meditation – Move Well with Amy Rizzotto

April 27, 2017

BIG Announcement: Coming Fall of 2017 to Takoma….Yoga Heights #2!

As Co-Owner of Yoga Heights, I just had to share!! We are so excited for this next big step and can’t wait to bring our community-oriented yoga and fitness classes to a new neighborhood in the District. Stay tuned for photos of the build-out and details on our grand opening slated for this fall.

April 27, 2017

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yoga Heights, a yoga studio at 3506 Georgia Ave. NW., announced today that they are opening their second location this fall in the Takoma Central Apartment building at 235 Carroll Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. Yoga Heights is a community oriented studio that offers classes for every body, at every level and every budget.

“The love and support of the Yoga Heights community has been overwhelming for the past three years,” said Jess Pierno, owner. “Our students’ enthusiasm for the studio, our teachers, events and community, has made Yoga Heights an incredibly special yoga studio. It was never in the plans to open additional locations, but due to repeated requests to offer more classes, community events and YHDC good vibes, we were inspired to expand our studio!”

Yoga Heights will continue to offer all levels vinyasa and power yoga, beginners classes, Rocket yoga, restorative and Yin yoga, prenatal yoga, bootcamps, Pilates, yoga teacher training and community events at both locations.

Yoga Heights Takoma is just steps from the Takoma metro station on the red line and is on bus lines 52, 53, 54, 62, 63, F1, F2 and K2.

To ensure that their classes work with all budgets, Yoga Heights offers half price “happy hour” classes five days per week, work-study in trade for classes, as well as “Karma Passes” which allows students to pay just $8 per class up to four times per month.Through these programs, Yoga Heights has helped more than 4,000 people afford yoga classes in the three years they have been open.

“We look forward to continuing to be an affordable and community oriented yoga studio for people who are brand new to yoga, as well as regularly practicing yogis,” Pierno continued.

More information on class offerings, pricing and events is available at www.YogaHeightsDC.com.

Studio owners Jess Pierno and Amy Rizzotto, and their talented team of instructors remain steadfastly committed to working with Yoga Heights’ students to ensure that health and wellness are accessible to all.

Yoga Heights is currently offering pre-opening sales on unlimited memberships through its website at www.YogaHeightsDC.com. Visit www.YogaHeightsDC.com to sign up and save today!

For questions or comments please contact:

Amy Rizzotto, Yoga Heights

write: [email protected]

February 22, 2016

Beauty Blooms from Muddy Waters: A Guide to Getting Unstuck

There is an ancient Buddhist value which espouses that the most beautiful things bloom from the muddiest of waters.

“Like a lotus flower that grows out of the mud and blossoms above the muddy water surface, we can rise above our defilements and sufferings of life.” {here is an associated meditation you can try}

Sometimes it takes a while to believe that and you often have to go through heartbreak, illness, or some kind of soul-shaking duress to realize it’s true. For me, the process of getting unstuck from that mucky bottom to the freedom of a sun-kissed surface goes a little something like this…

You lift one foot and it feels as heavy as a Clydesdale. You set it down only to feel it sink into the mud. You’re stuck, like your feet are frozen in a ice tray. You muster all your strength to free it from the tundra only to find that familiar weight again. And so it goes. A slow, slog through muddy waters until you get close enough to the shore that the ground beneath your feet is more compact, less exhausting and more forgiving. Pretty soon the water clears and you’re hitting your stride. One foot in front of the other. You’ll likely be tired, in need of some time to make the conscious and challenging choice to shake it off, but you’re reassured of your strength and perseverance all the same. After all, you didn’t sink; you didn’t drown; you made it. It’s not easy. In fact your journey, whatever adversity it stems from, kind of stings. You will survive. Yes you will be changed from it, but you will be okay because really you always were.

My advice for how to make it through this process, whatever the source of defilement or suffering?

Step 1: Stay busy. Schedule yourself silly. I don’t always recommend this given how little down time most of us allow ourselves but when you’re going through muddy waters you’ve got to create accountability that keeps you going. This should work great for all my fellow type-A, DC go-getters out there. Do. Many. Things. Distraction can be such a blessing in the initial fallout from getting rocked.

Step 1B: Move your body. Part of staying busy is IMHO not only doing but moving. What better time to take a yoga class that’s so challenging it takes you out of your head, or use a run or bike ride as a means to explore a different part of town? With spring fast approaching, outdoor activities are all the more appealing and the added bonus of doing anything on a sunny day is the boost of vitamin D (and mood lifting hormones) you’ll get. Just be sure to wear your sunscreen!

Step 2: Stay connected. Though it can be tempting to check out or turn in, don’t. The more you shut yourself off to the world the harder it becomes to open up again. Make dates to see girlfriends, join a running group, see if you can be helpful to a friend who needs a babysitter, volunteer, foster a dog then take that puppy to a local dog park, visit friends in other cities, go home to see family – the list goes on and on. As my 21-year-old self decided to get tattooed in grand scale across my back years ago, Nit Nitay Garabam, or, “a person is a person’s remedy.” Your friends, family and community will be there for you. Be kind enough to lean on them. [P.S. I still love this tattoo. Thanks Mom and Dad for giving me the coolest 21st birthday present a gal could ask for! And thanks Yasmeen for helping me get the Wolof script Arabic right! ]

Step 3: Create something. Anything. Whether it be doodling in an adult coloring book, journaling, trying to figure out the choreography to Beyoncé’s “Formation” in your bedroom late at night (who would do such a thing…), or any number of other creative outlets, find something that is a form of expression and go express yourself. It’s incredibly cathartic. Try it.

Step 4: Get outside yourself. Give back to your local and/or at-large community. Find a cause that speaks to you and get involved. When you pour yourself into something entirely not for or about you, it gives great perspective on everything that you still have in your life to be grateful for. Need some ideas? Try Volunteer Match or Idealist as a place to get you started.

Step 5: Turn inside. No, this is not me encouraging you to indulge in self-analysis. We all pour over the details of injury, illness, heartache, loss, abuse, and other muddy topics just fine on our own. The kind of internal discovery I’m suggesting is of the more mindful variety: meditation. Meditation helps us walk through our inner landscape and make peace with all the scary monsters and gentle giants that lie within. As one of my favorite yoga teachers once recounted, mindfulness meditation helps us make the neighborhood of our minds a friendlier place. There are countless approaches to meditation, but I recommend starting with loving kindness meditation. Also known as Metta Meditation, the practice of loving kindness is a pathway to forgiveness and moving on. It can be challenging, but with time it helps to evoke an overall sense of warm-heartedness and compassion which can be lost in times of struggle. Mindfulness meditation is another great way to go. Rather than letting yourself become distracted by nagging thoughts and self-judgement, it encourages us to acknowledge whatever it is that’s paining us, feel it, and breath beneath it to the seed of calm that always exists at the core of our being. It may sound far fetched, but at this point it’s scientifically proven.

This “guide to getting unstuck” isn’t something to follow to a T. You don’t have to do all of these things, follow this pathway in order, or do anything that doesn’t feel right or helpful to you. These are merely suggestions. Sometimes all we need is an approachable yet actionable idea to get us up and moving again. I know that all of these steps have at one point or another helped me get back on solid ground again in the aftermath of life’s curveballs. I hope they help you as well.

When you’re stuck, all you need to do is the next right thing. And then the next right thing. And then the next…and so on, until eventually you feel safe and strong in your own skin again. It’s a continuum and it’s hard to say exactly when those small steps amount to an overall shift where you feel whole again. Therein lies the beauty of our struggles. Every moment we have a choice. We can choose to harden or soften; to shutdown or feel; to close our heart or open to vulnerability. If we approach the hard stuff breath by breath, hour by hour, day by day it starts to feel a lot less daunting and we can pick our own path of resilience to climb out of the muck.

May 3, 2013

Add Yin to your Yang for a more balanced practice

Most of us in the West practice yoga to get long and lean, in addition to all of the mental and emotional benefits. This style of yoga–the kind that focuses on our muscles–is Yang Yoga. Yang Yoga is an important part of yoga and helps us get strong and healthy. There is, however, an important counterpart to Yang which has been dropped from most of our practices: Yin Yoga. Yin Yoga works the deeper tissues including our ligaments, joints, and fascia. In order to keep a balanced practice of strength and length, it’s important that we “cross-train” with Yin and Yang Yoga.

Yin Yoga is all about fewer postures with longer holds (think 5-7 solid minutes in pigeon). In a one hour flow, you might only get through 6 asanas with an opening meditation and closing shavasana. These long static holds combined with Ujjayi breathing (oceanic breath) allow you to slowly work into the deeper tissues of the body that get so tight from our day to day activities. At first the poses can be really intense, and you should listen closely to any messages your body might be sending to ease off, but you’ll be amazed where a steady, Ujjayi breathing pattern can take you. As the Yoga Sutra says, all asanas should be sthira and sukham, or practiced with steadiness and ease. This is certainly the case with Yin yoga. My personal mantras while practicing Yin are “Slow and Steady” or “Easy Goes It.” They help me find that sweet spot many of us yoga teachers refer to as your ‘edge’.

The best part about Yin Yoga is that it is incredibly portable and pragmatic. All you need is space to roll out your mat. No handstand kicks or side crows here. Many Yin asanas can be done while you’re chilling, reading a book or watching TV. Here’s a sample one-hour total body flow that you can do at home or (if you’re a jetsetter) in a hotel room:

(3 min) Meditation: Sit in a comfortable seated position, long spine. Close your eyes and bring your palms to rest lightly on the knees. Breathe deeply in and out through the nose, beginning to cultivate your Ujjayi breath. Try counting to 4 on the inhale, holding for 1 count, breathing out for 4 counts, and holding for 1 on empty before restarting the cycle.

Sphinx Pose — Source: realbeauty.com/health/fitness/sphinx-pose

(5 min) Sphinx: Lie on your stomach. Bring hands beside shoulders. Press into your palms, forearms parallel, lifting your chest up off the mat. Look down to make sure your elbows are directly under your shoulders. If this is too intense on the lower back walk your hands slightly forward. Keep your legs firmly planted and neck long.
(1 min) Full Swan (right knee forward): Also known as Pigeon in Yang Yoga. From Down Dog or Tabletop bring your right knee to your right wrist. Flex the right foot and move it as close to the left wrist as possible without discomfort. Distribute your weight equally between your hips and sit upright. Your hands can either press lightly into your right knee and ankle, fingertips to floor slightly in front of your hips, or on two blocks.
(3 min) Sleeping Swan: From Full Swan, walk your hands forward letting the torso and neck hang heavy. As gravity pulls you toward the floor try coming onto your forearms and eventually resting the chest on your right leg, forehead to mat.
(5 min) Shoelace (left knee on top): From Swan, walk your hands back to your hips and sit up tall. Swing your left leg around, bend the leg, and place it on top of your right leg, knees stacked toes pointing back. Slowly let your torso fold forward with every breath, draping over your legs.

Counter-pose: Lie on your back and windshield wiper your legs (30 sec-1 min), releasing the lower back.

(1 min) Full Swan (left knee forward): Also known as Pigeon in Yang Yoga. From Down Dog or Tabletop bring your left knee to your right wrist. Flex the left foot and move it as close to the right wrist as possible without discomfort. Distribute your weight equally between your hips and sit upright. Your hands can either press lightly into your right knee and ankle, fingertips to floor slightly in front of your hips, or on two blocks.
(3 min) Sleeping Swan: From Full Swan, walk your hands forward letting the torso and neck hang heavy. As gravity pulls you toward the floor try coming onto your forearms and eventually resting the chest on your left leg, forehead to mat.
(5 min) Shoelace (right knee on top): From Swan, walk your hands back to your hips and sit up tall. Swing your right leg around, bend the leg, and place it on top of your left leg, knees stacked toes pointing back. Slowly let your torso fold forward with every breath, draping over your legs.

Counter-pose: Lie on your back and windshield wiper your legs (30 sec-1 min), releasing the lower back.

(3 min) Straddle (folding forward, centered): Sit facing the long edge of your mat and spread your legs as wide as they’ll go. Flex your feet strongly and hinge forward from the hips, maintaining a flat back. If you can’t keep a long spine while folding forward keep your torso upright and breath into your hips, tilting them forward inch by inch with every breath. If you can fold forward no problem, work to bring the forearms and eventually chest to the floor.
(3 min) Straddle (folding over right leg):Sit up tall, legs spread wide. Inhale to lengthen the spine then exhale, twisting toward the right leg. Inhale, lengthen. Exhale fold over the right leg, reaching chin to shin and working to center the sternum over the knee cap. Reach for the toes, foot or ankle and use your arm strength to fold deeper.
(3 min) Straddle (folding over left leg): Sit up tall, legs spread wide. Inhale to lengthen the spine then exhale, twisting toward the left leg. Inhale, lengthen. Exhale fold over the left leg, reaching chin to shin and working to center the sternum over the knee cap. Reach for the toes, foot or ankle and use your arm strength to fold deeper.
(3 min) Bananasana (to the right): Lay flat on your back with legs together. Reach arms overhead and clasp hands or elbows. Ground into the mat with your booty and pull belly button to spine. Inch your feet and upper body to the right, arching like a banana. You should feel a nice side body stretch on the left side. If not, move your feet and clasped arms further to the right until you do.
(3 min) Bananasana (to the left): Lay flat on your back with legs together. Reach arms overhead and clasp hands or elbows. Ground into the mat with your booty and pull belly button to spine. Inch your feet and upper body to the left, arching like a banana. You should feel a nice side body stretch on the right side. If not, move your feet and clasped arms further to the left until you do.
(2 min) Reclining Twist w/ Eagle Legs (right side): Lay flat on your back and draw your knees in toward your chest. Wrap right leg over left, hooking your right foot inside the left ankle if possible. Open your your arms wide and keeping your shoulders grounded, let your legs sink to the left. Breathe into the right side body, middle back, and right hip. Come back to center and unwind the legs to switch sides.
(2 min) Reclining Twist w/ Eagle Legs (left side): Lay flat on your back and draw your knees in toward your chest. Wrap left leg over right, hooking your left foot inside the right ankle if possible. Open your your arms wide and keeping your shoulders grounded, let your legs sink to the right. Breathe into the left side body, middle back, and left hip. Come back to center and unwind the legs to switch sides.
(5-10 min) Shavasana: Lay flat on your back, legs straight and slightly apart or in reclining butterfly. Arms are by your side, a few inches separating them from the body. Close your eyes and melt into the floor. Let everything go, including your Ujjayi breath.

(Flow adapted from “The Complete Guide to Yin Yoga” by Bernie Clark)

Yin will change your practice for the better when practiced consistently. I highly recommend doing 30 min to an hour of Yin before you go to bed. It can be tough in the morning because we all wake up pretty stiff and need some time for the “fuzz” to loosen up.