Reentering the stream

After ten days out of New York City, blog-neglect guilt has me scrambling to throw together a blog post to make sure you haven't forgotten all about me. I'm digging through old drafts I've created over the summer as new free events find their way onto my radar. I have literally dozens of blog post zygotes that I haven't yet shared with you (which needles me with just a pang or two of blog-stingyness guilt.) As I peruse one potential post after another, though, I'm finding that many events have already happened, and are no longer relevant, and I'm having the funniest reaction. Rather than dismay, I'm feeling incredible relief!

The sheer amount of amazing free events to participate in over the summer here can come to feel more like a burden than a gift, and I must admit that I am breathing a bit easier in the face of this joyful eventlessness. A good friend describes New York as a rushing river of traffic: when you're in the flow of it, the pace is totally manageable, but once you're out of it for even a moment, it takes an immense burst of energy to gain the speed to reenter the stream.

So while I pedal and pedal to get back up to speed, here's today's free offering: outdoor yoga tonight with one of my favorite teachers, Dana Flynn (here she is, above). The venue is admittedly not phenomenal, but her energy is, and she revives even the most exhausted among us. See you there. 

Laughing Lotus Yoga in the Park
Wednesday, August 4, 7-8 pm
10th Ave between 14th and 15th Street
BYO mat, no registration necessary
(p.s. there are no changing rooms - come ready to move)

I'm sharing the love

I swear, friends, that this blog will not be SOLELY dedicated to free yoga events...but right now, that's what I've got a lot of information about, so I'm sharing it. So chant and be happy.

Want a spot on the Great Lawn for the big ol' yoga extravaganza next Tuesday? Those of you who read yesterday's post will recall that although the tickets are free, you have to WIN them - so not everyone who registered automatically gets in. I, however, scored some tickets, and have three extra to share. First three people to message me will get 'em.

Volunteering: it's not just for nice people

If you were planning to attend the Yoga on the Great Lawn event on June 22 (like me), perhaps you read the fine print (UNLIKE me) and discovered that you have to WIN the free tickets to the event. You can't just show up. Damn it!

But what you CAN do is register to volunteer (and by the way, my fellow financially-challenged friends, volunteering is one of the best ways I know to get to go to cool stuff for free): the Flavorpill team seeks 100+ volunteers to distribute flyers between now and June 15th and to support the event on June 22nd by arranging mats, checking in participants, and shuffling yoga participants around the space. All volunteers will have the opportunity to participate in the class and will get a free week of classes at YogaWorks. If you're interested, send an email to volunteer@flavorpill.com.

Update: more free yoga!

Well, Mother Nature conspired to keep me indoors tonight, rather than at the free yoga in the park I had planned on attending...which was actually perfect. I spent a lovely cashless night roasting kale and cooking cranberry beans (using my all-time favorite go-to Jamie Oliver recipe and catching up on Top Chef Masters.) I'm grateful when the weather slows me down and guides me toward taking care of myself in a more subtle way. My fridge is now full of veggies for lunch for the rest of the week, and I am cozily moving toward an early bedtime.


I also cleaned out my inbox while lazing on the couch, and discovered another free yoga series to check out soon! Here are the details:

Yoga - Evening Salute to the Sun, every Wednesday, 6:30 - 7:30 pm, from June 9 to Sept 22, at the plaza at 66th Street in Riverside Park South (on the Hudson River between 59th and 72nd Streets). BYO mat. There is a TON of free stuff going on at this park, which I've just discovered. Stay tuned to future posts for more ideas.

You too can afford peace of mind.

The biggest deterrent to mass enlightenment may be the high cost of doing yoga. Doesn't it seem like we'd all be nicer and...calmer...if it wasn't so damn expensive to sweat out our junk and quiet down our heads? I used this as my excuse for not practicing for my first few months in New York, and then realized that not going to class was making me crazy - literally - I was thinking mean, ugly thoughts, and feeling dizzy and spacy. That's when I got serious about investigating free yoga...and not just occasional events, but places where I could practice REGULARLY.

Summertime and warm weather brings with it a ton of options to take your downward dog for a walk in the park. All classes listed below are all levels, but contact the individual studios for details. Here are a few highlights:

TUESDAYS
Lululemon in Bryant Park: every Tuesday, 10-11 am, from May 4 to Sept 30, on the upper terrace. Mats are provided.



WEDNESDAYS
Laughing Lotus in the Park: every Wednesday, 7-8 pm, from June 2 to Sept 1, in the park at 10th Avenue between 14th & 15th Streets. BYO mat, if you have one, but they have a few available too.

THURSDAYS
Lululemon Union Square: Thursdays 8-9am, from June 17 to Aug 12, outside in Union Square Park. BYO mat.

Lululemon Union Square Mommy & Me: Thursdays 10-11am, from June 17 to Aug 12, outside in Union Square Park. Mats are provided.

Lululemon in Bryant Park: every Thursday, 6-7 pm, from May 4 to Sept 30, on the lawn. Mats are provided.

THURSDAYS
Bend and Bloom Yoga in Prospect Park: every third Thursday of the month, 7-8 pm, from July 1 to Sept 19, in Long Meadow (by the Grand Army Plaza entrance). BYO mat.

SATURDAYS
Lululemon Union Square: every Saturday (except some - check their website to be sure), 9-10 am, ongoing, 15 Union Square West (between 14th & 15th Streets). Mats are provided.

SUNDAYS
Yoga Sole in Prospect Park: every Sunday, 10-11 am, from July 11- August 1, under the big oak trees by the 15th Street F stop and the park entrance at Bartel Pritchard Lot. BYO mat.



Bend and Bloom Yoga in Prospect Park: every third Sunday of the month, 10-11 am, from July 1 to Sept 19, in Long Meadow (by the Grand Army Plaza entrance). All levels. BYO mat.

Lululemon Soho: every Sunday, 9:30-10:30 am, ongoing, 481 Broadway (between Broome St and Grand St). They provide mats, and breakfast! Just put on your blinders on your way in and out of the store so you're not tempted to compensate for the free yoga by blowing your rent money on new pants.

Lululemon East 66th: every Sunday, 9:30-10:30 am, ongoing, 1127 Third Avenue @ 66th Street. They provide mats, and breakfast!

ALWAYS DONATION-BASED
Yoga to the People: It's least crowded in the middle of the day but...it's always crowded. You're not the only one who's broke. Three locations: 12 St. Marks Place (between 2nd & 3rd Avenues), 115 W. 27th Street @ 6th Avenue, and 1017 6th Avenue @ 38th Street.

Laughing Lotus Community Class: Teachers in training provide donation-based classes everyday from 2:30 to 3:45 pm, Monday through Friday. 59 West 19th Street (between 5th & 6th Avenues).

UPCOMING ONE-TIME EVENTS
Monday, June 21: Mind Over Madness in Times Square, Broadway between 46th & 47th Streets. To celebrate the solstice, there'll be free classes all day. Pre-registration is required.



Tuesday, June 22: Yoga at the Great Lawn:Doors open and performances begin at 5 pm, class 6:45-8 pm. Yeah, okay, you have to sign up for Flavorpill emails to get in, but you could use a little extra culture in your life, right? They're expecting 10,000 people, and are already calling it the world's largest yoga event, ever. Really? This I gotta see. Free mats. Pre-registration required.

Is that enough to get you started?

Thanks to Alex at Yoga City NYC for many of these tips!