Maya Currents Blog

The Maya community now has a more convenient way to access locally-grown, organic whole foods.

Through a new partnership with Whistling Train Farm in Kent, WA, Maya Whole Health Studio is now a drop-site for its Summer Community Supported Agriculture Subscription Program, or CSA. Here’s how it works:

• Every Tuesday morning starting today through the end of October, owners Mike and Shelley Verdi assemble a tasty, well-balanced assortment of harvested organic foods and deliver the boxes of fresh produce to Maya.
• Subscribers can pick up their parcels by 7:30 pm on Tuesday, or between 8:30 am and 1:00 pm on Wednesday.

Tuesday mornings are a perfect time for Renton area subscribers to pick up their organic foods, especially if they’d like to supplement with fresh finds from the Renton Farmers Market, which takes place Tuesday afternoons from 3:00 to 7:00 in downtown Renton (through September 24).

Sign up before Tuesday, June 25 and get one extra delivery. Those interested in joining the Summer CSA can learn more by visiting the Farm’s website and completing an application. Three share sizes are offered -Small Shares feed one to three adults, Large Shares feed about three to five and Mini Shares each include five items of your choosing to supplement harvests from your home garden, or to introduce you to the CSA concept.

“The price is extremely reasonable, based on the rave reviews from last year,” Shelley tells us, “and the added bonus for subscribers is having all-you-can-pick flowers and peas available at our Kent farm for no extra cost.” Prices listed are for 18 weeks of delivery, so anyone who signs up before Tuesday, June 25 will get an extra delivery.  

Happy Farm-iversary! 2013 marks the 15th anniversary of Whistling Train Farm, a small family farm growing healthy food for the community. To celebrate, the Verdi’s are offering other great perks for subscribers, such as an expanded u-pick area, farm maps for self-guided tours, farm workshops and a late summer farm party!

Click the link to download the Whistling Train Farm 2013 CSA Flyer: 2013 CSA Farm Flyer. If you’re interested in subscribing or if you have questions about the CSA program, send an email to shelley@whistlingtrainfarm.com.

-posted June 18, 2013

Maya Currents is the voice of Maya Whole Health Studio, publishing fresh and informative articles covering studio happenings, the yoga practice, whole health wellness and more. Sign up for an email subscription by entering your address in the Follow Maya Currents form on the right and follow instructions.

All-New! Maya’s own customized collection of aromatherapy blends and single-note essential oils is almost here … and they smell great!

Developed by Maya studio coordinator Wendy Ray and master aromatherapy artist Vici Chidester, the new Maya Pure Essentials line blends pure essential oils with skin soothers such as jojoba, safflower, apricot kernel oil in a variety of easy-to-use formulas to enhance not only your massage and skincare experience, but your mood.

Relax
stress relief, sleep, anxiety and pregnancy
Bliss
seduction, anti-depressant and anxiety
Revitalize
uplifting, anxiety, anti-depressant, seasonal anxiety disorder
Relieve
muscle and pain relief or inflammation
Balance
PMS, menopause, painful periods, anti-depressant and anxiety
Immunity
immune strengthening, anti-viral, anti-bacterial
Harmony
meditating, grounding, balancing, anxiety and anti-depressant

Roll-on, Dropper, Bath/Body Oil. Roll over the wrist or behind the ear for a luscious pick-me-up. Add a few drops to lotion or bath salts, and in the bath or shower for an aromatherapy steam. Use as a massage oil or for hydrating the skin after a shower.

“The Maya staff is so excited about Pure Essentials, they couldn’t wait to start using the line with clients,” says Maya owner/manager Shannon Payne. “Maya Pure Essentials is already getting rave reviews.”

The Maya Pure Essentials line also include 100% pure essential oil single-notes in several glorious scents such as Peppermint, Grapefruit, Eucalyptus, Lavender, Ginger, Clary Sage, Geranium, Orange and more.

Maya Pure. Recently, Wendy worked with YG Labs to develop Maya Pure, a customized line of skin care products, which has garnered a loyal following. Shannon says, “One Maya client who’s moved away stops in and stocks up on her Maya Pure products when she returns to visit family.”

The idea for a customized aromatherapy collection to compliment the Maya Pure skincare line came about by listening to our clients. “One of our fabulous massage therapists, Kari Hanson, uses essential oils during her massage treatments,” Wendy says. “The response from her clients is nothing but positive.”

Over several months, Wendy began working with Maya client Vici Chidester, who formulates proprietary blends for high-end spas in the Northwest through her business, Pure Essence. “Vici offered to work with us, and together, we came up with the seven scent blends that define the line,” Wendy says. “It’s been the most fun and rewarding project I have taken on since joining Maya!”

Come in and find out what the buzz is about!
Sample the Enchanting Fragrances in the Boutique at Maya
Open House | Wednesday, June 26 | 5-8PM
Tea & cookies will be served
One Week Only! June 24-30, 2013
Receive a $5 credit toward any purchase of Maya Pure Essentials
or Maya Pure Skincare purchase of $20 or more.

-posted June 12, 2013

Maya Currents is the voice of Maya Whole Health Studio, publishing fresh and informative articles covering studio happenings, the yoga practice, whole health wellness and more. Sign up for an email subscription by entering your address in the Follow Maya Currents form on the right and follow instructions.

Register for one or both workshops during a special weekend of yoga, writing and healing with Vancouver, B.C. instructors Julie Peters and Daniel Shaw.

Julie Peters has been practicing yoga from age of 12. “Yoga has gotten me through everything from the horrors of teenage-dom to a Master’s degree in Canadian Poetry,” she says. A writer and spoken word poet, Julie teaches a variety of yoga classes, including her own unique approach, Creative Flow: Yoga and Writing, which explores the ways yoga can spark your creativity.

Let the layers of good vibrations take you to a deep place of healing where you can turn off your mind, relax and float downstream.

To start the workshop weekend at Maya this June, Julie partners with fellow instructor Daniel Shaw for Good Vibrations: Restorative Yoga and Sound, a deep experience of relaxation and self care. Julie leads a Restorative yoga practice with lots of support, a couple of good poems and (optional) hands-on healing, while Daniel throat sings alongside crystal singing bowls and other meditative instruments.

“Yoga chose me – it is my first love of mind, body, and spirit connection,” Daniel says. “When I work with others I feel high -the high of riding yourself through your internal universe. Here in all its intricacies, we move past the limits of time and space, to find our trust in the greater roles we play, to be beautiful beings with and in a beautiful world.”

On Saturday, bring a journal to Creative Flow: Yoga and Writing, where Julie leads the class in movement, listening to beautiful poems from different writers and waking up the creativity of our bodies that wants nothing more than to flow out.

“Not only can a Vinyasa yoga practice manufacture the alpha brainwave state -the almost trance-like state of a creative person creating,” Julie says, “but a deeper Yin yoga practice can help us explore the stories hidden in our bones that want to come out and see the light of day.”

REGISTER FOR ONE OR BOTH WORKSHOPS
Good Vibrations: Restorative Yoga and Sound
with Julie Peters and Daniel Shaw
Friday June 28, 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
$40 | Register before June 24: $35
No experience necessary | All fitness levels welcome
Optional: bring water bottle or beverage, eye pillow, jacket or wrap

Creative Flow: Yoga and Writing with Julie Peters
Saturday June 29, 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
$50 | Register before June 24: $45
All levels | No writing experience required | Sharing absolutely optional
Optional: bring water bottle or beverage, eye pillow, jacket or wrap, favorite writing instruments

Workshop Weekend Series Discount $75 | Register before June 24: $70
Annual members receive a 20% discount on each workshop or weekend series

-posted June 5, 2013

Maya Currents is the voice of Maya Whole Health Studio, publishing fresh and informative articles covering studio happenings, the yoga practice, whole health wellness and more. Sign up for an email subscription by entering your address in the Follow Maya Currents form on the right and follow instructions.

Tap into the wisdom of your feminine power in this two-hour workshop devoted to the cycle of life.

For many of us, our reproductive cycles can be challenging, often overwhelming. Pain, fatigue, strong emotions or sudden cravings can disrupt daily life, hindering our ability to handle the natural ebb and flow.

We may have been experiencing difficult cycles for years. Or, as our bodies change with age, we may feel unsure about the nuances of menopause.

Women’s Moon Cycle Yoga offers a chemical-free way to relieve common menstrual cycle issues, allowing your cycle to become a gift and a tool for greater power and enjoyment of your life.

“For any woman burdened by the physical, hormonal or emotional swings due to her cycle,” says Maya instructor and workshop leader Michelle Peterson, “this workshop is a practice open to all experience levels, to ease the physical and mental stress by supporting the body with yoga.”

Michelle teaches from her own experience, having healed herself from the debilitating pain of endometriosis, primarily with her yoga practice. 

Women’s Moon Cycle Yoga with Michelle Peterson
Saturday, June 22 | 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm
$30 | Pre-registration required | Register Online
Annual Members receive 20% discount
This series may be cancelled 48 hours before it is scheduled to begin if minimum registration is not met.

-posted May 29, 2013

Maya Currents is the voice of Maya Whole Health Studio, publishing fresh and informative articles covering studio happenings, the yoga practice, whole health wellness and more. Sign up for an email subscription by entering your address in the Follow Maya Currents form on the right and follow instructions.

Learn the benefits of an inversion practice in Maya’s new workshop.

“At first, going upside down can be a bit daunting, but this workshop will provide all the tools needed to get started,” says Maya instructor Heidi Keith.  “Discover your inner child as we learn to ‘fly’ together, and build a solid foundation for an inversion practice.”

Learn to Fly. Heidi is teaching the basics of a safety-first, injury-free inversion practice, starting with an interactive discussion on the benefits of going upside down. Props including blocks, straps, blankets, bolsters, walls, partners and more will be there to support you through the learning process, as Heidi approaches these challenges “head-on” with a playful spirit.

This introduction to inversions includes an alignment-based and core-awakening warm-up, followed by detailed instruction and practice work that explores:

• Low Plank (Chatturanga Dandasana)
• Crow (Bakasana)
• Headstand variations (Sirsasana)
• Shoulder Stand (Salamba Sarvangasana)

“In addition to poses, we’ll learn fun transitions into and out of these poses that can be incorporated into daily practice,” Heidi says. “Once you start, you won’t want to stop!”

Not-to-be-Missed Treat. Cool down with a few restorative inversions -and enjoy Heidi’s famous Pineapple Upside Down Cake to celebrate your hard work, while she answers any questions.

Workshop Preparation. Heidi suggests the best way to prepare for this two-and-a-half-hour learning event is to attend one of her Vinyasa Flow or Fusion Fitness classes or any other Vinyasa, Flow or Hatha yoga classes prior to the workshop. “Most anyone is welcome,” she says, “but certain conditions or injuries, such as neck and certain back injuries, may not be appropriate due to the nature of this activity.”

Introduction to Inversions – Learn to Fly! with Heidi Keith
Sunday, June 9 | 2:30 pm – 5:00 pm
$40 | Pre-registration required | Online Registration Available
Contact Heidi directly if you have questions about whether this workshop is right for you.

Annual members receive a 20% discount
This workshop may be cancelled 48 hours before it is scheduled to begin if minimum registration is not met.

-posted May 22, 2013

Maya Currents is the voice of Maya Whole Health Studio, publishing fresh and informative articles covering studio happenings, the yoga practice, whole health wellness and more. Sign up for an email subscription by entering your address in the Follow Maya Currents form on the right and follow instructions.

“Yoga — even when approached as a purely physical exercise –provides an excellent means of relaxing, focusing and clearing your mind. The child’s and corpse poses encourage you to slow down, clear your mind, and simply relax. The flexibility athletes develop from yoga can help them achieve better sport-specific performance, it also helps them prevent injuries.”

-Caleb McAllister, Live Strong

Join Maya instructor Alec Davis for a new group class, Yoga for Runners and Other Athletes, which starts Monday May 20 at 7:30 pm. Online registration available.

Back pain from decades of long distance running brought yoga teacher and ski instructor Alec Davis to yoga in 1988. His newest series of classes offered at Maya is geared for the serious sports enthusiast.

Yoga for Runners and Other Athletes explores the yoga poses that address the needs of an athlete’s body, enhancing alignment, flexibility, concentration and breathing. This yoga practice can help you enjoy your primary sport for a longer period of time, with a much lower risk of injury. Beginners and all levels welcome.

In our interview with Alec Davis, he shares his favorite motto, how it enhances his idea of perfect happiness and how you just might follow him on one of his favorite journeys.

What is your current state of mind? Quiet … for which I am grateful.

What is your favorite occupation? Teaching.

Who are your heroes in real life? Master Teachers who walk their talk (I am clear that this is challenging for all human beings).

What is your favorite journey? 1) Traveling to the Bugaboos to Heli ski and teach yoga.  2) Teaching yoga and shamanism in Costa Rica -which anyone can join me in doing this coming December (shameless plug!).

Which words or phrases do you most overuse? Like.

What is the quality you most like in a man? Compassion.

What is the quality you most like in a woman? Compassion.

If you could change one thing about your family, what would it be? That all of us could have had more compassion for ourselves. I believe that if we are able to be compassionate with ourselves it is much easier to be compassionate with those closest to us.

What do you most value in your friends? Their presence in my life, as well as their forgiveness of my short comings.

What is your most treasured possession? My life.

What is your greatest extravagance? Heli skiing. 

What is your idea of perfect happiness? Living and being present in each moment, each breath -no matter what is going on.

Where would you like to live? The Northwest!

What is your greatest fear? (I would have answered this very differently a few years ago.) I was very afraid of heights, but not now. I also used to be afraid of failing; the past five years have lessened this fear significantly -I have had lots of failures. So right now, I can’t say I have a “greatest” fear.

How would you like to die?  At 98 … after having Heli skied all day, then practiced yoga, followed by a period of meditation and transfiguration, followed by having a glass of amazing red wine … then laying down and leaving my body.

What is your motto?  Breathe.

-posted May 17, 2013

Maya Currents is the voice of Maya Whole Health Studio, publishing fresh and informative articles covering studio happenings, the yoga practice, whole health wellness and more. Sign up for an email subscription by entering your address in the Follow Maya Currents form on the right and follow instructions.

If you’ve been sneezing a little more than usual, or your asthma is acting up, you’re not alone.

“May is a peak season for asthma and allergy sufferers, and a perfect time to educate patients, family, friends, co-workers and others about these diseases,” says the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA). Each year in May, the organization sponsors National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month to do just that.

Making the List. Asthma and allergies can flare up from pollen, dust and molds -even chemicals, cold air, exercise, infection and emotional upset. The Seattle area is number 93 on the list of “Asthma Capitals,” the 100 most challenging places to live with asthma – so a lot of Northwesterners out there are looking for asthma and allergy relief.

And a recent study by a renowned hospital in Vienna reveals over 70% of its patients with long-standing asthma had significant improvement after 10 weeks of acupuncture treatment.

Whole Health Wellness. Acupuncturists treat the whole person rather than a disease, acting on the nervous system and reducing inflammation, to strengthen a person’s constitution and overall health. Using acupuncture points to stimulate nerves, muscles and connective tissue can increase the body’s natural painkillers and increase blood flow. This in turn can reduce any allergic response.

Studies in China show that needling one of the acupuncture points increased ventilation capacity in the lungs by 6.6%. The acupuncture treatment called cupping can also help allergy symptoms by bringing blood to the area, warming the lung and loosening phlegm.

Other evidence suggests that acupuncture can signal the brain to release endorphins, helping people with asthma or allergies to experience calmer breathing.

“One of the best ways to boost your immune system is to boost your eating,” says Maya acupuncturist Brandon Leahy. “The digestive system feeds into the respiratory system in Chinese Medicine. If you’re prone to getting coughs, colds and asthma, avoid sugars, wheat and dairy.

Maya offers acupuncture appointments with Brandon Leahy, Diane Yeh and Tripat Chawla most days of the week. Call the Studio at 425.271.0200 for more information.

-posted May 15, 2013 

Maya Currents is the voice of Maya Whole Health Studio, publishing fresh and informative articles covering studio happenings, the yoga practice, whole health wellness and more. Sign up for an email subscription by entering your address in the Follow Maya Currents form on the right and follow instructions.

On this day that is widely dedicated to honoring the spirit of motherhood, we give thanks to all who create, sustain, and nurture our Maya community.

The root of the word “mother” is “ma”. Many languages from all around the globe use a similar phoneme to convey the same idea. The earliest meaning associated with this word was “life giving”. As linguists and anthropologists have traced back, they have found that this sound is frequently associated with the external breast of the female body, as well as the heart center of all humans. This imagery evokes sustenance, comfort, and pleasure across many cultures. (Ma-ssage, anyone??)

Providing sustenance, comfort, and pleasure.

For new mothers and moms-to-be, Maya offers pregnancy massage, providing support and relief during a time when many changes happen in a woman’s body.

“During pregnancy massage, moms-to-be are placed in a comfortable, fully-supported position lying on their side, to take the pressure off of their already stressed joints and ligaments,” says Maya massage practitioner Genevieve White-Burney. “In my experience, the most common areas addressed are hips, low back and sacro-iliac joints, as well as the upper back.”

Experts say the therapeutic bodywork of prenatal massage caters to the special needs of the mother-to-be with a noninvasive approach that eases physical discomfort, preparing her for labor. It also relieves mental fatigue, providing nurturing emotional support.

“Abdominal massage is offered to an expecting mother to help ease any digestion discomfort, which is common during pregnancy, as well as increasing blood circulation to the abdominal area, insuring that baby will enjoy the massage as well,” says Maya massage practitioner Kari Hanson. “Applying oil to the belly area will hydrate the skin, increasing blood flow to the superficial tissue, which helps to ease the appearance of any stretch marks. So important and therapeutic for mama and baby!”

Additionally, many women experience uncomfortable water retention and even severe edema, especially during summer months. Genevieve points to certain massage techniques, such as lymphatic drainage, that may dramatically reduce this.

“After delivery, it can take time for the body to return to its former state,” she adds. “Massage is a great way to provide support for this process as well. Many OB-GYNs are more than happy to prescribe massage for pregnancy-related aches and pains during this time.”

Thoughtful Mother’s Day Gift. Women can enjoy massage therapy at any point in their pregnancy -during the first, second or third trimester- as well as after baby is born, with so many benefits:

• Reduces swelling
• Lessens pain, back pain in particular
• Tones lose muscles and relaxes tense muscles to increase flexibility
• Helps decrease insomnia
• Eliminates toxins associates with fatigue
• Strengthens the immune system
• Stimulates the release of the body’s natural pain killers
• Helps relieve anxiety or depression
• Can be used during the birth, making the experience easier and more comfortable
• Eases stress mothers often feel after the birth

As a gift or for yourself, call the Studio to book a pregnancy massage appointment today. 425.271.0200.

-posted May 3, 2013

Maya Currents is the voice of Maya Whole Health Studio, publishing fresh blog posts on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Sign up for an email subscription by entering your address in the Follow Maya Currents form on the right and follow instructions.

“Fusion Fitness classes are ideal for anyone who wants to get stronger, more flexible and improve their balance,” says Maya instructor Heidi Keith. “Folks who have tried my class were pleasantly surprised that adding Fusion Fitness to their routine is helping them get stronger, feel more stable and balanced, giving them more confidence in their other yoga and pilates classes at the Studio.”

Lengthen, Strengthen and Stabilize. Throughout the next two months of May and June, Heidi’s Fusion Fitness classes at the Studio will give clients an opportunity to improve cardiovascular conditioning, build core strength through targeted exercises and circuit work, and increase stability through balance exercises.

“Fusion ‘fitness’ is a great workout and helps to improve my yoga practice.”
-Joseph S.

Heidi’s “Lengthen, Strengthen and Stabilize” Fusion Fitness classes on Tuesdays emphasize upper body strengthening and stretching exercises, while on Thursdays, this focus is on the lower body. Each class ends with a 10-minute cool down and stretch, using a variety of methods including restorative yoga poses, foam rollers and tennis balls for deep tissue release. Heidi offers modifications and variations on the exercises throughout the classes, and anyone is welcome.  

“Fitness Fusion is a great opportunity to switch up the normal routine and perfectly complements a yoga and pilates practice by providing a fun and challenging experience to clients of all levels,” she says.

Fusion Fitness is a fast paced, full body workout that draws from the diverse disciplines of yoga, pilates, plyometrics and classic strength and circuit training.

Join Heidi for Fusion Fitness, Yoga Vinyasa Flow, Yin Yoga and Warm Vinyasa Flow on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

-posted May 1, 2013

Maya Currents is the voice of Maya Whole Health Studio, publishing fresh blog posts on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Sign up for an email subscription by entering your address in the Follow Maya Currents form on the right and follow instructions.