Group Yoga Classes

Starting on Saturday, January 16th, group yoga classes will return! I now have a lovely room in Branford, CT that will comfortably fit 5 students for a group yoga class!

This is more affordable that booking a private session. I am well aware of the current financial burdens and so I am offering $15 per group class.

We will be required to wear masks during our practice due to safety reasons, but it will be spring before you know it and we can be outside again mask-free!

Only 5 students permitted so make sure you reserve your mat in advance!

Happy 2021!

I hope you all had amazing start to your year, despite some of our fellow Americans attempting to destroy the capital . . .

Let’s acknowledge the fact that 2020 has been the an incredibly difficult year for every single person, no matter who you are. Emotionally, Financially, Mentally . . . the list goes on.

But I can promise you that all changes and transitions help us grow and evolve. While I was in university studying creative writing, they told us that the more boxes and perimeters are put on a “artist,” the more creative it makes them.

CREATIVITY IS A FANCY NAME FOR PROBLEM-SOLVING

There is always a solution and sometimes the universe puts blocks in our path so we can exercise our “creativity.”

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING US <3

2020 was the year I closed the doors to my physical yoga studio and the year that I created 888 Collective – the platform for the Sacred Si-Stars and our Virtual Wellness Retreats.

I am so thankful for all those difficult times in 2020 because it brought me here, but- let’s be honest- we are all happy as heck to start off fresh in 2021!

ECLIPSE FESTIVAL

I wanted to give a big thanks for those of you who attended our last retreat in December 2020: The Eclipse Festival!

This was our third successful virtual retreat with the biggest group of participants that we’ve ever had! Thank you SO much to all 40 of you!

It is truly a blessing to work with such talented humans and to help others along their spiritual journeys. The Eclipse Festival was an 8-day virtual retreat on Instagram with journaling, shadow-work, meditation, astrology, and a 5 part Yin Yoga series based on Traditional Chinese Medicine.

We are currently in the process of planning our next one, stay tuned <3

Shanti Swag

I am in the very, very exciting process of creating Shanti/888 Collective swag! Yup, that’s right…bags, mugs, shirts, hats, cropped hoodies?

I am currently in the ideation phase, collaborating with an artist and print maker to bring you all amazing products to rock your Shanti Pride. Stay tuned . . .

**New Services**

Please take a look below at our new services offered! Sacred Si-Stars, Retreats, Tarot, 1-1 Body Balance, Private Yoga and Group Yoga!!!

Thank you so much for being on this journey with me and keeping me alive! It is my honor and BLISS to be doing exactly what I am doing now.

In April 2021, it will be 2 years since I started this business and I am beyond blessed to still be here and GROWING!

I love you all so much <3

Tarot Guidance

This is for my spiritual fam or for those who are looking for any sort of spiritual guidance.

The cards have amazing insight and can help you understand what you already “know” but may be too afraid to trust.

I do not speak with the dead (although I would love to!) nor can I predict your future. Tarot is all about healing and shadow-work so we can be the best versions of ourselves. Virtual readings available! Please email ally@shanticommunity.com to make an appointment. $65

Body Balance

Some of you have already had the pleasure of experiencing a 1-1 Body Balance session with me and I want to thank you so much for that!

What is it? This is a 1-1 session where I stretch you out and use different techniques to mobilize joints, increase flexibility, improve posture, and de-stress! A one hour stretch session is equal to the benefits of 5 yoga classes!

Room located in Branford, CT. Email ally@shanticommunity.com to make an appointment! Appointments only available on Thursday evenings and Saturdays.

30 mins $40 | 60 mins $65 | 90 mins $100

Sacred Si-Stars / 888 Collective

Some of you are already a member of the Sacred Si-Stars, have been or will be in the future, and I want to thank you SO much for that. It is my honor and bliss to host you!

The Sacred Si-Stars is on a platform called Patreon: you choose a tier and pledge a certain amount of money per month to receive certain content, discounts, and attend events. We have 3 tiers: Angel Quartz, Rose Quartz, and Amethyst. You are billed on first of every month and can cancel anytime- simply by clicking a button!

Rose Quartz and above permits you to our Moon Ceremonies. These are virtual meetings on zoom every month on the New & Full Moon. **BONUS** After you have been a paying member for Rose Quartz for a minimum of 60 days, you receive free entry to all of our online retreats and events!!!

Visit PATREON.COM/888COLLECTIVE to sign up!

 

If you have not already heard about the Explore Deeply Retreat, there is still time to sign up! It begins September 20th and runs till September 26th. It will be hosted on a private Instagram account: @888.ExploreDeeply

Ally and the 4 guest teachers will be going live at 5 PM Wednesday, September 2. It will also be a Full Moon!

Each teacher will have the opportunity to discuss DEEPLY what their SPECIAL class is about.

Culture/Astrology >>> The Hero’s Journey
Yoga >>> Anatomy of our Physical Bodies
Tea >>> Creating a Ritual
Relationships >>> Boundaries and Setting Energetic Standards
Destiny >>> Examining our Birth Date through Numerology + Tarot

Please enjoy the video above as we plan and realize that the day we have chosen to go live together is a Full Moon.

Love these synchronicities. Another sign from spirit that we are aligned and in exactly the right place at the right time.

Check out our Teachers on Instagram:

Robin : @robin_leeann
Tasha : @the.libra.tarot
Camille : @thescopescoop
Amanda : @inspiremeamanda
Ally : @allysonshanti

Sign Up Here

 

Quarantine has provided me with time to reflect deeply on Shanti’s mission, purpose, and direction.

I am unbelievably thankful for this opportunity to take pause and envision the best possible future of Shanti.

The Meaning of Community

What comes to mind first is the word COMMUNITY. This word is present in the title of this space and is the foundation of why I built Shanti. Community is what helped me through my dark times while traveling. I had no family around me nor did I have a solid group of friends. The people around me kept changing due to the nature of my life as a nomad. I felt very alone most of the time and suffered through heavy feelings of isolation and depression.

It was not until my time at the New Life Foundation in Northern Thailand, where I was hired to be a yoga teacher, did I see the power of community. We were all strangers, but due to the nature of New Life, we quickly became a family. This is because of the mindfulness practices we were required to partake in everyday and the group exercises we all did which caused us to reflect and connect with each other.

These group exercises, also known as circles, changed me in so many ways and I will forever look back fondly on my time at New Life. That job gave me confidence in my teaching abilities and allowed me to feel supported, loved, and valued by everyone around me.

It was my dream to bring these practices to Connecticut and share it with the uptight North-Easterners. I say that in the most loving way because, I too, can be in a rush, need my space, and be closed-off. Every human needs community, especially in this part of the world. (more…)

So, you have back pain? First, where in the spine is the pain?

Lumbar – low back
Thoracic – mid back
Cervical – neck

Ask yourself: what could be causing my back pain?

-Injury
-Arthritis
-Bones not receiving enough nutrition (stress, poor diet, imbalance in the body)
-Weak back and abdomen muscles
-Sitting down for long periods of time (desk job)
-Poor posture
-Poor form working out / weight-lifting
-Tight muscles in legs and/or hips (tight muscles can pull on the back and cause pain and discomfort)

Considering your specific situation, use caution, consult a professional before doing any of these yoga postures, and LISTEN to your body. Does this feel good? Does this make it worse? Move into each posture slowly. Listen to how your body reacts.

The main objective in relieving your back pain is to bring energy, nutrition, and light stretching to the spine and surrounding muscles.

1. Cat / Cow – dynamic movement

Why: improves flexibility, gentle warm-up, brings energy to the spine

How: On all fours, make a slow wave with the spine: start at one end of the body and end at the opposite. Inhale through nose when chest is open & exhale through nose when spine is rounded.

2. Downward Dog – breathe in stillness

Why: Lengthens spine, improves hamstring flexibility, improves shoulder strength

How: Alternate lifting the heals (walk it out) to warm up and bend knees if hamstrings are stiff. If you have trouble doing down-dog it is either because your hamstrings are tight or your shoulders are weak (maybe both!). Take your time in this one. Breathe in and out of the nose.

3. Forward Fold – hang out

Why: Lengthens spine, relieves pressure off of stacked vertebrae, increase flexibility in hamstrings

How: Pull belly button in and dive down. Bend the knees to start. Let upper body hang from the weight of gravity. Grab elbows and sway. Nod the head yes and no to relieve neck. Breathe!

**Do not roll up without first engaging the core**

4. Triangle – tone & lengthen

Why: Stretches spine, side body, and leg muscles. Tones abdomen, legs, arms and back.

How: Feet 3 feet apart. Front foot pointed forward. Back foot parallel with the back of the mat. Both heels in line. Hips are open. Arms extended. Reach forward first with the front arm, pull the belly button in, and drop the back of the front hand against inner calf. Back arm extends above. Look up to the thumb and lean back so that shoulders are stacked (like you would be if you were pressed up against a wall). Breathe! If uncomfortable, use a block to support your bottom hand and bend the front knee.

5. Half Moon – untwists spine from the base up

Why: Untwists spine from the base up. Tones legs and abdomen. Unlocks hips. Improves balance

How: Plant front foot with hands on the hips to start. Hinge forward at the hips while back leg extends behind (body is a T). Front arm (same side as standing leg) drops to the ground. Open hips and extend opposite arm to the sky while gazing to the line of your thumb. This is a balance pose with a lot of benefits. If you fall, get right back in! And don’t forget to breathe!

I hope that everyone is doing well during the COVID-19 outbreak.

I want to continue to provide our community with the best tools to cope during this time. We ALL need yoga and meditation now more than ever!

So, even though we cannot meet at the studio, I will be providing virtual online yoga classes. That is 3 new classes per week with your monthly membership. Classes will build up over time, so the longer you are a member, the more classes you will have at your disposal.

What will the classes be like?

Classes will be 20 – 40 minutes in duration. They will include all different styles of yoga: Power Hatha, Gentle, and Yin. Plus guided meditations!

You can view the classes on your phone, tablet, computer, or TV.

What do I need to participate?

All you need is a space to practice! You can practice on a yoga mat or a rug. This is the best part about yoga: all you really need is yourself.

If you have any blocks, pillow or blankets, keep them nearby!

How do I sign up?

You can sign up HERE

Enter your information and start your FREE 7 – day trial! After that it is $18 / month

First of all, everything is going to be okay.

Repeat and feel that belief sink into your bones. The world is not ending and we will all be okay.

In tragedy and failure, there is growth & transformation. Have absolute faith that whatever is going on right now is leading to something better. That this time is going to help the world heal, improve, and evolve.

Not saying that this pandemic is awesome, but that we can find something positive from it.

The whole world is feeling what you are feeling.

It may be comforting for you to know that we are all worried about ourselves and our loved ones getting sick. We are all worried about our finances due to work being cancelled. We are all going a little mad because we lost our routines and we are stuck inside for the most part. World-wide, we are experiencing the same emotions: fear, anxiety, boredom . . .

The first thing that we must focus on is what we can control in this situation. We can use this extra time to exercise, make healthy meals, be creative, and catch up with friends and family. We are rich in time.

How anxiety affects us:

When our minds and bodies are filled with fear and anxiety, we lower our immune system, raise our blood pressure, trigger cortisol (stress hormone) levels and this results in trouble sleeping, gaining weight, etc.

How can we expel all this pent up energy?

With movement followed by meditation! If we are stuck inside, we likely will not be feeling limber. Use yoga to not only stretch, but to build muscle and release pent up energy (like anxiety). Recommended dose of yoga is 15-20 minutes minimum, ideally 40 – 60 minutes.

Once you’ve been flowing and your body has been buzzing, you can go into a deep meditation lasting 5 – 15 minutes in corpse pose. This meditation is what is really going to put your body and mind into a relaxed state where you can function normally, feel good, and manage your anxious thoughts.

Interested in taking online yoga and meditation classes? Sign Up Here