I am SO pleased to announce my upcoming Yoga4ClassroomsTeacher Workshops and to ask for your help in spreading the word to classroom teachers, PE teachers, school nurses, guidance counselors, administrators and parents in Southern New England.

(Far away friends, you might be interested in checking out this program too — there are instructors and trainings available in other areas and the program is rapidly expanding!)

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My upcoming workshops:

Monday, June 4, 2012
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Cold Spring Community Center ~ North Kingstown, RI
(Registration deadline: May 20)

Saturday, August 4, 2012
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
University of Rhode Island Child Development Center ~ South Kingstown, RI
(Registration deadline: July 24)

Friday, October 5, 2012
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Neighborhood Guild ~ South Kingstown, RI
(Registration deadline: September 25)

Read more and Register at Yoga4Classrooms.com.

 

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What is Yoga4Classrooms™?

Yoga 4 Classrooms™ is a research-based, low-cost, fun and effective tool for teachers to use with their students for a peaceful and productive classroom. Through the use of Yoga 4 Classrooms activities, teachers can provide their students with opportunities to grow physically, mentally, emotionally and socially. The activities promote self-awareness, self-acceptance and self-confidence – the foundations of exceptional learning and a lifetime of health and wellness.

Yoga 4 Classrooms™ is easy for teachers and students to use, and helps to create a more harmonious, learning-friendly school day. And its benefits go well beyond the classroom. Y4C™ provides children with important skills they can use in and out of the classroom for life long health and well-being. Absolutely anyone can use and benefit from the Y4C™ program – teachers, students, parents, therapists. Absolutely no yoga experience is required.

About the workshop:

This one day workshop is open to all classroom teachers, administrators, school counselors, phys ed teachers, therapists and others seeking to bring simple yoga and mindfulness techniques into the classroom or similar setting for a more peaceful, productive class day.

Workshop is led by a Licensed Yoga 4 Classrooms Instructor.  The 230pg, fully-illustrated Yoga 4 Classrooms™ Teacher’s Guide is utilized in this workshop ensuring the program is both easy to use and sustainable for long-term use. Absolutely no yoga experience is required. In fact, educators are encouraged to wear their regular, comfortable clothing and flat soled shoes to the workshop as we’ll be simulating a classroom experience.

What educators are saying about Yoga4Classrooms™:

“Yoga 4 Classrooms™ is a confidence builder for my third graders. Just the other day, one of my students took a Warrior stance and exclaimed, “I am strong” right before beginning a math test. Each child began to stand one by one to take the pose. Yoga has taught my students life long lessons of empowerment.” –J. Bogard, Grade 3 Teacher

“The kids and I are really enjoying the yoga AND they are really getting that it is something that they can use anytime – how exciting is that?! I think their showing their learning to parents is indicative of the carry over. This is such a fabulous program!” –A.C., Grade 2 Teacher

“VERY inspirational! Wonderful tools to use in the classroom. Great community and self-awareness builders.” –C. B., Kindergarten Teacher

What students are saying about Yoga4Classrooms™:

“I used to get really angry, but now I know I can calm myself down if I just take a deep breath. Sometimes I need to do a few of those!” –J. F., Grade 1 Student

“I like taking yoga breaks because I can focus and concentrate better afterwards.” –A.G., Grade 3 Student

“I wish we had yoga day every day!” –S.M., Pre-K Student

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Read more and Register at Yoga4Classrooms.com.

 

(And please spread the word. THANK YOU!!!!)

 

Edited to add a printable flier. Click HERE for PDF.

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on my 38th birthday

by eringoodman on April 29, 2012

in holidays + celebrations

6:30 a.m.

Sitting in meditation. Or something sort of like meditation. Or at least just sitting still and being quiet for 20 minutes.

Smiling and continuing to savor the experience of presenting my first keynote speech on Friday.

Feeling humbled and in awe of the beautiful wedding ceremony I officiated last night and how blessed I am to be welcomed into such intimate moments.

7 a.m.

Noticing that I’m hungry but unsure what I want to eat. (Two weeks of being gluten-free has been absolutely wonderful — except when I get too busy to plan meals ahead.)

Looking around our home and feeling overwhelmed by the number of projects that have been started and abandoned and the clutter that I can never seem to get a handle on.

Remembering that I’m hungry and everything frustrates me when I’m hungry. (It’s called hangry – so hungry you’re angry — according to my friend Elisa.)

Reminding myself how blessed I am and that all is unfolding in perfect Divine timing.

7:30 a.m.

Hearing footsteps on the stairs.

7:35 a.m.

Wiping a sweet girl’s tears as she learns that Pip, one of the two ducklings that came home from the feed store with us yesterday, is dead.

8:30 a.m.

Placing a Craigslist ad for a new friend for Doodle, the remaining (and very loudly mourning) duckling.

Seeing beautiful birthday messages pop up on my facebook wall and feeling blessed and grateful.

9 a.m.

Helping to plan a burial for Pip.

10 a.m.

Enjoying breakfast in bed. (Actually on the couch pretending it’s my bed.) Delicious frittata made my John and homemade cards from the kids.

Feeling tears of happiness and gratitude well in my eyes.

11 a.m.

Catching myself sinking into a birthday-blues-dead-duckling-slump.

Why do I do this? Why more animals? Why more projects? Why a bigger garden? Why do I have to always make it harder and crazier?

Disappearing upstairs for a few minutes of rest and Reiki.

11:20 a.m.

Attempting to capture a photo of the sprinkle of gray around my temples that I do believe I quite like.

11:45 a.m.

Beginning to receive calls in response to my ad — second call is for week-old ducklings about 20 minutes away. Yes.

Rallying the crew and heading out the door.

Stopping at the gas station for cash and coffee.

Counting my blessings and listening to my children’s ideas for possible duckling names.

Arriving at “the last house, #99, with the green pick-up truck in the driveway” and being invited to come around back.

12:30 p.m.

Returning home with Pip Two (and Sweet Pea) and introducing them to Doodle.

Eating lunch and listening to ducklings get acquainted.

Wandering down to the garden.

Weeding.

Watering.

Planting onions.

Remembering that I said we’d bring a (gluten-free) cake to my parents’ for dinner tonight.

Racing back up to the house.

Scrubbing dirt off my hands.

Feeling grateful for store-bought cake mix.

3:45 p.m.

Burying Pip One.

Driving to my parents’ house.

Noticing the lilacs and thinking about my Auntie Rita.

5:45 p.m.

Appreciating the amazing dinner my mom made (with gluten-free quinoa pasta for me).

6:30 p.m.

Opening sweet presents from my children (and John) — an OM symbol from Quinn and a peace sign from Lily.

Feeling giddy as I explore the beautiful yoga bag that my mom made for me.

7:00 p.m.

Listening as my family sings happy birthday. (And laughing at how bad we sound.)

Wishing and wondering what the next trip around the sun will bring.

7:15 p.m.

Sneaking away for a few quiet moments and a quick birthday self-portrait.

Hello thirty-eight-year-old me. I’m looking forward to getting to know you.


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Sponsor Spotlight :: Nurturing Creativity

by eringoodman on April 26, 2012

in sponsors

Sponsorship is one of the ways that I am able to make the work of my heart a sustainable endeavor for our family, while sharing wonderful people who are doing beautiful work in this world with you. Today I am thrilled to shine the Sponsor Spotlight on Renee Tougas and her amazing new e-book Nurturing Creativity: A Guide For Busy Moms.

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About:

Nurturing Creativity: A Guide For Busy Moms is about embracing the seasons of motherhood and appreciating where you are while helping you to make creativity a priority in your life. In this short e-book I encourage moms to let go of perfection, to start small, and to find inspiration in everyday living. I challenge you to make the most of the time you do have. Time you can spend creating beauty and meaning – with your head, heart, and hands.

The inspiration behind Nurturing Creativity:

My inspiration to write this e-book came from my own creative journey as a busy mother. For the early part of my adult life I didn’t even think I was creative, much less write about being creative! But one of the many gifts of mothering was watching my children create and realizing that I was and am creative also. As I made time for my children’s creativity I decided to do the same for myself. I wanted to share that story and practical ideas for other moms wanting to nurture creativity in their lives.
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Renee Tougas

Behind the scenes with Renee and her family:
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Our family has lived in three different places this past year and will be moving again the end of next month. It’s been a year of transition and change for us. This has been a good thing and has moved us (literally) closer to our dream lives but there has been a lot of stretching and personal growth along the way. In some ways it’s been like the first years of having children – a big learning curve and lots of tears.
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As far as what we do and who we are – we’re a homeschooling family of five. We’re location independent in our work – we can earn our livelihood anywhere we have an internet connection. We spend almost all our time together as a family and we like it this way. We plan to enjoy this as much as possible before our children need to stretch their wings and fly.
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The Tougas Family
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How Renee fills her inner well (a.k.a. how she exhales and returns to center):
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This is hugely important to me. I break down real fast when I run on empty. On a daily basis I read, I write, and and I often create something with my hands – even if it’s just supper. On a near daily basis I spend time exercising outdoors and one day a week our family spends the whole day outdoors together – hiking or winter skiing. I take the time to cook and eat well and this also nourishes my family, a win-win. I sleep 8 hours a night, take frequent naps and hot baths. I listen to my body and don’t push through things unless absolutely necessary (like a moving weekend when you have no choice). Lots of what I do to fill my well is the work I love – like writing, or can involve my children – like getting outdoors in the afternoon, and that makes it easier to take care of my needs, integrating it with the other parts of my life.

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Connect with Renee:

FIMBY (Renee’s blog) | on @Twitter

Thank you, Renee,  for sharing your gifts and talents with the world and for supporting me in doing the same!

* * * * *

I’m going to be offline for  a few days as I get ready for my first headline speaking event (on Friday), my first wedding of the year (on Saturday) and my 38th birthday (on Sunday). Wishing you a wonderful stretch of days.

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april :: in my backyard

by eringoodman on April 24, 2012

in energy management, homesteading

Thanks to my iPhone (Isn’t life dreamy through Instagram’s filters?) and a couple of big project deadlines on the horizon, I am having a bit of a love affair with my backyard. Working in the yard and getting plenty of dirt under my nails has always been an important way for me to stay grounded when my work and family life gets busy. Today I thought I’d share a little peek of some of the things that are happening this month in my backyard.

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:: Daily kitchen scraps delivery makes me extremely popular with furry and feathered friends. (Photo by Lily.)

:: The annual chicken pen shovel out has begun. (Disclosure: My crew decided they were done helping and ran off to play about 2.5 seconds after I took this photo.)

:: I’m experimenting with putting the rich composted soil and chicken manure straight into the garden, where we are planting potatoes in tires again this year.

:: I’m transplanting (very leggy) broccoli seedlings into bigger pots and burying them down a bit – hoping that will help them to grow big and strong. (No idea. Making this up as I go.)

:: I’m laughing every night as I tuck eggs into my upturned t-shirt or skirt. (Why can I never remember to grab a bucket off the porch when I walk down to the barn?)

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And you, my friends? What’s happening in your backyard right now?

 

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sunday still life :: in my garden

by eringoodman on April 22, 2012

in farms + food, still life

Sunday Still Life is an evolving mindfulness project; an weekly invitation to pause the busy of our days, to re-center and celebrate the beauty and depth of life. If you are inspired to join in, please leave a link or share your thoughts in the comments below.


(Go HERE if you can’t see the video.)

A quiet peek at my hardworking garden helpers. They scratch and dig (looking for tasty bugs to eat) while I weed and transplant.

This, my friends, is why chickens do not belong in cages.

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Happy Earth Day to you!

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