Yoga Wellness with Kimberly LaMendola

04/14/2026

Yin class is cancelled for tonight! Thanks everyone for your “flexibility.”

03/21/2026

Join us Monday at 6:30 pm at the Olean Meditation Center for this free screening of "Wandering...But Not Lost: The Path of Letting Go Without Giving Up." All are welcome to attend and when you arrive, be sure to stop by the "concession stand" for popcorn and your choice of toppings (heehee - I'll be making old-fashioned stove-top popped corn that night for your movie watching enjoyment). This is a free community event but donations are always warmly accepted. More info and to register (so I know how much popcorn to pop): www.OleanMeditation.org

03/10/2026

This is a reminder that my Wednesday, 5:30 pm yoga class on March 11 at the Olean Meditation Center is canceled. See you next week! Thank you!

03/02/2026

I can hardly believe I’m writing the words March and April on my latest yoga calendar. This winter has asked a lot of us. It has been unpredictable and, at times, unrelentingly harsh. While winter is usually “my season,” the prolonged sub-zero temperatures invited me to look more closely at my own resilience, where it feels steady and where it might benefit from more care, learning, and support.

During a recent winter week in Quebec, I witnessed resilience embodied in everyday life. People of all ages were outside—ice skating, skiing, hauling sleds deep into the woods to spend weekends in off-grid yurts (I'm trying to convince Kellie that we need to try this!). Snowshoes were stacked on porches and in restaurant entryways, as ordinary as boots. Our host even offered heavy sherpa blankets so we could sit outdoors each morning, breathing in the cold, bright air with our coffee. What stayed with me was not just the beauty of the place, but the spirit of the people: a shared comfort with adapting to what is, and an understanding that flexibility creates space for both steadiness and forward movement.

This mirrors what we practice on the mat and what we carry with us off the mat. Yoga and mindfulness invite us to acknowledge present conditions clearly and honestly, not as a way of condoning or allowing undesired circumstances to continue, but as a way of grounding ourselves before choosing how to respond. Resilience gives us a stable foundation from which thoughtful, values-aligned action can arise.

In a world that often feels fast-moving, uncertain, and emotionally demanding, these practices help us regulate our nervous systems, stay connected to what matters most, and act with discernment rather than urgency alone. Off the mat, resilience may look like pausing before responding, placing attention where it is most needed, caring for our bodies so they can support wise action, and remembering that meaningful change is best approached from a place of clarity and steadiness.

Each breath, each moment of awareness, strengthens our capacity to meet the world as it unfolds, with grounded presence, compassion, and a judicious path forward.

As always, feel free to share my yoga class schedule and invite your friends and family to join you in either an online or studio class; everyone's first class with me is free! My "drop in when you can and come as you are" format means you don’t have to commit to a specific number of classes to use within a certain timeframe. I warmly welcome new students at any time!

I’m grateful to practice alongside you in this season of transition.

02/17/2026

Reminder that there are no yoga classes this week as I’m away for a little winterlude fun. See everyone next week.

01/04/2026

Welcome the New Year! I look forward to journeying throughout the year with you as we deepen into our authentic selves through mindful movement, body strengthening and resilience building, breath awareness, and restorative relaxation. Join me in studio on Wednesday at the Olean Meditation Center, online on Mondays and Wednesdays, or let's talk about private sessions that meet you where you are. Don't fall for the "new year, new you" rhetoric - you are already all that you need to be. Let's start from there. DM for more information. Namaste, beautiful people!!

12/19/2025

It was a peaceful and contemplative pre-solstice evening at last night. Thank you to all who came and shared in the tradition of a Yule spiral that Celine Daly and I made from locally gathered pine boughs and cones. I hope that on the time of the winter solstice (Sunday, 10:03 am), you can make time to pause, observe, honor, and commit positive affirmations that return light and hope on our personal and collective journeys. Ring a bell, bang a drum, raise your voice in joyful music to cast away the darkness and welcome the return of the light. ❄️

11/30/2025

Drop in when you can! I know that your weekly schedule is full and often unpredictable. Seasonal holidays can be stressful and demanding. And life...well, life can be challenging and downright tough lately. Safe, balanced, accessible mindful yoga movement and relaxation are valuable tools in your "Bring it on...I got this" toolbox. Join me for any of my classes whenever you can and we'll start from where you are.

11/21/2025

A new session of Yoga for the Very Beginner starts Monday, November 24, 6 pm at the Olean Meditation Center All are welcome to attend! DM me for any additional information that you might want.

11/15/2025

Novembahhhhhh.....pause, rebalance, and renew with any of my yoga classes. Yin Yoga starts this Tuesday at 7 pm on Zoom and is an ideal way to ground, center, and calm at the end of your day. You can even do Yin in your jammies so that you are all set for a quiet evening's rest. A new four-week session of Yoga for the Very Beginner starts on Monday, Nov. 24 at the Olean Meditation Center and is a good option for both newbies and experienced yogis alike. I welcome new students all the time and all my classes are "drop in" format so no need to commit to a block of time or expense.

10/31/2025

Doesn’t every yoga retreat center have an on campus coffee and cocoa bean roastery and cafe, along with miles of wooded trails? Then you haven’t been to Himalayan Institute and Moka Origins. Recharge my soul.

10/13/2025

We can sure use more "ahhhhh" in our lives. Join us at the Olean Meditation Center this Saturday, October 18 at 10:30 am for morning of rebalance, refresh, and renew. Our Mindful Morning programs are very popular and offer a sampling of gentle yoga, guided meditation and relaxation, and a mini-sound bath. Mindful Morning programs are offered to the community at no cost to attend; pre-registration is kindly requested but walk-ins are warmly welcome. Rebalance and "aaaahhhhh."

🌟 Ready to relax and recharge? Join us for our Mindful Morning event on October 18th! Enjoy yoga, guided meditation, and a mini sound bath. Open to all levels and it's free! Register now: https://wix.to/kaxeqDu