Batch of Sky Yoga

Batch of Sky Yoga ~approachable
~active
~aware
~affordable
at-home yoga for all

🌿 Yoga Enthusiast of the Month 🌿I met Chuck while teaching where he works (or worked as he's now retired, but his employ...
05/04/2026

🌿 Yoga Enthusiast of the Month 🌿

I met Chuck while teaching where he works (or worked as he's now retired, but his employer allows retirees to continue as members at their private gym). This 69 year-old devoted yogi and longtime martial arts student really knows how to pay attention and get the most from his yoga practice. Here he shares his thoughts about yoga in his own words:

"I attended my first yoga session about seven years ago, and I always look forward to my "magic carpet ride." I view my mat as a dedicated space to enjoy each yogic experience.

I often wonder why it took me so long to find this "home." I primarily practice at my employer’s activity center and at Yoga in the Pines in Payson, AZ, and am fortunate to have excellent teachers guiding my journey. As I learn about the eight limbs of yoga, I realize that's a lifelong practice and an integral part of my being. As a black belt, my favorite asanas are the Virabhadrasana series—the Warriors. My interpretation of these poses draws on martial arts, where strength and power are transferred from the earth to the upper body through the alignment of the rear leg, while the forward leg provides agility and protection. This stance creates the foundation for the warrior within.

I appreciate when teachers explain the physical sensations of the postures to guide alignment and also incorporate yogic philosophy—bringing depth, insight, and growth to the asanas with the yamas, niyamas, prana, and meditation.

Furthermore, if we explore Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras during our practice then we can contemplate them for hours afterwards; there is truly always more to learn. Yoga is a lifelong event to be practiced and enjoyed, and we can take the benefits off our mat to spread goodness to everyone we meet and in everything we do."

Chuck really gets it, and I enjoy when he's there to laugh at my jokes, carry on post-class discussions, or share articles or YouTube videos with me that he finds helpful. I'm so glad he's part of our Batch of Sky Yoga community.

Last week in class, we explored the three gunas. Everything in the world (ourselves, our food, the seasons, animals, pla...
05/03/2026

Last week in class, we explored the three gunas. Everything in the world (ourselves, our food, the seasons, animals, plants, situations, our relationships) contains all three of these qualities in shifting proportions. The three gunas are:

rajas - activity, stimulation, desire, restlessness, propulsion. Rajas is what drives change and transformation and helps us get things done.

tamas - inertia, heaviness, dullness, stagnation, resistance, confusion. Tamas provides stability and density and helps us rest and sleep.

sattva - harmony, balance, luminosity, clarity. Sattva allows us to know, see, and understand things as they truly are.

Each guna is equally important. When we feel too rajasic, we may burn out. If we feel too tamasic, we may veg out. Though the balance of sattva can mostly be wonderful, if we are always sattvic, the status quo is not disrupted and we stay in our comfort zone and never allow ourselves to grow.

A fundamental yogic principle is that "like attracts like, and opposites create balance." So when we're feeling too stressed or anxious, it can be helpful to slow down with some grounding practices and lengthen our exhales to find some peace through increasing tamas. And if we're feeling lethargic or lazy, inviting in more rajas by ramping it up with movement and pausing at the end of our inhales can shift us into a more energetic state.

Over time, we may find that using these tools can not only change our current state of being but they may also change our traits, allowing us to find our harmonious sattvic state more easily or more quickly.

This coming week, we'll get in tune with sattva and celebrate feelings of balance and clarity. Join me at LA Fitness on Monday at 9:45 am (Higley and the 202) and Tuesday at 11:00 am (AZ Ave and Ocotillo).

Additionally, our at-home yoga schedule is as follows, so please register for any and all classes you wish to attend so that the Zoom link arrives in your email inbox. Registration link:

https://batch-of-sky-yoga.offeringtree.com/schedule

After a long weekend in Monterey, California, I finally feel settled back at home and in my routine. It felt as though r...
04/27/2026

After a long weekend in Monterey, California, I finally feel settled back at home and in my routine. It felt as though recovery was needed as that trip was intense in a few ways:

🌿 Driving 12 hours each way towing an Airstream travel trailer behind us

🌿 Spending 3 full days at Laguna Seca Raceway, commuting by bike from our campsite to the race venue over steep hills with punchy climbs

🌿 Supporting my husband as he raced the Sea Otter Classic Fuego XL mountain bike race (66 miles of trail riding with over 8000 feet of climbing)

We and our friends Liz and Lee were exhausted from our vacation and are considering lying on a beach in Hawaii for our next one. 😆

In all seriousness, it was a fabulously exciting few days of beautiful weather, gorgeous views, and an inordinate amount of physical activity.

Shortly after arriving, we pre-rode a portion of the Fuego XL course. It was more challenging than we all expected a course at sea level to be. Liz and I didn't make it up "Hurl Hill," and I think Brian began questioning his life choices right around this point. Just look at all those hills!

But Brian is stronger and fitter than we are, and he successfully completed his race in an impressive time of 6 hours and 17 minutes! He put in an awesome effort on race day after months of training. Isn't it wonderful to see someone you love realize a dream? We're so grateful we went to that night ride in August hosted by McDowell Mountain Cycles where Brian won this Sea Otter entry as a door prize. It was meant to be.

We did leave the race venue once to go out to dinner to celebrate my 50th birthday.

And here's our view from our campsite way up on the hill. I kinda miss it now, but it's good to be home. See you in yoga class.

https://batch-of-sky-yoga.offeringtree.com/schedule

Brian and I celebrated Earth Day with a gravel ride!We heard the crunch of the dirt under our wheels, saw the water flo...
04/22/2026

Brian and I celebrated Earth Day with a gravel ride!

We heard the crunch of the dirt under our wheels, saw the water flowing through the canal, felt the warmth from the sun and the wind in our faces, and enjoyed all the open space around us.

I encourage you to get outside and be mindful of the 5 great elements and what they bring to your life.

🌏💧🔥💨🌌

04/09/2026

You know what feels healing to me? Moving outside through breathtakingly gorgeous landscapes. 😍

My pal Marisa and I had a blast in Sedona today! Flowers were blooming, and the weather was perfect. The trails challenged us; we passed some tests but laughed through others. 😄 We stopped to appreciate the views too and recognized how fortunate we are to live this close to Sedona.

We rode past so many hikers who complimented our jerseys as well as our ambition. "Moms on Bikes? That's awesome !"

It was a good day to be a mom on a bike. 🚵🏻‍♀️ Full day of yoga tomorrow. ❤️

I recently read that palo verdes are the cherry blossoms of the desert, and I love that!You don't have to go far to see ...
03/31/2026

I recently read that palo verdes are the cherry blossoms of the desert, and I love that!

You don't have to go far to see them either. If you don't have one in your yard, your neighbor does. Just follow the yellow petal road to find the closest one. 🌼

Maybe take a little walk at sunrise or sunset to enjoy these beauties while they last.

🌿 Yoga Enthusiast of the Month 🌿The best part of my job is connecting with others. I've been introduced to so many remar...
03/22/2026

🌿 Yoga Enthusiast of the Month 🌿

The best part of my job is connecting with others. I've been introduced to so many remarkable human beings through teaching yoga, and they inspire me to be a better teacher and a better person. Each month, I share with you someone I'm grateful to have met.

In his words, Ryan walked into a December 2024 yoga class at LA Fitness and has been hooked ever since. As a former competitive swimmer and triathlete, his running and normal swim workouts led to recurring injuries. Yoga brings much-needed hip flexibility to his body and has helped to eliminate recurring pain he used to feel while walking that physical therapy couldn't fully resolve. He particularly enjoys the integrated breathing, meditation, and cognitively stimulating flows we work through in our thoughtful, mindful, and well-balanced yoga classes.

Ryan's a retired engineer-turned-genealogist and family historian. He spent a lot of time researching his ancestry and just published a book that documents his findings. That sounds like fascinating but time-consuming work, and I'm sure his family appreciates his effort so that they may better understand their roots. I have no doubts to its accuracy either, because in my brief interactions with Ryan I can tell that attention to detail is a priority of his. When my instruction isn't clear, he'll ask after class (sometimes during, which helps others!) for understanding. Around the holidays, I found a soundtrack that was loosely inspired by "Silent Night," and he said, "I liked the holiday tunes!" Ryan is active, inquisitive, and always paying attention, and those are important skills we're striving to hone in our yoga practices. Way to be, Ryan!

From Girl Scout troops to assisted living centers to....fraternity houses?Well, yes. My range is always expanding. 😄Yest...
03/19/2026

From Girl Scout troops to assisted living centers to....fraternity houses?

Well, yes. My range is always expanding. 😄

Yesterday afternoon I had the opportunity to teach yoga to ASU students in the Greek Leadership Village. There were about 40 fraternity brothers and sorority sisters who showed up for our afternoon practice on the shaded lawn.

It was -- without a doubt -- the most hilariously chaotic class I've ever taught, but we all had fun and Kappa Alpha was a gracious host.

Thank you to the students for the invitation and to for the chance to share yoga with more people.

🍀 Happy St. Patrick's Day! 🍀I thought it would be fun to bring in the magic of the leprechauns to our practices this wee...
03/17/2026

🍀 Happy St. Patrick's Day! 🍀

I thought it would be fun to bring in the magic of the leprechauns to our practices this week. Think of those mischievious little fairies from Irish folklore, guarding their pots of gold and known for their trickery or ability to manifest good luck. 🍀

What if we, like the leprechauns, guarded our own pots of gold and were able to make our own luck?

We're playfully exploring this by drawing attention to our manipura chakra (Sanskrit for city of jewels). Except our personal riches are our passion, our power, and our purpose.

Join me for public in-person classes at LA Fitness and Energy Lab Studio, or for our at-home practices via Zoom.

🍀 May the luck of the Irish be with you! 🍀

In addition to teaching mat yoga classes at public and private corporate gyms, I spend another four to five hours teachi...
03/16/2026

In addition to teaching mat yoga classes at public and private corporate gyms, I spend another four to five hours teaching chair yoga at active adult communities and assisted living facilities throughout the week. A few days ago, I was invited to share chair yoga virtually with the St. Louis County Public Library, and that community was thrilled about this offering. Here were some of the reviews:

🌿 Thanks for hosting an excellent class!

🌿 Great chair yoga session with clear instructions and excellent demonstration of the exercises!

🌿 This program is wonderful. Thank you!

🌿 Particularly good class today! Loved Sara!

🌿 Thank you for offering the chair yoga virtually. The presenter was very good today!

🌿 Enjoyed it. Look forward to watching it again on YouTube.

It feels so nice to be appreciated, especially for something I believe can be valuable to so many people. The physical and cognitive benefits of chair yoga for anyone, and perhaps especially for the Baby Boomer generation right now, are immense. Movement with the breath, concentration, strength, and balance all come together in these practices and not only help support bodies and minds but also allow people to feel empowered and good about themselves!

If you or someone you know is interested in a 45-minute chair yoga class, see the link below for the replay.

I also offer a live, 30-minute Yoga to Support Cognitive Health class every Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. Arizona Time. All are welcome. Join us!

https://youtu.be/LVvbZW0qKVA?si=z6MpyrqyOK62zHcE

Address

Chandler, AZ

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Batch of Sky Yoga posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category