The Sterling Yoga Center offers Kundalini yoga, also called “White Tantric” yoga. Kundalini is a more spiritual type of yoga that goes beyond the physical aspects and emphasizes meditation, chanting, and breathing. Kundalini yoga helps you to break through subconscious blocks that are preventing you from enjoying life. The class we took began with some chanting and a warm up, and then progressed to series of exercises called “kriyas” that included many seated postures where you moved your arms and / or torso while engaged in the “breath of fire” (rapid, forceful exhalations through the nose). We were instructed to fix our gaze and internally chant a mantra while engaged in the exercise. Throughout the class, the instructor explained what the postures were for – sending love into the world, helping us know our true selves, tuning in to the inner divine. We ended with several moving meditations that included a lot of arm movements that were quite challenging! There was beautiful music played throughout the class. At the end of the class, the instructor, who had a stunning voice, lead us in a beautiful song: May the long time sun shine upon you, all love surround you, and the pure light within you guide your way on.”

I was eager to try this full service salon and day spa that has been a fixture in Loudon County since 1977. My appointment was with Charlene March- Hair Port’s resident Master Makeup Artist; this excites me a great deal- rarely do I find a spa that has a specialized expert makeup artist on staff.

As I arrived for my appointment, one of Charlene’s client went out of her way to tell me, the first-timer, how special Charlene is and how extraordinary my experience will be. It is at this point I understand this is about so much more than make-up.

I had heard some very favorable reviews from friends who go to this salon, so I was ready to meet the staff and for a new updated summer look.

My nerves were slightly on edge since I got a little lost, but a warm greeting and a delicious mimosa handed to me when I walked through the door, relaxed me considerably.

With summer just around the corner, I anxiously headed to Stephanie at Eclips in Ashburn for a new hair color, cut and style. My dark roots were ready to be highlighted, my dull color refreshed, and frayed ends trimmed from all the blow drying and flat iron torture we curly haired women impose on our tresses.

After a thorough consultation, we decided to also add some reddish hues to our usual natural looking caramel colored highlights – just for fun! I wanted to keep my hair long so I was happy to learn that some layering could add texture and movement without compromising length. Stephanie has a way of cutting hair that left me with long yet light, bouncy, wellblended layers. Her blow drying and flat iron techniques are superb – no frizzy hair here – and believe me, frizz happens!