Category: Classes & Workshops (Page 1 of 2)

Junction Center Launches COVideo Yoga Classes

May 4, 2020 / Kathy Navis

With the current Coronavirus status setting strict limits on personal contact, I have begun to create a set of stay-home and practice yoga classes online.

With the assistance of DesignWise Studios, we now have a Junction Center Yoga YouTube channel with two playlists and eight videos. I confess that it’s hard to watch myself but, I think it’s much better than I thought it would turn out thanks to some great professional editing.

Restorative Yoga with Kathy

Yoga Level I – II with Kathy

I look forward to the day when we may all meet to practice together again in proximity but there is no telling when that will be. For now, it is my sincere wish to know that all of you are safe, well, and know that I am thinking of you.

Namaste,
Kathy

How to Breathe by Leo Babauta

January 26, 2016 / Staff Reporter

Your day is getting hectic, and you’re tired, or anxious, or distracted, or full of doubt. You’re a bit lost, feeling without direction.

Take a breath

By Leo Babauta

Turn the spotlight of your attention from all the worries of your day to your breath, as it comes in and then goes out.

Breathe normally, not more slowly or deeply than usual — the only thing that has changes is you’re now paying attention.

Your mind will wander, and that’s OK. Just gently return your attention to your breath, noticing your thoughts as they arise, then going back to the breath.

It’s a gentle thing, the breath: it fills you, then leaves softly, without you noticing most times, without you needing to worry about it.

Your mind wanders, and you come back. You pay attention to the quality of the breath, and your body as your chest rises and falls, your shoulders move, your back is slumped a bit, your butt is perhaps a little sore from sitting.

You notice this moment, and realize that in this moment, everything is OK. This moment is complete, without the worries and distractions.

When you return to your anxieties, fears … these emerge from the mind unbidden, just as all your thoughts do. They are temporary conditions, like clouds passing. They aren’t of any consequence if you just notice them, acknowledge them, let them move on.

You return to the breath, and the anxieties are forgotten for a second as you see the breath.

Your mind wanders again, fears arising, desires for distractions and pleasures coming up. These are selfish little things, the fears and desires, that are looking for comfort and trying to avoid discomfort.

You go back to the breath, and notice the body, and your surroundings, all perfect in this moment. For a second, your worries about the comfort of your self is forgotten. The self is not a concern when you’re fully in the moment, though it will assert itself again.

The self and its fears and desires and anxieties and urges return, then you go back to the breath and they’re gone.

Like the ebb and flow of tides, the self and the moment surge back and forth, with you caught up in the waves between them.

You stay with the breath for a moment, and for that moment … you are no longer there.

There’s just the breath, the body, and all that’s around you.

From Zen Habits…

Explore the Benefits of Yoga with Beginner’s Classes at Junction Center

November 2, 2015 / Staff Reporter

There is no doubt that yoga has become a way of life for many individuals. It may best be described as a fitness lifestyle, one that builds the connection between your body, mind and spirit. Yoga is also a unique discipline, one that gets easier to do the longer you practice it and the older you get.

Kathy Navis teaches and encourages anyone, at any age to begin exploring yoga as a means to better health and wellness.

Yoga is an ancient practice, one that originated in India over 5,000 years ago. Whether it’s the immediate reduction in levels of stress or the measurable improvements in circulation and blood pressure, practicing yoga is one of the most enjoyable forms of “preventive medicine” that you can take. After a few sessions you will begin to notice improvements in your flexibility and balance. Over time, Yoga is also a strength builder.

Kathy’s free introductory class will provide beginners with some basic knowledge and practice of yoga including an explanation of the philosophy, the postures (asanas) and breath work (pranayama). The benefits of Yoga do not occur overnight, but the results are indeed long lasting. As you become fit and flexible most practitioners will begin to notice an increase in overall vitality and a greater sense of wellness.

The different poses or Asanas each focus on gently improving the functional capacity of your skeletal joints, muscles and connective tissue. By linking the actions to the breath, one also begins to “quiet the mind” – to hush that endless stream of thoughts that some mistake for consciousness.

Yoga students will also begin to take greater notice of their posture as they gain awareness of the alignment and range of motion inherent in their own musculoskeletal system. According to a notable physiologist, we become less flexible as we get older mainly because of certain changes that take place in the connective tissues as our bodies gradually begin to dehydrate. It is believed that stretching stimulates the production or retention of lubricants between the connective tissue fibers, thus preventing the formation of adhesions. Perhaps the greatest realization you will experience in taking up the practice of yoga is that you are actually capable of changing and improving your range of motion.

Classroom attire in Yoga sessions is freeform, but dressing in layers is advisable so you can peel them off depending on the level of exercise and temperature of the room. Students will often wear leotards, shorts, t-shirts and tank tops under a layer of sweats that can be removed.

Join us in beginner’s classes at Junction Center. All of the equipment is provided in a warm and comfortable environment. Beginner’s classes are for all ages, male and female and for any level of fitness or ability. Call 920.823.2763 to join or visit Junction Center Yoga Studio to learn more.

Discover the Benefits of Meditation at Junction Center

February 11, 2015 / Kathy Navis

Are you seeking calmness, peace of mind, joy, vibrant health, greater energy, positive relationships and fulfillment in life? Do you wish to reduce your stress and worrying?

7 Ways Meditation Can Actually Change The Brain

Sounds like the magic bullet doesn’t it? You can enjoy all of these benefits and much more by learning to meditate. Meditation offers innumerable benefits for your body, mind and spirit including:

Avoid and release stress,
Lower Blood Pressure,
Reduce anxiety,
Decrease tension related pain,
Increase serotonin improving mood,
Give us control over the seemingly ceaseless spinning of the mind,
Give us clarity and peace of mind,
Sharpen the mind by increasing focus,
and so much more!

Please join Kathy Navis, long time Zen meditation practitioner, for an introduction to the ancient practice of meditation on Sundays from 8 – 9:30 am.

Junction Center Celebrates Valentine’s Day Each Year with a Partner Yoga Workshop

January 31, 2015 / Staff Reporter

Join us on Valentine’s Day for a Partner Yoga Workshop with Kathy Navis.

Partner Yoga is designed to bring community and play into our yoga practice. It’s a way to develop trust , connection and playfulness through assisted yoga postures. It’s a very enjoyable way to work together in a number of different ways to extend your practice. You will also share the bond of communicating and cooperating with a fellow yoga practitioner, regardless of your relationship or skill level.

Partner Yoga, whether with a friend, a partner or someone you’ve never met, has some incredible benefits:

Deepen your connection to others,
Build trust and compassion,
Deepen your practice in discovering how to safely stretch further than usual,
Acquire a sense of balance that cannot be experienced working solo,
Learn to move with greater awareness and recognition of how our movements affect others,
Enhance your communication skills using verbal as well as non-verbal communication,
And it’s so much fun!

The workshop will conclude with class participants sharing some delicious snacks and beverages from Greens N Grains Natural Food Store.

No experience necessary, partnering with a friend is optional but not mandatory. We will find a partner if you come solo! The cost is $20 per person or $35 if you come with a friend.

Please, reserve your place by calling 920.823.2763 or e-mailing kathy@JunctionCenterYoga.com.

Is yoga a sport or a spiritual practice?

April 21, 2014 / Staff Reporter

While Debate.org says the vote is split 50/50 (now 43/57 after my post) on this discussion, most serious practitioners will agree that yoga is instead, a way of life.

It can best be described as a fitness lifestyle, one that builds the connection between your body, mind and spirit. If yoga is a sport, it is one of the few that you actually get better at, the longer you practice it and the older you get.

“There is only one way to find out how plastic your body really is, and that’s by using it,” says Kathy Navis. “Regain flexibility and range of motion rather than watch it slip away over the years.”

She teaches and encourages anyone, at any age to begin exploring yoga as a means to better health and wellness with a variety of yoga classes available the year ’round at Door County’s oldest yoga center: Junction Center Yoga Studio in Jacksonport.

Yoga is an ancient practice, one that originated in India over 5,000 years ago. Whether it’s the immediate reduction in levels of stress or the measurable improvements in circulation and blood pressure, practicing yoga is one of the most enjoyable forms of “preventive medicine” that you can take. After a few sessions you will begin to notice improvements in your flexibility and balance. Over time, Yoga is also a strength builder.

Kathy invites regular students to bring along a friend anytime for a free class… help expand their knowledge and practice of yoga philosophy, the postures (asanas) and breath work (pranayama).

The benefits of Yoga do not occur overnight, but the results are indeed long lasting. As you become fit and flexible most practitioners will begin to notice an increase in overall vitality and a greater sense of wellness. The different Asanas each focus on gently improving the functional capacity of your skeletal joints, muscles and connective tissue. By linking the actions to the breath, one also begins to “quiet the mind” – to hush that endless stream of thoughts that some mistake for consciousness.

There is only one way to find out if yoga is right for you. Sign up for a free beginner’s class at Junction Center. All of the equipment is provided in a warm and comfortable environment. Beginner’s classes are for all ages, male and female and for any level of fitness or ability. Call 920.823.2763 to join or visit the Website at JunctionCenterYoga.com‎ to learn more.

Post by Junction Center Yoga Studio in Door County.

Restorative Yoga and Vibrational Sound Healing at Junction Center, April 26

April 11, 2014 / Staff Reporter

Bobbi Silverstone and Ceci Parrella travel and share their Restorative Yoga and Sound Healing classes at different yoga studios across the USA.

They are each certified as instructors in both Yoga and Integrative Breath Therapy. On Saturday, April 26 from 5:30 – 7 pm, they will be here in Door County at Junction Center Yoga Studio, providing an opportunity to enjoy a unique encounter.

“Experience deep relaxation as layers of tension and stress melt away,” says Bobbi Silverstone. “In this state of relaxation, the body is nurtured and healed from within.”

The poses in their distinctively sensual yoga class are done lying on the floor, using bolsters to support your body. Breath awareness, hot stones, essential oils, singing bowls and drums are added to induce and enhance the process of relaxation and vibrational healing.

Bobbi Silverstone hails from Gladstone, MI where she has been teaching yoga, breathwork and sound therapy for more than 15 years at her home studio. Her Facebook Page may be found at Serenity Yoga and Breathwork. Ceci Parrella is from Hilton Head, SC and also teaches in her home studio. Her Facebook Page may be found at Flowering Breath.

Together, they will present a delightful evening session that you may never forget. The cost to attend is $40. Call 920.823.2763 to reserve a space as class size is limited.

Begin Yoga with a 5-Week Morning or Evening Class

November 7, 2013 / Kathy Navis

You are invited to begin exploring yoga as a means to better health and well-being in a 5-session weekly class opportunity at Junction Center Yoga Studio here in Jacksonport.

Yoga originated in India over 5,000 years ago. The name for these ancient teachings is a Sanskrit word meaning union or joining, similar to yoke. The physical postures or poses are called Asanas and are intended to join body, mind and spirit. Whether it’s the immediate reduction in levels of stress or the measurable improvements in circulation and blood pressure, practicing yoga is one of the most enjoyable forms of preventive medicine you can undertake. After a few sessions you will begin to notice improvements in your flexibility and balance. Over time, Yoga is also a strength builder.

On Tuesday mornings from 9 – 10:15 am or Wednesday evenings from 6 – 7:15 pm you are encouraged to enroll in 5-class Beginner’s weekly series. The series provides you with a basic knowledge and practice of yoga including an explanation of the philosophy, the postures (asanas) and breath work (pranayama). In the total series of 5 classes, you will learn all of the poses for a beginner’s home yoga practice.

The 5-class training series costs $60 or for those under 30 years of age, $50.

The benefits of Yoga do not occur overnight, but the results are indeed long lasting. As you become fit and flexible most practitioners will begin to notice an increase in overall vitality and a greater sense of wellness. The different Asanas each focus on gently improving the functional capacity of your skeletal joints, muscles and connective tissue. By linking the actions to the breath, one also begins to “quiet the mind” – to hush that endless stream of thoughts that some mistake for consciousness.

There is only one way to find out if yoga is right for you. Sign up for a free beginner’s class at Junction Center. All of the equipment is provided in a comfortable environment. Beginner’s classes are for all ages, male and female and for any level of fitness or ability.

RSVP on Junction Center’s Facebook Page or call 920.823.2763 to join or learn more.

Tai Chi with Carol Hoehn at Junction Center Yoga Studio

June 3, 2013 / Stephen Kastner

Carol Hoehn returns lead students of Tai Chi in an ongoing series, sharing her knowledge of one the oldest forms of Chinese martial arts.

Often described as “meditation in motion,” Harvard Health Watch says, “Tai chi might as well be called medication in motion. There is growing evidence that this mind-body practice, which originated in China as a martial art, has value in treating or preventing many health problems. And you can get started even if you aren’t in top shape or the best of health.“

Carol Hoehn presents summer classes in tai chi chuan, meeting twice a week on Mondays and Wednesdays from 8 – 9:15 am at Junction Center Yoga Studio. Lifelong ballet dance instructor, Hoehn studies tai chi chuan under Chan Ming Shu and Chen Tzu Wei, two highly regarded masters. As practitioner, spending most of each year in China under their mentorship, she has entered and placed in the World Cup Tai Chi Chuan Championships in 2008 and 2010.

Her twice-weekly morning classes at Junction Center will be appropriate for students with no prior experience and will focus on the basic principles of breath and motion, including a basic form for daily practice. Loose-fitting clothing is encouraged and appropriate for the classes.

Tai chi chuan is at the root of all traditional martial arts and is practiced for both meditative and health benefits as well as for self-defense. It is also practiced by people of all ages. Carol’s classes also include a study of Qigong, “breath work” or “energy work,” which consists of focusing on the action of breathing combined with movement.

“A growing body of carefully conducted research is building a compelling case for tai chi as an adjunct to standard medical treatment for the prevention and rehabilitation of many conditions commonly associated with age,” says Peter M. Wayne, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and director of the Tai Chi and Mind-Body Research Program at Harvard’s Osher Research Center.

Call 920.823.2763 for more information or to reserve a place.

Kathleen Kelly-Hoffman and Dennis Hawk Present Winter Heart Renewal Yoga Retreat, Feb 15-17

January 8, 2013 / Kathy Navis

Mark your calendar from Friday, February 15 at 6 pm to Sunday February 17 at noon for a spirit-filled weekend, the Winter Heart Renewal Yoga Retreat at Junction Center Yoga Studio & Zen Arts in Jacksonport.

Kathleen Kelly-Hoffman and Dennis Hawk will join you in Door County for a winter wonderland yoga and sacred musical experience. The retreat will consist of yoga asana workshops, meditation, breath practice and some amazing kirtan sessions. All organic meals and lodging are included in the fee. Outdoor fun with snowshoeing or cross-country skiing is also available as part of the retreat. Appropriate for all levels of practice, we look forward to playing with you all this winter.

Fee: $245
Based on double occupancy. Single room $305.
Without lodgings fee is $185 also attend 1/2 day $40 or a full day $110, Kirtan sessions $20.

Schedule:

Friday, February 15
4 – 5 pm check in
5 pm orientation
5:30 – 6:30 pm dinner
7 – 8:30 pm Hanuman experience and introduction to kirtan
8:30 – 9:30 pm restorative yoga and yoga nidra

Saturday, February 16
6:30 – 7:30 am yoga practice
8 am breakfast
9 am meditation and pranayama practice
10 am asana workshop
Noon Lunch
1 – 3:30 pm outdoor fun and free time
3:30 – 5:30 pm asana workshop
6 pm dinner
7 pm Hanuman experience and kirtan

Sunday, February 17
7 – 8:00 am yoga practice

8 – 9:15 am meditation

9:30 am breakfast
10 – 11 am pranayama
11 am – noon closing ceremony

Dennis Hawk

Yoga Nidra refers to an ancient meditation practice, as well as the state of conscious deep sleep it is said to produce.

“Sleep (nidra) is ignorance, but yoga nidra is the doorway to higher consciousness. It is the means of understanding, integrating and utilizing the various dimensions of our own mind.” – Swami Karmananda Saraswati

Dennis Hawk will lead a shared musical experience known as kirtan, featuring Sanskrit mantras set to fresh melodies and sounds. Kirtan is intended as a holistic healing experience designed to bring participants into a more organic form of meditation, either in stillness or in motion. One of the oldest of sacred sound traditions, Kirtan’s call-and-response chanting involves Satsang, an ancient Sanskrit term that describes the community that exists between an assembly of people who listen to, talk about, and assimilate their impressions of truthfulness.