Open Sky Studio

Heidi Champney is a lifelong musician and singer with a passion for helping people connect with the innate powers that can be accessed through the singing voice: self-expression, self-awareness, manifestation of intentions, moving and clearing emotions and access to higher levels of consciousness.

Nancy McClaran has been studying Tung T'ai Chi Ch'uan in Vermont with Grand Master Tung Kai Ying and Master Tung Chen Wei and Christopher Kiely since 2002. She is a dedicated practitioner and teacher.

For The Sake of God is a class based each week on one of the 99 names of God as spoken in Arabic! The 99 names, or the Most Beautiful Names as they are called, are qualities and attributes of the divine. Using them as foundations for practice gives a framework for meditation which underlies asana and pranayama and becomes part of the Samkalpa or intention for that practice, that day, that week, that strand in the weaving of life.

I attended my first yoga class in 1975 and loved it, yet the practice did not become truly important to me until I moved to the Middle East in 1991. Then it saved my life, centered me, gave me strength and calm in the face of confusion and overwhelm. I completed my first 200 hour training in 1996 with Don & Amba Stapleton in order to be able to take the practice as a teacher to Damascus, Syria where there weren't any yoga teachers. I still happily teach there 6 months of each year. The other six months I am here teaching in beloved Vermont. Teaching and living are both eclectic arts as far as I am concerned. My background includes some study of Mind Body Centering with Bonnie Bainbridge, a 200 hour training with Donna Farhi, and workshops with some truly great teachers such as Erich Schiffman, Rod Stryker and Angela Farmer. Grounded in love for the divine I seek to incorporate my deep love of nature, my profound respect for the individual paths which each and every student travels and my sense of wonder at the intricacy of the physical body into classes for every one who is interested in balance, in love, in wholeness and in light heartedness. Sometimes it works!*

Using breath awareness and profound respect for the wonders of human anatomy, Sansea's classes allow each participant to choose modifications and vary the degree of intensity. Sansea employs poetry, color and nature images, especially as they relate to the Chakras.

These simple, delightful Sacred Sound Practices cultivate the listening ear, the sensing body, and a free, flexible, and expressive voice. Through these practices, we access the power of the singing voice and find an oasis of inner calm amidst the chaos of a shifting world. We engage with the sound current to energize prayerful intention for healing and wellbeing for ourselves, our loved ones, our adversaries, our communities, and our world. Each session includes three types of practice: vocal attunement (a guided meditation using the voice), chanting (chants are from many countries and peoples, and all are taught), and sound immersion (bathing in the uplifting sounds of crystal bowl, didjeridoo, tamboura, bells, rattles, and voice). No experience necessary, all voices warmly welcomed! Your singing voice is your birthright!

In this class, we make art while attempting to keep the door open as long as possible. It can be meditative as well as exciting. The work usually releases something and when there is release, new growth and possibilities follow. This artistic practice allows the creative flow to clear space within while setting up a blank slate for whatever might be next.

What I have found in your yoga class that I was missing in others I have taken, is a wonderful blend of challenging physical yoga intertwined with a deep sense of spiritual practice. I appreciate that you always guide us through a plentiful meditation and chanting. Most other classes I have taken are simply too short (mostly 1hr) to allow for meditation and a substantial Shavasana at the end. Having time for these aspects of yoga simply deepens the experience and gives it fullness. I also appreciate your deep knowledge of the physical body which you share always. It adds much learning to the experience. You have an incredibly personal style of teaching leading us to things like kissing the air, singing along with the music or whatever. And the music! I have always associated the music in yoga classes as the sort of ambient music you hear when you have a massage. I would not have thought I would enjoy the kind of variety you play in a yoga class. It encourages one to stay very active in the practice. Well, dear, I am happy to share my thoughts on your teaching. You are a wonderful teacher!! I feel blessed to have found you for this practice.

Sansea Sparling teaches Nosara Yoga, a gentle hatha flow, as well as Yin Yoga, a deeply relaxing practice in which we focus on joint flexibility. Poses are taught with emphasis on breath, anatomical alignment, humor and respect for the body. Classes include vinyasa flow, breath practice, the refinement of specific poses and hands-on assists--all set to world music.

We offer a variety of classes including Yoga, Tung Tai Chi Chuan, Meditation, Sacred Sound, Visual Arts, Movement and more.

We offer a variety of classes including Yoga, Tung Tai Chi Chuan, Meditation, Sacred Sound, Visual Arts, Movement and more.

This class is a dance session for private sessions. The specific style of dance is not detailed, but it is offered as a private booking. Please contact for more details regarding availability and focus.

Ecstatic Dance is a freeform dance practice that encourages intuitive movement and self-expression. Participants move to diverse musical rhythms in a conscious and mindful way, fostering a sense of community and connection. It is a space to explore your inner world through movement and release.

Yin Yoga classes take place on the floor and involve using lots of props. Muscles relax, as joints are rejuvenated by holding poses for a while, breathing fully. Watchwords are compassion and acceptance. Non-striving allows us to fold or extend into a pose, as each person defines the shape and extent of the pose, deepening hip and low back mobility. Gravity is our most important prop.

Mountain River Sangha is a community of practitioners from various Buddhist-inspired traditions. We offer programs that support the cultivation of awareness and an open heart. Our weekly Sunday program always includes silent meditation as well as exploration of Buddhist and secular mindfulness teachings through rotating activities, such as dharma talks (both live and recorded), a heart circle in large or small groups, or a combination of sitting and walking meditation. Our programs are donation based and are peer led with occasional guest speakers.