Calendar of Events

Small-group/in-person class
Early Bird Yoga is back inside the Museum! Join us in our spacious Windgate Foundation Atrium for family-friendly yoga and mindfulness. All ages and abilities are welcome; recommended for visitors aged 5+ (children must be accompanied by an adult). Space is limited. Preregistration is required; more info at ashevilleart.org/events.

Hendersonville yoga studio, YAM, is offering free outdoor yoga at The Park at Flat Rock on Thursdays and Saturdays. Get outside and get moving with these fun and refreshing classes. Click to learn more about YAM’s community yoga.

Forest bathing is a ancient Japanese practice for de-stressing and relating to the more-than-human world. It has gained much popularity in Asia, and now in the US, as a growing bank of scientific research is demonstrating it’s healing benefits.

Forest bathing has been shown to reduce stress, anxiety, depression and anger while strengthening the immune system, improving cardiovascular and metabolic health and increasing overall wellbeing.

It’s a delicious way to be in the world!

Transformational Forest Bathing weaves in techniques from eco-therapy, depth psychology, wilderness rites of passage and mythic storytelling to form a powerfully transformative experience. We will work with whatever is holding you back right now and show you how to work with the land to gain insight on your next steps forward. As you shift through this current block you’ll learn how navigate this way in the future.

You will:
– Unwind the knots you formed by keeping it all together
– Learn how to let the forest hold you
– Connect deeply to the more-than-human world
– Shift into a state of consciousness that allows you to receive information and nourishment, one where you don’t need to figure it out
– Learn how to work with the natural world to move through whatever is blocking you right now
– Open the door to reclaiming your ancestral heritage

Is this for you?
Honestly, if you are simply looking for some stress reduction and a lovely walk in the forest this isn’t the program for you. If you are ready to dig deep and do some soul-tending then come on over!

It doesn’t matter if you already have a strong nature connection practice or you have never heard of it, the program is designed to work for any level of previous nature connection experience.

What is key is your desire and willingness to work with whatever part of you is holding you back from living the life you want right now.

Hello Sweet Yogis, join me for Yoga in the Park! I’ll be teaching for West Asheville Yoga Studio and would absolutely love to have you there. We’ll link movement and breath in the (spatially-distant) company of others, as we practice an all-levels flow.

Please bring a mat or towel to practice on, if you like. Breathe, move, and find your center under the sun.

*This practice will take in North Asheville. The exact location and address will be sent after registration.

To register visit: https://westashevilleyoga.com/event/outdoor-yoga-with-tara/

**In the case of rain, you may use the class pass purchased for future Outdoor Yoga class or any live stream yoga class.

What we’re about

Community workout for all fitness levels with Asheville Fit Tribe at 11 a.m. Bring a yoga mat if you have one. Visit the Asheville Fit Tribe booth at the market and receive a $5 market coupon!

 ASAP is promoting May as Wellness Month at area farmers markets. Seven farmers markets, in Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, and Madison counties, will host health and wellness vendors and offer free activities and resources in events scheduled throughout the month.

Farm Fresh for Health is a farm-centered initiative designed to connect people to environments and activities that support healthy lifestyles and eating choices. Shopping at farmers markets encourages us to eat fresh fruits and vegetables, cook meals at home, and eat together with friends and family.

With the Farm Fresh Prescription Program, participating physicians can prescribe a farmers market visit to their patients. Patients redeem their prescription at ASAP Farmers Market and receive $10 to spend at the market (with seven “refills,” for a total of $80). The prescription incentive provides healthcare providers with action steps that fit within the healthcare process. Six physicians from two practices in Asheville (The Family Health Centers and Lantern Health) will participate in the 2021 pilot. An earlier pilot, begun in January of 2020, was interrupted by the pandemic. ASAP plans to expand the program to include additional markets and health practices in the future.

“The idea of prescribing healthy food/eating to patients is gaining momentum and the recognition it deserves as immensely important in optimizing the long-term health of patients,” said Dr. Ben Aiken of Lantern Health. “Being able to do so by connecting them to local food and community is a win-win.”

Wellness Month activities range from kids yoga and community workouts to cooking demos to health screenings and chiropractic evaluations. Find details about vendors and events for specific markets on the follow page or on ASAP’s community events calendar at fromhere.org/events. Participating markets are:

• Enka-Candler Tailgate Market, May 27, 3 to 6 p.m.

• Haywood’s Historic Farmers Market, May 22, 9 a.m. to noon

• Hendersonville Farmers Market, May 22, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• Mars Hill Farmers and Artisans Market, May 22, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• Mills River Farmers Market, May 8, 15, 22, 29, 8 a.m. to noon

• Weaverville Farmers Market, May 19, 2 to 5 p.m.

Hendersonville yoga studio, YAM, is offering free outdoor yoga at The Park at Flat Rock on Thursdays and Saturdays. Get outside and get moving with these fun and refreshing classes. Click to learn more about YAM’s community yoga.

Join us Saturday, May 22 as WNCHA leads a hike in the historic Hickory Nut Gap. In this exclusive hike, on a trail section not yet open to the public, we will explore the history of this area as a boundary and barrier, as well as a route connecting various people and places. Native Americans, settlers, livestock drovers, Civil War soldiers, and plenty of tourists have all shaped the history of this gorge through the Blue Ridge. At the highest point, we will enjoy lunch amid the panoramic views of the Blue Ridge Pastures. This hike is made possible by Conserving Carolina, who have graciously granted us special, one-time permission to use their not-yet-open Ferguson Peak and Strawberry Gap Trail to climb from the gorge floor to the top of the nearby peaks.

Where: Hickory Nut Gap – Ferguson Peak Trail to Blue Ridge Pastures (Parking details will be emailed to registrants)

Distance: 6 miles total (2.9 miles one-way)

Difficulty: Strenuous – 1,600ft elevation gain

What to Bring: Sturdy hiking shoes/boots, Water (32oz min), snacks/bagged lunch, any needed medicines, backpack, hiking poles (optional), mask (mandatory)

Details: We will meet at the designated parking area prior to 10:00am and prepare to hike at that time. The most strenuous section of hiking will be at the start

Pets: We love pets, but cannot allow them on this hike.

Covid Precautions:

Safety is the highest priority of this event. No hike is guaranteed to be safe, and no outing during Covid is either. To minimize risks, we will require participants to abide by these guidelines. Failure to adhere may result in cancellation or a participant being asked to leave.

• Participants must sign a waiver in advance virtually via Google Forms: https://forms.gle/RiyDnP7EispVx1F96
• We are limited to 25 participants total.
• Nobody with visible symptoms will be allowed. Those who feel unwell or feel they may have been exposed are asked not to attend. Refunds are available.
• Hikers are required to bring masks and wear them any time participants are unable to maintain six feet of separation from others, including non-participants.
• Social distancing is required while we hike.

Rain Date:

Unless the weather is heavily rainy or presents another severe challenge, the hike will proceed. If we have to reschedule, participants will be notified by phone/email by 8pm the evening prior, and a new date will be announced in short order.

Hike Leader

This hike is led by Trevor Freeman, public programs director for the Western North Carolina Historical Association. He has an MA in American History from East Carolina University and is also a certified interpretive guide. He has served as an intern at Chimney Rock State Park and a trail coordinator in the Hickory Nut Gorge, and considers this stretch of peaks, valleys, forests, and rivers one of his favorite places.

Bask in lunar energy during this full moon yoga session with Namaste in Nature. The mountains are said to be a natural vortex of spiritual energy, which makes Chimney Rock an ideal setting for connecting your spirit with nature. Lightweight yoga mats will be provided by your certified yoga teacher. This class is open to all levels of expertise. Advance registration is required.

Join me on Thursdays at 2:30pm EST for a 60-minute vinyasa flow. Each week we gather and practice together as a group in real-time through Zoom, bringing the yoga studio straight to the comfort of your own cozy hOMe.

Consider this to be a sacred hour of YOU time, where you can get out of the mind and back into the soil of the body. May we align our breath to sync the beat of our hearts…healing ourselves and this planet from the inside out.

Reserve your spot on the mat today!
–> https://bit.ly/PrimalFreedomFlow
–> www.greatabidingyoga.com/classes

All levels are always welcome, I look forward to seeing you! ♥️

Hendersonville yoga studio, YAM, is offering free outdoor yoga at The Park at Flat Rock on Thursdays and Saturdays. Get outside and get moving with these fun and refreshing classes. Click to learn more about YAM’s community yoga.

Hendersonville yoga studio, YAM, is offering free outdoor yoga at The Park at Flat Rock on Thursdays and Saturdays. Get outside and get moving with these fun and refreshing classes. Click to learn more about YAM’s community yoga.

Smokemont Loop 6 miles | Moderate Forest Walk

2021 CLASSIC HIKES OF THE SMOKIES

Discover America’s most-visited national park with a guided day hike! The Classic Hikes of the Smokies feature interpretation of the history, flora, and fauna of park trails. Hikes vary in distance, difficulty, and location within the park to provide a comprehensive overview of the Smokies, exposing hikers to high Appalachian vistas, streams teeming with aquatic life, the best collection of log structures on the Eastern Seaboard, and much more.

After completing registration…
You will receive an email the Friday before the hike with directions, and more information. All hikes begin at 9 a.m

This is an easy 1.5 mile gravel trail hike to the first water fall. For those with the adventurous side and can handle the challenge, we will trek to the upper falls from there, this portion IS NOT EASY. For those who cant make the second part you can stay at lower falls and admire nature. We will grab you on the way back down. The hike to the upper falls is about a mile and requires some climbing, but the pay off is amazing. It literally is my favorite of all the falls. The photo above is the Upper falls.

Plan to meet @ 10am at the Asheville Mall Parking lot (Sears). Once we have the group we can follow each other to the trail head (@ 20 minutes away). Be sure and bring water and something to snack on.

Hendersonville yoga studio, YAM, is offering free outdoor yoga at The Park at Flat Rock on Thursdays and Saturdays. Get outside and get moving with these fun and refreshing classes. Click to learn more about YAM’s community yoga.

Let’s enjoy a quiet, mindful stroll through the woods together. A silent hike takes us to scenic treasures on the arboretum property where we will do a restorative qigong practice. Qigong is a series of simple movements that supports the body’s natural healing processes, promotes healthy circulation, invites inner calm, and releases tension from the body. Hikes will be mindfully-paced and qigong practices easy and accessible.

*Registrants will be sent a “reminder” email the day prior to class with the meeting location and additional details. Please add [email protected] to your contacts to ensure our emails do not end up in your spam folder. We encourage all participants to make conscious, courteous decisions based on your own and others’ wishes and needs for safety. Mask wearing is supported but not required of participants for experiences in the field.

**Arboretum Members receive a 10% discount on all classes. To become an Arboretum Member and receive discounts on all classes, go to our Membership page.

Jenne Sluder is a qualified mental health professional and is certified through the International Association of Yoga Therapists as a trauma-sensitive therapeutic yoga instructor. She holds a Master’s in Transpersonal Psychology: Ecopsychology from Naropa University and specializes in mind-body approaches to improving mental and physical health. An Asheville native, Sluder works with individuals and with groups using somatic (body-based), contemplative (mindfulness-based), ecological (nature-based), and compassion-based practices.