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The mission of Tranquil Space is to provide a nurturing environment to balance the body and mind, while encouraging the unfolding of an authentic yoga practice where the benefits are carried into one's daily life, serving to enhance the individual fully both on and off the mat.
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studio happenings
- Studio move! Stay tuned via the website and in class for the latest details regarding our move date. View photos from our open house preview for a peek into our new home. Until then, we remain at our original tranquil space and we're so grateful for your continued presence! We are awaiting final inspections and hope to be in there soon! A great way to bring in Spring!
- Tranquil Space was featured in Washington Life for our Open House Preview soiree. Visit http://www.washingtonlife.com/current/tranquil.htm to view.
- Next weekend join us for our staple Newbie Yogi and Jump into Yoga 2 workshops. We're also offering yoga and music, rooftop yoga, 2 sundays of karma yoga (donation for a cause), more kirtan, and yogi night in this spring! Please pre-register to ensure available space. These workshops will be held in our new studio space!
- Kimberly has resumed teaching Yoga 2 on Thursday at 6 as Jill is enjoying Australia for a few months!
- Interested in free yoga or paid positions at Tranquil Space? Please visit www.tranquilspace.com/studio_opportunities.html for details on our latest openings.
- Holidays and snow days! Please check our website and inclement weather line — 202.223.yoga — for up to date information. In general, we do not close for snow or holidays but may have to in extreme circumstances. We ARE open on Easter!
 level one teacher training added in June! Visit www.tranquilspace.com/teacher_training.html for details. Next one offered in September. An intensive offered for those interested in learning the basics of teaching or simply deepening your own practice.- Birthdays!
Please watch your inboxes for your Tranquil Space birthday card which offers you a savings off of your next class pass!
- Please wear layers during these chilly days. Bring a hand towel and your own mat to class.
- Please familiarize yourself with studio tips.
- Community celebration: A new addition to the monthly newsletter and a way to celebrate Tranquil Space yogis' honors and developments!
Congratulations to our fabulous studio assistant Anne Wallin and yogi Terri Doud on their recent engagements.
Congratulations to Sarah Wildman for her being published in a recent issue of O magazine.
Congratulations to our 25 Level 2 Teachers-in-Training as you are half way done, evolving beautifully and exuding such dedication to the art of yoga.
Please share your recent news with us by e-mailing newsletter@tranquilspace.com for consideration in May's newsletter.
 | - Please share photos of you wearing tranquiliT tees off the beaten path. This month's feature is Terri Doud in Rome! Send photos to newsletter@tranquilspace.com.
- We are always looking for new ways to serve you and your practice. Please let us know how we're doing or what we can do to assist you better by e-mailing us at info@tranquilspace.com.
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seasonal specials
enlightening events
newbie yogi
A workshop for introducing the basics of vinyasa yoga. Explore alignment and breathing along with basic poses and relaxation techniques. Geared for the brand new beginner or those with curiosity about yoga. Please bring your own mat if you have one, a water bottle, hand towel and any questions you have.
jump into yoga 2
A workshop designed for the current yoga 1 student interested in exploring the world of yoga 2. Learn the basics of yoga 2 in preparation for transitioning to this level and deepening your practice. Please bring your own mat if you have one, a water bottle, hand towel and any questions you have.
vinyasa flow and sound part 2 with simon park
sultry hip openers and heart expanding backbends
Journey through a sea of standing poses, hip-openers, abdominal strengthening, and shoulder openers to prepare for an exploration of backbending. Learn the preparation poses necessary to make alive vrishikasana (scorpion pose), dwi pada viparita dandasana, eka pada rajakapotasana (pigeon pose), and many more.
The connections between preparatory asanas, backbend vinyasas, and peak poses will be explored. Basic anatomy of backbending will also be discussed. Adjustments will be taught for teachers and students.
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Date:
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Sunday, April 13
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Time:
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2:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
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Location:
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2024 p street, nw
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Cost:
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$55, $50 if pre-registered
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Questions?:
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Email: events@tranquilspace.com
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Cancellation Policy:
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enlightening events cancellation policy
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To Register by Mail:
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Registration Form
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Register Online for
Vinyasa Flow and Sound,
Part 1:
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(In the "optional instructions" box on the final payment page,
please indicate what you'd like to gain from this event.) |
rooftop yoga
Watch the sun set and enjoy the fresh air as we travel through an intermediate vinyasa practice led by Kimberly on the rooftop of an historic building a few blocks from Dupont Circle. Please bring your own yoga mat, a hand towel, water and an eager spirit. Enjoy the setting while taking your practice further during the challenging, yet empowering class overlooking our nation's capital.
karma yoga afternoon
Join five Tranquil Space teachers-in-training for an afternoon of karma yoga. The one-hour classes will begin on the hour taught by various teachers who are finishing up their 200-hour training. Come 5-10 minutes before the scheduled time. These classes are open to all levels and all are welcome for one or all of the classes! Your donation for the class will go to benefit an organization providing aid to those suffering during the war time. Please come support a cause and our teachers-in-training through this afternoon of karma yoga! Thank you for your support.
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Date:
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Sunday, May 4
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Time:
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12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
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Location:
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2024 p street, nw
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Cost:
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Suggested donation of $5 to $15
(enter your own donation amount in
the field provided by PayPal)
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Questions?:
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Email: events@tranquilspace.com
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Cancellation Policy:
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enlightening events cancellation policy
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To Register by Mail:
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Registration Form
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To Register Online:
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(In the "optional instructions" box on the final payment page,
please indicate what you'd like to gain from this event.) |
karma yoga afternoon
Join five Tranquil Space teachers-in-training for an afternoon of karma yoga. The one-hour classes will begin on the hour taught by various teachers who are finishing up their 200-hour training. Come 5-10 minutes before the scheduled time. These classes are open to all levels and all are welcome for one or all of the classes! Your donation for the class will go to benefit an organization providing aid to those suffering during the war time. Please come support a cause and our teachers-in-training through this afternoon of karma yoga! Thank you for your support.
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Date:
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Sunday, May 11
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Time:
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12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
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Location:
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2024 p street, nw
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Cost:
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Suggested donation of $5 to $15
(enter your own donation amount in
the field provided by PayPal)
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Questions?:
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Email: events@tranquilspace.com
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Cancellation Policy:
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enlightening events cancellation policy
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To Register by Mail:
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Registration Form
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To Register Online:
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(In the "optional instructions" box on the final payment page,
please indicate what you'd like to gain from this event.) |
kirtan with wynne paris
Join us for 2 hours of music and Kirtan chanting, offered in a call and response format in which the leader sings a phrase and the group sings it back over and over again. The energy and the pace of the chant builds according to the inspiration of the moment as the mind quiets and the heart begins to soar. Kirtan is the stillness of meditation, the lovingness of an open heart, a permeating breath of harmony, a form of devotional Indian chanting singing the Sanskrit names of Indian Deities. Harmonization through chanting, breathing and meditating together, this music will help to bring one to an inner experience of connection with God.
"Music alone can take you to the highest," Swami Vivekananda.
For the past 7 years world beat musician Wynne Paris has split his time between Northern California and Washington DC, learning the music of yoga, producing new age music and developing a musical style that he describes as "Raga Rock". As a Bhakti, or devotional singer, his influences range from Indian and Tibetan folk music, blues and jazz, and center on Kirtan; a devotional form of singing that he performs at yoga centers, raves, and festivals and gatherings. When performing he integrates ecstatic and holistic expressions of music and mixes tabla-based loops, Indian instruments, chanting, an innovative guitar style, and a few notes on the Sarod (an esoteric Indian instrument) to produce a spiritually funky and uplifting sound.
All those attending will receive a Wynne Paris CD!
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Date:
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Sunday, May 11
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Time:
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7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
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Location:
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2024 p street, nw
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Cost:
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Suggested donation of $10 to $20
(enter your own donation amount in
the field provided by PayPal)
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Questions?:
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Email: events@tranquilspace.com
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Cancellation Policy:
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enlightening events cancellation policy
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To Register by Mail:
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Registration Form
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To Register Online:
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(In the "optional instructions" box on the final payment page,
please indicate what you'd like to gain from this event.) |
restorative yoga with siobhan troy
Indulge yourself this Sunday afternoon with restorative yoga. Turn inward by relaxing into yoga poses over blankets and letting go of any tension held within the body. A restorative practice is beautiful for all levels and allows one to deepen into various poses while holding for many minutes and surrendering to all that arises. Please bring an open heart and desire to open up to the beauty of the moment.
yogi night in
An evening devoted to nourishing your inner self through a yoga practice led by Kimberly, journal writing, clothing and book swapping, tea and treat savoring. This will be the first of many "yoga nights in" and we are excited about offering a way to share community, donate items left over from the swap to a local shelter, and play with other yogis in a light setting while coming together to enjoy our practice. A fun, creative way to spend your Saturday night! For those energized by the evening, there's always time for dancing and sushi nearby afterwards.
asana of the month
pigeon / rajakopotasana
Improves flexibility and pelvic alignment by stretching the hip rotators and hip flexors; excellent preparation for meditation and backbends. This pose is used for emotional release and surrendering relationship issues. Stimulates kidneys with fresh blood, stimulates endocrine, improves circulation and respiratory functioning.
yogi of the month
alison lemon
Just a few years ago, I could have been voted "most likely to never become a yogi." I had lived my entire life inside my head. As a child, I used to hide in the bleachers during gym class. I silently wished for class to end before it was my turn to bat, run, throw, or whatever. I figured that I just wasn't an athletic person, the same way I just wasn't a spiritual person.
Then I started a graduate program in public health, a discipline that focuses heavily on prevention. The message was pretty clear: we as human beings have the ability to avoid or minimize sickness and disease simply by the choices we make. I guess I was ready for yoga to come into my life.
I wanted to try a class — but which style? Like many people, I was afraid that I'd be forced to do weird chants, and hold poses so long that I'd get bored. I decided to give Ashtanga a try. Since I was so disconnected from my body, I spent a lot of the class trying to figure out my right from my left and where the heck my sacrum was. This literally used all of my mental energy, leaving none to worry about anything. I collapsed onto the mat feeling happy and relaxed. I went to class twice that week, three times the next, and almost daily every since. It became the time of day I most looked forward to. After practicing for nearly a year, I reached a plateau in my practice. I found as I was holding an asana, my mind started skipping ahead to what would come next. Sometimes I just felt tired after class.
It was time to try out some different styles, and I wandered into Tranquil Space. Vinyasa had the same challenging flow that I loved from Ashtanga, but it also incorporated some new poses and creative sequencing. I didn't get bored, because I didn't know what was coming next! I saw quickly that Kimberly offered more than just yoga classes, it was really a whole community. I was impressed that the t-shirts everyone wore were more than cute — they raised money for an important cause.
As I was surrendering into a pose, I heard the teacher say that human beings' natural state was bliss. We didn't need to change, we only need yoga to come back to our true selves. I had never heard anything quite like this before. When I did, I felt immediately that coming to Tranquil Space was coming home. On my worst days, my body literally aches to be on the yoga mat. I use my centering time to send energy to wherever it is needed most, many times to the people who are important to me.
People who knew me years ago might say that I have changed quite a bit. But I know that yoga, and especially Tranquil Space, only helped me to uncover what was there all along.
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tranquilTeam player of the month
anh-thu cunnion
I began practicing yoga during the summer of 2000 after reading a flyer for "Yoga at Kimberly's" on a dog park bulletin board in Dupont Circle. With no idea what to expect, I showed up for my very first yoga class and after an hour and a half of Kimberly's gentle instruction, encouraging readings and yummy tea and cookies, I was a true devotee of both yoga and the studio which would eventually blossom into Tranquil Space.
I feel very fortunate that my first experience with yoga was so fulfilling, both physically and spiritually. From the beginning, my yoga practice has been delicately infused with the warm and nuturing spirit behind Kimberly's teaching style and Tranquil Space's mission. When I find myself in need of comfort, encouragement or equilibrium I know that I have to look no further than the yoga mat. I am grateful not only for having found the haven that is Tranquil Space but also for being blessed with the opportunity to have witnessed its evolution. It has been nothing less than a true inspiration.
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tranquiliT boutique
yoga clothing and accessories
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Shop the tranquiliT boutique to view a line of yoga clothing and accessories designed to celebrate the bodies of active and stylish yogis. You can purchase tranquiliT tees, pants, and yoga accessories online at the tranquiliT boutique!
This month's featured items are the spring tranquiliT tees available in pink, lime, lavender, lemon, and baby blue. Select winter tees are on sale at the studio for $10 while they last!
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As a continuing benefit of our Charity Community, a portion of the tranquiliT proceeds are donated to My Sister's Place - an organization committed to eradicating domestic violence.
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reflective closing thoughts
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"Everyday spirituality is not an escape from your usual life in search of some special, exhalted experience, but a surrender into the fullness of every experience." ~ Barbara De Angelis
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In yoga and in life, we are often encouraged to enjoy the present moment, to truly absorb what is happening around us through our bodies and to live outside of our minds. I believe this is the biggest challenge of one's yoga practice, letting go of the mind and surrendering to the full experience of what lies within. The concept of releasing attachment to a desired outcome is a common theme of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, the foundation of yoga. How better to enjoy the present moment than releasing our cares and concerns of the future or past to truly experience the joy of the moment we're in?
During this challenging time internationally, however, joy may not be one's current state of mind. Anxiety, fear and depression seem to have been seeping into the hearts of many over the past few months. Emotional awareness and empowerment is what we need. That is why pigeon pose was chosen as the asana of the month and that is why one's yoga or spiritual practice is crucial during the experience of negativity surrounding us world wide. The key is finding a way to transition this negativity into activism through small, kind gestures to others, volunteering, and doing what we can to bring about a sense of peace and love on even the smallest scale. Feeling a loss of power is the hardest thing for many to accept. Don't accept it, turn around and do something with the overwhelming sense of fear you've seen over the past months and let it begin within you!
In this new season of growth and unfolding, nature serves as a reminder for us to also blossom. Spring is a perfect time to evaluate the circumstances of our lives to determine what needs releasing by practicing detachment and letting go. Allowing the old patterns to stay dormant while welcoming new patterns to emerge with the blossoming trees. My wish is for us all to indulge in at least one small self-nurturing act this month, ideally each week: a bubble bath, a peek at the Cherry Blossoms, a walk through Rock Creek Park, freshly cut daffodils or tulips, a home yoga practice, a pedicure (helps your yoga practice), or simply reading an inspirational book. Find one special thing to help you release attachment to how things should be and truly experience the joy of simply being. Allow this to carry in to your interactions with others and you will see that you contain much more power and strength than you know!
 | Much love and gratitude,
Kimberly Wilson
Creative Director |
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May our bodies and minds be healthy.
May our thoughts be filled with love.
May our practice be free of obstacles.
May we carry its benefits into the world.
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