Mindfulness in the continuing pandemic

 https://orchardhillcenter.com/mindfulness-in-the-continuing-pandemic/

My story and what brought you to yoga?

UPDATE (original blog post with Deborah’s story below this update)

The Princeton Center for Yoga & Health closed its doors as a yoga center July 31, 2021. 

Deborah Metzger, founder and former director of the Center, continues to offer Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction programs and is collaborating with other organizations to continue the Center’s original mission to provide health, wellness and educational programming to the Greater Princeton and Montgomery Township communities and beyond. Visit our website for upcoming programs.

Orchard Hill Center is a commercial property in a natural setting with all modern amenities only minutes from Downtown Princeton. 

Now offering Health and Well-being programs at Orchard Hill Center

https://orchardhillcenter.com/

#orcharhillcenter #rentalproperities #princeton #princetonyoga #mindfullness #health #happiness #mbsr #stressreduction #yoga #inspriation #inspirational #inspiringquote

Deborah’s Story:

Welcome to the new Princeton Yoga blog! Actually, I'm fairly illiterate when it comes to this world of internet technology - so I am grateful to the folks at Google for making this so easy and allowing us to communicate in cyberspace!

I first tried yoga as many of my peers in the 70's, dabbling a bit here and there. My first yoga class was at the Jewish Community Center in Ewing with a lovely and peace filled teacher - I wish I could remember her name!

Later, I came to yoga in earnest as a result of a healing crisis. In 1984, I developed asthma after a bout with pneumonia when I was pregnant with my youngest son. I had succumbed to what is now known as "sick building syndrome" where I worked for a State agency. We used to joke that I was like the 'canary' in the building - if I had symptoms, folks knew the air quality in the building was particularly poor that day.

I was told that once you get asthma this late in life, you never outgrow it. I was put on different medications, theophiline, inhalers with cortisone, inhalers without cortisone, predisone and more...

I didn't like that life sentence. I began searching out complementary healing methods, diet, nutrition, acupuncture, and other body/mind modalities and, quite by chance, in 1986, I found my way to Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Lenox, Massachusetts (where I was later certified to teach yoga).

In their very unique program called "Health for Life" I took in a simple, yet profound life lesson: The body will speak to us when we are out of balance with symptoms - for some, asthma, for some high blood pressure, cancer, back pain, ulcers, etc. At first the body will whisper to you. If you don't pay attention, it will speak a bit louder and if you still don't pay attention, it will eventually have to shout at you until you can't help but pay attention!

Well, after a short time of more ernest yoga practice, I decided to take the yoga teacher training at Kripalu Center - not so much with the aim of teaching yoga, but rather to deepen my understanding and practice. I never thought I'd have the guts to stand in front of the room and teach yoga! Yet, the way yoga was taught at Kripalu Center and with such a heart focused and compassionate approach (Kripalu means compassion), it "taught itself" and I found myself wanting to surround myself with like minded people and share the loving gifts I had received from my teachers.

I began teaching lunchtime classes at a State agency, as well as teaching in several communtiy venues ( Princeton Arts Council, The Body Center, Princeton Academy of Martial Arts, my local synagogue, what is now NY Sports Club and local corporations). Each site had certain distractions, noise, cleanliness issues, room temperature, etc. In addition, I was lugging props like mats, blankets, straps, cushions, blocks around until I had about 4 large army/navy duffle bags full and finally realized that we needed a 'yoga home'!

I found that I had to resign my post with the State agency due to the toxic air quality in the building. I then devoted my time to teaching yoga in several community venues and soon founded the Princeton Center for Yoga & Health - www.princetonyoga.com (but that's another story!)

For awhile after that, I was able to come off all medication and had no asthma symptoms - and that was my story when I began teaching yoga: I found yoga and cured my asthma. Yet, in later years, after founding the Princeton Center for Yoga & Health and running a 'business', the stresses of the day caught up with me and some of my symptoms returned! Alas, my lungs are one place my body/being speak to me when I am out of balance.

However, the lessons remain and I give thanks to all who come at the end of each yoga class I teach because it gives me the opportunity to 'teach what I need to hear" on an ongoing basis. So, what is your "story" - what led you to yoga or another holistic or spiritual practice - or even to make a commitment to yourself through exercise or other lifestyle changes?

In peace, health and new beginnings,

Deborah

p.s. My mission for the Center:

To help you explore and enjoy the wonders of Yoga. Our goal is to create a safe, inviting environment in which to explore different paths to health, healing, and personal growth. PCYH also seeks to provide a forum for holistic professionals to share their work and be supported in right livelihood. Guided by principles of yoga expressed by all traditions, and through all its endeavors, PCYH strives to be a source and center of inspiration, information, products, and services to help meet the needs of people living and working in the greater Princeton community and beyond.

About Deborah Metzger:

Founder and director of the Princeton Center for Yoga & Health, Deborah Metzger, is a certified advanced Kripalu Yoga teacher and certified Dharmic Yoga Instructor and Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapist, 500 Hour Registered Yoga Teacher with the Yoga Alliance, a licensed social worker and holds an MSW from the University of Pennsylvania. She has completed the Yoga of the Heart: Cardiac and Cancer Certification Training, and additional courses in Structural Yoga Therapy and Reiki. In addition, she has studied with Jon Kabat-Zinn and Saki Santorelli, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Program 7 Day Residential Retreat and the 9 Day Summer Intensive Practicum with Melissa Blacker and Florence Meleo and co-leads MBSR and Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy programs at the Princeton Center for Yoga & Health. She is currently enrolled in the 2 year Hakomi mindfulness based psychotherapy training program. In addition to teaching throughout the area and at the Princeton Center for Yoga & Health, Deborah has led related workshops in corporate settings such as Johnson & Johnson, Merrill Lynch, L’Oreal, Merck, Summit Bank, Devry Institute, Princeton University, and State agencies, as well as local community groups, and has assisted programs at the Kripalu Center in Lenox, MA. She founded and served as the first president of Womanspace, Inc., a program for victims of domestic violence and served as Mental Health Planner and Liaison to the Department of Health for the State of New Jersey Division of Mental Health services and Mental Health Administrator for the County of Mercer in New Jersey.

The Song of the Healing Crystal Bowls with Jay Schwed

Save the dates! Jay returns on December 5 for the Song of the Healing Crystal Bowls concert and December 6 for Restorative Yoga with the Healing Power of Crystal Bowls !

Restorative Yoga with the Healing Power of Crystal Bowls

We are pleased to welcome sound healer, Jay Schwed for a singing bowl concert on July 11 at 7:00 pm. Jay will also to accompany the Restorative Yoga class at PCYH on Sunday, July 19, 1:30 - 3:30 pm!

During his presentation Jay will re-tune each participants body, initially by opening, clearing and re-balancing each of the 7 major chakras, plus the ‘high heart’. The high heart is the one heart that connects all hearts to the one, to spirit, to God. This chakra is commonly referred to as the Thymus gland or the center for the immunity system . It has been scientifically established that each of these chakras or energy centers are associated with a musical note or vibrational frequency. The session will begin with a short relaxation that will lead to a meditative state. Incorporating breathing and color imagery Jay will guide you through opening each chakra. Each chakra has a color that resonates at the same vibrational frequency as the crystal bowl that he plays. Intermittently the audience will experience sound-infused aromatherapy mists that soothe the auric field and bring a smile to everybody’s face. The session will close with the Song of Angels. 'In summation, Jay’s presentation is a sensory experience where he awakens and activates all the senses with his sounds, aromatherapy scents, vibrational sounds and frequencies and the visual experience of color healing. $30

Jay Schwed, MsT, CHT, was born in Chicago, IL and was raised in Los Angeles, CA . In 1979 he got his degree in Agriculture and followed with a career with the USDA as an inspector, followed by years of work as a plant breeder’s assistant. In 1983 he took his first workshop in massage therapy at Esalen Institute . Immediately after the workshop he enrolled in a massage school in Carmel , CA. Jay has been a pioneer in this field and has worked in a variety of settings. In 1994, inspired by another Esalen workshop, he bought his first set of 'singing' Crystal Bowls. In the following years he has taught himself how to play. In 1995 Jay was trained as a Reiki Master and has been training many in this technique. In 1997 Jay added to his skills by attending a 750- hour training program in hypnotherapy.

Jay is a sound healer traveling throughout the United States, teaching many how to use sound as a tool to facilitate the healing process. He follows many different traditions during this process and has been traveling for several years with his entourage of Singing Crystal Bowls, TibetanBowls, and include sound infused aromatherapy mists, magical morphing lights in order to assist people. Jay gives performances at nursing homes, healing centers, recovery centers and recently has beginning a series of performances at college campuses.

See Jay on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJtkL9bn9KE

At the Princeton Center for Yoga & Health, Princeton area, Central New Jersey

Montgomery Professional Center

50 Vreeland Drive, Suite 506

Skillman, New Jersey 08558

(Just off Rte 518 West and 1/2 mile from Rte 206)

http://www.princetongyoga.com/ 609-924-7294

Looking for more energy? Take a whiff of this!

It seems like every day there’s a new drink introduced that promises hours of endless energy…but also inundates our bodies with tons of sugar, caffeine and chemicals and guarantees a crash once the sugar and caffeine wears off. Drinkers of these energy beverages be warned: in the United States, these energy drinks have been linked with reports of nausea, abnormal heart rhythms and even emergency room visits.

But, I get it. We are people who don’t get enough sleep, who work too much, who don’t always eat right…we need more energy and we need it now! So, it got me thinking about a way to boost our energy without harming ourselves: aromatherapy using essential oils.

Aromatherapy has been used therapeutically for centuries. It uses liquid plant materials (aka essential oils) to affect a person’s mood and/or health.

Scientific evidence supporting aromatherapy is growing and encouraging.

Have you ever heard someone say, “Just the smell of orange juice helps me open my eyes in the morning”? That’s because citrus scents, such as orange, lime and grapefruit, are known to help boost energy and overcome feelings of tiredness, revitalizing and stimulating the mind. Spicy scents, such as basil, ginger and Tea Tree, are also known to help ward off fatigue by invigorating the nerves and sharpening concentration.

You can easily incorporate essential oils and aromatherapy into your daily routine – or use them as back up on the days that you need it. Add two drops of the energizing essential oil of your choice to each ½ cup of body wash or shampoo (mix thoroughly). You can simply use the products in your shower* as you would normally and enjoy!

Taking a bubble bath instead? Just add six drops to a tablespoon of bubble bath and stir into your warm bath water. Take a deep breath and soak in the benefits of the essential oils!

You can even create your own environmentally friendly room spray to liven up your home: add 30 drops of your favorite energizing essential oil to 12 ounces of bottled water in a spray bottle. Shake well and spray as needed. Use in places beyond the living room – your office, your car, your kid’s playroom. Well, maybe not your kid’s playroom (they don’t really need more energy, do they?). **

You need to use caution when deciding which essential oil products to use. At Princeton Center for Yoga and Health, we carry Young Living 100% therapeutic grade oils.

Unfortunately, some sub-therapeutic oils are diluted with toxic substances and the oils actually may take those substances deeper into the body. ***

Why deal with caffeine jitters and unhealthy stimulants when you can use gifts right from Mother Nature? If you are interested in learning more about how essential oils can play a role in your life, join us at PCYH for Essential Oils Basics: Improve Strength and Stamina while Slowing the Aging Process with Nancy Weber, RN on Sunday, July 12, 2009 at 11 am. Cost is $20. Contact us for future workshops. Or, sign up now - WORKSHOP: Essential Oils Basics

Featured as one of the top five traditional yoga studios in New Jersey by New Jersey Life magazine, Princeton Center for Yoga & Health (PCYH) is delighted to offer a full schedule of yoga classes, holistic programs, workshops, training seminars, services, and products seven days a week.

To find out more about what you can find at PCYH, visit www.princetonyoga.com.

Princeton Center for Yoga and Health founder and director, Deborah Metzger, ACSW, E-RYT, is a certified advanced Kripalu Yoga teacher, a Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapist, a licensed social worker and holds an MSW from the University of Pennsylvania.

* Best to read the ingredients in your everyday products, you might be surprised at the petro-chemicals and other toxins added to even so called 'natural' products!

** Find out more about oils that calm and soothe, uses of the oils, scientific research, etc at our workshops or on my website: http://younglivingprincetonyoga.younglivingworld.com/

*** Check if the product meets AFNOR Standards, an international standard signifying purity of the oils and/or the label indicates 100% Therapeutic Grade Oil.

Restorative Yoga with the Healing Power of Crystal Bowls

Save the dates! Jay returns on December 5 for the Song of the Healing Crystal Bowls concert and December 6 for Restorative Yoga with the Healing Power of Crystal Bowls !

We are pleased to welcome sound healer, Jay Schwed to accompany this Restorative Yoga class at PCYH on Sunday, July 19, 1:30 - 3:30 pm! Jay will also offer a singing bowl concert on July 11 at 7:00 pm

During the course of a Restorative Yoga Class, the muscles are stretched, tension is released, and toxic buildups are flushed, restoring balance and harmony to the body and mind. Incorporating the singing crystal bowls during this class increases the flow of energy restoring harmony and balance and also increases the quality of the experience as the chakras are cleared and balanced. Yoga students everywhere find this class quite profound and enjoyable as they get centered and bring attention deep inside practicing gentle movement with breath, supported poses, meditation and yoga nidra (yogic sleep).

Jay Schwed, MsT, CHT, was born in Chicago, IL and was raised in Los Angeles, CA . In 1979 he got his degree in Agriculture and followed with a career with the USDA as an inspector, followed by years of work as a plant breeder’s assistant. In 1983 he took his first workshop in massage therapy at Esalen Institute . Immediately after the workshop he enrolled in a massage school in Carmel , CA. Jay has been a pioneer in this field and has worked in a variety of settings. In 1994, inspired by another Esalen workshop, he bought his first set of 'singing' Crystal Bowls. In the following years he has taught himself how to play. In 1995 Jay was trained as a Reiki Master and has been training many in this technique. In 1997 Jay added to his skills by attending a 750- hour training program in hypnotherapy.

Jay is a sound healer traveling throughout the United States, teaching many how to use sound as a tool to facilitate the healing process. He follows many different traditions during this process and has been traveling for several years with his entourage of Singing Crystal Bowls, TibetanBowls, and include sound infused aromatherapy mists, magical morphing lights in order to assist people. Jay gives performances at nursing homes, healing centers, recovery centers and recently has beginning a series of performances at college campuses.

See Jay on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJtkL9bn9KE

At the Princeton Center for Yoga & Health, Princeton area, Central New Jersey

Montgomery Professional Center

50 Vreeland Drive, Suite 506

Skillman, New Jersey 08558

(Just off Rte 518 West and 1/2 mile from Rte 206)

http://www.princetongyoga.com/ 609-924-7294

First Crocus -A Harbinger of Health, Healing, Recovery

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths that we take, but by the moments that take our breath away"

I saw the first crocus of the season recently: a startling purple clump arising out of the over wintered brown leaves. The shock of the color woke me up and in that moment I took a deep breath and looked around to find dozens of green shoots coming up around my front yard. I drank in the earthy smell of the moist earth and leaves, felt the warmth of the spring sun on my face and remembered that there can be joyful moments even in the midst of the pain of the recent loss of my father.

I often repeat that I teach what I need to hear – and in this time of my grieving the lessons that I teach in our workshops “Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction” and “Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression” serve me as well.

In those workshops* we employ the breakthrough methodologies developed at UMass Medical School by Jon Kabat-Zinn. Our participants learn to draw on their inner resources and natural capacity to actively engage in caring for themselves and finding greater balance, ease, and peace of mind.

Yes, a simple, mindful breath can wake us up to the moments of our lives, give us the pause needed to remember and experience our life in its fullness. It does not mean we do not feel the pain in our lives - I feel the pain of my loss every day – yet it does allow for moment-to-moment experience, the actual truth of each moment when we are mindful of its gift.

So, these purple symbols of new life arisen amongst the dead and decaying leaves bring a moment of delight and a reminder of what has been developing and simply waiting under the surface until the right action arises of itself.

I invite you to take notice of something beautiful today. It could be a scent, perhaps of freshly baked bread wafting from someone's kitchen, or the sound of the wind rustling the leaves in the trees, or the way the light appears at dusk, or the smile of someone behind a cash register. Please look for these things, and be mindful of how your experience of the moment can change. There’s no time like NOW.

“Life is not measured by the numbers of breath that we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” - Overheard in a mindfulness moment

*PCYH is now accepting new participants for our 8-week MBSR and MBCT workshops. People participate for reasons as diverse as: stress — job, family or financial; chronic pain and illness; anxiety and panic; GI distress; sleep disturbances; fatigue; high blood pressure; headaches. For complete details, call Deborah Metzger at PCYH: 609-924-7294 or email pcyh@mindspring.com. Also, look for monthly Insight Meditation Open Houses.

Join us for Free Classes for New Visitors Week at PCYH
Monday, May 4 - Sunday, May 10.
Be Our Guest!
If you’ve never attended classes at PCYH, please join us for free sample classes to learn which programs suit your needs. A schedule of sample classes will be posted online during Intro to PCYH Week, from Monday, May 4 January 5 through Sunday, May 10 January 11. Visit our website at www.princetonyoga.com. You may also call the Center 609-924-7294 for details.