Amanda Dzengeleski
Re-Blooming with Spring

Imagine practicing yoga surrounded by the delicate beauty of spring—wildflowers nodding gently in the breeze, the scent of fresh herbs and tea leaves in the air. This is the magic of the Tea House, where nature and mindfulness intertwine to create a space for deep connection. We invite you to embrace the season’s rising energy in our April yoga series.

Re-Blooming with Spring
Amanda Dzengeleski
NEW Mindfulness Meditation Class

Meditation is not a linear journey. It’s not about achieving a specific state or reaching a final destination. Instead, it’s a variable practice that shifts and evolves. This fluidity makes meditation an opportunity for exploration rather than a pursuit of perfection. It invites us to let go of binary perspectives such as good or bad, right or wrong, failure or success.

NEW Mindfulness Meditation Class
Guest User
Meditation for Those Who Can’t Meditate

Do you feel like meditation just isn’t for you? You’re not alone. Meditation is often seen as a gateway to calm, clarity, and balance. But the truth is, sitting in silence can feel anything but peaceful. It’s important to understand that meditation isn’t about achieving peacefulness. It’s about learning to focus on a single thought, noticing distractions, and gently guiding your attention back.

Meditation for Those Who Can’t Meditate
Amanda Dzengeleski
Easing into the New Year with Grace and ...

As the calendar turns and the new year approaches, it’s easy to get swept up in the tide of resolutions and the pressure to “start fresh.” We draft lists of goals and set rigid expectations, believing that January 1st marks the start of a perfect, linear path toward self-improvement. But what if we approached the new year differently? What if, instead of rigid resolutions, we embraced curiosity, intention, and a willingness to ease into this next chapter with grace?

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

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.

Pause to Experience Awe

Pause to Experience Awe

Yoga can help you learn to become more aware of why you react the way you. Your practice supports leaning into the full human experience and enjoying being in the present movement and experience the fullness of life. Pausing to savor the experience of awe can take you outside of yourself and give you the opportunity to really experience living in the present moment.

Functional Posture - Letting Go of the Aesthetic Ideal

Functional Posture - Letting Go of the Aesthetic Ideal

Yoga is a dynamic practice that generates a healthy stress on the bones and connective tissues. Rather than assigning rigid labels of good or bad to specific postures, it is best to approach our practice in a functional way. There is not a one-size-fits-all posture that suits every body or one that is suitable all the time. Certain postures can create imbalance if not approached mindfully.

Engage Your Core For Better Posture and Less Stress

Engage Your Core For Better Posture and Less Stress

Strengthening the core, whether done in Yoga or other practices, are impacting the fight-or-flight response. In 2016, Peter Strick, a leading neuroscientist at the University of Pittsburgh mapped the connection between the core muscles, adrenal glands, and brain. The awareness that we gain through mindful yoga practices leave a positive imprint throughout our day.

Spinal Variation

Spinal Variation

The spine is most stable when in its neutral position, and it becomes less stable as it deviates from this natural alignment. Optimal health doesn't demand excessive spinal flexibility. Stability is the primary function of the spine. Remember, you are unique—no one else shares your biography or biology. One-size-fits-all advice doesn't hold; what works for one person might not work for you. The key is to discover the movements and exercises that serve your body. Let your practice be adaptable, not dogmatic, respecting the vast spectrum of human variation. 

Yoga and Osteoporosis Workshop, Explore Moving Safely with Confidence

Yoga and Osteoporosis Workshop, Explore Moving Safely with Confidence

Having osteoporosis shouldn’t prevent you from engaging in physical activity. Movement such as those done in Yoga can support healthy bones. A 2016 study reported that 12 minutes of yoga appeared to raise bone mineral density in the spine and the femur safely. Yoga is also good for your balance, flexibility, brain and more. However, not all yoga postures are beneficial for everybody’s skeleton. Some yoga postures and movements are associated with risks for those with osteoporosis. Therefore, it is important to equip yourself with knowledge about what movements are safe and what movements should be avoided. 

The Power of Community: Cultivating Inner Peace through Yoga

The Power of Community: Cultivating Inner Peace through Yoga

This week is Service Week! All are welcome to participate by joining us for any of our group classes October 9th-13th. You can sign up for classes using subscriptions and packages throughout the week. All proceeds will be donated directly to Healing Pines Respite. You may also contribute a donation of any amount to Dogwood’s Healing Pines Respite Fund. We hope sharing our yoga practice and raising money can provide a refuge of compassionate practice for all.

In the midst of our busy lives, finding inner peace is an invaluable pursuit. While yoga is often seen as a solitary practice, it teaches us that the journey towards inner peace can be greatly enhanced when we embrace the support and connection of a community. 

Enjoying All of Life’s Peaceful Moments.

Enjoying All of Life’s Peaceful Moments.

Yoga postures, breathing exercises and meditations help you achieve a peaceful state of mind. However, yoga is not limited to practices on the mat. You can experience glimpses of your peaceful nature at any time. You can experience PEACE in any setting and doing any activity. Take time throughout your day to relish in life’s beauty. Seek out joy and immerse yourself in the experience.

Heart of Peace Retreat 3 Weeks Away!

Heart of Peace Retreat 3 Weeks Away!

Join the Dogwood Team for a day of self care and creativity on Saturday October 14th, 2023 from 8:30am-3:30pm for our biannual Art and Yoga Retreat: Heart of Peace at the NC Botanical Garden in Chapel Hill. We will be collaborating with artist Beverly Dyer to deliver a retreat filled with creative art journaling and mindful movement practices in the lovely setting of the Garden.

Join Leesann this Fall at Dogwood Studio!

Join Leesann this Fall at Dogwood Studio!

We have some wonderful news to announce. Leesann will be returning to live classes at Dogwood Studios. 🥳 We are thrilled that Leesann will be gracing us with her presence. She will be joining Sam for Candlelight Yin Yoga and Yoga Nidra and teaching from Chapel Hill at the end of October! 💖 You can practice Live with Leesann either In Person or Online.