An awesome start to a 2nd year!

What an amazing week! MY had nearly 500 people visit and practice with us for our anniversary celebration week. Amazing how many people you can fit in a studio! Thank you to all the yogis who made this possible, and thank you to our newest yogi friends. We look forward to flowing with you all in the coming year!

Some happily sore yogis even made it out to last night's grand finale after our last class. And congrats to our raffle winners. They got some snazzy new MY duds!

Plus, we had a guest appearance of one of our tiniest Mighty Yogis, the little Norris (below). He's giving Mighty's official Golden Retriever, Cody, a run for his money on cuteness factor. Not to worry, though, there is more than enough room for these cute friends in the MY kula!

How about a few more classes for celebration week?

We've had so much interest in classes this week, that we're adding some more! Check out our schedule for the rest of this week. Be sure to arrive at least 15-20 minutes early to get a spot! All classes through Sunday, August 29th, are only $1, with all proceeds to benefit the Ithaca Health Alliance.

Plus 5-Class passes are $5 off and 10-Class and Unlimited passes are $10 off though Sunday. You can purchase them in the studio, or online.

And don't forget to join us for a reception next Sunday evening, 6-7:30pm, to meet the teachers and enter a raffle for yoga accessories and class passes!

Happy Birthday, Mighty Yoga! 3 more days and counting!

So, we can't stop talking about it. MY is turning 1! And in 3 days, one day after the Finger Lakes Yoga Festival, we're celebrating in style! All classes will be $1, with proceeds benefiting the Ithaca Health Alliance! New classes will be added to the class schedule. Class passes will be on sale ALL WEEK. Plus we're throwing a PARTY (of course!) that includes a raffle for yoga booty and class passes and the last chance to get in on the pass sale prices. Ya gotta be here this week!!!

One important disclaimer: ARRIVE EARLY to classes as space is limited. We'd hate to have to turn you away! And when classes are $1, it doesn't hurt to cover your bases, right?

And THANK YOU, awesome yogis and yoginis, who made this possible! We can't wait to kick off year #2 with you!

FYI, Class Pass Sale:

$5 off a 5-class pass

$10 off a 10-class and unlimited passes

PARTY TIME!

Sunday, August 29

6-7:30pm

@ Mighty Yoga

Gina's at the Finger Lakes Yoga Festival this weekend!

After much anticipation the time has come! The very first Finger Lakes Yoga Festival starts this weekend, Friday, August 20 through Sunday, August 22, at Greek Peak. There will be music, there will be dancing (perhaps with fire!), there will be massage, and there will be yoga and meditation with some of the Finger Lakes' favorite yogis and yoginis! All of this takes place less than 20 miles away from Ithaca, among beautiful surroundings ideal for swimming, hiking, canoeing or biking. If this doesn't sound like the makings of an awesome weekend, we don't know what is! So roll up the yoga mat, pack some granola bars and your water bottle, put some extra food in the cat's dish, and get over there! (Okay, you just might need to make some other preparations for the cat if you plan to stay the whole weekend, but you get the gist....).

Plus MY's own Gina Newlin is among the talented festival presenters! She will be teaching Flying Partner Yoga all three days! All levels are welcome and no partner necessary. So swing on by and play!

Gina's schedule at Greek Peak's Hope Lake Lodge:
Friday, August 20, 6 PM
Saturday, August 21, 4:30 PM
Sunday, August 22, 4 PM

What's the hurry? It's summer!

We often hear the phrase “be present” in yoga classes. Sometimes this can be easier said than done whether we're referring to a yoga pose or to life off the mat. As we round out August (a.k.a. MY’s one-year anniversary month!), it can be a challenge not to turn our focus to the approaching fall. We’re already being poked, or pummeled, by seasonal marketing, from “Back-to-School” commercials to autumn displays in retail stores (eek, it cannot be Halloween already?!?). So you might be feeling a wee bit pressured to put an end to vacation mode, store the flip flops and floaties and prep for September’s work mode. If you’re nodding your head as you read this, take a deep breath and exhale. It is still early August. There is still time to enjoy this lovely summer!

You can encourage that “be present” attitude through daily self-care practices. When life becomes hectic, MY's Zainab Zakari enjoys silent walking meditations to help ease rising tension. “As a freelance writer and instructor, my brain can sometimes feel like it’s on a 24/7 work schedule,” she says. “I’ve learned that when I take breaks and walk outside, I’m much calmer. The time I spend away from my computer and my phone, pulls me out of a place filled with deadlines and never-ending to-do lists, and reminds me to simply appreciate the world around me.”

Walking meditations can be a practice in syncing the breath with each footstep or bringing awareness to each mindfully placed step. The aim is to ease the mind into a more peaceful state. If you’re new to this kind of meditation, Zainab recommends trying to remain silent for 15 to 20 minutes to start or longer if you’re so inclined. Observe the life around you, from the trees and the animals to the breeze and your breath. Without the distraction of speech, you can observe and enjoy moments that might have been ignored otherwise. Such as this picture of a sunset and birdhouse, which Zainab shot on a walk along Seneca Lake. Happy summer!

A Mighty Start to August!

So much has already happened, and we're still in the first week! After a 750 meter swim, a 14-mile bike ride and a 5K run, MY Instructor Sarah Newman won in her age group at the Ithaca Triathlon Club's Cayuga Lake Triathlon on Sunday, August 1st! What an awesome achievement and inspiration! Congratulations!

Which makes this next piece of news somewhat bittersweet. On the heels of her win, the lovely Sarah will be leaving Mighty for her next great adventure as a student in Chicago's Northwestern Law School. We will miss her something fierce, but we wish her the absolute best! We know she will go far! For a last chance to enjoy her and her kick butt yoga, please sign up for her last class tomorrow morning, Thursday, at 6:45 AM. You'll love it!

And a note for all the Thursday 6:45am regulars, starting next week, Gina Newlin will be teaching early morning yoga classes on Tuesdays, so you can still get some yoga in before starting your day! Next class is Tuesday, August 10th, 6:45am. Remember to sign up online in advance (before 5pm the day before) to let us know you'll be there the next morning. Early bird gets the yoga!

Lastly, this is MY's one-year anniversary month! And we're in the mood to celebrate! Feel free to check out this month's newsletter for what's in store this month.