All posts tagged: yoga Pittsburgh

Mindful Flow at mookshi wellness center

Published by Sharon

I am tickled, delighted and honored to be teaching at mookshi wellness center.  Please join me in this beautiful space dedicated to healing arts.  I am offering two series of Mindful Flow classes this spring.  Due to our desire to maintain the intimate nature of this series, we request that you pre-register.  Students will be warmly welcomed to drop-in to single classes as space permits. Please send Sharon an e-mail to register (sharon@yogamatrika.com) or call (412) 855-5692. Mindful Flow Join me for this esoteric bliss mission!  In this yoga series open to all levels, we move with the breath creating joy in open awareness.  As our practice is a moving meditation, we use a variety of poses, breathing exercises and visualization techniques from Chinese, Tibetan and Indian yoga traditions to create flexibility and strength in body, mind and spirit.  This healing practice will help you feel centered, relaxed and inspired.  Enjoy a stronger and more flexible body as you build a foundation for profound happiness and tranquility. SERIES I: Mondays, March 4, 11, 18 and …

Prenatal Yoga Classes in Pittsburgh

Published by Sharon

Matrika Prenatal Yoga and Exercise Follow this link to Sharon’s awesome Pittsburgh Yoga Doula website for all things delicious, expectant and new!   Group Class Schedule Wednesday at matrika (1406 S. Negley Avenue, Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh 15217) 6:00-7:15 pm Saturday at matrika (1406 S. Negley Avenue, Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh 15217) 9:45-11:00 am Tuition $18 for single drop-in class* $90 for 6-class package *First class is FREE when you buy a package the same day that you take your first class Payment Options Bring a personal check made out to SHARON RUDYK Use a Visa, Mastercard, Discover or any debit card Exact cash (no change is available) Matrika Prenatal Yoga and Exercise classes aren’t just regular classes modified for pregnancy!  Sharon has developed a unique system that prepares mothers in mind, body and spirit with the strength, courage and endurance necessary to enjoy a beautiful pregnancy, powerful labor and birth and mothering a newborn.  No experience with yoga or meditation is required, but Sharon suggests that you discuss with your  care provider and get their support …

Yoga for Meditators

Published by Sharon

YOGA for MEDITATORS A workshop facilitated by Sharon F. Rudyk SUNDAY, April 28, 2013  from 1:00-3:00 pm $25 Register by calling Sharon (412) 855-5692 or by sending an e-mail to: sharon@yogamatrika.com In this workshop, we will explore a variety of yoga-based movements for body and breath that help prepare the body, mind and spirit for meditation.  Sharon will introduce practice ideas for meditators who want to do yoga to help solve common obstacles faced by adults with a regular meditation practice.  We look at ways to increase energy, calm agitation, relieve stress, open the hips and ease back tension.  In this active workshop we explore asana that provide support for a seated meditation practice and a few restorative and rejuvenating tricks that super-charge the benefits of meditation.  You will learn how to find a more comfortable seat, address aches and pains associated with a seated practice and find relief for physical obstacles that may be preventing you from enjoying a rewarding meditation practice experience. Location: möökshï wellness center, above Biddle’s Escape Café at 401 Biddle …

I’ve Got Soba. Yes I Do!

Published by Sharon

This post answers the call that regularly haunts yoginis all over the world: I’ve got Soba.  Yes I do! I’ve got Soba. How about you? And, lest we get stuck in some circular nutrition chant that leaves us all hungry and with an increasingly dusty box of soba noodles in our pantries, I’m going to cook my soba noodles tonight.  Yes, I am. I’ve got a box of Soba Pasta that has been giving me the evil eye on my pantry shelf for a more than a few weeks now.  I love soba noodles and I”m pretty sure that at least one of my children will gobble them right up…….but I just haven’t been sure how to make them.  As I have a winter farm share, I’m also trying to take advantage of the local veggies that I have in my fridge that will go bad soon unless I figure out what to do with them—-and SOON! So, tonight, I think I am making this recipe from the Eden Foods website.  I’ll let you know …

For the Love of Lavender

Published by Sharon

  Since I feel particularly calmed and grounded by the scent of lavender, I thought I would re-post this informative article written by David Crow on how lavender can be used to promote health and well-being for everyone in your household.  As we approach Valentine’s Day, I reflect on how this scent brings me into a state of open awareness that is also beneficial to my meditation and yoga practices.  Regardless of your state of partnership or romance this season, how delightful to take an opportunity to think about ways to live more deeply from your heart and to ground your decision making and movements from this deepest and our original seat of intelligence.  And, if you are new to buying essential oils from Floracopeia, please take advantage of the 25% discount I offer to my students.   Lavender By David Crow, L.Ac. (Published in Yogi Times, Oct. ‘04) Lavender is one of the most well-known, versatile, and extensively used essential oils in the world. When we use lavender essential oil we receive the blessings of …

Benefits of Co-Sleeping for Dads

Published by Sharon

I don’t want to get into an argument about co-sleeping with you dear reader, but I thought that all my Matrika Moms and Dads might find this article interesting.  Whether you co-sleep or not, it suggests that there is an endocrine response to behavior.  The more involved Dad is, the lower his testosterone.  The mind-body connection never ceases to amaze me! Posted by Sharon Fennimore Rudyk, an independent yoga instructor and doula based in Pittsburgh, PA.  Find out more about Sharon on her website www.sharonrudykyoga.com.

Awesome February in Pittsburgh

Published by Sharon

There are so very many wonderful events happening in February that I thought I would highlight just a few of my favorites that other creative yogis might be interested in: Saturday, February 9, 2013 Color Theory for Knitters Location: cosymakes studio (Yoga Matrika, 1406 S. Negley Avenue, Squirrel Hill) Cost: $35 Time: 1:00-4:00 pm Sunday, February 10, 2013 Indie Knit and Spin Boutique Location: cosymakes studio (Yoga Matrika, 1406 S. Negley Avenue, Squirrel Hill) Cost: FREE (but we promise you are going to find something to purchase) Saturday, February 16, 2013 Leslie Howard: Pelvis Workshop for Women Location: Yoga on Centre and hosted by Jennifer Butera Yoga Saturday, February 23, 2013 Arm Balance Workshop with Linda Meacci Location: Schoolhouse Yoga in the Strip District $30 with pre-registration Time: 12:00 noon to 2:30 pm Monday, February 25, 2013 Prana Flow Yoga: Fluid Power Facilitated by Simon Park at BYS on the South Side Cost: $35 in advance or $45 at the door (go ahead and commit!) Time: 6:00-8:15 pm Thursday, February 28, 2013 Creating Healthy Habits …

Yoga Mat Review

Published by Sharon

Use your own yoga mat.  Not only does it reflect good studentship and help you set the intention of creating a regular practice, but a yoga mat is truly a personal use item.  Good yoga hygiene requires that you own your own mat, clean it often (just throw it in the washing machine with a little bit of Bronner’s soap) and bring it with you wherever you go for practice.  Just in case you need some inspiration to buy your own mat, here is an article from the New York Times in 2006 that illuminates some of the bacterial and fungal infections that are caused by sharing yoga mats. What mats do I suggest?  Well, I have enjoyed quite a few different brands of mats, but the ones I purchase for the studio and the brand of the very first yoga mat I ever bought (17-years ago and still in relatively good shape!) are from Hugger Mugger.  Hugger Mugger offers a wide selection of yoga mats to fit every yoga style and budget, but I …

Benefits of Meditation

Published by Sharon

Hugger Mugger Square Affiliate Banner Wondering about the potential benefits of meditation?  Here are just a few scientifically proven benefits of meditation: 1-Change in Brain Shape: meditation has been shown to increase cortical thickness and increased gray matter and hippocampus size 2-Change in how emotions are processed by the amygdala 3-Meditation changes gene expression and DNA 4-It’s not just for women!  The Department of Defense has invested in meditation programs for marines.  Men benefit greatly from meditation.   5-Meditation is an excellent tool for stress management and stress reduction 6-Meditation has been shown to improve cardiovascular health and prevent cardiac events including stroke   Do you need a new meditation cushion?  Buy one HERE. Posted by Sharon Fennimore Rudyk, an independent yoga and meditation instructor based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  Find out more at www.sharonrudykyoga.com.   Animated Dark Banner

Are you doing yoga “right”?

Published by Sharon

This is a re-post of one of the most read blog posts I have written in the past 5-years.  This originally appeared in the blog in February 2009.  It’s a great reminder as we start the new year for a healthy and safe way to approach your practice. Both new yoga students and more experienced yoga students, at some point in a class or practice, may wonder if they are doing a particular pose correctly.  Many students wish that instructors would just come over and correct their pose or hope that, in time, they’ll start to get it right.  Most new students are sure they can’t possibly be doing yoga right and many experienced students have developed poor alignment habits that feel right, but are blocking them from deepening their asana practice. This is why we all, regardless of experience level, need to continue to take classes, workshops and find instructors that provide encouragement and assistance in deepening our practice at all levels.  Even the Masters have a guru. A well-trained instructor has studied principles …

Saturday 8:00am

Published by Sharon

Just imagine—-it hurts a little to get up early, but then you find your way to 1406 S. Negley Avenue and it feels warm and friendly.  It’s OK to eat a light snack right before practice because we will start with an extended centering, intention and breathing practice. Then, you will bloom into a creative flow sequence that clears tension and creates clarity in your connection to your deepest truths.  Then, we practice a sequence of affirmation yoga that not only stretches the body, but aligns the mind with our highest principles.  Then, you are invited to relax.  Really relax. By 9:30, not only are you ready to face the day, but the whole day stretches before your beautiful, vibrant and calm self. All classes in December are just $10.  Bring friends.  If you wish, bring a mug so you can share a cuppa in your post practice glow. I hope I will see you.  This experience can be yours every Saturday.  For a bit more philosophy, please join me on Sunday, December 16th and …

Have a Cuppa for Holiday Tension

Published by Sharon

Many of my yoga students confide in me that they “can’t meditate.”  In most cases, this is based on a misunderstanding of what meditation is.  In many cases, I inform my students that, in fact, they have been meditating with me for years in our practices together!  Here is a meditation in the form of a tea drinking ritual that everyone can enjoy and an added breathing exercise with aromatherpy for even more emotional balance. Making an excellent cup of tea takes time.  Use this time to focus on what you are doing.  This ritual starts with the selection of your tea making equipment and mug.  If at all possible, boil fresh water in a kettle on the stove or an electric kettle.  If you must use a microwave, then you must, but for this ritual, it would be most effective if you boiled the water using heat generated from electricity or natural gas so that you can listen to the sound of the water bubbling and boiling.  The type of tea that we will …

Yoga for Flying

Published by Sharon

If your holiday travels include flying, consider some of these yoga-inspired tips to keep you comfortable, calm and collected: 1. Practice non-attachment When you pack, try to bring minimal clothing and other items with you.  Not only does this help your travel day go smoother, but if your luggage is lost, you don’t have that much to be concerned about!  Bring only what you need and find comfort in how excited you will be to return home to all your “stuff.”  You can also apply non-attachment to your flight schedule—-a bit of a delay, just relax and enjoy the time.  Easier said than done, but you can use your yoga practice to help you stay calm and keep your thoughts in perspective during difficult travel situations. 2. Drink water and breathe Air travel is dehydrating and so is indoor heat.  Your body needs water to increase your immune system response, for cellular production and to keep everything moving through your digestive system.  There isn’t much your amazing body can do without water, so avoid headaches …

What Does Matrika Mean?

Published by Sharon

What does ‘Matrika’ Mean? What’s In a Name? There are many different styles of yoga and new traditions are being created each and every day. If you are new to yoga, all of the different names for yoga classes, different studios and teachers can seem confusing at worst and unclear at best. If you have practiced yoga for some time, you may only be familiar with one style or perhaps you have a teacher or studio that you loved in a different city and can’t seem to find what you are looking for. As we grow in our practice and as the circumstances of our lifestyle and our bodily realities shift and change, our yoga practice changes. Therefore, the best advice that I would give anyone is to be open to new styles and new teachers and trying new things—-you never know when you might find the perfect fit for where you are right now. If you take a yoga class that you don’t like or with a teacher you weren’t particularly fond of, try …

Yoga Studio Etiquette

Published by Sharon

                      Welcome to Sharon Rudyk Yoga New today?  We have a waiver for you to sign.  Please introduce yourself to the instructor at the front desk. Please leave your shoes in the front.  We practice in bare feet here. Print your name in the sign-in notebook before class. Kindly turn OFF all cell phones and all electronic devices and remove your watch. Even “vibrate” sounds quite loud in a quiet room. Arrive Early.  Showing up late is disrespectful and disruptive and can easily become a bad habit. Instructors are not required to admit or teach late students.  If you are admitted late, please wait at the screen until after there is talking and movement and then put your mat out and join the class. Bring your own mat for best hygiene. Please make your instructor aware of any health conditions, injuries or concerns.  Not every pose is right for every body and we want to partner with you for safety. Wear modest and comfortable exercise …