Reunited and it Feels so Good
By Gabbie Pepin
It has been a busy month and a half! As of September 1st, our studio doors reopened, and we have continued to encourage social distancing by limiting our number of occupants, creating a detailed cleaning schedule, and so much more in our new “Pandemic Protocol and Studio Etiquette.” With the intention of maintaining a clean, safe, and welcoming environment for our returning yogis, we also seek to honor the benefits and necessity of a social practice, promising to do all we can to provide both necessities: safety and connection.
We are so grateful to know we have yoga friends all over the country practicing with us as they travel, staying involved wherever they may be. Many of our practitioners continue to use our live-streamed and replay-able class videos to practice at home and on their own schedules. For those who have returned to the studio, classes remain small but ever-more inviting because of the intimate nature of near-personal instruction and the excitement of getting to reunite with friendly and familiar faces. Although mat spaces have grown to account for the recommended six feet of social distance, the energy of practicing with other yogis has had an amazing impact on our returned practitioners who dearly missed our yoga community.
Back in session and happy to be here (6 feet apart)!
Part of the excitement of reopening our doors has included the introduction of new instructors and classes as well as the return of familiar faces and classic favorites! We have welcomed Amanda Rynard who teaches Beginners and Beyond Yoga Flow Monday evenings and Abby Reattoir who teaches virtual Barre class on Thrive every Tuesday evening. We are also thrilled about Morgan VanWinkle and Marquita Wilds, our studio assistants and future instructors! Morgan has recently completed her restorative yoga training, so be sure to watch the schedule for her classes, coming soon! She and Marquita, both, are currently working toward a 200-hour yoga teacher training certification as well. As our staff family keeps growing, we look to all of our practitioners and friends in gratitude for helping us through this summer and helping us reach each new stage. Every day, we are welcoming new and long-dedicated yogis into our community, both online and back in the studio!
Beloved instructor, yogi, Reiki Master, and belly dancer, Lola Kennedy, has added a Yoga Flow class to her Friday schedule for the month of October in addition to her Gentle and Slow Flow classes. She is also offering Yin & Reiki workshops throughout the fall. These events are popular and fill up fast, so be sure to pre-register to reserve your spot!
Lola welcomes her virtual Slow Flow attendees
When asked how she felt about the return to in-person classes, Lola explained,
“Being back in the studio face-to-face while social distancing has been an easier transition than I thought it would be. I was a bit nervous returning in person since there are so many moving pieces and unknowns with this virus, but those nerves were quickly quieted once returning to our local yoga space. Teaching online has helped me step out of my comfort zone and get out of my head. Our studio members and teachers are so very respectful and we all do our best to honor one another and the space overall. It’s been lovely stepping back into teaching in person all the while streaming online for our NLY members, whether they want to stay home or re-watch. I look forward to continue to flow with what unfolds through this fall, winter, and spring.”
Nancy leads her Friday 11:00 AM Chair Yoga Class
Nancy Larsen, who instructs our Chair yoga and some of our Gentle yoga classes, shares her positive thoughts on all of the changes Northern Life has undergone this year:
“My heart overflows with gratitude when I walk through the studio doors. The gratitude runs still deeper when I see our yoga family members enter the studio! I love that others continue to benefit from their practice by taking advantage of our virtual classes. It is exciting to see their names pop up on the screen and practice with them directly from the studio! Making Northern Life Yoga classes accessible to our members, regardless of their current circumstances, is a gift to our community that I am so happy to be part of. We are all growing through this experience, and I appreciate the ongoing support, cooperation, and feedback from our members. I feel great comfort knowing that, as a yoga family, we will continue to lift each other up with love and light and celebrate the blessings that are always present!”
We at Northern Life Yoga are so deeply humbled by the commitment and support, community and passion that we receive from our practitioners. We recognize how blessed we are to be able to provide our services and wellness opportunities for peace, comfort, and the strengthening of both body and spirit. What an exciting first month-and-a-half we’ve had! As Lola said, we all look forward to flowing with whatever comes next. Season by season, we’ll inhale the challenges that come and exhale positivity and grace.
Keep an eye out for next month’s blog post, “It’s Time to Try T’ai Chi Chih!”