Floating Yoga

(picture taken by myself of instructor Sam Manchulenko)
(I got into this position too!) 

Swing low, sweet yogi
published in The Projector
My experience with floating yoga! 

I’m upside down. My legs are wrapped around a piece of fabric suspending me from the ceiling. As I let go, my back cracks a couple of times and my head falls towards the floor. No, it’s not acrobatics, its called floating yoga.

When you see five bright orange hammocks hanging from the ceiling, you know this is a different kind of yoga. Yoga Public, located at 280 Fort Street, is the first studio in Winnipeg to offer floating yoga.

Floating Yoga is a simple, restorative, and meditative yoga class. For one hour, at room temperature, your body is held in the air by a swing of material. Slowly you sit inside and effortlessly stretch in a cocoon of fabric. 

“It’s a very nurturing feel to be wrapped,” instructor Sam Manchulenko said. “You’re really able to let go of everything and melt into the hammock. It’s kinda like you’re getting a gentle hug when you stretch.”

After training in San Francisco and New York, co-owner Ida Albo, director Sam Chisick , and instructor Sam Manchulenko, created their own floating yoga series here in Winnipeg. Right now, the program is offered as a 10-week co-ed session that started in September. Only four yogis can attend each class, experienced or not. The fifth hammock is for Manchulenko at the front of the class.

The room is lit by one lantern. Its glow sets a relaxing mood along with the sounds of Sacred Chants of Devi. It’s easy to dose off. Using the front wall mirror you’re able to follow Manchulenko into each pose. The soft fabric stretches and supports your body into positions that you might not be able to do on the floor.

“It’s antigravity in a sense, you can stretch further in a calm way without pressure on your joints,” says Chisick.

After an hour of relaxing floating yoga, the last step is to reacquaint your body with the floor. Each yogi grounds themselves by either massaging their legs towards the floor, sitting, or lying down.   

Don’t expect a workout from this floating yoga class. Go to de-stress, focus on your breathing, and improve flexibility.

After class, Sandy Waite, school administrator, who has been to 8 floating yoga classes, said “I’m peaceful, now it’s time to go to bed!”

Yoga Public, a sister business of Ten Spa at The Fort Garry Hotel, provides you with fancy lockers, toiletries, mats, and towels; but for this class all you need is some light weight clothing. Floating yoga is $21 per class on Thursday evenings at 8:30pm. To reserve your spot and learn more about floating yoga, call 204.947.9642. 

Wenger Works

Branding personality assignment, thought I'd share! 

Enjoy! 

Toast and confetti

Dear readers,

Have you decided what you are doing for new years?

Not me. Between school and work I can't even manage to get the snow tires on my Jeep or answer my mom on what kind of bed sheets she I want for xmas. That's pretty sad.

My partner in crime, my peanut butter to my jelly, or mac to my cheese asked what we're doing for new years so he knows when to book off work. Yeah right, like I've had time to even think about making plans. haha. funny.

He suggested something unusual. Out of the norm. This obviously wasn't his idea...

1) Get a jar
2) Now fill it -->
3) Throughout 2013 make notes about all the great things that have happened
4) At the end of 2013 open the jar and read
5) cute hey?

Eat your pickles and empty that jar for new years! It's like a journal only better.

P.S. Thought I'd share some great date ideas for over the holidays:

•  Home Alone movie night (a classic)
• Winnipeg Now! At the Winnipeg Art Gallery 
• Shop at St.Vital or Polo gotta love them pretty lights
• Even better shop for a hamper or volunteer 
• Go skating  
• Canad Inns Winterwonderland at Red River Exhibition Park 
• New restaurant time - I wanna try Segovia Tapas and Bar! :)

Happy Holidays!

Watch out for my article in this week's projector! Floating yoga anyone? 

Silly blender.

Hello there!

Last night I was downstairs making smoothies -like I do many nights of the week- and my blender broke…again. Milk was everywhere! All over the counter. Guess my crazy gluing job wasn’t the solution. Shucks.

Time to invest in a Magic Bullet?

My Smoothie making started in the spring after reading Bob Harper’s ‘The Skinny Rules’. There’s a great skinny shake recipe inside that uses berries, Greek yogurt and almond milk. Yum. I recommend taking a browse through the book. There are some great rules to abide by if you want to eat healthier. Seeing the glass half full also means feeling good on the inside. Here are three of his simple rules I have found helpful and have stayed with me:

Drink a glass of water before each meal: I now have two Brita water bottles, one purple and one blue. When I finish one there is always the second one in the fridge cold and waiting for me. When I wake up and before I go to bed I have a glass of water. Staying hydrated means fewer headaches, better complexion, and feeling fuller. Win. Win. Win.

Go to bed hungry: Not easy, not one bit! When it’s late at night my stomach growls that candy cane ice cream looks more and more delicious. In the back of my mind is the voice of one of my friends who recently lost 50 pounds. I asked her what’s her secret. She said the most helpful rule she had was stop eating by 8pm. It’s a great rule for burning fat and hey, you’re gonna sleep better.

Eat apples and berries every single day: So I’m not a huge fan of apples but I adore berries (exhibit A - my berry smoothie mess last night). Harper explains why this rule is good for your body, phytochemicals and such.  All I know is that I feel better when there are berries and apples are mixed into my diet. I buy a big bag of frozen mixed berries and fruit and stash it away in my freezer for smoothies. It’s also great to put in Tupperware containers for lunch because by then they’re thawed and ready to eat. Try it!

Those are just three of his 20 rules. I also like: don’t drink your calories and eat protein at every meal. His book includes a meal plan and a ton of healthy recipes. Check it out. I’m also a fan of The Biggest Loser, but perhaps that’s for another blog post. I hope these rules help you as much as they’ve helped me to be healthier. Now to find myself a new blender…

- Hug it out -

There’s the airplane hug – you zoom into each other. The forever hug - you just don’t let go. The group hug. The bro hug - a half-handshake half-hug. The wiggle hug – you sway back and forth.  The running hug – standing at opposite ends of the room and running towards each other for a hug. The acquaintance hug - a light pat to the back. But - My favourite - the squish - the other person loves you so much they squish your insides and crack your back.

It’s a way to greet each other and say good-bye. We comfort each other with a hug and celebrate with one. There are a few different reasons why we hug it out but the feeling remains the same - good. It’s simple and can mean a lot. We thrive it, it releases endorphins, and we bond. It’s natural to want to feel close to someone else. 

One of my first jobs was at a seniors home. There I really began to understand the power of a hug. Some of the residents I looked after encountered very little touch during the day.  One hug from me and they didn’t want to let go. It meant a lot to them that I cared enough to hug. It’s a way to reach out and brighten their day. 

Juan Mann's free hugs campaign started in 2004 and demonstrates the power of a hug. Read more @http://www.freehugscampaign.org

The old saying ‘walk a miles in someone else’s shoes’ is true. Our days can be clouded by stress and problems and we think it’s a big deal until we meet someone who has it worse. We don’t know what someone else is going through but perhaps a hug can help. It certainly couldn’t hurt. Sometimes we are afraid to hug because we’re not sure how they'll respond. Take a risk, not many will deny you a hug. However you hug it out, give them free of charge and do it often. 

Huggers Amanda Trunzo and Janessa Wirth