YogaShine will be offering two special workshops in October 2015: Yoga for Insomnia and Applying Yoga to Social/Environmental Activism. In both workshops, teacher Vitalah Simon will use yoga poses, breathing practices, journaling and reflection, simple meditation and conversation to help participants discover new tools and strategies for coping with their lives.  

Yoga for Insomnia, offered October 4, 2015, from 2 to 5 p.m., will be restful and soothing, giving participants new tools to take home and practice, Simon says. Applying Yoga to Social Activism, offered October 18 from 2 to 5 p.m., “will explore the strength, courage and calm that comes from practicing karma yoga, described in the Bhagavad Gita, from which Gandhi took much inspiration,” she says. “We will also explore teachings from Thich Nhat Hanh on being a peacemaker. Both workshops will support you in reducing stress, easing tensions and clarifying values. Company is stronger than willpower. Let’s study together and see how the teachings and practices of yoga can guide us through the current realities of these challenging times.”   

Simon, a 500-hour registered yoga teacher with a master’s in education, is the main teacher at YogaShine. She has taught yoga and been a social/environmental activist in Westchester for more than 25 years. “Occasionally I sleep through the night,” she jokes. Then on a serious note, she adds, “My commitment to my own healing journey is part of what makes me a reliable facilitator with others.”  

The workshops cost $75 apiece or $140 for both (sliding scale available). Preregistration is required. For info, contact Vitalah Simon at 914.769.8745 or [email protected]. YogaShine Studio is located at 7-11 Legion Drive, Valhalla, NY.