Yoga With Sonya

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Yoga With Sonya

I help string players who struggle with pain and discomfort to become more body-aware so that they can prevent injury and play with ease for years to come.

13/07/2023

...wait, where did that baby come from?!

Allow me to introduce you to the reason for my prolonged yoga hiatus, but more importantly, the reason for my renewed commitment to the practice: my daughter, Raya.

I taught my last class on her due date, two days before she was born, and hadn't stepped on the mat since... Until I found myself in Houston last week where something rather unexpected took place. More on that in the next post; right now all I want to say is that I'm excited to be reconnecting with you all!

13/05/2022

Calling all string players!

Do you want to…

…become more body-aware?

…learn to prevent and manage injuries?

…gain the confidence to pass these skills on to your colleagues, students, and loved ones?

Join me on Monday, May 23, 12:00 - 1:30 PM CDT for the Yoga Better for String Players Workshop!

The workshop is being offered in-person at Yoga Better Studio in Houston, TX (yep, I'm coming for a visit!), as well as online.

A recording will be made available to all who register.

$40 / $25 Students (use code STUDENT)

Absolutely zero experience required; this workshop is for all levels of fitness.

Link in bio to register.

30/03/2022

It's been pretty quiet on this page for the last couple of months, but I've got some updates that I'll be sharing very soon, and my email list will be the first to hear the news!

Let me know in the comments if you'd like the link to sign up and score a free class pass while you're at it! 🙃

02/01/2022

Happy New Year! 🎊

May 2022 bring joy and peace into your life.

Russians take New Year's celebrations very seriously. The first 10 days of January are in fact a nationwide "winter break" and festivities usually continue until it's time to resume normal daily life.

Many of our traditions are similar to those of Christmas, only without the religious context. We decorate trees, exchange gifts (brought by Grandfather Frost), and spend time with family and friends.

But perhaps the most important tradition is that of the New Year's Eve feast. We prepare an array of dishes, most of which are various types of Russian salads, usually containing potatoes, some type of meat or fish, and copious amounts of mayonnaise. There are also delicacies like caviar, cured meats, marinated veggies, and whatever else seems like it belongs on the table. We usually sit down to eat at around 11pm (or even later) to see off the old year. At midnight we open champagne to welcome the new year, and continue the meal with a second course (something hot from the oven). In my family, this is usually followed by presents, and then tea, dessert, and sometimes a traditional New Year's movie.

Needless to say, nobody does much of anything on January 1st, except enjoy leftovers and old Soviet films while lounging around in pajamas. 😅 But for as long as I can remember, my mom always made sure that we also get some air, and today was no different. We went on a lovely walk around the neighborhood, and above all else, I am grateful for the time that I got to spend outside today (though admittedly, I was reluctant to go at first).

I'm not big on setting New Year's resolutions, but this January I am trying something new. I will be spending the next week or so setting intentions for the coming year and taking time to recover and rest.

As a professional musician, I always have a super full schedule right up until Christmas Day, and with our road trip to Houston, this holiday season has been especially exhausting. I haven't been showing up how I want in many areas of my life, and so I will be using the first days of January to hit the reset button.

How are you spending the first days of 2022?

28/12/2021

Nothing warms my heart like hearing about the transformations my students are experiencing in their lives as a result of the work they're doing.

I am grateful that I get to be a resource to these amazing people. Thank you for your trust and for your commitment to your health; you make the world a better place!

I believe that we all have the power to transform our health and to improve the quality of our lives. My mission is to empower my students to take responsibility for their own health so that they can prevent injury and enjoy their favourite activities for years to come.

Catch the last class of 2021 this Friday at 8:00 AM Eastern Time! Link in bio.

28/12/2021

We are once again on the road today, Canada-bound!

It's going to be a loooong drive, but I am grateful for our fierce little car, perfect road conditions, and most of all, the company of my amazing co-pilot and husband extraordinaire ! ❤️

Houston, it's been a blast, and until next time!

26/12/2021

The past two weeks have been a whirlwind of driving across the continent, teaching, performing, cooking, eating, and most importantly, catching up with dear friends.

It was truly wonderful to see my Texan students in person and to hear them perform a beautiful recital. It was a joy to spend Christmas in the house which was my home during the years that I studied at the University of Houston and to spend time with my honorary Houston parents. It felt absolutely amazing to practice yoga at my home studio, and to see some familiar faces.

And the weather ultimately did not disappoint. The past few days have been sunny and warm, and we got to uphold a newly established annual tradition of playing an outdoor concert on Christmas Day.

My heart is full as I reflect on these past 10 days. Above all, I am incredibly grateful for my Houstonian family, Mark and Mardi (), without whom I don't know that we would have even considered making this trip.

We leave for Canada tomorrow, but it will not be long until I'm back to visit again. ❤️

06/12/2021

I'm grateful today for the flexibility of working (mostly) from home, of being my own boss (though the cats would beg to differ), and most of all, for getting to do what I love every single day.

There's a Yoga for String Players class tonight, and if you follow the link in my bio, you can get a free class pass which you can use for any of my classes! Share the link with your friends and they can get a free pass as well!

05/12/2021

Today, I'm grateful for my wonderful cello students. If it were not for them, I don't know how we would have survived the pandemic. My husband and I are both professional musicians, and performing is a big chunk of our livelihood. When the world stopped in 2020, we lost all our performance work and the income that came with it.

I am so thankful that my students were all willing to transition to online lessons and I am astonished by how well everything worked out. Initially, I had my doubts about teaching music over Zoom, but with the right tech and the ability to use language to describe movement (thank you, ), I have actually found it to be quite enjoyable and not all that different from in-person. And although we moved to Canada over the summer, I still have quite a few students left in Houston who are taking lessons over Zoom. I can't wait to see them all in 3D later this month when we drive town for their Winter Recital!

Sundays are my marathon cello teaching days - usually about seven hours, but eight if we have studio class, like today. 😅

I used to schedule everyone back to back when I taught at a studio, but since I now teach exclusively from home, I've built in a few breaks. I love having the time to stretch, make a cup of tea, and get some of my own practicing done. I have no idea how I used to go for an entire day straight - and often for much longer than 8 hours. 😳

Are you a string player? Want to join me for a yoga class designed just for string players? Follow the link in my bio to get a free class pass! Next one is tomorrow at 7:30 PM Eastern Time!

03/12/2021

Today I'm grateful for days off. Not the spontaneous, last-minute-cancellations kind (though those are great), but the intentional kind.

Until very recently, I never used to schedule time off. Now it's something I make sure to prioritize, at least every once in a while.

I taught a morning class today and then did some admin catch-up, but for the next 24 hours I have nothing on my schedule and I am setting aside my to-do list just as soon as I share this post. 😅

Swipe left for a photo of Basil inspecting my incense. 😺

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https://app.arketa.co/yogawithsonya

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