May is National Meditation month - get Free Meditation Classes from Ayama Yoga in North Miami Beach

 

In celebration of May as National Meditation Month Ayama Yoga Center is offering FREE meditation classes to all.   Classes will take place on Fridays (7, 14, 21, and 28) at 6 p.m. don't miss this opportunity! Namaste!

Ayama Yoga Center 2624 N.E. 188th St. North Miami Beach, Florida 33180 305-932-7755  info@ayamayoga.com www.ayamayoga.com

Free Artwork courtesy of "Feed your Soul: The Free Art Project"

"Feed Your Soul is a free art project. Each month artists are invited to participate and to contribute a print which is totally free and available for download. This project is coordinated by Jen Wallace of Indie Fixx to help art lovers feed their souls with art in these difficult economic times and to help artists promote their work. New prints are added on Mondays as they become available." If you are an artist and would like to submit your work for consideration, click here for more info. Remember, art can free your soul!

Above is my absolute favorite by Angela Vandenbogaard. I find this little tree very soothing and playful at the same time. I'll hang it in my office for inspiration and good energy. This original artwork and many more are available as Free Downloads

Below are a few that will make for great wall art in children's rooms.

You can download the images to a pdf which you can save, print out and frame!

    

Free Children's Music Download - Charlie Hope's Frog Song

FROG SONG
from Charlie Hope's "I'm Me! A Collection of Songs for Children"

"eating edamame all day...
wait...wait...wait...frogs don't eat edamame!!!
oh...they were eating flies with their sticky tongues all day...."


aah....we are going to be singing all day with this contagious melody.

Loved the "Frog Song"!

Want to hear it too??
You can download it for free on www.VolumMonster.com by using the code "ribbit" to redeem the song.

Want to listen to it first? go to Charlie's Facebook page and click on the Frog Song in the music player.

Thanks to Robert, from Challenge & Fun, for letting us know about Charlie Hope's music and the Free download!

Guest Blogger: Lisa Mason-Reilly The Benefits of Prenatal Yoga

Today we welcome a new guest blogger, Lisa from Prana Yoga Miami.

Lisa Mason-Reilly began her journey into Yoga at a young age having been blessed with a practicing mother. Growing up with an awareness of proper nutrition, meditation and balancing the physical body she is thankful to have these tools available to her throughout her life experience. Having had careers in high-end fashion as a model and buyer in a corporate capacity, she is all too aware of the stress and consuming affects associated with being "of the world". Although thankful for all the wonderful traveling opportunities and benefits of exposure to many different cultures, Lisa decided to take some time away from the frenetic corporate life and delve deeper within. Thanks to her dedicated teachers, she has emerged with more profound insight as to her purpose on this journey. She expresses that purpose through the creativity of being a mother, a teacher and a friend. Having recently completed the Teacher Training Certification Program at Prana Yoga in Coral Gables, Lisa dove in and began teaching Prenatal Yoga at the studio. She is thankful for the opportunity to share what has been so graciously shared with her and to continue to cultivate her devotion and love for Yoga.

The Benefits of Practicing Prenatal Yoga
by Guest Blogger Lisa Mason-Reilly

The Ancient Science and Philosophy of Yoga has been a wellspring of knowledge throughout centuries providing tools and wisdom for unifying the body, mind and spirit. This union which is attained through Asana practice (physical postures), Pranayama (breathing exercises), and Meditation, helps to balance the physical body systems, calm and focus the mind, and prepare the self for its higher purpose.

Prenatal Yoga offers many wonderful gifts to a pregnant woman and her baby. In addition to more physical strength and flexibility, the added benefits of breath awareness and meditation help to prepare the mother's mind and body for the normal and natural event of labor. Through this awareness also comes the opportunity to experience a deeper connection and bond with the growing baby. Many women that have practiced prenatal Yoga prior to delivery have reported having had a strong connection with their baby and an awareness during delivery that made the process of birth progress more smoothly. One mother commented that "with my increased awareness gained through practicing Yoga, I felt that during labor my daughter and I were communicating and really working together in the birthing process...to have these tools available to call on during labor is truly a blessing."

Prenatal Yoga offers safe and natural support as the demands and stress put on the body increase with pregnancy. There are asanas, meditations and pranayamas that provide relief for many common discomforts associated with pregnancy. For example, controlled movement of extremities and poses that allow feet above the heart help with swelling (edema) which is often times associated with pregnancy. Balasana (child's pose) is an asana that helps with fatigue and lower back discomfort, while standing poses and balancing poses help with leg stiffness and cramps. In addition, Pranayama, stillness and meditation can help with nausea and digestion. Many asanas help with increased circulation, gently working the cardiovascular system, toning the pelvic floor, and balancing the the body and mind to reduce stress and anxiety.

It is important to have permission from the doctor before beginning any exercise program when pregnant, and unless the mother has an existing Yoga practice, it is not recommended to begin an Asana practice until after the first trimester because of the higher risk of miscarriage during this period. But that doesn't mean that a pregnant woman can't begin practicing Yoga the moment she finds out she is pregnant, because Yoga does not just include the physical component, but is also comprised of breathing, meditation and awareness. Similarly, as a woman progresses further into her pregnancy and may not be able to participate in some of the more physical aspects of Yoga for various medical reasons, the benefits of meditation, visualization, and breath awareness will provide relief for any fear, worry or doubt that the mother may be experiencing and ultimately help to prepare the mother for labor.

Drawing on this ancient wisdom, mothers give their body, mind and spirit the opportunity to prepare a strong vessel to carry this new life and bring it forth into the world through a healthy and peaceful journey. In addition, mothers practicing prenatal Yoga are giving their babies an example from the beginning of how to live this life in harmony. What a Gift!

Om Shanti


Prana Yoga in Miami offers:
Prenatal Classes Tuesdays at 6pm, Fridays at 10am, Saturdays at 2pm,
Mommy & Me Classes Mondays at 9am & Wednesdays at 9am, and
Yoga for Kids Friday at 4pm and Sunday at Noon.

Please join us and you will receive a complimentary first class when you reference this article. You may also visit us at www.pranayogamiami.com for a complete schedule of classes and workshops.

Great Pregnancy Excercise: Prenatal Yoga

Practicing Prenatal Yoga has many wonderful benefits for mom and baby.
Diana, from BBO, says that practicing prenatal yoga made her feel more in touch with her own body and with the little baby growing inside her. "Prenatal yoga is very relaxing and empowering at the same time. There are many breathing techniques and poses that can help your body get ready for the big day" says Diana. She recommends it to all pregnant women who are in good health and capable of exercising moderately.

If you are in the Miami area and looking for prenatal yoga classes, there are two excellent studios in Coral Gables that we can recommend: Prenatal Plus Yoga and Prana Yoga Miami

We invited the wonderful ladies at Prana Yoga to be guest bloggers on BBO and to help give some expert prenatal yoga insight to all the pregnant moms reading our blog. We'll be hosting Lisa very soon! click here for Lisa's post
They were also very generous to our blog readers by offering a FREE Yoga Class to all first time students who mention "Best Baby Organics"

Preggy Miami moms take advantage of this Free Yoga Class offer and make your way to the Prana Yoga studio. You'll enjoy it and it will also be a great way to meet and share with other pregnant women. Make sure to tell them Best Baby Organics sent you!

Prana Yoga is located at:
247 Malaga Ave.
Coral Gables, Florida 33134-708
Tel. 305.567.9812

Want to recommend other prenatal yoga studios in Miami or other cities in the USA or Canada? Leave a comment to this post. We would like to start a Prenatal Yoga Studio Directory by city that can be easily found by women wishing to take some classes.