8-week Winter to Spring Session

I hope each of you is having a wonderful and happy 2024.

This week is the last week of our current 8-week Winter session and next week, March 4 - 8, is the 'off' week between sessions. If you are reading this newsletter, you will be receiving an email from me this Friday, March 1, with the eighteen class recordings from the last two weeks of the current session so you have as many movement opportunities as possible.

Our next 8-week session is our Winter to Spring session from March 11 - May 3 and I look forward to seeing many of you in our 'live' virtual or 'on demand' classes. As a reminder, every student receives the recording of each of their classes so they can be enjoyed multiple times whether you attend the class 'live' or 'on demand' with the recordings as your schedule allows.

Each class needs a minimum of four registered students to remain on the schedule so if you are enjoying your 'live' or 'on demand' classes with me, please let others know so that they can join us from the comfort and convenience of their home or workout space from anywhere in the world. Thank you.

To register for any class or classes, as either a 'live' participant, as an 'on demand' asynchronous participant, or to purchase a flexible class pass for any number of classes for the next 8-week session, please email me: angela.irtci@verizon.net.

Here is the schedule of weekly classes:

Tuesdays - 7:00am - Sunrise Yoga Chakra Flow

Tuesdays - 9:00am - Row & Restore

Tuesdays 10:30am - Chair Yoga for Longevity

Wednesdays - 9:00am - RowFlow

Wednesdays - 10:30am - Vinyasa Flow Yoga

Thursdays - 9:00am - RowFit

Thursdays - 10:30am - Surfset

Thursdays - 7:00pm - Sunset Yin Yoga (on demand only)

All of the class times above are Eastern Time Zone (USA)

Feeling Stressed Out? Relief Is Just a Breath Away

Relax and take a deep breath. It's a common recommendation from friends and physicians who want to help you reach a state of calm when you're feeling frazzled. Breathing is an essential and automatic function, but with a deliberate focus on breathing, it's a proven tool for healing and wellbeing. A few minutes of conscious deep breathing can help you feel better and think more clearly.

According to the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center, conscious deep breathing can change your physiological state. When we feel stress, our heart rate increases, our breathing gets shallow, our blood pressure rises, and we enter into the flight, flight, or freeze mode. We can actively shift that response by using slow, deep, conscious breaths and activating the parasympathetic nervous system. Sometimes referred to as the 'rest and digest' system, the parasympathetic nervous system lowers heart rate, is active during digestion, and helps bring equilibrium to the body. Deep conscious breathing helps you calm down and that's why it's an integral part of many Yoga, Tai Chi, and meditation classes.

Deep conscious breathing also stimulates the vagus nerve, the longest cranial nerve in the body. This nerve extends from the brain and branches into, and influences, our vital organs. When stimulated by deep conscious breathing, the vagus nerve triggers the release of chemicals that induce calm throughout the body. These chemicals have also been proven to treat depression, asthma, migraines, epilepsy, digestive issues, and inflammatory diseases. Here is a simple strategy to incorporate the calm of deep conscious breathing into your daily life.

Coherent Breathing ~ When you inhale, your heart rate increases slightly. When you exhale, it decreases. This difference in heart rhythm is called 'heart rate variability' and it is beneficial to the health of our heart and body. Coherent breathing creates a relaxed, yet alert, state by focusing on the in-and-out breaths. Sit comfortable and upright, supporting your back if desired. Take a few deep breaths, allowing the belly to balloon outwards. Relax the mind as much as possible. Once you feel a bit more relaxed, begin the practice as follows:

• Exhale to a count of six

• Enjoy several normal breath cycles and then again focus on exhaling for a count of six every few breaths

• Let your breaths be smooth and steacdy as you feel your body relaxing

• Switch your focus by inhaling to a count of six

• Again, enjoy several natural breath cycles and then again focus on the six-count inhalation every few breaths

• Combine these by inhaling for six counts and exhaling for six counts. There is no need for every breath in-and-out to be six counts, but the idea is to eventually breath with this rhythm every breath, without force.

• Begin to notice if your body naturally pauses in the stillness between the exhale and the next inhale. If so, see if you can breathe in a pattern that resembles a 3-sided triangle with a six count inhale, a six count exhale, and a pause of whatever length feels good. If your body naturally holds onto the inhale before exhaling, see if you can breath in a pattern that resembles a 4-sided box. The box might be a square with all four sides equal counts, a rectangle. or even a trapezoid. The shape doesn't matter as long as you are not creating tension in your body.

Remember, perfection isn't the goal of any breathing practice. People who have anxiety might try too hard to 'do it right'. It's not about doing it right or trying to overly control the breath. Over time, this kind of attention to the breath can help improve your physical and mental health as well as reduce the negative effects of stress, anxiety, or depression.

Yoga with Possums ~ Friday, April 26 ~ 10:30am

Join me for 'Yoga with Possums' on Friday, April 26 at 10:30am in downtown Fredericksburg at Possum-bilites, the home of Awesome Possumz.

The cost is $20 an includes a Yoga class, a fun meet and great with an ambassador opossum, and a door prize raffle ticket. The opossums will not be free roaming during our Yoga class due to the strict rules regarding wildlife rehabilitation, but everyone will be able to enjoy petting the opossum and enjoying it's soft fur, looking into it's sweet face, feeling it's adorable paws wrap around your fingers, or feeling it's strong tail wrap around your arm after class. The resident pug, tortoise, and cat might join us during the Yoga class since they have free roam of the space.

After the class, many of us will enjoy the Rappahannock River waterfront and the many shops and restaurants

Space is limited so be sure to secure your spot as soon as possible.

Yoga with Cats ~ Saturday, May 18 ~ 7:00pm

The March 11 'Yoga with Cats' class at Patriot Pawsabilities, a cat lounge near the GMU campus in Fairfax, is completely full, but registration is open for the next class on Saturday, May 18 at 7:00pm.

The cost of the class is $20 and includes a Yoga class with cats and kittens cuddling with you and playing around our mats as well as unlimited time after class to continue enjoying time with the cats and kittens. Feel free to bring a snack or a bottle of wine or your favorite beverage, along with an unbreakable glass, to enjoy as you play and cuddle with the cats and kittens.

Space is limited so please be sure to secure your spot as soon as possible.