Wake Up West Update!

Wow! Autumn's late afternoon sky often leaves me breathless and almost giddy. The glow of our distant sun reflecting off of buildings and highlighting the fading glory of so many lifesaver-candy-colored leaves often startles me into moments of pure, vivid aliveness, complete with wonder, awe, and the bittersweet recognition of how precious and fleeting everything truly is. Winter sometimes feels like he will drag on forever, and summer has her timeless frivolity, but the autumn insists you realize his days are numbered; the autumn wants your appreciation and attention. Here's hoping that your days have moments of properly paying homage to this wondrous season, which surely will enhance your relationships and your experience of being alive. You, too, just might shed a tear for the miracle of it all!

I am so excited to report that, barring unforeseen challenges, Wake Up Yoga West will be open next Monday, November 6! Hurray! Thank you to everyone who emailed and phoned to offer your support and encouragement and services to help. The West Philadelphia community has really extended itself to welcome this new studio into the neighborhood, and we look forward to spreading our passion for yoga to all who are drawn to practice at 4916 Baltimore Avenue. Our first class that day will be a $5 flow at 9 am with Beatriz. Next we'll have a 12 noon Vira Rasa Flow with Renata. And at 6 pm, I will teach a Vira Rasa Flow class (I'm just filling in at Wake Up Yoga West until Jill returns from India; while I'm there, Jeremy K. will be taking over the Vira Rasa Flow class at Wake Up Yoga, Fairmount). We're hoping to have the full opening schedule on the website very soon. In the meantime, there are some tentative schedules in the door, and hopefully they will be distributed throughout the neighborhood this week.

The general operations of each studio will be very much the same. We'll keep a card file on premise for those students who want to house their class card at only one location. However, for students who are excited about utilizing both locations, we'll give you a 'punch card,' that you'll bring with you to class to be signed in. The good news about keeping your card at one spot is that it will never be lost. The good news about using both locations is that, depending on where your day's travels take you, you have more options. Both have benefits and both have drawbacks so you'll just make the decision that works best for you. I looked into getting swipe cards, like they use at Mugshots to keep track of how many cups of coffee you've bought, but that seems like an unnecessary expense right now (although it seems cool!). We'll work it out. And, after all, it's really about the yoga!

And speaking of Yoga - boy do we have some fine offerings for you! I'd like to just bring your attention to two of them right now. To find out more about these events and others, please visit the workshops page.

We will begin advertising some series at the new space (Brand New Beginners, Prenatal, and Mommy & Me) to start in the New Year. And I anticipate having a Grand Opening Party sometime in December (details soon!). Also, please save the date: Friday, December 22. Here at the old original Wake Up Yoga we'll be having a Winter Solstice and Holiday Celebration. This will be a potluck, with some live music and an opportunity to see your yoga friends in party clothes! I hope you will be able to share with us in reflecting upon the year past, and setting an intention for the year ahead.

The Juice!!!

Things are certainly cooking around here, what with a bouncing baby yoga studio on the way. The lease has been signed and there are posters in the windows at 4916 Baltimore Avenue announcing the pending arrival of Wake Up Yoga West. This weekend we'll be there painting the walls and devising how to best utilize the space, as well as determine the system for operation. The space is very much like Wake Up Yoga: there is no foyer, one enters directly into the space, and there's a good vibe already present in the room. We're sticking with the vibrant, golden squash color and are on the lookout for just the right shelving and stereo. It's very exciting, and feels very sudden, although the idea for a West Philly space had been planted years ago. Many West Philadelphians have already written and phoned expressing their excitement and enthusiasm, all of which has been deeply appreciated! A modified November/December schedule is being created, with a full scale Yoga Assault planned for the New Year! If you live in West Philly and would like to register a vote for classes at particular time slots, please email me at: Corina@WakeUpYoga.com. We'll definitely have 6 pm classes, and hopefully expand into 7:45 pm classes as well. A few 7 am classes could be offered, along with 9 am and maybe 12 noon. I'd be really excited to see if a 2 pm or 4 pm class would serve the needs of this thriving community; if any of this appeals to you and your own unique schedule, please let me know!

In the meantime, there is so much happening right here at home! Don't forget to review our upcoming events and workshops. If you're interested in enrolling in an event, please call the studio: 215.235.1228. You can enroll with a credit card or send a check, but do let us know you are planning to attend!

Exciting News!

Whew! It's been a whirlwind journey toward autumn, and there is some exciting news on the horizon. It looks like Wake Up Yoga will have a little sister in West Philadelphia. Plans are still being finalized for Wake Up Yoga West, but a very sweet space has been offered and the lease should be signed tomorrow morning. If all goes as planned, we'll be painting next weekend, and heading toward a 'soft-opening' at the start of November. We'll begin with an abbreviated schedule to gauge interest and get a feel for how to best serve the community. Our intention (if the demand is there) is to offer $5 morning yoga classes (both Yin & Flow), early evening prenatal yoga (in addition to Vira Rasa Flow, Sringara Rasa Flow and Yin Yoga), Brand New Beginner's Series', and weekend classes; we'd also love to offer Mommy & Me Postpartum Yoga, and even Family, Kids and Teen Yoga (let us know if any of this tickles your fancy!). Over the years quite a few West Philadelphians have expressed a strong desire to have Wake Up Yoga closer to home; if this news makes you really happy, OM three times and hug the first person you see!

The possibility of a second location really excites me with the realization that we will be able to hire more teachers! Many trainees have graduated from our certification program with so much to share and few opportunities to do so. And I believe much of what makes Wake Up Yoga so special is the warmth, the heart and the sense of community that is palpable in this space. To create yet another haven in this city for people to breathe together, to discharge toxicity and nourish their entire being body to spirit surely will do no harm and may even help stem the tide of violence, anger and aggression which has been widely reported and perhaps directly experienced this year.

Of course, the same quality of love and dedication will be lavished upon the old original Wake Up Yoga. To that end, click here to see our newly added events and workshops!

Beet Dip Recipe!

For anyone who attended the Fall Equinox Retreat and wanted the recipe for the amazing Beet, Chickpea and Almond Dip that Marla brought, it can be found here on epicurious.com. It was delicious... and vegan!