SoWal Scene - South Walton County, Florida Blog

Find Your Happy Place in a Yoga or Meditation Class in South Walton

It's best to call to confirm class times - they tend to change often.  Also, call for pricing information.

Yoga On 30A
Iyengar Yoga
Located in the Shops of Grayton on Hwy 283, 2/10 of a mile north of Scenic 30A. [map]

• Mondays 5-7pm, Level 1-2
• Tuesdays 3:45-5:15pm, Therapeutic All Levels | 5:45-7:15pm, Level 1
• Wednesdays 5-7:00pm, Level 2
• Thursdays 10-11:30am, Level 1

Balance Health Studio
Power & Vinyasa Flow Yoga
Located at 3547 E County Highway 30A in Seagrove Beach [map] | 850.231.9288

• Mondays 9:30am and 5:30pm
  
• Tuesdays 9:30am
  
• Wednesdays 9:30am and 5:30pm
• Thursdays 9:30am and 11am
• Fridays 9:30am
• Saturdays 9am
• Sundays 11:30am

Yoga Pilates By the Sea
Hot & Yogalattes Yoga & Meditations
Classes held at Pure Pilates by the Sea located at  56 Spires Lane Unit #14A in Gulf Place [map] | 850.231.1088

• Mondays Hot Yoga 8:30am and 10am
• Tuesdays Guided Meditation with Alice McCall at noon - 12:30pm
• Wednesdays Yogalattes Flow 8:30am and 10am
• Thursdays 9:30am and 11am

Grayton Beach Fitness
Hatha Yoga
Located at 38 Clayton Ln # 17 in Grayton Beach [map] | 850.231.7075

• Mondays 8:30am
  
• Wednesdays 8:30am
• Fridays 8:30am

Rosemary Beach Fitness Center
Hatha Yoga
Located on East Water Street in Rosemary Beach (Take CR 30A to Rosemary Beach.Turn north on East Water Street. East Water will run in to the Sky Pool. The fitness center is just west of the Sky Pool.) | 850.278.2200.

• Tuesdays 8:30am
• Thursdays 8:30am

Dancing with Life Studio
Core & Vinyasa style Yoga
Located at 275 Lakewood Drive in Seagrove Beach [map] | 850.231.2977

• Mondays 9am
• Wednesdays 9am & 6pm
• Saturdays 9am

Find your happy place at these upcoming events!

►Workshop: Open and Aware: Seeing Ourselves Clearly
Yoga on 30A in Grayton Beach
July 5th | August 2nd | August 30th
10a-noon ($25) and 4-6p ($25) or $45 for both classes

BKS Iyengar wants us to see each pose with fresh eyes every time we practice. We'll work towards developing this ability in sequences that include a variety of poses- standing, supine, forward bends, twists, backbends, and inversions. The morning classes will be more active and energetic. The afternoon classes will focus on poses that renew energy and quiet the nervous system.

These classes are open to anyone who has studied yoga continuously in any tradition for at least six months. To reserve a place and for more information, please call 850-231-1758.

►Workshop: Divining Traditions
July 12 | 9a-noon
$50
Inlet Beach Area
Alice McCall - Healing Path

Learn to use a pendulum, automatic writing, and more.  With exercises throughout to experience each technique!  Pendulum included in price!  To register for any of the events below, please email alice@healingpath.info or call 850-585-5496.

►Brain Gym at the Crescent in Miramar Beach
October 10 -13

Enjoy the pristine, sugar white sands of the Emerald Coast on the Gulf of Mexico in Northwest Florida as you renew, rejuvenate, discover, and explore your Brain Gym® expertise and resources, and network with like minded, like hearted and spirited enthusiasts of the Brain Gym community.

Lead by Colleen Gardner, Brain Gym International faculty member, and Anne Hornstein, licensed Brain Gym consultant, the Blossoms Adventure includes Healthy Boundaries, Brain Waves and Sensory Awareness, Life Dancing, Heart Synergy, Twelve Senses, Heart Buttonz, Labyrinth Lagniappe, Yoga, SanDancing, Brain Gym in the Gulf, Play, Fun, Joy and more.

Cost is $144 if you register by August 10; $188 after.  $44 non-refundable deposit holds your space.  Limited to 50 participants. To reserve your spot, contact Anne at LifeDancer@gmail.com  or call 850-654-4342.

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Attention SoWal Yogis & Yoginis!

I am very excited to announce there is a new yoga instructor in town who is going to be offering yoga instruction to children and adults in South Walton!  Welcome to the beach, Shelley!

Shelley Moore of Shelley Yoga and her family recently moved to Santa Rosa Beach from Tallahassee and she has started a yoga-to-business in our area where she will come to your home, workplace or other off-site location to teach private and small group yoga classes, including:

• Baby yoga (12 weeks - almost crawling) - up to 12 children
• Toddler yoga (crawling - 24 mos) - up to 12 children
• Preschool yoga (2-4 yrs) - up to 8 children
• Kids yoga (5-12 yrs) - up to 8 children
• Teen yoga (13-17 yrs) - up to 8 people
• Adults - privates or up to 8 people

Shelley's teaching style emphasizes the Ashtanga/Vinyasa Flow tradition of Hatha Yoga but she also draws  techniques from all traditions (awesome!) and will tailor the classes according to the level and goal of her private clients and groups.

Find Your Happy Place at these upcoming events

►Sunday, April 13 at 530pm | Free viewing of the new Louise Hay movie, "You Can Heal Your Life" and discussion | Coastal Branch Library on Hwy 331S [map] |

Hosted by Sarabelle Gruber, renowned teacher and healer, the film features interviews with Christianne Northrup, M.D., Gregg Braden, Marianne Williamson, Wayne Dyer and others, and offers inspiration on how to follow Ghandi's famous advice, "Be the change you wish to see in the world".

►Sunday, April 20 from 8am-5pm | Walking Your Path day-long meditative gathering | Rosemary Beach | $95 before April 16, $125 after | 850-419-2558.

Spend a day defining the main obstacles along your spiritual path, how to lessen the impact of these obstables and identifying the role your actions, minds and goals play in walking your spiritual path.  The gathering will be lead by renowned spiritual speaker Don Daniels and One Hand Clapping's Phillip Ellis.  An organic, vegetarian breakfast and lunch will be served and participants will enjoy the soothing benefits of a labyrinth etched in the sand by Anita Howard.  Gentle hatha yoga session will be lead Carolyn Renyolds.

► Saturday, April 26 from 9am-2pm | Optimize You workshop with Alice McCall | Rosemary Beach area | $60 | 850-585-5496.

This workshop will focus on discussing what the chakras, part of the body's energy system, purpose are and participants will be guided through a series of meditaions to cleanse, balance and tune the chakras for better health and wellness.

Adieu - OneYoga Boutique Studio, South Walton

From the website:

"It is with great regret that I am announcing that OneYoga Boutique Studio - South Walton will be closing indefinitely on March 13.

It's been quite a ride for me personally and professionally and I am eternally grateful that  I have had the opportunity to bring South Walton it's first multi-style yoga and meditation studio dedicated exclusively to both practices. I will be ready and willing to pursue the opportunity again if and when the area is ready to support me so please stay tuned in the future!

There are several places in SoWal to take a yoga class still - Dancing with Life in Seagrove, Balance Health Studio in Seagrove, Yoga on 30A in Grayton Beach - so please continue to support these small businesses."

Kid's Yoga (ages 4-7 years) Starting Next Wednesday

Attention moms and dads - Lauren Romano, certified children's yoga instructor, will be offering a new Kid's Yoga 4-class session beginning next Wednesday, February 20 from 3-4pm at OneYoga Boutique Studio in Santa Rosa Beach. at Dancing with Life in Seagrove Beach.

Each class will incorporate yoga movement, children's literature and an art project to tie each theme together. Your child be able to explore yoga postures in a safe and loving environment, gain self-esteem, become more aware of their body in space and work cooperatively in a group. A healthy snack will be provided.

Cost is $50 for the 4-week session.  Her classes fill quickly so register with her as soon as possible if you are interested at 850.543.0323.

Pilates: Studio A now open in Miramar Beach

A new pilates studio - pilates: studio A - held it's grand opening on February 9.  Located in Miramar Beach on Highway 98, it's in the strip mall where the new Melting Pot restaurant is, just west of Silver Sands Outlet Mall. 

Branding themselves as, "NW Florida's only authentic pilates studio", they have a beautiful website that makes you want to check out the studio.  I will report back when I do.

From the website: "pilates:studio A is the only Pilates studio in NW Florida that descends directly-in its methods and its certification-from Joseph Pilates himself. All instructors at pilates:studio A are either 2nd Generation Certified Authentic Pilates™ Instructors (trained and certified by Master teacher Romana Kryzanowska, who was herself trained by Joseph Pilates) or are 3rd Generation Authentic Pilates™ Instructors, trained and certified by 2nd Generation Certified Authentic Pilates™ Teacher Trainers. The certification program assures that the system, as developed by Joseph Pilates, is taught safely and effectively, and is consistent with the experience of more than 70 years of practice."

pilates: studio A is located at 11394 US Highway 98 West, Miramar Beach | 850-424-3778

Time to hit the gym

It was that time of year again for me recently - time for the dreaded annual physical.  Now, I knew going in that I am not in top condition.  I turned 37 last year and I have noticed little things starting to fall apart - body parts appear to be sagging in a whole new way, my skin seems to have lost some of that youthful glow, recovery after a big meal or a night of wine drinking with friends is longer, and, most noticeably, my clothes began to shrink. 

But even my awareness of these things didn't prepare me for the news that I now weigh as much as I did when I was pregnant with my second son, Luc - and he was an 8lb, 8oz bundle of joy at birth.  OMG.

Not one to mull around after receiving shocking news, I took immediate action and joined a gym.  There are a few gyms in SoWal and I did a little homework before making the decision to join Grayton Beach Fitness.

Register online for the 11th Annual Seaside 5K and half marathon soon!

I heard through the grapevine that this year's Seaside 5K run is almost sold out - they cap it at 700 participants so don't wait to register.  They take up to 2000 entrants for the half marathon and they expect it to be fully sold out by race time.  Click here to register.

From the website, "Whether you are a serious distance runner or a casual weekend warrior, come join us in America's Classic Beach Town on Sunday, March 2, 2008 for the sixth annual Seaside Half Marathon and 5K Run. The 5K Run is limited to the first 700 participants and the Half Marathon is limited to the first 2000 participants!

Last year's race event attracted more than 2,100 runners who hailed from all across the United States. Fast becoming one of the region's premier running events, this year's Seaside Half Marathon and 5K Run is expected to draw 2,700 runners.

All proceeds from both races benefit the Seaside Neighborhood School and all monies raised will stay in the community and be used to enhance school programs" For information on becoming a sponsor, click here.

Down dogging it in SoWal

LIke it so typically happens in small towns around the country, by the time we catch on to something new - be it a new fashion trend, new diet fad, new exercise trend, new hair style, new type of cuisine - it is regarded as last year's news or a passing (or passed?) fad in the big cities.  Yoga falls into the former category in South Walton - but insert like 5 years for the 1 year.

I found yoga (or did it find me?) a few years ago when a friend and yoga instructor, Lori Klinger, organized a small class in someone's home.  A Type A personality, the more I practiced yoga and meditation, the more concentration and focus I gained and my stress level plummeted - I was hooked.

Seeking to deepen my practice, I began studying at Dragonfly Yoga in Fort Walton Beach and still study there when I can.  It was the nearest yoga studio to South Walton at the time, but I soon realized the drive was way too impractical.  So what did I do?  I opened a yoga studio of course!  Full of optimism and convinced this is what the community was ready for, OneYoga Boutique Studio - South Walton was opened in '06 to fill the void I felt - a space devoted exclusively to the practice of yoga and meditation.  A tiny space, my plan was to grow organically and expand with the yogi community I sought to create.

Om...Find Your Happy Place

I bumped into a friend, fellow yogi and meditator Phillip Ellis of One Hand Clapping, a few weeks ago at Publix and he gave me some literature on a Meditative Gathering he is organizing for Sunday, January 20, 2008, from 8am - 5pm at the Rosemary Beach Fitness Center.

Here is the description of the event from Phillip's website:

"Awaken Your Life is a meditative gathering to realize the ultimate potential of your life by awakening this fire which lies dormant within you. The gathering will be held at Rosemary Beach in Walton County, Florida on Sunday, January 20th, 2008, from 8am-5pm. You will be guided through the gathering in a casual, light hearted-environment, so do not let a lack of experience with Yoga or meditation stop you from attending. Participants are encouraged to bring a yoga mat, seat cushion, towel and notebook.

At the heart of the gathering is a concise discussion by Don Daniels and Swami Jnaneshvara on practical methods to understand this enormous power. Don is an authority on the ancient yogic and meditation sciences as well as the psychology of personal achievement.