nilambu.com relaunch in 2 weeks!

So Shhhhh!    Just now we are taking a little nap, but we are busy getting to relaunch our site and our services on November 1, 2013!

Meanwhile meet cassandra - owner of nilambu - a personal yoga studio. 

cassandra’s been a yogini for almost 20 years and a teacher for over 10. She values stability, stories and space. And knows the healing power of yoga.  

Why does she teach yoga? Play the video and find out!


nilambu yoga from Izaca Productions LLC on Vimeo.

Earlier this month, we celebrated our 10th birthday!  Soon we will be refreshed and renewed to begin teaching again very soon.   

Please visit us again.   Email us your name at cass(at)nilambu.com, and we will be sure to let you know when we are up and running again! 

Relaunch of nilambu notes

With this reboot, I am introducing some new features.  My goal is to make it easy for you to discover yoga things that will enliven and enrich your life.  

My aim is to offer a helpful curated site for all things yoga as well as to offer compelling original content.  I hope to build an fun and cool online arena where yogis can encounter an inspiring quote,   an enticing event, an intriguing article, a meaty podcast or even another resourceful web site.  I also cover controversies in the yoga community whether it's an advertisement for Equinox gym, or the founder of Lululemon's resignation or if Yoga Can Wreck Your Body. 

So please, if you see anything neat or intriguing about yoga or meditation, please shoot me an email, so I can highlight it.  And send along any questions you might like addressed about the wide and wild (and growing) world of yoga.    

I aspire to send these emails out once a month, approximately in the middle of the month.  

If you like to go looking for your yoga news, you can always check out the nilambu notes blog.  There I highlight cool and intriguing articles, essays, podcasts, events on yoga and meditation that might stretch your mind and should.  I write posts several times a week, so the content is rich.  

I've also developed some lists for specific interests. So if you're keen on free podcasts or want to know about events and workshops or are especially interested in meditation, you can indicate that by clicking on the "Join Our Mailing List" bottom in the upper right hand column. That will take you to a page where you can sign up for speciality notes. 


I also hope to start teaching again soon, so if you want to be kept in the loop on that, you can also indicate your interest there as well. 


If you find your news on Twitter, you can now follow nilambuyoga on Twitter (which I confess now is primarily retweets of good stuff). 


If your newsfeed on Facebook is your primary source for news, you can "like" the nilambu yoga page there. 


And here you are at the nilambu notes blog where I feature cool and intriguing articles, essays, podcasts, events on yoga and meditation that might stretch your mind and soul.  I write posts several times a week so the content is rich. 


You can check out the full range of topics by checking out the labels in the right hand column and see what fun material is here.   Please feel free to comment.   

Zen Dens - Yoga Retreats from Conde Nast

concierge.com assembled a roster of wellness retreats you can check out here. Compiled in 2006, it's still interesting.

This place, Parrot Cay's Shambhala Retreat, is where I've been twice for yoga retreats. Once with Cyndi Lee of Om Yoga and once with Donna Farhi, both in 2002.

If you just want to check out the resort, click here.

I can't recommend it highly enough.

Here is Zen Den's review and recommendation on Parrot Cay.

This is the spot for well-heeled yogis whose idea of Zen minimalism doesn't extend to thread counts and evening meals...Turks + Caicos has snow-white sand and turquoise coves, and the rooms are unfussy but gorgeous, all teak and white cotton....Dive or snorkel in the most pristine waters and healthiest reefs of the Caribbean region.

The reefs may be the healthiest. I can't say for sure but I do know they are clear and pure and beautiful. I came away healthier than I'd been in a very long time.

January Class Schedule Being Formulated

Well, it was just terrific to see some of the regulars in the free holiday classes this month. And I'm looking forward to returning to a regular schedule in January.

When you're making your list and checking it twice, give some thought to when you'd like to come to yoga. The schedule is being formulated so email me and let me know when you'd like to come and I'll schedule a class. Please send first and second choices. And if you've got a friend or two, and you've got a time you'd like to come, I'll do my best to accommodate.

Classes will begin the week of January 21st, 2008. Here is nilambu's proposed schedule of classes. Do not hesitate to contact me with feedback or suggestions or requests.  I will adjust if at all possible. Flexibility and responsiveness is an advantage of a small studio!  

Give the Gift of Yoga

This year, give the gift of yoga to someone you love. Sometimes, a free lesson is all one needs to get started and hooked. Do you know someone who might benefit from yoga?

And flexibility is NOT a prerequisite!  I often hear that one "can't" do yoga because he is not flexible. (It's mostly guys I hear this from.)   In fact, some who are flexible need yoga to build strength; others who are strong need yoga to promote flexibility. It's all about balance. And well, most people can benefit from the awareness that yoga brings. Special holiday rates for gift certificates or first time customers are now available...And current clients can give a gift to themselves too!

Just check out the rates and contact me to order.  Note that these gift certificates will NOT expire (unless I move, which is not foreseen), and will be scheduled at a mutually convenient time as soon as requested. You can also sign up a friend for nilambu notes, this e-newsletter, by filling out the box above. 

Free Holiday Yoga Classes  

This month, nilambu yoga is offering free classes in gratitude to my clients for their patience during this time of mourning and recovery. In the spirit of the season, I'll be offering classes to alleviate the noise and stress of these dark winter weeks. Such quietness is hard to achieve amid contemporary commercial clutter.   Traditionally, these weeks before the holidays are a time of watchful preparation, calm and quiet as well as a time of heightened awareness that dovetails well with yoga's year-round goals.  

The following classes will be offered.  Each will have a physical focus and a philosophical focus and, of course, all will start with

• a guided meditation to transition away from our busy lives and into our class (see below)
• sun salutations as we should worship what little we have this time of year!; and
• standing postures to provide a foundation and prepare the body for twisting, balancing, sitting or backbending.  

I will teach as few as one person or as many as four. Current clientele will be given priority.  Email me to reserve your place.  I look forward to seeing you.     

Monday December 3rd Twist             Not Grasping (5th yama) 
5:30 - 6:45 pm
7:00 - 8:15 pm  

Tuesday December 4th Balance         Compassion (1st yama) 5:15 - 6:30 pm

Thursday, December 6th Balance         Compassion (1st yama)
1:30 - 2:45 pm

Monday, December 10th Seated           Not Stealing (3rd yama) - also known as not consuming too much. 
5:30 - 6:45 pm
7:00 - 8:15 pm  

Tuesday, December 11th Backbending   Purity (1st niyama) 1:30 - 2:45 pm
5:15 - 6:30 pm

Classes Resume After Candlemas

Candlemas in the Christian tradition occurs on February 2nd.

Forty days after the birth of Jesus, Candlemas marks the end of Mary's purification. And the date also is about at the halfway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. In medieval times and still today in some highly liturgical churches, the candles are blessed for the entire year too.

All this by way of saying that on February 2nd, I too will re-emerge ready to go and to support you in your practice.

nilambu classes will begin the following week, the week of February 5th. The schedule is still being formulated but will be adjusted to the time availability of my current clients.

If you are one, please email me and let me know if you're interested in the same time slot. I am flexible (in time and otherwise!). Also see the link below to see the class outline through the beginning of May, including a specially planned class for the week of February 14th.

And if you're not yet a client and would like to be, please don't hesitate to contact me and let me know - even if you're just sort of thinking about it. Class are small with only 4 spots. Finally, if anyone rounds up at least three yogis, I'd be happy to initiate a new additional class.

Fall Schedule and Class Plans for Fall Classes

Yoga resumed with enthusiasm and laughter at nilambu last week. Clients found their base again with a foot massage to wake up the feet - the foundation of all standing poses. Each week, the physical postures (asanas) concentrate on one area of practice such as standing, balancing or twisting.

And new this fall, in honor of nilambu's mission to provide stretches for the mind, we also bring our attention to a philosophical principle of yoga such as truth, enthusiasm or contentment.

A few classes still have space available. If you're interested in getting started or restarted - please email me at cass@nilambu.com.

Also, if you have two or more friends and would like to set up your own class, I still have free time available to accomodate an additional class.

Finally, as always, privates and semi-privates are a great way to focus your practice or to address a special challenge. For more on that and on all of nilambu : a personal yoga studio's services, click here

Class Schedule Modifications

Last week my mother was diagnosed with cancer, so I will be commuting out of DC from Friday to Tuesday to be with her. Her prognosis is not yet known, but we're all optimistic she'll pull through. Her cancer is not advanced, but her otherwise poor health presents some challenges in her treatment. Please keep her in your prayers.

This will affect nilambu's class schedule. Wednesday night classes will continue as scheduled and now will not shift on March 1st on the beginning of Lent to Mondays, as previously discussed. Thursday day and Thursday night classes remain unchanged.

Saturday class is temporarily suspended until further notice.

Click here for a summary of class offerings.

I am available for private sessions three days a week and would love to help you focus your practice according to your needs.

Or consider giving a loved one who lives in DC a very special Valentines Day gift of a private nilambu yoga session. I am offering a holiday rate of $60.00 (normally $80.00) until February 18th. Just email me to inquire.

Alleviate Your Back Pain - Neptune Seminar Offered

Two Neptune Seminars will be offered this summer on Saturday June 18th and Saturday July 23rd. Neptune Seminars afford time to go to the depths. In this format, students can concentrate and distill aspects of yoga in a manner that a regular class session simply doesn't allow time to do.

The Neptune Seminar on June 18th will focus on yoga poses that help relieve back pain. Registrants will complete a questionnaire prior and leave with a written home practice sequence. Class will focus on how to do the poses and suggest common household items to set up, when applicable. The class will be from 10 am to 11:30 am and cost $30.

The July 23rd topic is yet to be determined. If you have a suggestion, please email me at cass@nilambu.com.

Refreshing nilambu

I am excited to announce that on June 25th and 26th, I will travel to New York City to attend a Teacher Training Refresher course at Om Yoga where I did my original training over two years ago.

Many asanas will be re-examined including forward bends, twists, inversions, arm balances, backbends and standing. Yoga philosophy such as service, mindfulness, stability, joy and balance will be discussed. And sequencing classes too! The community at OM Yoga Center overflows with knowledgeable, generous and authentic yoga teachers, and I’m thrilled to be with and around them for a few days later this month.

I’ve no doubt I’ll return to DC refreshed and renewed. For more on my yoga training, click here.

Nominate nilambu yoga!

Please nominate nilambu yoga for best yoga studio in the City Life Category at WashingtonPost.com.

So you don't forget, do it right now. The deadline is June 3rd. If you're not already an registered reader of the Washington Post online, you'll need to register first, but I'd appreciate the effort and your vote.

While you're there you can also vote for best museum, live theater, live band among others. How wonderful that yoga is considered as important to city life as museums and live theater and music! Go vote! Just type in the blank spot for yoga studio "nilambu yoga." Thanks!

Summer Sessions Announced

Come and try out some yoga this summer at nilambu where the classes are extremely personalized. Only 4 students are permitted to enroll, so the teaching responds closely to the participants. The two sessions are:

• 6-week session from the week of May 2nd to the week of June 6th (cost is $115)
• 7-week session from the week of June 13th to the week of July 25th (cost is $135)

Classes will be held on the following days and times:

• Monday 5:30 - 6:45 pm
• Tuesday 10 - 11:15 am
• Tuesday 5:30 - 6:45 pm
• Tuesday 7:00 - 8:15 pm
• Wednesday 5:30 - 6:45 pm
• Wednesday 7:00 - 8:15 pm

Classes will focus on one of the following: standing poses, balancing poses, backbending poses, twisting poses, seated poses, prone poses, supine poses and restorative. For sample classes click here.

Please note: because of the Memorial Day holiday on May 30th and the 4th of July holiday, no classes will be held on those Mondays. Therefore, registration for the Monday 5:30 class is $105 for the first session and $115 for the second, reduced to reflect fewer classes. Single classes are available for $20. Make-up classes are also allowed. Please just email first to ensure that there’s a mat for you.

New clients are entitled to a free 45 minute private orientation session with me. Ideally this private time should be scheduled before attending any class. But any one is welcomed to attend any time, and if there's room, we'll accommodate you. Please email me first to ensure a space is available at cass@nilambu.com

Private sessions are always available. Also, if you have a group of friends and would like to schedule a class, just let me know. With a minimum of three, I’d be happy to set up a session at a convenient time.

More Client Testimonials

Cassandra's approach to teaching yoga is genuine and multi-faceted. She understands the benefits of yoga and imparts her wealth of knowledge in a way that is authentic, challenging, and fun. Her adjustments are amazing and she has the gift for helping students achieve the maximum physical benefits in way that is gentle, supportive, and feels right. Her yoga feels good--physically and spiritually. – Christina

I tried a lot of different yoga studio in the DC area before I found nilambu. I love the small class sizes. I know that if I do something wrong she’ll see it and correct it on me. She’s also very intuitive and responsive to the needs and moods of the participants and readily adapts. She takes the time to get to know her students and doesn’t assume anything. Nilambu Classes can be hard work, but I always feel like I'm being pushed in a good way. It’s not just an exercise class that’s reproducing the busy part of my day, making my mind more frantic. The atmosphere is perfect for concentrating on a movement. I’m in good hands and can’t wait for classes to start again. – Carole

What Are nilambu notes?

Welcome to the first edition of nilambu notes! Cass Metzger, RYT, writes this monthly e-newsletter to deepen your understanding of your physical yoga practice. This premier issue also introduces and announces the opening of nilambu: a personal yoga studio in Washington DC. I want to share my new enterprise with all of you, and I hope that you will forward this news along to your friends (especially those who live in the DC area).

Why read a newsletter on yoga? For those who haven’t yet experienced the benefits of yoga, maybe this news will tempt you to try. (To find a registered teacher in your area click here http://www.yogaalliance.org/YA/index.jsp) For those of you who already practice yoga, you know the experience on the mat is very important and an essential prerequisite. No book knowledge can substitute for the sensations of actual experience on your mat.

Yet many don’t have the time to investigate yoga beyond the physical practice. Yoga philosophy clearly delineates the difference between intellectual knowledge and experiential knowledge. But the immeasurable riches behind and beyond the physical practice of yoga are not widely known.

What elements of yoga will nilambu notes address? nilambu notes will expand your mind to connect with how your body extends on the mat. Only by fostering flexibility of the body, mind and soul will the full benefits of yoga be enjoyed.

These nilambu notes will be small nuggets; subsequent issues will be half the length of this introductory edition and more substantive. nilambu notes will point you to other reliable resources to enable further investigation for those interested. The scope of nilambu notes includes:

• History Understanding the evolution can validate your own personal yoga experience.
• Customs Diet, lifestyle and breathing can all animate your endeavors in yoga.
• Culture The philosophy can contribute to a better integration of yoga into other aspects of your life. Yoga can seem alien to Westerners, but the culture around yoga is not as foreign as you may think.
• Literature The popularity of yoga generates lots of books and articles which feature this ancient practice. Reviews will assist you in discerning among the overwhelming resources.
• Current Yoga Events Special yoga conferences and meetings will also be noted.

If you have any suggestions or specific questions for nilambu notes, please don’t hesitate to submit them.

I hope you enjoy receiving nilambu notes. If this e-newsletter was forwarded to you by a friend and you’d like to register your email address to get nilambu notes directly, click here.

What is nilambu yoga?

nilambu is a place where yoga is enlivening and therapeutic. nilambu’s mission is to provide a place that makes the full practice of yoga fun, nuanced and rewarding for all - young & old, disabled & able, strong & frail, clumsy & coordinated, neophytes & old hands.

A personal studio located on the western edge of Georgetown, nilambu serves as your guide to help you explore yoga in all its facets – physical, mental and spiritual. For a vigorous practice, yoga is offered in the vinyasa style, in which the breath is harmonized with the poses. nilambu also addresses special health challenges with restorative yoga. With tailored teaching, sessions encompass physical postures (asanas) as well as control of the life force or breath (pranayama) and meditation (dhyana).

nilambu classes are very personal to ensure close attention and support. nilambu limits classes to no more than 4 clients. nilambu offers private or semi-private sessions and special weekend intensives as well.

For more on nilambu’s services click here.

Please explore and start your yoga journey by checking out nilambu’s website.

What Does nilambu Mean?

nil : blue

ambu : water

nilambu : blue water : ocean

Washington is awash in words. nilambu, like the ocean, can help you clear away the extras and find the essentials. Water is a source of life and healing. So, too is yoga.

Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind. --- 2nd Yoga Sutra of Patanjali

Ocean, who is the source of all. ---- Homer, The Iliad, book XIV, line 246.

Client Testimonials

"Can I start drooling now?" - Olivia"

All I need now is a Mai Tai with a really long straw." - Anthony

"I feel less aggravated but I'm not sure if that's because of restorative yoga or because I've been away from my (4) kids for an hour." - Beatrice

"We miss you; your classes were so athletic." - Anonymous

"You can feel the energy of her warmth and wit vibrating in the room. The class atmosphere encourages me to strive, not compete. It's a welcome relief and change from the hectic, pressured pace of my daily life." – Angela