Archive for UWS

Dec. 2017; Super Gemini Moon; Yoga Classes; Dorot’s University Without Walls Teleclass; Holiday Gift Wrapping for Community Work & Street Tree Care

By Melissa "Mati" Elstein · Comments (0)
Monday, December 4th, 2017

Wishing you a peaceful and joyous holiday season!

As I write to you on this Sunday evening, I am aware that tonight brings us a special Super Full Moon in Gemini, and the beginning of a mercury retrograde period lasting until December 22, which is also just after the Winter Solstice. I was curious about any spiritual significance to these lunar events, and a quick internet search led me to this beautiful website:
http://foreverconscious.com/category/astrology .  According to this site’s author, Mercury retrograde is the opportune time for reflecting on the past year, journaling, and intuiting about the New Year, without yet making definitive plans or starting something new.  “December’s retrograde is really about releasing and shedding all the mental blocks and thought patterns from 2017 so you can enter 2018 with a fresh perspective and a new outlook.”  The author describes the Gemini Super Full Moon as signifying our connection with truth, including the truth of who we are: “… here for a journey of learning how to love yourself more, love the planet more and love one another more.”

Recently, I came across this postcard and placed it by my computer as I found it very beautiful and its’ affirmations very powerful.  On this Super Full Moon, I share it with you as well and hope you will be equally inspired:

Regarding my yoga classes this month, I am subbing at UWS Yoga on Dec,. 28th, happily returning to that lovely yoga center after a few months off while on sabbatical!  Also, at Integral Yoga, our next Chair Chi and Prana™ class will be held Saturday afternoon December 9 at 3:30-5 pm. This is our first weekend afternoon class for this fusion class, and I am looking forward to teaching during this new time slot! In 2018, we return to evening classes.  This unique class will help increase our vitality, and improve balance and coordination by combining Chair Yoga, Qigong, and Tai Chi Easy™ walking. Seated and standing Yoga poses strengthen and stretch the body, gentle and flowing Qigong movements enhance one’s life force energy, and Tai Chi walking increases balance.  These practices are a moving meditation that calm the nervous system, focus the mind, and are accessible to all bodies and ages.  We end class with a long savasana and yoga nidra (deep relaxation) to fully relax and absorb the benefits of our practices.  All levels are welcome!

Additionally, I am so pleased to be again teaching a telephone class for the Dorot Center for Seniors “University Without Walls” that brings the benefits of seated qigong, meditation, and breathwork to those who cannot attend in-person classes. This is now our fourth semester of our teleclass, and I have found that distance is no obstacle to having a profound group and individual experience.  Written materials are provided in advance of the class, and each session is devoted to reading and discussing the materials, alternating with experiential movement and guided meditations.  We will continue with this course throughout 2018, so please call Dorot to sign up, or for a catalog.  No prior experience is necessary!  In general, Dorot’s University Without Walls is a wonderful resource for telephone learning and community-building, and their courses cover a myriad of topics.  Please help spread the word about this wonderful resource!  http://www.dorotusa.org/site/PageServer?pagename=seniors_programs_on_phone_D

Also, this holiday season, as in past years, I am volunteer gift-wrapping at our local independent book and gift store – “Book Culture” on Columbus Avenue at 81st street – to raise funds for my non-profit community organization (the West 80s Neighborhood Association – http://www.west80s.org).  We organize street tree care volunteer work, neighborhood beautification, rat eradication outreach, among other community-minded projects.  It has been lovely seeing some of your friendly faces at Book Culture already, and thank you for your support of my community work.  This year, as I am on sabbatical from my weekly group yoga classes, I have taken on more volunteer shifts at the store.  I find gift wrapping very zen, as are many arts and crafts projects (like knitting, for example). It is also enjoyable to chat with so many locals, as well as meeting tourists visiting our great city for the holidays.  I love the community that local businesses create (something not possible with online shopping), and I am very grateful to the community-minded owners of Book Culture for inviting small and local non-profits, like mine, to volunteer gift wrap for tips and to spread awareness of our charitable organizations.  In addition to books, Book Culture sells household products, scarves, hats, handbags, calendars, decorative items, Christmas tree ornaments, and more!  So I hope you will do your holiday shopping in your neighborhood and support your “mom and pop” independent stores.  I’m at Book Culture during these days:
Mondays:       December 4, 11, and 18 (10 am – 3 pm)
Tuesdays:       December 5, 12, and 19 (10 am – 3 pm)
Wednesdays:December 13 and 20 (10 am – 3 pm)
Thursdays:    December 7, 14, and 21 (3 – 8 pm)
Fridays:          December 1, 8 and 22 (3 – 8 pm)
Saturdays:     December 2 and 23 (3 – 8 pm)
Saturdays:     December 16  and 23 (10 am – 3 pm)
Sundays:        December 17 and 24 (10 am – 2 pm)
Sundays:        December  10 and 24 (2 – 6 pm)


http://www.bookculture.com/locations

Columbus Avenue Bike Lane Tree Bed Stewardship by West 80s Neighborhood Association:

http://www.loveyourstreettreeday.com

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Categories : Chair Yoga, community organizing, peaceful holiday, Qigong, Super Full Moon, Tai Chi, Trees, Yoga, Yoga and Qigong
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November 2016 Class Schedule; NY1 Interview

By Melissa "Mati" Elstein · Comments (0)
Monday, October 31st, 2016

Wishing everyone a happy and safe Halloween!

Some of you have already mentioned seeing my recent NY1 interview during which reporter Michael Scotto shadows me teaching Chair Yoga at Dorot for Seniors and doing community work around the Upper West Side.  It is a nice overview of some of my volunteer work (such as my “Love Your Street Tree” outreach and community events), and there is also beautiful video of the chair yoga class.  I am really honored that NY1 chose to profile me and my work, and that they saw the societal value in both teaching yoga and doing community work focused on urban trees, among other things. By the way, reporter Michael Scotto not only reported on the story, but he does all his own camera work as well. Impressive!  (And he is a lovely person).  Here is the link:
http://www.ny1.com/nyc/manhattan/news/2016/10/12/manhattan-week–the-mayor-of-the-upper-west-side-uses-her-green-thumb-to-keep-the-neighborhood-serene.html

On another note, many of you have asked about where to purchase non-slip socks. I found a supplier of attractive and reasonably priced traction socks in multiple styles and colors. Check out the Silverts website below.  Please wear some type of non-slip traction sock for the tai chi walking in my “Chair Chi and Prana” class, unless you are barefoot. These socks can also be used for yoga in the cooler weather (though I like the toe sox brand for yoga as each toe is separated so you can spread the toes wide in mountain pose, for example). The Silverts catalog also has some nice colorful velcro slippers for home wear, and if you experience leg or ankle swelling, they carry compression socks.  I wear compression socks on all long flights, and they make a huge difference in keeping one’s legs refreshed during the flight and reducing feet swelling due to the cabin air pressure. Let me know what you think of this website!

http://www.silverts.com

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Categories : Connection, Environment, New York City, Qigong, Tai Chi, Trees, Yoga
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October 2016 Schedule and Core Strength Yoga

By Melissa "Mati" Elstein · Comments (0)
Sunday, October 2nd, 2016

Wishing everyone a happy Fall and if you celebrate it, Happy Rosh Hashanah!  I am teaching over the Jewish holidays, but am away on Monday, October 10th – Columbus Day.

This month, in addition to my regular weekly classes, I am teaching on Wednesday morning October 19th – Level 1 Hatha Yoga at UWS Yoga & Wellness.  Also this month, I teach a “Strong to the Core” Yoga Workshop at Integral Yoga Institute on Monday night, October 17th.  At this workshop, you will learn safe and effective ways to strengthen the core, especially the hard-to-reach lower abdominals. Strong abs make balancing poses easier and are the key to a graceful posture. In this workshop, you will learn abdominal exercises that are alternatives to traditional crunches, thereby preventing any neck or upper-back tension. The 2-hour workshop also includes back-strengthening poses, as well as a focus on standing balances. Enhance your yoga practice with a strong center! This workshop comes with a take-home outline.  I hope you can join me!

I was super excited to see an article in last month’s Dance Magazine (see below)  that depicts and recommends one of the core exercises I give in all my classes!  The wellness editor of http://www.4dancers.org , Jan Dunn, writes that simply doing ab exercises can lead to “key weaknesses in supporting the whole body in action” because “core control is much more than just abdominal strength.”  Her “favorite” exercise is below as true core control includes “back stabilization, and involves the coordinated effort of several different muscles in the torso to stabilize the spine.”  I agree, and for those reasons, my personal practice and my classes focus on these type of exercises rather than traditional sit-ups. In my weekly Tuesday class at UWS Yoga & Wellness, instead of using foam rollers as mentioned in the article, we use soft medium-sized exercise balls under the low back and buttocks to create an unstable surface on which to balance and to protect the low back muscles while strengthening the core.  The effect and the results are similar to using the roller, but the balls are more portable and easier to store if there are space limitations. I love to travel with my pilates ball, as it is deflates and weighs next to nothing, and it can also be used as a back support in your car or on the plane.

Here is my full October 2016 teaching schedule. Also, if you are looking for a meditative style yoga class on Tuesday evenings, my friend and fellow Rasa Yoga teacher, Richard Allon, is now teaching every Tuesday evening 6:30 – 7:45 pm at NYC Pilates (located in the former Rasa Yoga building at 246 West 80th Street off Broadway).  It feels like I am blissfully returning “home”!  (My first yoga training was Rasa Yoga, and it incorporates sounding during gentle postures.  Richard’s class was the event that actually changed my life direction; I wandered into Rasa Yoga 14 years ago, and after taking his lovely class, I never returned to practicing law.  Instead, I completed their and other yoga teacher training programs, and have been teaching mindful movement practices for over 12 years).  Richard is teaching in the Rasa Yoga style, but also adding other postures and flows, in a generally gentle format.  If you have any questions, please see http://www.nyc-pilates.com  and email Richard at ra@richardallonarchitect.com

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Categories : Core Strength, Pilates, Yoga
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June Schedule; New Yoga and Ballet Classes this Month and Change to Thursday Core Strength Yoga

By Melissa "Mati" Elstein · Comments (0)
Thursday, June 2nd, 2016

Hope you had a lovely Memorial Day weekend and took some time to honor all those who have bravely served all over the world in defense of freedom, human rights and liberty.  
Sailors and Soldiers Memorial, Riverside Park, NYC (2016)

Some scheduling announcements:

I am teaching a Yoga & Qigong fusion class at Integral Yoga Thur., night, June 16th – subbing for my friend Nadiya.  Additionally, this Sunday, June 5th, I am teaching two ballet classes at Alvin Ailey Extension – subbing for my teacher, Finis Jhung.  For brand new beginners (no experience necessary), the 12 noon class is ideal.  For those of you with ballet experience, you can take the 12 noon class if you want a great refresher on the basics and an opportunity to really feel your muscles work, and/or the 2 pm class as well – which moves faster, includes turns and more center work off the barre. Sometimes, I take both classes in a row, and it a great combo to solidify one’s technique and build strength.  Please email me any questions!

Also, staring this month, I am taking a leave from teaching the Thursday noon Core Strength Yoga class at UWS Yoga & Wellness in order to work on a friend’s local political campaign through the Fall.  Micah Lasher is running for State Senate in my district (to replace Senator Espaillat who is running to replace Congressman Rangel).  In case you live in my district, here is Micah’s site:  http://www.lasherforsenate.com

Depending on my campaign workload, I will possibly be subbing other classes at UWS Yoga and offering periodic workshops.  I have loved getting to know all of you at UWS Yoga individually and collectively, and being a part of the UWS Yoga and Wellness family!  I hope to remain a part of the teaching group there, and am trying to consolidate all my weekly group yoga classes on Mondays and Tuesdays during this Summer and early Fall (the primary is September 13th).  Currently, I am looking at spaces to potentially rent on Tuesdays for Core Strength Yoga, and I will let you know the details if a studio space is available.

So please, stay in touch, and email me if you want to organize periodic classes or semi-privates, etc., that can work around my campaign hours. I want to remain flexible (no pun intended) with my teaching and will have a better idea of my schedule once I start with the Lasher campaign.  Please email me your thoughts and/or concerns.  I do hope we can still practice yoga together, and can work something out if you are interested!

On another note, my neighborhood association’s Second Annual “Love Your Street Tree Day” event went very well on Sunday, May 22, with a large turnout of volunteers who came from the W. 90s down to the W. 30s in Manhattan!  It was a lovely day for cleaning and beautifying tree beds, removing litter, adding compost, mulch, flowers, curb your dog signs, and tabulating the amount and type of litter for our sidewalk trash audit. Here is a short article on the event, and stay tuned for hopefully a longer piece to be published.  http://www.westsidespirit.com/local-news/20160524/uws-trees-get-tlc

                                                                 

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Categories : Dance, Trees, Yoga, Yoga and Qigong, Zero Waste
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May Schedule; New Yoga Barre Class; Plastic Bags; Love Your Tree Day

By Melissa "Mati" Elstein · Comments (0)
Monday, May 2nd, 2016

Wishing everyone a happy and healthy May!  I am back from a fantastic vacation to Sedona. I highly recommend traveling to this beautiful area of our country for amazing hiking, sight-seeing (ancient cliff dwellings, petroglyphs, an artsy old mining ghost town, new age stores and crystal shops), and delicious food (found the best vegan garden restaurant and chocolate bar for lunch, and an incredible gluten-free pizzeria).  If you go, email me for travel suggestions!

A few exciting announcements:

First, I have a new 3-week class at Integral Yoga Institute for the next 3 Monday nights: My “Yoga Barre” at 6:30- 8 pm combines yoga warm-ups, pilates, and ballet barre to strengthen and tone the body, and increase balance and coordination.  Come to any one or all three classes! Go to http://www.iyiny.org  to sign up!

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Second, on May 22, please come join my West 80s Neighborhood Association, our elected officials and community board, environmental organizations, non-profits, students, businesses and city agencies, as we clean and green across the UWS. It will be a fun afternoon as we care for our important NYC street trees by adding mulch and compost, clean up litter, engage in a voluntary trash audit, and join with other New Yorkers who want to see our city be cleaner and greener.  Free goodie bags will be distributed with gardening tools, curb your dog signs, and other free items.  Compost and mulch will be provided in free take-home buckets, and coffee and snacks will be served.  We need volunteers to help that day, as well as volunteers to help market our Second Annual  “Love Your Street Tree Day”.  Please let me know if you are interested! To sign up for May 22, go tohttp://loveyourstreetday/eventbrite.com

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Finally, the most recent The New Yorker magazine has a great article on the plastic bag issue, and I am quoted in the middle of the article as the author shadowed me and my neighborhood group as we trained with Bette Midler’s organization, NY Restoration Project, learning how to remove plastic bags from trees with a tool called a bag snagger.  The article is very thorough regarding plastic pollution issues, laws seeking to curtail plastic bag use, and obstacles to that environmental fight.  I do hope NYC’s carry-out bag law currently pending before the City Council gets signed by Mayor De Blasio this week.  The Speaker just endorsed it, and there are 26 co-sponsors now in the Council!   Please see http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/05/02/saving-america-from-plastic-bags

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Categories : Dance, Environment, New York City, Travelling, Trees, Yoga
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June 2015 – Love Your Tree Day

By Melissa "Mati" Elstein · Comments (0)
Saturday, July 4th, 2015

Last month, my neighborhood group (in conjunction with other non-profits, local businesses, the community board, and my city council member) organized two community events regarding the importance of NYC street trees and a neighborhood tree bed cleanup day. We had noticed how unkempt many of our UWS sidewalk tree beds were after the long, rough Winter. Our community outreach aimed to gather residents, businesses, schools and students to “adopt” trees, and to help clean out the litter, cigarettes, dog waste, and to add mulch, till or cultivate the soil, and in some cases plant flowers and add “curb your dog” signs. Here is my article on our successful “Love Your Tree Day” events:

http://www.westsidespirit.com/local-news/20150513/scrapbook-loving-trees-on-the-uws

With NYC Parks Department employees, New York City Council Member Helen Rosenthal and her Community Liasion Jason Harding, Cheryl Blaylock of Trees NY, and Kim Johnson of Curb Allure tree guards:

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Categories : Mother Earth, Nature, New York City
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