Body Grace Fitness and Yoga

Saturday, January 21, 2012

2012-01-21T04:12:00.001-08:00

Due to icy conditions this morning, classes will be canceled.

Stay home and be safe!

Modified Holiday Schedule

2011-12-21T19:27:00.000-08:00

Here is the modified schedule for the holiday season.
If you don’t see a class on the schedule, it is canceled for the week.
A full schedule will resume on Tuesday, January 3.

Wishing you peace and love,
Jan

P.S. Yes, there is a full schedule on Friday, Dec. 23!
Strength classes at 8:30 and 9:30; Yoga at 10:30.
Give yourself a break and stop by for a class.
This will be the last time we meet on Friday until the New Year, January 6.

THE STUDIO IS CLOSED
SATURDAY, DEC. 24 - MONDAY, DEC. 26

Tuesday, Dec. 27
9:30 - 10:45 am / The 12 Days of Christmas, Yogafied with Jan
A fun and creative class appropriate for everyone
in the Alignment Flow 1 and 2 classes.

11:00 am - Noon / Slow Flow Yoga with Jan

Wednesday, Dec. 28
11:00 - 11:45 am / Strength with Stan

6:45 - 8:00 pm / The 12 Days of Christmas, Yogafied with Jan

Thursday, Dec. 29
11:00 am - Noon / Slow Flow Yoga with Kathy Bagden

5:30 - 6:30 pm / Slow Flow Yoga with Lorraine

6:45 - 8:00 pm / The 12 Days of Christmas, Yogafied with Jan

Friday, Dec. 30
THE STUDIO IS CLOSED

Saturday, Dec. 31
9:30 - 10:45 am / Flow Yoga 1-2 with Kathy Macleod

11:00 am - 12:15 pm / Slow Flow Yoga with Lorraine

Sunday, January 1
1:00 - 2:15 pm / New Year’s Yoga with Carlos
This class will cultivate energy for the new year through a flow of simple postures to fun music. Join us as we celebrate new beginnings.

Monday, January 2

8:00 - 9:00 am / Flow Yoga 1 with Jan
9:45 - 10:45 am / Flow Yoga 1 with Kathy Macleod
11:00 am - Noon / Gentle-Chair Yoga with Jan
6:45 - 8:00 pm / Flow Yoga 1-2 with Diane

Celebrating Light

2011-12-14T13:48:00.000-08:00

“Think of your well-being like a candle burning brightly inside of you. It is at the core of your being, and when you are feeling quiet and peaceful, your well-being is intact and your

candle is burning with ease.”

--Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff Calendar

Since when did Christmas become so competitive? From stores trying to be the first to put out their holiday decorations and merchandise, (did anyone notice stuff appearing in stores at the beginning of September?) to the array of competitive commercials on TV.

I thought I was being a little oversensitive to the Best Buy ads until I read an article recently in The Washington Post by Hank Stuever who had the same feelings I did. There’s one ad that depicts a woman who has gone out and bought everything at Best Buy that her family wants and waits up for Santa to arrive only to mock him when he shows up. Poor Santa does nothing but give and this is the thanks he gets? And let’s not forget about the Target ads with the crazed lady who hasn’t slept in days and is in “training” for her shopping spree. She’s the one running through Target with a parachute attached to her and doing abdominal crunches on the red stability ball-like objects that are in front of Target Stores.

Personally, I think this woman could use a little yoga!

Even though these ads are funny, and some would even say clever, the holidays are not a competition they are a celebration. Whether we are lighting an advent wreath, a menorah, admiring all the decorative lights or lighting a candle for loved ones no longer with us, the holidays are a celebration of light. Light conveys unity; light opens us up to love;light represents hope and peace; light is an absence of darkness bringing the clarity we crave. Spiritual light is a common thread that all religions have. Just think how peaceful the world would be if we could focus on that common denominator instead of all the differences.

I found a great quote from an article written by Anne Naylor, a motivational speaker and writer, which sums up this concept of light beautifully: The Light is the great connector that finds harmony and union where there was discord and divisiveness. The Light brings healing and peace, where there was disease and discouragement. The Light sees plenty where I might see lack. When you pray,

see Light – because Light sees you.

However you choose to celebrate the holiday season and after all the busyness is done,

take some time to enjoy the glow of lights around you and let your inner candle burn brightly.

Warmly wishing you peace, love, joy, and light!

Jan

The Turtle Had It Right!

2011-10-20T10:24:00.000-07:00

“Determination and consistency yield results”

Pat Rigsby - Fitness business coach

These five words have become my mantra lately. I follow Pat’s business blog and this phrase really jumped out at me about a month ago. So much so, that I wrote it down and have it next to my computer to read everyday. He was referring to business concepts, but I think this phrase could inspire us whether we are trying to improve our diet and fitness habits, starting a new business or de-cluttering our home! You name it.

I get daily motivational messages sent to my in-box from

theuniverse@tut.com. The other day I received the quote below. It has the same idea as Pat’s, but with a fun twist. I hope it makes you smile too!

“I still don't get why people are so surprised that the turtle beat the rabbit over the long run.

Consistent effort, no matter how small, sparks magic, fills sails, butters bread, turns tides, instills faith, summons friends, improves health, burns calories, creates abundance, yields clarity, builds courage, spins planets, and rewrites destinies.

No matter how small.”

Through The Eyes Of A Crayon

2011-09-01T17:27:00.000-07:00

Here it is, the last hurrah of summer! Can you feel fall in the air? I certainly can. This has always been one of my favorite times of the year. The final weeks of summer are always full of anticipation. When my two daughters were growing up, I use to love the final week of August before school started. That was our week to go shopping for new clothes and shoes; we’d have our little fashion show at home, putting outfits together trying to make that critical decision on what to wear the first day of school.

Oh and how I will miss rushing out to buy all the new school supplies.

Starting the new school year with fresh notebooks and paper was always a must. Pens and pencils, I have decided, must end up in the same place as the missing socks from the laundry, because we were constantly buying packages of both!

To this day, however, there is one school supply that still gets my heart fluttering: crayons. Cracking open a fresh box of crayons for the first time, marveling at all the beautiful colors, enjoying the newness of each crayon with its fresh point and fully intact paper covering; inhaling that waxy scent always made me smile. It is truly one of my favorite things.

Coloring is calming and meditative. For those people who find it hard to sit in meditation, try coloring. Did you know there are some beautiful meditation coloring books available? They usually are printed in the shape of Mandalas, (the Sanskrit word for circle or center), which is considered to be a symbolic shape representing wholeness and unity. But you don’t need a special book, just some plain paper does the trick too.

Several years ago I attended a conference and Mare Petras, a motivational speaker, had this to say about crayons:

“We could learn a lot from crayons. Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have different and unusual names; and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box.”

Who knew colorful, waxy sticks had so much to teach us? They not only allow artistic creativity, but also a meditative experience, not to mention their symbolism of living together in an accepting and peaceful world.

Warmly,

Jan

This fall will bring lots of new and exciting offerings at Body Grace!

New classes and teachers, another meditation session and a Sunday afternoon class to name just a few.

Be on the lookout for future emails with more information.

Below is the schedule for the next two weeks.

All classes will resume Tuesday, September 6

Pilates starts back on Thursday, September 8, 9:30 am

(Please note that the 8:30 am class will no longer be offered)

Teen Yoga starts on Wednesday, September 14, 4:15 pm

New Class

Gentle Yoga with Jan on Mondays 11:00 am – Noon

Starting September 12

For all of you who requested a gentle practice later in the morning here it is! This is a wonderful class for everyone but will be particularly beneficial for anyone with minor limitations.

Time-Outs

2011-08-04T05:06:00.000-07:00

Driving to the bank one beautiful, sunny day in June, I approached an elementary school; as I waited at the stop sign, I noticed a large number of students outside on the front lawn, under the trees doing some sort of outdoor activity. They were split up into four or five groups with an adult supervising each group. As I was driving past, one little boy caught my eye. He was standing off by himself, hands jammed into his pants pockets, looking down to the ground with an adult standing close by. Maybe I’m making an assumption here, but it sure looked like a time-out situation to me. All I could do was smile all the way to the bank as memories of time-outs while raising my two daughters came rushing back to me.

Time-outs are great! When our kids are little, time-outs give them a break from some kind of undesirable action, teaching them to calm down, cool off and/or to think about the consequences of their action. Sports teams use time-outs to regroup and strategize when the competition gets intense, creating a stronger team. Grown-ups need time-outs too. We may not call them that, but having a spa day; getting away on vacation; sitting for a few moments in meditation; taking some long, slow deep breaths during a stressful situation are all time-outs.

I’m putting myself in time-out for a couple of weeks at the end of August, taking some time to replenish myself at the beach and eat lots of pie!

Some of our amazing Body Grace teachers will be filling in for me.

And the whole studio will be closed from Saturday, August 27 through Monday, September 5, giving our teachers and the studio a nice break before returning to a full schedule in September.

I will send out another email within the next two weeks with a modified schedule for the time I will be away, as well as post the schedule in the studio and on the blog.

Warmly,

Jan

Letting Go

2011-05-08T05:23:00.000-07:00

“Letting go is the hardest asana. Life is about letting go: of every exhalation, of the day as we fall asleep, of our children as they grow up and leave home. When we resist letting go, we are resisting the flow of life itself. What can you let go of right now?”

– Judith Hanson Lasater, Ph.D., P.T.

May is such a pleasant month. We celebrate moms, spring is in its full glory, the Memorial holiday weekend always signifies the beginning of summer, and the warmer weather permits us to plant our gardens and participate in more outdoor activities.

For many of us this is also the season of letting go. I cannot think of May without

also thinking about all the upcoming graduations. Whether our children are just moving from one grade to the next, or graduating from high school or college, there are always those bittersweet feelings of watching our children grow. I will always see the little girl in both of my daughters, but I’m also so proud of how they have matured into strong, independent women.

This May brings with it a couple milestones for me. I signed the studio lease on May 1 of last year and I will never forget standing in this empty place by myself, butterflies in my stomach, taking long, slow, deep breaths and experiencing a whole gamut of feelings from fear to joy! Even though all of these conflicting emotions were flowing through me, I knew that letting go and taking this huge leap of faith was the right decision; I had absolutely, positively no regrets!

The second milestone happening this month is our oldest daughter, Nicole, wedding on May 30. This is an exciting time for the family. We love Dale, her fiancé, whom she has been with for over two years and is the perfect match for her, and we couldn’t be happier for both of them. But as much as we will be there on their wedding day to help celebrate their love and commitment to each other, I don’t doubt that there will be the emotions of letting go when she walks down that aisle.

Judith asks a poignant question, “What can you let go of right now?” Are you facing a graduation this spring or a wedding, maybe your kids are heading to summer camp for the first time? Do you need to let go of busyness in your life so that you have more free time to take care of yourself? Do you need a mental spring-cleaning by getting rid of anger or resentment that you have been holding on to far too long? And never underestimate de-cluttering your surroundings! Have you ever noticed how we can feel mentally lighter after a good thorough cleaning? Lots of clutter can zap our energy.

Letting go is not easy. In fact, Judith says it is the hardest asana (or posture).

But resisting can cause stagnation, so what can you let go of this spring that will help keep the flow of your life moving with grace.

Warmly,

Jan

Kindness

2011-04-12T11:40:00.000-07:00

“No kind action ever stops with itself. One kind action leads to another. Good example is followed. A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees. The greatest work that kindness does to others is that it makes them kind themselves.”

Amelia Earhart

After finding this amazing quote from Amelia Earhart, I was thinking how great it would be if there were a kindness month. Lo and behold, a google search revealed that February is National Random Acts of Kindness month. I missed it, darn it! But because it is better late than never, here’s my challenge for April: to practice at least one act of kindness daily. Does it have to be elaborately planned for every day of the month? Goodness no! Something as simple as holding the door open for someone or being polite when we speak to people during the day or inviting a person to go in front of us in a check-out line just might brighten their day. And there are acts of kindness that others don’t see, but are just as meaningful, such as donating clothes and food to a charity or picking up trash in the park.

A few months ago at Starbucks, the person ahead of me, a complete stranger,paid for my cup of coffee. It was such a treat and I would have paid it forward except I was the only one in the cafe, so I placed the money I was holding to pay for my coffee into the tip jar. The young woman behind the counter asked me if I wanted some change back but I told her to keep it and left with my coffee, both of us smiling!

Enjoy this month of April, spreading roots of kindness.

Warmly,

Jan

The Yamas - Ethical principals for interacting with others

2011-02-28T10:35:00.000-08:00

Working on our spiritual life is an ongoing practice that will take many different twists and turns because life is always changing. The yamas give us a guide to live more consciously. They are not always easy to practice and may require some soul searching on our part, but that’s the point. They help us to approach life with awareness, compassion and personal growth. A nice way to practice the yamas is to take one and work with it over a certain time frame, say a week or a month, longer if necessary, and then be open to, and aware of, the transformations that take place, whether that is speaking kinder words, letting go of a past resentment or watching less TV!

Here are brief descriptions of the five yamas:

Ahimsa – nonviolence; not causing pain

“When nonviolence in speech, thought and action is established, one’s aggressive nature is relinquished and others abandon hostility in one’s presence.” –Yoga Sutras

Ahimsa is derived from two words: a, “not,” and himsa, “harm,” meaning “nonharming.”

This goes beyond physical harm of a person or thing. Our words, thoughts and actions can cause pain to others and we can act violently to ourselves by our negative thoughts. The Yoga Sutras states, “Causing pain can be even more harmful than killing.

Even by your words, even by your thoughts, you can cause pain.” Practice compassion, love, and peacefulness and creating a positive self-dialogue. Gandhi, Mother Theresa, Thich Nhat Hanh, and Martin Luther King, Jr all dedicated their lives to ahimsa.

Satya – truthfulness

“When the practitioner is firmly established in the practice of the truth, his words become so potent that whatever he says comes to realization.” –Yoga Sutras

Satya is derived from sat, referring to the truth of God or the universe and ya, an activating prefix in Sanskrit; therefore satya means, “actively becoming the truth of the universe or God.” Ahimsa needs to be practiced with satya. Letting love direct our truthfulness, not using harmful words, and letting go of judgment towards others are other ways of practicing satya. Judith Lasater, an internationally known yoga teacher, in her book Living Your Yoga, suggests asking yourself three questions before speaking: Is it necessary? Is it true? Is it nonharming? If you can answer “yes” to all these questions, it may be okay to proceed. If not, you must weigh what is the right action in the situation.

She also goes on to write about another aspect of satya, which is inner truth and integrity.

“Honesty is what we do when others are around…but to have integrity is to act in an honest manner when others are not around and will never know about our actions.”

3. Asteya – non-stealing

“When abstention from stealing is firmly established, precious jewels come.” –Yoga Sutras

Steya means “to steal”; asteya is the opposite. Besides the obvious of taking something that belongs to another, there are other, deeper meanings to this yama. Jealousy can be a form of stealing, such as taking credit for another person’s work or stealing someone’s reputation by spreading gossip about that person. We steal from ourselves all the time by

being too focused on the future and not enjoying the present moment. There are some who interpret this yama to also mean not taking more than what we need; not sharing our talents; or not giving to others less fortunate when we have an abundance of “stuff” to give. In his book Meditations from the Mat, Rolf Gates writes, “Each theft, each time we ‘forget’ to return something we’ve borrowed, each moment we give in to the impulse to covet or to be jealous, we are saying, ‘My God is not.’ To practice asteya, we must abandon ourselves to the care of the universe. We must say in each moment, with each thought, word and deed, ‘My God is’.”

Brahmacharya – moderation

“When the practitioner is firmly established in continence, knowledge, vigor, valor, and energy flow to him.” –Yoga Sutras

The literal translation of brahmacharya is “walking with God” or “to remain connected to Source.” This is the hardest of the yamas to understand, as the classical meaning is “celibacy.” But if we dig deeper we will find that this yama is about finding moderation in our life, whether that is our sexual energy, food, alcohol, watching television, etc. Brahmacharya is about personal responsibility and creating balance in our life. In one of my teacher training manuals this quote sums up this yama beautifully, “This day I am moderate, centered and complete. I use my energy in ways that lead me closer to my Source. I treat others and myself with respect, recognizing the inherent Divinity of all people. I’m connected to my true self.”

Aparigraha – nonpossessiveness

“If we are completely free from stealing and greed, contented with what we have, and if we keep serene minds, all wealth comes to us.” –Yoga Sutras

The root word of aparigraha is parigraha, which means to reach for something and claim it for yourself. By adding the “a” in front of the word, it takes on the opposite definition. Aparigraha, therefore, is the act of letting go. Practicing this yama may mean consuming less and living more or practicing nonattachment to possessions and people. People are ours to be with, not to have or to own. It’s okay to have a lot but not attach who we are to it. Aparigraha also means letting go of past resentments, anger and fear, or the obstacles preventing us from living a productive and happy life. At its deepest level, aparigraha is about forgiveness.

Ultimately the yamas are about practicing love, both toward others and oneself.

A Holiday Wish

2010-12-14T15:07:00.000-08:00

Greetings!

How can such a magical time of year, with all the lights, decorations, and cheer, be one of the most stressful, too? I wish I had a good answer, but I don't. I think we put so much pressure on ourselves - or feel pressured by outside sources - for everything to be perfect during the holiday season, that we end up tired and stressed out. Let's be honest, who hasn't hit the "Holiday Wall" at one time or another? I can remember standing in Toys R Us at midnight, blurry eyed, frustrated, and downright angry because they were sold out of some special toy one of my daughters wanted. Or how about the time I had this brilliant idea of making pans and pans of cinnamon rolls by scratch for all my family and friends. I ended up sitting in a heap on our kitchen floor in tears! I will have to say, though, that I came away from that fiasco with a tremendous respect for professional bakers!

This year will be different. Our two daughters are grown and on their own. Honestly, I am looking forward to a very simple Christmas this year with a small tree, a few gifts under it, and spending time with loved ones. And that's my wish for all of you: that in the midst of all the busy-ness, you will find a glimmer of simplicity. A moment to sit with a cup of tea and a good book; a nice dinner and conversation with a loved one; a walk in the woods; quiet time for prayer or meditation; or simply taking several deep breaths.

Taking the time to stop occasionally throughout the season and to jump off the holiday treadmill is oh-so-important for our self-care. Please take care of yourself during the next few weeks and end the year on a healthy note.*

Peace to all,
Jan
www.bodygrace.com

Giving Thanks at Body Grace

2010-11-20T06:10:00.000-08:00

Here is the Thanksgiving weekend line-up of class offerings.

Teachers are donating their time and talents and ALL classes are donation-based.
Warm apple cider will be served in our beautiful lounge after each class.

Donations for classes will go to a different charity each day. You are welcome to give a cash or check donation or simply click your class-pass and place it in the donation basket and Body Grace will make the donation.

Friends and family are always welcome to our classes!

Visit www.bodygrace.com

Wednesday Evening, November 24

6:45 - 8:00 pm, Flow Yoga 1 – 2 with Jan
"Count Your Blessings"

A candlelit class (okay fake candles) centered around the heart with gentle backbendsand shoulder openers, ending with a relaxing restorative pose.

Donations to Committee for Helping Others - A local nonprofit providing simple, loving charity to those in need of goods and services which they are unable to provide for themselves.

Please bring canned goods or donate your class.

Thanksgiving Morning

10:00 - 11:00 am, Slow Flow Yoga with Kathy
"Turkey Day Tranquility"

A morning meditation and movement class--pause before the food and football--to give thanks for life's many gifts and to stoke digestive fires in preparation for the day's indulgences. A gentle sequence, suitable for any friends and family new to yoga.

Donations to Our Military Kids
A nonprofit group offering grants for after-school activities to preschool through high-school aged children of active duty or injured National Guard service men and women.

Friday Morning, November 26

A Day to De-Turkefy or Tofu-kefy

9:15 - 10:15 am, Yoga Strength with Jan

Let the world of yoga and traditional strength training collide!
After a yoga-inspired warm-up, we'll grab tubes and weights, as well as use our own body weight to build strength and then end with deep stretches and reward ourselves with relaxation.
This class requires athletic shoes.

10:30 - 11:45 am, Yoga Flow 1 – 2 with Jan

Detox with a flowing practice emphasizing strong core work and twists.

Noon - 1:00 pm, Slow Flow with Jan

Take a break from shopping and enjoy a relaxing, slower paced yoga practice that will help you feel refreshed.

Donations to Committee for Helping Others for all classes - Please bring canned goods or donate your class.

Saturday Morning, November 27

9:30 - 10:30 am, Pilates with Julie Moore
An all-levels class. Participants will be encouraged to work at their own level.

Donations to Committee for Helping Others - Please bring canned goods or donate your class.

10:45 am – Noon, Flow Yoga 1 - 2 with Diane
"A Gratitude Practice"
Lots of Sun Salutations and flow to continue the detox process.

Donations to Global Giving
A nonprofit that connects donors with grassroots projects around the world to make a high impact.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Jan Crerie

www.bodygrace.com

How to Create a B.A.D attitude

2010-09-30T08:54:00.000-07:00

“By paying attention and by listening to yourself, you can begin to get to the root of your attitudes and feelings. And from there it is easy to see what needs to change.” – Deb Shapiro

“The greatest discovery of any generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind.” – Albert Schweitzer

One of the most important components of my job as a group fitness/yoga instructor is to know what is going on with class participant’s bodies. Having that information helps me with cueing and allows me to show modifications where needed. Within the last several weeks I’ve heard this statement more times than I would like to count, “I’ve got a bad (insert body part here).” To be honest, we don’t have “bad” body parts. However what can be bad and quite unhealthy is the self-dialogue we use to describe our body.

Suppose a loved one came to you and said, “Gosh, I’m going through a rough time.” How would you respond? Hopefully, if you really cared for that person, you would engage them in a meaningful conversation to find out how you might be of some help. The last thing you would say to them would be, “That’s right, you’re going through this because you’re bad.” I’m not a psychic, but I do believe the conversation would come to a screeching halt. So why is it that when our bodies are going through some challenges we label them “bad”? Shouldn’t we show our bodies just as much love and respect as we would our friend going through a difficult time?

Creating an affirming language allows more healing to take place and self-acceptance to begin. These “hot spots” or “sweet spots” in our bodies are challenges that can be overcome with patience and respect. Let’s look at “sensitive” body parts as places to honor and see all bodily “issues,” “tweaks,” and “crankiness” as little conflicts that can be dealt with if we are willing to invest the time. We need to accept the fact that not one of us is put together in the same way. Let’s celebrate that uniqueness, instead of comparing ourselves with others and feeling negative about what our bodies cannot do. Take a moment and congratulate yourself on what you can do!

Creating a Better-Affirming-Dialogue or “B.A.D.” attitude won’t always be easy. In fact, changing our negative thought processes to positive ones may be difficult at times, especially when we face some of life’s challenges. Deb Shapiro in her book “Your Body Speaks Your Mind” has this to say, “…affirmations may feel very superficial at first, as if you are just repeating platitudes in order to keep reality at bay…Remember, your body does hear you, so trust that it will work. It just may take time.” She goes on to write, “The body hears and responds to your thoughts and words. Developing a loving relationship with yourself that supports an acceptance of life, no matter what happens, encourages greater resilience.”

So how can we create a B.A.D. attitude? How might we change those negative words, thoughts and feelings into more loving ones?. We can begin by bringing more awareness into how our bodies are feeling and tuning into our inner dialogue. For example, let’s say you feel you have a “bad” back. What really may be going on in your back is “weakness” or “tightness” and your back needs to be strengthened or stretched to become healthier. Maybe your back feels “stiff” from lack of movement, especially if we are a “professional sitter,” so getting off the couch or chair and moving more may be what is needed. These descriptions are more affirming because they open the door to the healing process, giving us a starting place to work from. Constantly labeling our body as “bad” closes the door on that process.

The more we can tune in and practice a Better-Affirming-Dialogue about ourselves, the more we may see that positive way of thinking spilling out into other areas of our life. By letting that overflow to happen, we create a contagious B.A.D. attitude that will affect all those we have contact with, generating a healthier and more loving atmosphere.

Wholeness

2010-08-31T18:17:00.000-07:00

“Which do you want: perfection or wholeness? Often we strive for perfection. But perfection is unattainable, and striving for it limits us. Today sit quietly for a few minutes. As you breathe, imagine becoming a large container within which to hold your perfection and imperfection. When you can hold both, then you experience your wholeness.”
Judith Hanson Lasater (from A Year of Living Your Yoga)

A few weeks ago I randomly chose this passage to use as our opening meditation for the yoga classes. I would have never guessed then, that these few sentences would come back to mean so much to me right now.

I have a confession to make: I am a recovering perfectionist. And just when I think I have it under control, something will trigger those perfectionist tendencies. What snaps me out of it is usually a big dose of reality.

Take, for example, the studio. Back in May I had it in my head that when September rolled in, the place would be perfectly painted and decorated; the retail space would be stocked and ready; we’d have a new computer system and software installed; there would be a beautiful sign over the door; a new website and a full class schedule on the roster. We had three months to accomplish all of this, no problem; this was going to be a piece of cake, right? Wrong!

What’s funny about all of this is that our mantra throughout the construction phase has been, “Letting go of perfectionism.” The building is old, which I love, but that comes with imperfections, which can create some challenges in the construction phase. But was I really letting go of perfectionism or was it still there all along, hiding in my idea of opening the “perfect” studio in September.

And then, wait for it…a big dose of reality hits!

My mission is to promote healthy living in an encouraging, welcoming and beautiful environment that is also affordable. That meant a tight budget and lots of work done by us. Oh sure, I could have hired the pros to come in and do the job in half the time and, in a few instances, I did, but that would have increased our budget and moved me away from my mission of affordability.
You guessed it. September’s here and the studio is not yet complete.

But wait, there’s more! As if one dose of reality wasn’t enough, round two hits, even harder, the recent death of my father-in-law.

His passing was not unexpected. How quickly he left this earth was a surprise. I think God showed great mercy in taking Dad Crerie as He did. My husband, Bob, made it just in time to say good-bye. He reassured him that the family would take care of Mom Crerie, which had been a huge concern and stress for his father. Bob expressed his love to his father and told him it was okay to let go. Dad Crerie passed shortly afterward.

And that, my dear friends, has put everything in perspective.

Okay, so there’s still no carpet on the stairs and the retail space is not open and my office is unpainted and full of construction trash! All of that is superficial. The studio will get done slowly and surely. What really matters in the end is the deep inner connection we establish with our loved ones, our friends, and with each other.

So what do we have? Even with all of its imperfections right now, we have a beautiful, light-filled studio in which to find connection with each other and a place to take care of our health and well being.

Judith Lasater is absolutely right perfection is simply unattainable. She asks us to become containers in which to hold our perfections and imperfections and when we can do that, we experience wholeness. Which do we want perfection or wholeness? My prayer is that Body Grace becomes an amazing studio of wholeness.

Warmly,
Jan Crerie

It's My Party and I'll Cry If I Want To

2010-05-31T05:22:00.000-07:00

I turned 50 a couple weeks ago. I felt pretty good about turning 50 or so I thought.

For months my family had asked me what I wanted for my birthday, an exotic trip or a party or perhaps a night out on the town, all great options. What I wanted, I told them was to have a lease signed on a studio. That would be the best present in the world. But over two years of looking was beginning to weigh heavily on me. If I was barking up the wrong tree and having my own place just wasn’t in the stars, then I needed a sign to let it go. That would be a gift also.

The stars did align and on April 30 I signed a lease. Happy Birthday To Me!

So why on May 16, when I woke up to the big 5-0, did I start the day with uncontrollable weeping? Why, dear God why, if anyone said Happy Birthday to me, I started crying? If I read a birthday wish on my computer…tears. Out for a walk with my husband on a spectacular spring day, a day I should have been enjoying, all I could do was cry. We had planned to go out for a wonderful dinner, but I couldn’t even do that. My family ended up cooking a delicious meal here at our house.

Then guilt crept into the whole, ugly mess. Why? Because I have so much in my life to be thankful for like an amazing, supportive family and friends; a strong, loving marriage; an exciting new chapter beginning in my career. I had no right to cry. I was just having myself a “pity party” as my mom use to call them. SNAP OUT OF IT!

But I couldn’t. So, my friends, I had to practice what I teach. Honoring my body, mind and spirit on this particular day, feeling and letting go of judgment. For whatever reason, my 50^th birthday was a catalyst for a big, fat, huge release of emotions that had been building for many months and I needed to let it all out in order to move forward.

I felt better towards the end of the day. Though I will have to say a nice glass of wine and an enormous piece of chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and chocolate sprinkles helped a bit too!

Cheers to turning 50!

Leap And The Net Will Appear

2010-05-30T07:01:00.000-07:00

Back in November 2007 I wrote to you about beginning the search for my own studio space here in Vienna. So I am thrilled to inform you that I signed a three-year lease on a place this past week! A long time coming.

It has been one heck of a bumpy ride filled with many rough patches along the way. Through it all I have learned so much, not only about commercial real estate and bureaucracy, stuff I knew would come with this journey, but about myself too. What I didn’t expect was how much I would grow personally and spiritually. I have been pushed to do some things way beyond my comfort zone, like negotiating a lease. But with the advice from good friends, I managed to do a pretty good job.

Spiritually, I developed a daily prayer and meditation time that has sustained me. It is here that I began to notice changes taking place internally and I also learned an important lesson…be careful what you pray for! The answers to my prayers were not always what I expected nor wanted, but what I needed, which at times created disappointment and even sadness. Hey, but at the end of the day everything worked out exactly the way it should. Funny how that is!

I have experienced a whole slue of emotions in the last few days. From excitement and tears of joy to fear and brief moments of “oh crap, what have I done,” then rinse and repeat 50 times!

Even though I share my journey with you, what it ultimately comes down to is not about “me” but about “us”. Therefore your ideas, feedback, suggestions, thoughts and feelings are so important. I cannot impress this enough. Please share with me any ideas you may have regarding classes, scheduling, teachers you would like see come on board, workshop suggestions, anything really. All communication lines are open. Your input will be vitally important as we move forward to being a success!

And finally, there are not enough words to express my love and gratitude to everyone. Okay so I don’t have to get all mushy and weepy, I’ll just leave it at that.

Think Green!

2010-02-28T13:28:00.000-08:00

Little darling, it’s been a long, cold lonely winter. Little darling, it feels like years since it’s been here. Here comes the sun, here comes the sun and I say it’s all right.

Little darling, the smiles returning to the faces. Little darling, it seems like years since it’s been here. Here comes the sun, here comes the sun and I say it’s all right.

Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting. Little darling, it seems like year since it’s been clear. Here come the sun, here comes the sun and I say it’s all right. It’s all right. –George Harrison (lyrics from Here Comes the Sun)

For some reason I have had this George Harrison song stuck in my head for a couple of weeks. Oh I don’t know, maybe it’s because February 2010 will go down in history as one heck of a wintry month.
Who would have thought that not one, but two blizzards would hit this area in the time span of one week. And here we all thought that the major snowstorm we had in December would be “it” for the year. Ahh, but Mother Nature had other ideas for us didn’t she. Lets hope that we are done with the white precipitation until next year, but I need not remind everyone that we have had some major storms in March…heavy sigh.

Don’t get me wrong, I LOVED the snow! I loved how it brought everyone and everything to a stand still; how neighbors got out and helped each other; the sound of kids and adults sledding in our neighborhood park; as well as spending time with my family shoveling, walking and talking, shoveling, eating meals together, shoveling!

But as much as I loved all the snow, I’m over it! I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of the color green…and yellow… pink… red…purple, all the colors of springtime.

So in honor of the color green and St. Patty’s Day I share with you my new favorite Green Detox Smoothie. One of my husband’s friends eats a raw food diet and shared this recipe with us. It is a great detoxifier and energizing drink, full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Give it a try.

1 Banana
8 oz to 16 oz of orange juice (preferably unpasteurized, if you can find it or squeeze your own)
A handful of spinach leaves
2 kale leaves or swiss chard
8 oz of filtered water (don’t use tap water)

Blend everything together and enjoy!

Here is some interesting facts on Kale and dark green leafy veggies:

They are super foods and great detoxifiers, packed with beta-carotene, vitamin K and C, rich in minerals such as iron, manganese, calcium and potassium. However they do have a few drawbacks. Because of their high vitamin K content, particularly Kale, people taking anti-coagulants need to be careful about ingesting too much vitamin K.

These veggies in their raw state have a higher concentration of goitrogen, a naturally occurring substance that can interfere with the function of the thyroid. If you have thyroid problems you may want to avoid eating them raw and enjoy them cooked instead.

A little bit more controversial are the oxalates found in certain vegetables. Oxalates are a naturally occurring chemical ingested through both plant and animal sources. Too much oxalate can crystallize in the body and possibly cause health problems. Therefore those with gall bladder or kidney issues may wish to limit their intake of high oxalate foods.

As always, check with your doctor if you have concerns.

February - The Heart Month

2010-01-31T18:49:00.000-08:00

“There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.” - John Andrew Holmes, Jr.

“In prayer it is better to have a heart without words than words without a heart.” - Gandhi

There are two ways to look at the heart. One is physical and the other is spiritual.

Eating a more heart healthy diet or adding in some extra exercise that gets us moving is helpful in strengthening the heart. Or if we haven’t had a full medical exam in a while, maybe we should make an appointment to have our blood pressure checked and blood work done (my personal plan for the month) and then taking the necessary steps to improve any below normal findings.

Yoga teaches us that the body has seven energy centers or chakras. The fourth energy center is located at the heart. It is here that love, compassion, gratitude and self-acceptance lies. Think for a moment of all the heart expressions we use, for example “a heartfelt thank you,” “from the bottom of my heart,” and who amongst us doesn’t know the sadness of a ‘broken heart’. One of the reasons yoga has so many chest expansion poses such as backbends, is to help open up this area so that all the loving qualities of the heart can flow easier.

Here’s another way to think about it: Imagine a vertical line running down the center of the body. This vertical line is our connection with God, or Christ, your Source, the Universe, whatever your personal belief may be. Then imagine a horizontal line. This line represents our relationship with the world around us, our day-to-day life. These two lines intersect at the heart center, sometimes referred to as the Final Portal.

When we bring our hands to a prayer position at our heart and touch our thumbs to the breastbone, or bow our head in prayer, we are bringing our awareness inward and downward to the heart center, a reminder of the connection between the physical and spiritual world. How nice to know that the stuff that flows on the horizontal line can be lifted up on the vertical line to a higher power.

Focusing on strengthening our heart physically by eating right and exercising is vitally important to our overall health and well-being, but so too is taking the time to work on the spiritual side. A healthy heart flows with ease in all directions.

“It is the heart which perceives God and not the reason.” Blaise Pascal (17 century mathematician, physicist and religious philosopher.)

A New Year

2010-01-03T08:23:00.000-08:00

“We bless this year for all we learned,
For all we loved and lost
And for the quiet way it brought us nearer to our invisible destination.”
- John O’Donahue, 1956-2008 (An ex Catholic priest, Irish poet and philosopher. This is the last verse from the poem “At the End of the Year").

I always look forward to the beginning of a new year. Not for resolution making, but for reflection. I enjoy taking some time now that the busyness of the holidays is behind me to reflect back over the previous year. I remember all the people or situations that taught me a thing or two and I give thanks for the many blessings in my life, as well as the many challenges. Honestly though, going through the low moments I was anything but thankful. Let’s see, frustrated, disappointed, angry and sad would be more like it. But working through these feelings, to the best of my ability, strengthened me both emotionally and spiritually, and for that I am truly grateful.

The New Year brings a fresh sheet of paper, ready for life to be written on it. I say, “Bring it on!”

“I would love to live like a river flows, carried by the surprise of its own unfolding.” – John O’Donohue

Happy New Year!

Here is the uneditied piece of poetry:

At the End of the Year

The particular mind of the ocean
Filling the coastline's longing
With such brief harvest
Of elegant, vanishing waves
Is like the mind of time
Opening us shapes of days.

As this year draws to its end,
We give thanks for the gifts it brought
And how they became inlaid within
Where neither time nor tide can touch them.

The days when the veil lifted
And the soul could see delight;
When a quiver caressed the heart
In the sheer exuberance of being here.

Surprises that came awake
In forgotten corners of old fields
Where expectation seemed to have quenched.

The slow, brooding times
When all was awkward
And the wave in the mind
Pierced every sore with salt.

The darkened days that stopped
The confidence of the dawn.

Days when beloved faces shone brighter
With light from beyond themselves;
And from the granite of some secret sorrow
A stream of buried tears loosened.

We bless this year for all we learned,
For all we loved and lost
And for the quiet way it brought us
Nearer to our invisible destination.

~ John O'Donohue ~

(From the book, To Bless the Space Between Us)

A Thought for the Month

2009-12-01T10:50:00.000-08:00

“It is a simple, stunning, magnificent idea. That we are all children of God, that faith isn't about me being more pious than you, my denomination being the right one, my religion needing to destroy yours to prove itself. Faith can actually be something we celebrate in each other, something that makes us more alike than different.” - Mitch Albom

Recently, best-selling author Mitch Albom was a guest columnist for the On Faith section on washingtonpost.com. In his piece he shares his experiences with two men of faith, each from very different walks of life. Click here to read the article.

Inspired by Mr. Albom’s article, here are the stories of two local men.

“We are all children of God….”

A good friend of mine, who sent me the Washington Post link, told me about a lovely man she works with, who is always smiling and wears the nicest clothes. Based on his heavy accent she assumed he was from another country, which he later confirmed. My friend mentioned to him one day that he was the best-dressed person in the office and made the rest of the staff look sloppy! After thanking her for the compliment, he then shared that up to a few weeks previous he had been living in an area shelter and that all his clothing had been donated.

“Now that I have a paying job I see to it that my clothes are always neat and clean because they were a gift from God,” he said.

My friend replied back, “God bless you, and yes, that’s a good reminder, everything we have is a gift from God. Because we are His family.”

“Yes, one big family.”

My friend shared this thought with me: “I couldn’t help but think there are people who wouldn’t know his story but would be suspicious of him just because he was from a different country, when in fact, we’re all children in God’s family.”

“…Something that makes us more alike than different.”

Arriving to the church early one cool spring morning, I noticed a middle-aged man standing inside the door looking at pamphlets. As I entered through the glass doors he looked up and we made eye contact. His clothes were a bit disheveled and his shoes were well worn, but what caught my attention was the sparkle in his eyes. After saying good morning to me he asked if he could have some of the pamphlets to take with him, to which I replied “absolutely.” He went on to tell me that he enjoys coming early in the morning to sit in the sanctuary to pray. And then he leaned in and said, “Can I tell you a little secret?”

Nodding I said “yes.”

“I come here every week for the AA meeting. I never miss a meeting. You know, I just have to take it one day at a time.”

For some reason that comment really hit a home run for me and I said, “That is so true for many of us. And sometimes it’s one moment at a time.”

At that he chuckled, nodded and said, “Ain’t that the truth!”

We both went our separate ways. I never saw him again.

“Faith can actually be something we celebrate in each other…”

God uses people from all walks of life to encourage us, to teach and empower us and to help broaden our horizons. Sometimes it is the simplest encounter, with someone we may not know anything about, that can have a profound affect on our day. It reminds us that life and all it has to offer, day to day, moment to moment is a gift.

A Prayer For The Month:

Peace on Earth and Goodwill towards ALL People.

A HEARTFELF THANKS!

2009-11-30T18:09:00.000-08:00

Our after Thanksgiving “De-Turkify” or “De-Tofukify” classes were a huge success! Thank you so much for your support and attendance.

Here is my gratitude list…

1. Thanks to your generosity, I was able to drop off a carload of baby items to Our Daily Bread. They were extremely appreciative and could not thank us enough. There were lots of smiles!

2. During class, when I walked by the cash donation basket, and out of the corner of my eye I noticed not one dollar bills or even fives, (which would have been fine) but a whole bunch of $20s! At the end of the day the final total was $200. I will be purchasing baby items for families in need within the next couple of weeks for an Our Daily Bread food drive here at Vienna Presbyterian. Thank You!!

3. It was an honor to have so many of you bring your family members to class. And having some of you try a new class you don’t usually attend was great too. Thanks for keeping an open mind.

4. Realizing how intergenerational the yoga class was, touched me deeply. In a class size of 35, the age ranged from 10 to 70 +. How amazing is that!

5. I am so grateful for each and every one of you. Thank you for being such an important part of Body Grace Fitness and Yoga.

The CROP Walk - October 25, 2009

2009-11-07T07:46:00.000-08:00

What better way to spend a beautiful autumn Sunday afternoon than going for a walk,enjoying the crisp fresh air, lovely blue sky and array of fall colors the trees put on display for us this time of year. What makes all of this even better is when you are walking with 175 other people in the 6K CROP Walk.

The day of the CROP walk turned out to be a beautiful fall day so myself, my husband, Bob (the very enthusiastic guy pictured above!) and our dog, Zella decided to join the walk this year. Body Grace has been one of the sponsors for the last couple of years, but due to conflicts I was always unable to participate. It was such a privilege to participate this year and to see neighbors and community leaders all walking together for such a great cause.

CROP stands for Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty and is sponsored by Church World Service. The walk is to help bring awareness to world hunger and raise funds for international relief and development. This year the Vienna walk raised $19,500! Not too shabby! Twenty-five percent of those proceeds go to the Committee for Helping Others (CHO), which is a local organization that helps those in our community who are experiencing hardships.

I will look forward to next year, not only for the privilege of Body Grace to help sponsor the event again, but to hopefully walk with so many for a common goal, which is that all living beings deserve to have enough food to eat and live in a safe, clean environment. World hunger is unacceptable.

Celebrating The Fall Equinox

2009-10-17T07:48:00.000-07:00

On September 22 Body Grace celebrated the Fall Equinox with charity classes to benefit the Vienna CROP walk. The CROP walk helps raise money and awareness about world hunger.
Here are the quotes I used in the classes, as well as the playlist. Thanks to all those who participated.

Change is a measure of time and in the autumn, time seems speeded up. What was, is not and never again will be; what is is change. – Edwin Teale

Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all. – Stanley Horowitz

By all these lovely tokens

September days are here

With summer’s best of weather

And autumn’s best of cheer.

- Author Unknown

The leaves are falling, falling as from way off, as though far gardens withered in the skies; they are falling with denying gestures. And in the nights the heavy earth is falling from all the stars down into loneliness. We all are falling. This hand falls. And look at others: it is in them all. And yet there is one who holds this falling endlessly gently in his hands. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Playlist for class. Click on title to be linked to I-tunes

Sun Blessing (Fire-Heart Edit) – The Gordon Brothers

Life Is Wonderful – Jason Mraz

Summer Breeze – Jason Mraz (not on any album or I-tunes)

Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) – Michael Mandrell

Sun Rise in Peace – The Gordon Brothers

Ha-Tha (Sun Meets Moon) – Chinmaya Dunster

Sunrise – Norah Jones

Bella Luna – Jason Mraz

Islands at Dusk - Midori

Autumn Leaves – Eva Cassidy

Fields of Gold – Eva Cassidy

Chandrika (Moonlight) – Michael Mandrell

Evening Mist

Replacing Atheltic Shoes

2009-09-27T07:42:00.000-07:00

In the last couple of months I've spoken to people about replacing worn-out shoes. Several years ago I wrote an article on the subject, so I pulled that out. The information is still relevant today.

Below is an excerpt:

We need to start looking at our feet as a starting point for a strong, functional, injury-free, symmetrically aligned body. Our body parts are all interconnected. It reminds me of that song, "the ankle bone connected to the shin bone, the shin bone connected to the thigh bone..." well, take them bones and add muscles that attach here, insert there and cross joints, and you've got a whole lot of integration going on!

The alignment of any body part will respond, positively or negatively, to it's adjacent part. When we are standing, our feet and legs are the foundation to good neutral alignment. When we are sitting in proper posture, the pelvis and spine are the foundation. Therefore, looking at our feet as the first in a long chain of strong support systems can open our eyes to the importance of caring for them to last a lifetime.

Wearing "dead" athletic shoes can cause pain in the feet, ankles, shins, knees, hips and low back.

Here are some tips on buying shoes, (or you can google search "buying athletic shoes" to get some other good information.) If you have feet that under or overpronate, flat feet or high arches, you may need to pay particular attention to the shoes you buy and proper fit. Going to a specialty store such as Metro Running in Falls Church may be a good place to purchase shoes.

* Buy sports specific shoes. Whatever your activity is, buy a shoe that matches it. You can walk in a running shoe, but not the other way around. A studio shoe or cross-trainer is good for a cardio or group exercise class; a walking or running shoe is not. There are usually a lot of lateral movements in a group exercise class that requires extra lateral support that walking/running shoes do not have.

* Try on shoes after a workout or later in the day when your feet are at their largest. Make sure you try on both shoes.

* Wear the same type of sock normally worn during your activity. Speaking of socks, a good pair is extremely important for comfort and foot health. Make sock bunnies or wax the car with all those old, thin, holey socks!

* When the shoe is on your foot, there should be about a thumb's width - about 1/2 inch - of space between the longest toe and front of the shoe. The toes should be able to wiggle freely.

* There is no "breaking-in" period. Shoes should be comfortable right away.

* Shoes should be fitted to your heel as well as your toes. There should be a firm grip of the shoe to your heel, without slipping as you walk or run.

* Have both feet measured if possible. Foot size increases as we age. Sizes vary among shoe brands and styles. Judge a shoe by how it fits, not by the marked size.

* Your feet should never be forced to conform to the shape of a pair of shoes.

One of the leading culprits of pain and discomfort in the feet, legs and back is working out in "dead athletic shoes." The breakdown of the shoe happens in an area we cannot see, the midsole, which is why so many people continue to workout in dead shoes.

If you are seeing signs of wear and tear on the outside, your shoes are way past their prime and it is time to replace them. Heavier people are harder on shoes, running is tough on shoes and people who pronate their feet will need to replace their shoes more frequently. Walking and running shoes should be replaced after 300-500 miles of use. Those who work out mainly in a group exercise atmosphere, replacing shoes after 100 hours of use seems to be a good general guideline. You could apply some of this logic to other types of shoes as well, for example, hiking or tennis.

Listen to your body and look at your shoes, the two may be trying to tell you something. Our athletic shoes should be a vital piece of equipment to enhance our workouts and an insurance policy to protect us from injury.