The Groove & Flow Experience March & April 2021

Please sign up today for The Groove & Flow Experience

The Groove and Flow Experience is my special blend of yoga, dance, Qigong, and meditation styles where the participants can explore and experience the joy of movement and freedom of expression within a supportive, creative environment, regardless of experience and/or abilities. This class is balanced with movement, relaxation and meditation and participants can be on a mat or in a chair. All abilities welcomed for this one of a kind experience.

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Classes will remain fully online.

March 2021

Mondays 7PM: 29 Common Street Spiritual Center (email me to register) 7PM

April 2021

Mondays 7:00PM: 5 & 26 Morse Institute Library (Registration is open) 

Mondays 7:00PM: 12 & 19 Common Street Spiritual Center (email me to register)

Sundays 11:00AM: 11, 18, 25 & 5/2: BCCA/CCCA. Info & registration details here.

Bio: Eve Costarelli is passionate about bringing the joy of movement to all-bodies. Through her interactive, self-designed mindful movement program, Always Be Dancing: The Art of Movement, Eve uses yoga, dance & social consciousness to create a healthy, diverse, inclusive environment. Eve is the yoga & mindfulness coordinator for the Common Street Spiritual Center and facilitates all-inclusive yoga and dance programs throughout Massachusetts. Eve’s programs are fun, upbeat, and wholly inclusive. Focus is always on abilities not disabilities.

What is The Groove & Flow Experience? What makes it unique? How does it fit in?

It is…

• Somatic practice
• Embodied movement
• Bioenergetic exercise to realize potential for happiness, gratitude, inner peace, self-worth, joy
• Qigong
• Yoga bodywork
• Kundalini
• Meditation
• Breath-work
• Housemusic
• Dance
• Flamenco
• Duende/spirit
• Mindfulness
• Peace
• Self care
• For EveryBody
• Connection
• Community
• Creativity
• Personal interpretation
• Imagination, innovation, creativity

Goal? happiness, gratitude, inner peace, self-worth, joy, balance, mindfulness, peace, self care, connection, community, creativity, health

Floor Yoga Set For A Broken Ankle

My brother just had surgery because he broke his ankle. The injury is still very fresh so I created a yoga set that he can do sitting on the floor with his legs straight out (pillow under the knees to soften, when needed). He can gradually change these to seated in a chair but for now the weight and shape of the cast and the recentness of the accident, it is best to keep him on an even, low level. He will be most grounded in this position.

I suggest setting a timer for each section and keeping the sections evenly timed. Try 1-5 minutes each to start.

Yoga 11/11/2020

Start with Deep Belly Breathing:

* Sit comfortably, upright but not rigid or lay down.
*Close your eyes or keep them softly focused on one object. Having an actual spot for eyes to focus on is very important as it gives a home base for the eyes when the mind wanders. You can use the tip of your nose, a spot on the wall or through closed eyes, the third eye point.
*Place your hands on your lower belly, on your legs or in your lap.
*Create your own quiet, still space inside. I call this your Inner Love-Shack.
*Inhale through your nose. Keep your mouth closed. Your belly should fill round on the inhale. Your body will feel like it is a balloon being filled up.
*Notice the pause at the end of your inhale.
*Slowly let the air out through your nose. You want the exhale to be long and gentle. Your belly will soften. If a mouth exhale is done, keep the lips slightly pursed and allow the air to seep out slowly as if you are trying to ripple a flame of a candle.
*Notice the pause at the end of the exhale.
*Repeat 3-5x or as long as you like. If your mind wanders, just pull it back to the breath and the sensation of your hands. 
*When finished, sit quietly for a few moments and enjoy the stay in your Inner Love-Shack, inside and out.

1. Cow/Cat: Legs out, back not against a wall/bedside, hands on knees. Close eyes and beam out through the third eye point and add in the chant “sat” Nam” or whatever resonates with you to keep a high positive vibration happening in your head and throughout your body.

• With chin moving up (cow) & down (cat)
• Without chin moving 
• Breathe in open chest, lift chin, lift puppy tail
• Breathe out cat, curl forward (arch back like a halloween cat), drop chin
• Breathe in your pelvic bowl spills water out the front
• Breathe out the pelvic bowl spills water out the back

2. Holding Up The Sky With One Hand (Legs out, can be gently backed up to a support) Start with hands on belly and return there on each exhale before you switch sides.

• Press down with one hand to keep the floor from coming up. 
• Press up the sky with the lower palm on the other hand. 
• Breathe in as you stretch up & open; breathe out as you, bring the energy to your power belly and change sides.

Holding Up the Sky With Two Hands 

• Start with both hands on lower belly
• Breathe in as the hands travel up.
• Stretch up over head, with both hands, from the lower palm. 
• Breathe out, hands return to belly.

3. Stealth Ninja (Legs out, body slightly pulled away from support, so that hand can snake behind)

• Press one hand forward near your shoulder and chin, to ward off an attacker. It has the sensation of being propelled in that direction.
• At the same time, look over the opposite shoulder, as if to check behind you. 
• The other hand is behind the back reaching in in the same direction the head is facing. Your body is moving in one direction and you are looking over the other shoulder while at the same time the back hand is reaching as if to grab a friend’s hand

4. Hip Circles (legs out, support under knees advised, hands on knees)

• Move hips around in a circular motion in one direction, like an old fashioned coffee grinder
• Repeat in the other direction.

5. Backbend

• Hands behind on the floor
• Lift chest and lean back.
• Head can drop behind, but keep chest lifting and open and back strong.

6. Forward Fold

• Fold forward but have knees comfortably bent
• The “goal” is belly to thighs; knees bent more will facilitate this 

7. Square Breathing

• Breathe in (count 4/5/6/7/8…your choice)
• Hold same amount
• Breathe out same amount
• Hold the same amount.
• Repeat

8. 4 Cycle Breath

• In/Out nose
• In/Out mouth
• In nose/Out mouth
• In mouth/Out nose.
• Repeat

Groove & Flow: Your Vibe Attracts Your Tribe

Groove: Movement relaxation series to relax the entire body

Flow: Short & Sweet Kriya to get the energy moving

Playlist: Myopia by Moby Circling by Four Tet Swisha by Ratatat Running Up That Hill (Instrumental) by Kate Bush Samba de Orfeo by António Carlos Jobim Dazz by Brick Be Still by Beautiful Chorus My Secret Lover (Diplo Remix) by Private I Was Born This Way (12 Instrumental) by Carol Bean Like Some Dream I Can’t Stop Dreaming (Break Mix) by Daniel Wang Synchronize Ft. Jarvis Cocker by Discodeine I Want To Be Free by Ohio Players

Groove & Flow playlist for 11/9/2020

Ayurvedic Tips for Autumn

Fall is a time of transition. Trees, shrubs, animals and birds are preparing for the winter. They are all gathering the energy, including nutrition, that they will need to survive the winter. Temperatures, although right now quite balmy, are going to drop and the wind is slowly gathering strength, carrying with it the whiff of winter on its breath. Autumn is dry, rough, windy, erratic and cool.

These are all qualities shared by vata dosha (vata-wind/dosha=energy) 
Vata is one of the three energetic forces of the subtle body, the inner happenings of the life inside your body.. This particular dosha corresponds with the elements of air and ether (space). Thanks to the airy and mobile qualities of vata, it plays an integral part in healthy bodily functions such as digestion, the flow of breath, and communication between the mind and the nervous system. Vata types tend to have creative personalities and are often inquisitive in nature.
 
Excess vata can cause the body, mind, and emotions to feel scattered like the wind. This type of imbalance can happen to anyone, regardless of their Ayurvedic constitution or body type.

Here are a few simple ayurvedic tips to balance Vata this fall: 1. Enjoy warm cooked foods. Foods made with a little olive oil or ghee have a wonderful soothing effect that immediately calms down restless Vata. Root vegetables, hearty grains, soups, and stews are recommended. Cooked grains – like oatmeal, tapioca, cream of rice, and cream of wheat – and most nuts and seeds are also beneficial. 2. Use warming spices like ginger, black pepper, cinnamon and cumin, but not extremely hot spices like cayenne pepper. 3. Enjoy warm beverages such as chai or golden milk. 4. Eat less cold and raw foods.  5. Take extra care of your skin with a warm sesame oil self-massage.  6. Increase stillness in your day to connect with yourself. Vata is aggravated by feelings of fear and insecurity. 7. Get enough sleep, nap when you need. 8. Reduce stress by consciously practicing yoga, meditation, long deep breathing and alternate nostril breathing. 9. The colors we wear can greatly contribute to how you feel. Choose colors from the environment around you. In this cooler season of autumn, warmer richer hues, like autumn’s foliage, are a great choice. Adorn yourself with rich red, warm gold, and burnt orange. 10. Try to stick to a regular routine: go to bed at the same time, meditate daily, mindful movement every morning.

Simple techniques to help you feel grounded, steady, and nourished all season long!

Welcome to Eve’s House!

All About Eve

I am Eve. I was born and raised in Brookline, MA in a beautiful, yellow Victorian mansion atop the 2nd highest hill in Brookline. My mother was a paper sculptor and surrounded me with art my whole life. I found self-expression in the art of movement through sports and then through bodybuilding, tap dancing, flamenco, yoga, and Qigong as an adult. Just like my love for cutting paper, learned from my mother, I have created a personal movement style, based on cutting and piecing together different movement styles. I works with all ages and finds delight in adapting my programs for all ages and all abilities.

I love reimagining myself all the time and finding unique and creative ways to fit what I love to do into other people’s lives. I focus on sharing this source of inner freedom with people, to inspire them to feel happier, healthier, more wholesome and for them to be able to withstand the pressure and fluctuations of time.

Thank you all for embarking on this journey of self-discovery with me!

You cannot be in stress and gratitude at the same time. Choose gratitude!

Today’s breathing exercise: Tattva Balance Beyond Stress and Duality

This meditation balances the brain and relieves stress. It takes only three minutes but can have a profound effect.

Posture: Sit in Easy Pose with a straight spine. Raise the arms with the elbows bent until the hands meet at the level of the heart in front of the chest. The forearms make a straight line parallel to the ground.

Mudra: Spread the fingers of both hands. Touch the fingertips and thumb tips of opposite hands together. Create enough pressure to join the first segments (counting from the tip) of each finger. The thumbs are stretched back and point toward the torso. The fingers are bent slightly due to the pressure. The palms are separated. (I realize I did the wrong mudra in class.)

Eyes: Fix your eyes at the tip of the nose.

Breath: Inhale slowly and deeply through the nose. Exhale through the rounded lips in eight equal, emphatic strokes. On each exhale, pull the navel point in sharply.

Time: Continue for 3 minutes. You may build the practice slowly to 11 minutes but note that longer times are only for the dedicated, serious practitioners.

To End: Then inhale deeply, hold for 10-30 seconds, and exhale. Inhale again, and shake the hands over the head. Relax.

Group meditation: Mantra for Creativity: Har Haray Hari Wahe Guru

The mantra for creativity Har Haray Hari Wahe Guru is in four parts and represents the cycle of creative activity. Har represents the seed potential of Infinite Creativity. Haray represents the flow of the Creative Force. Hari represents the manifestation of the Creative Force. Wahe Guru is an expression of joy and wonder at the beauty of this process.  It’s like saying “Idea. Flow. Here it is. Wow!” Here is a video of the movements.

Groove & Flow Playlist 11/2/2020:

Ancient Love by Anoushka Shankar

Voice of the Moon by Anoushka Shankar

Everybody Loves the Sunshine by Roy Ayers Ubiquity

So Lo Que Soy by Monogem

River by Ibeyi

Give Me The Sunshine by Leo’s Sunshipp

Har Hare Hari Wahe Guru by Paramjeet Singh and Kaur

Groove & Flow: Flexibility of the Spine no.1

A flexible spine is the key to youth!

Groove & Flow is only getting groovier!  

We are focusing on flexibility of the spine for the next few weeks.

A flexible spine is the key to youth! Please join me.

Groove: Swimming Dragon

Flow: (Based on) Basic Spinal Flexibility Kriya

Groove and Flow is a specially blended style of embodied movement where participants explore and experience the joy of movement and freedom of expression within a supportive, creative environment, regardless of experience and/or abilities. This class is balanced with movement, tranquility and meditation and participants can be on a mat or in a chair. All abilities welcomed for this one of a kind experience. 

Get creative! Build connections! Create community!

Playlist for G&F 10-19-2020

Garth in a tux in the snow.

Garth Stevenson (All songs are from his album Flying. I highly recommend buying this album. It’s truly magnificent, made even more special if you order a hard copy, as you will receive a beautiful hand made CD envelope. Both of his albums are glorious!)

• Dawn
• Horizon 
• Tides
• A Love Song (my favorite!)
• Flux
• Reflection
• The Southern Sea.
• Shavasana Music by Annki Har Dyal Kaur & Klas Landahl from JAP Meditations for Transformation

Groove & Flow with Eve October-December 2020

Groove & Flow Monday’s 7:00-8:00PM

Today is a great day to sign up for Groove and Flow to help keep you active, committed and moving forward.

Monday night is a great time to make time for yourself. Create the space in your calendar and join on in!

Groove and Flow Yoga is a special blend of yoga and mindful movement where the participants explore and experience the joy of movement and freedom of expression within a supportive, creative environment, regardless of experience and/or abilities. This class is balanced with movement, relaxation and meditation and participants can be on a mat or in a chair. All abilities welcomed for this one of a kind experience.

Classes will be split between the Morse Institute Library & Common Street Spiritual Center. You must register separately for each class.

Morse Institute Library:

Common Street Spiritual Center:

10/19 (Registration is open) 11/2, 11/16, 11/30 & 12/14 Library classes are available for registration 2-weeks in advance of each session and are funded through the libraries self-care grant

10/12, 10/26, 11/9, 11/23, 12/7, 12/21 For these classes, I am offering a sliding scale fee of $10-$20 per class (with $5-$10 for seniors). ***Please register by emailing Adamant_Eve@hotmail.com*** Zoom link will be sent when you register. Payments: Venmo (@Eve-Costarelli; cell -1643) Paypal AdamAnt_Eve@hotmail.com; (please make personal payments) Checks Eve Costarelli, 16 Porter Road, Natick, MA 01760

Registration is required. Once registered a link to join the program will be sent to you. *Please be sure to enter a valid email address, as zoom room code will be sent in your email confirmation.

I turn no one away from my programs. My goal is to promote connection and community.

With peace,

Eve, Always Be Dancing!

AdamAnt_Eve@hotmail.com

Eve Costarelli is passionate about bringing the joy of movement to all-bodies. Through her interactive, self-designed mindful movement program, Always Be Dancing: The Art of Movement, Eve uses yoga, dance & social consciousness to create a healthy, diverse, inclusive environment. Eve is the yoga coordinator for the Common Street Spiritual Center, the lead yoga & mindfulness educator for Open Spirit of Framingham’s Nourishing Teachers, Strengthening Classrooms’ project and facilitates all-inclusive yoga and dance programs throughout Massachusetts.For more information, please contact Eve at AdamAnt_Eve@hotmail.com.

Blog: https://alwaysbedancing.wordpress.com/

FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/AlwaysBDancing

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/always_be_dancing/

Yoga Books and Online Health and Wellness Classes at the Morse Institute Library

I am so lucky!

A few years ago, I taught teen yoga workshops for the library. They were a lot of fun and I really enjoyed sharing them with the community through the library. One of the best things, is that all programs through the library are open and accessible to all and are free of charge for the participants.

Fast forward to now. The teen librarian shared my name with the adult programming coordinator and voilà! through a generous self-help grant, I am now offering my Groove & Flow series through their online event portal (search for yoga in calendar). Here is the link to my online yoga video-library. Along with my classes, the library has been able to bring a fabulous online Qigong program with Dr. Ming Wu and Dr. Wei Li. Here is the link for the online Qigong video-library.

I skimmed though the library’s yoga book selection and created a list of books that I thought would compliment my teaching. Of course, there are so many yoga books available, so my list is just a snap shot of some. This list does not include children’s books (here’s are two good blog posts I wrote “My Top 20 Books About Yoga For Kids” and “21 Mindfulness and Yoga Books and card Decks For Kids”)

• Accessible yoga: poses and practices for every body by Jivana Heyman  
• Adaptive yoga moves any body by Mindy Eisenberg  
• Autumn winter spring summer by Sandra Sabatini, Silvia Mori
• Chair yoga for seniors: stretches and poses that you can do sitting down at home by Lynn Lehmkuhl
• Chair yoga: seated exercises for health and wellbeing by Edeltraud Rohnfeld
• Chair yoga: sit, stretch, and strengthen your way to a happier, healthier you  by Kristin McGee  Gentle yoga : a guide to low-impact exercise by Lorna Bell and Eudora Seyfer
• K.I.S.S. guide to yoga by Shakta Kaur Khalsa 
• Lilias! yoga gets better with age by Lilias Folan
• Relax into yoga for seniors : a six-week program for strength, balance, flexibility, and pain relief  by Kimberly Carson, MPH, E-RYT; Carol Krucoff, E-RYT 
• Relax into yoga for chronic pain: an eight-week mindful yoga workbook for finding relief and resilience by Jim Carson, PhD, Kimberly Carson, MPH, C-IAYT, Carol Krucoff, C-IAYT  
• Restore and rebalance : yoga for deep relaxation by Judith Hanson Lasater, PhD, PT  
• Yoga for body, breath, and mind : a guide for personal reintegration by A.G. Mohan
• Yoga for healthy aging : a guide to lifelong well-being by Baxter Bell, MD, Nina Zolotow
• Yoga for women by Shakta Kaur Khalsa 
• Yoga for women : wellness and vitality at every stage of life by Shakta Khalsa 
• Yoga for osteoporosis : the complete guide by Loren Fishman, Ellen Saltonstall  
• Yoga in bed : awaken body, mind & spirit in fifteen minutes by Naomi Sophia Call    
• Yoga mind & body by Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre  

Groove and Flow Online September-December 2020

I am excited to have the opportunity to bring to the community Groove & Flow classes through the Morse Institute Library’s Online Event Portal.

My next Groove & Flow is Saturday September 19th at 11:00AM. Registration is open now.

Groove: Late Summer and the Earth Element

Flow: Balance, Harmony and Rhythm 

Coming Soon:

Mondays @ 7PM (Registration opens 2-weeks ahead of each date)

Monday: September 28

Mondays: October 5 & 19

Mondays: November 2, 16 & 30

Monday: December 14

Please check out my latest blog post 

Purpose, Intention & Patience

Check out my videos on YouTube

I am available for:

• Motivation sessions. Please let me help motivate you! 
• Online classes for Adults and Children. Privates and groups.
• Video production for private and community use. 
• Please email me for more information AdamAnt_Eve@hotmail.com

The next Grounding In Community will be held on Natick Common, Sunday September 27th 1:30-2:55. I hope you will join us for inspiring community connecting event. I will be leading a wonderful short Groove & Flow activity for everybody to enjoy.

Purpose, Intention & Patience

Living with a sense of purpose is so important. Wake each day with a drive and will to do. Find things that interest you and a determination to learn, even when it is hard. Learn to figure things out-ask questions-make mistakes. Experience the inner sensations of your passion.

Life is to be lived with gusto-zest-zeal. You must live in and for the moment. Your goals and desires and hopes and dreams have many paths that lead to them. Allow yourself the freedom to travel many paths. They will lead you to experiences that will help you on your way. Do not be disappointed if your path is different than you thought it would be; instead be flexible. Learn along the way. Find joy in your travels. Be inspired to live.

Experience the moments within a larger context. Everything you do will cause an effect. Whether the desired one, or not, or possibly one that is not immediately noticeable…maybe not even in your lifetime. Above all be patient Know that patience is not just the ability to wait for it to happen. Rather, it is the absolute knowing that it will happen. Just. Know. It. Will. Happen.

You can effect change.

Alwasy keep your vibration high.

Have a positive outlook.

Look at your heart.

Have hope.

With peace,

Eve

If you are local to Natick, MA, please join me today. I will be leading a short Grove & Flow associated with the fire element and summer. Come get grounded!

Grounding In Community

Natick Common 1:30-3:00PM

Grounding In Community is an outdoor, in-person, and safe way to grow our hope and support each other. Every last Sunday afternoon, from 1:30 – 3:00, we meet under the shade of a giant tree on the Natick Common for a time of spiritual practice, artistic expression, and truth-telling. We lie on the grass, sit on blankets and chairs, sing, explore movement, and speak words of truth that give us greater strength and freedom.

We are living in times that are heavy with foreboding in terms of health, economics, and politics. And so we gather in community to affirm that we are not alone in being afraid and in needing support. Together we create a space where we find the courage to face all this…and to find a way of being well and of keeping hope alive within.

For everyone’s safety, we will wear masks and maintain six feet of distance. If you want, please also bring a blanket, yoga mat, or chair to sit on. It is also recommended to bring a water bottle.

If you are inspired to share a poem, story, song, or reading–something that grounds you in truth and gives you hope–there is a time of open sharing in the structure of the gathering where this will be welcome.

Groove & Flow with Eve: The 4 U’s

This is Kundalini yoga done my way. This is the set or kriya called the 4 U’s. They are for you! Through stillness, your Prana or life force is invigorated.

The full set would be 11 minutes for each pose with an 11 minute Savasana. In this video, each pose is 5 minutes, hence a 5 min total relaxation at the end.

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The 4 U’s

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The 4 U’s: Pose Adaptations

Here is the video for you to follow. Please enjoy this amazing set. Once in your position, do not move. Let the energy circulate itself.