3 Tips To Elevate Your Zoom Class Experience

The landscape of yoga & fitness classes has changed in the past 6 months. And while embracing zoom may not be our first choice, here are some ways to make the best of the situation and some perks of practicing at home too! Debra Mishalove, founder of DC’s Flow Yoga Center & workFlow Wellness shares her favorite tips.

1.

Create A Special Place To Practice

Keep it simple. I keep my supplies in a basket so I can quickly transform my space into a home studio. My favorite place to practice is my kitchen! Options you can include:

- Yoga mat

- Blanket & pillows for extra support

- Candles or plants

- Props like soup cans for weights & a belt

- Essential oils (lavender for calm, rosemary for energy!)

2.

Your Mind & Muscles Thrive On Variety!

Plan your schedule for the week ahead by taking an honest look at how you’re feeling and what may serve you best to help you make your class choices. Variety & creativity are key for building positive change & healthy habits. All of our classes come with a recording just in case your schedule changes. My favorite week includes these classes:

Monday - Vinyasa Flow
Tuesday- Cardio Barre
Wednesday - Yoga For Strength & Flexibility
Thursday - Flow Fit
Friday - Happy Hour Yoga
Saturday - Align & Flow
Sunday - Yoga For Peace & Calm

3.

Become Friends With Zoom

Zoom may not be your first choice but can’t beat the convenience. Practicing in your pjs, no parking struggle have their perks.

A few ways help you recreate that studio feel:

-Turn on your screen & add your first name so your teacher can get to know you! With this 2-way relationship you’ll feel more connected and get more support to grow in your practice.

- Use the chat box! Special requests? Need tech help? Or want your teacher to know about a special condition or injury you are dealing with? Send a pre-class chat to your teacher or our online producer for any support you need.

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Ready to try some zoom classes? Flow’s Intro Special gives you 2 Weeks of Unlimited classes for $25!

This will give you access to our expansive online class schedule, Flow’s team of talented teachers, and our amazing community full of inspiration and motivation.

All of our classes are currently live stream, so you can join us from where ever you are!

DIY Home Spa Rituals

DIY Home Spa Rituals

We love self-care rituals that you can do at home to help to balance out a busy week, while also infusing your mind, body, and heart with some well-deserved peace & calm.

These rituals are all about slowing down, getting mindful, and bringing intention to your evening routine. Not only will these self acts of kindness feel wonderfully indulgent…a gratifying after effect will also be a more peaceful and restful night’s sleep. You will wake up glowing from the inside out and your energy will be radiant! 

Take this opportunity to unplug and simply be present. Appreciate yourself while enjoying your own home-created bliss! You are worth it and you deserve this!

Set the Mood

Start your home spa with creating a relaxing and calming mood, allowing yourself to more deeply unwind. 

Take a few minutes to tidy up the area you will be hanging out in. Dim the lights and light some candles. The soft, warm glow of candlelight will help to quiet your mind. Burn some incense or turn on an essential oil diffuser to activate the oral senses and help elicit release in the nervous system. Use calming oils such as lavender, rose, or chamomile. Turn on soothing instrumentals or meditation music as a soundtrack for your evening. If you really want to commit to the full experience, turn off all other electronics including TV, computer, email notifications, and place your phone on silent. 

Tea or Infused Water

Treat yourself to a warm cup of herbal tea or fruit and herb-infused water, depending on your mood and tastebuds. Peppermint or chamomile are great choices for tea as both of these herbs are relaxing and soothing. Keep your infused water simple…add some slices of citrus and fresh herbs such as mint or rosemary. Whether you choose tea or water, sip slowly, breathe deep, and savor the flavors. Let this time be a mindful pause between your day and the evening ahead. 

Facial Steam

A facial steam is an excellent way to relieve stress and tension and give your skin a refreshed glow by improving blood circulation and a deep cleanse of your pores. 

Boil a few cups of water infused with healing herbs such as lavender, mint, raspberry leaf, or citrus rinds. You can also add your favorite essential oils to the water after it boils. Place the pot or bowl of boiled and infused water on a heat resistant surface, drape a towel over your head and shoulders to create a tent that catches the steam, close your eyes and breathe deeply. Relax here for as long as feels good, being mindful not to place your face too close to the hot water.

Yogurt Honey Mask

Once the pores are open and cleansed after a facial steam, it is beneficial to pamper your skin with a moisturizing and rejuvenating facial mask.

Start by mixing a couple of tablespoons of yogurt (plain, whole milk & unflavored) and 1-2 teaspoons of honey. Yogurt has probiotics and lactic acid, a gentle exfoliant, which naturally firms and tightens your skin, and helps to heal blemishes. Honey naturally hydrates and is rich in antioxidants. You can get creative here and add other ingredients too…here’s a few ideas for inspiration.

Avocado or olive oil for an extra moisturizing effect. Fresh lemon juice to brighten. Fresh berries for extra vitamin C and antioxidants. Nutmeg to plump the skin and reduce fine lines. 

Once you’ve created your mask, apply an even layer to your face and neck, and let sit for 20 min. You can read a book, meditate, or simply relax and listen to music during this time. Rinse with warm water, and there you have beautiful, glowing skin! (You can even eat your leftovers…)

Epson Salt Foot Soak or Bath

Taking a full-body bath or soaking your feet in warm water and Epson salt is a luxurious and easy way to wind down at the end of your day. Epson salts can help to reduce pain and inflammation and alleviate muscle fatigue. The magnesium in Epsom salts can help to promote deep, restful sleep by encouraging the production of melatonin. 

Draw a full body bath or fill a container with warm water large enough to comfortably relax and soak your feet. Dissolve 1/2 cup to 1 cup of Epson salts…and feel free to add other components such as essential oils or herbs. Try adding crystals for a fun and magical touch! Soak and relax for about 30 minutes…letting go of your day and dropping into a peaceful, calm, quiet mind. You can read a book, meditate, or listen to music during this time as well. 

Bonus relaxation and self-care tip: Massage your body and/or feet with coconut oil after the soak. Not only will your skin love this, but the self-massage will melt away any tension you are holding onto in your body.

Journal or Gratitude List 

As you settle into bed, take a few moments to journal, writing away any worries or lingering thoughts from your day. Or jot down a list of things you are grateful for, keeping your list simple and sincere. This helps to clear your mind while setting an intention for a serene night of sleep and sweet dreams! 

Have a beautiful date at your home spa! 

Restorative Yoga Poses You Can Try At Home

Home Yoga Practice: Restorative Yoga Poses You Can Practice At Home

Feeling depleted or overwhelmed? Looking for ways to relieve stress? Or perhaps you’re just in the mood to tend to your overall sense of wellbeing.

Today, we are inviting you to give yourself the gift of deep rest and relaxation by trying out this simple practice that can enhance your self-care rituals, nurture your mind-body-heart, and replenish your energy.

Restorative yoga poses are an effective and accessible way to soothe the body’s nervous system and promote supportive feelings of calm and grounding. Many of us have extended, overloaded, and sometimes even hectic days…and we all have moments in our lives that will ask of us to navigate challenges and change. Having a way to support yourself through the flow of both expected and unexpected life circumstances can be the difference between moving through your life with ease and grace…or feeling upside down and knocked around. 

As a way in cultivate balance, try carving out a little time and space in your life at home by settling into these poses to recharge, recenter, and recalibrate.  As much as possible, quiet any potential distractions or interruptions. Aim for about 7-10 minutes per pose, but if you’re comfortable, feel free to linger longer. Set a timer for each pose so you don’t have to think about it while you’re in your practice. You can practice these poses anytime of day from morning, mid day or evening. We always recommend a darkened room that is a comfortable warm temperature if possible.

Start each pose with a few deep exhales out through the mouth, and then relaxing into long and natural breaths for the remainder of the pose. Let the space behind your eyelids be soft or use a weighted eye pillow if you have one. You can also place a small towel over your eyes to help quiet the mind and shift the gaze inward. Relax your body into the props, letting your body be fully supported and held rather than applying effort. Practice these poses as often as feels good, and enjoy! 

If you don’t have yoga props, no worries!! Use blankets, towels, pillows, couch cushions and books. And feel free to get creative with your own modifications to support what feels best for you! 

Reclined Bound Angle Pose with Pillows (photo credit)

Legs Up The Wall Pose (photo credit)

Reclined Bound Angle Pose aka Baddha Konasana

Place folded blankets or stacked pillows on the floor, recline on your back so that you are supported on the props from the tip of your tail to the top of your head. 

Turn your feet towards each other, bending your knees and opening your legs to form a diamond shape.

Place folded blankets, pillows, or stacks of books beneath the knees to meet your flexibility, allowing your legs to fully supported and relax the full weight of your legs into the props.  Open your arms at your sides, resting them on the floor, palms down. Alternatively, you can place your hands palm down on your belly or heart.

Legs Up the Wall (aka Viparita Karani)

Place a folded blanket or pillow right next to the wall. Recline with your bum a few inches from the wall and rest your lower back supported on the blanket or pillow so that your hips are slightly elevated. 

Place a pillow or folded blanket under your neck and head. 

Rest your arms by your side or in any way that is comfortable. 

Relax your feet and legs up the wall. If you notice a tingling feeling in your feet, take a break by bending your knees and bringing your feet flat against the wall for a minute or two.

Finally, it is helpful to practice with a teacher the first few times to get good tips to customize the poses. We have 15 kinds of Restorative Yoga Classes each week at Flow including Sound Meditations, Yin Yoga, Gentle Yoga, Yoga Nidra, Relax & Renew and Mindful Flow. Let us know if you practice any restorative poses and share your own tips for doing them at home!

A Better Than Caffeine Afternoon Pick Me Up.

Elevate Your Mood With This Simple Breathing Practice

Need an afternoon pick me up?

If you get a little sluggish in the late afternoon like I do - this breath practice is a great pick me up to elevate your energy and mood. You can do it either seated or standing. Try it out and let me know how it goes!

The Inhale
Place your arms by your side. Take a deep breath into your belly. Stretch your arms out and all the way up, moving with your breath. When your lungs are full your arms should be fully stretched up over your head. Linger for a moment enjoying the fullness of your inhale.

The Exhale
Slowly exhale, synchronizing the movement with your breath, lower your arms back down by your side. Pause at the bottom of your exhale, enjoying the space you’ve just created.

Pro-tips
If you want to get fancy you can fold your 4 fingers into your palm, thumb out (like your hitch-hiking!) as you lift and lower your arms. And, once you get into a good rhythm with your arm movements and breath synchronizing, start to engage & tighten all of the muscles in your arms and hands and stretch them out as wide as you can. Take up as much space as you can — see if you can sit up even taller for a more invigorating effect and stretch your arms out even wider feeling your fingers engaged and long.

You can do as many rounds as feels right to you. We like to do this breath in cycles of 9.

Enjoy & let us know how it goes!

The Day I said Yes to Yoga Teacher Training (and how it changed everything!)

In 2001, I said YES to Yoga Teacher Training. I had just moved to D.C. from San Francisco for work. I didn't know many people. I was lonely, questioning my decision to move, and seriously considering leaving.

And then one day, I spotted a sign at the front desk of the little yoga studio where I'd been taking classes.

"Yoga Teacher Training."

Something about it spoke to me. I didn't overthink it. I didn't go home and make a pros-and-cons list. I spontaneously signed up, right there at the front desk. And the moment I said YES, it felt like the universe started saying YES right back.

Things began falling into place in the most unexpected, wonderful ways. I met some of my very best friends in that training. The chosen family kind. The ones who are still part of my life more than two decades later.

And although I hadn't signed up to become a yoga teacher (I just loved yoga and wanted to learn more!), something shifted a few weeks into the program. I started offering little "practice classes" in my tiny Cleveland Park living room. We could squeeze in six yoga mats if we got creative, and I served everyone tea afterward. I loved every minute of it.

About halfway through the training, I did something I never could have imagined doing just a few months earlier. I gave notice at my job.

A job I liked. A job I was good at. A job that, if I'm being completely truthful, had me quietly asking myself:

"Is this it? Is this what I want to be doing in 5, 10, or 20 years?"

Before teacher training, I don't think I would have had the courage to leave. Looking back, I know it was the steady yoga practice, the self-inquiry, and the community I found in training that helped me get clear.

And I don't think those little "aha!" moments were coincidences.

I believe this kind of transformation is exactly what becomes possible when we give ourselves the time and space to look honestly at our lives.

To ask the harder questions. What's working? What's not? What do I want more of? What am I ready to let go of?

And perhaps most importantly, to be surrounded by people who encourage us, challenge us, and remind us of what's possible when we start believing in ourselves.

Here's the thing: I had SO many reasons to say NO.

I wasn't "good enough" at yoga. I didn't have the time. It was a big financial investment. I had no idea what I'd do with the training afterward.

And if I'm being honest, I wasn't entirely convinced I was worth that kind of investment in myself.

I'm so grateful I said yes anyway.

Many of you know what happened next.

Those little six-mat living room classes eventually grew into something I never could have imagined:
Flow Yoga Center.

And here we are, more than 22 years later. ❤️

Sometimes I wonder how different my life would be if I'd walked past that little sign. All of this is to say: if you've been thinking about yoga teacher training, even just a little, I encourage you to explore that curiosity.

You don't need to know whether you want to teach. You don't need to be able to do a handstand. And you certainly don't need to have everything figured out. Sometimes the most meaningful thing you can do is give yourself the opportunity to learn, grow, and see what unfolds.

Of course, where you train matters. A lot.

And having led teacher trainings at Flow since 2004, I've learned a few things about what makes a program truly worthwhile. So whether you're considering training with us or somewhere else, here are some questions I think everyone should ask before signing up.

10 Things to Consider Before Choosing a Yoga Teacher Training

Teacher training is a meaningful commitment of your time, energy, and money. And not all programs are created equal.

A great training should offer so much more than a certificate. It should give you a strong foundation, experienced teachers, thoughtful guidance, and a community that supports your growth.

Here's what I'd encourage you to look for:

1. What's the program's history and reputation?

How long has the school been offering teacher training? How many students have graduated? Where are those graduates now? Is there an application or conversation to make sure the program is a good fit for each student? Experience matters, and so does a school's commitment to the people it trains.

2. Who will actually be teaching you?

Get to know the lead teachers. How long have they been practicing and teaching? Where did they train? Who were their teachers? How many teacher trainings have they led?

And here's something people often forget to ask: Did the lead teachers develop the curriculum themselves, or are they teaching someone else's?

3. What does the training actually look like?

Will you spend most of your time with the lead teachers, or will the program be taught primarily by rotating guest instructors? Guest experts can add value, but there should also be continuity, mentorship, and a clear vision guiding the experience ideally led by senior teachers at the studio who get to know your name, your practice and be a consistent presence throughout the training.

4. What yoga traditions and philosophies inform the training?

Is the program grounded in a particular lineage or approach? Does it offer a thoughtful exploration of yoga's history, philosophy, and roots? Look for a program that goes beyond teaching poses and gives you a deeper understanding of the practice.

5. How does the training approach cultural appreciation, appropriation, and inclusion?

Yoga has deep cultural and spiritual roots. A responsible program should honor those roots while encouraging meaningful conversations about cultural appropriation, accessibility, diversity, and equity in the modern wellness world. These conversations matter.

6. What is the actual time commitment?

Ask about the schedule, required attendance, homework, practice teaching, and work outside of training weekends. What happens if you miss a session? Is there flexibility for real life? You want a program that takes your education seriously while recognizing that you have a life outside of training.

7. What happens after graduation?

Does the school stay connected with its graduates? Are there opportunities to practice teach, assist classes, receive mentorship, or eventually join the teaching team? Even if you don't plan to teach right away, it's wonderful to know there's a community and support system waiting for you afterward.

8. Is the school registered with Yoga Alliance?

Look for a Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga School (RYS 200) and make sure its curriculum meets the established 200-hour standards. You can also read reviews from previous trainees through Yoga Alliance. These can offer valuable insight into the quality of the experience.

9. Can you continue learning after the initial training?

Does the school offer advanced study, continuing education, workshops, or mentorship? A good 200-hour training should be the beginning of a lifelong learning journey, not the end.

10. Can you talk to people who've actually completed the program?

This might be the most valuable question of all. Ask graduates what they loved, what challenged them, and whether they'd choose the same training again.

And perhaps most importantly, ask them how the experience changed their relationship with yoga, themselves, or their lives.

One Last Thought...

When I signed up for teacher training back in 2001, I thought I was signing up to learn more about yoga. I had absolutely no idea I was signing up for a whole new chapter of my life. Not everyone who takes teacher training becomes a yoga teacher. And that's the beautiful thing about it. Some people discover a new career. Others find lifelong friends, deepen a practice they already love, or simply make space for themselves in a way they haven't in years. Whatever your reason, choose a program that feels right for you. Ask questions. Meet the teachers. Talk to graduates. Take your time.

And if you're curious about Flow's Training - we’d love meet you! We’re also happy to invite you to a complimentary class with one of our lead teachers so you can get a feel for the people and community behind the training. No pressure. No question too big or too small.

Because you never know where one little YES might lead.

With love,

Debra 💛
Founder, Flow Yoga Center