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lokah samastah sukhino bhavantu: may all beings everywhere
be happy and free and may the thoughts, words and actions of my own life
contribute in some way to that happiness and freedom for all.
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greetings from my month-long jivamukti teacher
training in ny. we’re only a few days into it and many of us (110 participants)
feel like it has been weeks. the schedule is intense with breakfast at 7am,
mediation at 8, practice at 9, lecture until noonish, lunch, four+ hours of
afternoon workshops, dinner, and three hours of evening satsang ending at 11pm.
i’m getting used to the immersion, but during our first meditation practice all
i could think about was how i would be able to get my eight+ hours of sleep,
stay in contact with all at home, and shower during our short breaks.
i was a bit panicky as i’d expected at least a few minutes of down time each day
and brought books, beading, journals, and an art kit. guess i’ll be saving those
for when my beau and pug come to visit on my days off. sure i’d read the
schedule but nothing can fully prepare you for a regimented 16-hour day. i’m
happy to say that despite the challenges it is all working out perfectly. i’ve
honed the craft of utilizing every minute to the fullest to get it all in and
still get as much sleep as i can.
during my first full day here i managed to set off the dorm fire alarm by
burning nag champa incense plus two candles (shhhh – i’m burning my stargazer
lily candle as i write this but have it on the windowsill to avoid upsetting the
hypersensitive alarm) and showed up for evening satsang in all black. in case
that doesn’t sound odd to you, everyone else was wearing all white. i asked a
sweet girl from south america next to me why everyone was in white, she replied,
“it’s a satsang!” in her lovely accent. like, duh – everyone knows that.
apparently i didn’t, so luckily i brought a soy cardishawl and neckscarf. guess
i’ll be donning that every night.
oh, and we were given a neti pot for our shat karma. i couldn’t get mine to
work. kept pouring the water with salt into a nostril and it wouldn’t go out the
other. the water just stayed there and i felt like i was drowning. who would
have thought neti potting could be so tricky? i’m determined. stay tuned.
many people have asked why i’m taking this training. i’m obsessed with learning,
grasping, experiencing, absorbing. since i began teaching in 1999, i’ve taken
ten other teacher trainings, attended oodles of workshops and conferences, and
received certificates from various teachers – all with the hope of becoming the
best teacher and practitioner that i can be. my practice and teaching has
changed tremendously over the years and will continue to do so as we’re all
evolving beings. this one-month training with such an incredibly respected and
thorough style seemed to be the next challenge for me. so here i am – cramming
in the newsletter muse while others are still consuming their vegetarian lunch,
living in a room the size of my office at the studio (yep, that tiny “room” that
the electrician thought was our electrical closet), setting off fire alarms,
showing up in the wrong color, trying out a neti pot, and embracing every minute
of it.
as i was walking back to my room to type this muse out on my ibook, i came
across a beaver (or a very chubby squirrel) in the woods and it made me smile.
how often do i get to see these little critters in the city or hear the
consistent sounds of nature outside my window – sans sirens? i feel truly
blessed to be here and i am incredibly excited to share with you what i’ve
learned when i return late may.
thanks for your supportive well wishes, good vibes, and for all you do to help
make tranquil space one of the
top 25 yoga studios in the world. i’m honored to be connected with each
of you. namaste.
 tranquilly
yours,
kimberly wilson
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visit hip
tranquil chick for musings on my training and weekly podcasts on all
things hip and tranquil, including a très tranquil podcast by our tranquil
mammas carol, september and siobhan over mother’s day weekend.
escape to rural upstate new york and yummy costa rica for a
yoga and creativity retreat.
the tranquil space foundation has begun sharing
tranquility! to learn more about our steering committee, our mission, and to get
involved, visit
http://www.tranquilspacefoundation.org |
click to enlarge
| - class schedule:
pick up our spring class schedule, catered to various levels
and moods: yin/yang, restorative, yoga 1-3, express, slow flow, and a voluptuous vinyasa flow on sundays!
visit webscheduler for all the scoop.
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click here for a description of how to sign up for classes early, buy more classes online, checking your pass status, and more! no phone reservations, please.
- start your day off
with yoga and drop-in for the sunrise series with carol, tuesdays, may
1, 8, or 15 for $13. normal class passes do NOT apply to this special
series.
- we are open memorial
day weekend with an extra class at noon and a reduced evening class
schedule on monday may 28.
- tranquil space
classes are coming to arlington this summer. stay tuned
here for all the
scoop!
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join us in celebration of dc yoga week, may 12-18. enjoy a 10% off
savings throughout the week on tranquiliT boutique treats.
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bring your yoga mat and your canine yogi (bring your own, borrow one, or
come alone) for an afternoon of frolicking at rose park (23rd and p st.,
nw), just steps away from the studio. tranquil space is teaming with the
washington humane society
and doggie style bakery to
bring awareness to one of our favorite
local charities,
while providing an afternoon of fun focused around your fave four-legged
friend. kimberly will lead puppy parents and friends through a
complimentary yoga practice in the park. treats will be provided to
humans AND canines. $5 donation requested for the humane society. no
pre-registration required. just drop by!
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for every pass purchased in the month of may, tranquil space will
plant a tree! we LOVE helping our yogis breathe better.
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| - we have loads of inspiring lifestyle and yoga workshops scheduled this
spring, including: prenatal partner workshop with carol, eat right for
your type ayurveda workshop, prenatal teacher training and more! visit enlightening events for ALL the scoop. buy a workshop passport
(4 workshops by tranquil space teachers for $99) and dive deeper into your
practice this spring!
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join us may 4-6 for 4 master workshops with simon park: body
enlightening/thai massage, prana vinyasa flow, the art and
skill of hands on assists and surfing the vinyasa wave!
register now
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- we are looking for enthusiastic
studio assistants
to assist with class sign-in and projects around the studio in exchange for
complimentary yoga and more. email
kelly@tranquilspace.com
- stop by tranquil space's
myspace page and say "hello"!
- community celebration: our way to celebrate tranquil space yogis' honors and developments! please share your celebrations with us by emailing newsletter@tranquilspace.com.
- congratulations to level 2 teacher training graduates: diane, angelyn,
stephen, melissa, john, brigid, revi, dibora, brittny, cheryl, michelle, annette,
joann, kiran, talia, gretchen, ellie, mitzi, mary ashby, hilary, nick, ana,
brian, alfredo, meghan, and amy.
- a BIG welcome to brooke berube who is our new lead studio manager. watch for
her smiling face behind the front desk during the weekdays.
- a warm goodbye to long-time studio director gina kelley who is dashing off
to small town life in charlottesville. luckily for us she'll still be on board
from afar as our programming and finance director.
- congrats to tranquil space for being among the top 25 yoga studios in
the world by
travel & leisure!
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congratulations to paige albrecht on the birth of her baby daria.
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 kevin
waldorf-cruz
becoming a teacher of yoga teacher has been a
very unique and rewarding path. i've enjoyed those unique moments of realization
both on and of the mat, where time and space, breath and movement, body and
mind, thought and emotion come together into one precious moment of just being.
those are the moments where you just pierce through your constructed story
lines, the to-do lists, the gripping, aversion, and attachments, and suddenly
you find yourself in a state of pure truth and joy. these moments can be
fleeting, filling perhaps just one pose, one practice, or perhaps even just one
breath. these are the moments you hope to linger well into your day and through
your life. however, sometimes they are only brief glimpses of the divine, or the
truth within.
so when i found myself profoundly angry the other day, i questioned the
authenticity of my yoga. i became so thoroughly enraged with someone that my
blood boiled, my heart pounded, and my sense of peace or ahimsa, just went out
the window. i indeed wondered if i had the ability to return to a yogic place of
bliss. i'm a yoga teacher damnit! i should be nice, friendly, loving, peaceful,
etc. however, in this moment i could not. everything inside of me was just
angry.
you see in my 'other' work i'm a clinical social worker. i work mostly with
individuals living with hiv and aids. many struggle with issues of chronic
disease, mental illness, addiction, and other obstacles, which block their
paths. what made me angry was a situation where another 'helping professional'
prevented one of my clients from receiving some potentially life-saving care. i
was completely enraged. primarily, because by client could not get what they
needed to help themselves get better. mostly, i was angry because i had no power
over the situation. therefore, my client did not receive the care they needed.
i was surprised at myself for being so angry. i was surprised at my thoughts of
malcontent. i was surprised by my inability to just breathe. i'm a yoga teacher,
shouldn't i just let it go? i found myself just angry. i slowly stewed with my
emotions. they were not so easy to just let go. i tried to send love to this
adversarial 'helping' person, but found myself blocked. but i was a yoga
teacher, how could i have these emotions?
after discussing this situation with my client and taking this issue to my mat,
i had some profound personal revelations. growth cannot be forced. when one door
closes, another opens. sometimes we surrender to the brutal honesty of our
experiences and emotions. we are humbled by our own humanity, which allows
ourselves (and those around us) to grow. sometimes surrendering to what is out
of our control with honesty helps us understand and unlock the mysteries that
lay in front of us. suddenly the words of pema chodron became much more
resonant.
so when i come to moments like this, where i'm overwhelmed by my own humanity, i
feel profoundly grateful to my teachers. i'm grateful to the teacher within, the
sadguru, who will remain connected to the truth. i remain grateful to my
emotions and their tidal flow. i remain grateful to all my teachers and students
who were able to breath through adversity, giving me inspiration. i'm eternally
grateful for the inspirations of wisdom, authenticity, honesty and grace.
somehow in the tidal rise of my emotions, i found a renewed sense of struggle,
but also a more willing ability to let go. i'm grateful for the mantra, of
whatever happens 'everything will be all right'. i know that for myself and for
the people i serve, things will get better if you just believe. and for all of
you who have practiced with or beside me, thank you for sharing that energy! i
know that for myself and the people i work for the struggle is not over.
however, somehow i know it will all be all right. thank you for sharing this
journey with me.
namaste!
-kevin
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.
 marichyasana
a-d
benefits
- calms the brain
- stretches the spine and shoulders
- stimulates abdominal organs like the liver and kidneys
- improves digestion
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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.
 tracy
quinn
at tranquil space, i can pause and cast my
gaze on the "here and now." in my practice, i can escape the hurried nature of
the day and discard my troubles. it is where i come to put aside the past, stop
worrying about the future and celebrate the present. it is a place where i
rediscover my breath, quiet my mind and open my heart. here i seek balance. here
i restore my energy. here i recognize my contentment. here i learn to accept
myself, flaws and all.
at tranquil space, i relish the camaraderie and collective spirit of my fellow
yogis. i gain wisdom, perspective and expertise from the individual excellence
of the instructors. i learn simple survival lessons that i incorporate into my
daily life. one time, i was complaining to a friend -- a fellow tranquil space
yogi -- about my inability to hold plank pose for a significant time. i moaned
about the demands of the position and cursed the fact it seemed to be one
instructor's favorite posture -- week after week after week. there was no end to
the list of complaints i had about sustaining plank pose.
my friend grew quiet after my tirade -- and asked simply, "are you seeing any
improvement?"
i thought for a second and said, "oh, yes. it's so much better." we both shared
a good laugh. the problem wasn't the plank pose. it was my resistance -- and i
have loved plank ever since. anna freud once said, "i was always looking outside
myself for strength and confidence, but it comes from within. it is there all
the time." at tranquil space, i have learned that everything i need can be found
on my yoga mat. it is where i come to find my own tranquil space again and
again. namaste.
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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.
 hannah
nielsen-jones
thanks so much for honoring me as team player
of the month! tranquil space is definitely one of the dearest, mellowest, and
most-pleasantly-scented work environments i've ever had! the sa opportunity came
along at an ideal point in my life: i had an unusual schedule, was putting
together a grant application, and needed something to keep body and mind
together -- and voila! it's been really wonderful to get to know the teachers
and other staff members and feel a part of the what goes on behind the scenes at
ts.
in my other work life as a high school theater director, the work intensifies
and can become overwhelming as we approach the performance dates, and so having
my practice and sa time as a place of retreat and mindfulness has been
especially important and sanity-inducing for me. my practice in general has also
taken on a deeper, sweeter edge as the studio has become more than just the
place where i come to take classes, and i cherish that as well. namaste.yoga is more than asana, and tranquil space
is more than a yoga studio. i've practiced at many studios in many cities for
the past seven years, and i can honestly attest to the fact that tranquil space
is the one studio that really embodies it's mission to help students carry
what's learned on the mat into their lives. here, i've learned not just how to
"do" yoga, but how to "be" yoga.
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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. come in and browse our newly added chiffon scarves, long legwarmers, velvet tunics, and more!
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.
 greetings
from tranquiliT boutique manager joanna lo
spring is here and so is our new bamboo color
in shell, a beautiful pink-y nude. look for new shirred tube tops in
shell, latte, pink, and black. our new cap sleeve tunics have also
arrived! this piece has a longer body and is trimmed with lettuce edging -- the
perfect length for on and off the mat.
we could not keep our fabulous tres tunics (great as a dress!) and
bamboo skirt pants in stock during the month of march! fortunately, the
lovely tranquiliT fairy has just dropped off more tres tunics, just in time for
spring!
happy shopping!
joanna
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.
in alignment with our values, a portion of the TranquiliT proceeds are donated to my sister's place — a local organization committed to eradicating domestic violence.
karma yoga is the yoga of selfless action:
from feeding the hungry, caring for the sick, housing the poor and helping all
in need. it is also the offering of our ingenuity, inventiveness, wisdom, love,
and connection to humanity. there are many ways to do this…through teaching,
community service, the arts, meditation, charity work and more.
we've created a new karma yoga corner both
online and at the
studio to give you tools to connect with each other and the community. contact
our karma yoga director niyati shah
with any feedback or questions.
tranquil space is the proud sponsor of a
pig from the farm sanctuary.
watch for more adoptions and sponsoring coming soon!
join us for:
doga, saturday may 19th 3-4pm
bring your yoga mat and your canine yogi (bring your own, borrow one, or
come alone) for an afternoon of frolicking at rose park (23rd and p st., nw).
race for the cure, saturday, june 2
join tranquil space off the mat as we support this important cause. to find out
more and to sign up visit:
http://www.nationalraceforthecure.org/ click the registration button and
select "join a team" - look for our code tsy (tranquil space yogis) to sign up,
it's as simple as that! see you there.
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at tranquil space we believe that yoga is a
lifestyle. the tranquil space specialty spa is an urban oasis where you can
nurture your body and soothe your soul with
TranquiliT treatments — specialty
services that cater to the yogi spirit.
how TranquiliT treatments can benefit you:
- reduce stress and enhance relaxation
- promote deeper and easier breathing
- reduce blood pressure
- strengthen the immune system
- enhance capacity for calm thinking and creativity
- increase awareness of mind-body connection
- develop and enhance your practice on and off the yoga mat
- foster a feeling of well-being and peace of mind
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try our tranquiliT treatments specials:
 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 |
© 2007 tranquil space, llc. all rights reserved.
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