New Passage to Yoga Series: Yoga for Stiff People

Passage to Yoga is offering a new class series: Yoga for Stiff People: Making Friends with our Bodies

The workshop will be presented by Mike Goldfield and begins on Sunday, April 11th.

In this series, Mike will lead participants in an exploration of various postures, sequences and modifications (including the use of a wide variety of props) to address common areas of limitation in ways that are safe and helpful, rather than aggressive and self-abusive. This approach will allow students to find benefits and joy in their practice no matter what their level of flexibility.

Open to Students of all Levels
Pricing: $20 per individual session, or $120 for all when you pre-register

Mike has a varied background in yoga, originally receiving teacher training in Ashtanga Yoga (with Richard Freeman) and Anusara Yoga (with John Friend). He has also trained extensively in Iyengar Yoga, from which he draws primarily for adjustments, alignment, and modifications of poses. Mike considers this the tradition in which he works. He has a style marked by playfulness, humility, attention to details of alignment, and compassion for the student.

Here is a description of the topics that will be covered:

April 11 – Laying the Foundation: Feet, Hamstrings and Hips
April 25 – Creating Space: Shoulders, Neck and Upper Back
May 2 – Going Deeper: Exploring Hip Movement
May 9 – Strength and Mobility: Knees and Quads
May 16 – Keeping Young and Supple: Spine and Lower Back
June 20 – Deep Core Strength: the Yoga Approach
June 27 – Bringing Joy into Backbends
July 11 – Putting it all Together: Personalizing Your Own Practice

The sessions will take place on Sunday afternoons from 3-5 p.m at a Passage to Yoga.

Please call (248) 223-9294 or email: info@passagetoyoga.com for more information.

Five Tips for a Spring Cleanse

Detox. Cleanse. Fast.

These buzz words are being used to describe diets and eating regimes that promise you more than just a few dropped pounds. Clearer skin, better digestion, enhance energy levels – Whatever the catch-phrase may be to entice you, you can be sure to find a potion, product or diet to deliver you it to you.

With the heralding in of spring, you might also hear your body calling you to lighten up its load. Maybe you want to drop a few pounds. Maybe you want to give your digestion a break from heavy winter foods.

Whatever the reason, doing a Spring detox can definitely help to put a spring in your Spring.

I’m not suggesting anything wacky, but I am supportive of a safe and balancing way to make way for Spring through your diet.

The important thing to consider when choosing a cleanse is to select a regimen that is not extreme. Even though detox may conjure images of drinking nothing more than water splashed with lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper, such programs do not have to be (and many would argue should not have to be) that rigid.

According to Maharashi Ayurveda, here are five nutrition tips for a Spring cleanse:

1) Eat warm light and cooked foods. Examples are broth- or legume-based soups and vegetables lightly cooked with seasons like cumin, turmeric and ginger. Cold foods and cold drinks impede digestion, according to Ayurveda, so opt for cooked over raw foods.
2) Eat fresh and organic. Try to avoid canned foods, leftovers, frozen items, packaged and processed foods. These foods are not nearly as healthy as their whole or natural counterparts.
3) Drink plenty of filtered pure water every day. Get in the habit of drinking hot water in the morning and/or after meals as a way to stoke digestion and toxin release.
4) Avoid heavy foods. Examples are red meat, fried fare, sugary desserts, yeasted breads and anything made with excess oil. These foods will weight you done, physically and mentally.
5) Got Milk? Even though in the West, whole milk gets a bad rap for its fat content, in Ayurveda, whole milk is an elixir that should be consumed every day. For the most traditional (and yummy) way to prepare it, boil one cup of whole organic milk and add a pinch of cardamom to it. If you’re not a fan of milk, lassis, a drink made from yogurt that may nor may not contain fruit, is a great option as well.