• Teach Me To Handstand by Kate Behrend

    If you have practiced with me, then you know that I have a passion for being upside down. Truth is, I’ve only been on this inverted journey for 2 years. Despite my years of gymnastics, dance and yoga, I could never stick a handstand. Day after day I would try and fail. Jump up and fall down. Kick higher and crash harder. I was so determined to get it right that I didn’t care how it looked or what it did to my body. Over time, I developed the perception that it just wasn’t something my body could do. Even though I kept trying, I was ultimately fighting a mental…

  • BPY Mala Making Workshop

    Join Shannon Harty, 500 ERYT  to learn the art of mala making or connect with others while practicing your existing mala making skills. Mala making is a very meditative and grounding exercise that allows us to create something beautiful with our hands while finding more ease, balance and peace in our minds and hearts. Shannon will share the sacred practice of beading, knotting, mantra and symbolism that was imparted to her by her mentor and friend, Casey Abley of ‘These Seeds of Love’. Malas have been used in many spiritual and religious traditions as a tool to aid in prayer and/or meditation. Malas, also know as ‘garlands’, consist of 108 beads…

  • Savasana – Why can’t I stop thinking?

    Just about every class ends in savasana at BPY – which is some version of collapsing on your mat after the end of class.  You know, the spot where you start to re-live the argument you had with your spouse before class, where you berate yourself about your performance on your last exam, and oh yea, where you start to wonder if you have enough time to stop for milk after class. A little tongue-and-cheek for sure, but probably pretty relatable to those of you who have just started practicing yoga and even those of us who have been practicing for a long time.  Savasana is not as easy as it…

  • BPY at Lululemon in May

    Balanced Planet Yoga teachers will be featured for all 5 Sundays in May at the Sagemore Lululemon in the Promenade. Lululemon holds a free yoga class for the public each and every Sunday starting at 9:30 am at their location in the Promenade.  Here is Balanced Planet Yoga’s May line-up: Sunday, May 3rd – Co-owners Cheryl Betten & Kate Behrend co-teach Budokon Yoga – If yoga and martial arts had a baby…it would be Budokon Yoga.  Come out, get weird, and learn something new. Sunday May 10th – Join Kate for an hour of her signature vinyasa class.  What can we say about Kate?  She is absolutely contagious. Sunday, May 17th…

  • What’s Coming Up at Balanced Planet Yoga May 2015

    Things are off to an amazing start at BPY thanks to our wonderful community of yogis!  Here are some important reminders of upcoming events and information involving the studio: 1.  New student passes – we continue to offer a new student intro pass for $25.00.  You can use this pass as a coupon and get 20% off your next class pass purchase as long as you complete your purchase before your new student pass expires. 2.  Our Grand Opening special sale of $99 for one month unlimited passes is set to expire on May 15th, 2015.  This unlimited monthly pass must be purchased by May 15th, but can still be…

  • Happy Earth Day BPY Yogis!

    “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtfully committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” — Margaret Mead Marlton, NJ – Earth Day is honored around the world on April 22nd, although larger events are often organized for the weekends before or after April 22nd. Many communities also observe Earth Week or Earth Month, organizing a series of environmental activities throughout the month of April. Here at Balanced Planet Yoga, we have partnered with Clean Ocean Action (COA) for their 30th annual Beach Sweep to help promote awareness for the event and encourage local residents to head to the beach to participate. This…

  • Budokon Yoga

      Well, week 2 of Budokon Yoga at BPY is in the books. We couldn’t be prouder of the amazing effort our yogis are putting in to learn this tremendously challenging yet rewarding practice.  We have been humbled by your conscious choice to be inspired by the Budokon yoga primary series practice. As we begin to put in the work on the physical practice, we wanted to begin to talk more about what Budokon has to offer aside from the physical practice.  The practice is centered around 5 pillars: 1.  Movement – The physical work – tapping in to our ability to move with power, control, and flow. 2.  Thought – Why do…

  • Balanced Planet Yoga Open House

    Come Hang in the Balance at BPY Balanced Planet Yoga (BPY) will open its doors to the South Jersey yoga community for an Open House event on April 18, 2015 beginning at 12 noon.  BPY is pleased to have partnered with many like-minded local vendors to show our appreciation to our new yoga community. On hand for the event will be the Promenade’s b.good food truck- a restaurant created by two best friends who wanted to make fast-food “real” by creating it by people not factories.  BPY shares this passion for making good food accessible to busy people on the go.  We will also be offering free chair massages using products…

  • Calling All Beginner Yogis

    Derek McMahon Brings His Beginner Series to BPY   If you are new to yoga, haven’t practiced for a while, recovering from an injury, or even looking how to take your yoga practice to the next level, you are definitely going to want to check out this BPY Workshop that will be held on three consecutive Saturdays – May 2nd, May 9th, and May 16th – from 12 noon to 2 PM. In this three-part beginner’s series guided by Derek McMahon, you will explore the fundamentals of an Ashtanga-inspired vinyasa yoga practice with a focus on breath (pranayama) and postures (asana). This specific style of yoga places emphasis on linking the breath…

  • Prenatal Yoga with Shannon Harty

    Create a conscious connection to your breath, body and child during your pregnancy with Prenatal Yoga. Balanced Planet Yoga is thrilled to announce that seasoned yoga teacher, Shannon Harty will be bringing her Prenatal Yoga class to the studio.  Shannon’s class is specifically designed for the journey of pregnancy and will combine some childbirth education, breathing techniques to assist during pregnancy, labor and beyond as well as the therapeutic applications of postures to address common aches and pains. A regular practice can bring you more than peace of mind as it has been known to help strengthen the pelvic muscles, improve circulation, aid digestion, exercise the spine and increase your level of…