"Anyone who is not lazy in the pursuit of yoga, whether young, old, very old,

ill or weak, attains success through practice"

-Hatha Yoga Pradipika 1.64

What distinguishes a successful yoga practice from an unsuccessful one? The answer to this question is really dependent on the individual and their motivation to practice. However, when we gauge the success of our practice purely based on the advancement of physical postures, as is often projected to be the goal, we lose sight of the true power of yoga. Practice, not Perfect.

The true power of yoga, in my opinion, is the ability of the practices, the postures and the teachings to heal our bodies and minds, to adapt to our circumstances, to lessen the inevitability of human suffering and to inform our way of living and being. By not being "lazy" in these pursuits, meaning that we acknowledge the need to be both consistent and informed in our practice, we will then do less harm and attain better results. But this involves a fair amount of surrender, acceptance, proper guidance, and self awareness. And practice.

Over the past year I have dove deep into the study of yoga as a therapeutic model for health both in my studies to become Certified Yoga Therapist and a Certified Accessible Yoga teacher. To be honest, this work has rattled my way of thinking when teaching my weekly group classes and rattled my approach to my own practice. The saying "the more I learn, the less I know" has never resonated with me more than it does right now. But, what I do know is that showing up each day or each week on the mat, and being both a participant and an observer of our bodies and our minds, and committing to a practice that is based on meeting ourselves where we are at NOW are the first steps on the path to success.

I have some new class offerings this Fall and some new opportunities to practice and work with me one-on-one in the coming months. I will be sending another note out soon that talks a bit more about Yoga Therapy, what it is, and what conditions may benefit from working with a Yoga Therapist. I will be looking for 2-3 people to work with as case studies, so if you know you are interested please be in touch, and if you would like to know more be on the lookout for my next email with more information.

On another note, I unfortunately will no longer be able to offer my Restorative Yoga classes at the Montgomery Town Hall as the fee structure to use the space for this monthly class has changed making it unsustainable to continue. This saddens me as I truly believe that a community that values this type of practice, as I know so many of you do, benefits beyond the individuals who show up for class. I will, however, be offering a similar type class every other Sunday at Whisper Tree Wellness in Jay, VT and will continue to look for viable options for the Montgomery Community. Stay tuned....

NEW! Upcoming Offerings

• Sunday Reset: Move, Breathe, Rest

Offered every other Sunday starting October 12th, this 90 minute class is a combination of yogic practices to balance the nervous system, quiet the mind and honor the physical body through asana, pranayama and meditation. This will include a combination of gentle movement to free up the joints, yin & restorative postures to settle into stillness, breath practices to create balance and awareness, and end with Yoga Nidra. Classes will be seasonally inspired, therapeutic in nature and touch on themes previously offered in the Sunday Reset Series.

Every other Sunday at 5pm-6:30pm. Located at Whisper Tree Wellness in Jay, VT. Space is limited to 5 participants each week.

$25 per class. Registration is required. More info: https://www.jmountainyoga.com/offerings/sunday-reset-move-breathe-rest

• FREE Chair Yoga in Montgomery

  Chair Yoga has immense benefits for all populations of people, but most importantly it is a safe, effective and accessible way of practicing yoga no matter your age or current physical circumstances. Chair yoga has been proven to have positive effects on mobility, stress, and cognitive health. Join Joanne Dennis, a Certified Accessible Yoga instructor, for this FREE Chair Yoga class at the Montgomery Public Safety Building on Tuesday October 28th from10am-11am. No experience with Yoga is necessary. If you have any specific physical concerns please email Joanne ahead of time. This class is FREE but space is limited so registration is suggested. More info:

  https://www.jmountainyoga.com/schedule/a0a95fc5-0019-4cff-8979-534c3cdda0a1_1761660000

• Private Yoga Sessions

As I mentioned, I will be sending out more information about working with me one-on-one in Yoga Therapy, but I also offer private yoga sessions at Whisper Tree Wellness in Jay, VT. A private yoga session could be an individualized practice working one-on-one or with a friend (max 3 people). Or it could involve working with me to adapt your yoga practice based on a current physical circumstance so that you can continue to attend group classes with awareness of how to personally modify. I offer breath-coaching, formal pranayama instruction, meditation and Yoga Nidra sessions, as well as ways of developing your own Restorative practice that meets your current needs. The cost is $90 for one hour for one person (which includes a pre-intake email/discussion ahead of time to establish your goals). Each additional person is $15. Or 3 one-hour sessions for $250 (also $15 per additional person per session).

Sessions will be held at Whisper Tree Wellness in Jay, VT. For more information please email me at JMountainYoga@gmail.com

Continual Offerings

Gentle Vinyasa Classes on Tuesday at Jay Peak Resort and Thursday at the Montgomery Town Hall will continue.

• Tuesdays 5:30-6:30pm in the International Room at Jay Peak. This class is FREE for Jay Peak employees and open to the public. Please pre-register to attend. More info: https://www.jmountainyoga.com/offerings/yoga-at-jay-peak-resort

• Thursdays 9am -10am at the Montgomery Town Hall. Preregistration is not requires, but you can sign-up ahead of time here:

  https://www.jmountainyoga.com/offerings/gentle-vinyasa-yoga-59b9c56a-d2d2-44a3-8379-fe6608a00f0a

I wish you all a smooth transition into Fall and hope to see you sometime soon on the mat. Be in touch with any questions.

Be well,

Joanne