online yoga class Archives

5 Reasons Yoga Makes a Great Holiday Gift

February 23, 2021November 25, 2020 by Health Yoga Life

Health Yoga Life Online Gift Certificates

Cinnamon and ginger lacing the air; candles flickering in the windows; and laughter wafting about the home. It’s the holidays again, and that means it’s time to shop for your loved ones. While this year’s festivities may look a little different, take time to show your family and friends how much you appreciate them. Here are five reasons you should give the gift of yoga this holiday season.

Great for All Generations

Age has no boundaries in yoga. Is your giftee in college? Mid-thirties? Approaching 70s? Yoga is for them and anyone!

Live classes are perfect for college students who are stuck at home. Are they feeling restless? Do they miss their college friends? Give them the gift of yoga! Health Yoga Life’s live virtual classes provide structure and community – two ingredients to help students feel invigorated. Plus, they’ll have a new hobby to share with their friends once they get back to school (#yogalove).

Yoga is not just for the young in body – it’s also for those young in spirit. Health Yoga Life offers Slow ‘n Strong classes, which are loved by older generations. Ryma, HYL’s co-founder who’s currently in her 70s, steps on the mat and frequently joins these classes. Has your grandmother or elderly friend expressed an interest in boosting their health? Treat them to a yoga gift certificate. They can choose the classes that match their interests and skill level.

Young and old will be filled with joy this holiday as they strengthen their muscles and connect with people around the world through virtual yoga sessions.

Accountability

Live yoga classes make for a great gift because they keep people accountable to their exercise goals (New Year’s Resolutions, anyone?). By knowing they need to be ready at a specific time, people are more likely to exercise regularly. Give the gift of accountability this holiday season.

Comfort

One of the benefits of virtual yoga is being able to practice in the comfort of your own home. A gift of HYL’s virtual classes will give a gentle nudge to those who are hesitant to try something new. They’ll learn and grow in their skills without worrying about the “perfect” pose or the judgement of others. It’ll just be them, their mat, and their instructor.

Anywhere at Any Time at Any Level

We all have a lot on our plates, especially around the holidays when we’re shopping, baking, and video-chatting with our families and friends. Many of us could benefit from a gentle reminder to focus on our physical and mental health. Give your loved one a certificate to Health Yoga Life’s classes. Yogis can choose to practice at the time that is most convenient for them – whether it’s rolling out of bed and onto the mat for a 6:30 AM class or whether it’s stepping away from the desk or oven for the 12:30 PM or 4:00 PM class to renew their mind and relieve tension. No matter their experience level or availability, everyone can benefit from yoga.

Health Benefits

Speaking of benefits, yoga promotes several health benefits when regularly practiced. It improves flexibility and posture, and it boosts your immune and nervous systems.

In addition to its physical benefits, yoga improves mental health as well, making you happier, relieving anxiety, and benefiting your relationships. By gifting yoga to your loved one, you’ll be investing in their overall health for a beautiful future.

Give the Gift of Yoga This Holiday

Take away some of the hassle and stress of shopping for the perfect present by supporting a women- and family-owned local business. Give a Health Yoga Life yoga gift certificate. Not only will they enjoy yoga classes, your giftee will also receive a personalized gift once they become an HYL member. Empower your loved ones to reconnect with their inner spirit, meet their goals, and improve their health this winter.

Health Yoga Life Turns 9 Years-Old Today

February 23, 2021November 11, 2020 by Health Yoga Life

I’m sitting in my home office watching the golden leaves rain down from the trees. Taped up around my desk, I can see a school photo of my son when he was 2, a small Ganesha statue to remove obstacles, a “Do Your Job” New England Patriots bookmark, and a Winston Flowers card that reads May Your chosen work bring you fulfilment and success – Buba. This was written by my grandmother, who was 95 at the time. She sent the flowers on 11/11/11, the day we opened Health Yoga Life, at 12 Temple Street Boston, MA. You can see the bouquet in this picture of me waiting patiently for our first students.

Like many other businesses, we shuttered our studio doors due to Covid-19. It was uncertain with the guidelines at the time if we could or would reopen the physical yoga studios. The team immediately jumped into action virtualizing Health Yoga Life. Without missing a beat, the co-founders, teacher training faculty, class instructors, and manager worked to transition Health Yoga Life to a fully online yoga company. We already had online programs, so it didn’t seem like a stretch (no pun intended).

I want to deeply thank the teachers at Health Yoga Life Stephen Allison, Amy Dipazza, Kim Fallon, Rachel Ferry, Robyn Gimler, Liz Hosman, LeeMarie Kennedy, Lea Luniewicz, Maggie Woodward, Gina Molinari, Purvi Patel, Ashley Powers, Julian Yun and Customer Experience and Social Media Manager Chelsea Cameron for supporting our physical studio locations and then moving onto an online virtual platform. Their commitment to learning new technology, showing up and prepped on Zoom, and their persistence at improving their audio-visual equipment for optimizing customer experience was remarkable — quite unbelievable. Full of optimism, they show up to create a virtual yoga studio community, and are present to their students who show up for them.

I also want to thank our students who committed to their practice. I know sometimes it is not easy to show up. But, once you do, you do not regret it. In addition, I wish to thank the new students who have joined our community. I know you will feel at hOMe with us.

My life has been a fusion of my family and my business, Health Yoga Life. We are not a large company with deep pockets. We are Bostonian, local, family- and women-owned.

Over these past 9 years, so much has happened in my life. The co-founders worked the business tirelessly, 7 days a week. I felt so energized after teaching a powerful hot vinyasa class. I knew it was a good class when the windows would be dripping from humidity and you could feel the vibration in your heart when everyone chanted OM in unison. I felt so honored to be a lead faculty member at the yoga teacher trainings along with my sisters. My favorite part of the job is working side-by-side with them. I am also just so delighted that Health Yoga Life trains and graduates amazing teachers! Everyone on our team right now is a graduate of our training. I was so happy to hear that when Ryma (co-founder and my mom) took Rachel Ferry’s class, she said it was wonderful! Rachel is a recent graduate of our virtual yoga teacher training, having learned from Purvi Patel, LeeMarie Kennedy, and Stephanie Jones—themselves graduates of Health Yoga Life’s Advanced Yoga Teacher Training.

I have gained so much, even though the past 9 years have also brought a lot of loss to my life. The biggest loss was my precious older sister, Aida. On June 30, 2019, she tragically passed away during a program. She was leading a session, sitting in lotus pose, and then was gone. My grief is too raw to express anything about her passing. I am heartbroken that she is not physically present with us on this anniversary.

Losing my sister; losing the physical studio locations; losing a sense of security; remembering those who have fought and died for our freedoms on this Veterans Day; seeing the whole world suffer such immense loss in the pandemic… these bring up a lot of powerful emotions.

My strength and stamina to keep going come from my family, my practice, and the Health Yoga Life community. The past 9 years have had hurdles and victories, sadness, and love.

I hope you find your way to your mat in our virtual bubble. The light in me honors the light within you. Namaste.

Thank you,

Siga Bielkus

6 Reasons To Do Online Yoga Teacher Training

February 23, 2021November 6, 2020 by Health Yoga Life

Health Yoga Life Online Yoga Teaching Become Certified

For all of us, the global pandemic has upended our lives to some degree. As we all find our new normal, you may be thinking about returning to your yoga practice. Or, perhaps, you’re thinking of chasing your dream to become a certified yoga instructor. How can you receive your training while staying healthy? Take an online yoga teacher training!

By training online, you’re able to learn in the comfort of your hOMe at a pace that fits your lifestyle. You’ll grow your own yoga practice, connect with your inner self, and learn essential yoga sequences and techniques. Discover why you should enroll in an online yoga teacher training program below.

You Want to Deepen Your Yoga Practice

An online yoga teacher training course is right for you if you want to deepen your practice. You will grow in your yoga philosophy, postural practice, and skillful teachings. Through this program, you’ll ultimately experience spiritual, mental, and physical growth.

You Want to Learn Something New about YourSELF

By learning to become a yoga teacher, you will reconnect with your inner self and find your authentic voice. The mentors in the online program can help you discover the teaching style that best suits your skills and talents. This newfound awareness will remain with you on and off the mat.

You Want to Do Something for Yourself

During this pandemic, you’ve often put others before yourself. Spending a few minutes each day nourishing your physical and mental energies can help you decompress and build your confidence. Step back into your fitness routine, recommit to your yoga practice, and enroll in a yoga teacher training.

You Want to Build a Strong Community

If you enjoy the relationships garnered from practicing yoga face-to-face, you may be wary about the quality of relationships you’ll establish from practicing and teaching yoga online. While this can be a valid concern in certain situations, we’re here to reassure you. It is still possible to have a strong community experience in a virtual training session. You’ll receive support from mentors, and you’ll connect with and learn from peers across the world.

You Want to Teach Yoga

Finally, you should enroll in online yoga teacher training if you’re passionate about sharing your love for yoga. You’ve experienced the benefits of a strong yoga practice firsthand, and now you want to guide others in this same self-discovery. An online program can help you become a certified yoga instructor right now, wherever you are in life.

How Health Yoga Life Can Help Grow Your Career in Yoga

At Health Yoga Life, we believe anyone in their journey – from novice students to experienced practitioners – can learn something new from teaching online yoga. Our unique program is certified by the Yoga Alliance and provides real-time virtual interactions with trainers. In this program, you’ll have access to eight different modules of seminars, workshops, assignments, and readings. What’s best about Health Yoga Life’s yoga certification program is that it can be completed anywhere at your own pace.

Through Health Yoga Life’s program, you will learn more than just how to teach yoga. You’ll learn how to build a strong online community and discover the principles of running a yoga business. As you train, remember that teaching yoga, much like practicing it, is taking one step at a time. That’s why we encourage you to believe in the power of the process.

Step onto Your Virtual Mat

There is no guarantee that the disruptions caused by the pandemic are going to come to an end any time soon. So why wait? Join Health Yoga Life’s fun, inclusive, and friendly training community. No matter where you are in your practice, you’ll benefit from a supportive online learning environment.

Ready to Restart Your Yoga Practice After a Break?

February 23, 2021October 30, 2020 by Health Yoga Life

Health Yoga Life Online start a yoga practice

3 Tips For Returning To Your Mat

The COVID-19 pandemic required us to press pause on many areas of our lives including travel, concerts, group gatherings, and school in the traditional sense. It may have even resulted in a break in your yoga practice since in-studio classes were canceled, and maybe life felt too stressful to practice on your own. Whether you took a break from yoga due to the pandemic, or for another reason, it is perfectly acceptable. In fact, we can learn a lot about ourselves by stepping away from our yoga practice for a while, but when you’re ready to return to your mat, there are a few tips you can adapt as you restart your yoga practice.

Be Gentle with Yourself

Welcome your body back to the mat with kindness and warmth. Incorporate some of your favorite poses from your previous practice, they’ll bring back all the good vibes! Keep in mind that you may have to make some adjustments depending on how long your break has been. Poses that came easily to your body a few months ago, may not be in your practice the first few weeks back. Grab props like a block or strap when you need them. Listen to your body and do what feels good, but it is important not to push too hard.

You may recognize changes your body has been through since the last time you practiced. Maybe your arms shake a little more in plank pose, or your legs stay bent in downward dog. That’s perfectly okay! Thank your body for continuing to sustain you and getting back on the mat. Keep those thoughts positive and full of self-love.

Take A Class

A healthy self-practice is great, but it can be very beneficial to add in a regular group class. A certified yoga instructor can help guide you in correct posture, breath, and transitions that you may have forgotten during your hiatus. Attending a group class on a regular basis also cultivates community and accountability, even online!

At Health Yoga Life, live online yoga classes are available morning and evening, seven days a week. By attending a live online yoga class you’ll benefit from a virtual, judgement-free community of encouraging yogis and certified teachers. Whether you’re an expert or still pretty green, Health Yoga Life virtual classes meet you where you’re at. Just what you need to get back into the swing of your yoga practice!

Don’t Forget to Engage Your Mind

Restarting your yoga practice isn’t just for your body, but your mind as well. You may feel like it only takes a few weeks to get back to a regular practice, or it may take a few months. During this time, consider jotting down your thoughts. Routine journaling has been shown to relieve mental stress, inspire creativity and encourage self-reflection. Here are some ideas on what you could journal about:

How your body is feeling after a session on your mat
What you enjoyed about the class you took that day
Changes you’ve seen in your body since restarting your practice
Words or quotes your yoga teacher shared in class

In addition to journaling, meditation can be a powerful tool as well. It calms an anxious mind and promotes mental clarity before and after your practice. When you sign-up for Health Yoga Life’s online classes, you’ll receive free meditations and ancient wisdom techniques to begin engaging your mind.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re ready to restart your yoga practice today, or still mulling it over, you can use these three tips to help you ease back into a regular practice when you’re ready. We’d love for you to join us virtually at Health Yoga Life. You’ll feel at hOMe practicing yoga with us in your hOMe. Our virtual classes offer professional instruction, a reduction in stress and lots of fun!