May news
Greetings!
Please find attached my yoga class schedule for May and June.
Note: There will be no Tuesday evening classes during the month of June.
I’m also excited to share the flyer for upcoming May and June events at the Olean Meditation Center. For more details on each event and to register, head to the website: OleanMeditation.org
I'm looking forward to co-hosting a special evening with Betsy Afton on Thursday, June 19 at 6:30 PM – Summer Solstice Eve: Honoring the Light Within. We’ll celebrate this turning point of the year with accessible yoga sun salutations, a meditative nature walk, intention setting, and rhythm-making to raise our energy vibrations. This free community gathering is open to everyone—no prior yoga experience needed. You're warmly invited to stay and enjoy the sunset on the pond dock afterward. This is a shine or rain event; if needed, we’ll adjust activities for indoors. As always, donations are appreciated to support event costs. Please register at OleanMeditation.org for this or any of the Center’s upcoming offerings.
Reconnecting with Nature, Reconnecting with Ourselves
If you attended the Earth Day event on April 26 at the Olean Meditation Center, you may still be feeling the same sense of hope and uplift I’ve been carrying since last week. The gathering was a heartfelt reminder of our deep interconnectedness with the natural world.
Keynote speaker Marcus Rosten, Director of the WNY Wildway Project, shared inspiring work being done to reconnect fragmented ecosystems—restoring vital corridors of forest, land, and water to allow wildlife and plants to roam, thrive, and regenerate. These efforts help rebuild the natural balance that supports all life. Learn more about this important work here: WNY Wildway Project.
This deeply resonated with me as I reflected on how our yoga, mindfulness, and meditation practices mirror and support this same idea of reconnection. In our fast-paced lives, we often neglect moments of stillness—for ourselves and our bond with nature. This growing disconnection—what has been called as nature deficit disorder—is linked to many of the physical, emotional, and mental challenges we face.
But the good news is: we can return. We can reattune.
In yoga, we move with intention, breathe with awareness, and invite connection back into our lives. Many of the postures we practice are inspired by the natural world—animals, plants, and elements. In Vrksasana (tree pose), for example, we can imagine our feet as roots sinking deep into the Earth, drawing strength and stillness from below. Our breath and energy—our prana—flow like sap, nourishing all aspects of our being. Just as trees communicate through underground root systems and fungal networks, we, too, are part of a vast, intelligent web of life.
With this in heart and mind, and in exploring ways to more deeply integrate nature into both my personal practice and teaching, I recently completed training as a forest immersion guide, rooted in the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing (I’m currently awaiting final certification approval). This approach encourages mindful, sensory-rich time in nature to support well-being across physical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions.
I’m excited to begin weaving nature-centric practices into both our indoor yoga sessions and upcoming outdoor experiences—incorporating breathwork, mindful walking, contemplative journaling, and deep listening in natural settings. Stay tuned for new offerings coming soon!
I also welcome opportunities to work with individuals in private sessions, group events, and instructional workshops. And if you're a current yoga student and would like guidance in developing a personalized at-home yoga sequence, I’d be happy to help you create a sustainable daily practice that fits your needs.
As always, feel free to share the class schedule with family and friends. Everyone’s first class with me is free, and my “drop in when you can, come as you are” approach makes yoga accessible, flexible, and welcoming to all.
Thank you for being part of this community. Your presence, energy, and spirit enrich our shared space in more ways than words can express.
With gratitude,
Kim
Please find attached my yoga class schedule for May and June.
Note: There will be no Tuesday evening classes during the month of June.
I’m also excited to share the flyer for upcoming May and June events at the Olean Meditation Center. For more details on each event and to register, head to the website: OleanMeditation.org
I'm looking forward to co-hosting a special evening with Betsy Afton on Thursday, June 19 at 6:30 PM – Summer Solstice Eve: Honoring the Light Within. We’ll celebrate this turning point of the year with accessible yoga sun salutations, a meditative nature walk, intention setting, and rhythm-making to raise our energy vibrations. This free community gathering is open to everyone—no prior yoga experience needed. You're warmly invited to stay and enjoy the sunset on the pond dock afterward. This is a shine or rain event; if needed, we’ll adjust activities for indoors. As always, donations are appreciated to support event costs. Please register at OleanMeditation.org for this or any of the Center’s upcoming offerings.
Reconnecting with Nature, Reconnecting with Ourselves
If you attended the Earth Day event on April 26 at the Olean Meditation Center, you may still be feeling the same sense of hope and uplift I’ve been carrying since last week. The gathering was a heartfelt reminder of our deep interconnectedness with the natural world.
Keynote speaker Marcus Rosten, Director of the WNY Wildway Project, shared inspiring work being done to reconnect fragmented ecosystems—restoring vital corridors of forest, land, and water to allow wildlife and plants to roam, thrive, and regenerate. These efforts help rebuild the natural balance that supports all life. Learn more about this important work here: WNY Wildway Project.
This deeply resonated with me as I reflected on how our yoga, mindfulness, and meditation practices mirror and support this same idea of reconnection. In our fast-paced lives, we often neglect moments of stillness—for ourselves and our bond with nature. This growing disconnection—what has been called as nature deficit disorder—is linked to many of the physical, emotional, and mental challenges we face.
But the good news is: we can return. We can reattune.
In yoga, we move with intention, breathe with awareness, and invite connection back into our lives. Many of the postures we practice are inspired by the natural world—animals, plants, and elements. In Vrksasana (tree pose), for example, we can imagine our feet as roots sinking deep into the Earth, drawing strength and stillness from below. Our breath and energy—our prana—flow like sap, nourishing all aspects of our being. Just as trees communicate through underground root systems and fungal networks, we, too, are part of a vast, intelligent web of life.
With this in heart and mind, and in exploring ways to more deeply integrate nature into both my personal practice and teaching, I recently completed training as a forest immersion guide, rooted in the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing (I’m currently awaiting final certification approval). This approach encourages mindful, sensory-rich time in nature to support well-being across physical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions.
I’m excited to begin weaving nature-centric practices into both our indoor yoga sessions and upcoming outdoor experiences—incorporating breathwork, mindful walking, contemplative journaling, and deep listening in natural settings. Stay tuned for new offerings coming soon!
I also welcome opportunities to work with individuals in private sessions, group events, and instructional workshops. And if you're a current yoga student and would like guidance in developing a personalized at-home yoga sequence, I’d be happy to help you create a sustainable daily practice that fits your needs.
As always, feel free to share the class schedule with family and friends. Everyone’s first class with me is free, and my “drop in when you can, come as you are” approach makes yoga accessible, flexible, and welcoming to all.
Thank you for being part of this community. Your presence, energy, and spirit enrich our shared space in more ways than words can express.
With gratitude,
Kim