Written by Ainslee Cunningham
Learn or relearn the basics of selected asana (yoga poses) Wednesdays in January at 11:30 a.m.
January 3rd, Saddle Archetype (Front Line and Back Bends) with Sam
January 10th, Spinal Movements (Sun Salutations and Twists) with Aviva
January 17th, Dragon Archetype (Warrior I, II and III) with Amanda
Sign Up Online
January 24th, Shoelace Archetype (Extended Side Angle and Eagle) with Aviva
January 31st, Mountain and Chair Pose with Ainslee
As 2023 comes to a close, it is enticing to think about the New Year ahead of us: the potential, the resolutions, the freshness. However, before we turn over this new leaf (or calendar page), let us reflect on the year behind us and on the moments of joy, peace, and happiness. As a studio, Dogwood has had many moments of joy: we successfully hosted not one but TWO Art & Yoga Retreats at the Botanical Garden, we provided many opportunities to learn via Lunchtime Learn Classes, Yin Yoga Foundations Series, Osteoporosis workshops. Thanks to our lovely community, we were recognized on a local level for our services in the Chapel Hill Magazine. Our service weeks raised thousands of dollars in donations towards Healing Pines Respite and the LGBTQ Center of Durham organizations. While these accolades and accomplishments are amazing, the true joy comes from the meaningful service we were able to offer to the wider community in 2023. We are all so grateful for the opportunity to be of service and to provide space for people to BE, to LEARN, to GROW.
In this moment of reflection, I invite you to ponder the past year and consider the lives you have impacted, the service you have provided, and the joy you have both sparked and experienced. As we look ahead to next year, may we carry this spark of joy with us to guide our actions. The tradition of this time of year is one of making resolutions. While it is important to establish goals and live a life that’s in alignment with one’s values, I am of the humble opinion that we can put a lot of pressure on ourselves when the calendars change: the pressure to achieve, obtain, have more, do more, be more. What would it be like to move into the New Year with the mindset that we are enough, exactly as we are at this moment? Our bodies are doing so much for us and within us while you read this page. We are breathing, we are alive, we are enough, and there is no amount of doing, of consuming, of losing or ridding that can change that.
May you be connected to the light of community, may you find comfort and joy.
Thank you for being part of our community. ♥️ ♥️ ♥️
Email info@dogwoodstudioyoga.com with questions. We are here to help!
Ainslee Cunningham is a 200-hour registered yoga teacher (RYT) who is deeply inspired and influenced by nature. Ainslee aspires to support people with the mind-body connection of yoga, especially those affected by addiction and trauma. She is committed to exploring how we embody the elements of the natural world and how we can deepen our connection to the Earth’s natural rhythms.
SAM Sather, founder of Dogwood Studios, is a certified yoga therapist (C-IAYT) and an Insight Yoga Institute (IYI) endorsed teacher. She individualizes the yoga practice with appropriate modifications for participants’ unique bodies and medical histories with a focus on finding calm and improving health. She offers several live, online and in person yoga classes as well as private sessions so you can focus on your needs one-on-one.
