Well hello there again all my awesome  yogis! I hope you've all been well. I'd like to start off with the reminder that the neck and back pain relief workshop is almost here. There's still room if you'd like to attend. Here we will focus on poses that will help relieve the pain and how to make sure they are done in proper order for maximum benefit of each pose. Learn the how and the why is a safe environment. It will be a great workshop so don't miss out if you suffer from them as this will be the only pain relief workshop this year.

Also moving on to my next bit of news...it's kinda big for me. So usually I go away for vacation every year and close the studio for 2 weeks in March, however, things have come up and we won't be going Booo But! since I'm not going away I might as well do something special right? So.... I'm going to offer a March break kids yoga camp! Exciting right? Unfortunantely day classes will be cancelled for the week. Sorry folks but all night classes will be available still. Anyways, the camp will run from 10am-2pm. There's the option of booking the entire week OR booking daily. The catch? Sadly I will only have 8 spots per day available, so booking asap is the only way to make sure you get the spots you need. Each day will be $40 per child or if you book the entire week (5 days) for $205 per child.

Now I bet you're wondering what will my child do at a yoga camp all day? I can't possibly make them do yoga all day (although the though did cross my mind just kidding) I have a ton of fun stuff planned but it's also nice and structured too. Here's the layout for the day

10am-10:15am - Share/Gratitude Circle

10:15am- 11:30 - Yoga Class

11:30am-12pm - Lunch (lunch is not provided)

12pm-1pm - Yoga Games (eg: yoga pose memory, obstactle course, pose challenge, learn block sequencing and much more)

1pm-2pm - Yoga Arts & Crafts (eg: paint your own mandala, pipe cleaner fav. pose, glitter calming bottles and of course much more)

2pm - Pick Up Time

This camp was designed to enrich your childs mind, body and spirit, while providing your child with a fun, creative and educational experience in a supportive environment.

This will be such a fun filled week I can't wait to experience it with your child. Payment for camp days or the weeks will be paid upon booking to ensure no shows don't happen and so other children don't miss out on the opportunity because of booked space. If your are interested in the camp feel free to contact me about further details and bookings.

Alright, on to pose of the month. This month let's focus on Cobra pose.  Can I just take a moment and brag about this benefits of this pose, because this list is awesome

- it strengthens the spine

- stretches the chest and abdomen

- firms the butt

- stimultes abdominal organs

- helps relieve stress

- opens the heart and lungs

- soothes sciatica

Are you already on your mat eagerly awaiting instruction? Well let's get you started then shall we?

Let's start out by laying on our stomach, rest your hands lightly on the floor next to your chest. Inhale and start to straighten your arms to help you use your back to lift your chest up and forward. Focus on lengthening the spine and draw the shoulders back and down. Keep the back of your neck long and your lower body strong. You can either move with your breath and inhale lifting up and exhale, slowly lowering back to the floor or hold the pose for 3-5 breathes. When you're ready to come out of the pose, exhale and slowly lower you chest to the floor, Inhale and push back into child's pose to rest and release the lower back.

Feel's great right? I think so.

It's Recipe time! Now who out there doesn't love a good cup of tea? Me? I would drink nothing but tea if I could.

So let me ask you if you have ever heard of Chaga Tea? If you have, you probably already know how amazing it is for you, but for those of you who haven't...let me fill you in. ( be ready for some knowledge folks)

Chaga is a mushroom that almost exclusively grows on birch trees and resembles a large growth of burnt bark. Inspite of it's apperance, this mushroom is referred to by many as "the diamond in the forest" and swear by it's all natural medicinal benefits. One of Chaga's most impressive qualities is it's high levels of antioxidants, along with a viriety of minerals and vitamins. It's listed as one of the top antioxidant foods and greatly over takes better known ones like blueberries and red beans and even rivals potent spices like cinnamon, clove and tumeric. The high levels of antioxidants helps to protect the cells from damage caused by free radicals, especially within the cardiovascular system. Chaga's mineral content includes calcium, iron and maganese while also being abundant with vitamins such as vitamin K, vitamin D and several B vitamins. While all these are highly useful they only represent a fraction of chaga's impressive healing properties. Let's move to the immune system. Not only does it provide nourishment for various elements of the immune system, but it's constituents also act as a natural antimicrobial that effectively combat numerous bacteria, viruses, fungi and even some parasitic worms. (Yes, I went there) The polysaccharides (basically starch molecules) in chaga are useful for promoting the production of white blood cells supporting the body's defense against invading pathogens and it's anti-inflammatory properties help to regulate the immune response by alleviating severe inflammation and high fever, while also being useful in other areas like relieving digestive discomfort.

And lastly, perhaps the most remarkable of all of Chaga's impressive properties is it's effect against cancer, however, it it not yet known how it accomplishes this. Chaga's immune boosting effect is usefule in equipping the body to defend itself against cancer cells.

WOAH!!!! Information overload right? (I encourage you to keep searching the web about it, there's so much information to be had out there)

All this from a mushroom grown on a tree? Incredible. Your cup of chaga tea now feels like it's something superman drinks! So much goodness coming from what seems like such a small cup of tea.

Alright less talk, more action! Let's get brewing Shall we?

So, take a small chunk of you chaga and place in a small sauce pan with at least 2 cups of water

Simmer on medium-low heat (do not boil the water first) until you get your desired concentration (basically the colour of a good steeped tea). Then pour into your favorite mug and enjoy! If you want/need to add a bit of sweetness add a touch of maple syrup or honey.

What to expect for taste you ask? Chaga has a light earthy, vanilla taste (to me anyways) so nothing too drastic if that's what you're thinking

Now, Don't throw that chunk away just yet! This little guy will last you quite sometime! After multiple brews when your tea becomes increasingly clear is when you'll know your chaga has reached it's potential. The number of cups will vary on the tea concentration. What to do with your chaga inbetween brews? Simply store in a container and place it in your freezer til your ready for next time.

So to your next question....Where do I buy this amazing chaga. Well I just happen to know a wonderful couple located in parry sound who are committed to sustainable wild-harvesting chaga. Say hello to Phil and Sonya and Muskoka Chaga

Here are links to their FaceBook Page https://www.facebook.com/muskokachaga/  and to their website http:/www.muskokachaga.com/   Where you can place orders online. I also hope to have some jars available here at the studio for purchase as well.

Here is a great Chaga Latte recipe http://trulyorganicfoods.com/blog/immunity-chaga-latte/

Well, we have reached the end of this month's blog. I hope to see all of you amazing yogis in class soon, but until then Be Stronger, Braver, Kinder, Fiercer and Unstoppable!!

Shannon Hawman xoxoxo

P.S.- Raffle tickets are still available so get yours soon. The draw is coming up fast!!

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