SAM Sather
The Sacrum: A Key to Spinal Health and Mobility

The sacrum, often overlooked, plays a vital role in both spinal health and overall movement. It's not just a single bone but a fusion of five vertebrae that occurs as we age, usually completing the process in our 20s. Despite this fusion, the sacrum is part of a dynamic system that requires awareness and movement to stay healthy.

The Sacrum: A Key to Spinal Health and Mobility
SAM Sather
The Convergence of Yoga and Creativity

Yoga and creativity share a special connection. Both require us to move beyond the confines of the familiar, to explore the unknown, and to embrace the perspective of a beginner—a fresh lens through which we see the world. This convergence of yoga and creativity is a catalyst for inspiration, opening doors to new ideas, perspectives, and ways of being.

The Convergence of Yoga and Creativity
Amanda Dzengeleski
Why we are a Yoga Therapy Studio. Plus, ...

Yoga therapy is fundamentally about empowering you to take an active approach to self-care through the tailored application of yoga. Unlike general group classes, which aim to benefit a wide range of participants, yoga therapy offers a personalized and evolving practice that addresses specific health challenges and promotes overall well-being.

Why we are a Yoga Therapy Studio. Plus, Nourishing Opportunities to Practice.
SAM Sather
NEW Studio Announcements: Introducing our ...

We have made new updates to our class schedule and an exciting addition to our team!

SAM Sather
iRest: Active Resting That Heals

iRest Yoga Nidra can be perceived as resting, especially since rest is in the name, and we all are not people who rest. Resting can even be a bit scary. It is easy to wonder: Will everything be OK if I slow down and rest? What if I told you that iRest Yoga Nidra is active resting? You are doing something. You are actively listening to a voice, following the prompts, re-wiring your brain, and improving your health.

Mindfulness

Pause to Find Your Inner Light

Pause to Find Your Inner Light

The winter solstice is upon us. Each day the sun’s journey across the sky continues to shorten, and each night the stars have a little more time to gaze upon the Earth. It is a time to reflect on the year that is behind us: on the growth we have made, the joy we’ve shared, and the challenges we have faced. It is also a time to dream about the year ahead: to make intentions and consider the abundant possibilities that may come our way. In our yoga practice, we seek to restore balance to our body, mind and heart, and to carry this balance out into our daily lives so we may come from a place of integrity and compassion.

Sitting with Worry and Restlessness

Sitting with Worry and Restlessness

The five hindrances are mental states that challenge our ability to be mindful and present. These hindrances include sensual desire, ill will, sloth, worry or restlessness, and doubt. Gil Fronsdal, author of Unhindered, encourages us to approach worry and restlessness with a sense of curiosity and mindfulness. Instead of trying to push these emotions away, we are encouraged to sit with them, observing the sensations and thoughts without judgment. By approaching these hindrances with awareness, curiosity, and equanimity, we find opportunities for growth and deeper understanding on the journey toward greater peace and presence.

Mindful Movement: A Key Component of Resiliency

Mindful Movement: A Key Component of Resiliency

Resiliency includes mindful movement, stretching, humor, service and pranayama!

What exactly is mindful movement? And why does Dogwood Studio have a class called Mindful Movement and Yoga? We see the word mindfulness thrown around when referring to meditation, yoga, tai chi and qi gong. It has been part of popular culture for meditation, but the nuances of what a mindful practice entails is often overlooked. Mindfulness is the English translation of the Pali (ancient language from the Indian subcontinent used to write some of the oldest Buddhist scriptures) word sati.

August at Dogwood Studio and focusing on Building Self-Compassion

August at Dogwood Studio and focusing on Building Self-Compassion

We care about ourselves. We eat things that we like and do things that we enjoy. But do we take the time to cultivate a true appreciation of ourselves; to recognize that no matter the circumstance we are human and deserve our own unconditional love? We can develop understanding, support, care and comfort for ourselves with self-compassion.

Develop stress hardiness and transform negative stress

Develop stress hardiness and transform negative stress

Sometimes we think we have to be resilient; that if we are firm and strong, we can power through the turbulent times. However, if we try to power through long term uncertainty, we can hit a wall. We can shift our focus from powering through stress to transforming stress. We want to have a better relationship with what is causing the stress and how we can respond to it. This personality style is called stress hardiness.

Yoga Linked to Greater Compassion and Self-regulation

Yoga Linked to Greater Compassion and Self-regulation

By now, you have likely read one of our blogs on how yoga is linked to improving physical and mental health. Another focus of yoga is in becoming more aware of how we respond, also known as self-regulation. Self-regulation is being intentional. Choosing to focus on the meaning behind someone’s words, or choosing to focus on the beauty of the day, rather than focusing on the person’s anger or your long to do list, reframes the negativity in an intentional manner and is a form of self-regulation.

Introducing Dogwood Studio’s newest team member, Patricia Hagerbaumer!

Introducing Dogwood Studio’s newest team member, Patricia Hagerbaumer! Patricia holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Chemistry, Master’s of Arts in Counseling, and a certification from the National Board of Certified Counselors.  She was previously licensed in Illinois as a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor. At the Evanston Vet Center, Department of Veteran Affairs, she served as the Sexual Trauma Counselor, Readjustment Counseling Therapist, Women Veteran Coordinator, and the Clinical Coordinator.

Dogwood Studio Opening June 3rd!

Announcing, with overflowing love and gratitude, the official OPENING of Dogwood Studio, a new Yoga Therapy Studio located in Carrboro, NC, June 3rd!

Our Mission:

Through mindful movement and meditative balance, Dogwood Studio provides yoga therapy to help empower the client to progress toward greater health and well-being.

Grounded in mindfulness and compassion, our community is guided by teachings about generosity, patience, ethical conduct, meditative balance, and insight into what is essential. This framework empowers our clients to practice self-compassion, to live in a way that benefits all beings, and to see that we are not separate from the people we have imagined are estranged from us. Self and others heal together! Dogwood Studio helps individuals to discover and explore, through a compassionate practice, the benefits of yoga therapy for the whole being.