igniting connection with vitality, joy and purpose
Community Events
Spring 2025
Celebrate & Offer Gratitude on Earth Day!
Tuesday, April 22nd, 2025
5:30 – 7:30 PM
This is an in-person event
As part of an Earth Day celebration, we will be practicing Tree Yoga (please note that this does NOT involve complicated balancing or climbing trees!!) and a mindful walk of the labyrinth on the beautiful, peaceful grounds of the Unitarian Society of Germantown.
All bodies and levels of flexibility are welcome!
Invite a friend (of any age, this is an intergenerational event) and consider bringing a dish of food that connects you to the Earth. Our time together includes an Earth-centered potluck.
To Register: e-mail me, Esther at: ewyssflamm@gmail.com to let me know you are coming. Then I will send out additional details as we approach the date.
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Previous Events…
Winter 2024/25
HEART-CENTERED RESTORATIVE YOGA
February 23, 2025
Time: 3:30 – 5:00 PM
Attend In-Person or On-Line
February is a rough month for many of us: the cold, dreary weather and distressing news cycle may have us turned inward yearning for warmth and joy. How is your heart? How is your nervous system? Your body? If you’re feeling worn out and wrung out, I’m with you. This is a good time to pause and restore your inner resilience.
Restorative Yoga is designed to release long-held tension in the body, calm the nerves, and soothe the spirit.
Let’s take care of ourselves, lighten the load and release accumulated stress centered around the heart! We will slowly dive into stillness through slow, accessible and calming restorative movement/breath/yoga.
All bodies and levels of flexibility are welcome!
Date: Sunday, February 23, 2025 Time: 3:30 – 5:00 PM Cost: $40 (single); $70 if you sign up with a friend Where: Attend the session in person (Unitarian Society of Germantown, Sullivan Chapel) or on-line from the comfort of your home via Zoom.
Registration: Simply message me at ewyssflamm@gmail.com to let me know you are signing up, along with the name and e-mail address of your friend (if you are bringing one). Then send payment via Venmo to: @Esther-Wyss-Flamm-MINDFUL. Or as a check to: Esther Wyss-Flamm, 45 West Gravers Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19118. You may also pay via Zelle.
A few days prior to our session, I will send you a welcoming message with details about what to wear and what to bring, along with the optional Zoom link.
Description of a typical session: After a brief check-in, we dive into 75 minutes of delicious relaxation, gentle stretching, breath awareness, and yoga designed for deep release in the spine, chest, shoulders, and hips. During the last portion we conclude with quiet meditation. You will emerge feeling calm, nourished, and refreshed.
A Week of “Sticking with Love”
Monday – Friday, 2025: Jan 20 – Jan 24, 8:30 – 8:50 am
“I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.” — Martin Luther King, Jr.
Let’s live into these words and honor the legacy and urgency of Love during this pivotal time in our country. We will meet via Zoom for five mornings to activate the power of Love through meditation, breath practices, and gentle movement.
Come once or every morning that week!
Registration: Simply message me at ewyssflamm@gmail.com to let me know you are coming. Feel free to invite a friend as well. I will send you a message with the link via Zoom.
This is a FREE community event to kick off the New Year!
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Previous Events…
photo credit: Sarah Greenman
Celebrate the Stillness of the Season with…
A Solstice Celebration of Light and Inspiration
Together with mind-body healing guide and Priestess of Avalon Donnette Hill Walto, we will drop into the darkness of the evening and emerge with the promise of light and inspiration. This year, we will include simple guidance on creating a protected space in your home, as well as lead you through accessible and deeply calming restorative yoga and guided meditation.
You will emerge feeling calm, nourished, and ready to enter a new year.
The movements & restorative postures are designed to be accessible — all bodies and levels of flexibility welcome!
Treat a friend in need of self-care!
Date: Sunday, December 15, 2024 Time: 3:30 – 5:30 PM Cost: $45 (single); $75 if you sign up with a friend Where: Attend the session on-line from the comfort of your home via Zoom.
Registration: Simply message me at ewyssflamm@gmail.com to let me know you are signing up, along with the name and e-mail address of your friend (if you are bringing one). Then send payment via Venmo to: @Esther-Wyss-Flamm-MINDFUL. Or as a check to: Esther Wyss-Flamm, 45 West Gravers Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19118. You may also pay via Zelle.
Please register in advance! A few days prior to the event, you will receive a welcoming message with instructions and our own dedicated link on Zoom.
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Previous Events…
Fall 2024
Release into your Center of Calm…
A Pre-Thanksgiving Yoga Restorative!
Sunday, November 24th, 2024
Attend In-Person or On-Line — Time: 3:30 – 5:00 PM
Given the roller coaster ride of a particularly rough election cycle, unstable weather patterns, and the gathering cold weather, how are you doing? How is your nervous system? Your body? If you’re feeling worn out and wrung out, I’m with you. With the holiday season coming up quickly, it’s definitely time for a pause. Time to restore your inner resilience. Time for our annual Pre-Thanksgiving Restorative Session.
Restorative Yoga is designed to release long-held tension in the body, calm the nerves, and soothe the spirit.
Let’s take care of ourselves, lighten the load and release accumulated stress! We will slowly dive into stillness through an accessible and calming restorative movement/breath/yoga sequence. *Wondering what Restorative Yoga is? See below!
All bodies and levels of flexibility are welcome!
Date: Sunday, November 24, 2024 Time: 3:30 – 5:00 PM Cost: $40 (single); $70 if you sign up with a friend Where: Attend the session in person (Unitarian Society of Germantown, Sullivan Chapel) or on-line from the comfort of your home via Zoom.
Registration: Simply message me at ewyssflamm@gmail.com to let me know you are signing up, along with the name and e-mail address of your friend (if you are bringing one). Then send payment via Venmo to: @Esther-Wyss-Flamm-MINDFUL. Or as a check to: Esther Wyss-Flamm, 45 West Gravers Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19118. You may also pay via Zelle.
A few days prior to our session, I will send you a welcoming message with details about what to wear and what to bring, along with the optional Zoom link.
Description of a typical session: After a brief check-in, we dive into 75 minutes of delicious relaxation, gentle stretching, breath awareness, and yoga designed for deep release in the spine, shoulders, and hips. During the last portion of each session we conclude with a meditation, optional conversation and/or journaling. You will emerge feeling calm, nourished, and refreshed.
* What is restorative yoga?
The colder months of the year can be especially challenging for stress relief. The cold weather contributes to tightening the body and breath. We spend even more time indoors and less time moving. With the holidays, difficult emotions easily rise to the surface.
During a restorative session, you will settle into a safe space and be invited to move through a slow and accessible sequence of postures and breath practices that offer gentle release throughout the body. The postures for this form of yoga are passive (allowing release through the effects of gravity) and gently stretch the joints, connective tissue, muscles and fascia.
Known as the “yoga of non-doing,” restorative sessions are longer than typical yoga classes because of the time it takes to release long-held tension in the body.
The effect typically leads to a deep parasympathetic response (good for spine and hips, organ health, immune support, blood pressure regulation, among other benefits). Participants typically leave with a sense of inner well-being, warmth, and abundance.
Nov 6 – 10, 2024, 8:30 – 8:50 a.m.
Please join us for a Post-Election Sanctuary
The election season this year has been taking its toll on our nervous system, compromising sleep, mental focus, and physical energy. Here is a chance for you to recharge with gentle movement and stillness as we sit in quiet community on the days following our election.
Autumn Equinox Celebration: Create Sacred Space for Balance & Equanimity
This fall, are you longing to…
…find calm within swirls of emotion, fear and apprehension? …quiet the noise and claim the space to hear your own voice? …return to your inner steadfastness, strength and balance?
During the Autumn Equinox we should be harvesting all that is healthy and beneficial in preparation for the winter months ahead. And yet, this year we are experiencing collective unease connected to the up-coming elections. We hold hope and dread as we try to push aside the rapid assault of images and words coming at us. Inevitably, our bodies take in this tension.
We need sacred space where we can land and feel safe.
With this exciting new workshop, healing guide Donnette Hill Walto and I will guide you through a journey to learn how to create sacred space as part of your own practice.
Our time together will include:
steps for creating a go-to space in your home and/or garden
an overview of the history of creating sacred spaces
deeply rooted centering practices
collective guidelines to support YOU BEING YOU.
Workshop Date & Time: Sunday, September 29, 2024, from 4:00 – 6:00 PM (EDT) via Zoom. (our time together will include a short break).
Cost: $45 per person; $70 for two.
Registration & Payment: Click HERE to let me know you would like to attend. Payment options: Venmo to: @Esther-Wyss-Flamm-MINDFUL; or by check to: Esther Wyss-Flamm, 45 West Gravers Lane, Philadelphia PA 19118; or by Zelle to: ewyssflamm@gmail.com.
Sick of the heat? During this annual yoga restorative session, we gently wring out the effects of the summer heat accumulating in our joints, especially along the hips and spine. This event is available in person and via Zoom.
We will slowly dive into stillness through an accessible and calming restorative movement/yoga sequence. All bodies and levels of flexibility are welcome!
When: Sunday, August 25, 4:30 – 6:00 PM:
Where: Unitarian Society of Germantown, Sullivan Room or on-line from the comfort of your home via Zoom.
Cost: $45 (single); $65 if you sign up with a friend
Registration: Simply message me at ewyssflamm@gmail.com to let me know you are signing up, along with the name and e-mail address of your friend (if you are bringing one). Then send payment via Venmo to: @Esther-Wyss-Flamm-MINDFUL. Or as a check to: Esther Wyss-Flamm, 45 West Gravers Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19118. You may also pay via Zelle.
A few days prior to our session, I will send you a welcoming message with details about what to wear and what to bring, along with the optional Zoom link.
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Summer 2024
July 15-19, 2024, 8:15 – 9:00 a.m.Summer Celebration of the 5 Elements!
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July 23, 2024, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
In-Person Love Your Bones Workshop/Posture Clinic
A Special 2-hour Love Your Bones Workshopfor those ready to go deeper into understanding and experiencing accessible movements and postures that support bone health. There will be a short break to hydrate and socialize; and an opportunity for individualized time for each participant. Available in-person & on-line. MAX: 8 participantsDate: Tuesday, July 23rd, 2024
Time: 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Cost: $45, send paymentby Venmo to: @Esther-Wyss-Flamm-MINDFUL or by check to: Esther Wyss-Flamm, 45 West Gravers Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19118. Also via Zelle using my email address.
Location: 143 West Walnut Lane, 2nd floor in Germantown. The space is run by Blue Banyan Yoga studio in Mt. Airy, yoga props are all there, except chairs. There is ample parking, an elevator (it’s on the 2nd floor) and air conditioning.
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Spring 2024
Earth Day Celebration
Sunday, April 21st, 2024: 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Let’s celebrate Earth Day – We will be outdoors in a grove of majestic trees to open up to kinship with the world around us. Together we will experience an accessible movement sequence and settle our minds with quieting meditation. We will have an opportunity to dive into heart-opening conversation about practices to honor and reciprocate the generosity of the Earth.
Where: We will meet for our adventure in the parking lot located BEHIND the Unitarian Society of Germantown (address: 359 W. Johnson St. in Mt. Airy), go all the way to the end of the driveway — it’s a short walk to the grove from there.
What to bring: your mat (a few extras are available), pen & journal, water bottle or a thermos of hot tea (if it’s brisk!). Wear layers and dress for comfort.
Invite a friend! This is a FREE COMMUNITY EVENT for anyone who can attend. We suggest a donation to benefit the Environment Committee of Weavers Way Co-op (funds raised are used for the committee’s annual grant-making to neighborhood environmental initiatives).
Wednesday, March 20th, 2024, 8:00 – 8:45 am via Zoom
The Equinox asks us to pause, as we witness the chilly winter months shift into the bright greens of spring. The sun will hover in the sky in a balance of dark and light, cold to warm – a gentle reminder to take in the exquisite beauty of the Earth, and a prelude to the greening in the Northern Hemisphere. Soon, the scent of spring blossoms will be in the air and the first berries will brighten up the farmers markets.
Let’s join together to welcome spring with a balancing movement sequence and a meditation focused on igniting our creative spirit!
Interested?
Contact Esther at ewyssflamm@gmail.com. We will send you the link for this special event.
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Winter 2023/24
Release into Winter Restorative Yoga
Sunday, February 18th, 2024
Attend In-Person or On-Line — Time: 3:30 – 5:30 PM
During the dark winter months, our body is telling us it’s time to listen, slow down, and be present despite the rapid, demanding times we live in. Winter Restorative Yoga* is designed to release long-held tension in the body, calm the nerves, and soothe the spirit. (*Wondering what Restorative Yoga is? See below!)
Let’s take care of ourselves, lighten the load and release the accumulated stress!
We will slowly dive into stillness through an accessible and calming restorative movement/yoga sequence. All bodies and levels of flexibility are welcome!
Date: Sunday, February 18, 2024 Time: 3:30 – 5:30 PM Cost: $40 (single); $70 if you sign up with a friend Where: Attend the session in person (Unitarian Society of Germantown, Sullivan Rooms) or on-line from the comfort of your home via Zoom.
Registration: Simply message me at ewyssflamm@gmail.com to let me know you are signing up, along with the name and e-mail address of your friend (if you are bringing one). Then send payment via Venmo to: @Esther-Wyss-Flamm-MINDFUL. Or as a check to: Esther Wyss-Flamm, 45 West Gravers Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19118. You may also pay via Zelle or PayPal.
A few days prior to our session, I will send you a welcoming message with details about what to wear and what to bring, along with the optional Zoom link.
Description of a typical session: After a brief check-in, we will dive into 90 minutes of delicious relaxation, gentle stretching, breath awareness, and yoga designed for deep release in the spine, shoulders, and hips. During the last portion of each session we will conclude with a meditation, optional conversation and/or journaling. You will emerge feeling calm, nourished, and refreshed.
*QUESTION: What is restorative yoga? The colder months of the year can be especially challenging for stress relief: the cold weather contributes to tightening the body and breath; we spend even more time indoors and less time moving; and difficult emotions easily rise to the surface.
During a restorative session, you will settle into a safe space and be invited to move through a slow and accessible sequence of postures and breath practices that offer gentle release throughout the body. The postures for this form of yoga are passive (allowing release through the effects of gravity) and gently stretch the joints, connective tissue, muscles and fascia.
Known as the “yoga of non-doing,” restorative sessions are longer than typical yoga classes because of the time it takes to release long-held tension in the body.
The effect typically leads to a deep parasympathetic response (good for spine and hips, organ health, immune support, blood pressure regulation, among other benefits). Participants typically leave with a sense of inner well-being, warmth, and abundance.
Esther Wyss-Flamm, PhD, EdM, E-RYT, has been leading seasonal yoga restorative sessions for over a dozen years. She combines her intimate knowledge of Kripalu yoga, wellness, and mindfulness to provide gentle guidance. She also draws upon her specific training in yoga for chronic health conditions and in breath practices (pranayama) to enable her students to access inner stillness and ease.
Week of July 24 – July 28 (Monday – Friday), 8:30-9:00AM: A Mid-Summer Celebration of the Five Elements. We will kick off each morning with a short meditation and accessible movement practice visiting the Five Elements of Nature. These elements are considered building blocks of the universe, inherent in everything: space, air, fire, water & earth. Come to any or all of the five morning practices! Link:https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4316280906?pwd=RXJHaC8rMk9DYVZ2dC9UMkMvOGtOdz09 Cost: $25 for the week ($40 for 2 — BRING A FRIEND!) Registration: Contact me at ewyssflamm@gmail.com to let me know you plan to attend.
Sunday, August 20, 4:30-6:00PM: Summer Restorative. Sick of the heat? During this annual yoga restorative session, we gently wring out the effects of the summer heat accumulating in our joints, especially along the hips and spine. I expect to make this event available in person and via Zoom. Mark your calendar & stay tuned for details. Link:https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4316280906?pwd=RXJHaC8rMk9DYVZ2dC9UMkMvOGtOdz09 Cost: $35 per person ($60 for 2) Registration: Contact me at ewyssflamm@gmail.com to let me know you intend to attend.
Hold the date: Saturday, September 23: Fall Equinox: Let’s Celebrate the Breath! Details forthcoming.
Payment for all events: via Venmo to: @Esther-Wyss-Flamm-MINDFUL. Or via check to: Esther Wyss-Flamm, 45 West Gravers Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19118. Also via Zelle to: ewyssflamm@gmail.com.
Fall 2022
Celebrate the Fall Equinox
You are Invited to an In-Person Mini-Retreat…
Celebrate the Fall Equinox: A Gentle Balance
The Equinox asks us to pause, as we witness the abundance of summer shift into the brilliant colors of fall. The sun will hover in the sky in a balance of light and dark, heat and cold – a gentle reminder to take in the exquisite beauty of the Earth, and a prelude to the turning of the trees’ leaves. Soon the smell of apples will be in the air; the bright oranges of the pumpkins and decorative gourds will line the booths of farmers markets.
How do we recalibrate and shift from the heated pace of summer into the approaching quieting months?
Join us for an afternoon of balancing your senses in nature, playing with labyrinths and celebrating the bountiful harvest of Mother Earth.
I am both honored and thrilled to be able to welcome healing guide and friend Donnette Hill Walto in person (many of you know Donnette through my virtual programs!) to help lead us on an inner vision journey.
Details:
Date: Saturday, September 24th, 2022, 3:00 – 5:30 p.m. (Rain Date: Sunday, September 25th, 10:00 a.m. -12:30 p.m.)
Where: my garden and nearby Pastorius Park, Philadelphia
Description: After a welcoming activity in my garden, we will meander to a hidden corner in Pastorius Park to explore balance for the eyes and body. Back at my home, we will practice the labyrinth, give ourselves time for self-reflection, and enjoy some seasonal refreshments.
Who: anyone who is ready to dive into an exploration of balance in a loving community.
Cost: $45-65 (sliding scale, please choose what you are able to pay), payable to me via Venmo, Zelle, check, or cash. Cost includes everything: facilitators, supplies for labyrinth-making, Donnette’s travel, and our refreshments.
Registration: This is a special event for current students and past equinox/solstice participants. Please let me know you are coming by clicking HERE. You will receive a follow-up welcoming message with additional details.
Summer 2022
Sink into an Evening Summer Restorative
for Body, Mind, and Spirit
Date/Time: Sunday, August 21st, 4:30 – 6 p.m. Where: To be held on-line and in person, Unitarian Society of Germantown (Assembly Room)
By the end of August, our bodies are TOTALLY READY to release the heat that has accumulated, especially in the joints. And you’re probably needing to give yourself some personal down time!
Cost: $35 ($60 if you sign up with a friend)
Registration: Send me a message at ewyssflamm@gmail.com or click HEREto let me know you are coming! Then send payment via Venmo to: @Esther-Wyss-Flamm-MINDFUL. Or as a check to: Esther Wyss-Flamm, 45 West Gravers Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19118. You may also pay via Zelle or PayPal. A few days prior to the event, you will receive a welcoming message.
Note: While the session will be held live in a large well-ventilated room, you will also receive a dedicated link on Zoom in case you prefer to receive this practice in the privacy of your own home.
Description of a typical session: After a brief check-in, we will dive into 75 minutes of delicious relaxation, gentle stretching, breath awareness, and yoga designed for deep release in the spine, shoulders, and hips. During the last portion of the session, we will conclude with optional meditation, and/or journaling. You will emerge feeling calm, nourished, and refreshed.
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Refine your Home Wellness Yoga Practice: An In-Person Workshop
Date & Time: Saturday, July 30th, 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Where: To be held in person at the Unitarian Society of Germantown (Assembly Room)
Attendance number limited. We will be in a large, well-ventilated space.
With COVID in our midst, many of us felt left to our own devices to address our self-care needs. How do we best benefit from a home-based yoga and mindfulness practice? What is working and what isn’t working for us? Come join us as we look at these questions.
Together we will:
Tease apart the essentials of a nourishing home yoga practice
Review asana (postures) that provide support as you create a short sequence of your own
Identify where/how to make good use of available on-line yoga
And (of course!) I will send you off into the rest of the weekend with a lovely, quieting yoga practice
Cost: $45; $80 if you sign up with a friend
Registration: Click HERE to let me know you are coming!Send payment via Venmo to: @Esther-Wyss-Flamm-MINDFUL. Or as a check to: Esther Wyss-Flamm, 45 West Gravers Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19118. Also via Zelle or PayPal to: ewyssflamm@gmail.com. You will then receive confirmation and a welcoming message with instructions about what to bring.
See you there!!
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December 2021
Celebrate the Stillness of the Season with…
Our Winter Restorative & Solstice Celebration
Date: Sunday, December 19, 2021
Time: 3:30 – 5:30 PM
Cost: $35 ($60 if you sign up with a friend) Note: when you register, you will be asked to pay by PayPal or check mailed to: Esther Wyss-Flamm, 45 West Gravers Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19118. Additional payment options: Venmo to: @Esther-Wyss-Flamm-MINDFUL or Zelle.
Click HERE to register! A few days prior to the event, you will receive a welcoming message with our own dedicated link on Zoom.
Please join me together with mind-body healing guide Donnette Hill Walto — Together, we will transition into the darkness of the evening, I will guide you into stillness through an accessible and deeply calming restorative yoga sequence; Donnette will weave her magic and lead us with a meditation centered on the solstice.
You will emerge feeling calm, nourished, and refreshed.
Why Restorative Yoga? All of us have been experiencing some version of feeling on edge these days. This slow drip of constant worry takes its cumulative toll on our mental and physical health, as well as our spirit. The mind goes into overdrive as we try to “figure out” how to show up during this time; the body is hit with a constant flood of stress hormones that comes with months of pent-up anxiety. Prioritizing your well-being is truly not optional at this time.
Description: Restorative yoga (known as the “yoga of non-doing”) is slow and accessible and designed to release long-held tension in the body, calm the nerves, and soothe the spirit.Our session will take place virtually in the safety of a quiet space that works for you. After a brief check-in, we will dive into 90 minutes of delicious relaxation, gentle stretching, breath awareness, and yoga designed for deep release in the spine, shoulders, and hips. During the last portion of each session we will conclude with a meditation, optional conversation and/or journaling. You will emerge feeling calm, nourished, and refreshed.
These restorative postures are designed to be accessible — all bodies and levels of flexibility welcome!
