Grand Opening Overview

September 28, 2009

Wow, what a huge success our Grand Opening weekend was! We want to extend a HUGE thank you to everyone for coming out and supporting us. We had over 400 in attendance and quite a few of you will be joining us for weekly classes. We can’t wait to see you again!

We’d like to announce our lucky Giveaway Winners:
(To claim your prize, please visit the Bindu front desk)

Grand Opening Winners:

Free Reiki or Hypnosis Session with Meredith DeSopo – Dani A. from Davidson
$40 off a 1-hour consultation with Naturopathic Physician, Crystal Abernathy – Nicole P. from Charlotte
Free 30 minute massage with Ensoma Bodyworks, Marty Kestin – Tracy W. from Davidson
1 hour Guided Imagery Session, Wanda Baker – Wendy B. from Mt. Holly
Free 2 hour Thai Yoga massage, Michelle Lally – Mark S. from Davidson
3 week of yoga for $30 – Donna D. from Cornelius
Burnout Tshirt – Denise F. from Huntersville
Regular Tshirt – Rose R. from Cornelius
Bundle of Bindu Fabric Bags – Jessica L. from Huntersville

Weekly Giveaway Winners:

Giveaway #6: $30 Gift Certificate to T1 Tapas – Janet W.
Giveaway #5: 1-hour neuromuscular therapy session with Marty Kestin of Ensoma Bodyworks – Elizabeth N.
Giveaway #4: $30 gift certificate to Manipura Activewear – Rebecca, Davidson, NC
Giveaway #3: Reiki healing session with Meredith DeSopo, Reiki 4 Life – Bill, Concord, NC
Giveaway #2: $30 gift certificate to Summit Coffee – Rachel, Davidson, NC
Giveaway #1: 1 hour yoga private with Kelley Gardner – Linda, Maiden, NC

Thank you to our sponsors and to everyone who registered!

Our regular class schedule is listed in the tab at the top of this page labeled ‘class schedule.’ We look forward to seeing you in a class soon! Stay tuned for photos coming later this week.

Namaste,
Kelley Gardner

Fasten your seatbelt! Ready for takeoff!

September 21, 2009

**Don’t miss our final blog giveaway at the end of this post!**

We hope the excitement we hear in the community continues to create waves of interest in our Grand Opening this coming weekend (Sept. 25-27). We are honored to share our yoga and wellness services with you, so please gather your family, invite your friends and help us spread the word this week! For a full FREE schedule of the weekend, click here. Know someone who would be interested in the Bindu? Simply have them visit theBindu.com.

Special Dinner – Saturday 5-7pm!

On Saturday, we are thrilled to have Cassie from Grateful Growers and her Harvest Moon Grille on site selling delicious fresh food all made from scratch with locally-grown ingredients. Join us from 5-7p for some delicious treats… $6 for any item / $1 bottled water. Here’s the Saturday menu:

• Heirloom Tomato, Goat Cheese & Pesto Aioli Sandwich
• Sauteed Veggie Stack: (Eggplant, Tomato, Peppers with Melted Swiss and Broccoli spears on yeast roll)
• Italian Sausage Hogie

Directions to the Bindu

We want you to be able to find us easily. Watch for our signs on Highway 115. As a reminder, our address is: 11138-C Treynorth Dr. Cornelius, NC.
View Map

If you’re coming from the south:
Take I-77 N
Exit 25 (right/east off the exit onto Sam Furr Rd)
Left onto Old Statesville Road (Hwy 115). Go a little over a mile.
Left onto Treynorth Drive
Left into the Bindu

If you’re coming from the north:
Take I-77 S
Exit 28 (left/east off the exit onto East Catawba)
Right onto Old Statesville Road (Hwy 115). Go a little over a mile and just past the light at Bailey Road
Right onto Treynorth Drive
Left into the Bindu

Contact us at info@thebindu.com if you have questions. See you Friday!
- Kelley Gardner

**Read on for our sixth giveaway!**
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** GIVEAWAYS are GREAT! Congratulations to Elizabeth N. She is the winner of our fifth giveaway, a free one-hour neuromuscular therapy session with Marty Kestin of Ensoma Bodyworks. Thanks to everyone who registered for this popular offering! **

Bindu Giveaway #6

(our last before Grand Opening…but don’t worry, we’ll have more to giveaway over the weekend)!

Please remember to register for our LAST blog giveaway: a $30 gift certificate to T1 Tapas in Birkdale Village.

T1 Tapas is the cool new restaurant where people connect through food and technology. Our tapas are ideal portions of simple, fresh ingredients artfully prepared to bring out their optimum flavor. We’re pleased to serve nutritious foods made from seasonable and sustainable sources, using organic foods whenever possible and proudly supporting local growers. T1 Tapas is the only restaurant with Connection Booth seating-access electronic menus built into the table, hook up your personal electronics to listen to your own music and view your photos on super high definition monitors built into the booth. Or select from TV and radio stations and built-in photo and video libraries to suit your mood and set your atmosphere.

Experience T1 Tapas, where little plates mean big tastes.

Eat. Drink. Connect.

To register, simply click here to send an email to info@kelleygardner.com with the subject line “Bindu Giveaway #6 Entry.” Include your: Full Name, Email Address, Phone #

That’s it! We’ll pick a name on Thursday, September 24th, and announce our winner on Friday, September 25th! Come out for Grand Opening to register for more giveaways!!!

FREE Wellness Seminars….Great topics…..Excellent presenters….

September 17, 2009

Grand Opening weekend will be a chance for you to come and experience the Bindu. No sign ups are needed for yoga classes or presentations. We’ll have a sign up sheet in the gathering space for chair massages so you won’t have to wait in line. Just come and enjoy community with us!

Grand Opening Hours are:
Friday, Sept 25 – 3p-8p
Saturday, Sept 26 – 9a – 7p
Sunday, Sept 27 – 9a – 6p

As promised, here is a synopsis of the interesting free talks our wellness practitioners will offer during the Bindu’s Grand Opening.

Click on the button at the top of the page for the times for each of these offerings.

• Relieving Pain through Improved Posture (with Marty Kestin) – Learn why posture is the most overlooked aspect in the medical model for pain and disease. Experience easy postural solutions to relieve chronic pain and promote optimal health.
• Reiki Energy Healing and Hypnosis (with Meredith DeSopo)– What exactly is energy healing and how can it help you? Of what proven benefit is hypnosis? Experience a demonstration of the ancient art of hands-on energy healing as well as a mini-group hypnosis session.
• Promoting Health and Healing in Your Kids (with Wanda Baker) – This session focuses on the use of Mind-Body therapies with children, discusses some of the research and expert opinions that support their use and provides parents with the opportunity to ask questions regarding their applicability with children.
• Types of Massage: What is Right for You? (with Michelle Lally) – With a wide array of different massage therapies available, come discover how one or a combination of techniques can help you meet your desired goals. Whether you are looking for simple relaxation or healing from injury or old holding patterns, enjoy learning about Thai Yoga Massage, Swedish, Deep Tissue, Lomi, Hot stones therapies and more.
• What is Naturopathic Medicine? (with Dr. Crystal Abernathy) – Naturopathic Medicine utilizes many types of natural healing therapies including nutrition, lifestyle counseling, herbal medicine and homeopathy in order to treat the root causes of all types of health conditions. Hear more about these natural healing therapies and why they are effective.
• Meditation and Pranayama (with Kelley Gardner) –We meditate to know ourselves. But what is your understanding and belief about the Self? Meditation provides a deep experience of inner steadiness and clarity and opens us to a wellspring of energy. Learn about 4 important dimensions of study that open the gateway of your heart to deeper meditation. Experience a special breathing technique that is particularly balancing and calming to your system.

Here are a few new photos of the cork floor being laid…

FREE Opening Weekend SCHEDULE unveiled!

September 14, 2009

**Don’t miss our fifth giveaway at the end of this blog!**

We want you to be able to plan the times you can enjoy our FREE offerings during Grand Opening weekend (Sept 25-27), so please click on the button at the top of the blog (FREE GRAND OPENING SCHEDULE) to view the schedule for the weekend.

All yoga classes are taught in the Anusara style of yoga. There are 5 different types of adult yoga classes offered during our Grand Opening FREE weekend:

• ALL LEVELS – Appropriate for everyone. Enjoy a wide variety of yoga poses designed to build strength, increase flexibility, open your great heart, and give you an intro to Anusara’s profound alignment principles.
• VINYASA – Ideal for students who already practice yoga at least once a week. A dynamic, flowing style of yoga that focuses on a steady breath, proper alignment, strength and fluidity. Please, no major physical limitations.
• GENTLE – No previous experience necessary. Enjoy gentle stretches, breathing techniques, and physical poses that move at a slower pace and emphasize the important softer aspects of our practice.
• PILATES/YOGA FUSION – No previous experience necessary. Enjoy the combined power of these two methods with a focus on core strength and proper alignment integrated through Anusara’s inspiring language of the heart.
• PRENATAL – Perfect for all the expectant moms out there. What a gift to yourself!!!

TAI CHI is ideal for everyone and no previous experience is necessary. The same goes for NIA, a truly fun blend of dance arts, healing arts and martial arts.

Our CHILDREN’S YOGA is sure to be popular. There’s both an elementary and middle school-aged option and if you need to combine ages that are close, we trust you to choose which class suits your children best. And remember that on our regular weekly schedule, we offer an adult class at the same time as children’s yoga!

Our WELLNESS PRACTITIONERS have great 30-45 minute free seminars all weekend. Check the schedule for all of their offerings and stay tuned for Friday’s blog with more info about their classes.

All the massage therapists will be offering FREE CHAIR MASSAGE throughout the weekend. Sign up early…there will be a waiting list!

Contact us at info@thebindu.com if you have questions.

Read on for our fifth giveaway!

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** GIVEAWAYS are GREAT! Congratulations to Rebecca from Davidson, NC. She is the winner of our fourth giveaway, a $30 gift certificate to Manipura Activewear! Thanks to everyone who registered for this popular offering! **

Bindu Giveaway #5!

Please remember to register for our 5th giveaway: a free one-hour neuromuscular therapy session with Marty Kestin of Ensoma Bodyworks. This giveaway is valued at $90.

Marty Kestin, BS, MSW, LMBT, has been helping people out of pain and into functional and vibrant lifestyles for 15 years. As a pain-free and performance expert, Marty works with people suffering from chronic pain, joint, and orthopaedic conditions, using a unique combination of neuromuscular bodywork and postural therapy to help restore comfort, ease, and freedom of movement. Marty provides holistic information, treatment and self-care options so clients can return to active and pain free lifestyles.

To register, simply click here to send an email to info@kelleygardner.com with the subject line “Bindu Giveaway #5 Entry.” Include your: Full Name, Email Address, Phone #

That’s it! We’ll pick a name on Friday, September 18th, and announce our winner on Monday, September 21st! Keep checking back for more winners and more great giveaways!

Sneak Peek

September 12, 2009

We’re only two weeks from our Grand Opening and we are too excited to hold back some of the latest photos. Consider this a sneak peek before we open the doors! Click on any of the images below to enlarge them.

Gift of Good Company

September 8, 2009

**Don’t miss our fourth giveaway at the end of this blog!**

“You become the company you keep, so keep great company.”

- Gopala Ayer Sundaramoorthy

Based on the caliber of people who have been drawn to work with the Bindu so far, I believe we are in for great conversations and wonderful new connections with a diverse group of fun-loving people. We will also be working collectively toward better health and balance in a space that is as inviting as it is beautiful.

Imagine having a great massage, chatting over tea or coffee, and then taking a great hip opening yoga class….or, just coming in early for class and visiting with friends while you update your yoga wardrobe at the Manipura Activewear store at the Bindu. You are always welcome to relax before and after class in the gathering space and enjoy our free wifi.

You’ll have a wonderful array of seminars to choose from on Friday nights and Saturday afternoons on topics such as partner massage, why local food matters, meditation techniques, and how to promote health and healing in our children.

For the mom with preschoolers, envision spending time taking care of yourself in a yoga class, while another mom you trust takes care of your child in the room next door. Or for parents with elementary or middle school age children, plan to take your own yoga class while your kids get the same benefits in a class geared toward young minds and bodies. And for the expectant mom, enjoy a Saturday morning prenatal yoga class.

The first full week of classes starts Sept 28. Check out the upcoming schedule of classes going to the top of this page and clicking the Class Schedule Tab.

Our great big Grand Opening weekend of FREE classes will be Sept. 25, 26 & 27. (Stay tuned. We’ll share that schedule on September 14th!)

We look forward to the gift of your company!
~ Kelley Gardner

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** GIVEAWAYS are GREAT! Congratulations to Bill from Concord, NC. He is the winner of our third giveaway, a Reiki healing session with Meredith DeSopo: www.Reiki4life.net. Thanks to everyone who registered for this popular offering! **

Bindu Giveaway #4!

Please remember to register for our 4th giveaway: a $30 gift certificate to Manipura Activewear! Manipura Activewear will be providing athletic and yogic clothing and accessories. Get a jump start on your fall yoga wear!

To register, simply click here to send an email to info@kelleygardner.com with the subject line “Bindu Giveaway #4 Entry.” Include your: Full Name, Email Address, Phone #

That’s it! We’ll pick a name on Friday, September 11th, and announce our winner on Monday, September 14th! Keep checking back for more winners and more great giveaways!

Watching the Bindu Grow and Take Shape

September 4, 2009

I’ve taken a few friends to the Bindu recently – folks who know this is happening but had not yet physically been to the site. Typically, the reaction is, “This is HUGE!”

I’m kind of glad I don’t see it as huge any more. I’ve been there so often it feels like home, comfortable, inviting and perfect in size for all its great offerings.

About 95% of this dream has come together cleanly and without having to push rope to make it happen…the right people at the right time, great landlords with high standards and big perspective, teachers and wellness practitioners who signed on with little more than a meeting to talk about the vision.

My closest friends are chuckling now as they could tell you I dropped out of sight about 3 months ago and that they are used to getting emails from me at 4:30am these days. But that’s just the detail work it takes to organize a big project into creation.

The effortless part is the conversation and the recognition of synergy when the right people share a similar vision. There’s also a beauty in being at an age where it isn’t so much about me anymore. It’s about serving a greater good and knowing that we can do much more together than we can ever do alone.

The Bindu is a healthy living community. The backbone of the Bindu is Anusara Yoga. And each limb of the Bindu is vibrant and purposeful. The gathering room is a large, cozy space with shelves of great books to peruse, coffee and tea and, of course, a Scrabble board or two.

Each week, through our partnership with our local CSA (Community Sustainable Agriculture) group, you will be able to pick up your fresh, local seasonal foods at the Bindu. Imagine finishing your favorite yoga, tai chi or Nia class and picking up your veggies for the weekend on the way out!

Our wellness practitioners will provide educational workshops on a regular basis so you will continuously expand your knowledge of and opportunities to experience a variety of wellness practices designed to promote optimal health.

In the yoga world, we call retail therapy “shri- tail” therapy. Shri (in Sanskrit) means beauty and we are excited that Manipura Activewear will have a store within the Bindu for all of our shri-tail needs!

Whoaaaa…..now it’s starting to feel huge again!

Bring your friends and come join us for a huge celebration the weekend of Sept 25-27!!!

**Stay tuned for our Reiki Giveaway winner to be announced on Monday!**