*Please only register if you can make both brunch and yoga! 

Join This Needs Hot Sauce and Swans Nest for brunch at Win Son. We'll start with class with Sean at 9:30am and then head over to Win Son for brunch at 11am.  Your $10 ticket covers the yoga class and reserves your spot at brunch. You'll be charged for brunch on the day of.  Anyone that has a monthly package or a 10-class pack can use that for class and your $10 will be applied to your bill for brunch.  

This Needs Hot Sauce is a weekly food newsletter by Abigail Koffler, a freelance writer and Swan's Nest community member. Each week, Abigail shares restaurants recs, recipes she loves, and good reads. She also coordinates monthly events like this one. Sign up here for the full scoop.

Win Son is a Taiwanese American Restaurant/local legend. Since opening in 2016, it's become a destination for diners across the city. Luckily, Swans Nest is right down the block.

Note: There are 7 spots available for brunch. Due to limited space for this event, we cannot issue refunds for cancellations made less than 24 hours in advance.

Join Swans Nest student Gary Langworthy and his French Kiss crew for our 6th Tiny Nest Concert! Usually we charge $10 for these things, but in the words of Gary “I think $5 for one band is chill. But also I’m used to the the ethos that every show should be $5 cuz #punk”. So we’re keeping it #punk and it’s gonna be 5 freakin’ dollars, ok?!?!? It’ll be an acoustic set, so I don’t anticipate any moshing or stage diving…but ya never know with these hardcore #punks. Hope to see you there!

This is gonna be sweeeeeeeeeeet! Come for our Biggest, Uuuuuugest, Holidayest Tiny Nest Concert yet. This group is comprised of awesome musicians and friends that I know from the Royal Palms Shuffleboard Club. They’ll rock. We’ll dance. Drinks, decorations, and good times will exist in the time/space continuum! Tickets must be purchased in advance for this event, so click that button now and reserve your spot. See you there!

Join us for a special opportunity to hear Eddie Stern discuss and answer questions about his latest book, One Simple Thing: A New Look at the Science of Yoga and How It Can Transform Your Life. Eddie is a yoga teacher, author, and lecturer from New York City. He is known for his multidisciplinary approach to furthering education and access to yoga, as well as his teaching expertise in Ashtanga Yoga. He most recently created The Breathing App, which guides the user in a paced breathing exercise that balances the nervous system, helping to improve sleep, and reduce stress and anxiety. One Simple Thing is his first solo book.

The event is FREE. Attendees should read the book ahead of the event. You can borrow a copy from Swans Nest for a few days. Please reserve your spot by clicking the button above and going through the Checkout process. Current Swans Nest students can reserver their spot through the app or student account here.

Context for the discussion:

Yoga in its original form was created as a science for liberation, but in modern times it is used by many for improving physical and mental health, helping us become more productive at work, more caring in relationships, and more responsible contributors to society and inhabitants of this planet. If yoga does accomplish all that—and many practitioners have experienced this to be true in their own lives—how exactly does yoga do it? How does yoga work?

Believe it or not, there are scientific answers based on how the human body and mind function. Eddie Stern’s One Simple Thing: A New Look at the Science of Yoga and How It Can Transform Your Life explains from both a yogic and scientific perspective how the human nervous system is wired. It describes the mechanics beneath the surface of our bodies and shows how we can consciously use yogic practices to direct and change our lives in positive ways.

Drawing on modern neuroscience, ancient wisdom, and decades of practice and teaching, Eddie Stern reveals how what we do—from diet to chanting, from postures to meditation, from ethical practices to breathing techniques—affects who we become, and how a steady routine of activities and attitudes can transform our bodies, our brain functions, our emotions, and our experience of life.

Join us for our 4th Tiny Nest Concert! We’ve got multiple acts lined up tonight, peep their info below and swing by for the hang!

8:00pm: Justine Souchack
A brooklyn based singer/ songwriter, making beautiful music that will live in your brain and haunt you for days. Bandcamp

8:30pm: TomaMato (Tova Weinberger & Mayid Guerrero)
A powerhouse duo with lyrics that make you revaluate every choice you've made. Instagram

9:00pm: Winner Camp (Dan Harpaz & Russ Stone)
Familiar and profound, Winnercamp is a guitar, deep vocal and mouth-piano combo that feels kind of like tripping in an elevator. Instagram

9:30pm: Annie Nirschel
A folksy-punkish pop singer who writes songs about fishy, unromantic love and how confused she gets by the subway system. She usually travels with her band, Union Street but she's bad at coordinating schedules. Spotify

As entrepreneurs ourselves, we know the struggles and stresses of building something new, operating in uncertainty, and having too much time alone. To help support us all in our journeys, we're hosting our first lunch gathering for local entrepreneurs / business owners seeking community, connection, and stress-relief amongst a group of entrepreneurial peers. We'll begin with 20 minutes of guided breath work and meditation at Swans Nest Yoga, and then head around the corner for coffee and lunch at Apollonia where we will have an open, fun and non-judgmental discussion about our current endeavors and how this group can support each other going forward.

$10 ticket covers the meditation and free coffee at Apollonia. Attendees can purchase lunch a la carte at the restaurant. We’ll meet at Swans Nest, 137 Montrose Avenue, Brooklyn. Space is limited to 10 participants, so please RSVP through the link above at your earliest convenience. Reach out to Sean Moore (swan@swansnestyoga.club) or Lindsay Herr (lindsayb.herr@gmail.com) with any questions.

Hope to see you there!

Join us for our 3rd Tiny Nest Concert! Matt Puckett is an, ahem, GRAMMY award winning artist for his songwriting and assistant-producing on Tim Kubart’s children’s album, Home. Matt worked with Austin, TX based indie orchestra Mother Falcon from 2009-2016 and relocated to Brooklyn, NY in 2017 where he continues to work with Tim Kubart as well as writing and performing his own material. I know Matt from my home away from The Nest, the Royal Palms Shuffleboard Club. He doesn’t know my real name, only that people call me DJ Swan, and I’m totally fine with that! Pumped to host him on the NOW stage at The Nest. Come Be Here Now!

कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन |
मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि || 47 ||

The Bhagavad Gita is one of the world’s most treasured treatises on the meaning of human existence. In the above verse we find one of its most poignant teachings: “You have a right to perform your prescribed duties, but you are not entitled to the fruits of your actions. Never consider yourself to be the cause of the results of your activities, nor be attached to inaction.”

We’re extremely excited to host Brooklyn-based artist Zeke Decker who unknowingly tapped into an aspect of this powerful wisdom in his upcoming showcase. Join us for this installment of our Be Here Now series which highlights local artists and builds community around creative expression, yoga, and spirituality. Beer and wine will be provided, but feel free to BYOB. The art will be for sale and there will be a brief conversation with the artist. Free admission. Come check it out and Be Here Now!

Artist Statement
It would be dishonest to designate a meaning to my work because it is the product of my creative ritual; It is not what I can create, it's what creating does to me. Process and material come first, and subject matter, second. The result, pure action.

Website: Zeke Begins Now

Ayurveda is considered to be the oldest healing science as it originated more than 5,000 years ago.  In Sanskrit, Ayurveda means, “The Science of Life” and encourages the maintenance of health through close attention to balance in one’s life, right thinking, diet, lifestyle and the use of herbs. The term ‘solstice’ comes from two Latin words, the first being ‘sol’ which means ‘sun’ and the second being ‘sistere’ which literally means ‘to stand still’.  This marks the longest day of the year when we are gratefully bathed in the powerful, activating energy of the sun. It is a time of transformation, action, and inspiration.

Through this interactive workshop, you will learn how seasonal lifestyle practices such as yoga, pranayama and diet can be used as your medicine to keep you balanced as we transition from spring into summer. A seasonal snack and drink will be provided as well as a guide on lifestyle and dietary recommendations will keep you cool & calm during the summer season. 

Instructor
Stephanie Wright is a Brooklyn-based Ayurvedic chef and founder of the Wright Methods who believes that making conscious changes to your daily practices and diet can bring you back into balance with your physical, mental and spiritual needs. Stephanie was trained at Bhagavat Life, the first Ayurvedic culinary training program in North America, where she learned the principles of Shaka Vansiya Ayurveda under Divya Alter, author of What to Eat for How You Feel: The New Ayurvedic Kitchen. She now shares her knowledge of Ayurveda as a recipe developer, culinary instructor and menu consultant.

Purchase Options
Use the “Add to Cart” button to purchase with PayPal or Credit Card.

Note: Swans Nest students with a KarmaSoft account can log-in and use their card on file to purchase here, or can purchase through the button below.

Join us for our 2nd Tiny Nest Concert! Kevin Sloan walked into The Nest during our re-opening party on April 7th and started tickling the ivories - jumpstarting an impromptu Karaoke hour. Since that fateful day, I’ve been teaching yoga to Kevin and he’s been teaching me piano and voice - ain’t that nice? Kevin is a proper musician and will take the NOW stage to entertain us with his original music. All are welcome. BYOB. See you there!

“The ability to observe without evaluating is the highest form of intelligence.” ― Jiddu Krishnamurti

“The Witness” refers to the part of your consciousness that can be a neutral observer of reality. The Witness understands that it does not have to identify with thoughts or emotions. When we activate this part of ourselves we become aware of a truer identity and open ourselves up to connecting more deeply with ourselves, others, our surroundings, and our infinite potential. By realizing that we don’t have to be constantly judging, and evaluating, we allow ourselves to experience and appreciate each moment more fully.

In this focused listening session, we will be using the power of Reiki, sound, breath, and our ability to focus our attention to access deep parts of our own consciousness and hidden layers of reality. Our goal will be to uncover truths buried deep inside all of us and to return the mind-body to its natural state of growth and healing by dissolving the boundaries we imagine to be real, revealing the connections between our outer and inner worlds, and ultimately becoming aware of awareness itself.

Create space, break the link between sensation and reaction, and become the neutral observer of your own thoughts and surroundings.

Hosts:

Christine Alfred
Christine is a Reiki Master of traditional Usui Reiki, a therapeutic sound facilitator, and an Herbal Apprentice at Flower Power. As an intuitive empath, she establishes connections with the body's innate wisdom to facilitate a natural state of growth and healing, and to better provide the support of Reiki and sound where it is most needed. Christine attributes her connection to the earth, and her dedication to personal and universal development to the teachings received from her grandmother, and the culture of Haiti, where she was born. She completed both her Reiki and Green Medicine training at the New York Open Center School for Holistic and Professional Learning. She formerly served as Director of events at The Alchemist’s Kitchen where she curated transformational and educational events for the community. 

Robert Picciotto
Robert is a sound artist, meditation facilitator, and independent researcher. As a third generation musician who has undergone diverse training in sound design and audio production, sound is deeply ingrained in him. His extensive experience with electronic music combined with his acoustic sound meditation practice gives him a unique and multifaceted perspective on the possibilities and applications of sound. While he values his training and background, he's committed to leaving space open to intuition, play and possibility, and learning from the unexpected.

Together they run Awarehouse, a project that creates experiences through carefully curated events that are intrinsically gratifying while promoting transpersonal growth and healing. Awarehouse draws on all systems of knowledge, from the ancient and occult to the futuristic and accessible, focusing on the power of sound, energy, plants, art, and community.    

Our first Tiny Nest Concert! Excited to host Emily James, one of our oldest and most committed students, for her album release of “Here Ya Go”. Emily walked into The Nest a few weeks after we opened, was the only one in class, and the rest is history. She even got her husband Dan to practice for the first time, and now he’s hooked too! They’re a great duo who made this album happen, and also made their wild child Oats happen (you know how that works). I’m lobbying for them to have a second child, whether they want one or not, just so they can call him or her Hall and then have to yell “Hall & Oates” when they get mad at their children. Come be a part of our first Tiny Nest Concert!!

Yoga and drank on da cheap! Join us for a 1 hour Vinyasa flow class from 3:30-4:30pm followed by a super cheap “2 For 1” Happy Hour at our avian neighbor, Duck Duck! The $10 ticket reserves your mat for the yoga class and then it’s a cash bar at Duck Duck for Happy Hour. There will also be FREE pizza at Duck Duck.

Swans Nest Yoga is a proud sponsor of Sound Mind’s first benefit concert! Sound Mind’s mission is to amplify awareness of mental health through the power of live music events. All proceeds of the concert go to the NYC Chapter of the National Alliance for Mental Illness and each person that buys a ticket to the event will receive one free class at Swans Nest Yoga. As the popularity of yoga increases in the west, so too is the awareness of how a consistent yoga practice can promote positive mental health and increase creativity, joy and fulfillment.

The concert will feature performances by Langhorne Slim, Torres, Rosie Carney, Aparna Nancharla and Rage Almighty. Tickets are almost sold out, purchase here!

Come celebrate your mother (hey, thanks for life mom!) and your kids - or maybe other peoples’ kids - with some springtime flower planting, story time for the Kiddos and mimosa time for the Mommos. Expert moms Alix Kivlin and Emily James will help lead the festivities. All are welcome!