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  

Mindful Book Reviews By Eve: Mindfully Me 3-Pack (Mindfully Me Series) by Louise Shanagher and Rose Finerty

Mindfully Me Book One: It’s Always There A children’s meditation book for mindfulness, calm and happiness by Louise Shanagher and Rose Finerty is truly one of the best children’s mindfulness books that I have come across. The book is full of thoughts that pique the interest and understanding the art of mindfulness is easily accessible for children and is written into lovely, flowing rhyming sequences. The artwork is adorable. I love the textured painting juxtaposed onto photographic backgrounds and sprinkled with computer-generated flowers. It’s completely endearing!
I am excited to be able to offer a free copy of this book. Please head over to my Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/mindful_boo… for the giveaway; shipping only available in the continental US. Giveaway Ends 12/10/18.

Mindfully Me Book Two: Where Is Happy? by Louise Shanagher and Rose Finerty. The Dynamic Duo Lou Lou Rose is back at it again. They have created a second book and once again have come up with a beautiful children’s mindfulness book, both through its words and its illustrations, that promotes self-compassion, self-confidence and self-esteem in a perfectly suited for children way. Where Is Happy? encourages children to seek inner peace rather than material gain through easily relatable content written into relaxing, flowing rhyming sequences. The book is full of extra content to help teachers and parents integrate the book and its message. This book is a great read and a great social-emotional learning tool for kids!

Mindfully Me Book 3: Look Who’s Here by Louise Shanagher and Rose Finerty. Book 3 of the Mindfully Me Series is another winning title from the creative minds of Lou Lou Rose. Look Who’s Here does a great job of universalizing feelings and emotions by reinforcing the message that everyone has them and if you can take a moment to just notice them in yourself that you will be ok because self knowledge is the key to inner peace. I loved the diverse names used in the book’s lilting rhymes, making for whole lot of fun word play. This book is full of positive ways to notice and address big feelings in an engaging and identifiable way.

This series would make a perfect gift for the holidays and every day. I really enjoyed all of the books and know I will use them in my kids yoga & mindfulness classes. They are very well crafted mindfulness books for kids. They are sweet, educational and totally relatable. I especially like the language used and appreciate that it is not syrupy or cutesy, but sincere words that kids will enjoy reading and will be able to ingest. I highly recommend the whole series!

Check out www.loulourose.net for awesome connected resources

¡Olé Namaste! Eve Costarelli

Thank you to Lou Lou Rose for sending me this book series. All opinions expressed are my own.

For more information about my accessible mindfulness/yoga/dance program, please visit alwaysbedancing.com.

Book Review: Disruptive Stubborn Out Of Control by Bo Hejlskov Elvén

I was pleased to get a copy of this book. It seems ground breaking in its vision of dealing with disruptive classroom behavior as it does not blame the disruptive students as acting out on purpose, but instead the resounding message of the book is, kids will behave, if they can. To me, that is a refreshing perspective as it seems in most cases that students are punished for their inability to act appropriately even when it seems that a reward option is being exercised. This is the case for sticker charts etc. We think these are systems of reward but they are quite insidious and are actually just as likely to be a system of punishment. We think that if we force the children through behavior modification to behave appropriately and that we will see a change in their negative behavior but this is only true up until the point that they cannot behave appropriately. This book does a great job showing examples of behavior, explaining through simple charts the sequence of events, and offers action plans. But most of all, it makes the adults, the teachers, the ones responsible for changing the outcome of negative behavior. It may seem an insurmountable task, along with all of the other teaching duties, but in the long run, taking action and responsibility will lead to a stronger sense of community in the classroom and pave the way for a more fluid learning environment for everyone. The back of the book offers insights for personal reelection and a large section of further reading on the subject.

I highly recommend this book as an alternative viewpoint from the norm. It will empower you to take work through and discover a new way of taking charge in your classroom.

How I will use this book:

I too encounter negative behaviors in my yoga classes. By this I mean children who cannot sit quietly and are disruptive and out of control. I want to help these kids so much as I know it must be very difficulty for their classroom teachers and their families to deal with their continued “lit” behaviors. I have a number of such students in the after-school program I teach at that is in a housing development. I am not sure how these kids teachers actually reach them? How do they learn if they cannot shut down and listen? I have starting working separately with each of these students, for just a few minutes each before my yoga classes begin. I know their “negative” behavior is not on purpose; the just lack self control. So how to help them learn self control? How to take control of their “Me-Me” outbursts? One I idea I had was to create a social story, to show them how their behavior negatively impacts the other students. I spent about 5 minutes talking through the cartoon. I let them know they were not in trouble and I asked if they knew how much noise they made during class (they did not). I made a secret symbol up for them (crossing my fingers at my lips) to let them know tat their “Me-Me” talking had got too loud and disruptive. During class, I used this symbol, but I also called attention to them when they “went there” not by saying “shhhhh” but calling their name, getting them to “see me” and saying they were too loud. This coming week, I am going to have one of my assistants keep track for me how many times they are disruptive during class so that I can actually show them data of their disruptions. Well day one went very well. I did not let their behavior distract me from teaching but I kept a tight hold on it. At then end of class, these two boys (plus one more who I will be adding into this program) came up to me at the end of class and gave me big hugs. I never expected this and I was totally enveloped by them. It was a glorious feeling of connection!

Full disclosure: Jessica Kingsley Publishers sent me a copy of this book. All onions are my own.

Book Review: Mystery of the Disappearing Dolphin (A Pack-n-Go Girls Adventure) by Janelle Diller

Book review: Mystery of the Disappearing Dolphin (A Pack-n-Go Girls Adventure) by Janelle Diller; Illustrations by Adam Turner @worldtrekpublishing 

This is a special book review for The Multicultural Children’s Book Day on January 27, 2017, whose mission it is to not only raise awareness for the kid’s books that celebrate diversity, but to get more of these of books into classrooms and libraries.

This was my first encounter with a Pack-n-Go Girls Adventure and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience! The author, Janelle Diller, has a very pleasant and captivating writing style and I love the unique words she uses that lend poetry to the book. The words flow easily and the tale is spiced up with clear explanations that make the book very accessible and exciting. Ms. Diller uses her story to share the culture and traditions of Mexico, interspersed with Spanish phrases and words, and to paint a very clear picture of what is takes to make new friends, to trust others and oneself, to be brave and to be honest. Her characters are multidimensional and they are bright, sensitive and true-to-life. The accompanying black and white illustrations by Adam Turner lend visual support to the story and I especially loved the boat diagram at the beginning of the book and the sweet characters he created.

This book is smart, well written and fun to read and I would recommend it to all children. It is a fun, thrilling adventure with great, strong female characters. Izzy is a modern day Harriet The Spy!

Check out the trailer for the book on YouTube!

I have also included some cute dolphin coloring pages!

Included in the book are some great tips for traveling to Mexico, a delicious Enchilada recipe, a Spanish phrase and word section and also some great travel organization ideas! The recipe definitely got me hankering for Elote’s , one of my favorite Mexican treats! ¡Olé!

Elote or corn on the cob is a popular street food in Mexico, although it is frequently served at home prepared in the same way (boiled or grilled in husk). It is customarily consumed on a stick, or by grasping the husk of the cob that has been pulled down to form a “handle”.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream or Mexican crema
• 1/2 cup finely crumbled cotija or feta cheese, plus more for serving
• 1/2 teaspoon ancho or guajillo chili powder, plus more for serving
• 1 medium clove garlic, finely minced (about 1 teaspoon)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems
• 4 ears shucked corn
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

DIRECTIONS

1. Set half the burners of a gas grill to high heat. Set cooking grate in place, cover gill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate.
2. While coals heat, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, cheese, chili powder, garlic, and cilantro in a large bowl. Stir until creamy and set aside.
3. When grill is hot, place corn directly over hot side of grill and cook, rotating occasionally, until cooked through and charred in spots on all sides, about 8 minutes total.
4. Transfer corn to bowl with cheese mixture and use a large spoon to evenly coat corn on all sides with mixture. Sprinkle with extra cheese and chili powder and serve immediately with lime wedges.

Full disclosure: The author sent me a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Ms. Diller has also created learning activities to make it easier for teachers, homeschoolers, & parents to enrich their teaching. Here’s a link to a sample of the activities: https://app.box.com/s/atte1k8cfyp8hkucu8wlzyauyaaudsxx For the full set of learning activities, people can find them on TeachersPayTeachers: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Pack-n-go-Girls

Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2017 (1/27/17) is in its fourth year and was founded by Valarie Budayr from Jump Into A Book and Mia Wenjen fromPragmaticMom. Our mission is to raise awareness of the ongoing need to include kids’ books that celebrate diversity in home and school bookshelves while also working diligently to get more of these types of books into the hands of young readers, parents and educators.

Despite census data that shows 37% of the US population consists of people of color, only 10% of children’s books published have diversity content. Using the Multicultural Children’s Book Day holiday, the MCBD Team is on a mission to change all of that.

Current Sponsors:  MCBD 2017 is honored to have some amazing Sponsors on board. Platinum Sponsors include Scholastic, Barefoot Books and Broccoli. Other Medallion Level Sponsors include heavy-hitters like Author Carole P. Roman, Audrey Press, Candlewick Press, Fathers Incorporated, KidLitTV, Capstone Young Readers, ChildsPlayUsa, Author Gayle Swift, Wisdom Tales Press, Lee& Low Books, The Pack-n-Go Girls, Live Oak Media, Author Charlotte Riggle, Chronicle Books and Pomelo Books

Author Sponsor include: Karen Leggett Abouraya, Veronica Appleton, Susan Bernardo, Kathleen Burkinshaw, Delores Connors, Maria Dismondy, D.G. Driver, Geoff Griffin,  Savannah Hendricks, Stephen Hodges, Carmen Bernier-Grand,Vahid Imani, Gwen Jackson,  Hena, Kahn, David Kelly, Mariana Llanos, Natasha Moulton-Levy, Teddy O’Malley, Stacy McAnulty,  Cerece Murphy, Miranda Paul, Annette Pimentel, Greg Ransom, Sandra Richards, Elsa Takaoka, Graciela Tiscareño-Sato,  Sarah Stevenson, Monica Mathis-Stowe SmartChoiceNation, Andrea Y. Wang

We’d like to also give a shout-out to MCBD’s impressive CoHost Team who not only hosts the book review link-up on celebration day, but who also works tirelessly to spread the word of this event. View our CoHosts HERE.

MCBD Links to remember:

MCBD site: http://multiculturalchildrensbookday.com/

Free Multicultural Books for Teachers: http://bit.ly/1kGZrta

Free Kindness Classroom Kit for Homeschoolers, Organizations, Librarians and Educators: http://multiculturalchildrensbookday.com/teachers-classroom-kindness-kit/

Free Diversity Book Lists and Activities for Teachers and Parents: http://bit.ly/1sZ5s8i

Cultivate Your Flamenco Body

My yoga teacher, Barbara Benagh used a metaphor for cultivating a plant in relation to growing a pose in yoga. This metaphor really resonated with me and I brought it with me to flamenco class this week.

At the beginning of class, we explore the body structure to be held during flamenco and  I describe the process physically:
*Feel a long lower back
*In return you will feel a response in your belly, a lifting in your belly
*Bring your belly into your spine, so you fill out your lower back
*Feel your side ribs lifting
*Have deep arm pits
*Lift your shoulder girdle up and then drop it over the top of the rib cage
*Do not pull your shoulders back, instead open your upper back wide
*At the same time, open your chest up wide too
*You need a micro-bend in your knees and elbows
*Pull the back of your cranium into your neck for a long straight line from tail to crown of head
*Eyes are down cast (hooded) in a far off type of way (do not look at the floor)

This week, however, I led the class using visualization to allow my students to create new habits in forming the flamenco body:

“When you want to plant a flower, you first need to till the soil, nourish it, plant the seeds, water it, and then sit back and wait to see the blossom….now in relation to the flamenco body. If you imagine that the soil line is at the hips, so your legs and your feet are the roots below the surface. The roots grow down and ground the dance to the earth. From the waist up is the blossom, growing from the soil line (which is your hips). This is the blossom.With good, strong roots, you then use the upper body to create the shapes and lines true to flamenco, building out of the hips and allowing the legs and feet to move separately.”

This is a much different image than if you imagine the feet are rooted to a soil line right below them. In this scenario, the legs are not rooted in the soil. But with the soil being at the hip line, you can instead imagine the legs to be strong roots growing deeply down into the soil and then allow the feet to hold you to the earth.

Book Review: Growing Up Mindful by Christopher Willard, PSYD

I was pleased to receive the book Growing Up Mindful from the author, Christopher Willard, PSYD. As I have become increasingly more focused on bringing mindfulness into situations where mindfulness might not be readily available, such as in schools, offices, and  with the special needs populations, I have enjoyed the wide array of books on the practical applications of mindfulness, that I can adapt to my needs. Dr. Willard is at the top of the game. This book was really user-friendly with just enough scientific knowledge mixed with common sense. A dream book of ideas to help create a sense of balance, ease and flexibility in your life, that of your family and also to those around you. From the excellent mindfulness exercises to the practical advice, Dr. Willard offers creative and useful scripts, examples and ideas on how to bring mindfulness into your day. I highly recommend this book. It is an excellent tool for anyone: parent, teacher, and boss who wants to help young people bring mindfulness into their lives.

He also has an audio companion to his book available on Sounds True and a great set of Growing Mindful card deck that features 50 unique mindfulness activities to teach awareness, how to be present in the moment, and cultivate kindness & curiosity. Perfect for all ages! 

As a special treat, here is a YouTube link to Dr. Willard’s TedX – Growing Up Stressed or Growing Up Mindful?

Disclaimer: The author sent me a copy of Growing Up Mindful. All opinions are my own.

The Spain of Granados in Music and Dance

Dear Friends of the Arts,

I am proud to announce that the Boston Arts Consort and the Cambridge Center for Adult Education are presenting the music of Enrique Granados at ArtWeek Boston.

            

THE BOSTON ARTS CONSORT

                                       & THE CAMBRIDGE CENTER FOR ADULT EDUCATION

                                                                             PRESENT

 Join the Boston Arts Consort and the Cambridge Center for Adult Education for an evening of uniquely Spanish music, art, and food in celebration of the great Catalan composer Enríque Granados.  Hear some of  his  most famous works;  get a glimpse of the artwork of Francisco de Goya whose paintings inspired Granados’ greatest pieces; and learn about the composer’s dramatic life story through specially-selected photographs from the Museu de la Música in Barcelona. We’ll  begin the evening by enjoying authentic sangria and “bocaditos” (little tapas) prepared by personal  chef and Spanish culinary expert Luis de Haro. 

 

With Margarita Campos, Barcelona University lecturer; Eve Costarelli, Interpretive Spanish dance; Christian Figueroa, tenor, Liz Leehey, clarinet; Ed Milan, dramatist; Linda Papatopoli. pianist and director; Clara Sandler, mezzo-soprano; Devin Ulibarri, Spanish classical guitar

 

 

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2016

  PRE-CONCERT  RECEPTION 6-7PM    CONCERT 7:30-9PM

 

SPEIGAL AUDITORIUM

56 BRATTLE STREET, HARVARD SQUARE, CAMBRIDGE MA 02138

 

                 $15 ADMISSION,    PAYMENT THROUGH BROWN PAPER TICKETS
                                                         http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2592423                                 
                                     For  more  information call 617-666-7973

Friday September 30, 2016

6:00-7:00PM Pre-concert reception with authentic sangria & bocaditos.

7:30PM Concert

$15/admission

Please purchase tickets for the Boston Arts Consort in The Spain of Granados In Music And Dance

Cambridge Center for Adult Education event link here

The Boston Arts Consort event link here

The Boston Calendar event link here

Facebook event link here

Eve Costarelli’s preliminary teaching and performing schedule for 2016-2017

Dear Students & Families: past, present and future,

Welcome to my preliminary teaching and performing schedule for 2016-2017. All programs are inclusive and are adaptable.

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1. This year, as lead youth/teen yoga and mindfulness instructor at Open Spirit Center, Framingham and their Nourishing Teachers, Strengthening Classrooms project, I am aiming to bring yoga and mindfulness to target populations of students and faculty at Framingham High School and Hoops and Homework, an award winning After School and Summer Program serving the most under privileged kids in Framingham, MA. *** My ability to reach these populations is determined by grants and private donations though the Open Spirit/ Nourishing Teachers, Strengthening Classrooms Project. For more information, please visit our donation page.
2. I will be at Mini Miracles Childcare Center with Eve’s Awesome Yoga for ages 15 months-6 Years. Classes here are only available for center enrollees. 
3. Anthony Tiriti Tran and I continue our educational program, ¡Olé Flamenco! with both Young Audiences of Massachusetts and Celebrity Series: Arts For All! We can come to your school or community gathering! All programs are inclusive and adaptable.
4. On the performance front, I will be dancing for the Boston Arts Consort and Song Caravan. On the stage, you will find me either dancing traditional flamenco or my beautiful creative gypsy-freestyle, which blends my life of dance into my own artistic expression.
5. I am available for *private and semi private work, site specific choreography, educational presentations and master classes. *My private lesson slots are filling fast.
6. This summer, I had the awesome opportunity to bring yoga to a BINA Farm/Warrior Thunder Foundation event and I hope to do more work with both organizations.
7. On Saturday September 24, 2016, I will be participating in Open Spirit Center’s Day of Spirit. Please join me for my gypsy-freestyle class and how mindful movement assists in freeing your artistic voice. Check Open Spirit Center/ Day of Spirit for more details
8. Just throwing this out there: I am looking to create a 11+ yoga boys class. If you are interested or know of anyone, please share my information with them.

Please contact me for more information. All programs can be tailored to fit your needs. 

Thank you and Remember to Always Be Dancing!

¡Olé Namaste!

Eve

 

 

Book Review: The Mindful School Leader: Practices to Transform Your Leadership and School by Valerie Brown and Kristen Olson

I am a yoga and mindfulness teacher working in my local public school district and community and I can say first hand that the need for mindful school leaders is much needed. To create the conditions for a successful learning environment, first the infrastructure must be healthy and well-balanced.

This book is a must for every principal, teacher, paraprofessional-everyone who comes in contact with the school environment, so that they can be the active change they want to see within their own classrooms, school and community at large. This book is a veritable repository that is highlighted by extremely well documented support research and case studies making this project so real and accessible. The subjects of the case studies give voice to the possibility and proof that mindfulness can work. The provided mindfulness scripts are very handy, even offering scripts that are as short as 30 seconds!

I really appreciated how this book showed mindfulness in-motion/in-action; showing how accessible it is in our everyday lives-it’s just there-go ahead and grab it! I highly recommend this book-hop on it and find the groove that you are seeking. We are all leaders at one time or another. That is why this book is for you!

Full Disclosure: The author sent me a copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own

Book Review: Master of Mindfulness: How to Be Your Own Superhero in Times of Stress by Laurie Grossman, Angelina Alvarez and Mr. Musumeci’s 5th Grade Class

This is book is the real deal…totally authentic…“the truth”…it is an honest, open-hearted expression of what it takes to really stop, take a moment and respond rather than react to things that are stressful and happening right now, in real time. These kids just tell it like it is and with their words and their beautiful art, they allow us to see how they are learning to come to grips with their humanness and how they have come to appreciate and respect the need to self-regulate. The staff and kids are 100% committed to this venture and that is evident from their honesty, bravery and creativity. I really appreciate how this book is presented, from the bright color schemes, the beautiful self-portraits, and the almost graphic novel-like approach, the book offers compelling examples from young people who are coping with stress by not hurting themselves or anyone else for that matter. Instead, they are willing to be calm, insightful, and kind. Masters of Mindfulness, written by Laurie Grossman, co-founder of Mindful Schools and Director of Program Development at Inner Explorer, and Mr. Musumeci’s 5th Grade Class at Reach Academy in Oakland, California, introduces examples of how to be mindful in a straight forward approach, user-friendly manner and since it is written by kids, it is thoroughly believable.

This book is a huge success and it belongs in homes, libraries and on every park bench, school desk and bedside table!

Here is a nice trailer for it! 

Full Disclosure: The publisher sent me a copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.