Yoga for People with Disabilities and Chronic Conditions - In Person & Livestream

Thursdays 2-3:30 & Saturdays 3-4:30PM Via Zoom

Donation Based piedmontyogacommunity.org/classes/disability-classes

Currently, these classes are attended by a wide variety of students, some who practice in wheelchairs, using walkers, canes, or crutches as well as those with invisible special needs. Adults of all ages, genders, and ethnicities. Our teachers, assistants, and volunteers are equally as diverse. Among our current students are, paraplegics, many with esoteric autoimmune diseases, others who have post-polio syndrome, cerebral palsy, fibromyalgia, osteogenesis imperfecta, scleroderma, hip or knee replacements, cancer, traumatic brain injury, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, neuropathy and other side effects from diabetes. The majority of these students are dealing with a great deal of stress in their everyday lives. If you are simply experiencing pain or are in recovery, we welcome you.

Y12SR - Yoga for 12 Step Recovery

FIRST FRIDAYS: 6:00 - 7:30 PM

NEXT SESSION - September 6th

Y12SR (Yoga for 12 Step Recovery) blends the practical tools of the 12 step programs with the ancient wisdom of yoga. This class is a 12 step based discussion and yoga practice that is open to anyone and everyone dealing with their own addictive behavior or affected by the addictive behavior of others.

The 12-step program approaches addiction at a cognitive level; yoga includes a somatic approach. This combination recognizes that yoga is part of a holistic recovery program and provides tools to address the physical, mental and spiritual disease of addiction.

This is an open and inclusive group - all A's are welcome. Wear comfortable clothing.

Resilient Recovery Circles

THIRD FRIDAYS: 7:00 - 8:15 PM

SIGN UP HERE: https://events.humanitix.com/resilient-recovery-circle-oak

Class may not be "full" as indicated. Sign-Up at: https://events.humanitix.com/resilient-recovery-circle-oak

Resilient Recovery Circles

with Yoga Therapists & Somatic Practitioners Chelsea Rappel & Beth Foley

Every 3rd Friday of the Month -

From 7 - 8:15 PM | In-Person & Livestream

$25 with a sliding scale option

We have found a huge gap in the recovery space – a supportive community that’s focused on the somatic aspect of sober living.

If you are on a recovery journey and want to feel more ease and freedom in your body, join us to…

• Understand why your body is the missing link to sustainable change

• Build capacity to navigate your emotions with confidence and compassion

• Reclaim personal agency in your body and experience freedom from unwanted behaviors

• Learn practical somatic tools to self-regulate and soothe discomfort naturally

• Receive support and co-regulate with like-minded community

We recognize all forms of addiction when we use the term “in recovery,” and intend for these groups to be fully inclusive. As long as you are interested in reconnecting with and deepening connection to your body, we would love to have you.

Every group will follow the same rhythm of peer support and process time, along with guided somatic practice and reflection. This is a trauma-informed, relaxed space to share and relate with each other, and ourselves, in new ways.

Whether you’ve been in recovery for years, months, days, or are debating whether sobriety is right for you, you are welcome!

“Once you start approaching your body with curiosity rather than with fear, everything shifts.” — Bessel van der Kolk

Beth Foley: Beth is a Midwest-born nature lover who found her way to sobriety through the path of yoga, an ever-evolving practice that continues to inspire and support her. Her work focuses on the power of somatic awareness and nervous system regulation to transform unwanted patterns, an invaluable skill for navigating recovery of all kinds. Beth has been sharing this work for several years, supporting many clients in releasing held trauma from their bodies and living a more aligned, fulfilling life. Learn more about Beth at www.bethyogatherapy.com

Chelsea Rappel: Chelsea is first and foremost a grateful person in long term sobriety, as well as a bunny mom and lover of rock climbing. As a Somatic Practitioner and Yoga Therapist, Chelsea is committed to supporting others on their journey to freedom from addiction in a way that is authentic and meaningful to the individual. Chelsea is also the founder of Awakened Recovery, a Body/Mind healing modality for embodied, soulful recovery, and is passionate about helping folks feel more alive and empowered in their skin. Learn more about Chelsea at www.AwakenedRecovery.com

For more information about Chelsea and Beth and their programs, visit their website: www.resilient-recovery.com

Heart Rituals and Restorative Yoga for Winter Solstice

SATURday December 13th

3:00 - 6:00 PM

In Person

with Dominique Cowling

$65

In this workshop we will honor our emotional capacity by feeling our relationship to the Winter season. There will be a combination of nature meditations, group activities and intentional rest. This heart centered space is designed for highly sensitive beings who are seeking an environment to engage with others. Open to all levels of Restorative Yoga and meditation.

Flow and Hot Cocoa - A Winter Warmer

Sunday December 14th

4:30 PM - 6:15 PM

In Person

with Jody Hahn

$45

Warm up on a chilly winter's eve with a grounding, heart opening flow class. We’ll move for an hour or so and end with a couple restorative poses to continue the grounding and calming that the winter season implores. We'll then grab hot cups of cocoa - sip, socialize and enjoy. I will make a relatively healthy hot cocoa with real chocolate, oat milk and monk fruit sugar. You will also have the opportunity to add all, some or none of the following to your cup: cinnamon, chocolate shavings, cardamom, whipped cream etc. So, grab a friend and join the yummy fun.  

Space is limited to 25 so sign up early.

Sama Sadhana - Even Practice | An Advanced SmartFLOW Training with Annie Carpenter

Sama Sadhana. SAMA = Balanced. SADHANA = Practice

75 hours YA certified training

$1450 Super Early Bird expires Sept 1 at midnight

$1595 Early Bird - Sept 2 - November 30

$1700 Full Price

Dates:

JAN 7-11, 2026

JAN 14-18, 2026

Times:

10 am - 5 pm

In Person and Via Livestream (Zoom) as well as some Supplementary Pre-Recorded content. Each session will be recorded for viewing later or review for up to 30 days post training.

Sama means even, or balanced as in Samasthithi or even standing pose. This pose teaches us to balance the body right and left, front and back and up and down; further it asks us to sense our feeling of being grounded with our need to feel free. And lastly it suggests that in our personal concerns we acknowledge the truth that we are part of or a greater, spiritual whole. Sadhana is practice: our daily Yogic practice. Sama Sadhana = Even, balanced Practice.

In this Intensive, you will reflect on and aim to balance your body, mind and heart similarly in all the poses we practice and in all the Movement Principles* that we explore. This will be a challenging and transformational training, moving you through the limbs of Yoga.

• Follow each Movement Principle to its fullest, advanced expression along its continuum

• Sense your own subtle balance of effort and return; and your balanced needs for both power and rest

• Consider each Movement Principle and its specific supports in all 3 Planes of Motion

• Assess and practice Hands-on-Assists for each MP family

• Anatomy to support each MP

• Learn essential Restoratives for each MP

• Daily Pranayama

• Meditation

• Philosophy (reading assignments will be given)

Sama Sadhana will be an Intensive in which you learn primarily through your own daily practice — to advance your own practice and to become a more sensitive and intelligent teacher. There will be also be lectures, demos and lab time. (*Note: Movement Principles are an essential element of SmartFLOW methodology; the online course will ground you in these concepts.)

PLEASE NOTE

Recordings will be sent out by 6 pm on the day of the session so those of you on different time zones will have access to the sessions at a convenient time for you.

If you plan to come both In Person and via Livestream (i.e. coming to Oakland for some of the training days), please register for IN PERSON and email kim@nest-yoga.com so that she will add you to the livestream roster. This will help us keep track of how many people will be in the room AND be sure that you get the links for the sessions you will be live-streaming.

PREREQUISITE:

This training is designed for teachers and experienced students. If you received your 200-hour TT (or other teaching certificate) from a school other than SmartFLOW® Yoga, we respectfully request that you complete our Online Training “Heart of SmartFLOW Yoga.” It is an 11-hour course on YogaGlo. Those hours and the Intensive’s 75 hours can be used towards your Advanced Certification at SmartFLOW, BML, or serve as CEUs.

BIO

Annie Carpenter known as a “teachers’s teacher,” is the creator of SmartFLOW Yoga, an intelligent marriage of mindful movement with compassionate, wakeful alignment. Based in northern California, Annie creates practices that are at once advanced and challenging, yet safe and playful. Practicing yoga for 4 decades, teaching for 3, she has been a respected Yoga Teacher Trainer since 2003. Annie continues to be a dedicated practitioner and student of anatomy, evolutionary movement, meditation and classical philosophy. She is the author of several CDs, DVDs, SmartFLOW® manuals and contributes regularly to Yoga Journal. Annie is based in CA and teaches globally, and at YogaGlo.com.

www.anniecarpenter.com

*All payments are non-refundable but may be converted into Nest account credit if cancellation is received 7-days prior to the workshop.

Urgent Care for Back Despair

Thursdays, January 15,22 and 29, 2026

5:00 - 6:30 PM

In Person, Livestream, and Recorded for 14 day access

$39 single session / $95 full series

Got Back Pain?

Join internationally acclaimed yoga teacher and author Leslie Howard for a transformative three-part workshop designed to address and alleviate low back pain through targeted, therapeutic yoga practices. Drawing on decades of experience, Leslie offers a deep dive into the root causes of lower back discomfort—often stemming from pelvic misalignment, postural habits, and muscle imbalances.

Session 1, January 15: Foundations of Pelvic Awareness & Alignment

Explore the anatomy of the lower back. Through mindful movement, breathwork, and gentle postural corrections, you'll learn to identify and release habitual tension patterns that contribute to pain and instability.

Session 2, January 22: Releasing the Sacrum & Soothing the Spine

The final session focuses on decompression and release. Using restorative postures, guided breath, and subtle techniques, you’ll cultivate a deeper sense of ease and freedom in the sacral area and lower back. This integrative class ties together the insights of the previous sessions for sustainable relief.

Session 3, January 29: Core Strength & Supportive Stability

Discover the true core—not just the abdominals, but the deeper stabilizing muscles that protect the spine and support the back. Leslie will guide you through accessible yet powerful practices to activate these essential muscles for long-term spinal health.

Whether you experience chronic back pain or occasional discomfort, this workshop offers tools and understanding to support a more aligned, comfortable, and empowered body.

All levels welcome. Modifications will be offered. Practices to take home for daily maintenance provided.

Come ready to move, learn, and liberate your low back with the guidance of a master teacher.

*All payments are non-refundable but may be converted into Nest account credit if cancellation is received 7-days prior to the training.

Death Cafe

Sunday February 8th

3:00 - 4:30 PM

with Leslie Howard

FREE. Donations accepted.

Join Leslie for a Death Café at Nest. At a Death Cafe people, often strangers, gather to eat cookies, drink tea and discuss death.

Our objective is 'to increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their (finite) lives'.

A Death Cafe is a group directed discussion of death with no agenda, objectives or themes. It is a discussion group rather than a grief support or counselling session.

Our Death Cafes are always offered:

- On a not for profit basis

- In an accessible, respectful and confidential space

- With no intention of leading people to any conclusion, product or course of action