August always feels like a held breath in the North. The light is still long; the water is still (just barely) warm enough if the air temperature cooperates and you’re brave. But you can feel the turn starting. There is a nip in the air now, a sign the lazy-hazy days are behind us. The evenings arrive a little sooner. There’s dew on the car window when you head out for work in the morning.
And honestly? I think I’m here for it this year. In past years, especially with kids in the house, the shift from August to September was a struggle. Mine did not do well with change, so the season became a grind of resetting patterns and coaxing everyone back into a routine.
This year feels different. I know a lot of people mourn the end of summer, but by the end of a busy one, I’m ready to fall back into the quieter, more introspective pace of the colder months. The kids go back to school, the calendars fill up, and there’s a collective exhale as everyone settles in. After a loose, sprawling summer, I actually crave that structure, the rhythm that comes with hibernating through a cold northern winter.
For me, that means dropping back into my cold-weather practice, the one that carries me through the dark months. Yoga hits different when it’s dim and chilly outside. Rolling out your mat becomes less about doing and more about tending to yourself. It’s warmth you make from the inside.
One heads-up before you plan your month: I’ll be away in Fort Smith for a week in September, so there won’t be class on Wednesday the 9th or Thursday the 10th. But I didn’t want to leave you without a mat to roll out, so I’m adding two Saturday classes later in the month to more than make up for it. Details below.
So as the season turns, I’d love for you to turn with it. Come find some heat, some movement, and a little routine to hold onto. Here’s where you’ll find me all month long.
Here is where I am teaching in September:
Hatha Yoga for Every Body (No Class on September 10)
Every Thursday from 7-8 PM
@ Collective Soul Space
A slow, intentional practice designed for all levels, including complete beginners. We hold poses and repeat the same sequence all month, focusing on learning one more advanced pose each month. And we always end with savasana.
Humpday Yoga (No Class on September 9)
Every Wednesday from 12:10-12:50 PM
@ Collective Soul Space
A Midweek reset in 40 minutes. Roll out your mat over the lunch hour, get out of your head and into your body, and shake loose whatever the week has knotted up so far. This Hatha class holds the poses long enough to build strength and focus, with some flow thrown in to keep things moving. Just enough to leave you refreshed and ready for the back half of the week. All levels welcome, no experience needed, just show up as you are.
Prelude Lake Campground Yoga
Saturday, September 6 and 13 from 10-11 AM
@ the Kitchen Shelter on C-Loop.
Super low-key, small-group class. Sometimes it’s an hour; sometimes it’s 45 minutes. It really depends on the day and the participants. Mats provided. If you haven’t made it out yet, you’re welcome any Saturday. Just show up at the campground, and we’ll enjoy the beauty of Prelude Lake Park together.
Yoga for Hips and Hamstrings
Saturday, September 19 and 26 from 2-3 PM
@ Collective Soul Space
This class zeroes in on the hips and hamstrings, holding poses long enough to actually release the tightness that builds up from sitting, driving, and general life. We’ll open, lengthen, and make some space right where you need it most. Expect to leave feeling looser, taller, and a whole lot more comfortable in your own body. All levels welcome, no bendiness required.
How to sign up
- Register and pay through Momoyoga at momoyoga.com/amy-kennedy-yoga. It’s free to make an account, and you’ll be able to see the full schedule and save your spot.
- Have a Collective Soul Space Punch Pass? Use one punch per class.
- Or just show up and pay $20 cash on the day.
A note on pricing
A small housekeeping update: drop-in rates at Collective Soul Space have gone up from $15 to $20. Running a studio space in the North isn’t cheap, and this change helps keep the doors open and the mats available. If cost is ever a barrier to getting on your mat, please reach out. I never want money to be the reason you can’t practice, and we can usually find a way to make it work.
Looking ahead
Quick update on the free outdoor yoga I’ve been offering this summer through the Yellowknife Community Foundation grant. I had to cancel one of the classes thanks to a surprise need for an appendectomy in mid-August. I’m on the mend, and that free class isn’t going anywhere. I’m working on rebooking it for early October, so stay tuned for the date, time, and place. As it’ll be October, it probably won’t be outside. :)
And if we’re not connected yet, come find me on Instagram and Facebook.
See you out there!
– Amy