If you are new here, welcome. And if you have been here for a while, welcome. Thank you for joining me on this journey.

Yesterday I came home from my first yoga festival, Front Range Yoga Festival (FRY for short) in Choteau, MT. I drove for four hours from my small town to another, to guide festival attendees through my two offerings; Gentle Flow and Intermediate Vinyasa. Nestled in a schedule full of incredibly fascinating classes that focused on feet, reiki, and balance, my classes drew in a willing and generous crowd from all over Montana. I was enthralled to meet others who made their way to the festival, including a handful of like-minded educators turned yoga teachers! I am constantly reminded of the importance of community and connection.

In April I had the incredible opportunity to travel to Paris with a friend (my first time in Europe), where we took a Yin yoga class. I understand only a few phrases in French, yet I fully enjoyed the rich and calming class. During Yin, the transitions are slow and gentle, and the stretching poses are held for several minutes. This made it easier for me to copy what the teacher and others were doing, as opposed to a faster style of yoga. Surprisingly, I was able to decipher many cues and phrases (inhale, exhale, relax the muscles...) that the teacher repeated throughout the class with a soothing and calming tone that transcended the language differences. The instructor showed several options for each pose with various props, an important element in my own yoga classes. What an eye-opening and humbling international experience that I can only hope was the first of many.

SUMMER SALE!

Take 10% off of your registration for my yoga retreat, Retreat to the Mountains, August 8-11. Use discount code SUMMER24. This event is close to being sold out, so claim your spot before it's too late!

Summer Schedule Updates

-I teach Vinyasa on Thursdays at 9 am at Love Yoga Montana in Kalispell, a beautiful heated studio.

-Join me on Fridays at 11am MST/10am PST for 30 minutes of movement via Zoom. Sometimes I teach from my home studio, and other times I am outside. Join me live or watch the recording. You can drop in for $10, rent the video for $5, or do both for free with a Yoga Membership.

-I am not teaching in Eureka at the Creative Arts Center (Saturdays at 9am) during the summer. I will announce updates for fall here and in my newsletter.

Lastly, in some non-yoga news, I joined a dance class for adults here in Eureka. We laughed a lot, explored movement possibilities, and performed in a dance recital at the end of the season. It was amazing to make new friends and to experience the thrill of dancing on a stage again, after almost two decades off from performing. It felt both familiar and new. What is old is new again.

Sign up for the class.

Go exploring.

Do what you love.

See you out there!

Val B

instagram.com/valbyoga

youtube.com/@valbyoga