Yoga asks the essential questions of humanity: Who am I? Why am I alive? What is going on here? Who are these other beings around me? It is a longing and a seeking and a progressive discovery. What it longs for and seeks and discovers is the underlying, fundamental truth of oneness.

Through the practice of Somatic Breathwork we can utilize our own breath to clear the pathways of these stuck energetic imprints–releasing stress and anxiety, and setting us free to arrive fully in the present moment–creating space to embody our highest vibration, fullest self-expression and deepest authenticity in connecting to the richness of our lives.

Meet our June 2024 Community Spotlight organization! The Parlor Room Collective’s mission is “to enhance the health and vitality of our community through music. We believe in the ability of music to transcend boundaries, bridge gaps, and uplift spirits. Our vision is to create a space where diverse audiences can come together to experience the magic of live music, fostering a sense of belonging and shared cultural appreciation.”

Like all things, we live within the context of cycles, there is a time for generation and a time for restoration, a time for activity and a time for rest. We can’t always be up, out, light, creative, productive and doing. And yet, we live in a society that values one part of the cycle so much more than the other. When we are experiencing the sometimes disowned, shadowed part of the cycle, the low, the quiet, the inward, the tired, we are bombarded with messages letting us know we can buy something to fix it.

A lot of us have distant - or even antagonistic - relationships with our bodies, and I struggle with this myself. In addition to relieving pain, I want to provide a space where those with that kind self-estrangement can begin to reconcile, and find peace and joy as more unified humans.

Meet Corinne, a yoga teacher, yoga teacher trainer, and life coach! Corinne and her partner Matthew Andrews will be leading a Yoga Immersion and Teacher Training at Sanctuary, beginning October 2024.

Meet Matthew! Matthew is a yoga teacher, singer, songwriter, entrepreneur, nonprofit executive, bhakta, and the co-director of Shraddhā Yoga. He leads monthly kirtans at Sanctuary, and will be leading a Yoga Immersion and Teacher Training with his partner Corinne Matthews at Sanctuary, beginning October 2024.

Meet our May 2024 Community Spotlight organization! Friends of Northampton Trails fosters better public health and quality of life for Northampton’s residents and visitors by enhancing the bike trail network and conducting activities that sustain and grow the community of trail users.

“The more I practiced, the more I realized that no one teaching looked like me. I wanted to create space for folks that didn’t fit into the mold of what we in the West have decided is a “yoga body.” When you dive deeper into the ancient teachings of yoga, we learn that EVERY body is a yoga body and that yoga asana (the physical postures) is only one of the many aspects of the practice of yoga.”

“I experienced an immediate benefit in my first tapping session. I felt calmer and more grounded in my body. The anxious thoughts that were on repeat in my mind no longer consumed me. During the certification process, my mind, body, and heart opened up to deeper levels of healing that I never experienced before (especially in talk therapy.)”

Meet Em! They are a pelvic floor physical therapist, and owner of Pioneer Valley Pelvic Health.

“I wanted to become a pelvic floor therapist because of my passion for sexual health and sexuality education, coupled with a deep desire to improve people's quality of life. Throughout my journey, I've observed that many individuals grapple with feelings of shame, stigma, or fear when it comes to pelvic floor function, whether it involves sexual, bowel, bladder, or pain issues. These emotions can profoundly impact one's well-being and hinder their ability to seek help.”

Meet our April 2024 Community Spotlight organization! Grow Food Northampton’s mission is to create a just and resilient local food and farming system that nourishes our community and protects and enriches the earth. Founded in 2010 to protect 121 acres of farmland in Florence from development and grow our local food system, Grow Food Northampton (GFN) has since grown to include extensive programming on the land and throughout the community in Northampton.

I love working with people to help them create shifts to help them be more centered, balanced and whole in the world. Being an energy healer is fulfilling an urge that I can’t really ignore. I feel like I have gifts and knowledge that can really help people so it almost feels like an obligation to share them. And adding in the power of essential oils and their magic just intensifies the possibilities for healing.

Meet our March 2024 Community Spotlight Organization. CISA (Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture) strengthens farms and engages the community to build the local food economy. CISA has been working for over 30 years to build a stronger, more resilient, and more just local food system. They envision a local food system where farms are viable, working conditions are fair and just for owners and workers, the environment is respected, and locally grown food is available for all.

“Gentle Yoga is about being gentle with our bodies, and gentle with ourselves- essentially, having self compassion. Yin Yoga is a wonderful way to be gentle with our bodies, and to invite deep listening to the body.”

“I love that [this class is] slow and quiet, with lots and lots of stillness. And I love that I get to hold the space for folks to slow down, let go, relax, and come back to the quiet, still space within themselves.” 

Our Community Yoga classes are intended to meet the needs of those in our community who may not otherwise be able to afford yoga, or for whom yoga has not felt accessible for racial and/or cultural reasons. However, everyone is welcome!

“I believe that empathy is one of the most important skills contributing to the healthy evolution of humanity. I think that, if we taught empathy in schools to the degree we teach history, science or math, we would be creating a world that had the skills to handle all the challenges that humanity is facing on a local and global scale.”

Students are invited to a gentle practice of listening to their body with curiosity, playfulness and to go at their own pace. Do what is right for them. It’s about choice. Most importantly at all times take care of yourself mentally and physically with what supports you best.

An alignment-based Hatha practice with heart-centered themes. Just as we are asked to engage more deeply with our body’s wisdom on the mat, Form & Flow also calls us to engage more deeply with our lives and our collective community.