News & Notes - July 2024

Hello dear friends!

I hope that you have had a lovely weekend. Here's what's happening in July:

New Chair Yoga Video - There's a new video available today - Your Core Self. This all-seated practice is appropriate for everyone, including those recovering from illness or trauma. You could even do this sequence in bed!

July Focus - Speaking of core, our attention for the rest of July will be the core. We'll take a deep dive into the movers and stabilizers in the torso. We'll look at our core selves as well.

Survivorship Center - In addition to the Zoom classes below, I teach at the Survivorship Center at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital. There was an article in the Chicago Tribune this week about programs there. If you know anyone dealing with cancer (from diagnosis to post-treatment) there are many classes available, including chair yoga and mat yoga. You don't need to be a patient at Lutheran to attend. Call the Center for more information - (847)723-5690.

Another Vacation Photo -

Tree pose in tree!

Please join me on your mat.

Love & yoga,

Nina G

The Yoga of Glimmers

Hello friends!!

I’m back and I’m so excited to see you again. The past 4 weeks have been an incredible whirlwind of fun and now it’s time to return to our regularly scheduled programming.

There’s so much to share! I know that many of you are asking if I practiced yoga everyday, and the short answer is yes.

Here's the long answer:

Yes, I did full practices with seated, standing, and lying down postures. But not every day. Some of the hotel rooms were too small and some days I was just in the wrong time zone to figure it out.

But I did practice being fully aware. In everything I did, I tried very hard to be aware of the glimmers. Remember those? A glimmer is a cue, either external or internal, that brings one back to a sense of joy or safety.

There were so many glimmers during my travels.

I traveled to places in Italy that I’ve been before, but they still took my breath away. I ate food that was so good, it made me cry tears of joy.

Amazing bruschetta glimmer in Italy

I traveled to London, a place I’ve never been, and I was overwhelmed when I came up from the underground station and saw Big Ben in person for the first time.

Big Ben glimmer

And then there was Ireland. It’s a magical place to begin with, so you can be sure there were tons of glimmers there - including this rainbow!

A rainbow glimmer!

So yes, I practiced yoga - the yoga of glimmers. I tried to be open to and aware of the joy that was around me. Vacation is a great time to practice that - the challenge is to continue my yoga of glimmers now that I'm back home.

We know that our world is full of triggers - things that put our nervous system in the fight or flight mode - especially during this election cycle. But our world is also full of glimmers. We all have different glimmers - if you dislike tomatoes, that bruschetta wouldn't work for you! But our unique glimmers can offset the anxiety and apprehension that the triggers bring.

This is why we practice yoga - to return a sense of calm to the nervous system.

Please join me on your mat. I look forward to practicing with you.

Love & glimmers,

Nina G

The Power of the Pause

Hello my friends!

We are headed into Memorial Day weekend. It's our unofficial start of summer and a great time to pause our busy day-to-day schedule.

Often in yoga class we 'pause & notice'. I am very deliberate about putting those pauses into our practice. It's important to see what we've done and how it makes the body feel. We are making changes to the body and to the nervous system. It's a powerful thing - why not take a moment to notice it?

Once we realize how we feel or how we have changed things with our actions, we have the tools to return to that feeling again.

Our pause is just as important as the pose or sequence that precedes it.

We need pauses in our everyday life as well - an opportunity to stop and notice where we are, where we've been, and how we arrived here.

photo - N Ginocchio

And that leads us right back to Memorial Day. According to the USO, Memorial Day honors service members who have died in military service to the nation. It is a day set aside to pause, to recognize, and to honor. So, while we are at the parade or the cookout or the swimming pool, let's take some time to do just that.

Many of my students have family members that currently serve our nation. Please know that your strength of spirit teaches and inspires all of us. Thank you.

Pause & notice,

Nina G

The Resilience of the Lotus

“FIRST YOGA LESSON

“Be a lotus in the pond,” she said, “opening slowly, no single energy tugging
against another but peacefully,
all together.”

​

I couldn’t even touch my toes.
“Feel your quadriceps stretching?” she asked.
Well, something was certainly stretching.

Standing impressively upright, she
raised one leg and placed it against
the other, then lifted her arms and
shook her hands like leaves. “Be a tree,” she said.

​

I lay on the floor, exhausted.
But to be a lotus in the pond
opening slowly, and very slowly rising–that I could do.”

— Mary Oliver

Hello my friends,

I don't know if poet Mary Oliver ever took another yoga class (there are no poems called Second Yoga Lesson!). I hope that she did. We know that after consistent practice we can converse with our quadriceps and hamstrings and we will eventually find a tree pose that suits our constitution. That doesn't happen after just one class.

Mary seemed intrigued by the idea of the lotus though.

If you practiced with me last week, you may recall that we explored Padma Mudra, the gesture of the lotus. We learned that this mudra is related to the heart and its core quality is unconditional love.

We see the lotus a lot in yoga imagery. The flower thrives in the muddy waters of lakes and ponds and reblooms each morning without blemish. It represents the idea of persistence despite life's challenges.

We can live like the lotus as well - living a resilient life, making a home in the muddy waters of the 21st century. The challenge isn't about how we can stand on one leg, it's about how we respond to the stressors around us. Some days 'in the pond' may be easier than others, but we wake each morning to try again.

Whether or not our poet returned to her mat, her first lesson was an important one - the beauty of the lotus is in its resilience.

Please join me on your mat. Let us open slowly and rise together.

Love & the lotus,

Nina G

The Yoga of May

Hello my friends!

There is a lushness outside my treehouse window. With all of the rain, everything is now rich and green! When I go out walking, there are more people out. Our days are lengthening so that I can even go for a long walk after dinner now.

That must mean that it’s time to explore the Yoga of May.

The yoga of moderation and awareness – Now that we can move to the outside, there’s so much to do - cleaning the deck or patio, planting flowers, bringing our outdoor spaces to life. But let's move mindfully and not cause harm to ourselves - just like when we practice yoga. We want to be able to enjoy ourselves after the work is complete and not have to spend lots of time in recovery.

The yoga of the olfactory – Walking outside is an amazing amalgam of smells. There’s the smell of damp after the rain. There are lilacs - so many lilacs! - that I can smell from so far away. Things smell new and clean and fresh. There’s also the smell of mulch as people begin readying their gardens. It’s a wonderful way to wake up the senses.

The yoga of sound - While we're focused on the senses, let's pause and listen. I spent some time at the Arboretum this weekend. There is a riot of sound right now. The birds are singing, there's rustling in the bushes as the bunnies, chipmunks, and squirrels seek shelter. You can hear the wind in the trees and the hum of the mosquitos and gnats. And that leads us into...

The yoga of cicadas – Those of us in the Midwest know that we’re about to have a cicada-pocalypse. This is my 3rd experience with the biblical swarms - not a big fan. However, there’s lots that we can learn from these large flying creatures too. Cicadas have a very short time here on the earth. They spend that time emerging, singing, mating, and laying eggs. By the time we turn the calendar page to July, the party will be over for the next 17 years. I think we can say that they act with purpose and intention. Not a bad combination!

Grab your mat or chair and join me for some yoga.

Love & yoga,

Nina G

News & Notes - May 2024

Hello dear friends!

Here's all of the info that you need for May...

NEW VIDEO - There's a new chair yoga video available on my YouTube channel. It's all about mudras - I'm calling it Mudra Mania. We've been exploring mudras in my live and on-line classes, but not in videos yet. Let's get started!

UPCOMING SCHEDULE CHANGE - Memorial Day is on Monday, May 27th. We'll have one Zoom class only that day at 8:30 am Central. The 4:15 class is cancelled.

LILACS - The lilacs are blooming! I changed the picture on this newsletter and on all of my headers. Take a walk and enjoy their fragrance this week.

Love & lilacs,

Nina G

Hands & Heart

Hello my friends!

For those of you that have been practicing with me for the past 6 weeks, you know that I have been adding mudras into our classes regularly. I introduce our mudra at the beginning of class and we sit quietly with our hands in that position. Then we release our mudra. At the end of class, we test our short-term memory and try to recall the gesture.

That’s always a fun challenge!

I thought I might shed some light on what we’ve been doing.

What is a mudra?

A mudra is a gesture or seal with the hand. Yoga mudras have purpose and significance, helping to promote physical health, psychological balance, and spiritual awakening. Mudras help to evoke our own inherent positive qualities, which are always just under the surface, waiting to be awakened.

How do you select a mudra?

Each week I select a mudra to share at the beginning of class. I’m working with a set of cards from Mudras for Healing and Transformation by Joseph Le Page and Lilian Aboim. Sometimes I select something at random but mostly I am guided by the theme of our practice. Last week our yoga practice was grounding, so we practiced the Bhu Mudra, a gesture of the earth.

Are mudras magic?

Heck no! But our hands are powerful tools. They can do so much.

We use our hands to care for others - to give, to receive. We offer a hand, we give a hand, we lend a hand. Our hands can help to heal and soothe others. We communicate with our hands. We can feed, we can share, we can create with our hands.

So why not harness that power?

Take a moment this week to notice all that you do with your hands. Notice the movement and the gesturing. Notice the change that occurs when you employ your hands to complete tasks, to serve others, to build something new, to learn.

Without realizing it, we use mudra every day - perhaps not formally, but in our own ways. While some of our gestures might have specific names and shapes, most of what we do is of our own design.

We are expressing our own inherent and positive qualities.

That’s not magic, that’s building a more loving world.

With hands & heart,

Nina G

Wild Yellow Song

“Forsythia

What must it feel like
after months of existing
as bare brown sticks,
all reasonable hope
of blossoming lost,
to suddenly, one warm
April morning, burst
into wild yellow song,
hundreds of tiny prayer
flags rippling in the still
cold wind, the only flash
of color in the dull yard,
these small scraps of light,
something we might
hold on to.
”

— Barbara Crooker

Hello friends,

There has been so much wind and rain and now everything is ready to bloom! There is a riot of color outside and the forsythia is bursting with its golden light.

We celebrate Earth Day tomorrow and April is also Poetry month, so what better way to acknowledge both of these events than with the above poem about the forsythia!

Our practice this week will be grounding and intentional. We will focus on our connection to the earth and the strength and support that we can draw from it.

Hopefully, our time on the mat will shift us away from feeling like bare brown sticks. Let's bring some motion and awareness into the body so that we might want to burst into wild yellow song.

Love & forsythia,

Nina G

PS Wishing a Joyous Passover to my friends who are celebrating this week!

News & Notes - April 2024

Hello my friends!

Here's the news you need to know:

New Chair Yoga Video - There's a new video out on the channel - Yoga to Help Build Resilience. While we use a chair to get started and to finish the practice, it is more 'mat-free' yoga. Give it a try and see how it feels to you.

Upcoming Schedule Changes - No class on Wednesday evening, April 24.

Another Trip Around the Sun - April marks our 4th year together on Zoom. Happy anniversary to us! As you may recall, last year I celebrated with a gift to World Central Kitchen. This group works to feed those without access to food and water due to conflict or environmental emergency. In light of WCK's recent devastating loss of life in Gaza, I have again made a donation to them in your name.

Thank you so much for your continued support! It is an honor to practice yoga with you.

Love in movement & in stillness,

Nina G

Sun Salutes

Hello my friends!

Let’s salute the sun.

The big event tomorrow is a total solar eclipse across North America. We’ve been waiting for it since our last solar eclipse in 2017. Scientists and civilians from around the world will be travelling to the path of totality to experience it live.

I did a deep dive on NASA’s website and found lots of great information there. The interactive maps are wonderful – you can plug in your zip code to learn about the timing of the solar eclipse in your area.

Let’s salute the sun.

And what about all of the news coverage that this has created (including in this newsletter)? It’s fun to watch the scientists get excited about the event and it’s more fun to watch the non-scientists get excited. There’s even a term for the act of travelling to experience the totality – astrotourism.

Face it, the current world news is frightening. Our national news isn’t much better. But the eclipse offers a breath of positive news that we can all share. This event connects us when there is so much that tries to separate us.

And here’s where we find the yoga of solar eclipses.

Whether we are at the totality or somewhere on the fringes, we’re all part of this historic event. A total solar eclipse is a rare occasion and something to commemorate. We are literally moving from light to darkness and then back to light. It is a shared positive experience – a glimmer perhaps? – and a chance to consider things that are larger than ourselves. It is a brief moment in time, but it is a moment that we can pause and notice our connectedness instead of our differences.

The more of these moments that we can string together, the better we will all be.

Let's salute the sun.

Let's salute the sun together!

Love & sunshine,

Nina G

Gathering Glimmers

Hello dear friends!

We seem to be in a tough news cycle again. Lots of election reporting that will continue until November and beyond. If the national news isn’t enough, there’s plenty of world news that can bring me down as well.

But then I thought of glimmers. As you may recall, a glimmer is a cue, either external or internal, that brings one back to a sense of joy or safety.

I was reminded of glimmers as I was teaching last week. Mid-way through each class, I’d pause for a moment and take a look in the room (or on the screen) and I was just overwhelmed by the knowledge that we were all practicing yoga together. Week after week we keep coming back to our mats and we keep sharing this experience of yoga.

And there was the glimmer.

Our small community of yoga practitioners is mighty. We have been exploring our practice together for several years now and our understanding of yoga keeps growing. We welcome new members into our community and they add to the love.

I love watching all of this happen. I love being a part of it.

There’s a lot in the news to bring us down. All of that negativity can be overwhelming. We need to keep our eyes open and look for the positive. Let’s gather our glimmers and acknowledge their power. Each little glimmer can add up, creating a beacon of light in a world that can be very dark.

Thank you for being one of my glimmers. Whether you are a regular in a Zoom class or at one of my live locations, thank you for joining me. And if you read my newsletter or watch my YouTube videos, thank you, too, for joining me.

All of you are glimmers in my life. Let's continue to shine brightly for everyone.

Love & light,

Nina G

The Yoga of March

Hello my friends!

It’s been a literal whirlwind lately! The winds just keep blowing here and while it was 70° and sunny on Tuesday, it was 32° and blustery this morning. The vernal equinox happens this Tuesday, officially shifting us into spring. More daylight is coming, but the weather forecast for the week still feels like winter. We know that warmth is on the way, just not today.

That’s March.

What kind of yoga can we practice in March?

Here are some ideas…

The yoga of hide and seek - I’ve seen daffodils and crocuses peeking through the ground. They might be hidden under a cover of snow this week but we know that they are there. Keep your eyes open for them and they may put a smile on your face.

The yoga of abs - As those winds blow around you ground yourself and lean into it. Engage those core muscles to keep you upright and don't fly away!

The yoga of anticipation - So many of the trees are in bud now. Yes, things will be delayed by the colder temperatures, but we know that soon there will be a riot of color and blossoms. Get ready to revel in the splendor around us.

The yoga of light - We are seeing more daylight now. Let's connect with it and make it our personal theme. Lightness can mean feeling buoyant, bright, fresh, and joyful. Let's welcome these sensations and get ready to share them with others. The more generous we are, the brighter we each become.

These are just a few fun reminders of how we can always be practicing whether we are on our mats or not. Yoga is not just about poses or balancing on one foot. It infuses our whole being with possibility and promise.

So does the month of March.

Please join me on your mat.

Love & light,

Nina G

News & Notes - March 2024

Hello my friends!

Here's the news for now:

NEW VIDEO - There's a new video on my YouTube channel - Yoga to Support Healthy Digestion. Healthy digestion is everything! This video explores finding balance within the body's systems.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE CHANGES - There will be no classes on Monday, March 25. There will be classes on Monday, April 1, the day after Easter.

DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME - Yep, we all lost that hour last night. If you just can't make the morning class tomorrow, join me at 4:15 pm Central instead!

MARCH BLUSTER - As I write this, it is blustery and rainy outside. I am reminded of the children's book Chicken Soup with Rice by Maurice Sendak:

“In March the wind blows down my door
and spills my soup upon the floor.
It laps it up and roars for more.
Blowing once, blowing twice,
blowing chicken soup with rice.”

— Maurice Sendak

Please join me on your mat.

Love & chicken soup,

Nina G

Unexpected Advice

Hello dear friends,

I spent some time in Milwaukee on Saturday. We visited the historic Pabst Brewery and took a tour of a few of the original buildings. Whatever your current feelings are about Pabst Blue Ribbon beer, it was a major player in the Milwaukee beer industry.

The architecture is amazing - these castle-like buildings span several blocks in the city. If you saw them in a forest, you'd think you were in a fairy tale!

Photo by A Sigmund

As part of the tour, we visited the guest center tavern and had a pint of PBR. There were lots of quotes on the wall (in German) and one translated as follows:

Eat what is well done

Drink what is clear

Speak what is true

Love what is rare

Another wall said:

Do as the sundial, count only the bright cheerful hours.

Interesting and unexpected advice from a German beer maker!

Photo by A Sigmund

I hope that you had a wonderful weekend, wherever you were.

Please join me on your mat.

Love,

Nina G

Leap Year Yoga

“Time & tide wait for no man.”

— Proverb

Hello friends,

It’s time to celebrate – we get an extra day this month!

When Thursday rolls around we have a leap day on the calendar this year. There were a lot of ancient civilizations (the Egyptians, the Greeks, and the Romans) that worked to measure and create our calendar. It took centuries to create a system that tracked with the seasons. The quadrennial February 29th keeps everything in alignment so that the solstices and the equinoxes arrive in approximately the same timeframe each year.

By adding structure to our days and months - measuring time - humans became ‘civilized’. Our clocks and calendars allowed us to communicate more effectively across cultures on a consistent schedule.

Flora and fauna don’t follow the man-made calendar however. The calendar says February, but this year February is warmer than usual – my crocuses are starting to peek through the soil. I see buds on the flowering bushes. I hear the Canadian geese begin their mating rituals. I can smell spring even though the calendar is telling me it's still winter.

Nature ignores our 12-month calendar. The animals and plants follow the sensations around them and respond accordingly. With increased temperatures, spring might arrive earlier this year.

And that, my friends, is real world yoga - notice sensations and respond accordingly. We do this every time that we come to our mat and practice.

So, what can we do with our leap day this year?

Whatever we want. There’s no pressure to do anything fancy or special. Know that we’ve been gifted an extra day and when Thursday rolls around this week, you might take a moment to acknowledge the fact that our calendar works because of this end of month adjustment.

Then pause, consider how you feel, and proceed from there. Follow the example that we see in nature.

Real world yoga. Leap year yoga.

Please join me on your mat.

An extra day of love,

Nina G

The Art & Science of Yoga

Hello friends!

I spent some time at the Art Institute this weekend and found this quote:

“Study the science of art; study the art of science. Learn how to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else.”

— Leonardo da Vinci

I'm guessing that Leonardo was a yogi!

When I think about yoga, there's so much of it that is science. The anatomy of the bones and muscles moving and stretching; the process of the breath nourishing our body; the way that the brain manages and responds to all of the sensations. There's so much science behind what we do - this is the stuff that really grabs my interest. This is what keeps me studying. I know that yoga makes me feel better - I want to learn more about the how and the why behind our practice.

We can also look at the art of yoga - the way to combine the poses and the breath in just the right way to keep us interested and engaged. If we did the same sequences over and over again, we'd become bored and stop. If we did something completely out of our comfort zone, we'd get scared and back off. Finding that sweet spot of repetition and novelty helps to fuel the passion so that we want to return to our mats.

So if I wake up feeling achy and sore, I can find a sequence to ease my muscles and joints. If I'm anxious, I can practice to calm my nervous system. All systems go? I might try a few new ideas. As my yoga practice continues, I realize that there is synergy between the art and the science. This synergy is what helps to fuel connection.

When we practice yoga with our movement, breath, and focus, there's connection of mind and body. As our practice continues, we find a connection to our higher selves. At first, it might be just a glimpse, but over time, this connection becomes clearer. Eventually we see that we are all interconnected.

None of this happens overnight or in just one class. It is continued practice that helps us to uncover and discover these connections. It's not magic.

It is science. It is art.

It is so much more than either of those.

That's the power of yoga.

Love & yoga,

Nina G

News & Notes - February 2024

Hello friends!

I'm back from vacation and it's time for more yoga! Here's the news that you need to know.

NEW VIDEO - There's a new video available on my YouTube channel - Exploring Balance. We pay attention to shifts in the body as we play with different balancing poses. This is a short video (20 minutes) and it's a nice way to bring some easy movement and balance into your day.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! - Happy Year of the Dragon to my friends that celebrate the Lunar New Year. May 2024 be filled with happiness and joy. Enjoy your time with friends and family!

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE LOVE - We are celebrating Valentine's Day this week as well. Let us tune into the joy that is resident in our hearts.

Please join me on your mat.

Happiness & joy & love,

Nina G

The Yoga of January

Dear friends,

I thought that this poem might add a smile to your weekend...

“Thirty days hath September,
April, June and November.
Unless a leap year is its fate,
February hath twenty-eight.
All the rest hath three days more,
excepting January,
which hath six thousand,
one hundred and eighty-four.”

— - Brian Bilston

If you have been wintering in a frozen, snow-covered region, you might understand what this poet means. For my friends that are in warmer climes, I'm sure that you empathize with those of us that feel that January might last forever.

In the meantime, why not practice yoga? Here are some fun ideas!

The yoga of bundling up - being aware of each layer as you get ready to leave the house. You can spend a lot of time practicing this form of yoga!

The yoga of snow boots - that feeling of being grounded and connected to the earth.

The yoga of getting out of the car and walking in parking lots - being mindful of the icy/snowy surface beneath your feet, taking each step with intention.

While all of that is just fun, it is a reminder that we have so many ways to practice yoga!

We can also practice the following:

The yoga of gratitude - that feeling we have when we return to a warm home, a warm car, a warm embrace.

The yoga of service - taking time to support your neighbor, whether it's a call to check-in, an offer to help, or something shared.

The yoga of awe - noticing the power of the weather and the infinite cycle of the seasons.

Please join me on your mat. Let's practice the yoga of January together.

Love & yoga,

Nina G

News & Notes - January 2024

Hello my friends!

Here's the news...

NEW VIDEO - I have a new video on my YouTube channel - Pay Attention to the Breath. We use our breath to energize, to calm, and to strengthen. Give it a try!

And some notes!

MINDFUL MOVEMENT IN BAD WEATHER - We've had lots of snow, rain, and wind storms in the upper Midwest (and throughout the US) this weekend. Please be safe in your day-to-day movements. When we're on our mats, we practice mindfulness and moving with intention. Please do the same when going outside.

YOGA TO BUILD STRENGTH - I have been working with a resistance band in my personal yoga practice lately. It's an interesting addition to our list of props and I'd like to add it to our sequences when we practice together. My intention is to use resistance bands in some of our sequences beginning in February. It will be like all of our props, we will use them in certain poses on certain weeks. As always, we will have options in our practice if this does not serve your needs.

POEM, PRAYER, MANTRA - Finally...I hope that you are still reading, because this poem by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer is beautiful.

One Wish

bird of peace—
make of my heart
a nest

Stay warm!

Love & peace,

Nina G

Pay Attention

Dear Friends,

It snowed late Friday evening, creating this beautiful wonderland outside my treehouse window.

Winter wonderland

As I began writing this on Saturday morning, it was quiet, peaceful, and absolutely lovely. The snow was heavy on the branches and there was a stillness all around. There was no wind, there were no squirrels jumping from branch to branch. No one was at the park. Everything seemed literally frozen in time.

For that moment, it was beautiful – I just kept staring out my window, enjoying the perfect scenery.

Once again, it seemed as if the earth was practicing yoga. We were at the end of an exhale and about to inhale again. I knew that when the inhale began, everything would change.

The quiet time would disappear. The people in the homes around me would wake up and go on about their day. Dogs would be walked. Kids would build snowmen. At some point the snow would drop off the branches. The beauty of this freshly fallen snow would quickly become slush and footprints.

I'm glad that I paid attention to that moment before it all changed. I know that there will be other beautiful moments outside my window (I've shared several with you!) and I'm glad that I was present for that one.

This week in our yoga practice we will be present with the power of our own breath. We can use our breath to transform. We can change our energy, we can build our strength, we can soften and relax. It all happens with the breath.

It is our breath that guides us. It lets us know when we are working too hard or when we have the capacity to go deeper. Our breath can energize us or relax us. It is our breath that changes us. It’s subtle but it is powerful. We can learn so much when we tune in and notice.

Each breath is a beautiful moment. Let's take some time to pay attention.

We're back to our regular schedule this week. Please join me on your mat.

Love & joy,

Nina G