Anna Shearer

Start Your Year With An Urban Yoga Movement

December 31, 2016 By Dayton Most Metro

The Urban Yoga Movement is a retreat designed to bring yogis and wellness enthusiasts together for a celebration of community, learning and peace. The event will take place all day on Sat, Jan 7th in downtown Dayton. Guests will enjoy a day of active and educational sessions focused on a variety of disciplines of yoga, meditation and wellness of the mind, body and soul. Active sessions will include power and restorative options while educational sessions will cover yoga lifestyle, adventure and meditation. Breakfast and lunch will be provided by Whole Foods

The event has a new home this year! It is their goal to use a space that feels a little undergound and demonstrates the transformation possible in Downtown Dayton. Event Co-Producer Tom Helbig says, “we couldn’t be more excited about hosting our event in a large warehouse building located in the Atta Girl Arts & Gardens Complex on Third Street in downtown Dayton, owned by local artist Hamilton Dixon, and local business owner and yoga community member Carli Dixon.” The Atta Girl complex is home to Hamilton Dixon Studios, Bloombeads flower petal jewelry, Front Street Cycle and Third Street Event space.

Registration fee will include access to all classes, breakfast, lunch, social, expo and Urban Yoga Movement shirt courtesy of Wagner Subaru.

Below is some background information on some of the instructors that will be a part of the day:

9am Opening Session Laughter Yoga

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The Laughter yoga session will begin with a combination of deep breathing and stretching exercises, progressing to laughter exercises, and then concludes with a laughter meditation. These exercises oxygenate your body and brain helping us to feel more healthy and energetic. It is a complete well-being workout. Life is better when you are laughing ?

Stacy Lynn is an internationally-trained Yoga Therapist and E-RYT, Exercise Physiologist, and Holistic Health Educator. She has been serving the Dayton area with Mind/Body healing practices for over 15 years. Finding significant personal healing through yoga practices, her passion is to make the transformative and empowering practices of classical yoga available and accessible to all individuals. Stacy is the owner of Enlightened Fitness, LLC and founder of Empower Yoga Project located in Centerville.

At 10:15am Ranjani will be teaching followed by an 11:30am lecture on the Ramayana!
Ranjani Powers has been practicing yoga ever since she could move…one could say her samskaras run deep.

One of Ranjani’s earliest memories is stretching and contorting herself into what she calls “juicy” postures (which, at that time, she thought she invented) but she later (to her chagrin) found out that they were in fact traditional yoga asanas (another memory is retreating to a dark and quiet corner of her parents’ house to practice likhita japa).

In the summer of 1998, Ranjani received the blessings and instruction to teach yoga from Sri Swami Satchidananda and has since devoted her entire life to teaching yoga.

Ranjani opened one of the first ever yoga studios in the Dayton area (Down Dog Yoga in Tipp City, Ohio in 1999), as well as the largest yoga studio in Dayton, perhaps even Ohio (Sakti Yoga in Old North Dayton, Ohio in 2005), so you could say she has been around the yoga block a couple of times. Regarded by many to be the teacher of yoga teachers, Ranjani Powers was the first E-RYT 500 in the area, and the first to offer a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher’s training in Dayton, Ohio. Many of her students are now established yoga teachers in Dayton and around the country.

True to her name, Ranjani Powers loves dishing out powerful classes that leave students stretched, sweaty, and sublimely empowered! Her classes will work your body, and expand your mind – she will challenge you physically and mentally, then allow your spirit to soar blissfully beyond in one of her legendary relaxation sessions.

11:30am Ashtanga Yoga with Ross Stambaugh
Ross enjoys sharing the tradition of Ashtanga Yoga as taught by Sri. K. Pattabhi Jois, and the KPJAYI. The asana (postures), is one thing, but sharing and taking part in the ongoing lineage, philosophy, myths, and stories add so much more to it all.

Yoga provides the tool to uncover misconceptions we have about ourselves. We are much stronger and more capable than we give ourselves credit for. Ashtanga Yoga has a way of grounding you. Ross says he needs the grounding effect it has on him every single day.

The Power of Authenticity
Ross makes annual trips to Mysore, India to practice at The K.P. J. Ashtanga Yoga Institute, (the location where Ashtanga was started) and study yoga philosophy with Dr. Jayashree and Professor Narasimha. These trips last months and allow him to ground himself as well as submerse himself in yoga and focus on his practice.
Yoga has the great ability to allow the practitioners to show their best side when presented with challenges.

Flow Class at 4:14pm with Heather Feather

Feather” was Heather’s nickname growing up and it suits her well. Feathers inspire and that is just what Heather aspires to do for YOU!

Heather’s journey in health began after her father died from a rare neurological disease called Multiple Systems Atrophe in 1999. In the first month of her Freshman year at Lake Forest College her entire world shifted. A significant transformation began when Heather started practicing yoga and running to cope with the loss. Heather was on a destructive path during her teenage years and she chose to move in the direction of health which brought forth true healing and growth.

She has not turned back and wishes to bring the healing and transformational powers of a healthy lifestyle with a focus on yoga, exercise and healthy eating.

Heather teaches in a dynamic and firm, yet non-threatening way. She always brings something new to the table whether that be in a class atmosphere, bootcamp, private training/yoga or retreats. She brings a multifaceted approach to health & wellness with her in-depth knowledge of the yoga practice, exercise and diet. Heather is strongly intuitive and steps deeply into the present moment with you to give the best service possible. She almost always combines exercise and yoga in her offerings and sometimes even a healthy, delicious treat!

Heather is an ACE certified Personal Trainer, 500 hour trained Yoga Instructor, and Chef. She also has a professional certification in the Culinary Arts, an Associates degree in Pastry Arts and a certificate in dietetics. Additionally, Heather is a certified Spin Instructor, an Ironman finisher, marathon and ultramarathon runner, long-distance swimmer and triathlete.

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You can also enjoy an afternoon session at 4:15pm hearing tales from Tom Helbig‘s Journey to Happiness. Tom’s focus on adventure, knowing his authentic self, simplicity, building community and loving people has led to a more profound passion for life. Yoga and meditation has provided an incredible balance to his life of adventure. Three days after Urban Yoga Movement last year, Tom started his cycle across America from San Diego, CA to Key West, Florida to support Special Olympics. You just might hear a story or two from that journey filled with happiness.

Tom is the co-producer of Urban Yoga Movement and owner of a playful company called Tomfoolery Outdoors. Learn more about his lifestyle here.

GO W/ THE FLOW will present the closing session at UYM this year!

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Tori Reynolds discovered yoga while studying psychology at Wright State University. Compelled to learn more, she earned her 200 hour RYT certification in 2011 in Cincinnati, completed 500-hour certification with Live Love Teach in 2012, completed 100 hours of Rocket Yoga certification in 2015 and has studied with teachers including Doug Swenson, Tim Miller, Kino Macgregor, Tiffany Cruikshank, and Noah Maze, among many others. When not teaching around her hometown of Dayton, OH, Tori also travels with the GO W/ THE FLOW project she co-founded in early 2012. This collaboration between Tori and her partner Ben allows her to share her passion for the power of intentional breathing fueled by creative and inspired music internationally.

Michigan native and musical genius of GO W/ THE FLOW Ben Rivet is known for his roles as performer, producer, designer and yogi. With a reputation for collaboration and cross- promotion, it’s no surprise GO W/ THE FLOW combines these aspects. Driven by his passion to innovate, connect and share, Ben continues to perform under the name BJSR, cultivating and refining his unique style, and also participated in Practice Yoga’s teacher-training program where he earned 200-hour RYT certification in April 2012.

A Lifter and a Yogi Walk Into a Room (Part II)

August 24, 2016 By Jason Harrison

Last week I published the first part of an email conversation between local yoga practitioner Anna Shearer and me. This is the second half of the conversation, in which Anna asks me questions about my recent experiences working with her on the yoga mat. While I’ve done yoga before here and there, the one-on-one practice I’ve started with her has been the most consistent yoga I’ve ever attempted. So she had a few questions for me about that…

Anna: What preconceived notions did you have about yoga before you started practicing it?

Jason: Probably the most important preconceived notion I had about yoga before I started practicing with you was that I don’t enjoy it. And before I make it sound like I’m yoga guy now decked out in Lululemon from head to toe, I should say that I still have moments of panic on the yoga mat. I don’t “enjoy” it the way I do strength training.

But what I’ve realized as I’ve gotten more serious about my own pursuit of strength over the last year is that yoga can be an integral part of getting stronger. And I almost hesitate to say that out of offending anyone who sees yoga more as a spiritual practice. But practically speaking, I’ve felt better in my body since I began practicing yoga with you, and the numbers in the gym indicate that it has helped me get stronger. That sense of efficacy is not one that I anticipated at all. I mainly expected to just feel uncomfortable.

Anna: What advice would you offer to people who want to begin a yoga practice?

Jason: I think having a good teacher is probably more important in yoga than it is in strength training. What I do is fairly intimate, but not nearly as much as yoga. I know really good coaches who approach strength training with clinical precision, and you really can get stronger and leaner with an approach like that. But I think yoga necessitates a sincere bond between teacher and student. So I think it’s paramount that people try out one of the myriad studios or teachers in the area. It seems to me that in yoga, the “better” teacher might not necessarily be better for the individual if the vibe isn’t right.

Anna: What has been your favorite part of your practice thus far?

Jason: I have a fairly big insecurity around letting go completely. You and I were talking about this recently, but I’ve never been a big drinker or drug user, not because of any moral aversion to stimulants, but because I’ve always been worried that if my inhibitions were lowered enough that the “real” me would come out and people would hate that version of me. I try to stay fairly “held” in my work as a trainer, in part because I don’t want my reactions to things to elicit any sort of shame or guilt on the part of a client.

That sense of holding onto my own self, not revealing too much, can be incredibly limiting. I’ve found that yoga allows me the opportunity to try to be completely open in a way that is safe and encouraging. I can channel rage and aggression under a barbell, and I ‘d go so far as to say that rage and aggression can be necessary at certain loads under a barbell. And that’s definitely a part of my humanity.

But I think yoga has forced me to reckon with another honest part of my humanity too, which is to say vulnerability. And it’s quite possible this has nothing to do with yoga itself, but in surrendering in a sense to the guidance of a teacher I trust. But if I had to guess I’d say it must have something to do with the practice itself. At the end of each practice, in the calm and still room, I feel a sense of accomplishment. And that feels good. But I also feel a sense of calm in those moments that I rarely allow for myself. That’s a pretty powerful thing, but I have a lot of work to do to give myself permission to feel that more often.

A Lifter and a Yogi Walk into a Room (Part I)

August 17, 2016 By Jason Harrison

I’ve written in this space before about the false choice between strength training and yoga. Today I want to report back that I’ve been putting my money where my mouth is. Yes, I’ve been on the yoga mat with some regularity lately. I’ve been trading strength training sessions for yoga sessions with local teacher Anna Shearer, who offers one-on-one private yoga at my gym. (She also teaches classes around the Dayton area.)

We’ve been talking about what we’ve been learning from one another, and because we thought it might be a good idea to capture some of those discussions we decided to interview one another for this space. Here’s the conversation, conducted over email this week.

Anna Shearer/Photo credit: Andrew Thompson

Jason: How have you had to change your eating and recovery strategies since you started lifting weights?

Anna: This is such an interesting question for me! As I started making some big time shifts in my life I dreamed of teaching yoga full-time and what that lifestyle would be like. I imagined having the time to be connected to the ritual of eating…to be present and connected as I made myself a nice, healthy breakfast in the morning. When I started really getting into the thick of teaching I found myself eating in much the same way as I had prior…quickly, on the run, and while multi-tasking to complete other obligations. When I began strength training the increased intensity the weights put on your body required me to really think about consciously fueling. I found myself planning my meals so that if I was away from my home all day I would have the nutrition on hand to help me recover after a session. More importantly, I found myself taking the time to be present and connected – making and enjoying a full breakfast rather than running out the door with a meal bar. In a way, my strength training efforts brought me closer to that yoga lifestyle I was envisioning! I’ve also created space for more sleep and I work with foam rollers, acupressure mats, and massage with essential oils…I’m feeling better than ever!

Jason: What would you want someone who only practices yoga to understand about strength training based on your experience?

Anna: Before I stepped on the training floor I was assuming a strength session would be full force exertion almost continuously for that hour. The sessions are much more strategically geared with points of effort and points of rest. The balance of the two is in line with my yoga experience and I felt right at home.

Also, in terms of the physical postures of yoga, we can only put so much time/effort toward a posture before we succumb to the law of diminishing returns. Take handstand for example. There’s only so many times you can effectively kick up into the posture while keeping key areas engaged and maintaining good alignment…and a well-rounded practice, of course, doesn’t consist of only practicing handstand. So what we can do to supplement our practice is to work with strength training moves that isolate key areas of the body, ones we want to specifically engage in particular postures, so that we’re finding body awareness in those areas outside of actually being in the yoga posture.

Anna Shearer/Photo credit: Andrew Thompson

Jason: What has been your favorite movement or exercise thus far?

Anna: It’s difficult to narrow it down…as with yoga, there is so much variety and everything has its own uniquely appealing energy. In my experience so far I definitely have a top three.

1. Turkish Get-Ups – they’re like a beautifully choreographed dance and as I moved through the different segments of this exercise it felt familiar like the flow of a yoga sequence.

2. Dumbbell overhead press – this one feels natural in my body and as I work through the reps and sets it becomes almost like a meditation through movement.

3. Medicine ball slams – this one initially felt awkward because it requires some really fierce/aggressive energy…but after settling into a rhythm I came to love the intensity and all out brute force!

Jason: What I’ve found particularly interesting about training Anna is that she does everything beautifully. Her thousands of hours on the yoga mat have given her a body awareness that few people possess.

Next week, you’ll see my answers to Anna’s fascinating questions.

Anna Shearer holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing and international business from Ohio University and has trained for and run multiple Tough Mudder races along with a half marathon. She is a graduate of Indigo Yoga Dayton’s teacher training program and you can find her teaching classes a various studios in the Miami Valley. Sometimes you can find her lifting progressively heavier things in the Oregon District. You can email her at [email protected]