upcoming special events
Meditation, Mindful Movement, and Sound Bath
with Cindy Novelo
Sunday 3:30 - 4:45pm
Dec 15
This sonorous meditative experience is designed to bring you into alignment with the radiant wellbeing of your entire being - body, mind and soul. Award-winning songwriter/multi-instrumentalist and yoga/meditation teacher Cindy will first assist you in coming into full presence through guided meditation, then will move into gentle mindful movement to release bodily tensions and cultivate somatic awareness. Finally Cindy will create a full 45-minute soundscape using multiple singing bowls, chimes, vocals, and soulfully resonant viola music to offer you a deliciously vibratory experience to bring you into complete relaxation.
This practice is suitable for all levels, from beginner to advanced. All bodies welcome.
75 minutes, $40 ($35 for Big Bluestem members)
REGISTER FOR DEC 15 HERE
THIS EVENT FILLS! SAVE YOUR SPOT!
For more about Cindy and her work, mission, and music, visit www.cindynovelo.com.
This gentle practice is wonderful for people recovering from illness and injury as well as older adults. Wednesdays, noon - 1pm. No need to register for a multi-week “session”, just book the classes you want on our book-a-class page. Bluestem also offers Ageless, Gentle, Curvy, and Yin Yoga! See class descriptions here.
Notes on accessibility: There is a ramp between the parking lot and the studio entrance. Inside, there is one step between the entry area and the studio floor; the bathroom is accessible. Parking is easy!
Email Sandy if you would like to see the studio before you book a class.
Curvy Yoga® celebrates and centers the needs of curvy, fat, and/or larger-bodied people. Enjoy a calm atmosphere to release tension in the body and mind with specific guidance on how to accommodate your body comfortably just as it is now. Classes may incorporate gentle stretching; mindfulness and breathing practices; meditation; gentle, flowing movements; restorative poses; self myofascial release, and Yoga Nidra.
Teacher Liz Stuewe is certified in Curvy Yoga and brings her adaptive teaching style to Bluestem’s Thursday evening Gentle Yoga class. All bodies welcome; for new and experienced students.
Register on our book-a-class page.
recent special events
Come as you are, no experience necessary!
A private 4-week series focused on the foundational postures of yoga and the importance of breath and healthy alignment. Classes will move at a slower pace, and you’ll receive lots of instruction. Learn how to modify poses to work within the limits of your body. And we’ll have fun! This series is great for beginners and those who want to revisit the fundamentals, ask questions, and receive individual feedback.
Sundays Oct 20-Nov 10, 12:15-1:30pm
$60. Comes with two free passes to a regular weekly class, one for you and one for a friend! The multi-week format provides the incentives of pre-commitment and the benefits of continuity. (But you can still learn a lot, and the package is a fabulous deal even if you can't come to all 4 classes! )
Pre-registration required. Register with a friend, and you each SAVE $5. Email sandy@bluestemyoga.com before you register to claim this discount.
Take the first, easy step!
This one-time 75-minute "orientation" combines conversation with a short sample beginner's class. We'll share all you need to know to choose a Bluestem class that's right for you and feel comfortable in your first class. Perfect for those who've never done yoga, as well as those who've done online yoga or gym yoga but have never taken an in-person studio class.
Register on our book-a-class page.
Would you like to be more present and less stressed? Join us to explore several styles of meditation and learn how to incorporate mindfulness practices into your daily life. Over six weeks, Valentine will guide you in progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery, breath-based, intentional focus, and loving-kindness meditations. Tuesdays 6:45 - 7:15pm, Sept 17 - Oct 22.
All bodies are welcome. We have blankets, bolsters, and folding chairs to help you be comfortable; you don't have to sit on the floor.
Optional: These classes will combine wonderfully with the
drop-in Yin Yoga class offered 5:30 - 6:30pm on Tuesdays.
Purchase the series and receive one FREE Yin class.
$75 for Big Bluestem members; $84 for others.
Parents, enjoy an hour with your kiddo, in a class designed to reduce stress and support self-esteem, focus, and balance—with a few laughs along the way! At Bluestem, we practice yoga for physical and mental well-being, not for “fitness” or to “sculpt and tone.” Our beautiful studio (no mirrors) is a quiet refuge from the noisy world; expect to feel calmer and more centered after your time here.
For this special class, a single drop-in purchase covers one adult and one teen. Purchase a second drop-in to bring an additional kiddo. All levels, no yoga experience expected.
As the moon rises, quiet your mind, nourish your spirit, and set an intention for the season to come. This special event includes a short guided meditation, a gentle yoga practice, and a sound bath created by special guest musician Dylan Bassett. Time and place carefully chosen so you can see the almost-full moon rise. All levels, no yoga experience expected. Email sandy@bluestemyoga.com if you'd like a folding chair.
On the beautiful patio of the Jayhawk Club Wellness Center, just 6 minutes south of Bluestem. Pre-registration required, and the Jayhawk Club requires participants to sign a waiver. Please arrive by 7:30 so you can sign the waiver and be settled on your mat by 7:45. $10 discount for Big Bluestem members automatically applied. Little Bluestem members, check your email for a $5 discount Promo Code. Learn more about Dylan at www.dylanbassett.com
A cloudy sky won't stop us! The evening outdoor experience will be lovely even if we don't see the moon. But if it rains, we'll cancel, and your payment will be credited to your account, for future Bluestem purchases.
A Guided Meditation Series for Presence and Relaxation
MINDFUL NEW YEAR:
A 6-WEEK SERIES
Join us to explore several styles of meditation and learn how to incorporate mindfulness practices into your daily life. Over the course of six weeks, Valentine will guide you in progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery, breath-based, intentional focus, and loving-kindness meditations. This series will benefit newcomers and experienced meditators alike.
Tuesdays 6:45 - 7:15pm, Jan 16 - Feb 20. Optional: These classes will combine nicely with the drop-in Yin Yoga class offered 5:30 - 6:30pm on Tuesdays.
All bodies welcome. We have blankets, bolsters, and folding chairs to help you be comfortable; you do not have to sit on the floor. Students pay for this series separately; it is not part of memberships or class packages. $66
Come as you are, no experience necessary!
A private 4-week series focused on the foundational postures of yoga and the importance of breath and healthy alignment. Classes will move at a slower pace, and you’ll receive lots of instruction. Learn how to modify poses to work within the limits of your body. This series is great for beginners and those who want to revisit the fundamentals, ask questions, and receive individual feedback.
Comes with a FREE PASS to one of our regular weekly classes, for you and a friend!
Pre-registration required. Register for this series with friends, and you each save $10. Email sandy@bluestemyoga.com to claim this discount.
"Everyone has been really welcoming and I’m really loving classes. I had wanted to do classes for years but had some anxiety about being in a group setting as a beginner. So far I have felt really comfortable, and I’m thankful for the lovely space you have created!"
~ Casey
This 4-week series is for people living with chronic illness, including caregivers. Each 75-minute gathering will combine gentle movement, breathing exercise options, and guided discussion of the book, "How to Be Sick: A Buddhist-Inspired Guide for the Chronically Ill and Their Caregivers" by Toni Bernhard. The series is led by Liz Stuewe, who has lived with chronic illness for over 20 years and has experience leading support groups.
No yoga experience expected, and Liz will offer inclusive movement variations, including chair options. You may also attend without participating in the movement portions. We have yoga mats, bolsters, blankets, and chairs for you to use, or you may bring your own. Masks are welcome. If there are other ways we can make the space more accessible for you, please let us know by emailing sandy@bluestemyoga.com.
Saturdays 11am - 12:15 pm, Jan 13 - Feb 3. REGISTER BY JAN 2 FOR A $15 EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT.
If you’re interested but can’t join in January, email your interest to sandy@bluestemyoga.com.
The Raven Bookstore can order your book; allow 7 - 10 days.
BEGIN your year in a refreshing, powerful and intentional way
RECOGNIZE and release what has been holding you back
ENVISION how you want to show up for 2024
IDENTIFY a word or phrase that will guide you throughout the year
CREATE new and meaningful relationships with others on the path
INCLUDES A CHAMPAGNE TOAST TO YOUR BEST YEAR EVER!
“What a beautifully insightful way to celebrate the new year! Cindy led us through an introspective journey through the past, present and future. The gathering was a great way to refocus, strategize and plan for the new year ahead. I will definitely make this a yearly tradition! “
~ Francie A., New Year’s Day Workshop participant
The end of one year and the beginning of another is a perfect time for renewal. This popular workshop is based on a ritual Cindy established for herself years ago. The afternoon’s ritual will help us release what is no longer serving us - whatever has been holding us back, hindering our growth, or otherwise keeping us from being our most radiant selves - and then determining how we want to show up in the new year. As part of the workshop, we will identify a word or phrase we can use for the year that will guide us as we welcome the new year and walk proudly and courageously into it and beyond.
Pre-register by Dec 30. This workshop is expected to fill quickly. $65/person ($55 through Dec 18). For more about Cindy, visit cindynovelo.com.
Note: This workshop does not include the physical practice of yoga. If you would like to include asana practice as part of your New Year’s Day, please sign up for New Year’s Day yoga class offered at 11 a.m. Cindy is also teaching New Year's Eve Candlelight Yoga from 4 - 5 pm on Dec 31.
Kirtan is an active form of meditation that involves the chanting of mystical sound vibrations that help to awaken the divine love in the heart. In this Kirtan led by Gopi Sandal and others, you will learn simple call and response chanting of sanskrit mantras accompanied by mridanga (a traditional Indian drum), harmonium, and traditional Indian hand cymbals.
No experience expected, and you may simply breathe and listen if you prefer not to sing.
Chairs available. Bring a friend!
Free, but pre-registration appreciated. Click Here.
Come as you are, no experience necessary! A private 4-week series focused on the foundational postures of yoga and the importance of breath and healthy alignment. Classes will move at a slower pace, and you’ll receive lots of instruction. Learn how to modify poses to work within the limits of your body. This series is great for beginners and those who want to revisit the fundamentals, ask questions, and receive individual feedback. Class size limited. Pre-registration required. This package comes with a free pass to one of our regular weekly classes, for you and a friend!
Taught by Laura McCulloch. Laura has been regularly practicing yoga since 2014. When she first started yoga, it was very overwhelming and she felt out of place in yoga classes. She stuck with the practice and has continued seeing improvements in anxiety, mindfulness, and joint pain. Laura is passionate about guiding others in a yoga practice that feels inclusive, empowering, and welcoming to beginners.
$80 (Book by Dec 15, just $72! $40 for Big Bluestem members).
Do you suffer from plantar fasciitis or other foot ailments? We can start you on the path to relief! Learn simple stretches and self-massage techniques. Get your feet moving well, so YOU can move the way you want. This is one of Bluestem’s “non-yoga” offerings; everyone welcome! Mondays, 6:45 – 7:30 pm, January 9 – January 30.
Taught by Sandy Beverly, studio owner. Sandy has completed over 110 hours of continuing education in anatomy and self myofascial release and is a certified Roll Model Method practitioner. Through her Healthy Practices classes at Bluestem, she aims to share the benefits of “rolling” and empower people to listen to and care for themselves, so they can reduce pain, increase mobility, and improve overall well-being.
Interested but can’t attend Mondays in January? Email your interest to bluestemyogaKS@gmail.com. Private sessions available; gather your friends!
Pre-registration required. $75 ($68 if you register by January 1; $35 for Big Bluestem members). Package includes a pair of therapy balls!
A private 4-week series balancing the relentless “New year, New you” messages we receive in January. Year-round we contend with a society that tells us something is wrong with our bodies, something needs to be fixed. This January, we invite you into a space where we can turn away from those messages and develop a practice of presence with the body, just as it is now. Classes will include gentle, flowing movements, restorative poses, and guided meditation. All bodies welcome; for new and experienced students. Liz will offer chair options (“chair yoga”), so sitting and lying on the floor are optional. There is one step between the entry area and the yoga floor.
This package comes with a free pass to one of our regular weekly classes, for you and a friend! Pre-registration required.
Taught by Liz Stuewe. Over 20 years ago, Liz began using yoga and meditation to support her well-being while living with disabilities. This personal experience sparked her passion for making yoga spaces more accessible. Liz is certified in Curvy Yoga, and her teaching style is adaptive, relaxed, and welcoming.
$80 (Book by Dec 15, just $72! $40 for Big Bluestem members).
A sacred candlelight practice to release and let go… The end of the year is a powerful time for reflection and release. A time to look back and review the year - and to let go of all that no longer serves us. All that we have experienced this year is held in the body. So if we truly want to release any blocks - as well as accumulated stress and tension from this challenging year - we must do so through the body. This practice will begin with a brief guided letting go meditation, then move into a beautiful release flow practice, and will end with Tibetan singing bowls and resonant viola music for our final resting pose - to help us prepare for the coming year in a meaningful and powerful way.
Step into the New Year with greater clarity and light.
All bodies and levels of experience welcome. The drop-in price for this special class is $25. Little Bluestem members receive $5 off with the code LITTLENYE. Free for Big Bluestem members!
For a complete New Year experience, consider adding:
New Year’s Day Yoga: Welcoming in the New -- Jan 1, 11:30 am – 12:30 pm.
New Year’s Day Workshop: Releasing the Old, Welcoming in the New -- Jan. 1, 1:30-4 pm.
New Year’s Sunday Reset -- Jan 1, 5 – 6 pm
Are you paying the price for hours at your desk? You can find relief through short and simple movement practices! In this 75-minute class, Sandy will show you how to roll your neck, shoulders, and back with therapy balls and other massage tools and guide you through gentle stretches and easy breath work. You’ll leave knowing techniques you can use at home and in the office! The magic of these techniques is the myriad of changes you can experience over time, with regular practice, and the immediate ease and release you can feel during and after a single “session.” No yoga experience expected; this workshop is for yogis and non-yogis.
Sandy is certified to teach the Roll Model Method of self myofascial release, and she recently completed a 55-hour training in myofascial release offered by Yoga Medicine, a highly respected community of yoga teachers and teacher trainers combining contemporary science with traditional yoga practices. Students pay for this workshop separately; it is not part of Memberships or Class Packages. Space and massage tools are limited; pre-registration is required. $25 ($20 for Big Bluestem members).
Are you curious about what's going on inside of you? Join Holly, Certified Rolfer and body educator, for a full-day, hands-on workshop. You will learn about your organs, how to connect with them, and how to better care for them. Build a visual roadmap by looking at anatomy images of the heart, lungs, stomach, liver, small intestine, large intestine, and kidneys. Then, connect and move with your organs through interoception (sensing your internal landscape), self-palpation, and movement exercises. As you learn your organs’ location, shape, function, relationships, and qualities, you can learn to sense them internally. This increased awareness lets you expand your sense of self. As you move and live from these deep tissues, you can create more ease, calm, and fullness in your life.
All bodies welcome; no yoga experience expected.
Sunday, Sept 18, $150 (max 12 students—just 5 spots left!); Monday, Sept 19 $200 (max 6 students—just 2 spots left!).
Learn more about Holly at kinetikos.net/about/#holly