Rich Perry

STRENGTH & FOCUS: Celebrate National Yoga Month and healthy choices with the inaugural NEPA Yoga Festival

STRENGTH & FOCUS: Celebrate National Yoga Month and healthy choices with the inaugural NEPA Yoga Festival
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September is National Yoga Month and serves as an awareness campaign to educate the public on the many health benefits of yoga and encourage healthy lifestyle choices. Throughout the month, yogis (yoga practitioners) host a variety of festivals and specialty classes to celebrate, as well as organize opportunities to reach new audiences and endorse regular yoga practice, which is not only beneficial to the body, but to mind and spirit as well.

Chelsea Manganaro, owner of Nearme Yoga Studio in Moosic, has been working hard the last few months to bring a large-scale yoga and wellness festival to our NEPA community. She has partnered with local studios and professionals to help put NEPA on the map for health and wellness. This Saturday, Sept. 12, Manganaro will host the inaugural NEPA Yoga Festival at Montage Mountain in Scranton.

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A photo posted by @nearmeyoga on

The event, which she hopes to make annual, will promote options to maintain an overall healthy lifestyle by featuring a variety of educational opportunities while still focusing attention on the heart of the festival – yoga. Classes will include exploration of Vinyasa, Kundalini, Chakra Flow, Acroyoga, Yin, and much more. Teachers from around the region will hold classes throughout the waterpark area. There will also be children’s yoga activities, seminars, holistic and healing areas, live music, vendors for delicious and healthy food, merchandise and craft vendors, fun activities, and more!

This is a rain or shine event, with doors opening at 9 a.m. Classes span from 10 a.m.-7p.m., and I’ll be presenting tips to “Unlock Your POWER” at 1 p.m.!

10 percent of the proceeds will be going to Griffin Pond Animal Shelter.

NEPA Yoga Festival schedule of classes and activities:

Beginner classes:

10 a.m.: Yoga Nidra with Priya Idgunji
11 a.m.: Hatha with Nadya Matychak and live percussionist
12 p.m.: Astanga with Jennifer Savo from Jenn Savo Yoga
1 p.m.: Restorative with Heather Solimini from The Wonderstone Gallery, LLC
4 p.m.: Kripalu with Carol Brozzelli from Balance Yoga
5 p.m.: Gentle Vinyasa with Dina Beth Stewart
6 p.m.: Yin with Jennifer Ciarimboli

All levels to advanced classes:

10 a.m.: Strong Vinyasa with Kelly Brown Corrazzi from Prana Yoga
11 a.m.: Dynamic Hips with Mikey Vogt from Nearme Yoga
12 p.m.: Kundalini with Melissa Russo
1 p.m.: Acro Yoga with Tara Quinn
4 p.m.: Chakra Balancing with Maria Fredrick
5 p.m.: Dharma Yoga with Jerome Burdi
6 p.m.: Strong Vinyasa with Kelly O’Brien from Mission Yoga

Other fun classes:

10 a.m.: Yoga Tune Up with Meredith Hutter Chamorro
11 a.m.: Partner Yoga with Heather Solimini and Thomas Gilmore from Nearme Yoga
12 p.m.: Primodal Sound Meditation with Mary Stewart-Pipkin
1 p.m.: Photo Jam with Joe Longo (20pp max)
3 p.m.: Slacklining with Corinne Farrell from Balance Yoga
4 p.m.: Yoga Dance Fusion with Abby Scaramuzzo-Slater
5 p.m.: Juggling with Laura Rinehemim
6 p.m.: Thai Massage with Tara Quinn

Speaker and lecture area:

10 a.m.: “What is Yoga?” with Jennifer Ciarimboli Yoga
11 a.m.: “Overcoming Challenges” with Charles Umphred
12 p.m.: “Infinite Possibilities: Understanding and Applying the ‘Law of Attraction’ to Get What You Want” with Sharon Krawetz
1 p.m.: “Unlock Your POWER” and “The Change” book signing with Rich Perry
2 p.m.: “Overcoming the Overwhelm: How to Focus on What You Want” and “The Change” book signing with Larunce Pipkin
3 p.m.: “Healthy Spine, Healthy You – The Brain Body Connection” with Dr. Dan Golaszewski
4 p.m.: “New Heights” with Garry Melville
5 p.m.: “10 Tips to Thrive” with Amber Summers-Krug
6 p.m.: “Find the Way to Your Heart” with Maria Triano

Kids’ area:

All day: Face painting
10 a.m.: Yoga Games with Kelly Evans Yoga Kids
11 a.m.: Interactive Yoga with Diane Folmar
12 p.m.: Dance Class with Symmetry Studio
1 p.m.: Scavenger hunt
2 p.m.: Kids’ Creative Yoga Experience with Maria Triano
3 p.m.: Yoga Using Children’s Classic Literature with Terry Tokach from Mountain Yoga
4 p.m.: Dance Party with Julie Brown
5 p.m.: Yoga Play with Kelly Mellen Evens

Tickets can be purchased via Eventbrite. For more information, visit nepayogafestival.com or the Facebook page. For further questions, e-mail nearmeyogafestival@gmail.com or call 570-840-3220.

I hope to see you this Saturday, and be sure to visit the seminar area and say hello. As always, thanks for reading and be excellent!

Create the future you want with the choice to change now! This column offers Strength & Focus for the moments you need to overcome the distractions of the week, each and every day. Look for it every Monday on NEPA Scene.