Whatever level of practice you identify with - from the complete beginner to an advanced practitioner - you are invited to join us for a uniquely Orchard Hill experience of yoga!
Logistics
Time
Classes meet from 9-10:15am Saturday mornings. Classes are periodically cancelled due to inclement weather or conflicts in the schedule so please check this page or Merrilee’s instagram for the most up-to-date information. Always feel free to send her an email or text if there is any question.
Payment
Classes are $15 drop-in. Payment accepted though cash, check, or Venmo. Please be in touch with Merrilee directly for conversations around alternative payment opportunities such as sliding-scale, work-trade or barter.
Props
It is recommended that you bring your own mat and props (blocks, strap, blankets) as availability can sometimes be limited, depending on class size. There are mats, blocks, straps and blankets available if you don’t have your own or you forget.
Contact
To connect with the Merrilee you can email her at wideningcirclesyoga@gmail.com or text/call her at (603) 313-2643. She also posts class updates (ex: cancellations, sub announcements) on Instagram, and you can follow her at @wideningcirclesyoga.
She welcomes any and all questions, inquiries and constructive feedback.
Without community no spiritual path would have any hope of survival. It is through sharing practices with friends, family and neighbors that the timeless teachings of all traditions are able to thrive. The path of yoga is no different, and the community-centered class at Orchard Hill is a link in a chain that is thousands of years old. By practicing together we can support well-being and deepen connection and trust in our community.
The Class
Each Saturday morning we come together to breathe, stretch, play, and practice bringing awareness to the present moment experience of our mind and body. This is a vinyasa-style class that invites a flowing sequence to link breath and body. Difficulty is altered according to the season and the mood and needs of the group. Modifications and some props are offered and available to meet you where you are. We often incorporate pranayama (controlled breathing) and short meditations into our practice.
After class you might like to mingle and meander across the street to the bakery to indulge in a breakfast of fresh baked pastries and coffee. Be sure to pick up some hot-out-of-the-oven sourdough bread while you’re there
Merrilee is interested in gathering feedback from community about what offerings folks might be interested in. If you’d like to share thoughts, click link below to complete the questionnaire.
About the Instructor
Merrilee stepped on a yoga mat for the first time in 2011. She was immediately smitten, and has enjoyed a decade of integrating the practices of yoga into all areas of her life. She appreciates not just the asana (physical posture) offerings of the yogic path, but also the practical emphasis on breath work, meditation, and ethical conduct. Yoga was her dharma door and she is now a devoted practitioner in the Buddhist tradition of Vietnamese activist and zen master Thich Nhat Hanh called the Plum Village Community of Engaged Buddhism. In 2021 she built her home at Morning Sun Mindfulness Center - an East Alstead intentional community in the Plum Village tradition offering mindfulness programming and retreats that are accessible to all. On any given day you can find Merrilee teaching an early morning hot class at Mudita Massage and Wellness in Keene, throwing pottery in her home studio, facilitating a program at Morning Sun, going for a long run, sitting around a fire with friends, or snuggling up in front of a good show with her partner Austin and their cat Nicholas Cage.
Merrilee received her yoga teaching certificate in 2022 and will be a certified registered teacher with the Yoga Alliance in 2023.
