Yoga Magnolia Enfield

11/02/2025

A gorgeous day at Gratitude Farm and Retreat in Enfield. The September workshop had to be cancelled because of rain, but seven of us from Yoga Magnolia made it out there yesterday, November 1. We learned about growing mushrooms (a few of us bought a bag of oyster mushrooms, cooked them up and they were delicious) and Spanish mustangs, had a wonderful organic lunch, created a collage and ended the day with a totally relaxing tuning - given by Susanna Martin. Can't think of a better way to spend the day. Thank you Anpeytu, Rick and Susanna.

10/20/2025

We weren't able to go to our Yoga Workshop at Gratitude Farm and Retreat the last Saturday in September because of the rain, but we rescheduled for Saturday, November 1. There's still spaces leftl, so if you are interested in this four-hour workshop, from 10 until 2 p.m., let me know either through Facebook, sign up at the studio or call me. It should be a really fun day!

09/22/2025

Looking forward to this Saturday at Gratitude Farm and Retreat.

09/18/2025

We do all of these movements, except the towel twist, but you can be sure that will be appearing in our practice soon.

💥 Why do Japanese elders live nearly 30 years longer than Americans — while staying strong, flexible, and independent well into their 80s and 90s? The shock...

09/17/2025

Join Yoga Magnolia on Saturday, September 27, from 10 to 2 as we explore Gratitude Farm and Retreat - out in the Enfield countryside. Meet Spanish Mustangs, enjoy an outdoor art class, have salad (with or without chicken) for lunch and then sit in zero gravity chairs while Susanna Martin gives the group a tuning. Meet Merlin and Gandolf - the therapy ponies.

Celebrate fall with us as we explore a working farm (sturdy shoes (no sandals). The cost for the day is $36 for lunch and art supplies (vegetarian salad) and $38 for lunch and art supplies for chicken with your salad.

Spaces are limited, so call Brenda at 2252-445-1031 to sign up before September 22.

Hope to see you there.

08/02/2025

Hello Yogis:

Kudos to all those yogis who came out to practice in the scorching heat. When the temperatures hit 100 degrees, it’s hard to motivate yourself to do anything – let alone moving and stretching. But, as I write this, the meteorologists are promising cooler days. (Goodbye dog days of July. Maybe we’ll get a respite in August?), so hopefully it won’t be such a chore to get up and go.

Which brings me to a favorite topic – consistency in practice. Consistency ensures that the body and mind adapt gradually to the new requirements. This doesn’t mean you have to attend six classes a week. Just set up a schedule so your body and mind know that certain days – even if it is even just once a week – you show up for yourself. Life can get hectic and call you in a different direction – it happens all the time – but get back on track as soon as you can. Your body and mind will thank you for it. Bruce Lee said, "Long-term consistency trumps short-term intensity.”

Breathing: Last month we practiced Box breathing (a breath Navy Seals use to combat stress), counting to six on the inhale, holding at the top of the breath for six (Kumbhaka), exhaling on the count of six, and holding at the bottom of the breath for six. It’s a relaxing breath and very helpful when you’re mind is spinning. This month we will practice a cooling breath. Sitali Breath: Inhale through a rolled tongue (forming a straw). If you can't roll your tongue, inhale through your teeth with your tongue resting on your bottom teeth. Exhale slowly through the nose. The moisture on the tongue cools the air as it enters the respiratory system, helping to lower body temperature. And you can also try this: Lunar Channel Breathing (Chandra Bhedana): Focus on breathing in and out through the left nostril, which is associated with cooling in yogic traditions

Upcoming workshop: Please keep the last Saturday in September open for a retreat day/workshop at Anpeytu’s Gratitude and Retreat Farm – out in the Enfield countryside – on September 27. Let’s do art, learn about Spanish mustangs, eat a fresh-grown lunch. As an extra bonus, Susanna will be giving a group tuning. Anpeytu will let me know what the cost of the day is. We will probably be there from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Need a massage? Feel free to contact Vanessa directly if you would like an appointment for a massage. Lately she has been giving massages on Saturdays and Mondays. Call Vanessa Scaife on 252-314-0975 for more information. Gift certificates are available.

Help with your diet: Sarah Brinker is offering a free health history to see if health coaching is a good fit for you. Sarah is a certified health coach through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition and wants to help you succeed at following through with your health goals – whether that’s to lose weight or rid your body of toxins. Schedule a free 30-minute health history. Health stories can be done in person or over the phone. Call Sarah on 919-353-0882 for more information.

Need a tune-up? Do you need to be more energetically balanced? Would you like to reduce anxiety and stress and feel calm? Biofield Tuning is a form of energy medicine that uses sound waves, produced by tuning fork vibrations, to re-tune the body out of patterns of stress and tension. During a Biofield Tuning, a client lies fully clothed on a treatment table as a tuning fork scans the body. Susanna Martin is now offering this service at the studio. To schedule a tuning, please contact Susanna Martin directly at 201-401-4234.

No more smoothies: Kambria is pursuing other career options, so no more drinks at the studio. Send her good energy in her new pursuit.

Om Shanti,

Brenda

07/24/2025

We couldn't have an 8:30 a.m. class on Tuesday because of the power outage, but we are back in business. Hope to see you soon.

07/02/2025

Thank you VoyageRaleigh magazine:

06/18/2025

The summer solstice, occurring on Friday, June 20, 2025, at 10:41 p.m., is the first day of summer, with the sun reaching the highest point in the sky. The summer solstice is recognized as a time of powerful healing. My niece, Coleen, suggested I have my grand opening of Yoga Magnolia on June 21, 2011 (the summer solstice in 2011). This solstice we are celebrating 14 years at Yoga Magnolia. Normally I offer a free class on the studio's anniversary, but I will be visiting my first granddaughter in Brooklyn (studio is closed on Saturday), so there will be free classes on Thursday, June 19 - both the 8:30 a.m. class and the 6 p.m. class. Join us to celebrate 14 years! Hope you get a chance for a stroll in nature on Friday evening.

05/30/2025

Kambria has temporarily closed her smoothie station at Yoga Magnolia (at least for three months). Stay tuned.

03/03/2025

This Month at Yoga Magnolia – March

I am jumping the gun, but happy spring (on March 20)! Winters are always longer than I want them to be, so I’m really enjoying these early 70-degree days right now (after last week’s snowfall). Even though it looks grey and brown out there, nature is doing push-ups – growth is all around us. Let’s focus on this growth during our yoga practice this month. Be adventurous – try poses that you’ve shied away from – maybe wheel or camel or head stand or handstand. It’s all right if it’s not perfect. Yoga is a practice. And to add to this new vigor, let’s not forget about Daylight Saving Time, Sunday, March 9. Longer days!! More light!!

Balance: Late winter and early spring is Kapha season, according to Ayurveda. To avoid the imbalances of the heavy, damp Kapha season, we have to counteract it. One way to do this is to stimulate the breath, so this month we will be practicing Kapalabhati breathing (a.k.a. Skull Shining Breath or Breath of Fire). That’s where our outbreath is active and our inbreath is passive (the inbreath happens naturally). Another natural energizer.

No class on March 15: The Enfield Irish Literary Society will be marching in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Raleigh and we have to be there at 9:00 a.m., so there will be no Saturday class on March 15. Please feel free to join us for the march. You don’t have to be Irish. It’s only about a 2-mile walk. Let me know if you’re interested. I will give you more details about where we are meeting when I receive them.

Need a massage? Feel free to contact Vanessa directly if you would like an appointment for a massage. Lately she has been giving massages on Saturdays and Mondays. Call Vanessa Sciafe on 252-314-0975 for more information. Gift certificates are available.
Smoothies: Kambria is back with her delicious smoothies, tea and coffee. She is open from 10 am until 3 pm on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Stop by and enjoy a drink. For the time being, Kambria will not be teaching any yoga classes.

Help with your diet: Sarah Brinker is offering a free health history to see if health coaching is a good fit for you. Sarah is a certified health coach through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition and wants to help you succeed at following through with your health goals – whether that’s to lose weight or rid your body of toxins. Schedule a free 30-minute health history. Health stories can be done in person or over the phone. Call Sarah on 919-353-0882 for more information.

Need a tune-up? Do you need to be more energetically balanced? Would you like to reduce anxiety and stress and feel calm? Biofield Tuning is a form of energy medicine that uses sound waves, produced by tuning fork vibrations, to re-tune the body out of patterns of stress and tension. During a Biofield Tuning, a client lies fully clothed on a treatment table as a tuning fork scans the body. Susanna Martin is now offering this service at the studio. To schedule a tuning, please contact Susanna Martin directly at 201-401-4234.

Om Shanti,
Brenda

02/20/2025

Another snow day on Thursday. No classes.