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june's e-muse contains:
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“as a modern yogi, the key to finding
peace through yoga is to keep
coming back to the practice.”
~ darren john main,
yoga and the path of the urban mystic
can you believe that it is june? i am amazed at how quickly time passes, and while there are many times that i wish it was already (pick your date/month) i realize that it will get here pretty quickly and i need to enjoy the moment that i am in right now. in yoga there is, of course, the focus on being in the present moment not worrying about the future or rehashing the past. it is said that the past is history and the furture is fantasy, the present moment is the only thing that is real. i understood this in my brain when i first read it but it is challenging for me to really wrap my heart around it. at first i found it almost offensive to say my future is just a fantasy, but the future is not known. we can plan all we want but you have to be prepared that your plans may not work out they way you thought and/or they may hit several edits along the way.
our ego is what needs these plans, and i am not necessarily referring to ego in a negative way. our ego is what keeps us alive, makes us eat, sleep, and have shelter; it is what makes us seek out the stuff that nutures us. the problem can develop when our ego goes beyond what we need into what we think we need. i am quite the planner and dreamer; where i have to focus is being open to the curves that life brings us and not letting my ego determine what happens next but let my intuitive voice guide me. 2006 is a year that has already had lots of life-altering events for me, and it will continue to be that way — some i know of and others i don't have a clue what is coming up the road. in one way that is so scary, and in the other it is what makes life so interesting.
i try to remember that everything that comes our way is a learning experience, from which i can grow as a person. those lessons can be hard to understand or even comprehend at times, but what keeps my "chin up" is knowing that some growth will come to make me a better, stronger person. to keep me sane along the way i can always step on my mat and know that everything will be okay if i just take the time to breathe and be with myself.
as a teacher when i step on the mat in a class it can be hard for me to focus on me since i want to go around the room and encourage my fellow students. to be honest, a lot of the time that is "safer" then experiencing what is going on in my body and with my breath. once again, this is the ego getting involved, since really noticing what is happening inside of us is not always a smooth ride. being in the present moment can bring up emotions or feelings that can be overwheleming. our ego thinks it needs to go into protect mode, so when you find yourself noticing how the yogi next to you is doing an asana, take a moment to notice the thought, then let it go, and turn your focus back into your body and your breath. if it helps, know that i will be struggling with this too, since we are all human and can only ask of ourselves to take it one moment at a time.
 blessings and love,
siobhan troy
join siobhan on thursdays for slow flow at 7:30 p.m., and drop in for $10 for the month of june!
| - 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.
- see what is new on the schedule:
- thursday and friday noon class is express — appropriate for level 1 or 2 students.
- thursday nights, slow flow at 7:30 p.m. — a slower-paced class with some restorative and yin poses. come to this class for $10 in june!
- new — noon yoga 1 on saturdays starting june 10.
- use your class pass at either bethesda or dupont studio! please note that you can only reserve a class time at the studio where you purchased your pass.
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- our new telephone number is 301.654.yoga (9642).
- we have loads of inspiring lifestyle and yoga workshops scheduled:
- open your heart and let go of the past: sunday, june 4, 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. join siobhan for this journey through hip openers and backbends.
- creativity circle: join kimberly on saturday, june 10, at bethesda, june 24, july 8 & 22 at dupont to unleash your creative spirit and how to take action toward the life you desire.
| - for every pass purchased in the month of june, tranquil space will plant a tree! we LOVE helping our yogis breathe better.
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- community celebration: our way to celebrate tranquil space bethesda yogis' honors and developments! please share your celebrations with us by emailing bethesda@tranquilspace.com.
- welcome to studio assistants matty maccaro & jessica gerrity.
| - congratulations to yogini laura and her bundle of joy, thomas george margison!
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this title is reserved for members of our team who embody the tranquil space values, excel in their role at the studio, and have a passion for their practice.
 geri smith
i feel so privileged to be part of the tranquil space bethesda team, alongside so many wonderful yogis under siobhan's strong yet sensitive leadership, and to be part of the precious yoga community of tranquil space. from the moment i logged on to its website to check out the teacher-training program, i knew tranquil space was the studio for me, and taking my first class with siobhan just sealed the deal, as they say. tranquil space welcomes and encourages all, and lets students find their own paths. i really responded to this level of respect for every student's individuality and place in their own unique journey.
my journey has been infinitely more rewarding than i ever suspected it would be, and it's just beginning. the benefits i realized first were mostly physical. for 10 years, i experienced intense, chronic neurological symptoms in my hands, arms, and legs that no specialist was ever able to diagnose or relieve. shortly after beginning to practice regularly, my symptoms diminished to a barely perceptible level. asana practice created more movement and flexibility in my spine, and i suspect that it relaxed muscle and connective tissue, relieving pressure on nerves. as anyone who has struggled to live with chronic pain can probably imagine, i will be ever grateful for this relief.
yet the greatest benefits i have received from yoga have unfolded very quietly within me. through working with the yamas, niyamas, and asanas, i have come to accept (and actually be thankful) that my body will not go into the picture-perfect full-execution of many asanas. learning to embrace this fact has created pathways within me for accepting and appreciating the value of the non-perfect in other areas of life. this said, i must admit that eventually being able to come comfortably into asanas that i originally thought would be impossible for me is immensely gratifying and inspiring.
i am always amazed by the very real emotions that certain asanas consistently evoke in me — arm balances (joy), upward bow (agitation and stress), headstand (blissful focus), shoulder stand (calm), and downward-facing dog (centering). and — speaking of downward-facing dog — coming to believe that it is actually a resting place has been a journey in and of itself. initially, it was very difficult for me to maintain any remote interpretation of this asana. yet, strength eventually developed in my upper body and other parts of my body opened, allowing downward-facing dog to become a place of peace for me.
focusing on my breath through yoga has enabled me to live in the present — more fully experiencing life as it occurs, rather than squandering time by being too focused on the future or too concerned about the past. it is my hope that as more and more people experience yoga, that they will be able to let their bodies and minds find their own personal, blissful state of balance, as i have been so inspired to do at tranquil space. i hope to be part of the tranquil space bethesda team (and community) for a very long time.
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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.
 standing split / urdhva prasarita ekapadasana
benefits
- strengthens and stretches the inner and back legs and the spine
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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.
 erum mirza
i started practicing yoga just about a year ago. since then, it has been both a weekly goal and weekly treat. like many people, i began yoga both for the physical and mental benefits, and from the very first class — taught by siobhan in the church atrium — i knew i had found the right studio. siobhan's welcoming and friendly nature made me feel comfortable immediately, and the super-high ceiling of the cozy church atrium was a great setting — and that's not to say i don't love the new space as well! :)
a year ago, i was in the middle of a lot of change and practicing yoga for the past year has been one of the things that has helped me adjust to and accept those changes. yoga, for me, started out as an escape — something that helped me "get away from it all" but now there is a much more positive dynamic — it is simply one of my very favorite things to do. instead of being something outside of my life — it is a very happy and fulfilling activity in my life. the yoga mat represents a place where i can bring whatever is going on in my life — good or bad — a place to use the "good stuff" and apply it to my practice, and/or a place to just let the "bad stuff" go. every pose is a reward — whether it is fun, relaxing, challenging, or even frustrating — each one gives you something valuable. simply put, you feel good.
every week, i look forward to my tuesday night yoga 1 — the walk to class, then being in class, and even the walk home — i really enjoy that time, and it's usually the best part of my week.
i hope to deepen my practice and continue yoga for many years to come — i only wish i had discovered it sooner!
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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.
tranquil space's own line of yoga clothing and accessories, tranquiliT, is designed for the style-conscious yogini and has been featured in daily candy, shape, lucky, fit yoga, the washingtonian, and the washington post.
specials valid through august 31, 2006
bring the traveling tranquiliT boutique to you. couple it with a yoga practice for your fave girlfriends, add chair massage to help destress, or simply set up for retail therapy. for all the scoop, contact info@tranquiliTboutique.com.
to receive seasonal updates and discounts on the tranquiliT line, along with musings on yoga for the modern girl, click here. read the latest edition of tranquiliT times.
 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.
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special studio celebrations / charity events:
• none scheduled at this time
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 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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