October 6-8 Morven Park, Leesburg
DEAR FAIRFAX COMMUNITY
I
am truly honored to have the opportunity to write you a personal note about a new, meaningful weekend-long program coming to Northern Virginia in October. The Inaugural NoVa Wellness & YogaFest Retreat was planned with you in mind, will be wrapped around nature at Historic Morven Park in Leesburg and is truly a weekend for everyone. Whether a Yoga enthusiast or not, I ask and encourage you to come on out, drop into some of the many classes offered and feel the difference. Come to a Mindfulness or Meditation Session or Workshop, listen, take
what you’ve heard or practiced and be on your way to a calmer, more reflective you. We have over 50 combined yoga classes, workshops, wellness discussions, meditative nature walks and more. I was very moved and touched when reading the bios of our Yoga practitioners who jumped right on board to be part of this weekend, and saw that many of them came to yoga during a difficult period in their lives. That resonated with me because my thinking about, then planning over the past years to bring this weekend of calm and transformation so needed in
Come enjoy, relax, Northern Virginia’s fastpaced lifestyle, came to smile, take a few or me during a rough many yoga classtime in my life. es, immers e We all have them; yourself in a it’s part of the discussion, journey, and I workshops, hope you’ll let long walks all of us help you about Morven through yours. Park, the great I am particularly food in our fresh affected by how hard our teens are and local food tent having it these days. or just sit by the reMy younger son, Connor, flecting pool and do just sure did, so we have several that, reflect. poignant workshops planned for them Peace, on Sunday and we hope they’ll all come out. You can view our entire schedule and find everything you need to know on our website at www.NoVaWellMiriam Nasuti nessYogaFestRetreat.com where you can SUN GAZETTE & INSIDENOVA.COM | SEPTEMBER 2017 | YOGAFEST | 1 register, too. Holly Street, Fairfax
Miriam
YOGAFEST RETREAT
ESTABLISHED FOR NORTHERN VA OCT. 6-8, 2017 3 days of inspiration, meditation, yoga, and wellness
D
uring the peak of fall color, plan a weekend of blissful calm and reflection at historic Morven Park in Leesburg. Home to the inaugural NoVa Wellness & YogaFest Retreat, the 3-day event offers over 50 Yoga classes, meditation sessions, nature walks, wellness workshops and musical performances, all wrapped within the beauty only nature can provide. Designed as a weekend to reconnect, relax and renew, the NoVa YogaFest’s schedule features classes for those new to yoga, as well as seasoned students on their journey to calm. Groups of friends, families with children, teens and those simply seeking down-time can choose from an array of yoga classes running concurrently, including Yin, Vinyasa, Laughter Yoga, children’s yoga and many more. All classes are led by yoga practitioners with a minimum 200 RYT (Registered Yoga Teacher) hours, and will be held in large tents on the grounds and in the gardens of Morven Park on Route 15, just north of Leesburg. Tickets for the YogaFest are available by the day or for the entire 3-day weekend. Friday registration starts at noon for the first set of classes at 1:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday registration starts at 7 a.m. for the first set of classes at 8 a.m. Each Yoga class runs one hour, with some of the Workshops running longer. Each day ends with live musical performances from 6-8 p.m. in the Music Grove. The NoVa YogaFest registration page outlines the many pick-andchoose options, with something for everyone, from ages 8 to active 80. Not just for yoga groupies, the NoVa YogaFest is a carefully crafted experience for all seeking calm and wellness in our Northern Virginia communities. Awardwinning event founder Miriam Nasuti credits her own personal journey as the inspiration to create and share this deeply meaningful “rest-ival” after attending yoga festivals in other areas and recogniz-
OCTOBER 6, 2017 — FRIDAY SCHEDULE Blended Tent - Meditation, Workshops, Kids Yoga, Meeting place for Nature Walk...
Studio or Individual Practitioner (IP)
Calm Yoga Grove
Studio or Individual Practitioner (IP)
Active Movement Tent
1:30 2:30 PM
TBA
TBA Denyse Petersen ‘The Zen Zone
IP - 'Virginia Yoga Therapy', out of Loudoun County
Leanne Cusumano Roque - 'Stand on Your Own Two Feet' Iyengar Yoga
Yoga 4 All Bodies Reston, VA
3 - 4 PM
WORKSHOP - Bruce Winkel 'Reconnect with your Heart's True Essence'
Bruce Winkle - Energy Healer, Teacher, Author
Sue 'SumaV' Sedlazek ‐ 'Joyful Yin'
IP - 'Veg with Sue', Carly Pla - 'Vinyasa Flow: out of Loudoun An ExploraVon of County, VA Breathe and Movement'
Flow Yoga Ashburn & Leesburg, VA
4:30 5:30 PM
WORKSHOP - Kelly Armstrong 'Let Your Love Flow! Understanding the 'Conditioned Mind’ to Awaken Limitless Loving Kindness'
YogaShak Ashburn, VA
Stuart Hill 'Intro. to Kundalini Yoga
IP out of Loudoun County, VA
Andrea Boyd & Jeffrey Cohen 'Born to be Wild' class
SatSang Yoga Charleston, SC
6 - 8 PM
NO WORKSHOPS MUSIC BEGINS
NO CLASSES - MUSIC BEGINS
Studio or Individual Practitioner (IP)
Music
Curtis, Tommy Gann, Johnny Kasun & Caroline Powers
NO CLASSES -MUSIC BEGINS
OCTOBER 7, 2017 - SATURDAY SCHEDULE 8 - 9 AM
Dr. Martha Calihan 'Morning Mindfulness'
Five Stones Institute Leesburg, VA
Five Stones Institute ‐ Leesburg, VA
Marsha BanksHarold 'My Body Don't Bend That Way!'
Pie Fitness & Yoga Alexandria, VA
TBA
9:30 10:30 AM
WORKSHOP - Marsha Banks- Harold 'Yoga Therapy for Self Care'
Pie Fitness & Yoga Alexandria, VA
Shelly Pentony 'Yoga as Healing'
Sol Yoga Frederick, MD
Jennifer Topper 'Soul Powered: A Vinyasa Flow Class'
Sol Yoga Frederick, MD
11 AM 12 PM
WORKSHOP - Kristi Schwickerath - 'Optimal Wellness for Chronic Pain'
Pie Fitness & Yoga Alexandria, VA
Meredith Walsh 'Meditative Slow Flow'
WineDown Yoga Washington, DC
Andrea Boyd & Jeffrey Cohen ‐ 'Born to be Wild'
SatSang Yoga Charleston, SC
12:301:30 PM
WORKSHOP - Shelly Pentony, Certified Trauma Informed Yoga Practitioner - 'Yoga for Life's Traumas, Large and Small' (goes Hll 2:30)
Sol Yoga Frederick, MD
Kristi Schwickerath 'Yoga for Optimal Wellness'
Pie Fitness & Yoga - Alexandria, VA
Ginny Loving ‐ 'Yoga Jam, Freestyle Flow'
532 Yoga Alexandria, VA
2-3 PM
Cathy Hansen - 1/2 hour Laughter Yoga following Trauma Yoga class 'Tickle Your Heart, Lighten
IP out of Fayeceville, PA
Turi Nevin‐Turkel - 'Yin'
Turiya Yoga + Wellness Berryville, VA
Anthony Gonzales 'Dynamic Free Flow'
Sol Yoga Frederick, MD
3:30 4:30PM
Dr. Suzanne Nixon 'Centering Meditation: Finding Balance Within'
Inspirational Journeys ‐ Leesburg, VA
Kim Klemecic - 'Sooth Your Soul - Gentle Hatha'
IP out of Frederick, MD
Alyson MacLatchy 'Lila - Embracing the Play of the Universe'
Beloved Yoga Great Falls & Reston, VA
5 - 6 PM
CHILDREN'S YOGA - Sue Sedlazek Children's Yoga 'Sunshine Yoga for Kids' (age 6-12)
IP ‐ 'Veg with Sue', out of Loudoun County, VA
End your days Yoga practice and before our evening music, with a MeditaHve Nature Walk, meet here
TBA
6 - 8 PM
NO WORKSHOPS - MUSIC BEGINS
NO YOGA - MUSIC BEGINS
NO YOGA MUSIC BEGINS
Justin Trawick and the Common Good
OCTOBER 8, 2017 ‐ SUNDAY SCHEDULE 8 ‐ 9 AM
TBA
Kelly Armstrong 'Delve “Yin” a Yin Practice to Create Space and Calm the Mind'
YogaShak - Ashburn, VA
Vinaya Saunders 'Suriya Pranam' (Sun SalutaKons)
IP out of Loudoun County, VA
9:30 10:30 AM
BEGINNER MEDITATION -Vinaya Saunders 'Own Your Calm!
IP out of Loudoun County, VA
Chris Oemler 'Mindfully Made SKllness'
Flow Yoga Ashburn & Leesburg, VA
Andrea Boyd & Jeffrey Cohen 'Born to be Wild' class
SatSang Yoga Charleston, SC
11 AM 12 PM
CHILDREN'S YOGA - Sue 'SumaK' Sedlazek ‐ 'Sunshine Yoga for Kids' (ages 6-12)
IP - 'Veg with Sue' out of Loudoun County, VA
Livdhyan Kaur Khalsa 'Kundalini Yoga Movement for RelaxaKon'
Raj Yoga Center Sterling, VA
Pae Ragone ‐ 'Floor Play ‐ a Joyful ExploraKon on Your Mat'
YogaShakAshburn, VA
12:301:30 PM
TEEN WORKSHOP - KsanaK Nakshatra 'Come Understond How Birth Order & Astrology Really Magers!'
KsanaK JyoKsh Philadelphia, PA
Jami McClellan 'Yin Mindfulness'
IP out of Loudoun County, VA
Chris Oemler 'Mindful Moving MeditaKon'
Flow Yoga Ashburn & Leesburg, VA
2 - 3 PM
TEEN WORKSHOP - Amalia Colyer ‐ 'Just for You - Together Let’s De-Stress!'
DeStress for Success & Karmic Kindness Leesburg, VA
TBA
Body n' Brain Yoga Tai Chi Alexandria, VA
Glenn Payne ‐ 'Beyond Balance ‐ Intro to AcroYoga'
YogaShak Ashburn, VA
3:30 4:30PM
WORKSHOP -Anthony Gonzales 'It Gets Beger: LGBTQ+ Youth'
Sol Yoga Frederick, MD
Donna Reuss 'Good Energy through Hatha Yoga'
Stevie Bolger ‐ 'Embodied Vinyasa'
Beloved Yoga Great Falls & Reston, VA
5 - 6 PM
TBA
End your days Yoga practice with a Meditative Nature Walk, meet here
TBA
6 - 8 PM
NO WORKSHOPS
ing the need in Northern Virginia. Her vision is unlike any other yoga event in the area, adding distinct local flavor and focus, and bringing together a mix of hometown favorites and nationally acclaimed yogis. “I love this area and I knew we had everything we needed to create an incredible retreat right here,” she says. “The planning has been a mission of my heart.
NO YOGA - MUSIC BEGINS
I know those who attend will leave transformed, especially if they’re able to make it a weekend long stay-cation with close friends or family. There’s nothing like it!” From local instructors and musical talent, to family farm-sourced foods and tranquil accommodations, NoVa YogaFest is a love letter from Loudoun to those needing relief from the stress, anxiety and frenetic pace of life in NoVa.
2 | YOGAFEST | SEPTEMBER 2017 | SUN GAZETTE & INSIDENOVA.COM
NO YOGA - MUSIC BEGINS
6 - 7 PM Joey and the Waitress Band 7-8 PM Gary Smallwood
Indeed, many of the workshops and classes are tailored to making time for reflection, building resilience, and finding inner energy, direction and peace. Pick-and-choose ticketing is available at NoVaWellnessYogafestRetreat.com and on-site during the event, although organizers encourage advance purchases to avoid delays.
PLAN YOUR
WEEKEND
E
xtend your YogaFest experience beyond the mat. Invite a few friends, attend as a couple, or bring your family for a weekend of calm and transformation. With options to camp and glamp as well as dozens of hotels and B&Bs, you can make YogaFest your home base for total relaxation. DURING THE DAY
Choose from among dozens of options for a full day of renewal through yoga classes, meditation, nature walks, wellness workshops and more. The schedule allows you to plan ahead - but at a leisurely pace, with plenty of time between sessions to linger after a class or stroll to the next tent. The all-access day passes and weekend passes include classes and the evening music, so enjoy as many classes as you like or skip a class and spend a few hours hiking, meditating or just strolling around Morven Park’s reflecting pool. Leave time in your weekend to visit Harmony Row, to peruse and purchase holistic products so you can take the calm home, and Wellness Way, where you can sign up for individual sessions with well-known alternative healers and wellness practitioners. This is your chance to meet with an Angelic Communicator, an Ayurvedic Astrologer (be sure to find out your time of birth for this session) or a Psychic Medium. If a massage is more your speed, it’s available too, as well as Reiki sessions, reflexology and more. “More and more people are moving beyond the doctor’s office and turning to alternative forms of healing that work. I certainly have over the past four years, which led to me to include these important options for our guests to consider and experience,” said Miriam Nasuti, founder of YogaFest. Each evening ends with music from 6-8 p.m., including YogaFest circuit performer Mateo Monk, American Idol Season 9 Golden Ticket winner Maddy Curtis, Justin Trawick and the Common Good, local favorite Gary Smallwood, plus others. Use the time to soothe your soul, or maybe get up to dance. The evening music is included in the daily yoga ticket, or available as a music-only option. TICKET OPTIONS
Options abound for NoVa YogaFest. Visit the registration page of the website before Oct. 2 for pick-n-choose options. The event’s website and Facebook page also offer more information. The Daily Pass is $44 for Friday after-
noon through the music until 8 p.m., and $66 per day for Saturday and Sunday, when classes begin at 8 a.m. through the music, which runs from 6-8 p.m. A Weekend Pass, with three-day access, is just $110 for those 16 and up. Children ages 6-15 are discounted, and those under 5 are free. Dining, music, camping and glamping packages are also available on the website: www.novawellnessyogafestretreat.com
Glamping: Camping’s glamourous cousin is available with the award winning Solid Ground Shelters, at Camp Highroad. Accommodations include a European-inspired canvas shelter fully furnished with either two single beds or a double, seating, luxurious rugs and linens, and lighting. Other options: Search for rooms on visitloudoun.org/accommodations. Nearby options in Leesburg include the Clarion Inn Historic Leesburg, Days Inn, Homewood Suites, Lansdowne Resort and several bed-and-breakfasts. Morven Park’s location on Route 15 makes for an easy drive from nearby communities.
T’ai Chi Register Now
New Classes Beginning Arlington, Great Falls, Chevy Chase www.TaiChiCenter.com 703-759-9141 FREE T’ai Chi Practice Every Sat. Morning in McLean
Mary M. Hoskins BCTMB, RYT
DINING
Pack a picnic or buy the fresh and local food tent bracelet for all-day access to the dining tent. The YogaFest’s Chef is Matt Warshaw of Pure Perfections Catering in Herndon, who will be preparing vegetarian and vegan options featuring locallysourced produce. The bracelet includes breakfast, lunch and dinner with healthy snacks and infused waters in between. A sample lunch menu starts with a garden-fresh salad bar and fresh fruit salad, Beet Carpaccio with goat cheese (served on the side) as a first course, and an entrée of Vegetarian Fried Brown Rice with Roasted Bean Sprout Tofu accompanied by steamed greens with Quinoa. The meal is served with a selection of infused waters and tea. “While patrons are invited to pack a picnic, from first-hand experience I can honestly say the fresh and local food tent is the way to go,” adds Nasuti. “Our menu includes abundant and tasty vegetarian and vegan options for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Plus, the camaraderie of the YogaFest food tent is such a part of the overall experience, we’re confident all our patrons will see the value of this add-on.” At many festivals, the dining tent becomes the hub of activity, offering a social element of fun and conversation. Not to mention that having food prepared for you enhances the feeling of “calm” for the weekend. There will not be food trucks or other dining options available at Morven Park, and no food tent passes will be sold on site, so buy your dining bracelet early and online. STAY
Nothing kills calm faster than commuting in Northern Virginia, so stay near the YogaFest for a night or all weekend. With many options, from B&Bs and hotels to resorts, and rustic to luxurious, there’s and option for every price point and yoga recovery experience. Camping: Start your wellness journey by pitching your tent in a reserved site at Camp Highroad, just 15 minutes from the YogaFest.
Specializing in therapeutic massage using neuromuscular and trigger point release techniques. www.firemountainmassage.com 9017 Doves Ln., Manassas
703.626.2179
Y N A H P I P E PILATES Awaken your mind, body, and spirit...
Epiphany Pilates is dedicated to promoting a whole-body approach to physical fitness for everyone – from elite athletes to those just beginning a workout routine. Featuring state-of-the-art equipment, highly-trained instructors, convenient scheduling options, and a truly supportive atmosphere, our studio offers a full range of group and specialty classes for all levels.
Pilates | Barre | Yoga JOIN US NOW! info@epiphanypilates.com
(703) 204-2200
9416 Main Street Fairfax, Virginia 22031
www.epiphanypilates.com
GET STARTED TODAY
$30 FOR 30 DAYS*
*Enroll in our Basic Monthly Membership for $99/mo and pay only $30 for your first month.
SUN GAZETTE & INSIDENOVA.COM | SEPTEMBER 2017 | YOGAFEST | 3
MORVEN PARK
YOGAFEST COMES HOME TO LOUDOUN
N
15
MORVEN PARK 7
15
gardens, sports fields, museum collections, hiking and riding trails, summer polo games, and the world-renowned Morven Park International Equestrian Center. Stephanie Kenyon, Executive Director and CEO of Morven Park, is thrilled to welcome YogaFest attendees to share the autumn beauty of Morven Park. “As the ‘Central Park’ of Loudoun
Come for the Calm, Leave Transformed...
From ages 8 to active 80, there’s something for everyone each day!
OCTOBER 6–8, 2017 | MORVEN PARK - LEESBURG, VA Join national Yoga Circuit
Andrea Boyd & Jeffrey Cohen
of Satsang Yoga Charleston, SC daily for their signature, emotionally charged ‘Born to be Wild’ class! Plus these Fairfax County minimum 200 RYT hour Yoga practitioners and many more from Loudoun County and Frederick, MD too!
A special thanks to our generous financial and in kind sponsors– COMPLIMENTING YOUR YOGA PRACTICE.
Bellwood Commons, Leesburg
Remember to come for – Over 50 Yoga classes, Meditation, Mindfulness, Wellness Discussions, Workshops and more offered concurrently throughout the weekend. Avid student of Yoga or your first time? With nature as your backdrop experience the calm and reconnection so necessary in today’s fast paced lifestyle. Make it an overnight—while we know you love them, don’t head home to the pets, kids, hubby’s and partners—Glamp (it’s a must) or pitch your own tent at nearby, beautiful Camp Highroad—a short 16 minute scenic drive from Morven Park. Add to your experience by signing up for a session with Healing practitioners in our Wellness Way, then bring home the calm by purchasing at our Harmony Row! Area Wellness providers, interested in a spot in either of these areas? Contact Mindee@NoVaWellnessYogaFestRetreat.com
So many pick & choose options found on our website’s Register page. Come for a day, two or best of all save and come the entire weekend! Just love music? You can join us each evening for just the music, too - it alone will soothe your mind and soul. Don’t wanna pack a picnic, neither do we so we added on-site healthy and tasty food, some locally sourced, in our full of friends and camaraderie fresh and local food tent, plus more. Don’t delay, Register today and save!
In memory of young Ryan, we’ve chosen the Ryan Bartel Foundation as our Charity of Record. | www.ryanbartelfoundation.org
NoVaWellnessYogaFestRetreat.com | 4 | YOGAFEST | SEPTEMBER 2017 | SUN GAZETTE & INSIDENOVA.COM
LEESBURG 773
7 7
15
LD LEF IE TT BA
15
County, this place will always be a peaceful, green space. We are lucky to have such an idyllic location to share with all those seeking calm at YogaFest.”
PK
WY
643 267
7
YOGA FOR ALL
WITH MORE THAN 50 CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS TO CHOOSE FROM, NOVA WELLNESS & YOGAFEST RETREAT OFFERS FULL DAYS
T
he heart of the NoVa Wellness & YogaFest Retreat is the practice of yoga - as many kinds and variations of yoga as there are hours in the day. The weekend features yoga classes taught by registered instructors each with a minimum 200 RYT (Registered Yoga Teacher) hour training. Classes range from National Yoga-circuit couple Andrea Boyd and Jeffrey Cohen’s emotionally charged “Born to be Wild” class, to Alexandria’s Kristi Schwickerath, of PIES Fitness Yoga Studio, with “Yoga for Optimal Wellness” to the Reston-based Yoga 4 All Bodies’ Leanne Cusumano Roque’s “Stand on Your Own Two Feet,” which focuses on Iyengar Yoga. Organized into three areas at Morven Park, the classes, which run concurrently, allow participants to map out a schedule for themselves or simply go with the flow. The Calm Yoga Grove, under stately and historic trees, features a lineup of classes that embrace slow and calm movement, ideal for those new to yoga or older attendees, while across the park the Active Movement Tent inspires balance, energy and even play. The Blended Tent is home to meditation, healing workshops, children’s yoga, laughter yoga and more. It’s the Blended Tent where Amalia Colyer will conduct a special workshop for teens, “Together Let’s De-Stress.” Colyer created the session based on her growing De-Stress for Success (D4S) program to meet the needs of area teens who, she says, “are the children of high-achievers, pushed to be the best and set goals that aren’t really comfortable for them.” The workshop will give teens modalities and techniques for combatting stress and anxiety in the moment – in the classroom, on the field, and in social situations. Shelly Pentony’s workshop, “Yoga for Life’s Traumas, Large and Small” on Saturday will also give adult participants useful tools to apply to everyday life. Pentony, a trauma-informed yoga instructor, uses body-based treatments to address the physical manifestations of experiencing any kind of trauma, from surviving abuse to witnessing violence, to anxiety
RIV ER Y KW EP SID
oVa YogaFest selected Morven Park to call home in its inaugural year. The 1,000-acre historic estate and equestrian center was once the home of Westmoreland Davis, governor of Virginia from 1918 to 1922 and Thomas Swann Jr., governor of Maryland during the Civil War. Today Morven Park attracts 200,000 visitors each year, enticed by the formal
Traveling Yoga circuit couple Andrea Boyd and Jeffrey Cohen are bringing their signature, emotionally charged “Born to Be Wild” class from Satsang Yoga, Charleston, S.C. SUBMITTED
caused by change. The workshop features sequencing designed to release stored up trauma so it can be better managed. “There’s such heartache in our Northern Virginia communities,” Pentony reflects. “But everything we need to heal our trauma is already inside of us. Whatever your symptom, yoga offers a solution, a way to balance it.” YogaFest Founder Miriam Nasuti’s hope is that those who’ve experienced loss, such as a painful divorce or loss of a loved one, and especially the sudden loss of a child, will find peace within this meaningful workshop. Colyer and Pentony join dozens of instructors for YogaFest, many like them, from this area. Other local yogis and workshop leaders include Martha Calihan, a Certified Functional Medicine practitioner and Board-Certified Physician from Leesburg, Martha Banks-Harold from PIES Fitness Yoga Studio in Alexandria, Donna Reuss of Body n’ Brain Yoga Tai Chi in Alexandria, and Stevie Bolger of Beloved Yoga in Great Falls and Reston. The local connections mean those trying new classes at YogaFest can keep up their practice with yogis they’ve met, or attend class at their studios, after the weekend. And that’s exactly what the retreat team had in mind. “We are navigating a world that’s really, really busy. Yin is a balance to that fast pace,” explains yogi Turi Nevin-Tukel of Turiya Yoga + Wellness in Berryville. “YogaFest is a chance for absolutely everyone to utilize yoga postures and mindfulness to slow the mind and body, and to release and relax.”