Cloverdale fundraiser to help yoga teacher in quest to spread yoga in Cuba

Yoga teacher, Mary Paffard, and a group of her Cloverdale students are organizing a benefit for her Cuban cultural exchange program known as Yoga Va Latino, which loosely translates as Yoga Rocks in the Latino World!

Founded nearly two decades ago by Paffard a Yorkville resident, farmer and international yoga teacher and bolstered by a team of international teachers, Yoga Va Latino promotes the development of yoga and meditation in Cuba by providing free classes, teacher training and other support for Cubans interested in the healing practice of yoga.

Most Cubans earn less than $20 a month; doctors often earn less than taxi drivers, said Paffard. They cant afford to pay for yoga classes, much less the time-consuming and expensive journey of becoming certified to teach yoga. Even simple yoga props are out of reach, with many Cuban yogis using cardboard in place of yoga mats.

Thats where Yoga Va Latino comes in. Its a kind of pay-it-forward way of spreading healthy yoga and meditation throughout the Cuban culture as well as creating opportunities for young Cubans, said Paffard.

Students like Junior Amayo Lugo and Mariela Mazon plus the 19 other young Cubans currently receiving free teacher training and further education, as well as the many who have attended Paffards and other U.S. teachers programs since 1998 take what they learn and share it with others who can benefit from practicing yoga but have no way to pay for classes, Paffard explained.

While working to become a certified yoga instructor, Amayo Lugo, 39, shares his practice with a group of local senior citizens, thus spreading the health benefits of yoga and meditation, free of charge, in a country where a scant 40 years ago yoga was hardly known as a practice.

Like Amayo Lugo, Mazon, 36, also participates in the 675-hour yoga teacher certification program offered through Yoga Va Latino. All day I see many Cubans women, young men, faces battered with stress, along with many physical problems because of the complicated lives we lead here. This saddens me greatly, as many of these people are young and their bodies show signs of early aging. I want to bring yoga to these people, said Mazon.

But it takes money to keep the program running. We are always in need of funding, said Paffard. From securing locations for classes to covering some of the expenses involved in sending experienced, bilingual, certified yoga teachers from Central America and the U.S. to Cuba, to covering the annual costs for Cuban yoga teachers to maintain their international certification. It takes money.

The Yoga Va Latino benefit will take place Aug. 20, 47 p.m. at a Cloverdale home nestled in the Alexander Valley Vineyards.

Organizers say attendees can expect wood fired gourmet pizza, salad, dessert, wine and bocce ball, all accompanied by music from Cuban balladeer, Marcos Pereda. A silent auction will include yoga classes, massage, a one-week stay at an apartment on Costa Brava, Spain, wine and more.

Paffard will give a short presentation about Yoga Va Latino and will also talk about her annual trips in which she takes a limited number of people interested in becoming deeply immersed in the Cuban culture during their 10 day visit.

The $50 event tickets are available at BrownPaperTickets.com; search for Yoga Va Latino.

Visit yogavalatino.org or maryyoga.com for more information about the program.

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'Yoga bridge' from Cloverdale to Cuba, August 20 - Sonoma West

By Holly Duchmann Staff Writer

Tucked in between the tall, silver equipment that resembles something from a science lab, yoga students on Friday stretched, balanced and breathed along to the steady hum of the machines inside of Mudbug Brewery in Thibodaux.

Inspired by similar events held in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Andie Chaisson, a yoga instructor with 409 Fitness Studio, said she felt Beer & Yoga events, where people perform yoga in the brewery and drink beer after the class, would be a good fit for Thibodaux.

It seemed like a good fit for Thibodaux to get yoga exposed to a different crowd of people and also bring hopefully a different crowd of people into Mudbug as well, Chaisson said.

So, after speaking with the Mudbug Brewery owners, Chaisson began teaching yoga classes in the brewery on the occasional Friday evening. The class she teaches is an all levels powerflow class, meant to accommodate beginner and experienced yogis, with opportunities throughout the class for the students to test their limits and try extended poses.

For married couple Rebecca and David Gravois, Friday was their first time at Beer & Yoga.

It was interesting, said David Gravois, leaning on the bar and clutching a pint of Mudbugs Intracoastal IPA after the yoga session was done and the class wandered into the tap room for their free brews. I realized how not flexible and off balance I can be all at the same time.

Rebecca Gravois said the class was a good fit for them because she enjoys yoga and her husband likes beer, so the event appealed to the both of them.

It was fantastic, Rebecca Gravois said. After a long week at work, coming here, you just feel like you can release and you can unwind.

The next Beer & Yoga class has yet to be scheduled, but will be announced on Mudbug Brewerys Facebook page.

The best part, Chaisson said, is getting people from all over the community coming together and just getting to experience yoga out of the yoga studio and socializing and enjoying time before and after class.

-- Staff Writer Holly Duchmann can be reached at 857-2205 or holly.duchmann@houmatoday.com. Follow her on Twitter @holly_evamarie.

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Mudbug brings yoga and beer together in Thibodaux - Daily Comet

Photo: Shelby Soblick / Getty Images

In tune: From chants to Top 40, yoga mixes up the playlist

Sometimes, Aline Marie thinks the day calls for an upbeat mix, a collection of high-energy songs that will get the breath and blood flowing. But then she reads the room. Her students seem to be craving more dulcet tones, and suddenly the playlist is adapted.

There is a lot of thought that goes behind it, Marie says of the songs she compiles for her yoga classes. As teachers, we show up for the students and my agenda for that day might not match the need of my students.

Not every yogi uses music, and there are styles of yoga where music is still largely absent, but as Marie has discovered during her more than 12 years teaching, there has been a shift in the type of music being played. Although the more traditional Indian music, chants and instrumentals are still heard, more contemporary fare has made its way into studios.

Ive used jazz and house music 80s classics, she says. She recently opened Newtown Yoga Center and will be participating in the Newtown Yoga Festival Saturday, Aug. 26, at the Newtown Youth Academy Sports and Fitness Center. Music can take students to a whole other experience; music moves people. It can evoke memory and emotion and trigger neural pathways toward peace and energy. I like to have a playlist that synchronizes with the class but not every teacher does that.

In the last several years, yoga has grown more mainstream, attracting more than 36 million people, up from the 2012 mark of 20.4 million, according to the recent Yoga in America study by Yoga Journal and Yoga Alliance. As yoga becomes more popular, it is increasingly intersecting with other elements of popular culture, such as music. The Wanderlust Festivals, for instance, which happen throughout the United States, began nearly a decade ago as a way to bring together live music with yoga and sustainable living practices. Musicians such as Michael Franti, DJ Drez and MC Yogi, who tout the benefits of yoga, have performed there.

Traditionally, yoga was not put to music, but as it moved West and became more modernized, music became an element in helping practitioners as they sequenced through the positions and the breathing. Its not surprising to hear Adele, U2, Neil Young and Enya in a yoga studio or class, while digital music services, such as Spotify, have no dearth of yoga playlists featuring Norah Jones, Nina Simone, Buena Vista Social Club, Billy Joel and the Beach Boys.

If music gets people to the mat and the practice of yoga, Karen Pierce is all for it. A longtime teacher, she urges people to pick the music they like when it comes to their private practice. When she is leading others, she will sometimes pick a theme. If I am doing a class that is focused on the legs and hips, Ill find any song with references to legs and hips. Or if the theme is peace, Ill focus on that and will incorporate kirtan (ancient chants).

Pierce, co-founder of the Newtown Yoga Festival, has been known to slip in a 1970s disco song, along with one by Aerosmith, Lady Gaga and Justin Timberlake. I try to stay current, she says, adding it can help to acclimate young people to the practice. She avoids music during the meditative aspect of the practice, but has experimented with rattles and drums, as well as a didgeridoo. Im sure people expect it to sound new age or ethereal, but I am open to everything. I listen to the feedback from my students.

When I started, there was more traditional music but as yoga opened up more, you had more contemporary beats and mixes, says Gina Norman, who runs Kaia Yoga with her husband, Stan Woodman. Moving the needle ever farther, the center has hosted yoga raves, which feature black lights and glow paint, along with an upbeat soundtrack, in the centers locations, including Westport, Greenwich and Darien.

Norman says its OK to opt out of a background soundtrack, which she sometimes does. When she incorporates music, she tends to mix it up. Maybe Ive had a rough day and I want to shake it off with some fun music. Its still the same yoga practice that I am doing, that doesnt change. What may change is where I am and how I want to move.

As to building a playlist, Amie Meleshkewich, who runs Flow To Fit Yoga in Southbury, says you can make a meal out of it, considering the work that goes into it. In other words, it should be built with intention. She likes to start gentle and often instrumental, so people focus on their breath and not the lyrics. As the energy increases, the beat gets more lively, with songs from DJ Drez and others.

Its an art, really, she says. It can make or break a class.

chennessy@hearstmediact.com; Twitter: @xtinahennessy

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In tune: From chants to Top 40, yoga mixes up the playlist - CT Post

PAYETTE Free yoga has found its way to the Portia Club, and it all started with a cold call.

Offered on the second Wednesday of each month, the third free yoga session was hosted Wednesday at the clubhouse, where 12 individuals showed up for an hour of movement, sounds and breathing.

Known as Kundalini yoga, the free session is a result of one womans desire to continue the legacy of the Portia Club and to share the benefits of yoga with the community.

Janice Pasqualin, the yoga instructor who heads the free classes, said she loved the concept of the clubhouse and wanted to contribute to the mission of it.

It is an effort that was started by women for the community and I wanted to be able to offer this to the community, Pasqualin said.

When the thought came to mind to offer the yoga sessions, Pasqualin said she rang up the clubhouse to speak to Cleo Thompson, manager of the Portia Club, about her idea.

To her delight, Pasqualin said, she heard back from Thompson within 24 hours and learned that her proposal was accepted.

The first session was held in June, where only one person attended.

Of that day, Mary Trail said she enjoyed the one-on-one session she had with Pasqualin and is pleased

that more people are showing up to the classes.

The room was just filled the second time around and even now with it being the third time, she said. Its just a joyful thing to see it full again. You can just feel the peace and love.

For second-timer Elisa Massoth-Gray, she said its a totally different yoga than what people may expect.

Its so focused on breath. It takes a day that was completely hectic and turns it around. Just look at the vibrancy in this room, Massoth-Gray said after the Wednesday session.

Massoth-Gray adds that one of her favorite parts about Kundalini yoga is that anyone can participate, even if they are sitting in a chair.

Given the popularity of the classes, Thompson said she hopes the clubhouse can bump the session from once a month to twice a month. Pasqualin said she would be on board to do so.

Of the experience, she said, it has been wonderful.

I feel very grateful for the women of Payette who started this clubhouse and for the women who brought it back. I wanted to share this yoga, and with this space, I am, Pasqualin said.

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Clubhouse offers free yoga classes - Ontario Argus Observer

Christy Zdinak remembers her grandmother, Olive Kane, as a very strong woman, even in her final days battling lung cancer.

"It was tough but she was a trooper, she fought," said Zdinak.

Kane died of lung cancer in June 2016. Zdinak says while she knew the diagnosis was serious, she didn't know much else about lung cancer. Then she found Free to Breathe on social media.

"The only fortunate thing through this experience is I found out how underfunded [lung cancer] is and how much work we need to do to further research and further awareness for this disease," she said.

Free to Breathe is a national non-profit that funds lung cancer research. Its mission is to double the survival rate by 2022. Lung cancer kills more people each year than breast, prostate and colon cancer combined, according to the American Cancer Society.

One of the group's biggest fundraisers is the Yoga Challenge. This year in Baltimore its being held at the Maryland Zoo.

Annie Truax is the regional events manager for the East Coast for Free to Breathe. She volunteered at the event last year in honor of her mother Pam, who died of lung cancer five years ago.

"My mom was incredible, she was very witty and had an incredible way with words," said Truax. "She was everyone's cheerleader."

Truax says helping to organize the event makes her feel like she is doing something to make a difference and help other families facing a lung cancer diagnosis.

"To have something I can tangibly put my energy into and see the numbers and the people come together as been really rewarding," she said.

Zdinakparticipated in last year's Yoga Challenge, just two months after her grandmother passed away. She says she was overwhelmed by the support.

"It was great to have that support. There was even an hour of yoga dedicated to my grandmother," she said. "I didn't realize how many other people were affected by lung cancer until I was affected myself.

The Free to Breathe Yoga Challenge is happening on Sunday August 20 at the Maryland Zoo. There is a deadline to register a team or as an individual for the main yoga session, which is August 16. You can also come by and check out the Wellness Village. For information on how to register and details on the event, click here.

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Free to Breathe Yoga Challenge raises money for lung cancer research - ABC2 News

The roof of the Hotel Monte Vista turned into a makeshift yoga studio Wednesday evening, allowing participants the chance to access the normally forbiddentop of the historic hotel.

Holly White leads a rooftop yoga class Wednesday night on the roof of the Monte Vista Hotel.

It seems like people love rooftops, Holly White, the yoga instructor who organized the rooftop class said. Its a chance to experience something new in Flagstaff. Its such an old building, its kind of a mystery up there. Everyone wants to go to the roof, but no one can. This is our chance to be a little rebellious.

White works in the Rendezvous bar in addition to working as a yoga instructor and a health coach. She said the cool atmosphere of the hotel and the breathtaking views from the rooftop made for a perfect location for a yoga class. During the class, participants will be facing the Peaks for a beautiful view of the mountains, and can look around to see views of the entire city.

Holly White leads a yoga class Wednesday evening on the roof of the Monte Vista Hotel. White will be leading the weekly drop in class on the rooftop each week.

She had been thinking of starting a rooftop class for a while, and said the universe gave (her) the go-ahead, to start the class this week. Wednesday afternoon, she had 50 people signed up for the class and more than 400 people who said they were interested in coming.

Holly White leads a rooftop yoga class on the roof of the Monte Vista Hotel Wednesday night. White will be leading the drop in class weekly.

I didnt know it would get this kind of reaction, White said. I didnt know it would be this popular.

White will have a signup sheet available before class, and if the roof reaches capacity, the first ones signed up will have priority, White said in her event on Facebook. Future classes will have an online signup, she wrote.

Holly White closes out a rooftop yoga class Wednesday evening on the roof of the Monte Vista Hotel.

The class is open to all levels of yoga ability, and those who are more advanced can do the full expressions of poses while beginners can stick to the basics.

Whatever people are deciding to do, I will be super happy with, she said.

White has been practicing yoga for 15 years and has been teaching classes for about a year and a half.

Participants in a rooftop yoga class stretch Wednesday night on the roof of the Monte Vista Hotel.

She is planning to host rooftop yoga each Wednesday at the Monte Vista until it gets too cold. She has a private yoga studio on the Southside of Flagstaff, and said once the weather gets too cold for rooftop yoga, she will invite participants to come to her studio instead.

Participants who take pictures on the rooftop can use the hashtag #montevistayoga, and if someone hashtags pictures from five classes, they will receive a free health coaching session from White, who also hosts luxury yoga retreats.

White said so far people have been really stoked to try rooftop yoga.

Its something different that the town hasnt gotten to experience yet, she said.

Classes will be held each Wednesday at 6 p.m. Participants can meet White in the lobby of the hotel before class to be escorted to the roof. Each class costs $10 and yoga mat rentals cost $2. For more information, visit http://www.hollywhitehealth.com

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Flagstaff yoga class with a view - Arizona Daily Sun

1/5

The prettiest yoga poses are often the hardest (if only mermaid posewere as simple as some graceful yogis make it seem) but learning to master them is more than just a sure-fire boon for your Instagram accountits a great way to inspireinner beauty.

For Sky Ting Yoga co-founder and Nike Master Trainer Krissy Jones, one of those poses is svarga dvijasana, or bird of paradise pose (even the name is beautiful!).

I feel elegant in this pose, Jones says. Its very pretty when the form is correct. Its also a very energizing pose, thanks to the transition from side angle to standing.

The combo of body benefits plus good vibes is what hooked Jones on yoga, and what has motivated her to help others develop their practices through the Nike+ Training Club app.

[Yoga] makes me feel radiant and healthy from the inside out.

Ive been doing yoga for years and its still so effective, Jones says. It makes me feel radiant and healthy from the inside out. The combination of mental clarity and a strong yet flexible body keeps me coming back. The yoga practice gives you practical techniques to maintain the health of your body and mind, which ultimately enhances your life off the mat.

But before youstart your flow, youll need no-fuss activewear that will free your mind to absorb those mind-calming benefits(rather than getting distracted by an impending wardrobe malfunction).

Enter: TheNike Bra Collection. Designed with high-vibe workouts in mind, theres a range of options to provide the perfect amount of support without skimping on style.

I love the way Nike activewear fits on my body. Im not being biased when I say its all I want to wear when I practice yoga, Jones says. I also really love how everything is made to move well inyou never have to adjust anything with Nike because its designed perfectly for performance.

To see if her glowing review held up IRL, we sent Jones out on the streets of New York City to test it outin some of the most challenging asanas, while providing a tutorial on how to do eachmove.

Now on tap? Bird of paradise pose, the challenging asana (which is named after a tropical flower, BTW) thatsgreat for encouraging balance, stability, and flexibility while building strength in the hips and hamstrings.

2/5

Start in Side Angle B pose. Drape yourtop arm behind your back and reach your bottom arm under yourthigh. Grab hold of your top wrist for a bind. Then look down at your front foot, and step the back foot up to meet it at the front of yourmat.

3/5

Maintain the bind and stand all the way up on your supporting leg. Engage your core muscles and focus your gaze on a point directly in front of you to keep your balance!

4/5

Finally, straighten your lifted leg and point your toes to the sky. Look past your opposite shoulder and soak in the regal vibes.

5/5

Though this posedoesnt involvea ton of movement, having a bra that wontrequire readjusting is still paramount (with your hands locked in the bind you cant exactly be fidgeting with your clothes). Not fussing over your clothesso you can focus on more important things (like perfecting super-cool yoga poses) sounds like a win to us.

Ready to unlock a better you? Discover the power of yoga anytime, anywhereby downloading the Nike+ Training Club app now.

In partnership with Nike

Photos: Tim Gibson for Well+Good

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Your complete guide to bird of paradise pose (with pro tips from a Nike master trainer) - Well+Good

Residents of Pella now have free access to a wealth of new online resources thanks to new a partnership among the State Library of Iowa, the Iowa Academic Library Alliance, and Gale.

Pella Library Director Wendy Street says there are now new resources that cover car repair, health information, small business resources, K12 homework and assignment help, books and reading, gardening, history, and home improvementall online. Street says the information in the databases is often more reliable than a typical online search, and allows users to find more specific information.

To start using the new resources visit the library or go to the Pella Librarys website and click on Gale databases.

Highlights of the new resources include:

Chilton Library: An online library of step-by-step repair instructions, troubleshooting guide, and more supplemented with images, illustrations, videos, and animations for most cars, trucks, and SUVs on the road today.

Books & Authors: Attention book lovers, book clubs, and summer readers your next reading adventure awaits! Find book reviews, author biographies, and recommended reading suggestions for genres, topics, authors, and more.

Kids Infobits: A visually engaging resource with K6 students in mind, it includes a wealth of age-appropriate reference content, full-text magazines and newspapers, maps, charts, graphs, and more than 13,000 searchable images and on a wide range of subjects.

Research in Context: Developed specifically for the research needs of middle school students, Research in Context includes reference, periodical, and multimedia content encompassing the middle school curriculum.

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Pella Library Providing New Online Databases to Users - KNIA / KRLS Radio

Several residents were present at the Mason County Public Library Board of Trustees meeting Tuesday, to voice concerns on the location of a new library building.

Discussion on the location of the library has been ongoing for more than a year, as board members are looking for an ideal location that would allow for further expansion and programming, if the library should want to do so in the future.

Several ideas have been discussed for the library, including trying to find locations downtown and along U.S. 62.

Maysville resident Sally Parker asked why board members had considered moving the building to U.S. 62 instead of remaining downtown.

According to Trustee Sally Teegarden, the current location of the building, which is on East Third Street, will allow for one more expansion, but nothing afterward.

"We could expand once more in this building," she said. "But, it would be a one-and-done expansion."

Teegarden said reasons for moving the building to a site along U.S. 62 were outlined in a paper provided to those attending the meeting. The reasons include increased traffic that would support increased library use, better visibility, library services would be more available to county residents and several conditions limit the amount and type of construction in the current location.

The current facility, built about 20 years ago, is faced with significant foundation problems and there are issues with the underlying soil. The foundation and soil problems first surfaced several years ago when the library added a children's section to the present building.

Maysville Young Professional Network President Ellen Cartmell said she was speaking not only on behalf of herself, but also the MYPN and others in the community.

"There are studies that show more millenials use libraries more than any other age group," she said. "Revilitilzation is also a focus of millenials, rather than new construction. There is also a petition being circulated that has almost 1,000 signatures from people who want the library to stay downtown."

Maysville resident Sarah Winter provided the online petition that garnered 970 signatures.

"It is clearly the will of the people for the library to stay downtown," she said.

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Cartmell also said that, though it isn't the concern of the library, if there were a community center located downtown, access to the library wouldn't be as big of a concern with the public.

Trustees said they are looking at all their options, including locations downtown and will continue the discussion at the September board meeting.

During the meeting, MCPL Director Valerie Zempter also offered a suggestion for the library to begin allowing children under 18 to rent movies.

"It's always been the policy to not allow those under 18 to rent movies because we were unable to screen the restricted material and prove their age. With that changing, I think it would be a good idea to allow those under 18 to rent movies," she said.

Zempter said the new policy will begin around Sept. 1.

Also during the meeting, trustees approved the tax rates for the 2017-2018 fiscal year. The tax rates are 6.7 cents per $100 of real property, 6.7 cents per $100 of personal property and 4 cents per $100 for watercraft/motor vehicles. The rates are the same as last year.

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Library location; tax rates discussed by board | Local | maysville ... - Ledger Independent

Published: August 10, 2017 3:00 AM

The Portage Library Consortium (PLC) has announced the upcoming arrival of its new online catalog and circulation system on Aug. 31.

The PLC partners, Kent Free Library, Portage County District Library and Reed Memorial Library, are now in the final stages of preparation before deploying the new system at the end of the month.

Checkout and catalog data will be moved to the new Symphony software, by SirsiDynix, between Aug. 28 and 30. During that transition time, library users and staff will not have access to library accounts.

Library patrons will need to have a library card when checking out materials during the transition as the old circulation system is taken offline and library information is moved to the new one.

The new online catalog will debut on Aug. 31 as well. Links to the new catalog page will be on each library's website.

Library patrons accessing their accounts should note that personal identification numbers (PINs) will have changed to the last four digits of their phone number.

After logging in, patrons will be able to change the PIN.

"We are very excited about this change," said PCDL director Cecilia Swanson. "We are going to have a more modern online catalog for library users, with better searching capabilities and our libraries will be saving money on the cost of the software. It is a win-win situation for all of us."

Online users will see more search options in the catalog, will be able to opt in to save their borrowing history, and will be able to email or text titles to themselves. Patrons will still be able to pay fines and fees online as they can now.

"One of the best new online catalog features is integration of our eMedia materials," said Reed Memorial director Brian Hare. "Patrons will be able to see everything we offer, whether it is physical or digital, all in one place."

The Portage Library Consortium partners have been preparing the move since the beginning of the year after a lengthy process of examining circulation system options. The final selection was based on improving the library experience for patrons and on cost-saving factors.

"The current library software is 14 years old. I'm very happy that the consortium is able to purchase new software, at a lower cost, that offers improvements that will benefit both library staff and library users" said Stacey Richardson, Kent Free Library director.

The change in circulation software has required a temporary halt to the SearchOhio and OhioLINK services, but the consortium expects to resume these services before the end of the year.

For more information about library services and programs, visit http://www.kentfreelibrary.org, http://www.portagelibrary.org or http://www.reedlibrary.org.

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Portage libraries to launch new online catalog system - The-review