Welcoming summer is a celebration of the light. Oh, how I love taking all those layers off and walking freely outside, feeling the warmth of the summer sun on my skin! The Midwest is not my first choice for ideal living conditions, but no one does summer better than us.

Celebrating the long days and the glory of those sweet nights on my front porch. Feeling the ease of life’s pace slowing down and enjoying the outdoors. Living my yoga off the mat but always coming back to my mat as a reminder that everything of gratitude starts with my yoga practice.

Starting this Sunday, June 4, we will be hosting a weekly summer class, Sunday Yoga in the Park, from 9-10:15 am, weather permitting, in Washington Park. What a great way to enjoy being in nature and breathing in the sweet morning air! An outdoor practice can be a resource for nourishing your creativity and resilience. I encourage you to adopt an attitude of curiosity, and join us to explore this new practice environment with all five of your senses.

This summer we are also offering new and exciting classes taught by experienced, talented new teachers who are sharing their vast wisdom. We are so honored that they want to teach at our studio since many travel from Chicago, the north shore, and the northern suburbs. They know our students want to go deeper and move into healing all layers of the mind.

We have added a Tuesday evening Iyengar class for beginning students. And have new series classes which will continue throughout the summer weeks, including Yoga for Kids 6-12 years and a book study on the Yamas and Niyamas with movement. We are also hosting some exciting workshops to offer more ways to connect with our deeper intelligence, including Saturday’s Guided Sound Bath Meditation, Sunday’s Gua Sha Facial & Restorative Yoga , Neurogenic Yoga on June 13 and Yoga Nidra on June 18. Lastly, we are excited to be offering yoga classes specially designed for plus-size students, a new multi-style class where a variety of yoga postures, breathing exercises and meditation techniques are taught, and an asana-based class, Meditation in Motion, that includes breath work, aromatherapy, mini guided meditation open to all levels.

Yoga Among Friends (YAF) is known as the studio for delving deeper and refining the practice to truly balance our physical, mental, and emotional systems. In the world today, we all seek community and safe places to feel nourished. With 5 certified yoga therapists and 7 certified 200/500 level, professional yoga teachers on staff, I feel YAF is turning into a true place for healing yoga. Click on a photo above for more info about each teacher.

In a world struggling to find balance, I am forever blessed to remember my breath and appreciate being human. Summer offers me gentleness, time to read a good novel, catch up on the daily gardening, learn new ways to prepare healthy meals, reflect on the many ways life is beautiful and people are good, and practice yoga with summer ease. Please stay in the light, knowing we have a choice. Keep safe and cool, and appreciate the ways you are moving forward through the heart. —And we hope to see you join us for these classes and find your summer ease!

Let me know in the comments below what you are looking forward to this summer at YAF and elsewhere.

The light in me honors the light in you,

Laura Jane