BLUE DOG YOGA AND HEALING
Alternative & Holistic Health Service
Blue Dog Yoga and Healing was developed by Caron Shepley, yoga guru, energy coach and animal lover. She is dedicated to help people optimize their body, mind and spirit with educational workshops, yoga classes, crystal chakra balancing sessions and more. As a passionate animal lover, Caron also wants to help animals, big and small, optimize themselves allowing for synergy among all sentient beings. The "blue dog" in Blue Dog Yoga and Healing was Caron's beloved childhood dog (who accidentally but happily got "shampooed" with blue finger paint) and was the most nurturing and patient dog any child could hope for. The services that Caron provides are dedicated to this joyful, loving and temporarily blue dog...
CALEDON VILLAGE SUP & PUP CLUB
Today, stand up paddle boarding (SUP) is everywhere, on every stretch of water deep enough to dig a paddle into. And folks continue to enjoy time on the water with their pets. We have seen dogs, cats, pigs, turtles, seals and manatees all getting in on the action. But it’s our canine companions that enjoy it the most and just the excitement they display when they know where they are going is motivation enough to get out on the water. Here at Blue Dog Yoga, our furry friends always take centre stage, not just in our name! So we couldn't let the summer go by without adding a SUP & PUP club! For a great article on SUP with your PUP, check out the following article: https://tahoesup.com/sup-with-your-pup/paddle-board. For our Caledon Village SUP & PUP club, here's what you need to know if you want to give it a try:
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Your dog must wear a life jacket. This is a must even if your dog is a good swimmer. Limited numbers of doggie life jackets are available for a small fee.
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If you don't have a paddle board, that's OK, board rentals are also available.
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Neither you or your dog have been on a paddle board before? That's OK! On Tuesday, July 7, Dog Trainers from Bold Canine will be available to assist your dog in learning to become comfortable on a paddle board. And of course I am a certified paddle board instructor, so I can give both of you lots of tips to make the paddling experience a PAW-sitive experience for you and your dog!
THESE CLASSES ARE FINISHED FOR 2020. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED!
SUP YOGA
SUP is an acronym for "Stand Up Paddleboard". SUPing is currently one of the fastest growing water sports. If you have mastered your regular yoga class, try leaving the gym or studio and joining a SUP yoga class. While originating on the beaches of Hawaii in the 1960s, today you can find SUP yoga classes inland as well. A great way to get and stay fit, SUP Yoga classes work the legs, core, arms, and back as you try to stay on board and propel yourself. The 10 to 12-foot-long paddle boards have been dubbed "the floating yoga mat" and SUP yoga devotees describe the experience as relaxing, meditative, joyful, and free.
For a serious workout which fires up and strengthens the core muscles, improves alignment, balance and weight distribution, and increases focus, popular SUP yoga poses include:
- Downward Facing Dog
- Cat Pose
- Child’s Pose
- Warrior Pose I
- Plank Pose
- Corpse Pose or Sivasana
To expand your yoga practice, deepen your connection with nature, develop your mindfulness skills, improve your technique, and enjoy a new, exciting full-body workout, head to a nearby body of water and join a Stand Up Paddle Yoga class. Classes are held at the James Dick Quarry located at 17847 Hurontario St., just south of Caledon Village. You can BYOB (bring your own board) or rent one from Caron. Classes are on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6pm to 7pm, and Fridays from 4-5pm ending on Friday, September 4, 2020.
DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND CLASSES HAVE BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL THE END OF SEPTEMBER!
Monday classes with Dawn and Wednesday classes with Caron start at 5:30pm starting Wednesday, September 9th and go until September 30th.
Because of social distancing guidelines this year, we can not help you hook your board to the buoy lines in preparation for the yoga portion of the paddle board class. A short video explaining the hook-up procedure can be found here:
ANIMAL COMMUNICATION AND CHAKRA BALANCING
Our furry friends need some attention too! Caron can help your fur-baby optimize his or her body, mind and spirit with an Animal Communication and Chakra Balancing Session. Sessions are done from a distance (similar to Reiki distance treatments) and you will need to provide your animal's name, age and any questions that you would like answered. Caron will also ask your animal to talk about anything that he or she chooses including and dislikes. Following the animal communication, Caron will measure the animals chakras to determine any issues that need to be addressed. Finally Caron will provide you with a summary of the communication and chakra balancing including some suggestions to help improve the animal's body, mind and spirit.
For animals in spirit Caron will tune into your animal in spirit using a photo the owner’s name and when the animal passed. She will ask the animal to describe its' personality and special memories. Then she will ask for any messages that the animal has for its' owner.
In-person sessions are available for enhanced fee. Book Animal Communications Here.
THE SCIENCE OF CRYSTAL HEALING
Holding crystals or placing them on your body can promote physical, emotional and spiritual healing. Crystals do this by positively interacting with your body's energy field, or chakra. Each chakra holds a unique vibration as do individual crystals. If chakra is out of balance or is blocked it will not vibrate optimally. Placing a particular crystal on or near the body can bring the blocked or imbalance chakra back to their proper vibrational status. The following is a summary of the seven chakras and the crystals that can be used to balance them:
Root Chakra: If your root chakra is weak, you may feel like you are unhappy with your body size or shape. You may feel as if you are out of control of your life and you can’t gain control. If your root chakra is overactive, you might find that you often explode angrily at the smallest things. For root chakra healing , we recommend using red and black crystals, such as Red Garnet, Red Jasper, Smoky Quartz, Black Onyx and Hematite, to rebalance your root chakra. Once your root chakra is balanced, you will feel more grounded, solid and confident in yourself.
Sacral Chakra: A low energy flow through your sacral chakra will cause a lack of energy and motivation. You may feel extremely lethargic and even depressed, lacking any joyful moments in your life. If your sacral chakra is overactive, you may be feeling a constant frustration, leading to you breaking down in tears too often. To align this chakra center, practice sacral chakra healing. We recommend Carnelian, Orange Calcite, Tiger’s Eye and Sunstone. Once your sacral chakra is back in balance, you will begin to feel excitement, inspiration and motivation again.
Solar Plexus Chakra: Inactivity of the solar plexus chakra will cause you to feel powerless, especially when you are under pressure. You may often feel butterflies in your stomach, or feel as if you can’t gain control over your life. If your solar plexus chakra is overactive, you will feel the uncontrollable need to control everything about your life; a “control freak.” For solar plexus chakra, try using yellow gemstones, such as Citrine, Yellow Jasper, Rutilated Quartz and Pyrite. Once your solar plexus chakra is balanced, you will begin to feel motivated, focused and confident in your decisions.
Heart Chakra: If you find yourself having problems in your relationships or feeling unattached to the people you love, it may indicate that your heart chakra is weak. If your heart chakra is overactive, you may find yourself becoming too attached to things, resulting in you being overly emotional all the time. To practice heart chakra healing, try meditating with green and pink heart chakra stones, such as Chrysoprase, Aventurine, Rose Quartz or Rhodonite, over your heart to open it up to all types of love. Once your heart chakra becomes realigned, you radiate love of all kinds. Your relationships will begin to strengthen again and you will feel hopeful.
Throat Chakra: A weak throat chakra will make you unable to speak your truth and express yourself. When your throat chakra is overactive, you often speak before you think, resulting in unnecessary arguments and hurtful words. When your throat chakra becomes unbalanced, you will find that you cannot articulate your thoughts clearly, leading to miscommunications and frustration. For throat chakra healing, try meditating with throat chakra stones, like Angelite, Sodalite, Blue Apatite and Aquamarine, on your throat.
Third Eye Chakra: Located just below the crown chakra in between the eyebrows, the third eye or brow energy center is linked with enhanced intuition and creative inspiration. If you feel a lack of clarity in your life or have trouble seeing the truth in yourself or situations, it’s a sign that you need a third eye chakra cleanse. In crystal therapy, indigo colored gemstones such as Lapis Lazuli, Sodalite, and Fluorite reawaken inner wisdom, which opens the door to self-knowledge. After all, to know yourself is the beginning of wisdom.
If you feel you cannot visualize and organize your life very well, then your third eye chakra may be under active. If your third chakra is overactive, you may experience nightmares each night. You may begin to feel stuck and in an emotional rut, becoming closed off to new ideas. You may also feel as if your intuition is off, and you cannot trust your “gut feelings.” For third eye chakra healing, lay on your back and place your favourite third eye chakra crystals, like Angelite, Amethyst, Fluorite and Iolite, over your third eye and just relax.
Crown Chakra: An inability to think clearly when you are under stress means that your crown chakra is unbalanced. You may feel like you are going about life without having a specific purpose or path, leaving you feeling lost. For crown chakra healing, try using crown chakra crystals, such as Clear Quartz, Amethyst, Selenite and Moonstone, to balance and align this chakra center.
Situated at the top of the head, the Crown chakra is the pathway to all other chakras, which is why energy healers typically start with a crown chakra cleanse before any therapeutic session. When the crown chakra is balanced and harmonious, it opens the doorway to spiritual enlightenment. Associated with the color violet, Amethyst crystals are excellent crown chakra activators. In healing layouts, these stones are placed on the forehead to encourage a feeling of transcendence from negative, self-defeating thoughts.
CRYSTAL YOGA
Crystal Yoga is the practice of dynamic yoga postures and meditation with the aid of healing crystals and stones. Holding crystals or placing them on your mat promotes physical, emotional and spiritual healing. Crystals do this by positively interacting with your body's energy field, or chakra. While some crystals improve wellness and alleviate stress, others improve concentration, creativity and intuition.
A powerful aspect of a daily yoga practice is that it helps you to regain balance. Holding a crystal in your hand, or laying several on you body, and breathing deeply for a few minutes has a similar effect. It balances your body, grounds you in the present moment, and brings you back to center. You may also practice yoga to help reduce anxiety and stress. Healing crystals have a calming vibration that can help relieve anxiety and stress, as well. If you practice yoga for the physical strength and flexibility that it provides, crystals can help to enhance your commitment to your well-being by keeping you motivated and dedicated to your practice.
No matter the reason you come to your mat, merging yoga and crystals creates a powerful energy combination that deepens your yoga practice and heightens the transformational powers of your crystals. This combination takes you to a deeper level of healing, creating a closer connection with your yoga practice, your crystals and, most importantly, your self. Once you incorporate crystals into your yoga practice, you’ll wonder why you haven’t been using them all along.
CLASSES ARE SUSPENDED AT THE MOMENT DUE TO COVID-19.
