Yoga with Christina

04/15/2026

If you've never taken a pilates or yoga class before, you might have some anxieties about some things completely unrelated to the actual workout.

Like, where do I put my stuff? What do I wear? Has everyone else been going there for a long time and I'll be the only first timer?

We've got you. Here's the tell all. 👇

👉 Where do you put your stuff / what do you do when you first arrive?

If it's your first visit, you're welcome to stop at the check-in desk to check in for your class, but you may also check in online using our app. You can then head past the desk to the cubby room in the back to the right and offload your belongings/use the bathroom!

👉 What do I wear / what do I bring?

Bring water for your class, or we have bottles for sale. Grippy socks are not required in our studio. We provide the mats, but you're welcome to provide your own. So all you have to do is bring yourself!

👉 Will I be the only newbie?

Sometimes! But our instructors teach to the room, guiding new visitors accordingly. We promise that the Soul Wellness members will be some of the friendliest you'll meet!

What other questions/worries did you have before attending your first class?! Drop them in the comments (and the answer) to help other new visitors feel at ease!

04/15/2026

04/13/2026

Yoga vs. Pilates: A First Time Visitors Guide

Yoga

✨ Focuses on flexibility, balance, and mindfulness
✨ Movements flow from one pose to another, often linked with breath
✨ Classes may include relaxation or meditation at the end. Our weighted classes may be more upbeat and more of a workout.
✨ Great if you’re looking to stretch, de-stress, and improve mobility

Pilates

✨ Focuses on strength, especially in the core, along with stability and control
✨ Exercises are slow, precise, and low-impact
✨ May use equipment like the reformer or be mat-based
✨ Great if you want to build strength, improve posture, and support overall body alignment

Key Differences

✨ Yoga emphasizes flow and flexibility
✨ Pilates emphasizes controlled strength and muscle engagement

What to expect as a beginner

✨ Clear instruction on breathing and form
✨ Options or modifications depending on your level
✨ Learning curve at first, but progress comes quickly with consistency

Both are effective, low-impact workouts—it just depends on what your body needs!

04/10/2026

Next week’s schedule 🌷

No Vinyasa Yoga at the Fort Ritchie Community Center on Saturday, April 18th. It’s 🕺 Zumba for a Cause! 💃🏼

Don’t forget to register for my upcoming ✨Advanced Yoga Workshop✨ on Saturday, April 25th at Soul Wellness Studio . All levels are welcome! Consider this a workshop on how to advance YOUR practice (not “advanced” in the sense that you may not be able to do some of the poses). I will focus on skill progression, with many options suitable for everyone.

04/09/2026

Q&A 🔁 No reel today. I received a few requests to show more of what my practice looks like at home 🏡 so here you go!

I started with a 30-minute yoga flow with on that warmed up my shoulders, getting me ready for another 30-minutes of playing around in crow, headstand, pincha, and handstand.

I was humbly reminded that there is a fine line between warming up your shoulders/activating them in poses and then becoming too fatigued to safely attempt some poses. (I took pincha and handstand to the wall…next time, I’ll practice those first 😅)

I used to record my home practice more often to coach myself on alignment and fine tune my approach. I’ll try to do more of that again and share with all of you!

04/07/2026

I’m late posting this but everyone signed up for my classes today should have received a message from Soul Wellness Studio that my classes are unfortunately canceled. I’m feeling under the weather and trading the mat for my couch today. I hope to be back on Thursday.

04/06/2026

We explored Bird of Paradise pose (Svarga Dvijasana) in yesterday morning’s Sunrise Yoga class at Soul Wellness Studio

It resembles the tropical flower and translated from Sanskrit means “heaven” (Svarga) and twice-born (Dvijasana), representing bloom and transformation.

Bird of Paradise is a standing balance posture that begins in a forward fold or in extended side angle with a bind of the hands behind one leg. We use the strength in the standing leg to rise and balance while using the strength of the bounded leg to lift (not using the arms and shoulders to pull the leg up but keeping the bind).

Physically, this can be a challenging pose - and more so, it requires body awareness and concentration to tap into the required degree of strength and flexibility to balance.

🌀Would you like to explore more challenging poses?🌀

Come to my Hot Power Yoga Sculpt classes where we practice strengthening and conditioning movements that prepare your body for more advanced poses. Then, in my sculpt and hot yoga classes, I’ll guide you through *skill progression* where you build the poses in steps, stopping where you feel the most comfortable. My approach gives you the opportunity to safely try new poses and meet your body where it is. And if you don’t want to try a pose - you don’t have to. I always offer options and alternatives, so you won’t feel that you need to standby and watch everyone else try it with nothing to do on your mat.

04/05/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined me for my sunrise yoga classes at Soul Wellness Studio 🌄

One of the many reasons I love teaching morning yoga flows is to enjoy this beautiful view as I leave my house for the studio. Birds were chirping bright and early, too. Always a nice start to the day, especially on Easter Sunday. 🌷🪺🌿

04/03/2026

Moving into the first full week of April!

This Monday is the start of a new quarter for Chair Yoga at the Emmitsburg Senior Center. Sign up for the quarter ($35) or drop-in ($4/class).

There’s also an extra Sculpt class this Friday morning at Soul Wellness Studio 💪🏼

04/03/2026

Q&A: I heard you teach at 🐦‍🔥 Is that class open to the public?

No, the class I teach at Wilson College is a Physical Education (PE) for-credit course for students only. (If you know of a student, mention my class to them! I offer it in both the fall and spring semesters. It fills up quickly!)

Many students who have taken my class in previous years/semesters ask if they can join the class again just for the practice (they are always welcome). They’ve found that practicing yoga - different styles, ranging from guided meditation to Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, only once a week - helps them effectively manage stress, get better quality sleep, and maintain greater focus in class and in their studies. Many students are athletes, too, who have benefited from the conditioning, stretching, and recovery that yoga provides.

And…what other college course allows you to lay down and close your eyes? No wonder it is a popular course! 😜

🐱 The Cat Yoga sessions I teach at Wilson College ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC (age 18+). Proceeds benefit the Pre-Vet Club. Keep an eye out for our next event in the fall!