Main navigation

Skip links

LaGrange Yoga

Blog

Everyone can benefit from yoga – here’s why!

Yoga may not “be” for everyone … but everyone CAN benefit from the practice of yoga. 

I understand that being quiet for an extended period of time may be difficult — oh how I do understand — but honestly, it’s what every human CRAVES!

But why?

Well, for starters yoga connects us with the present moment. The more we practice, the more aware we become of our surroundings and the world around us. It opens the way to improved concentration, coordination, reaction time and memory. And, it provides inner peace. The meditative effects of a consistent yoga practice help many cultivate inner peace and calm.

Craving a little yoga in your life? Contact Jeannette Benjamin via:

LaGrangeYoga.com

LaGrangeYoga@gmail.com

440-213-8933

Yin, Restorative and Reiki Class Offered

Yin Yoga is a practice where poses are held longer in order to get a deeper stretch into the connective tissue. Yin reduces stress and anxiety while increasing circulation, flexibility and joint mobility. It also stills, calms, and balances the mind and body. Yin (as opposed to Yang where one actively moves from pose to pose) is designed to help you sit longer, and more comfortably in meditation by stretching connective tissue around the joints (mainly the knees, pelvis, sacrum, and spine) and accessing deeper layers of fascia.

Restorative Yoga is often confused with Yin, but there are differences. In restorative poses, there is no muscle engagement. Through the use of props and support once can surrender into the pose, allowing for deeper relaxation.

Reiki is a healing technique based on the principle where one channels energy into the recipient by means of touch, to activate the natural healing processes of the body and restore physical and emotional well-being.

This class will feature poses done on your bottom, back or belly. Please bring a blanket!

Since only 10 spots are available we require prepayment to reserve your spot. The class will be held Sunday, May 5 at 7 p.m. Investment is $20 via PayPal at LaGrangeYoga@gmail.com or Zelle @ 440-213-8933.

Stay Focused

Inhale Loving

Exhale Kindness

At times I struggle to stay focused, which I am sure everyone does at point in their lives – but for me, it’s during meditation when my mind ventures off on its own. It is totally normal, and even entertaining as the mind wanders.

Did I put the clothes in the dryer before I left? Did I brush my teeth? Did I pack juices boxes in the kids school lunch or will they be forced to stand in line to buy a milk? 

Eventually, as we focus on what is in front of us, we realize most of these “problems” aren’t really problems at all.

The clothes will still be in the washing machine when we get home – we may have to rewash them because they may begin to smell like mildew, but hey, it’s not the end of the world.

As for teeth brushing – sure, we all need to do it – but that’s what gum is for on those days we run out the door without thinking about our teeth. It happens.

And those juices boxes – that happened to me more times than I can count when my kids were little and now my “younger” friends share stories with me of doing the same thing! Again, at the end of the day … it’s not a major issue.

Yes, sometimes in meditation I will have pretty significant realizations, even solutions to problems! So starting today, I will keep a notebook/pen handy; and jot things down so I don’t forget. Then I will return to meditation, because life is too short to worry about clothes, teeth and juice boxes!

~LaGrange Yoga~

Yoga Puts Life Into Perspective

Jeannette and Bre make a yoga square in Costa Rica

Greetings my LaGrange Yoga studio friends! So far, I have enjoyed being a student at Soma Yoga Institute — it puts life into perspective when the roles are reversed! Here, I absolutely love some of the therapeutic aspects we have worked on. I have learned some new things and will be teaching a few things from a different or newer perspective. I also feel validated that I have been doing so many things safely with my students! Intuition is a good thing!

The group we are working with are all different ages (17 to my age lol) and from all over the world. We have met and made life-long friends, I am sure! We are blessed to be learning from each other as well as from two very gifted instructors. Today we studied anatomy as it relates to back issues. Dr. Bre is so helpful. I love her sharing, caring insight. Of course rear-end muscles can be way fun too!

While I miss you all, I know you are all under the great guidance of Lisa Morrison, Julie VanMeter, Jackie Terrell, Kristin, Monica, Karen, Annette and Heather!

Namaste,

Jeannette

 

 

 

A Day in the Life of a Yoga Student Abroad

17 March 2019
Car, plane, shuttle bus, train, plane, taxi, bus. Arrived! Two days of travel time.
Each leg of the journey was filled with anticipation, a little apprehension, lots of conversation as well as times of silence.
18 March 2019
For the most part we will be eating vegetarian which shouldn’t be too hard. C’mon, I abstained from alcohol for 45 days and already stay away from all things gluten. Bre and I shared a farewell steak dinner in DC along with an amazing cabernet. Last night’s vegetarian dinner was really good. Options included a simple salad, a kale and carrot salad, a tomato, onion and red pepper salad, really delicious lentils…seasoned so well, taters, roasted cauliflower and carrots, fresh squeezed papaya juice and tea. I woke up hungry, wondering how or if this may affect me.
Each day will consist of about 10 hours of study and practice with plenty of breaks in between.
I hope to learn a lot that I can share with my students. I am especially excited about the applications of therapeutic yoga. We can all use a little healing.
5:20am
Bre’s alarm just went off.
Practicing a no talk morning… So no “Good morning, Sunshine” until later. Reminds me when she was a teen… We practiced lots of silent mornings then! Of course… First words out of my mom mouth, “You better get up!”
9:43pm
A very full day. Our group is so interesting, our instructors so knowledgeable. Today’s highlights included a walk to the beach, Bre organizing the group into a huge pyramid which I got to photograph, finding chilled water, talking to peacocks, chanting oms, working in small groups discussing elements (our group was fire), practice teaching Sun Salutation A. After dinner we discussed differences between Yin and Restorative and then practiced some restorative. This yogini is sleepy!