Posts Tagged With: jivamukti online

Black Lives Matter

Posted on June 1, 2020 by april dechagas

For those of you actively participating in peaceful protests – stay strong, be safe, be smart.

If you feel like practicing this week, I am here. If not, I get it. The schedule is below.

I never expected the person who sits in the White House to make any type of supportive statement about BIPOC, the Black Lives Matter movement, or the horrific actions of the police officers who killed George Floyd. The fact that he ran and hid with the lights of the White House turned off was extra appalling. I won’t dignify those officers or the person who happens to be sitting in the White House by saying their names.

I will say these names LOUDLY. I will support BIPOC in any way that I can and actively stand up for their rights, now and always. These are only the names of the people who were killed by police that made recent “headlines”. There are countless others:

TONY MCDADE

GEORGE FLOYD

SEAN REED

BREONNA TAYLOR

AHMAUD ARBERY

TAMIR RICE

KORRYN GAINES

PHILANDO CASTILE

ERIC GARNER

TRAYVON MARTIN

FREDDIE GRAY

SANDRA BLAND

President Barack Obama made a statement on Monday, June 1st. I urge you to read it. And to echo what he says later on, changes to the way our policing system works happens at the local level, not federal. VOTE!!!!https://medium.com/@BarackObama/how-to-make-this-moment-the-turning-point-for-real-change-9fa209806067

theroot.com also posted a timeline of events that led to what they call the “Fed-Up” Rising, https://www.theroot.com/a-timeline-of-events-that-led-to-the-2020-fed-up-rising-1843780800

Be well. Stay safe. Stand tall for BIPOC. They aren’t being heard. It’s way past time to listen. See you on the mat.

Love,

April

Suggested donation is $10-20 sliding scale or free if you are currently without income due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Please be honest about this as teaching Zoom classes is currently my only form of income.

Payments accepted via Venmo @April-Dechagas or PayPal aprildechagas@gmail.com, or Zelle.

Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: Black lives matter, i stand with bipoc, jivamukti nyc, jivamukti online, Jivamukti Yoga, live stream yoga, yoga at home, zoom, zoom yoga | Leave a comment

Zoom Yoga 5/27-6/1 & Feeding the Birds!

Posted on May 26, 2020 by april dechagas

Zoom schedule below. Send me a message if you need log-in details!

In other non-zoom news, I have finally invested in a bird feeder! The box it came in says it could take up to 5 weeks for birds to arrive, but if there’s seed, they will come! I learned (on Google) that there is specific seed that squirrels and pigeons do not like, so I bought a mixture of safflower, nyjer and striped sunflower seeds to keep them away. I had one curious squirrel pop by and he took one sniff and RAN as if it were the most disgusting thing in the world, so I guess the interwebs were correct.

I also had an interested male Northern Cardinal come by already! I was super excited since the only birds that have made an appearance the past 7 years are pigeons, but unfortunately I was so excited I scared it away before he ate some seed 😦 I’ve noticed that cardinals are more skittish than other birds.But I’m sure he’ll be back!

Picture of my new bird feeder below 🙂

See you on the Zoom mat! ❤☀🕶Love,April

Suggested donation for classes is $10-20 sliding scale or free if you are currently without income due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Please be honest about this as teaching Zoom classes is currently my only form of income.

Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: bird feeder, bird seed, birding at home, brding, jivamukti digital, jivamukti online, Jivamukti Yoga, jivamukti yoga nyc, live stream yoga, yoga at home, yoga online, zoom, zoom yoga | Leave a comment

Zoom Yoga 5/20-5/25 & Nature in NYC

Posted on May 18, 2020 by april dechagas

This week’s teaching schedule has a slight change – the Wednesday evening 60 min class will now take place at 8 am. Full schedule below.

Quite a few people have asked me for recommendations on where you can explore nature and wildlife in the 5 Boroughs, so I thought I’d leave a list here of some of the places I’ve been exploring. Unfortunately unless you have a car, some of these places are more challenging to get to during current times, but well worth exploring if you can. The list below is by borough, and is definitely not all-inclusive, just places I’ve enjoyed.

Brooklyn:

Marine Park Salt Marsh Trail

Gerritsen Beach

Plumb Beach (go during low tide)

North Forty Natural Area (Floyd Bennet Field is currently closed – but putting this here for when it reopens)

Shore Road Park/Bay Ridge Promenade

Prospect Park

Queens:

Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge

Forest Park

Manhattan:

The Ramble, Ravine, and North Woods in Central Park

Fort Tryon Park (one of my faves)

Staten Island:

The Greenbelt (High Rock Park and Latourette Park)

Scarlett Tanagers chillin’ at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge

Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: birding, jivamukti jersey city, jivamukti online, Jivamukti Yoga, jivamukti yoga nyc, live stream yoga, nature in nyc, yoga at home, zoom yoga | Leave a comment

Zoom Yoga 5/13 – 5/18 & More on the Greenbelt

Posted on May 11, 2020 by april dechagas

Zoom schedule below!

If you missed last week’s dharma talk in the 90 min classes, I shared a story that was sent to me by a student (with her permission) about the Greenbelt in Staten Island. Here’s what she had to say in her own words:

“My dad, an environmental journalist, grew up on Staten Island and got his start working at their local paper, the Staten Island Advance. During that time, there were Moses-era plans to put an interstate through the Greenbelt, which sparked local action to preserve the open space. My dad covered it all, and it was probably the first land preservation work he ever did as a writer (now that’s all he does).
“Save the Greenbelt” was the slogan, postered all over Staten Island. I even have one of his old t-shirts that says Save the Greenbelt. In the newsroom, it became an adage, “Save the fucking Greenbelt” you might say with an eye roll, as if to say, “just get the job done,” if somebody was complaining or exaggerating (intoned like, “ah, get over it”).”

This story fits in perfectly with the Jivamukti Focus of the Month – Spiritual Activism. If you’d like to read this month’s focus, written by Jivamukti Yoga co-founder Sharon Gannon, you can find it here.

While the first part of the essay focuses on veganism, the concept applies to any cause you are fighting for – whether it’s saving a natural habitat, or fighting for social/civil rights, or protections during an epidemic. (read last 3 paragraphs if you don’t feel like reading the whole thing!) “To think well of another and to want that person’s happiness, even though you do not agree with the person’s current thoughts and actions, is the key to spiritual activism.”

Categories: focus of the month, jivamukti, Vegan, Yoga, Yoga Class Schedule | Tags: greenbelt, jivamukti jersey city, jivamukti online, Jivamukti Yoga, jivamukti yoga nyc, live stream yoga, nature in nyc, nyc nature, staten island, staten island advance, Yoga, yoga online, zoom yoga | Leave a comment

Zoom Yoga 5/6-5/11 & the Greenbelt of Staten Island

Posted on May 4, 2020 by april dechagas

I’ve been trying to use my free time wisely – exploring nature right here in NYC and I’m in awe of what surrounds us.

Did you know there are 2800 acres of natural woodlands and creeks right in Staten Island (with the exception of Moses Mountain – which is man made, but still very cool!)? I have lived in NY my whole life and had no clue this was here! It’s called the Greenbelt, and it’s amazing! I felt like I was upstate yet was only 15 minutes from my apartment in Brooklyn! So crazy, and my new favorite spot! Before now SI was mostly just a way for me to get to the mainland US, and to occasionally attend a Passover Seder or SI Yankee game. Who knew!!

I imagine that this, along with the marshlands I’ve been exploring, is what most of NYC looked like before it was built up. It’s filled with wildlife – just yesterday I met a raccoon, chipmunks, squirrels (of course), turtles, a red bellied woodpecker, bluejays, gray catbirds, great egrets, and canadian geese. Oh, and chickens (!), but I think they belonged to someone. There are deer also, but I did not have the pleasure of seeing one. I can’t wait to get back!

Zoom teaching schedule and some photos from my outdoor (socially distanced and face masked responsibly) adventures.

See you on the Zoom mat!

Categories: jivamukti, Travel, Yoga, Yoga Class Schedule | Tags: birding, birding nyc, greenbelt, high rock park, jivamukti nyc, jivamukti online, Jivamukti Yoga, live stream yoga, nyc wildlife, staten island, yoga online, zoom yoga | Leave a comment

Zoom Yoga 4/15-4/20

Posted on April 14, 2020 by april dechagas

Song lyrics are also poetry! In keeping with National Poetry Month, these are the lyrics to Bill Withers’ Lovely Day 🙂 And teaching schedule below.

Lovely Day – Bill Withers

When I wake up in the morning, love
And the sunlight hurts my eyes
And something without warning, love
Bears heavy on my mind

Then I look at you
And the world’s alright with me
Just one look at you
And I know it’s gonna be
A lovely day
A lovely day

When the day that lies ahead of me
Seems impossible to face
When someone else instead of me
Always seems to know the way

Then I look at you
And the world’s alright with me
Just one look at you
And I know it’s gonna be
A lovely day
A lovely day

Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: bill withers, jivamukti, jivamukti online, jivamukti yoga nyc, live stream yoga, national poetry month, social distancing yoga, Yoga, zoom yoga | Leave a comment

Zoom Classes 4/8-4/13 & National Poetry Month

Posted on April 7, 2020 by april dechagas

It’s National Poetry Month! Each week a different poem will be featured as the dharma talk in my 90-minute classes! Along with this week’s schedule below, you’ll also find a poem by Rumi called The Guest House.

Log-in for Zoom classes is available by email only. If you are not currently on my mailing list, but would like to attend class, please send me a message!

The guest house ~~ Rumi

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
Some momentary awareness comes
As an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows,
Who violently sweep your house
Empty of its furniture,
Still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
For some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
Meet them at the door laughing,
And invite them in.
Be grateful for whoever comes,
Because each has been sent,
As a guide from beyond

Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: coronavirus, covid-19, jivamukti, jivamukti nyc, jivamukti online, Jivamukti Yoga, jivamukti yoga nyc, live stream yoga, love in the time of corona, poetry, rumi, social distancing, social distancing yoga, the guest house, world poetry month, yoga distancing, yoga online, zoom yoga | Leave a comment

Live-Stream Classes 4/1-4/6

Posted on March 31, 2020 by april dechagas

As much as I love personal connection with friends/families/students and miss it A LOT, I am extremely grateful for the technology we have today that allows us to still stay close, even though we are apart. Zoom yoga has been a surprising blessing.

Some changes for this week – I will not be holding class on Thursday this week. It is my 40th birthday, and I am taking the day off! By request, I am also adding a 7 am class back on to my teaching schedule. For those of you who need to get practice in before you work from home.

Schedule for the week is below. From now on Zoom log-in information will be sent via email only. If you would like to take class and are not currently on my email list, please contact me with your email address!

Categories: Yoga, Yoga Class Schedule | Tags: coronavirus, covid-19, jivamukti nyc, jivamukti online, Jivamukti Yoga, jivamukti yoga nyc, live stream yoga, social distancing, zoom yoga | 1 Comment

Upcoming Live-Stream Classes 3/25-3/30

Posted on March 24, 2020 by april dechagas

When I was growing up, and music stores were still in existence (Sam Goody – my go-to, Toward Records, etc.) Tuesday was the day new music came out. It wasn’t always easy to convince my mom to take me, but once I had my license, that is often where you would find me – perusing the newest music releases – examining cover artwork, reading track listings, and making carefully selected purchases. I could spend hours in a music store. This was even more exciting in college where in Albany they had actual small scale record stores rather than the chain stores found in Long Island.

So in keeping with tradition, Tuesday is the day my weekly Zoom schedule will be released. I will also start creating playlists again (it’s been a few weeks since my last compilation) that you can play from Spotify (if you want) during my classes. Below you will find the full schedule, including one-click links as well as meeting ID/passwords.

Three new class times have been added to the schedule – all 60 minute classes, including Spiritual Warrior. If you are unfamiliar with the Spiritual Warrior sequence, it is a 60-min set-sequence Jivamukti class created by Sharon Gannon & David Life.