We are so excited to offer two incredibly cool yoga events in August! Musician and yoga teacher Richard Brookens, along with his wife, Barbara Sloan, also a yoga teacher, will be visiting Stone Turtle Yoga from Florida to offer a Gentle Restorative Yoga Class accompanied by live sacred music on Thursday, August 20th from 5:30pm – 7:00pm, as well as a Thai Yoga Workshop on Saturday, August 22nd from 1:00pm – 3:00pm. More info below, and be sure to read Richard and Barbara’s complete bio’s at the bottom of the page!
Gentle Restorative Yoga Class accompanied by Live Sacred Music
For this special class, Barbara will teach a series of restorative poses, going deep into the body to allow a profound release of physical and mental tension through the use of props – blankets, bolsters, blocks, straps, etc. Richard will provide relaxing music performed on Indian bamboo flutes, and sing healing Vedic mantras. Pamper yourself with this class in a relaxing atmosphere with aromatherapy, soft lighting, and relaxing music. After the class, you have the option to do some Thai Yoga with Richard, who will assist you in opening any areas of the body that are especially challenging to you. This is a donations-based class.
“Restorative yoga has been helpful for my patients with diverse conditions, such as back pain, neck pain, high blood pressure, asthma, migraine and tension headaches, stress-related diseases, chronic fatigue, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and cancer.” Mary Pullig Schatz, M.D., Author of ‘Back Care Pain”
Date: Thursday, August 20th
Time: 5:30pm – 7:00pm
Location: Higgins Lake Studio
Cost: Donations welcome
Thai Yoga Workshop
Thai Yoga is a unique body work modality from Thailand based in Yoga poses and principles. It is sometimes called “lazy man’s yoga” because the teacher does most of the work, bringing the clients body into gentle Yoga poses, creating space and a deep release by stretching, rolling, and shaking different body parts as the client lays on their back, stomach or side on a mat. No previous knowledge of Yoga is required though it is helpful. Working with your own breath is all that you need to do to attain a deep release while experiencing the delights of Thai Yoga!
In this workshop we will pair up, so come with a friend or meet someone there to work with. Similar height and weight between people will be most advantageous, but not necessary for a good Thai experience. Please wear long pants and a comfortable shirt that you can move in. Richard will demonstrate each pose and then assist each couple as needed. We will all learn to receive AND give the poses instructed, so you will not only learn a lot, but also feel amazing afterwards!
Date: Saturday, August 22nd
Time: 1:00pm – 3:00pm
Location: Higgins Lake Studio
Cost: $20
Bio’s:
Barbara Sloan was certified in 1998 in Sivananda Yoga and Kundalini Yoga and provides instruction in Restorative Yoga, Hot Yoga, Hot Vinyasa and Deep Yin Stretch along with other heated and non-heated yoga styles. Barbara has an enormous respect for taking personal care of the body in all her Yoga classes and she provides individual instruction in alignment and breath work. Barbara has studied contact improvisation as well as body work based in ideokinesiology with Nancy Topf and Yoga for Scoliosis with Elise Browning Miller. More than 30 years of experience in Ballet and Modern Dance give Barbara an awareness of body alignment and movement to blend various styles of Yoga studies. Barbara has danced professionally and directed her own modern dance company, and currently teaches Yoga and movement for actors, plus works as an actress in Theatre, Television and film, and voice overs.
Barbara Sloan
Richard Brookens was certified in Sivananda and Kundalini Yoga in 1998 and completed four week long Thai Yoga intensives with the Lotus Palm Thai Yoga and Vedic Conservatory Thai Yoga schools between 2003 and 2006. He has taught Yoga in the South Florida area at Barry University in Miami Shores (developing a diverse yoga program over 12 years), The Hillsboro Club in Deerfield Beach, community centers in Pompano Beach, and Golds Gyms in Pompano Beach and Ft Lauderdale among many other locations. He also has practiced Thai Yoga with many individual clients and led Thai Yoga workshops since 2007.
Richard is also an arranger/composer and multi-instrumentalist performing on saxophones (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Baritone), flutes (C and Alto), and clarinets (Bb and Bass), Tabla drums (from India), Udu (Clay Pots), Native American Indian Flutes, and bamboo flutes from India (Bansuri) and China (Dizi).
Richard Brookens
We are so looking forward to having Richard and Barbara share their practices with us! There will be a limit to how many people can attend these events, so pre-registration is recommended (but not required). You can sign up at either studio ahead of time (just let the teacher know you want to attend), or email Mariah at mariahfrye@gmail.com or call 989-302-7928.
Namaste!
Mariah, Lexi, Amy & Preya
