Yoga Magnolia Enfield

02/04/2026

This Month at Yoga Magnolia - February

“The current Zodiac year (which runs January 29, 2025, to February 16, 2026) is the Year of the Wood Snake, which represents the shedding of old stories and habits, recalibrating what works for you and honoring internal intelligence. With the arrival of the Year of the Fire Horse, that clarity demands an external home with decisive, consistent action.” – Morgan Fargo

As though we didn’t do enough celebrating in December and January! Happy Chinese New Year, which begins on Tuesday, February 17, 2026. This is the Year of the Fire Horse – forward motion, endurance, strength (horse) coupled with fire (passion, creativity, transformation). Think momentum over hesitation, instinct rather than overanalyzing. Forward movement is rewarded. If you are a dog, a sheep, a tiger or a horse (according to your Chinese birth year), you are going to enjoy this Horse energy.

According to an article in Vogue (January 12, 2026): Things to do more of in the Year of the Horse:
• Regular movement and exercise that you can consistently maintain over time.
• Practicing nervous system regulation through breathwork, meditation, journaling, or time spent outdoors.
• Creating clear boundaries around when and how you rest, remembering that it’s essential, not optional.

Cancellation of Class When There Was No Snow: So, once again, I believed what WRAL was saying on Friday and I cancelled Saturday morning’s class at 8:30 a.m. (Not a flake on the ground Saturday morning.) The snow eventually came in the afternoon – about 5 inches – but we could have had class if I hadn’t jumped the gun. The one positive is that it was really COLD on Saturday morning, so maybe many of you didn’t want to venture out anyhow. Regardless, I will check multiple weather reports before cancelling again (I do hope we don’t have any more snowstorms).

Breath of the Month: Last month we worked our way up to 30 Bellows Breaths for three cycles. This is a wonderful way to strengthen the lungs (really using that diaphragm) and warm up your insides. Like Breath of Fire, Bhastrika breath is an energizing breath. This month we are going to use Breath of Fire. According to AI (my new weather forecaster), February averages around 10 days of rain, with about 3.64 inches of precipitation, often resulting in cold, damp conditions. We will let the Breath of Fire warm us up and get us ready for spring.

Two Scholarships for 10-Classes of Yoga: I would like to thank Susanna Martin for donating two scholarships for a 10-Class Yoga package. If you know someone who would benefit from yoga and you want to recommend them, let me know. I just ask that the person who gets the scholarship looks at the yoga schedule first and makes sure that they can attend the classes. If no one is nominated this month, I will put names in a hat and pick two winners of the 10 free classes. Thank you again Susanna!

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.

Namaste,
Brenda

12/27/2025

This Month – January 2026

“For a change, don't add new things in your life as a new year's resolution. Instead, do more of what's already working for you and stop doing things that are time-waste.” ― Salil Jha

A new year: If you’ve been a student at Yoga Magnolia over the years, you’ll know that I am a fan of resolutions. I make them every year – and I keep a list that I review at the end of the year to see how I’ve done. I do a Top 10. Usually I keep about six new resolutions, but the other four usually appear year after year after year. One of the reasons for this is either the resolution involves other people (so I’m only 50 percent responsible) and the other reason that I don’t keep those resolutions is because I am just not ready to do what I planned. So this year, let’s make resolutions that we have control over – our diet, our health, our schedule, our pursuits (that don’t involve others). Whatever they are, be realistic. I am optimistic about 2026. I am keeping my resolutions completely within my control – anything else … I surrender to the grace of God.

So happy New Year everyone. I’m sending this monthly email out early because of the schedule at the end of December.
Tricky Schedule in December: Christmas falls in the middle of the week, so I've amended my schedule. There will not be any classes on Thursday, Christmas day. We will have a Saturday class, December 27 at 8:30 a.m. The following week is even more confusing (family in town): No classes on Tuesday, December 30 or Wednesday, December 31. There will be a FREE 8:30 a.m. class on Thursday (no 6 p.m. class on New Year's Day). There will be a class on Saturday, January 3 at 8:30 a.m. The next week, we are back to a normal schedule. Hope to see you. If I miss you, Happy Holidays and best wishes for 2026!

Breath of the Month: In December, we did not focus on the breath. Instead we tried three-minute meditations. The first week we did a Loving Kindness meditation; the second week we did a candle-gazing meditation; the third week we did a count the breath meditation, the fourth week we did a movement meditation. In the fifth week we will do a Sat, ta, na, ma meditation. What’s this? Sa ta na ma (Sanskrit: स त न म) is the name given to a fundamental kundalini kirtan kriya, which is a type of meditation. It is one of the most important meditations in Kundalini yoga and it was popularized in the West by Yogi Bhajan. Also sometimes simply called kirtan kriya, sa ta na ma is said to help reorient the mind and prepare it for transformational change.

There are several definitions that can be attributed to the sa ta na ma Sanskrit letters. Some studies attribute no meaning to the letters at all, but instead encourage the practitioner to enjoy them for their sound vibrations. Sa ta na ma is often chanted as part of a Kundalini meditation as it encourages the energy to rise in the spine and expand to the head. This awakened energy can be used for enlightenment, increased awareness and for ta***ic practices.

In January, our breath of the month will be Bellows Breath. “Bellows Breath (Bhastrika Pranayama) is a vigorous yoga breathing technique using rapid, forceful, and equal inhales and exhales through the nose, mimicking a blacksmith's bellows to energize the body, increase focus, boost metabolism, and clear the mind, often done in rounds with a straight spine.”

Two Scholarships for 10-Classes of Yoga: I would like to thank Susanna Martin, our biofield tuner at Yoga Magnolia, for donating two scholarships for a 10-Class Yoga package. If you are feeling the pinch of Christmas, and your need some financial help, let me know. If you know someone who would benefit from yoga and you want to recommend them, let me know. I just ask that the person who gets the scholarship checks the yoga schedule first and makes sure that they can attend the classes. Thank you again Susanna!

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.

Om Shanti and Happy 2026!!!!
Brenda

12/22/2025

Happy Holidays!

Just want to announce that Susanna Martin, our Biofield Tuner at Yoga Magnolia, donated two 10-class scholarships for yoga. If you know someone who would benefit from one of these scholarships, please reach out to Brenda Greene. Applicants should check out the Yoga Magnolia class schedule beforehand to make sure your schedule will allow you to attend the classes.

On another matter:

Tricky Schedule in December: Christmas falls in the middle of the week, so I've amended my schedule. We will have a Tuesday, December 23 class, but Wednesday's class will be at 8:30 a.m. (instead of 6 p.m.) because that's Christmas Eve and everyone will be busy. There will not be any classes on Thursday, Christmas day. We will have a Saturday class, December 27 at 8:30 a.m. The following week is even more confusing (family in town): No classes on Tuesday, December 30 or Wednesday, December 31. There will be a FREE 8:30 a.m. class on Thursday (no 6 p.m. class on New Year's Day). There will be a class on Saturday, January 3 at 8:30 a.m. The next week, we are back to a normal schedule. Hope to see you. If I miss you, Happy Holidays and best wishes for 2026!

12/09/2025

They are forecasting icy roads tomorrow, Tuesday, so classes are cancelled. See you Wednesday!

11/25/2025

I know everyone is busy on Thanksgiving morning - cooking, cleaning, preparing. It's hectic, but you can start your day in a peaceful mode by joining us at Yoga Magnolia for a free class at 8:30 a.m. We do it every year. There will not be a 6 p.m. class on Thursday. Hope you can make the early class.

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.