Deepen your dancing path of self discovery with dancers who'll dive deep with you. Join us for an exploration of connection, with Open Floor facilitator,Jenny Macke this weekend to invite your opening and growth, in cool Flagstaff....

https://www.facebook.com/events/1737713649799212/

June 10 - 12, 2016
The Dance of Connection to Self and Other

An Open Floor Dance Investigation
with Jenny Macke: 5 Rhythms and Open Floor Teacher

Dance can call up moments of great joy. Feeling connected to others can bring our hearts joyfully alive. Yet if joy is our only agenda in these endeavors, we risk missing out on the many layers of life that are poignantly human by letting moments that are truly honest and heartfelt slip past us. These moment of deep connection make life rich.

In this Open Floor Workshop we will practice tools of embodiment that let us explore the dance in relationship to ourselves and others.

Conscious dance is a great equalizer. We fumble and have fun together. We give ourselves room to show up with layers of shadow and light. We acknowledge perfection in exploring the profound and profane. We put it all in motion and connect to this dynamic conversation called human life.

Friday 6/10: 6 - 9 p
Saturday 6/11: 11a to 6p
Sunday 6/12: 1 - 5p

$185 early bird (before June 1)
$225 (after June 1)

more information and online registration at:
http://www.flagstafffreemotion.com/workshops--events.html

East Valley Conscious Dance asks, Where does your heart feel freedom?

"Where does your heart feel freedom?" In rest? In authenticity? In being okay with not knowing? In vulnerability...which is to say courage. Come dance the questions, answers, and explorations that matter most to you... in community, every Tuesday.

"Like" East Valley Conscious Dance on Facebook for updates and inspiration and join us each week. https://www.facebook.com/East-Valley-Conscious-Dance-973747022709782/?fref=ts  

Where Massage Meets OM....

Our first Healing Touch Partner Yoga workshop is a soothing success! 

Big thanks to Floating Lotus Studios for providing a lovely space!

September's Healing Touch Partner Yoga gathering catching the wellness glow!

Massage therapist Carrie Smith-Hardee and Yoga instructor Karmie Christian team up to offer relaxing and restorative experiences.

HEALING TOUCH PARTNER YOGA

Massage meets yoga! No partner needed!

with Carrie Smith-Hardee, LMT, CLC and Karmie Christian, RYT500

Next workshop date to be announced this week!

Floating Lotus Yoga Studio

202 West Main St, Mesa AZ 85201

HEALING TOUCH PARTNER YOGA: a workshop for wellness and connection

with Carrie Smith-Hardee, LMT, CLC and Karmie Christian, RYT500.

Join us for an experience of wellness, connection, nurturing, and fun!  Healing Touch Partner Yoga offers you research informed practices for bringing the wellness benefits of touch, massage, yoga, and meditation into your life, at an affordable price.  In this workshop, we'll explore yoga poses combined with gentle massage. Exercises are appropriate for all skill levels, and can be modified to suit your ability level. Bring a partner to work with in class, or come on your own and pair up here. 

We hope to go on to offer this a as regular class, to make the wellness benefits of massage an affordable weekly practice! Join us in making it shine!

Facilitated by healing arts practitioner, Carrie Smith-Hardee, LMT, CLC, www.FromHealingToThriving.com and yoga instructor, Karmie Christian, RYT500, flotusyoga.com. Join us at the beautiful and spacious Floating Lotus Yoga Studio, nestled in Mesa's vibrant downtown arts district.

HEALING TOUCH PARTNER YOGA, the touch of wellness and fitness you'll love! Join us!

Contact: Carrie at Thrive Wellness: 480-452-3086.

Photo credit: lcosta7508 / Foter / CC BY

Healing Touch Partner Yoga

HEALING TOUCH PARTNER YOGA: a workshop for wellness and connection
with Carrie Smith-Hardee, LMT, CLC and Karmie Christian, RYT500.

Sunday, September 20th, 3pm-5pm
Floating Lotus Yoga Studio
202 West Main St, Mesa AZ 85201

Join us for an experience of wellness, connection, nurturing, and fun!  Healing Touch Partner Yoga offers you research informed practices for bringing the wellness benefits of touch, massage, yoga, and meditation into your life, at an affordable price.  In this workshop, we'll explore yoga poses combined with gentle massage. Exercises are appropriate for all skill levels, and can be modified to suit your ability level. Bring a partner to work with in class, or come on your own and pair up here. You're invited to stay for complementary tea, after the workshop.

We hope to go on to offer this a as regular class, to make the wellness benefits of massage an affordable weekly practice! Join us in making it shine!

Facilitated by healing arts practitioner, Carrie Smith-Hardee, LMT, CLC, www.FromHealingToThriving.com and yoga instructor, Karmie Christian, RYT500, flotusyoga.com. Join us at the beautiful and spacious Floating Lotus Yoga Studio, nestled in Mesa's vibrant downtown arts district.

Register online now: $15 until 9/17/15, $20 thereafter.

Register Online

Please include the name of participant you are registering in the "notes" when purchasing online.  A receipt of your registration will be emailed.

Contact: Carrie at Thrive Wellness: 480-452-3086.

HEALING TOUCH PARTNER YOGA, the touch of wellness and fitness you'll love! Join us!


Photo credit: lcosta7508 / Foter / CC BY

Massage, you can have your healing and be pampered too!

Photo Credit

Massage is the wellness secret we want to share with everyone. It's for young and old, friends, caregivers, couples, and family. Massage literally changes our body chemistry for the better. It delightfully boosts health, in oh so many researched ways.

Whether getting a professional massage, or sharing them regularly with friends, family, and loved ones--massage changes physical and mental health for the better.

How?

Clinical testing has shown massage increases relaxation hormones, such as oxitocin and dopamine. These hormones facilitate healing in the body, promote psychological stability and focus, and increase feelings of well-being, connection and trust in people. Massage also decreases stress hormones, such as cortisol, which often sets the stage for illness, anxiety, and disease.

Today, lets explore just one of these benefits of massage: How massage heals sore muscles.

It is widely known that massage after an intense workout feels good. Much research has found massage benefits healing, based on self report.  However, the Feb. 1, 2012 issue of Science Translational Medicine reported on research that examined muscle biopsies to show that massage reduced the production of cytokines, which produce inflammation in the body. Massage also increased the functioning of mitochondria, which increase cell function and repair vital to healing in the body.

Although taking a medicinal anti-inflammatory or Nsaids, such as ibuprofen, can be needed at times, it's important to understand that while these do help decrease inflammation and pain, they may actually slow the healing process. Massage on the other hand, decreases inflammation and speeds healing. With massage, you really can have your cake and eat it too!

Click this highlighted link to read the full New York Times article  about how massage heals muscle tissue.

Excellent places to find a professional massage therapist:

The American Massage Therapy Association

The Esalen Massage and Bodywork Association

Massage Magazine--Find a Therapist Tool

Massage your friends and family....

Massage belongs to everybody and doesn't need to be a big expense. Classes and workshops may be available in your area, for the non-professional to learn a bit about massaging. Thrive Wellness is currently offering a workshop combining massage and yoga to get you started!

Register Online

When massaging friends or family, leave the extra deep work to the professionals, and focus on offering touch that feels good. Ask your partner for feedback. Make a delightful habit of it. Enjoy!

EMBODY DANCE movement, meditation & play SEPTEMBER

EMBODY DANCE

movement, meditation & play

Saturday, Sept. 19th, 7pm-9pm
(Warm up for all dancers 6:50p
& introduction for new comers 6:45p)

Gilbert Yoga

6 E Palo Verde St, Ste 11

Gilbert AZ 85296
  

EMBODY DANCE invites you into the joy, wellness, and meditative path of play!

Adults of all ages, body types, and dancing ability levels are encouraged to attend this safe, welcoming, drug and alcohol-free conscious dance experience! You set your own pace, and discover your own way of moving. Facilitated by healing arts practitioner Carrie Smith-Hardee of Thrive Wellness.

Through both free form and guided dance explorations, we practice reconnecting with the vital energy of play, and through it experiencing moments of meaning and marvel. Play lives in all of us. Play heals, is nothing less than sacred, calls us out of our stuck spots. We can so easily loose touch with play as adults. It offers a most noble practice.

The simple practice of allowing our personal, free-form dance to move us from the inside out, offers profound original experience to each participant and the collective group. We close with a circle to reflect on our experience and celebrate the now.

Does your heart long for more playfulness in your spirit? EMBODY DANCE is for YOU! --

******Join us for our next EMBODY DANCE at Gilbert Yoga on Saturday, September 19th from 7pm-9pm. $15 cash at the door.*********

**First time at Embody Dance? Join us early at 6:45p for a brief introduction. All dancers are encouraged to arrive 5-10 minutes early to begin moving and warming up. We begin EMBODY DANCE promptly at 7pm, please give yourself the gift of attending for the full experience.


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Want more Conscious Dance? Connect with other dancers and a spectrum of Conscious Dance offerings across the state on Facebook at Arizona Conscious Dance.

Photo credit: celine nadeau / Foter / CC BY-SA

Dance as a Meditation on Play in Gilbert! Join Us!

EMBODY DANCE

movement, meditation & play

Saturday, August 22nd, 7pm-9pm
(Warm up for all dancers 6:50p
& introduction for new comers 6:45p)

Gilbert Yoga

6 E Palo Verde St, Ste 11

Gilbert AZ 85296
  

 

EMBODY DANCE invites you into the joy, wellness, and meditative path of play!

Adults of all ages, body types, and dancing ability levels are encouraged to attend this safe, welcoming, drug and alcohol-free conscious dance experience! You set your own pace, and discover your own way of moving. Facilitated by healing arts practitioner Carrie Smith-Hardee of Thrive Wellness.

Through both freeform and guided dance explorations, we practice reconnecting with the vital energy of play, and through it experiencing moments of meaning and marvel. Play lives in all of us. Play heals, is nothing less than sacred, calls us out of our stuck spots. We can so easily loose touch with play as adults. It offers a most noble pr...actice.

The simple practice of allowing our personal, ...free-form dance to move us from the inside out, offers profound original experience to each participant and the collective group. We close with a circle to reflect on our experience and celebrate the now.

Does your heart long for more playfulness in your spirit? EMBODY DANCE is for YOU! --

******Join us for our next EMBODY DANCE at Gilbert Yoga on Saturday, August 22nd from 7pm-9pm. $15 cash at the door.*********

All dancers are encouraged to arrive 5-10 minutes early to begin moving and warming up. We begin EMBODY DANCE promptly at 7pm, please give yourself the gift of attending for the full experience.

**First time at Embody Dance? Join us early at 6:45p for a brief introduction.
....................................

Want more Conscious Dance? Connect with other dancers and a spectrum of Conscious Dance offerings across the state on Facebook at Arizona Conscious Dance.

Photo: "Dancing Bokeh", by Neal Fowler https://www.flickr.com/photos/31878512@N06/4075258691/