Resolution Revolution

December 17, 2009
Posted by Sharon
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I’ve been frustrated lately and overwhelmed—-by my work, by my work relationships, by the fact that my husband has become obsessed with watching CSPAN and mostly by what I feel around me in the energetic field.  We are exhausted and want more from our leaders, our medical system, our businesses and banks.  We want people who have power to start using it in a way that is GOOD and GENEROUS and RIGHT. 

Then, this morning, I woke up and I realised that we must have a REVOLUTION.  We must have a great social movement in which EVERY PERSON decides to live each day according to their highest self.  We must STOP violence against ourselves and open to the potential of every moment because it is in our collective pledge to make every moment, every decision and every interaction one that matters that true REVOLUTION will happen.  We will, collectively, create a joyful and responsible energy–an energy where anyone who suggests that not protecting the earth, our heath and our ability to protect and nurture our children will simply feel out of alignment with what is real and right and responsible.  And when I say “OUR” I don’t mean American “OUR”—-I mean the “OUR” of humanity and of all living things.

Dr. Seuss tells us this in Horton Hears a Who—-EVERYONE in Whoville had to make a great noise in order to be saved.  In this revolution, instead of noise, we will make the silent vibration of positive energy.  Energy that creates a force of peace and light and love that can not be ignored.  In this lifetime, we can make a lasting vibration for peace that will have an infinite impact on the entire world.  We may feel small and powerless, but this is a trick of the mind that we can reveal with yoga and meditation. 

Yoga provides us with the support and inspiration we need to make this way of creating peace, energy and connecting to our own higher power.  Yoga is not a class, it is a choice—-a choice to move through the world in accordance with our inner guidance.  This practice can be done by anyone with a body, even if you can’t move your body or struggle with physical or mental challenges.  The practice is not a religion and will only serve to enhance your commitment to any religious or spiritual practices that you are already committed to.  This year, in 2010, consider joining the revolution.

 

Yoga Matrika invites YOU to a YOGA CHALLENGE. 

We welcome everyone to become a part of this yoga-based resolution revolution!  You don’t have to live in Pittsburgh and we hope that EVERYONE will take advantage of this project that invites you to make yoga and meditation a part of EVERY day of your life in a gentle and flexible way. 

Most New Years’ resolutions are about fixing what is broken, making changes, and trying to be better, greater, more than what you are right now.  But what if, this year, you became a part of a RESOUTION REVOLUTION to:

PROMOTE PEACE and NON-VIOLENCE starting with YOURSELF
PROMOTE RESPECT for HUMAN LIFE starting with YOURSELF
HAVE NO FEAR by acting according to your HIGHEST SELF and INNER GUIDANCE

If we all do this, then our Resolution Revolution will cause ripples of hope, joy, gratitude and beauty through the entire Universe.  Stop “not having enough time” and MAKE TIME.  Stop, “being so worried about the economy” and MAKE ENERGY.  Stop, “being so mad about the wars” and CREATE PEACE.  Stop acting on your fears and INSIST on ACTING from YOUR HIGHEST SELF. 

Let’s walk on our own two feet, feel the earth beneath us,
reach for the stars and make 2010 the year we really LIVE!

You might lose weight, get a better job, stop fighting with your partner or screaming at your kids, really start practicing the oboe and get your finances in order—- or you might not.  But, I guarantee that if you make an honest pledge to the Resolution Revolution, this will be one of the best years of your life. 

Every revolution needs a text, but this revolution has TWO!  Our 2010 texts are:

1.  Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul by Deepak Chopra.  2009
2.  The Joy of Living: Unlocking the Secret and Science of Happiness by Youngey Mingyur Rinpoche.  2007

You don’t have to buy these books, but we think you’ll want to so you can read them again and again and again!—You can borrow them from the library, create a Resolution Revolution group with friends and collectively own one set of the texts, etc.  If you do buy them and you have a local book shop, please order it through them or ask them to carry these titles.  If not, then the book titles are linked to information that will help you purchase them online.

HOW THE RESOLUTION REVOLUTION WORKS

STEP 1:  Print out a Revolution Pledge Form, read the pledge and think about your level of commitment to the pledge.  If you would like to commit, keep one signed copy in a safe place for yourself and send one to Yoga Matrika in Pittsburgh, PA.  In this way, you set a public intention to commit to the pledge. 

STEP 2: Make a payment or donation in order to receive your WELCOME KIT and to start receiving monthly e-newsletters with a review of the readings for that month and some yoga tips and hints.  The monthly newsletter will inspire you to stick with the pledge and provide great tips for your yoga practice.

STEP 3:  Keep your pledge.  Practice daily.

STEP 4: Provide feedback and ask for support.  Starting in September 2010, we will begin to publish an online journal for the pledge that incorporates the feedback, thoughts, ideas and reflections of participants.

 

WELCOME KIT

When you make a pledge to the Resolution Revolution, you will receive a reading schedule & monthly email newsletter with a discussion and review of the readings and yoga and meditation exercises that support that month’s topic.  You will also receive instructions on a meditation and yoga series that you will commit to doing 5-days EVERY week.  This meditation and yoga series takes 15-20 minutes and can be done by EVERYONE.  Even if you are not able to move your body or if you are confined to bed, you can DO THIS series with simple modifications that are included in the instructions.

 Although the greatest benefit will come from starting on January 1st, you can make the pledge at ANY TIME!  You will receive all of the previous e-mail newsletters and the yoga practice so you can “catch up”.

We will also be documenting the REVOLUTION and invite you to submit ideas, thoughts, reflections and personal stories to inspire more participation and to encourage anyone who has “taken a break” from their pledge.  You will receive information about this in your WELCOME KIT!

 

FEES 

The cost of the e-mail newsletters and year of yoga practice is $24–$2 per month to change your life and change the world.  If you do not have $24, but would like to make this pledge.  We honor your current financial situation and offer a DONATION option that allows  you to choose an amount that works with your budget.  Your purchase supports the costs associated with the administration of the revolution including, but not limited to: web fees, e-newsletter subscription costs and professional fees.

WORKSHOP-A-PALOOZA

December 12, 2009
Posted by Sharon
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This winter season Yoga Matrika is offering some of the best workshops we’ve had yet—creative, inspiring, therapeutic—you name it, we’ve got a workshop on it! 

Some, like Elsie Escobar’s YO GEEK are designed for people who may have never done yoga before and (GASP–could it be TRUE?) may have no interest in doing yoga, but who suffer from repetitive strain injury, lower back pain from sitting in a chair, and who have eyes strained and exhausted from hours of computer work. 

Others, like Linda Meacci’s WILD THING practice are designed to get your blood pumping as you are lead through the wild ride of a sweaty Vinyasa flow class to a slick soundtrack.  Work off the holiday feasts and festivities and start 2010 with great enthusiasm!

Dana Killmeyer, local author and yogini extraordinaire,  is offering a Movement and Memoir workshop for all of you yogis that like to move AND write. 

Even more unique are the embodied anatomy workshops with Mark Taylor that will connect you with the energies of your kidneys (the organ associated with winter in Chinese energy medicine theory) and ways to connect and use your core to expand your yoga practice and your life. 

So whether you love yoga or you aren’t quite so sure, we’ve got a workshop for you!  At $20 to $30, these are economic little treats to liven up what sometimes seems to be an infinite number of icy and gray days.  If you don’t know if yoga is for you or would like a complete introduction, don’t miss out on the sweet and vivacious Anna Gilbert who is facilitating a 4-week introductory series that starts on January 8, 2010. 

Posted with warm wishes for an amazing 2010 by Sharon Fennimore Rudyk, owner and director of Yoga Matrika in the Point Breeze neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15217.  Dedicated to great yoga in Pittsburgh! https://www.yogamatrika.com/

Yoga Works

December 10, 2009
Posted by Sharon
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I’m just about as committed, or perhaps even MORE committed,  to the “Why?” as anyone.  I think it’s a rather good question to be asked about anything from WHY is the Nobel peace prize winner suggesting that we increase our war activities to WHY do Pittsburghers call sprinkles, “jimmies”.  Or, the yoga owner gasps, WHY should anyone do yoga?  Just as committed as I am to the WHY, I’m simply frustrated at the infinite number of things that I can’t seem to comprehend or the number of WHY questions that I can’t get a satisfactory answer to.  Will someone just give me the satisfaction of a BECAUSE… every once in a while? 

If there is one thing that I know to be true and that is that YOGA WORKS.  I mean, it works for EVERYONE—children, moms, men, women, older people, teens, injured and sick, athletic and healthy, flexible, idiots and genius alike (generally subjective measurements anyway!)—–yoga works in all cases and without exception.  Why?  I have no idea!  I’m relatively convinced that any answer is only the beginning of an answer or even a fraction of the answer.  I don’t care if you got this answer by measuring brain activity, hormone levels, blood chemicals, stress level, decrease in headaches, reported relationship satisfaction, increased fertility, etc.  However you get your answer to the why of yoga, it’s only part of the story. The most terrifying thing about this kind of inquiry is that I wonder how many questions I have asked and found an answer to that I really only know the fraction of—maybe WHY just isn’t the right question and every BECAUSE is merely a PERHAPS in disguise?

I can think of two reasons why yoga decreases stress, makes us feel stronger and lighter and gives us energy and a feeling of bliss and joy:
1) We are moving in the most honest of ways and using our body to express, explore and respond to the environment around us instead of privileging the BRAIN and simply dragging the body around as a useful, but mostly frustrating appendage.  So many people tell me that they can’t do yoga because they aren’t flexible or because they aren’t “the type.”  If yoga was about touching your toes, then I can assure you gentle reader that 20 million Americans wouldn’t be doing yoga!  And, I might ask, who is the yoga type and how do you know it doesn’t apply to you if you never try?  As you are reading this, I happen to know that you are a live human and you have a body.  This being the case, you are, in fact, just the right “type” for yoga.  All you need is to be breathing and have a body and yoga will work for you!

2) Yoga is a vacation.  When you practice yoga, you lighten your load—you slow down the breath, you take off your shoes and socks, you notice sensations in your body and you shut up.  I don’t mean that you just stop talking.  I mean that you stop talking, people stop talking to you and you can finally hear yourself think.  For beginners, this is a terrifying moment because when you hear yourself think for the first time you can be overwhelmed to discover just how many thoughts you are having every minute or even every second.  This flood of thoughts, ideas, feelings, desires, stories and much more just flood over you and once you become aware of this you start to say, “THINKING” and return your awareness to your breath.  Ahhh—now isn’t that delightful?  It’s not something you can say to your boss–right?  Boss sticks her head in your cubicle and starts talking really fast about some immediate emergency double secret deadline and you can’t just say, “THINKING” and turn away!  But in yoga, you even get a vacation from yourself and all the trappings and trimmings you have determined as elements of that self.  You lighten your load by slowing down, removing obstacles to calm and getting out of your own way.  You CAN say to yourself, “THINKING.”

So try a yoga class and move your body and breathe and, well, get out of your own way! 

Posted by Sharon Rudyk, Owner and Director of Yoga Matrika (https://www.yogamatrika.com/) and Prenatal Yoga Pittsburgh (http://www.prenatalyogapittsburgh.com) in Point Breeze, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15217. 

I’d like to give an appropriate reference to Pema Chodron, a most wonderful writer and teacher who suggests the concept of saying “Thinking” to yourself during meditation when you start to lose your focus or awareness.  My personal favorite Pema Chodron title is, “The Wisdom of No Escape,” but you can try any title for excellent meditation information and practical advice and instruction.

FABULOUS Yoga Workshops in Pittsburgh

December 3, 2009
Posted by Sharon
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Honestly, I am just delighted, amazed, honored and excited to host these fabulous workshop and special series facilitators—-certainly some of the BEST that Pittsburgh has to offer for yoga, movement and being creative, spiritual and juicy delicious!  Some of these workshops are happening SOON—don’t miss a chance to pre-register and save $$$ and guarantee your space is saved.

SEASON of LIGHT, BODY of PEACE xmas-groovy-bird

Click Here: Video of Elsie about Workshop

Facilitated by Elsie Escobar
Sunday, December 6 from 12:30-2:30 pm
$25 pre-registration/$35 at the door (space allowing)

Set an intention for the holiday season and the approaching New Year and learn some techniques for setting priorities and making time for the beauty and grace available to us during this special time of year.  This is a great way to start a stress free holiday season!

 

 

thumbnailMeditation Session with Bhante Pemaratana

Monday, December 7, 2009
 7:30-8:45 pm
Location: PEACE ROOM (use side door to YOGA MATRIKA)
Cost: by donation  (suggested $5 per session)

Everyone is welcome.  No experience with meditation required. Bhante Pema will lead the group through a guided meditation session and then will answer any questions that you may have about meditation.

No pre-registration.  Just arrive about 10-minutes early to get settled.

 

 

xmas-groovy-bird1Sharon’s Birthday & Holiday Celebration
Friday, December 18, 2009

Class: 6:00 to 7:15 pm (doors open at 5:30 so you find a good spot!)
Party: 7:30 until the cake is all gone!

NO CHARGE, BUT DONATIONS ACCEPTED with DEEP GRATITUDE

Donation class and community celebration of the most excellent instructors at Yoga Matrika.
All donations will be distributed to the entire team of instructors at Yoga Matrika as a holiday bonus!
The class is open to all yogis age 12 and up and the party is open to EVERYONE—bring the babes, babies and the whole family! I need all the help I can get to blow out all these candles!

 

 

orange-lotus-ladyBeginner’s Series
Absolute Beginner’s Series with Anna Gilbert

Fridays from 6:00 to 7:15pm
January 8, 15, 22, 29
$40 for series of 4-classes

This series is for adults who have either never done yoga before or took one or two classes long enough ago that you can’t really quite remember if you actually took those classes or just imagined it!  Anna will provide an overview of what you can expect in a yoga class from the terms that are used, breathing patterns, physical postures and movements to ways to dress comfortably for class and common studio etiquette.  Instructions will be basic, clear and organized in a way that you can build confidence through the series.  After you ”graduate” you’ll be confident and ready to drop-in on any class at Yoga Matrika or any other studio and enjoy your class!

 

 

 

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WILD THING
A Wild Practice to Chase Winter Blahs Away!

Facilitated by Linda Meacci, RYT
January 9, 2010  from 2:00 to 3:30 pm  $20 pre-register/$25 door
March 27, 2010  from 2:00 to 3:30 pm  $20 pre-register/$25 door

“Wild thing, you make my heart sing”: Amp up your practice with a soulful journey into the heart.  Unleash your “wild” side with a cathartic, dynamic practice set to music.  Change up the velocity and rhythm.  Release endorphins.  Renew the SPIRIT and GROOVE on your mat!  This practice is recommended for students who have a minimum of 6-months of experience taking flow-style yoga classes or newer students with an athletic sense of adventure.  We’re offering this fabulous class twice in the winter schedule so you can experiment with the wild side of your practice in January and prepare to let loose for spring in March.

 

Wild Thing Classes


 

 

 brain-with-treeYO GEEK!: Yoga for Cubicle Slaves and the Computer Weary

Facilitated by Elsie Escobar, Anusara Inspired Instructor
Sunday, January 10, 2010 from 12:30 to 2:30 pm
$25 pre-registration/$35 at the door (space allowing)

Sitting in front of your computer a tiny bit too long?  Neck sore, eyes strained, hips tight, lower back achy, and stressed out?  How about learning some:
SIMPLE
EASY
EFFECTIVE
tools you can apply anytime and anywhere to help your body and mind feel so much better!  No prior knowledge of yoga required.  Welcome the new year by learning ways to take care of yourself!

 

 

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PRESCHOOL YOGA
AGES 2-6 with ADULT

Join your delightful instructor, Cathie Sunderman in this age-appropriate introduction to yoga including creative movment, breathing and relaxation.  Cathie weaves story telling, music and movement into thematic classes for young children that provide a joyful and fun introduction to yoga.  While this is not a Baby and Me class (yoga for adults that children are welcome to attend), adults are asked to participate with their child and facilitate the experience for their little one.  We find that, while not a yoga class for adults, most of the parents and guardians that attend have a wonderful time!  There is an emphasis on learning tools for easing stress and anxiety and finding happiness through movement and being mindful.  Children love acting out the movements of beloved animals and using their imagination to create mood and move with grace, strength and joy. 

These classes run in SIX WEEK SERIES and NO DROP IN STUDENTS ARE PERMITTED.  You must pre-register and pre-pay for the entire series.  Due to the nature of these classes, space is limited to ten children.  One missed class per series may be made up as an adult drop-in class that can be taken before the series concludes.  Absolutely no payments are accepted at the studio.  Each series is $60 for one adult and one child or $90 for one adult and two children.   Early bird pricing ($50 for one adult/one child and $80 for one adult/two children) applies to Series I registration BEFORE DECEMBER 20th and Series II registration BEFORE JANUARY 20th.

SERIES I: January 12, 19, 26, February 2, 9, 16  ($60 one child/$90 two children)
SERIES II: February 23, March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30   ($60 one child/$90 two children)

Preschool Registration


 

 

 

 

retro-asian-tree-turquoiseTending the Root of Life: The Fluid Dynamics of the Kidneys 
Facilitated by Mark C. Taylor

Sunday, January 17, 2010
1:00 to 3:00 pm
$30 pre-register/$40 at the door

Your kidney is called the “Root of Life” in Chinese anatomy, and is regarded as the body’s most important reservoir of essential energy.  In addition to the functions of fluid filtration and metabolic balance, your kidneys control the growth and development of your bones and nourish the marrow, which is your body’s source of red and white blood cells.  Impaired kidney function and deficient kidney energy are prime causes of low energy (anemia) and immune deficiency as well as poor memory, inability to think clearly, and backache.  In Tending the Root of Life you will embody ease in your kidneys through meditation, breath exercises, movement, and asana practice, enhancing and supporting their positive attributes: wisdom, rationality, clear perception, gentleness, and self-understanding.

 

 

 

globe-on-backMovement & Memoir
Facilitated by Dana Killmeyer
January 30, 2010

2:00 to 4:30 pm
$25 pre-registration, $35 at the door (space allowing)

Movement and Memoir is a hybrid class blending elements of yoga and somatics with creative expression, primarily autobiographical writing or journaling.  We will focus on observing our environments, both internal and external, as a catalyst for releasing tension and broadening our awareness.  Finding inspiration in our senses and perceptions, anatomy, literature, performance, music, art, meditation,and social critique, we will explore various aspects of observation and expression, stillness and animation.  Expect a gentler, more introspective yoga practice with an emphasis on breathing, as well as wrists, shoulders, and lower back–areas that tend to get overused and neglected after long periods of sitting.  Please bring a notebook and an open mind.

Dana Killmeyer is a Pittsburgh-native and University of Pittsburgh graduate.  She has written two books: Paradise, or the Part that Dies and Pendulums of Euphoria, both published by Six Gallery Press.  Currently pursuing training as a yoga teacher with Joanne VandenHengel (3rd Street Yoga) and as a Somatic Movement Educator with Mark Taylor (BodyMindMovement), Dana draws from a well of experience as a teacher, researcher, writer, and organic farm apprentice. 

 

 

green-treeANUSARA THERAPEUTICS: UPPER BODY

Facilitated by Elsie Escobar
Sunday, January 31st from 12:30 to 2:30 pm
$25 pre-registration/$35 at the door (space allowing)

Have you been suffering from shoulder, neck, jaw, elbow or wrist pain?  Come learn how to get out of pain through the Anusara™ Principles of Alignment™, an elegant system based on the biomechanics of the body.  Get ready to uncover the possibilities to feel GOOD!  No prior knowledge of yoga is required.

 

 

  

shadow-dancerELSIE’S BIRTHDAY BASH

Friday night, February 5, 2010
6:00 to 8:00pm, BY DONATION

PARTY after class! 

What better way to celebrate life than to give the best of ourselves to the community?  An up-tempo and mixed-level class taguth by Elsie Escobar—-full of ENERGY and FUN to raise money for a local Pittsburgh charity!  Plus, share some birthday cake with Elsie after class. 

 

 

 

3827978_thumbnailLOVE YOGA

Facilitated by Elsie Escobar
Friday night, February 12, 2010
6:00 to 8:00 pm
$25 pre-register or $35 at the door (space allowing)

As Valentine’s Day approaches, we receive a lot of messages about expressing love through exchanging gifts, sweets and flowers to our romantic loves.  This approach to matters of the heart put pressure on those in relationships to express love through material gifts and those who are not in relationships to feel lonely.  We advise a NEW approach to Valentine’s Day where we honor the energy of our hearts through a delicious workshop with a focus on heart openers and back-bending—YUMMY!  Join Elsie for some Love Yoga  and experience the bliss, joy and contentment of your heart center.

 

 

 

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CIRCLES of STRENGTH
A Workshop for Women
Facilitated by Linda Meacci, RYT

February 20, 2010
2:00 to 4:00 pm
$25 in advance/$35 at the door

Does a fog of unworthiness shroud your spirit?  Does courage elude you when the going gets tough?  Do you see life as a timeline that is full of obligations and pressures? Do you struggle to be fully present in this moment? 

This workshop, designed just for women, will guide you to:
*  Learn safe ways to build overall body strength
*  Integrate the dance of stability and freedom
*  Channel emotional energy in healthy ways
*  Increase self-confidence
*  Tap into your creative source
*  Appreciate the circular nature of life experiences on and off the mat

This well-balanced practice will blend the yin and the yang–flexibility and strength.  Proper alignment will be emphasized in strength poses such as Caturanga-Dandasana (half plank), and Vasisthasana (side plank) and also in flexibility poses such as Setu-Bandhasana (bridge) and Urdhva-Dhanarasana (wheel).  We will move through sun salutes and warrior postures with stira (steadiness) and sukham (ease).  Backbends will be explored with a focus on stability.  Hip openers will coax the emotional body to release.  We will quiet ourselves with a restorative Savasana.  Find what supports YOUR practice and frees your spirit.  Step into courage.  Bring what you discover into all circles of Life.

 

 Dandelion

 SPRING CLEANING YOGA PRACTICE
 DETOX & RENEW w/Linda Meacci, RYT

March 6, 2010 from 2:00 to 4:00 pm
$25 pre-register/$35 at the door (space allowing)

Balancing out body, mind and spirit through the seasons is an important step in maintaining homeostasis.  In this modern age of twitter, texting, blackberrys and IPhones, it is often forgotten that human beings reflect cycles of nature.  As we move from winter, a time of conservation, rest, storage and reflection, and into early spring, a time to shed and renew, the spirit begins to lift and fly again.  Springtime is a season to detox and rejuvenate!

In Chinese medicine, winter works with the balancing energy in the kidneys, bladder, adrenals, ears and bones.  In the springtime, the attention shifts to liver, gallbladder, nervous system, ligaments, tendons and eyes.  The movement continues season to season with the intention of finding homeostasis, or balance.  Yoga is one tool to aid in this cyclical process.

In this workshop, we will first unwind and then invigorate our practice by:
*  tuning into the eyes–the sense organs of springtime
*  mobilizing our skeletal and muscular structure with fluid slow movements
*  stabilizing and moving into Sun Salutes and Warrior postures
*  vigorously twisting in lying, seated and standing postures
*  toning the kidneys with backbends and the liver with forward bends
*  opening the hips to encourage movement of the emotional body
*  practicing long holds in inversions (such as sarvangasana) to facilitate drainage of the lymphatic system.

Our practice will come full-circle and close with a restorative savasana.  Join us for this rejuvenating practice!

 

 

 rocket-lurch

Calming the Core: Finding the Space Between
Facilitated by Mark C. Taylor

Sunday, March 14, 2010
1:00 to 3:00 pm
$30 pre-register/$40 at the door

Many of us carry excess tension in our backs or in our frontal organs as a result of inefficient weight flow through the torso.  In Calming the Core you will embody your quiet central spine as a way to allow your core to expand, allowing space for a joyful heart, easy breath, and an unencumbered digestive tract.  As your core releases you will find a more intimate relationshiop with the earth, greater access to sensory awareness, and increased pleasure of movement through your body.  You will strategize ways to sustain an expansive core in your personal practice and in daily life.

 

Posted by Sharon Fennimore Rudyk, Owner and Director of Yoga Matrika located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15217.  https://www.yogamatrika.com/

 

Remembering the Beginning

December 3, 2009
Posted by Sharon
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I remember my first yoga class.  I was terrified, but also desperate—two emotional qualities that I prefer to limit, never mind experience together!  The terror was due to the absolute distrust that I had that my body could “do” yoga.  The desperation was due to a mounting level of stress that was starting to rule over my days and nights.

It was a Bikram class in Philadelphia taught by the extraordinary Joel Pier.  Why was Joel extraordinary?  First, when I went to inquire about the class, he welcomed me in and assured me that my tight, stressed-out, non-flexible and entirely uncoordinated mind and body would only appreciate the task and that it was impossible to fail.  Second, while Joel used the standard Bikram script, he added to it a sense of joy and humour while asking everyone to “just kill themselves!”.  Third, Joel reminded me to smile.  And finally, his patience and insight allowed me to experience the practice on my own, in my own way and safely with respect to my own emotional, spiritual and physical boundaries.  Every once in a while, Joel would comment on something personal, but generally he was just glad to see his students and I felt that there was space to just come and go as anonymously as I pleased.  Once, when I was unceremoniously dumped by a man I was dating who coordinated the dump with my slow realization that he had been seeing other women for a long time, I started to cry unexpectedly during final relaxation.  When I explained to Joel that I had been dumped he said, “Do you know what the saddest thing is?  The worst part about this is that he lost a treasure and he doesn’t even know it.”  I can still hear his voice and it meant a lot to me.  It still does.  In yoga, your teacher matters because they speak to you when you are vulnerable and the suggestions that they make enter into your awareness in a way that you wouldn’t be open to at any other time. 

For anyone in Pittsburgh who is contemplating taking their first yoga class or signing up for a beginner’s series, I highly recommend Anna Gilbert’s Absolute Beginner’s Series that starts in January.  Choosing Anna as your first yoga teacher is an excellent choice!  Why?  Anna Gilbert makes me smile every time I see her.  She is open to love and life in a way that is reflected through her eyes.  It’s infectious!  You can trust her to guide you into a practice that is right for you while giving you space and time to explore in your own way.  Anna is also smart, well-trained and an excellent teacher.  I can guarantee you that the voice of your first yoga teacher will echo through the corridors of your mind for a long time to come.  Considering this, I don’t think you can go wrong with Anna’s strong, encouraging and sweet voice!

You can register and find more information about Yoga Matrika’s Absolute Beginner’s Series here.

Posted by Sharon Fennimore Rudyk, Owner and Director of Yoga Matrika located in Point Breeze, Pittsburgh, PA 15217.  Check out all our programs at: https://www.yogamatrika.com/.

OPEN HOUSE: Saturday, December 5

December 2, 2009
Posted by Sharon
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You know you’re curious—-what’s going on in there at 6520 Wilkins Avenue? 

Here’s your chance to check out Yoga Matrika’s new studio spaces, share some sweet holiday spirited refreshments and shop for some hand-crafted gifts.  There are many items that are under $10 that are great for office presents, gift exchanges, hostess presents and stocking stuffers.  This is a great craft sale with NO CROWDS, NO PARKING PROBLEMS and great snacks and activities for children!

EVERYTHING for sale is locally made and includes: jewelry, aromatherapy, herbal and green teas, eye pillows and scented sachets to create passion, promote peace and some even keep moths out of your woolies!  We have herbal products for pregnant and new moms like lactation support teas, belly balm and vegan nipple creams.  Fleece and knitted hats for babies and young children and felted wool hats—even some handspun and dyed yarn by our lovely local Cosy! 

You can also purchase discounted gift certificates and class cards during the open house or purchase a new yoga mat for a friend or yourself! 

Gift certificates make PERFECT gifts for expectant and new moms—we offer the only Prenatal Pilates and Exercise class in the city, two postnatal classes a week and five prenatal classes a week.  Moms can also use gift certificates for massage, childbirth preparation workshops and to shop for all natural items to keep them comfy and relaxed during pregnancy and after birthing.

We have some coloring pages and toys for young children to play with while you shop.  Sharon Rudyk, the studio owner will be around all afternoon to answer questions you might have about yoga in general or the studio. 

Hope to see you on Saturday!

Posted by Sharon Rudyk, Owner of Yoga Matrika located in Point Breeze, 6520 Wilkins Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15217.  Check out our website: https://www.yogamatrika.com/

Mindful Focus of the Week

December 1, 2009
Posted by Sharon
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Last week, the focus for Mindful Yoga was “the organs.”  We learned to support asana using the internal structures of the body and acknowledge our organs for all that they do. 

This week, our focus is the sacral center (2nd Chakra).  I always pick a focus based on what I am working on in my personal practice and recently, for the first time in years, I managed to aggravate my sciatic nerve.  It’s hard to say how I did it—-Demonstrating a reverse triangle when I wasn’t warmed up?  Carrying a heavy messenger bag on one shoulder?  Sitting with my legs crossed for too long?  Good news is that it doesn’t matter how it happened, only that it’s over now and the experience provided inspiration to give some juicy love to the sacrum this week.

The sacral area is associated with creativity and when we create and acknowledge sensation here we are filled with optimism, passion and direction.  Life is vibrant!

If you can’t make it to Mindful Flow on Tuesday night at Yoga Matrika in Pittsburgh, then here is a little exercise that will take less than 10-minutes that you can do anywhwere to change your energy and open up to a little creative juice:

SIT
On the floor with your legs crossed OR on the edge of a chair.

BREATHE
Take at least 10 deep breaths so that the in-breath takes a minimum of 4-counts and the out-breath is released to an equal count.  It may take a few minutes to slow the breath down and open to this depth.  Take as much time as you need.

MOVE
For one minute, start to take your upper body in circles over your hips.  Keep circling in the same direction for the entire minute, inhaling as you circle forward and exhaling as you circle back.  The breath should be relaxed and the movement should be at a speed that allows you to take full deep breaths.

After a minute, change directions and take your upper body in circles over your hips in the opposite direction.  Breathing in as you circle forward and exhaling as you round back. 

LIE DOWN
For five minutes, lie down on the floor with your hips propped up on a folded blanket or pillow.  If this causes any pain in your lower back, then bend through your knees and place your feet flat on the floor.  Breathing in, feel your belly rise towards the ceiling.  Exhaling, feel your belly release towards your spine. 

 

Slowly sit up and move on to the next wonderful thing with a little more spring in your step, oxygen in your blood and a juiced up pelvis—-Vroom! Vroom! 

Posted by Sharon Fennimore Rudyk
Owner and Director of Yoga Matrika
https://www.yogamatrika.com/

This great idea is inspired by Gurmukh’s wonderful book, “The Eight Human Talents” published in 2000 by Harper Collins.  Highly recommended!

Yoga Fun in Pittsburgh

November 28, 2009
Posted by Sharon
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I have an ongoing dialogue with another yoga teacher around the fact that I am always so busy and overwhelmed with work that includes her questioning when it is that I have “fun.”  Depending on my mood, I either sulk away from the conversation wondering, “Yeah, when exactly is it that I’M GOING TO HAVE FUN?”  or I contemplate why it is that she can’t see how much fun I’m having ALL THE TIME.

It’s hard to reconcile sometimes, but I think that the answer, as usual, lies in my yoga.  The more I teach and practice yoga, the easier it is for me to write, process information and feel calm under stress at school.  The more calm I can remain at school, the easier it is for me to relax when I spend time with my son and get down there on the floor with him and imagine and build.  The more time I spend playing with my son, the more I realise how magical the whole thing is—-people, our life experience, every moment of the day!  In essence, the more I have to do, as long as I am always doing some yoga each and every day, then there is fun in it all.

I also feel like I may define “fun” in a radically different way from most people.  For example, I just started knitting something for a friend who had a baby recently.  Picking the pattern, going to get supplies, and starting these projects.  Well, I’m in heaven!  I love the process and the whole time I’m thinking about my friends that I love and how happy I am for them and looking forward to meeting this new baby.  It’s just a meditation on wonderful from start to finish.  Another example is that the times when I feel most grounded are when I’m in a library.  There’s something so soothing about the fact that I am surrounded by thoughts and ideas that have been recorded on paper and the books seem to vibrate heavy.  It’s quiet in the library and I love to read and think and write.  The fact that I spend a considerable amount of time in libraries these days is a great source of joy for me and one that resonates with me in a physical, spiritual and emotional way. 

Then, there is the yoga.  If you’ve never done yoga before, then perhaps all you think about is that you can’t touch your toes or that you aren’t very flexible or that you like to be more active or that you are a big strong person who doesn’t need wimpy stuff like that———and there is no way for me to use words to convince you that yoga is bliss.  My yoga practice brings me more than fun, it brings me here and I feel 10-pounds lighter and I love everyone and I feel taller, stronger and WONDERFUL. 

I have come to the conclusion that perhaps I am the most lucky person on earth—-to have work that grounds me in ideas and in my body and provides me with an outlet for my cerebral and spiritual energies while engaging with such wonderful, creative and intelligent people.  So the real answer to the question, “When do you have fun?”  is a resounding—RIGHT NOW!

Join me at Yoga Matrika in Pittsburgh, https://www.yogamatrika.com/ and experience yourself as lighter, taller and full of bliss!

Posted by Sharon Fennimore Rudyk
Owner, Yoga Matrika
https://www.yogamatrika.com/
http://www.prenatalyogapittsburgh.com
http://www.sharonrudykyoga.info

Yoga for Writers

November 23, 2009
Posted by Sharon
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Movement & Memoir
Facilitated by Dana Killmeyer
January 30, 2010

2:00 to 4:30 pm
$25 pre-registration, $35 at the door (space allowing)

Movement and Memoir is a hybrid class blending elements of yoga and somatics with creative expression, primarily autobiographical writing or journaling.  We will focus on observing our environments, both internal and external, as a catalyst for releasing tension and broadening our awareness.  Finding inspiration in our senses and perceptions, anatomy, literature, performance, music, art, meditation,and social critique, we will explore various aspects of observation and expression, stillness and animation.  Expect a gentler, more introspective yoga practice with an emphasis on breathing, as well as wrists, shoulders, and lower back–areas that tend to get overused and neglected after long periods of sitting.  Please bring a notebook and an open mind.

Dana Killmeyer is a Pittsburgh-native and University of Pittsburgh graduate.  She has written two books: Paradise, or the Part that Dies and Pendulums of Euphoria, both published by Six Gallery Press.  Currently pursuing training as a yoga teacher with Joanne VandenHengel (3rd Street Yoga) and as a Somatic Movement Educator with Mark Taylor (BodyMindMovement), Dana draws from a well of experience as a teacher, researcher, writer, and organic farm apprentice.

Chatta-Wrong-A

November 23, 2009
Posted by Sharon
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You have to start somewhere………..

Maybe you’ve been wanting to learn more about yoga, try yoga or just find out what it is that everyone is so excited about?  Or, maybe, you’ve been going to group classes for a couple of weeks, months, years and you don’t know the difference between a trikonasana or a paschimattanasana and you are sure that if there was such a thing as a Chatta-Wrong-A that you are definitely doing it? 

Regardless of your motivation, we have a great yoga series being offered by Anna Gilbert in January! 

Beginner’s Series
Absolute Beginner’s Series with Anna Gilbert

Fridays from 6:00 to 7:15pm
January 8, 15, 22, 29
$40 for series of 4-classes

This series is for adults who have either never done yoga before or took one or two classes long enough ago that you can’t really quite remember if you actually took those classes or just imagined it!  Anna will provide an overview of what you can expect in a yoga class from the terms that are used, breathing patterns, physical postures and movements to ways to dress comfortably for class and common studio etiquette.  Instructions will be basic, clear and organized in a way that you can build confidence through the series.  After you “graduate” you’ll be confident and ready to drop-in on any class at Yoga Matrika or any other studio and enjoy your class!