EVENTS

special programs, workshops, series

Intro To HAND DRUMMING: OmDrum with Pasha Cohen ~ Saturday, September 14, 2-4pm ~ Drums Provided

Hand drumming is invigorating and powerful - have you ever wanted to try it? Join professional drummer and teacher Pasha Cohen for a workshop where you can try your hand at it in a professionally guided, safe and fun space. The afternoon is designed for new drummers who have felt an interest but haven’t tried drumming yet, or perhaps only once or twice. You’ll be able to experience how the drum can be used as as an instrument for expression, meditation and self-healing. African djembe drums will be provided, but bring your own hand drum if you have one. $35, or $15 + Pass: 10 Class, Unlimited ~ Spaces are limited ~ register here

DHARMA TALK & MEDITATION with Lama Tsering Ngodup ~ Sunday, September 15, 12-2pm  ~ Free/Donation

You’re invited to receive Buddhist teachings (dharma), practice meditation, and experience the relevance and benefits of Buddhist philosophy and meditation in daily life. People of all ages, backgrounds, and beliefs are welcome to this freely offered monthly event ~ donations gratefully accepted. Tsering Ngodup is a lama, or spiritual teacher, authorized to teach by HH ShaMar Rinpoche. He has devoted over twenty-five years to sharing the religious and spiritual teachings of Tibetan Buddhism in the West. He has traveled across the world, translating and interpreting Buddhist teachings for highly accomplished Tibetan lamas and masters from all four schools of Tibetan Buddhism. He is currently a chaplain at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

YOGA WEEKEND with Anne Curtis + Melissa Carroll ~ Attend both workshops for less here

ALL ABOUT PROPS! How To Use Props In Your Yoga Practice To Enhance Strength, Alignment + Balance ~ Anne Curtis + Melissa Carroll ~ Saturday, September 21, 1-3pm 

Learn how props can nurture and support your unique yoga body! Our practice will begin with gentle mobility and strengthening poses in preparation for more active, dynamic postures that use props, particularly blocks and straps, to build awareness, strength, and balance. Then, we’ll focus on blankets and bolsters to support you in soothing, relaxing poses. We’ll end with a sweet shavasana and leave time at the end for discussion, questions, and answers. Open to all - beginners and seasoned practitioners welcome. Props (blocks, blankets, straps, bolsters) will be provided but feel free to bring your favorites from home if you have them. $35, or $20 + Pass: 10 Class, Unlimited ~ spaces limited ~ reserve your space here! ~ Attend both workshops for $60, or $45 + Pass: 10 Class, Unlimited here!

Autumn Equinox YOGA + MEDITATION For Balance ~ Anne Curtis + Melissa Carroll ~ Sunday, September 22, 1-3pm

The Autumn Equinox offers you an opportunity to reflect, release, and reconnect to the cycles of nature. Let’s celebrate the Fall Equinox with uplifting yoga, breathwork, guided meditation, and journaling to tune into these seasonal themes of release, balance, and harmony. You’ll experience mindful yoga, pranayama techniques, guided meditation, and journaling prompts to help you release and restore. No experience needed! All levels are welcome. $35, or $20 + Pass: 10 Class, Unlimited ~ spaces limited ~ reserve yours here!

Special Event! NIA Somatic Journey with Alice Heller ~ Wednesday, September 25, 8-9am ~ In Person

Join noted dance teacher Alice Heller for exhilarating mindful NIA movement grounding body and mind in the experience of dynamic ease and connection. $16, payable via Venmo (Alice-Heller-1), cash, check or Paypal - email Alice with “NIA” in the Subject line to reserve your spot! Alice Heller is a Brown Belt and Moving to Heal Nia Instructor with a lifetime of dance instructing experience including African Dance, creative movement and yoga. She also studies and teaches Qi Gong. She recently moved to W. MA so she is ecstatic to come back to the Boston area to share her joy of movement and health! Learn more at alicehellerdance.com

Live Music! KIRTAN with Shubalananda & Friends ~ Saturday, October 5, 7:30-9:30pm ~ In Person ~ Free/Donate

Created by ancient Indian rishis from Vedic mantras, kirtan is a yoga of sound - an evening of beautiful music and heartfelt call-and-response singing. No previous experience is necessary to experience its emotional depth, yet powerful as it is, kirtan is effortless and incredibly enjoyable. Free ~ please make a donation! Shubalananda Larry Kopp has been leading kirtan for many years, having studied with Neem Karoli Baba, Sathya Sai Baba, KarunaSeptemberi and Shree Maa. His guitar & harmonium playing and voice of experience gives his kirtan a power and a heartfulness that is shared with all who join in. Find out more here!

REIKI Level 1 Certification: Healing For Self And Loved Ones with Devlin O’Malley ~ Saturday, September 28, 1-5:30pm

Learn to heal yourself and loved ones with Reiki. Reiki, a gentle Japanese energy healing technique is used in hospitals nationwide to alleviate pain, anxiety and stress. In this class you will learn the basic Reiki principles and history, hand positions,  basic energy management, and an introduction to chakras. All participants receive a level 1 attunement and a Reiki 1 manual. $150 - preregistration required here

New Series! YOGA for Osteoporosis + Bone Health with Helen Theodosiou ~ 8 Tuesdays, October 1 - November 19, 10:30am-12n ~ In Person ~ Preregistration Required

In this eight week course students will engage in a practice to support building bone, learning twelve poses that specifically help maintain and build bone strength. These poses, based on the scientific research of Dr Loren Fishman, are shown to enhance bone strength as well as improve posture and balance, increase range of motion and reduce anxiety. Students will be guided in setting up a daily home practice for maximum benefit. Visit sciatica.org for further information on the research study and this approach. Helen Theodosiou, MA, E-RYT 500, C-IAYT is certified by Dr. Fishman to teach this program. $195 includes all materials, or Unlimited pass + $85 ~ preregistration required here

New Series! MINDFULNESS-BASED STRESS REDUCTION with Sunada Takagi - 8 Wednesdays, October 2 - November 20, 6:30-9pm, plus a daylong retreat Sunday, November 17, 10-4 ~ Preregistration Required Here

Mindfulness isn’t so much a tool or technique, but a different way of being. When we pay attention to our present moments, we start to see ourselves and our world more clearly. Instead of being driven by worry, anxiety, or feeling pressured, we begin to choose our responses more wisely. We find our way to a more balanced and centered life, guided by our inner strengths and values rather than old habits and reactions. This 8-week series is a thorough introduction to the art of mindfulness. It’s based on Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn's pioneering work in mind-body medicine originated at the UMass Medical Center. $350-650/sliding scale ~ Preregistration required here

Sunada Takagi is a mindfulness instructor and coach, as well as a member of the Triratna Buddhist Order. She is passionate about helping people transform their lives through mindfulness. Learn more about her at mindfulpurpose.com

New Series! WALKING WELLNESS: Strengthen Your Body, Enhance Your Gait with JKA Solvents and Glue® ~ Ruth Knill ~ 7 Thursdays, October 3 - November 21, 10:15-11:15am ~ no class October 31

Join Ruth Knill, GCFP for a unique and enriching 7-week program applying the JKA Solvents and Glue® movement system to the analysis and development of a healthy, balanced walking gait. Learn to recognize the basic phases of walking, break down each phase into detailed movements, and enhance your personal walking pattern. Experience improved stability, strength, and balance through precise, invigorating movements that complement practices like Feldenkrais and Iyengar Yoga. Whether you aim to enhance your own walking or assist others, this workshop offers valuable insights and practical techniques. Ruth Knill is a JKA Solvents and Glue® certified teacher. $125, or $25 + Pass: Unlimited ~ spaces limited ~ preregister here

weekly, new & notable!

OmDRUM: A Welcoming Circle ~ Pasha Cohen ~ Mondays, 7:30-8:30pm ~ In Person

Join professional percussionist and teacher Pasha Cohen for a lively weekly drum circle. We’ll explore together how to use the Drum as a tool for meditation and self-healing, sampling African and Western styles of hand drumming. All ages and levels of experience are welcome in OmDrum’s judgment-free space. Bring a drum if you have one, or rent one from Pasha…and if you have any friends who might like to try drumming, please tell them about it! $20 or Pass ~ $5 drum rental ~ register here

JUNIOR YOGA Ages 5-8 with Louise Parker ~ Wednesdays, 4:30-5:15pm ~ In Person ~ Sign up here ~ Resumes September 18

Kids yoga classes with Louise are fun, inspiring, empowering, confidence-building, and down-to-earth, with lots of space for adventure, community projects and cultivating lifelong friendships. Classes can include fun yoga games, community projects & volunteering, music, confidence building workshops, breath work, mindfulness crafts...and did we mention fun?! See your child shine in an environment that supports learning, making mistakes and and personal growth. $12 drop in, $95/10 classes ~ questions, or have an older child? please check out Tween yoga classes or reach out to Louise at www.louisesimplyfit.com

BABY & ME YOGA with Barrett Reinhorn ~ Thursdays, 10-11:15am ~ In Person

Postnatal yoga classes welcome new moms/parents with infants for a bit of quiet reflective time while building back their strength. Classes specifically focus on creating connection and comfort in the back, chest, abdominals and pelvic floor – all the places that are achy after pregnancy, birth, and life with a newborn! We focus on recovering from birth, but add a little baby yoga into the mix too (especially if the babies are restless!). Parents are welcome with or without their babies, anytime from early postpartum until babies are crawling. Bring a baby blanket for your baby to lie on, and anything else to make you and your baby comfortable (yoga mat, car seat, toy, etc). Attend single classes or buy a discount multi-pass ~ join here

AWARENESS THROUGH MOVEMENT: Feldenkrais with Ruth Knill ~ Thursdays, 11:30a-12:30p ~ In Person & Livestream ~ Join here

The Feldenkrais Method® of somatic learning is a gentle and pleasant way to improve the quality of your movement and your awareness of your embodied self. By engaging with your habits of movement in a supportive, exploratory way, Feldenkrais can help you to discover more comfortable and efficient ways of moving and being. Safe and gentle, yet challenging in surprising and satisfying ways, the material in each class is tailored to suit the needs and interest of the participants. Attend single classes or buy a discount multi-pass ~ join here

PRENATAL YOGA with Barrett Reinhorn ~ Sundays, 6-7:30pm ~ In Person & Livestreaming

Prenatal Yoga is designed for students who are pregnant and have an ongoing practice as well as pregnant students brand new to yoga. Learn practices that build strength, flexibility, calm and focus — all the way through to delivery. We begin class with a ‘check-in' to share with the others how we are doing, which builds a caring community within the group. This class is appropriate for all stages of pregnancy. Single class $25, 4-class Prenatal Yoga pass $80 ~ join here