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exhale.
something we do automatically. but it's funny how many times during one day we have to remind ourselves or others to exhale. i know that any tranquil space student is used to hearing that while attending class, but who reminds you to do that at other times? it is such a powerful release, to take a moment to exhale and really let go.
do you rehash an event or experience that you regret? exhale and give yourself permission to let it go. sometimes we have to literally give ourselves permission to let go; hanging onto something in the past will only weigh you down emotionally.
do you get tense when you see a particular number on the caller id? exhale, since the drama in your head is probably 10 times worse than the actual conversation.
when entering a room for a social or professional gathering and realizing you don't know a soul . . .exhale. no one will bite and you never know what you might learn or who you might meet.
do you get anxious when you know you are being evaluated? exhale . . . we can benefit and grow from constructive feedback. And no one is perfect — what fun would life be if we all were?
did the holidays leave you drained (emotionally and/or physically)? exhale . . . take some time to unwind, prop your feet up, take a nice hot bath, or — better yet — get a massage.
our breath is a powerful tool, and it is always with us. it is amazing how a big sigh can make you feel so much better and relaxed. i love to have students do simhasana (lion), especially at the end of class. if you really let the exhale "roar" out of you, it makes savasana feel that much more relaxed.
the asana of the month is chaturanga, and it is the perfect pose to focus on your exhale. let your exhale bring you power; using your exhale in your practice can show you a new aspects of yourself. it can show you that you are more powerful than our minds tend to believe. then take that power in yourself and transfer it into the rest of your day. the power to meet new challenges, the power to see things in a new way, the knowledge that: "we are powerful beyond measure." — marianne williamson
january means getting back to our usual routines. exhale, and know that each day is a new canvas. what happened last week, last month, or even five minutes ago is history. we can't change it, we can only learn from it and move forward. so, exhale, let go of whatever is holding you back in this moment, and see all the incredible potential that lies within.
 may 2007 bring you many blessings,
siobhan troy
in order to meet the needs of our yogis we have made a few changes and additions to our schedule. please view it online and let us know if there is something you would like to see.
| - class schedule: view our schedule, with classes seven days a week. let us know when you would like to see classes added for the future bethesda@tranquilspace.com.
- new year's schedule:
- monday, january 1:
- 10:30 a.m. yoga 1
- no 6:00 p.m. class
- no evening classes
- mlk day schedule:
- 12:00 p.m. express
- 6:00 p.m. yoga 1
- new to our schedule — to meet the needs of our yogis we will have:
- express class on tuesdays, 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
- wednesdays: 6:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. are both a yoga 1
- thursdays: 6:00 p.m. yoga 2 & 7:30 p.m. yoga 1
- if you refer a friend who purchases a class pass you get a free class.
- your class pass is good at bethesda & dupont; just let the front desk know where you purchased your pass. if you want to sign up online for a class, please remember that you can only sign up at the studio where you purchased your pass.
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| - MORE tranquility!: join us on your birthday for a FREE yoga class.
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- we will be planting 105 trees thanks to you purchasing class passes in december!
- watch for our kids' classes, starting back up the week of january 15:
- kids 3 to 5 years old with parents — sundays, 9:30 a.m.
- kids 6 to 9 year old — fridays, 4:30 p.m.
- pre-teens 10 to 12 years old — tuesdays, 4:30 p.m.
- teen yoga class starts february 8 — thursdays, 4:30 p.m.
- sunrise series starts february 14 — wednesdays, 7:00 to 8:00 a.m. all levels welcome.
- we have loads of inspiring lifestyle and yoga workshops scheduled:
- restorative yoga: sunday, january 7, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.
- newbie yogi: saturday, january 13, 3:30 - 5:30 p.m.
- core strength: sunday, january 14, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.
- spring cleansing & detox diets: sunday, january 21, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.
- candlelight yoga: sunday, january 21, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
- arm balances & inversions: saturday, february 3, 3:30 - 5:30 p.m.
- community celebration: our way to celebrate tranquil space bethesda yogis' honors and developments! please share your celebrations with us by emailing bethesda@tranquilspace.com.
geri smith
 here i am holding onto my first pet as tightly as i could. of course, as soon as it could wiggle free, it would dart away from me and hide where i couldn't reach it. and so i would immediately begin working on a way to get the kitten out so i could hold it again. this photo reminded me of how holding a cat is similar to holding a wet bar of soap — squeezing it too tightly or grasping it too loosely will each cause it to slip out of your hands. you quickly figure out that finding the proper mix of exertion and release is key. asana practice is very similar to this.
if you practice with too much intensity — focusing on powering into each pose, gripping every muscle of your body, stressing about "doing the pose perfectly," and eventually "mastering" the pose — you will likely deny yourself the gifts of tranquility, grace, fluidity and other subtleties that experiencing the pose in a more relaxed way offers. you may even build up some unnecessary tension — and none of us need more of that! so maybe during your next class, set an intention to notice when you are gripping and muscling through a pose, and practice releasing and relaxing your body into that pose.
if this is particularly challenging for you (then you probably really need to try it!), start with releasing the parts of your body that are not primarily engaged in maintaining the foundation of the pose. for example, in warrior 2, release your shoulders and let them fall away from your ears to where they naturally rest (and, while you are at it, check that they are aligned over your hips!). relax the gripping of the muscles along your neck, shoulders, arms, and fingers. try maintaining only enough muscular "tension" in these areas to keep your arms extended to each side at shoulder height. feel your arms simply floating on the air as you visualize the distance between your hands continuing to gently increase as you send energy through all 10 fingertips toward the front and the back of the studio. gently gaze over your front middle finger with a relaxed, elongated neck. relax your torso. after you can do all of that, start bringing the feeling of release to the rest of your body — your hips, thighs, knees, calves, ankles, and feet — while maintaining the necessary power to maintain the foundation of the pose. find the balance between engaging your muscles and relaxing them. allow yourself to experience joy in each pose — keep your practice fun and your spirit light.
if you tend to practice with too little exertion, you may be limiting the physical conditioning and emotional benefits that the various poses can bring you. for example, bring enough power to your warrior 1 so that your front knee bends sufficiently deeply and your arms lift strongly overhead toward the sky. avoid letting your arms sag — bending at the elbows and collapsing towards your head. restricting your movement before you reach your full expression of a pose causes you to miss out on the surge of physical power, emotional strength, and spiritual exhilaration that practicing a pose like warrior 1 can bring. don't let an aura of timidity limit your experience! reach for the stars (while keeping your shoulders dropped away from your ears, that is . . . and ignoring the drop-ceiling overhead)! devote your energy without reservation to the pose. acknowledge that you are strong. be grateful for the energy that you have and send power into the parts of your body that need it to firmly support you in each pose.
the key in bringing the concept of successfully holding onto a wet bar of soap to your yoga practice is to find your own personal balance of power and release in each pose for your unique body, degree of flexibility, level of strength, amount of energy, accommodation of any injury or condition, and for each day. it is likely that each new day will bring the need for a different mix of power and release in each pose. thus, we never really "master" a pose. instead, thankfully, we continue to "experience" the pose, which allows the beginner yogi and experienced practitioner alike to reap maximal benefits from the pose. this is part of the beauty of yoga.
before i sign off, i want to thank all of the fabulous yogis who have been attending my first regular yoga class at tranquil space bethesda — the 9:00 a.m. saturday crowd. each saturday morning, i am always so happy to see the "regulars," who i love watching grow in their practice from week to week, and i'm always so excited to meet the newbies who drop in for the first time. i feel honored to work with you.
and i need to give a special shout-out to my brand new nephew, max niebauer, who made his first appearance on august 18th, and who is simply the most precious little buddha i have ever known. i wish you all a happy, healthy, and yogaful 2007!
each month we choose a pose to focus on in each class through strong attention to alignment, variations, and/or modifications as a way to grow and expand our yogic horizons.
 chaturanga
benefits
- strengthens the arms and wrists
- tones the abdomen
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this title is reserved for yogis who have shown a strong dedication to their practice, are enthusiastic about their growth, and enjoy sharing it with others.
 kendra walther
i started practicing yoga in california in september of 2000, after a car accident had injured my back and neck. within a year i was healed and hooked on yoga — not only had it helped me physically, but i felt better emotionally and spiritually as well. i loved the little yoga community that i was a part of; after i moved it took until tranquil space bethesda opened to find a similar community in the dc area. the classes are challenging and fun and siobhan has done a great job of building a wonderful space and community.
it's the start of the new year, and a time when we all reflect on our lives and hopes for the coming year. it's easy to make unrealistic expectations for oneself as we approach a new year, but for myself, i have found that yoga can help put things in a better perspective and help me to stay in the here and now. now that i'm expecting my first baby (a boy), pregnancy and yoga together have taught me even more about myself and how i respond to my limitations (morning sickness can teach you a lot about taking one day at a time and letting go of expectations). setting aside expectations and practicing acceptance of the changes i am facing will continue to be my challenge on and off the mat in the new year.
practicing yoga has always helped me feel more relaxed and healthy, and now that i'm feeling energetic again, it's been great to spend even more time practicing yoga and helping my body adjust to all the changes it's going through. i feel more connected to my body, breath, and baby every time i step off the yoga mat after a practice. thanks to tranquil space and to all my yoga classmates for the support and community that we've shared. i want to wish everyone reading a happy new year, a healthy body and mind, and a practice "free of obstacles."
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 clothing, accessories, and specialties to enrich your life on and off the mat
tranquiliT boutique is a fusion of fashion and passion in celebration of yogis' bodies and spirits! tranquiliT boutique carries a delightful selection of comfy and chic lines that transition from the yoga mat to the market or museum. all pieces are hand picked by kimberly, made of luxurious fabrics that stretch with your body, and designed for nurturing your yoga lifestyle. look for newly added yoga cards, organic bath products, and more books!
tranquil space's own line of yoga clothing and accessories, TranquiliT, is designed for the style-conscious yogini and has been featured in shape, lucky, daily candy, fit yoga, the washingtonian, and the washington post. view our most recent mention in the examiner.
to receive seasonal updates and discounts on the TranquiliT line, along with musings on yoga for the modern girl, click here and use our newsletter signup box.
 tranquiliT treatments are a delightful way to nurture your body and complement your yoga practice on and off the yoga mat. at tranquil space we believe that yoga is a lifestyle, and are pleased to offer the following services as part of our specialty spa, to help nurture your lifestyle:
 reiki
thai yoga bodywork
ayurveda and thai yoga bodywork
raindrop therapy
swedish and deep tissue massage
most services are available at tranquil space bethesda. for additional information, or to schedule an appointment, please email bethesdatreatments@tranquilspace.com. please note that to cancel an appointment and not be charged, we need 24 hours advance notice.
 the mission of tranquil space is to provide a nurturing environment that encourages the unfolding of a creative yoga practice that is carried off the yoga mat into one's daily life.
 the vision of tranquil space is to use yoga as a catalyst to live life fully and consciously.
tranquil space dupont
2024 p street, nw
washington, dc 20036 |
tranquil space bethesda
7475 wisconsin ave, suite 8
bethesda, md 20814 |
tranquil space penn quarter
first trinity lutheran church
4th & e streets, nw
washington, dc 20001 |
© 2006 tranquil space, llc. all rights reserved.
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