When I was in New York this summer I noticed some really cool spots to meditate like Inscape which has “caves” to meditate in. Although I didn’t have time to try it I was intrigued. I have been trying apps like Headspace on the google home and calm on my iPhone to try to get my zen on. Since nothing is like practicing in person I searched around and found Within Meditation minutes from Montgomery Bart.

Within Mediation is a drop in meditation studio located on the 3rd floor in Moshka Life Center in downtown SF. They offer two 30 minute classes Monday through Friday one class at 8:15am and 9am. The company was started by Hannah Knapp and Megan Parker who both have a background in yoga and wanted to create a space for people to meditate together.

My teacher for my first session was Nkechi Njaka who worked as a neuroscientist for many years and studied the link between brain and the body. She also did work as a modern dancer and choreographer! After class I discovered that she created a really cool mediation cushion which I think I have to have. In my 30 minute session my foot fell asleep and Nkechi told me that this is very common and why she created a new higher seat cushion.

Before my session Nkechi made some tea and then led me into the yoga room. It’s a beautiful space with nice light in the morning. We sat on the cushions and she lead me in a guided meditation for 30 minutes. I don’t think I have tried to meditate for that long and it was great having Nkechi there to keep me focused. She reminded me that you can notice what is around you (noises, light, etc) but you don’t have to have a opinion and that is kind of a revelation to me. Sometimes I feel so reactive to what is going on around me and I know now I don’t really have to have a opinion or reaction on everything. There is amazing freedom to quieting the mind and choosing what to focus on. We ended the session after thirty minutes and I was able to pop back into my office and continue my work day. I would highly recommend this class its such a refreshing way to start or take a little break in the day. There are a variety of ways to purchase classes and within is also on classpass!

Drop-in Classes
$10 — First Class
$18 — Single Class
$80 — 5 Class Package
$150 — 10 Class Package
$75 — First Month Unlimited
$100 — Monthly Unlimited
Also available on Classpass!

I have a fitness obsession and it’s name is ClassPass. I joined in March of 2017 when they announced a five class a month plan which is $65 a month. This is a perfect plan for me as I have a regular gym membership at Crunch and can take a extra 1-2 classes with ClassPass a week. It keeps my fitness routine fresh and varied. ClassPass is also perfect when you travel because most cities have it! From time to time ClassPass teams up with brands to offer a complimentary classes and the opportunity to try new products. A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to take a free Core40 class and try a new make-up line from Clinique called CliniqueFit.

The class took place at the core 40 location in the lower pacific heights area.

Before the class there were representatives from Clinique that talked a bit about the product line and helped us apply product. One of the gals put on their new CliniqueFit foundation on me and it instantly smoothed my complexion. They told me to check out my make -p after class to see if I looked the same, knowing that Core40 can be a tough sweaty workout.

We then began class on the M3 machine which is a reformer Pilates machine on steroids. Core40 uses the lagree method which gives you the best workout in the least amount of time (40 minutes). Lagree uses slow movements (to target slow twitch muscle fibers that are scientifically proven to burn more fat!), resistance training , continuous tension (via spring resistance) and constant engagement of your core (on a moving platform) to push your muscles to max! You can burn 500-800 calories per class! I personally love the lagree method and have taken many reformer classes in the Bay Area. I still find it to be the most challenging workout as I’m absolutely never bored or find the moves to be easy. I’d strongly suggest if you want to take a lagree class to start with a beginning or foundation class to get the moves and the form down. If you start with a regular class it may move too quickly. There is a lot of movement on and around the machine  as well as adjusting the spring tension so would also recommend arriving early to the class to see if you can get a walk through or simply observing the class before you.

After the class I took a peek of my makeup in the mirror and it was still intact! Clinique provided some makeup wipes to completely remove makeup and sweat. There was also some juice from Juice Shop which come in reusable containers so you can take them back for a credit on another juice. I tried a lemonade and a ginger juice which were delicious!

As a added plus I left class with a couple of new friends on my ClassPass app. This is a fairly new feature where if you have a buddy’s user name you can add it to your app and instantly see where they are taking classes! I have met up with one friend at another class too. It’s so nice to see a familiar face at a new studio. For me it’s also great to get ideas on new classes and studios to try.

Many thanks to Classpass and Clinique to sweat it out, try some new makeup and meet new friends!