Waldorf Inspired Class
WALDORF INSPIRED PARENT-TODDLER CLASS IN DC
Saplings Garden
A Waldorf Inspired Parent-Toddler Class in DC
Spring/Summer 2010
The way in which active "on-the-go" toddlers experience the world is through constant movement and direct experience with everything they see, hear and touch. With the understanding that their senses are wide open, this program is designed to be a peaceful time for toddlers to explore, play and engage with one another in a safe and nurturing environment and for parents to observe their child(ren) in a relaxed way. Teachers will demonstrate a calm and quiet way to spend time with children of this age and facilitate a classroom rhythm (including circle time and singing songs) that children will come to participate in naturally. The space will have open-ended toys made of natural materials to encourage imaginative play and provide a sensory experience that is not overwhelming. A fresh, organic snack will be provided.
Jeanne Feeney and Lani Hill will teach this class.
Time: Saturday mornings 9:30-11:00 am
May 8th – July 3rd (no class on May 29th)
Additionally, there will be one parent evening on Tuesday, May 4th 7:30-9:00pm
Location: Josephine Butler Parks Center http://www.washingt onparks.net/ parkscenter. html
Cost: $285 for 8 week session of 1.5 hour classes & one parent evening
Who may attend? Children in the age range of crawling to 2 years old (includes children who have already turned two by the start of the class, but those approaching three may not be a good fit but are welcome at this time) accompanied by one or more parent(s). A grandparent or caregiver is welcome to join the family in attending the class at no additional charge, space allowing. Please inquire if you are interested in this option.
Enrollment will be limited to 10 families.
Teachers:
Jeanne Feeney is a registered movement therapist and a graduate of Sophia's Hearth, a Waldorf early childhood teacher training program. In 2004, she helped initiate the first classes for parent and infants and parent and toddlers at the Washington Waldorf School where she continues to work. As a movement specialist and dancer/choreographe r, Jeanne holds classes and workshops under the auspices of Movement Laboratory, where she also has a private bodywork practice.
Lani Hill has been working in Waldorf Early Childhood for 10 years, both at Acorn Hill Waldorf Kindergarten andNursery School and the Washington Waldorf School where she now works in the Parent Toddler and 3- 4 year old classes. Lani is a Certified Core Energetics Therapist in private practice and has worked in the field of movement education for over 30 years. She is the mother of two children, a 19 year old son and 14 year old daughter - both Waldorf educated.
To learn about Waldorf Education: http://www.whywaldo rfworks.org/
Questions? Please e-mail Adrienne at saplings.garden@gmail.com
Prenatal Training.
What a weekend. 31 amazing, powerful, beautiful and centered women in one space from 3 days. For all those who missed it.. Here's a glimpse of the wonderful Janice Clarfield and for those of you who missed her.. she will be back in March 2011 for a 4 day prenatal yoga training.
"World-renowed pre-natal yoga teacher, Janice Clarfield, answered some of WelcomeOmDC’s questions this past weekend on break from a pre-natal teacher training run by lil omm yoga studio. Janice has traveled all over the world through her work, sits on the Prenatal Yoga Advisory Committee for the Yoga Alliance, and runs her own studio, Urban Yoga, in her hometown of Vancouver, BC.
But this interview isn’t just for the preg-os out there folks. If you are pregnant, are ever planning to get pregnant, ever planning to support a partner, sister or friend who is pregnant, or teach pregnant students in pre-natal yoga or not, we hope you find Janice’s words below to be inspiring.
****
Janice Demostrating Partner Dancer Pose
WOMDC: How did you get involved with teaching pre-natal yoga?
JC: I never intended to teach pre-natal yoga. It was when some of my students in my yoga class became pregnant, and I just knew that they needed something that was very special that was really dedicated and devoted to this transformational time of their life. I wanted the whole language of the class to celebrate their empowerment and their beauty.
WOMDC: Why should pregnant women take a pre-natal class?
JC: The intention of the pre-natal yoga class is to prepare the body and the mind for upcoming childbirth. During pregnancy, the body changes so much, on so many levels. The pre-natal yoga class is an opportunity for women to find the resources or comfort and antidotes to the common symptoms of backache, of nausea, of dizziness, of headache. And to learn postures that are beneficial for labor and for delivery.
In the culture today, many pregnant women don’t have friends who are pregnant. A pre-natal class allows pregnant women to be in the company of other pregnant women to share their common experiences, their common joys, their common sorrows, and to support each other during the pregnancy.
WOMDC: What is your personal practice like and how does that impact your teaching?
JC: I’m a long-time meditator, and my approach is contemplative. I am interested in the body/mind connection, and I really feel that yoga is meditation of the body, and that meditation is yoga of the mind…We live hectic lives that are so externally attentive, and nothing is wrong with being externally attentive, we need to take care of the practical aspects of our lives. But yoga allows us to bring balance, so we can really inquire into our inner life, into that small voice inside.
During pregnancy women are pre-disposed and willing to not only take better care of themselves but also to have inner focus in the creation of new life, and so the practice is also about cultivating patience, compassion, wisdom… Everything that a pregnant woman feels and thinks has a resonance with the baby and the baby is very sensitive and ever evolving in consciousness. There is nothing more important than birthing the next generation with wisdom, compassion and consciousness, it is a very big responsibility.
WOMDC: What have been some of the highlights of your world travels?
JC: I love to travel. I love diversity of culture, and so I made the intention that my work would allow me to travel. I’ve had the great good fortune to be invited to Japan. I’ve always felt an affinity with the aesthetics of the orient and its such a beautiful culture. The Japanese culture has a very high respect for teachers, so it was very wonderful to work with the students.
I go to places that I really love, which is almost anywhere. When I was invited to Australia, I all of a sudden remembered that I used to watch Jacques Cousteau. Before I went to Australia, I became certified in scuba diving. So when I finished my tour, I went to the Great Barrier Reef, and that was just a thrill.
WOMDC: Speaking of traveling, what are your impressions of the Washington, DC yoga community?
I feel that the community is so much fun. Very alive. Very energetic, and really interested in learning and sharing, and I enjoy being here so much.
WOMDC: What’s your favorite yoga attire?
JC: I sometimes do yoga not in specifically yoga clothes. I really feel that I like to integrate my practice. Even when I’m sitting in the car, I like to think about my posture and my breath, and when I’m walking, I like to be mindful… I guess I practice yoga in any clothes that I’m wearing.
WOMDC: How do you incorporate your Yoga Off the Mat?
JC: Being in nature. Nature is my temple. When I’m in nature, I just feel such a resonance…with the ocean, and the mountains, and trees, and the forest. I feel in a way, because I’m not doing formal postures, that that is a way of integrating… I also have tried to slow down, because of our ever increasing pace of life, we tend to rush. Sometimes I just have to say to myself to slow down, and I feel so much better. There’s a quality of intention and mindfulness about this.
WOMDC: What words inspire you?
I love poetry. There’s a poem by Rainer Maria Rilke that I love…not quoting him exactly, it goes, ‘Have patience with all that is unresolved in your heart and learn to live the questions and someday in the future you will find yourself living your way into the answers.’
*****
Thank you Janice for taking the time to speak with us!"
Thanks WELCOME OM DC!
Infant Massage
Infant Massage
Learn to massage your baby and start enjoying the many benefits nurturing touch can bring
Duration: 5 weeks - each session is 75 minutes
When: Thursdays 5pm-6.15pm
Place: The Potter’s House in Adams Morgan (1658 Columbia Rd, NW)
Who: For babies: 4 weeks to pre-crawling
Start Date: April 22
Class Fee: $150
Class Limit: 10 babies
To register, or for more information please contact Charlotta Andersson at
charlotta.andersson@yahoo.com
Why Infant Massage?
I teach a gentle and loving baby massage that has many benefits for both parents and children. My infant massage course teaches parents to have focused one-on-one time with their babies. Parents often find that regular massage helps their babies sleep better, fuss less, and gain more weight.
Infant massage also enhances and strengthens bonding and attachment. A number of important elements help form the bond between parent and child. These include sharing eye-to-eye contact, skin-to-skin contact, facial expressions, soothing sounds, cuddling, and smell. Infant massage incorporates these critical elements of bonding and provides a special time that fosters mutual love, compassion, and respect.
Class Overview
The class is based on the guidelines presented by Vimala McClure in her book Infant Massage: A Handbook for Loving Parent's, and meets once a week for 75 minutes over the course of five weeks. New strokes are introduced each class so babies are not over-stimulated. Massage is done at the pace the babies are willing to accept. The class also allows new parents to discuss the issues that are important to them – giving parents the chance to connect with one another.
Benefits of Infant Massage for Baby
· Relaxes child and helps to decrease stress for both you and your baby
· Relieves discomfort from constipation, gas, and colic
· Helps normalize muscle tone and improve blood circulation
· Helps baby sleep better (and, therefore, parents sleep better!)
· Stimulates brain development and improves sensory awareness
· Babies cry less, as the parent is more responsive to babies’ cues
· Promotes bonding and attachment.
Benefits of Infant Massage for Parents
· Caregivers report feeling more comfortable and confident in their ability to care for baby
· Parents learn to understand and respond to baby’s cues
· Parents learn techniques to soothe and comfort their babies
· Provides an additional avenue for close and nurturing contact
· Helps parents become closer to their babies.
About the Instructor
Charlotta Andersson is a Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) and a Certified Educator of Infant Massage (CEIM). She works as a massage therapist at the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington, DC. She has completed intensive training and practicum work with Infant Massage USA to gain knowledge and experience in order to provide a high quality course in Infant Massage. Charlotta is committed to helping parents learn interactive communication with their babies through nurturing loving touch.
Read reviews on Yelp:
http://www.yelp.com/biz/charlottas-infant-massage-washington
Sleep Lady Deal! HURRY ONLY UNTIL WED!
From Kim West - The Sleep Lady
Until midnight on Wednesday, April 14th you can get the downloadable version of
The Complete Sleep Solution Package
for HALF OFF.
Here's where you can grab your copy for half off:
My Complete Sleep Solution Package
I'm holding this special sale as a way to say THANK YOU to all the people who read my newsletter, Snoozeweek!
The Complete Sleep Solution Package includes:
A digital copy of The Sleep Lady's Good Night Sleep Tight: Gentle Proven Solutions to Help Your Child Sleep Well and Wake Up Happy (441 pages)
A digital copy of The Good Night Sleep Tight WORKBOOK: Gentle Proven Solutions to Help Your Child Sleep Well and Wake Up Happy (121 pages). The Workbook includes essential "to do" lists, sleep plans, sleep logs, sleep manner sticker charts, daily reminders and tips and a certificate of completion for celebrating success.
A digital copy of the companion Coaching CD. On the Sleep Lady Coaching CD I will walk you thru the Shuffle (for babies/children 6 months and older), outline the rules and the chair positions, and offer important sleep reminders and tips.
The Good Night, Sleep Tight Workbook and Coaching CD are essential components to sleep success and an indispensable companion for my book, Good Night,Sleep Tight!
All the essentials needed to help you achieve sleep success!
Go here right now and claim your copy before the sale is over!
My Complete Sleep Solution Package 50% OFF!
Thank you and sleep tight,
Kim West, LCSW-C
The Sleep Lady
P.S.
This special half off sale ends at midnight on Wednesday, April 14th. If you'd like to get the gentle, proven Complete Sleep Solution Package that so many parents love....and save 50%, then go here now:
My Complete Sleep Solution Package
Sharing Your Light
Inspiring lil tidbit from Zenhabits blog: http://zenhabits.net/2010/04/share/
"As kids, we’re taught that sharing is good, and yet competition is what is really drilled into us. We compete for profits, positions in a corporation, status symbols, space.
We’re tearing each other down instead of building each other up.
A culture of sharing has always existed, from the earliest tribal times, and it’s seeing a resurgence on the Internet these days. This is a good thing.
I’ve written many times before about helping others, developing an attitude of giving and compassion, and having faith in humanity. As have many others.
But now we’re going to look at where the rubber meets the road: how you can start sharing today. Build communities, beautiful public spaces, stop thinking about private property and how you can build fences, and start thinking about ways to use common resources to reduce wastefulness and to start tearing down those fences.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
1. Help an entrepreneur with a Kiva donation.
2. Volunteer your services with a homeless shelter, soup kitchen, or other charity organization.
3. Donate money, food, or others goods to charity.
4. Bake cookies or brownies and share with a neighbor.
5. Put your favorite recipes on a blog and share with the world.
6. Volunteer your expertise (whatever it is) to the world, and give those services to anyone who needs them.
7. Give step-by-step instructions for doing something valuable you know how to do, online, for all to read.
8. Give your books away to friends or charities.
9. Start a community garden in your neighborhood, or contribute to an existing one.
10. Start a CSA, or become a member of one that exists.
11. Become a member of Freecycle, and participate.
12. Join or form, and participate in a cooperative (food, bikes, books, housing, more).
13. Give people a ride in your car. Carpool.
14. Let strangers use your car when you don’t need it.
15. Hold potlucks every week, rotating among friends/family.
16. Look into co-housing.
17. If you own copyrighted work, uncopyright it.
18. Perform random acts of kindness.
19. When someone wants to repay you for something, ask them to pay it forward instead.
20. Contribute code to Free and Open-Source Software (FOSS).
21. Donate money to a small programmer who has created FOSS, or buy shareware.
22. Clean up a park near you.
23. Sign up, participate, and contribute to bike sharing, car sharing, and other sharing organizations.
24. Help transform streets back into public spaces meant to be shared by everyone. (more)
25. If you’re in southern California, check out Neighborgoods.
26. Borrow and lend things in your neighborhood by using Share Some Sugar.
27. Barter via Craigslist. Or try u-exchange, trashbank, care to trade, trade a favor, or joe barter.
28. Share your tips with others online or through a free ebook.
29. Create great software and give it to the world for free.
30. Smile. Be compassionate in all human transactions.
31. Invest in a friend who wants to start her own business. Don’t ask for the money back for at least a few years.
32. Make things, and give them to people.
33. Read to the blind, help the elderly, assist those with disabilities.
34. Start or contribute to a tool-lending library in your neighborhood.
This list is only to get you started. The ways you can share and make this world a better place, today, is limited only by your imagination.
Post inspired by Sharable, an amazing amazing site."
Fabulous and FREE event for Mamas-to-Be!
Mamas-to-Be, if you are looking for something fabulous to do tomorrow, April 11, from 12-2pm, don't miss this! http://dcbabyplanners.blogspot.com/2010/03/mamasitas-to-be-join-dc-baby-planners.html.
The event centers on an incredible new pregnancy style bible that hit the shelves March 23 called BUMP IT UP: TRANSFORMING YOUR PREGNANCY INTO THE ULTIMATE STYLE STATEMENT. The author, style expert Amy Tara Koch, is on a 9 market book tour March-June. The tour (like the book) bucks tradition and brings the book to life in the form of preggo pampering events at W Hotels. Each event features a fashion demonstration, on site spa services by BLISS, bra fittings by WACOAL, child car seat safety demos by BRITAX (I’ll be doing this) and an incredible gift bag. There will be a raffle with must-have mom to be gear like a Britax stroller or car seat, a baby Bjorn carrier, a Medela breast pump and a babymoon at W Hotel! Amy's book, a category headliner for Random House, will be featured in American Baby, Pregnancy Magazine, Fit Pregnancy, Baby Talk, Parents, Scholastic Parent, Daily Candy Kids and more. Amy’s sponsors are Pampers, Tide. Britax, Baby Bjorn and Wacoal.
Yoga as a Way of Life
One of Pleasance's teachers, Max Strom, sent this out on his newsletter awhile back and it really made her stop and think and read and process... thanks Max. Very simple and very meaningful.
“Someone recently asked what I meant by living yoga as a way of life, here are five causes that can transform your yoga from a "life style" to a "way of life."
1. We practice gratitude daily remembering that the human heart cannot hold gratitude and negative emotions at the same time.
2. We reach out to those we have harmed, either personally or by hand-written letter, offering apology. We practice forgiving others as a mode of healing.
3. Our career is a major factor in our practice of transformation, so we infuse our highest ideals into our work and workplace, always looking for win-win events. We hold firm that the end never justifies the means.
4. We take a vow of non-violence in word and deed and clear truth toward our romantic partner.
5. We never treat others as servants and avoid enabling others to behave as royalty. We behave with humility.”
Growing Up
I just love this picture of Pleasance and Saylor...also from an old lil omm blog post. I can't believe how much Saylor has grown :-)!!
Bringing Yoga to Life: Living Standards
From an old lil omm blog post...always good to reflect and remember on the basic principles and tenets of yoga to live by. Which, if followed will create less suffering and MORE happiness in your life!
These living standards are called the yamasand the niyamasAND THEY REALLY WORK!
So simple to understand, yet much more challenging to live by. Here are they are... good luck and enjoy the journey - it’s quite a ride.
Ahimsa- non harming/non violence towards yourself AND others.
Satya- truthfulness. Tell the truth and be straight with people and yourself.
Asteya- non stealing. Don’t steal.
Brahmacarya- translated many ways.. but I understand it as be faithful and be present to what you are doing. If you are in a sexual relationship then be in that relationship and don’t mess around. If you are kissing someone than be present and kiss them! (don’t think about kissing someone else )
Aparigrapha- non greed- don’t hoard or be greedy! there’s plenty for everyone.
Sauca- purity and cleanliness of the mind and body
Santosa- contentment and gratitude for all that you have.
Tapas- consistency, discipline ( ommit to something and do it!) most often this is translated as burn or heat, meaning to build the internal fire, sweat, move your body.
Svadhyaya- study, learn, engage
Isvarpranidhana- surrender and devotion to... god, divine, spirit, life, breath (there are many translations so it’s important to find something that resonates in your life)
Welcome Baby Jack!!
lil omm is thrilled to welcome little baby Jack to the world and the lil omm community. John Charles ("Jack") arrived on April 2nd at 1:51am, weighing 7lbs 8oz and was 20" long. Lisa Debow (aka Mama) and baby Jack are well and look forward to meeting everyone at lil omm for some itsy bitsy yoga soon!
We should also mention that Lisa was on her way to the hospital the morning after Pleasance's Wednesday night prenatal yoga class. It's amazing how yoga opens the body and helps it to prepare for the miraculous experience of birth!!
We can't wait to meet you, Jack! Lots of hugs and kisses :-)
BabyLove DC Clothing Drive on 4/10!!
Spring is now upon us, and so is the time to clear out the drawers and closets. If you're not saving your maternity and baby clothes and other baby paraphernalia for the next addition to your family, consider offering it up to BabyLove DC clothing drive on Saturday, March 10!!
At BabyLove DC's April drive and drop off, they accept: gently used maternity, infant, and children's clothes, blankets, diaper bags, swings, strollers etc.
Date: Saturday, April 10
Time: 9:30 am-1:30 pm
Location: Outside Broad Branch Market
5608 Broad Branch Rd., Chevy Chase D.C.
b/t McKinley & Northampton Streets across from Lafayette Elementary School
For a full list of accepted and needed items check out http://www.babylove dc.org/pages/ donate.php
And please help spread the word!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
