-08-02T11:34:00.000-07:00

Father's Day Sunday June 20th

2010-05-28T07:16:00.000-07:00

Summer Solstice is a universal celebration of the sun's return to enliven growth, change, and refined energy. In this class students will practice uplifting, opening postures and sun salutations to cultivate the free flow of prana in the body and mind. Focusing on pranayama as a base to spring forth, we will move smoothly from posture to posture, exploring the stability of standing and balancing postures and igniting the current within our spines through moderate twists and abdominal exercises to ring out adhesions and unnecessary holds.

During the months of summer, our masculine energy (pingala nadi) is brought to the surface with tides of returning creativity, willfulness, and expanding forms of life-force. This naturally enables us to give in new ways, accomplish goals more acutely, and transform with ease. With this unique pulse now present, it is also appropriate that Father's Day (in all of its masculine expressions) should take place on Summer Solstice. Open to all levels of experience and interest. For Dads, this class is complimentary.
Happy Father’s Day!

Live Sitar the first Monday of Every Month!

2010-01-26T08:06:00.000-08:00

During the 8:30-10am Gentle Yoga Class this Monday and the first Monday of every month, artist and musician Bob Markey will be accompanying the class on the sitar. Markey's music creates a uniquely exotic and transporting experience during the practice. Come enjoy this opportunity! 2/1, 3/1, 4/5, 5/3.

Dina's Saturday class

2010-01-25T04:21:00.000-08:00

Dina's 9 am Saturday class often has over 20 people in it! If you come to her 8 am (pilates/yoga) and stay for the 9-10:30 class it's almost like going to a yoga retreat! Amazing!

2 Back to back classes for $15.00

2010-01-04T09:13:00.000-08:00

2010 Special!
2 Back to back classes for $15!
Monday - 7:30 am Cardio/ Kickboxing & Monday Yoga for $15.00!
Tuesday 7 am Yoga and 8 am Fitness for $15.00!
Thursday 7 am Yoga & 8 am Fitness for $15.00!
In an effort to introduce people to these great early weekday classes we are offering this special deal.
Cardio before yoga is the perfect well rounded workout & yoga before cardio is perfect too!

2009-12-15T08:04:00.001-08:00

Jody's morning fitness classes on Tuesday and Thursday mornings are rocking out funky good fun! Complete with GREAT music by Gayle K, and a full body work out with cardio, weights, bands, balls, hoola hoops, pilates rings; you feel great and have done it all by 9 am!

Welcome

2009-10-25T10:55:00.000-07:00

Yoga, fitness, dance and other movement classes are thriving at Shelburne Falls Yoga, One Deerfield Avenue in the center of Shelburne Falls. Dynamic, experienced teachers continue to serve West County by offering a full schedule of classes in a nurturing environment. Our mission is to build community to support health, vitality and self-awareness. This beautiful studio, perched above the Deerfield River across from the falls and potholes, has been an active and vibrant center for the past 17 years.

Shelburne Falls Yoga offers a variety of membership and payment options, including a three-month, unlimited yoga and fitness membership plan. Series classes (movement and dance) are not included in the special and require advance registration. See schedule and class fees for more information.

The studio is handicapped accessible, through a secondary entrance, which allows those with special needs to attend classes and events held in the studio. Please contact the director or instructor ahead of class for use of this entrance.

The studio is available for dances, meetings, and gatherings of all sorts. See the studio section for more information.

http://shelburnefallsyoga.com