About 115 people joined a yoga class on the Davidson Green Saturday, Oct. 13, at Yoga on the Green. (Gayle Shomer/DavidsonNews.net)

Kelley Gardner (Gayle Shomer/DavidsonNews.net)

Davidson’s Village Green filled with people doing yoga on Saturday afternoon for the first “Yoga on the Green,” a festival that included an open yoga class and music. The event, organized by The Bindu yoga studio in Cornelius, will also raised money for Davidson Farmer’s Market.

“I love looking out and seeing a sea of students with everyone doing a free and creative expression of each pose,” said Bindu owner Kelley Gardner, who organized the event.

Ms. Gardner joined 115 adults and children and 9 teachers from the Bindu. Read the full story

Yoga teachers and students from The Bindu promoted Saturday’s Yoga on the Green with a yoga “flash mob” at the Davidson Farmer’s Market last weekend. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

By DAVID BORAKS
DavidsonNews.net

The Davidson Village Green has seen just about every kind of gathering in recent years, from candle-light vigils and concerts to a bass-fishing tournament weigh-in and even a Guinness world record paddle-ball gathering. Get ready to add one more unique event: Yoga on the Green.

Organizers of the free yoga and music festival are hoping to lure yoga fans of all ages and levels to an open class on the Green this Saturday, Oct. 13, from 5-8 p.m. The event, organized by The Bindu yoga studio in Cornelius, will be collecting cash for Davidson Farmer’s Market. Read the full story

Dance Davidson this fall will offer a class in “Gentle Yoga for Adults.” The class will be for beginner or intermediate level, and is described as a “slower-paced, deep stretch class.” Meetings are Mondays and Thursdays at 10 a.m. at Dance Davidson, 140 Jackson St., Davidson. Read the full story

CORNELIUS - This fall Community Yoga will offer yoga classes specifically for mothers and daughters in an effort to encourage healthy living and foster positive body image. The classes also will help the community, as Community Yoga will donate the proceeds to the Cornelius Animal Shelter. Read the full story

YogaVibes.com team is, from left, April Bowen (friend and model for a recent photo shoot), Grace Morales (friend and model for photo shoot), Sara Gray (friend and model for photo shoot), Brian Ratte (founder and Vision Keeper), Meredith Johnston (director of operations), Mary Alice Mitchell (director of partner relations). (YogaVibes.com photo)

By DAVID BORAKS
DavidsonNews.net

Two-year-old YogaVibes.com is building what founder Brian Ratte calls the “Netflix of Yoga.” The Davidson-based video site lets yoga practitioners find online classes from top yoga teachers and events. The site usually produces its own videos, but this month announced another big step: A deal to show yoga videos from Wanderlust – a national series of wellness festivals. Read the full story

Oasis owner, Amanda Brutus-Phillips.

“All classes can be tailored to any level as there are modifications for each pose,” Ms. Brutus-Phillips said. So students of all abilities – including those who have never tried yoga before – are encouraged to attend.

“I believe yoga can be experienced by anyone who has an interest in wanting to live a healthy life, finding peace through their own spiritual path, and finding a better way of living,” Ms. Brutus-Phillips said.  Read the full story

By KELLEY GARDNER

Perspective is everything, wouldn’t you agree?

I don’t like diets, never have. I do like feeling vibrant and energetic all day long. Years ago, when eating 5-6 small healthy meals a day became the mantra for stabilizing blood sugar and maintaining energy throughout the day, I was delighted. I’ve never been fond of actually feeling hungry. It was too often quickly followed by grumpiness. Truthfully, the only time I wasn’t prone to grazing was while asleep. Read the full story

Davidson's Triple Play Farm and The Tree yoga studio are offering yoga on horseback.

A Davidson horse farm and a local yoga studio are teaming up to offer an unusual class this fall that will get yoga practitioners up off the mat onto horseback.

“Roll up your yoga mat. You’re not going to need it for this class,” read a press release from Triple Play Farm, on Kistler Farm Road off East Rocky River Road in east Davidson. Read the full story

I wish I lived my life off the yoga mat the way I do on it.

On the mat, I am totally accepting. Off the mat, it’s a different story.

I’ve been practicing yoga intermittently for more than 10 years, the last few spent going regularly to different classes at the YMCA. About a dozen different highly trained instructors teach 20 weekly yoga classes of varying levels, such as Power, Vinyasa, Gentle and, even, Chair yoga.

And I like them all. Not once have I ever walked out of a class, thinking, “I didn’t get anything out of that” or “I didn’t like that instructor’s style.” Not once. Read the full story

Bill Mahony

The Bindu Yoga and Wellness in Cornelius will offer a workshop the weekend of Jan. 15-16 that mix discussions of yoga texts with short yoga sessions. Dr. William Mahony, professor and chair of religion at Davidson College, will lead the lectures and discussions on how heart-centered spiritual practices can open participants to experience love.
Read the full story