Mindfulness & Meditation

Led by: Doug McDannald

Wednesdays: February 7, 14, 21, 28; March 6, 13, 20, 27

6:00-8:00pm

Studio

Registration Deadline: January 24, 2024 & 2 weeks before each subsequent class

Skill level: Beginner

Registration fee: $10/class OR $70/series

Course Description:

Part education, part experiential, and part discussion - be guided through many different aspects of mindfulness and meditation, while receiving support for whatever comes up for you along the way. Not only can this type of meditation be practiced more formally (such as a dedicated time to sit and meditate), but it can also be practiced while performing any number of daily activities. The only required tools are posture and breath, which are available to anybody, at any time. During class, we will primarily be seated. How it Works: As we attend to our posture and breath, we are able to observe the nature of our mind, body and environment with greater clarity. This clarity offers us the space to respond to everyday situations more thoughtfully and with less stress and reactivity. This effect accumulates over time, leading to more skillful responses with respect to our evolving situation or predicament. When we pause, we can observe our mind as it wanders. A wandering mind tends to automatically react to whatever external stimulus we experience. While some of these learned reactions serve us well, many of them were learned in response to situations that no longer exist, and thus, do not serve our best interest or the best interests of others in the present moment. Mindfulness and meditation offer us the opportunity to pause, interrupt our wandering mind, and create more choice in how we respond in the present moment. The results open up new and beneficial possibilities in our lives and in the lives of all the people we interact with.

About the Instructor:

Doug McDannald brings over 15 years of regular meditation practice, as well as certifications in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). He has 8 years’ experience coaching NCAA D1 Track & Field athletes, and 6 years’ experience in healthcare within various departments at Carle Health and Christie Clinic. He received a master’s degree in Exercise Science & Neuromechanics from Utah State University, and a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science from Eastern Illinois University. These experiences have contributed to Doug’s passion for helping people experience mental and physical relief through the simple, highly effective practices of mindfulness.

Traveling Time Machine: Dancing in Illinois from Statehood to the 60s

Led by: Jeanette Watts

Thursdays: March 14, 21, 28; April 4, 11, 18

5:30-7:30pm

Music Barn

Registration Deadline: March 13, 2024; 1 day prior to each subsequent class

Skill level: All Levels

Registration fee: $75/full course OR $25/class

Course Description:

Each week, we will tackle the popular dances of Illinois starting with the fashionable dances of 1818. (Think Jane Austen and Bridgerton.) Each class will teach the basic skills, and some popular variations of the time so that attendees get a real feeling of what it was like to live/dance back then. Each class will be an hour of technique, and a second hour of less intensive play time, when we will apply the learned skills in the context of set dances of the time and have a chance to do at least one dance to review the material of the week before. Registration for the entire series is not required, but highly recommended for maximum comfort. Not every week builds on the skills of the week before, depending upon the era being covered. The final class of this series will be a mid-century dance to showcase all the new steps you learned throughout the course.

About the Instructor:

Jeanette Watts has been teaching historical dances for over 20 years. She is the founder of the Terpsichorean Delights Dance Assembly in Dayton, OH, Queen City Vintage Dance in Charlotte, NC, and spent Covid writing an 8-volume series of instructional dance manuals for historical museums.

Discovering Earth Magic

Led by: Candy Reeder

Sundays: March 24; April 7, 14, 21

2:00-4:00pm

Studio

Registration Deadline: March 22, 2024 and each subsequent Friday

Skill level: Beginner

Registration fee: $80/series OR $25/class

Course Description:

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and burned out by the hustle and bustle of life, but once you tune in, you’ll realize that Earth magic is surrounding us and ready to rejuvenate and restore feelings of peace. In this class we’ll cover a different topic each time, from the physical and emotional healing properties of herbs and using them with intention, to making cordage and fabric dye from backyard plants, to easy secrets to nourish Earth through your garden, to the power of meditating with the trees, the moon, the wind, or even the soil! Let’s heal our hearts by connecting and collaborating with Earth.

Class 1. 3/24/24–Herbal Medicine Cabinet 
This week we’ll talk about easy to use plant remedies for everyday situations, using plants from your herb garden, the produce section at the grocery store or farmers market, or possibly even growing in your very own lawn! Participants will be making their own herbal infusion that they can take home and use.

Class 2. 4/7/24– Foraging Fun
This week we’ll open our eyes to what’s around us when we step outside, and how it might be useful in ways you might never have suspected, along with sustainable foraging practices and other “wild school” activities. Participants will be able to dye some fabric with plants and do some fiber weaving.

Class 3. 4/14/24– Indigenous Wisdom 
This week we’ll tune into our own hearts and discuss the two-way connection that forms when we both give + receive from Momma Earth. We’ll talk about ways to meditate with intention and cleanse our energy using the wind, stars, storms, crystals, and even running water in your sink! We’ll do a reiki infused guided meditation, and participants will create their own energy cleansing “smoke wand” herb bundle.

Class 4. 4/21/24– Green Living 
This week we’ll talk about how you can help the environment with some very simple actions that can be incorporated into every day living. Collaborating with Momma Earth is more than just eating vegan and driving an electric vehicle, and can be fulfilling, exciting, and even stylish! Participants will craft their own accessory using repurposed invasive honeysuckle “beads”.

About the Instructor:

In 2018 Candy moved from a busy city to Champaign, where she truly met Nature. She began gardening and wild schooling with her 6 kids, learning about native plants and wildlife, how to both give to and receive from Earth, creating natural remedies from “weeds”, and the power of connecting with Nature to balance stress and sadness. Candy’s business is called Joyfully Blooming because she loves helping people find joy in discovering their authentic, natural self, hidden under the facade of social demands.

Discovering Earth Magic

Led by: Candy Reeder

Sundays: March 24; April 7, 14, 21

2:00-4:00pm

Studio

Registration Deadline: March 22, 2024 and each subsequent Friday

Skill level: Beginner

Registration fee: $80/series OR $25/class

Course Description:

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and burned out by the hustle and bustle of life, but once you tune in, you’ll realize that Earth magic is surrounding us and ready to rejuvenate and restore feelings of peace. In this class we’ll cover a different topic each time, from the physical and emotional healing properties of herbs and using them with intention, to making cordage and fabric dye from backyard plants, to easy secrets to nourish Earth through your garden, to the power of meditating with the trees, the moon, the wind, or even the soil! Let’s heal our hearts by connecting and collaborating with Earth.

About the Instructor:

In 2018 Candy moved from a busy city to Champaign, where she truly met Nature. She began gardening and wild schooling with her 6 kids, learning about native plants and wildlife, how to both give to and receive from Earth, creating natural remedies from “weeds”, and the power of connecting with Nature to balance stress and sadness. Candy’s business is called Joyfully Blooming because she loves helping people find joy in discovering their authentic, natural self, hidden under the facade of social demands.

Discovering Earth Magic

Led by: Candy Reeder

Sundays: March 24; April 7, 14, 21

2:00-4:00pm

Studio

Registration Deadline: March 22, 2024 and each subsequent Friday

Skill level: Beginner

Registration fee: $80/series OR $25/class

Course Description:

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and burned out by the hustle and bustle of life, but once you tune in, you’ll realize that Earth magic is surrounding us and ready to rejuvenate and restore feelings of peace. In this class we’ll cover a different topic each time, from the physical and emotional healing properties of herbs and using them with intention, to making cordage and fabric dye from backyard plants, to easy secrets to nourish Earth through your garden, to the power of meditating with the trees, the moon, the wind, or even the soil! Let’s heal our hearts by connecting and collaborating with Earth.

Class 1: Herbal Medicine Cabinet 
This week we’ll talk about easy to use plant remedies for everyday situations, using plants from your herb garden, the produce section at the grocery store or farmers market, or possibly even growing in your very own lawn! Participants will be making their own herbal infusion that they can take home and use.

About the Instructor:

In 2018 Candy moved from a busy city to Champaign, where she truly met Nature. She began gardening and wild schooling with her 6 kids, learning about native plants and wildlife, how to both give to and receive from Earth, creating natural remedies from “weeds”, and the power of connecting with Nature to balance stress and sadness. Candy’s business is called Joyfully Blooming because she loves helping people find joy in discovering their authentic, natural self, hidden under the facade of social demands.

Mindfulness & Meditation

Led by: Doug McDannald

Wednesdays: February 7, 14, 21, 28; March 6, 13, 20, 27

6:00-8:00pm

Studio

Registration Deadline: January 24, 2024 & 2 weeks before each subsequent class

Skill level: Beginner

Registration fee: $10/class OR $70/series

Course Description:

Part education, part experiential, and part discussion - be guided through many different aspects of mindfulness and meditation, while receiving support for whatever comes up for you along the way. Not only can this type of meditation be practiced more formally (such as a dedicated time to sit and meditate), but it can also be practiced while performing any number of daily activities. The only required tools are posture and breath, which are available to anybody, at any time. During class, we will primarily be seated. How it Works: As we attend to our posture and breath, we are able to observe the nature of our mind, body and environment with greater clarity. This clarity offers us the space to respond to everyday situations more thoughtfully and with less stress and reactivity. This effect accumulates over time, leading to more skillful responses with respect to our evolving situation or predicament. When we pause, we can observe our mind as it wanders. A wandering mind tends to automatically react to whatever external stimulus we experience. While some of these learned reactions serve us well, many of them were learned in response to situations that no longer exist, and thus, do not serve our best interest or the best interests of others in the present moment. Mindfulness and meditation offer us the opportunity to pause, interrupt our wandering mind, and create more choice in how we respond in the present moment. The results open up new and beneficial possibilities in our lives and in the lives of all the people we interact with.

About the Instructor:

Doug McDannald brings over 15 years of regular meditation practice, as well as certifications in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). He has 8 years’ experience coaching NCAA D1 Track & Field athletes, and 6 years’ experience in healthcare within various departments at Carle Health and Christie Clinic. He received a master’s degree in Exercise Science & Neuromechanics from Utah State University, and a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science from Eastern Illinois University. These experiences have contributed to Doug’s passion for helping people experience mental and physical relief through the simple, highly effective practices of mindfulness.

Traveling Time Machine: Dancing in Illinois from Statehood to the 60s

Led by: Jeanette Watts

Thursdays: March 14, 21, 28; April 4, 11, 18

5:30-7:30pm

Music Barn

Registration Deadline: March 13, 2024; 1 day prior to each subsequent class

Skill level: All Levels

Registration fee: $75/full course OR $25/class

Course Description:

Each week, we will tackle the popular dances of Illinois starting with the fashionable dances of 1818. (Think Jane Austen and Bridgerton.) Each class will teach the basic skills, and some popular variations of the time so that attendees get a real feeling of what it was like to live/dance back then. Each class will be an hour of technique, and a second hour of less intensive play time, when we will apply the learned skills in the context of set dances of the time and have a chance to do at least one dance to review the material of the week before. Registration for the entire series is not required, but highly recommended for maximum comfort. Not every week builds on the skills of the week before, depending upon the era being covered. The final class of this series will be a mid-century dance to showcase all the new steps you learned throughout the course.

About the Instructor:

Jeanette Watts has been teaching historical dances for over 20 years. She is the founder of the Terpsichorean Delights Dance Assembly in Dayton, OH, Queen City Vintage Dance in Charlotte, NC, and spent Covid writing an 8-volume series of instructional dance manuals for historical museums.

Traveling Time Machine: Dancing in Illinois from Statehood to the 60s

Led by: Jeanette Watts

Thursdays: March 14, 21, 28; April 4, 11, 18

5:30-7:30pm

Music Barn

Registration Deadline: March 13, 2024; 1 day prior to each subsequent class

Skill level: All Levels

Registration fee: $75/full course OR $25/class

Course Description:

Each week, we will tackle the popular dances of Illinois starting with the fashionable dances of 1818. (Think Jane Austen and Bridgerton.) Each class will teach the basic skills, and some popular variations of the time so that attendees get a real feeling of what it was like to live/dance back then. Each class will be an hour of technique, and a second hour of less intensive play time, when we will apply the learned skills in the context of set dances of the time and have a chance to do at least one dance to review the material of the week before. Registration for the entire series is not required, but highly recommended for maximum comfort. Not every week builds on the skills of the week before, depending upon the era being covered. The final class of this series will be a mid-century dance to showcase all the new steps you learned throughout the course.

About the Instructor:

Jeanette Watts has been teaching historical dances for over 20 years. She is the founder of the Terpsichorean Delights Dance Assembly in Dayton, OH, Queen City Vintage Dance in Charlotte, NC, and spent Covid writing an 8-volume series of instructional dance manuals for historical museums.

Discovering Earth Magic

Led by: Candy Reeder

Sundays: March 24; April 7, 14, 21

2:00-4:00pm

Studio

Registration Deadline: March 22, 2024 and each subsequent Friday

Skill level: Beginner

Registration fee: $80/series OR $25/class

Course Description:

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and burned out by the hustle and bustle of life, but once you tune in, you’ll realize that Earth magic is surrounding us and ready to rejuvenate and restore feelings of peace. In this class we’ll cover a different topic each time, from the physical and emotional healing properties of herbs and using them with intention, to making cordage and fabric dye from backyard plants, to easy secrets to nourish Earth through your garden, to the power of meditating with the trees, the moon, the wind, or even the soil! Let’s heal our hearts by connecting and collaborating with Earth.

Class 2: Foraging Fun
This week we’ll open our eyes to what’s around us when we step outside, and how it might be useful in ways you might never have suspected, along with sustainable foraging practices and other “wild school” activities. Participants will be able to dye some fabric with plants and do some fiber weaving.

About the Instructor:

In 2018 Candy moved from a busy city to Champaign, where she truly met Nature. She began gardening and wild schooling with her 6 kids, learning about native plants and wildlife, how to both give to and receive from Earth, creating natural remedies from “weeds”, and the power of connecting with Nature to balance stress and sadness. Candy’s business is called Joyfully Blooming because she loves helping people find joy in discovering their authentic, natural self, hidden under the facade of social demands.