Led by Kylie Grogan, E-RYT 500, RY II, CPT

Workshop | Thursday, November 6, 2025
6:30-8pm | $40

Restore Balance with Gentle Yoga, Aromatherapy, and Sound Healing

We invite you to slow down and reconnect with your inner peace in a soothing candlelit space. Through gentle yoga therapy, aromatherapy, and restorative sound healing, you’ll release tension and reset your nervous system. Leave feeling deeply restored, balanced, and supported with simple tools to carry calm into your daily life

What the workshop will entail:

Step into a soothing candlelit space designed to help you release tension, quiet your mind, and reconnect with your inner calm. This 90-minute workshop weaves together the therapeutic elements of yoga therapy, aromatherapy, and sound healing to support your whole being—body, mind, and nervous system.

We’ll begin with guided meditation to settle into ourselves with acceptance. Grounding breathwork and gentle awareness practices to help you tune into where stress and tension are held in the body. Through slow, therapeutic yoga movements, you’ll explore ways to release common areas of discomfort such as the back, shoulders, and hips, while learning how breath and mindful movement can create a sense of safety and ease in the nervous system.

With the added support of calming aromatherapy and simple self-massage techniques, you’ll discover tools to soothe both body and mind. The experience then deepens with restorative postures and an immersive sound healing journey—where bowls, wave drums and other instruments will guide you into a state of deep relaxation and nervous system reset.

Join Us in Downers Grove on November 6, 2025 for a 90-Minute Workshop

This workshop is more than a class—it’s a healing experience. You’ll leave not only feeling restored and balanced, but also equipped with simple practices you can return to whenever you need calm in your daily life.

Reserve Your Spot Today

$40

To register for the workshop, click this Calm Within Workshop link. You will receive a confirmation email and reminder emails 24 hours and 2 hours before class.

Led by Aimee Forsberg Ottosen, C-IAYT, E-RYT, E-RYT 500, YACEP, Certified Holistic Ayurvedic Counselor, Certified Health & Wellness Coach

Workshop | Saturday, November 8, 2025
2–5pm | $65 registration requested

Stress in life is inevitable. While we try to handle it as best we can, chronic stress can lead to ill-health, disease, and pain. Come learn how Ayurveda defines health and views balance, while equipping us with tools to maintain resilience and longevity.  We can rest easily, calm our minds, and live with joy.

In this workshop, discover key principles of Ayurveda that will help you find your balance, strength, and resilience.  Aimee will guide the conversation as we explore how to support and enhance your practice, your life, and your ease in your relationship with Mother Nature. This workshop will include a yoga practice suitable for all levels of yoga.

Yoga Alliance CEU available upon request.

Meet Aimee, a seasoned practitioner and devoted guide on the transformative journey of yoga. Introduced to the practice at the nimble age of twelve, Aimee's unwavering commitment to yoga has shaped her into a certified Yoga Therapist recognized by IAYT, where she specializes in the Viniyoga tradition, honing her expertise at the Yoga Well Institute under the guidance of Chase Bossart.  Aimee also is an E-RYT 500 and YACEP (continuing education provider) accredited by Yoga Alliance.

A perpetual student, Aimee's spiritual quest extends beyond borders as she weekly immerses herself in Vedic chanting with Ms. Suhasini Krishnan at Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram in Chennai, India and travels to South India to study Yoga and Ayurveda in person.  Mentored by Laura Jane Mellencamp of Yoga Among Friends, Aimee is a conduit of traditional classical yoga, sharing the profound wisdom and healing inherent in this ancient practice.

In her role as a Yoga Therapist, Aimee works intimately with individuals and small groups, crafting sessions that reflect her deep understanding of the human spirit and the therapeutic power of yoga. Additionally, Aimee offers Ayurvedic Counseling, some Panchakarma therapies, and is committed to continuing her own education as she completes certification as an Ayurvedic Practitioner and continues studying and teaching with her teachers, both in the US and India.

Driven by the belief that one can experience "sukha" (good space), Aimee encourages her students to explore their unique paths and dharma on this earthly journey. Beyond the physical postures, Aimee's teachings traverse the subtle realms of breath, mind, spirit, and inner space, illuminating the profound connections that lead to balance, joy, and clarity in life.

Grateful for the profound gifts of Yoga and Ayurveda, Aimee is passionately dedicated to passing along the rich ideas, traditions, and philosophy embedded in these ancient practices. As she guides her students towards their own space of ease, Aimee remains a beacon of inspiration, embodying the transformative power of yoga on and off the mat.

Register for the Class

Online Payment $55

1. Click this Stress Management Through the Lens of Ayurveda link to register and pay for the class. Registration closes 1 hour before the start of the class.

2. You will receive reminder emails 24 hours and 2 hours before each class.

A daylong journey of breath, sound, and self-discovery designed to restore your spirit and reconnect you with life’s natural flow.

Led by Marian Kraus and Laura Jane Mellencamp

Sunday, November 9
11am–5pm
$225 Full price — **Use code EARLYBIRD30 when registering for $30 savings by Oct 31

Light lunch + refreshments included
Wear comfortable clothing, bring a mat/blanket; journal & crystals welcome

Step Into a Sacred Exploration

What if the miracle you’ve been seeking isn’t found in control and effort—but in surrender and wonder? 🌿

Join Marian Kraus and Laura Jane Mellencamp for a healing retreat in Downers Grove, IL, designed to awaken your clarity, balance your energy, and reconnect you to life’s natural flow. Through pranayama breathwork, sound vibration, and creative expression, you’ll discover how to move beyond stress and resistance and into presence, wonder, and renewal.

Your Transformational Journey Includes:

✨ Sacred Breath & Life Force – A pranayama workshop with Laura Jane Mellencamp. Learn ancient breathing practices to calm the nervous system, balance inner energy, and experience breath as a direct pathway to wonder.

✨ The Science of Sound & Vibration – Explore Cymatics with Marian Kraus, revealing how sound frequencies influence your body at the cellular level. Understand the science behind the healing effects of vibration.

✨ Creative Flow & Authentic Expression – Unlock your second chakra to transform resistance and invite inspiration. Learn practical tools for creative expression and self-trust.

✨ Transformational Sound Journey – Immerse yourself in a powerful gong bath and sound healing experience with Marian Kraus. Featuring gongs, didgeridoo, singing bowls, vocals, and handpan, this sound bath in the Chicago suburbs will leave you deeply renewed.

Why Join?

This isn’t just an event—it’s a declaration that you’re ready to step into life’s miracle. In this full-day wellness retreat near Chicago, you’ll:

• Release stress and tension

• Awaken creativity and inspiration

• Experience chakra balancing and deep energetic renewal

• Feel clearer, lighter, and more connected to your authentic self

Retreat Schedule

11:00 a.m. – Check-In & Orientation
11:15 – 11:45 a.m. – Introductions & Intention Setting
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. – Sacred Breath & Life Force (Pranayama Workshop)
1:00 – 1:45 p.m. – Light Lunch & Community Connection
2:00 – 3:00 p.m. – The Science of Sound & Vibration
3:00 – 4:00 p.m. – Creative Flow & Authentic Expression
4:00 – 5:00 p.m. – Transformational Gong Bath & Sound Journey

Please note: times may flow organically with the group.

Reserve Your Spot

Online Payment
$195 Early Bird - **Use code EARLYBIRD30 when registering for $30 savings by Oct 31
$225 Full price

Space is limited to preserve intimacy.

Click this Miracles vs Magic Full Day Retreat link to register and pay for the class. **Use code EARLYBIRD30 when registering for $30 savings by Oct 31

You will receive an email confirmation.

You will also receive reminder emails 24 hours and 2 hours before class

About Marian

Marian generates a broad spectrum of fascinating rhythms and functional harmonics by exploring the full range of frequencies within his instruments ranging from shimmering explosive highs to deep mysterious lows. His meditative and transformative sound journeys are driven by his innate rhythmic hand drum abilities and keen sense of visual and intuitive perception. The result is that these sonic, vibrational and mystical characteristics energize and quiet the mind & body in a very unique fashion. His gong sound meditations are psychoacoustic gateways to higher states of awareness and consciousness. They provide spaces for inner healing while taking listeners into truly otherworldly realms.

After spending 20 years in the corporate world, he began his career as a professional architectural and fine art photographer in the Chicago area in 1999. By being a long time hand drummer, he expanded his creative repertoire by expressing images also through the sound of gongs. Marian is a member of the Sound Healers Association and refines his advanced interpretation and application of gong sound healing under the guidance of senior instructor, lecturer and teacher Mitch Nur, PhD of

Led by Jaclyn Jackson, CYT

Workshop | Friday, November 14, 2025
6:30-7:45pm | $30

Monthly Full Moon Series:

In this candlelit restorative practice, we’ll rest in deeply supported postures that ground the body and soothe the nervous system. Guided Yoga Nidra will carry you through moonlit forests, shadow and flame, the wisdom of release, and the renewal that follows like tracing infinity across the night sky.

Surrounded by autumn ambiance, this class is an invitation to align with the rhythm of the season, to pause, reflect, and reconnect to your inner magic.

Let this be your time to breathe between chapters, a time to soften, realign, and listen inward.

This session will include:

• Restorative Yoga – Gentle, supported postures to help release tension and open the body to relaxation.

• Yoga Nidra Meditation – A guided journey into deep relaxation, allowing you to align with the energy of the full moon and summer solstice.

What to Bring: Comfortable clothing and any props that help you relax. We do have ample mats and props available for your use at the yoga studio.

Spaces are limited for this intimate gathering—reserve your spot today to step into the magic of stillness and renewal.

We look forward to sharing this special evening with you .

Jaclyn Jackson – Certified Yoga Instructor

Jaclyn is a certified yoga instructor specializing in restorative and family yoga, offering compassionate, beginner- and intermediate-friendly classes that promote balance and connection. With a background in learning and development, she takes a thoughtful and inclusive approach to ensure her sessions are welcoming to all levels. Outside of teaching, Jaclyn enjoys gardening, creative projects, and spending time with loved ones, striving to guide students of all ages toward wellness and self-discovery. Read more about Jaclyn here.

Register & Pay

$30

To register for the workshop, click this Candlelight Restorative Yoga & Yoga Nidra link. You will receive a confirmation email and reminder emails 24 hours and 2 hours before class.

Led by Marian Kraus

Saturday, November 22
5:30-7p
$40 prepaid online, $45 cash only at the door (if room available)

Immerse yourself in an evening of deep relaxation and self-discovery through the healing vibrations of gongs, didgeridoo, drums, vocals, and flutes. This transformative sound bath meditation is designed to guide you inward, fostering clarity and self-awareness as you explore your thoughts, emotions, and inner patterns.

Through a brief introduction, guided meditation, and a soothing sound bath, you'll enter a state of profound stillness, allowing for deep introspection and renewal. Join us in a supportive community setting and experience the power of presence, relaxation, and inner transformation.

Embark on a 90-minute odyssey of self-discovery and renewal.

First Segment: The Introduction - Settle in as we introduce you to the transformative power of sound therapy. Learn how our unique blend of meditation and sound bathing works synergistically to unlock the full potential of your conscious mind, paving the way for deep healing and evolution.

Second Segment: Guided Meditation - Surrender to the gentle guidance of our meditation, designed to quiet the mind's chatter and prepare you for the profound healing to come. Allow yourself to sink into deep relaxation as you journey inward towards the source of your true essence.

Third Segment: The Sound Bath - Feel the resonance of ancient and otherworldly sounds wash over you as you bask in the immersive embrace of our sound bath. Let the primal vibrations of our skillfully layered multi-instrumental soundscape harmonize every cell of your being, triggering a cascade of healing responses within your body and mind.

Whether you're a seasoned seeker or new to sound healing, our sanctuary welcomes you. Come as you are, dressed in comfortable attire, and bring along a mat, pillow, and blanket if you wish to cozy up during your journey.

You can learn more at Marian’s new website, Higher Frequency Living.

Reserve Your Spot -

Online Payment $40 prepaid (or $45 at the door, cash only)

Click this Sound Bath Meditation link to register and pay for the class. You will receive an email confirmation.

You will also receive reminder emails 24 hours and 2 hours before class with our safety protocols.

About Marian

Marian generates a broad spectrum of fascinating rhythms and functional harmonics by exploring the full range of frequencies within his instruments ranging from shimmering explosive highs to deep mysterious lows. His meditative and transformative sound journeys are driven by his innate rhythmic hand drum abilities and keen sense of visual and intuitive perception. The result is that these sonic, vibrational and mystical characteristics energize and quiet the mind & body in a very unique fashion. His gong sound meditations are psychoacoustic gateways to higher states of awareness and consciousness. They provide spaces for inner healing while taking listeners into truly otherworldly realms.

After spending 20 years in the corporate world, he began his career as a professional architectural and fine art photographer in the Chicago area in 1999. By being a long time hand drummer, he expanded his creative repertoire by expressing images also through the sound of gongs. Marian is a member of the Sound Healers Association and refines his advanced interpretation and application of gong sound healing under the guidance of senior instructor, lecturer and teacher Mitch Nur.

Led by Donna Ohman

Workshop | Thursday, December 4
6:30-8:30pm | $45, registration highly encouraged

Additional workshops will be held on September 25 and October 16. Register for all 3 and save!

UZIT Self-Care Sangha for Stress & Exhaustion

Join us for this exciting experience of encompassing the social and emotional aspects of our yoga community. Let’s reconnect at Yoga Among Friends to live your yoga, learn ways to manage stress, practice self-care, and develop a sense of centering. The Theme for December is “Holiday Zen.”

Urban Zen Integrative Therapy (UZIT™) is a self-care relaxation practice that layers gentle mindful movements, breath awareness, restorative yoga poses, meditation, reiki and essential oils to reduce the symptoms that many people face in daily life such as pain, anxiety, insomnia, exhaustion and stress.

UZIT (pronounced use-it) promotes a sense of centering, calm, and joy by integrating gentle yoga movement, restorative yoga, breath awareness, Reiki, essential oils, and presence. It restores, re-connects, and rebalances. This class is for everyone who may be feeling exhausted, anxious, in pain, or just not as vital as they would like. Students will learn breathing and self-reiki techniques in restorative poses, along with aromatherapy, which they can use at home.

This is a semi-private class for those seeking to expand their yoga practice and learn how to live yoga on and off the mat. This two-hour workshop will include a safe space for gentle practice, meditation, journaling, and connecting with like-minded women.

Registration is highly encouraged, max part. 25

Registration and Payment

Workshop Cost:

You will receive a registration confirmation email and reminder emails 24 hours and 2 hours before the workshop start time.

Led by Jaclyn Jackson, CYT

Workshop | Friday, December 12, 2025
6:30-7:45pm | $30

Monthly Full Moon Series:

In this candlelit restorative practice, we’ll rest in deeply supported postures that ground the body and soothe the nervous system. Guided Yoga Nidra will carry you through moonlit forests, shadow and flame, the wisdom of release, and the renewal that follows like tracing infinity across the night sky.

Surrounded by autumn ambiance, this class is an invitation to align with the rhythm of the season, to pause, reflect, and reconnect to your inner magic.

Let this be your time to breathe between chapters, a time to soften, realign, and listen inward.

This session will include:

• Restorative Yoga – Gentle, supported postures to help release tension and open the body to relaxation.

• Yoga Nidra Meditation – A guided journey into deep relaxation, allowing you to align with the energy of the full moon and summer solstice.

What to Bring: Comfortable clothing and any props that help you relax. We do have ample mats and props available for your use at the yoga studio.

Spaces are limited for this intimate gathering—reserve your spot today to step into the magic of stillness and renewal.

We look forward to sharing this special evening with you .

Jaclyn Jackson – Certified Yoga Instructor

Jaclyn is a certified yoga instructor specializing in restorative and family yoga, offering compassionate, beginner- and intermediate-friendly classes that promote balance and connection. With a background in learning and development, she takes a thoughtful and inclusive approach to ensure her sessions are welcoming to all levels. Outside of teaching, Jaclyn enjoys gardening, creative projects, and spending time with loved ones, striving to guide students of all ages toward wellness and self-discovery. Read more about Jaclyn here.

Register & Pay

$30

To register for the workshop, click this Candlelight Restorative Yoga & Yoga Nidra link. You will receive a confirmation email and reminder emails 24 hours and 2 hours before class.

Immerse yourself in an evening of deep relaxation and self-discovery through the healing vibrations of gongs, didgeridoo, drums, vocals, and flutes. This transformative sound bath meditation is designed to guide you inward, fostering clarity and self-awareness as you explore your thoughts, emotions, and inner patterns.

Through a brief introduction, guided meditation, and a soothing sound bath, you'll enter a state of profound stillness, allowing for deep introspection and renewal. Join us in a supportive community setting and experience the power of presence, relaxation, and inner transformation.

Embark on a 90-minute odyssey of self-discovery and renewal.

First Segment: The Introduction - Settle in as we introduce you to the transformative power of sound therapy. Learn how our unique blend of meditation and sound bathing works synergistically to unlock the full potential of your conscious mind, paving the way for deep healing and evolution.

Second Segment: Guided Meditation - Surrender to the gentle guidance of our meditation, designed to quiet the mind's chatter and prepare you for the profound healing to come. Allow yourself to sink into deep relaxation as you journey inward towards the source of your true essence.

Third Segment: The Sound Bath - Feel the resonance of ancient and otherworldly sounds wash over you as you bask in the immersive embrace of our sound bath. Let the primal vibrations of our skillfully layered multi-instrumental soundscape harmonize every cell of your being, triggering a cascade of healing responses within your body and mind.

Whether you're a seasoned seeker or new to sound healing, our sanctuary welcomes you. Come as you are, dressed in comfortable attire, and bring along a mat, pillow, and blanket if you wish to cozy up during your journey.

You can learn more at Marian’s new website, Higher Frequency Living.

Reserve Your Spot -

Online Payment $40 prepaid (or $45 at the door, cash only)

Click this Sound Bath Meditation link to register and pay for the class. You will receive an email confirmation.

You will also receive reminder emails 24 hours and 2 hours before class with our safety protocols.

About Marian

Marian generates a broad spectrum of fascinating rhythms and functional harmonics by exploring the full range of frequencies within his instruments ranging from shimmering explosive highs to deep mysterious lows. His meditative and transformative sound journeys are driven by his innate rhythmic hand drum abilities and keen sense of visual and intuitive perception. The result is that these sonic, vibrational and mystical characteristics energize and quiet the mind & body in a very unique fashion. His gong sound meditations are psychoacoustic gateways to higher states of awareness and consciousness. They provide spaces for inner healing while taking listeners into truly otherworldly realms.

After spending 20 years in the corporate world, he began his career as a professional architectural and fine art photographer in the Chicago area in 1999. By being a long time hand drummer, he expanded his creative repertoire by expressing images also through the sound of gongs. Marian is a member of the Sound Healers Association and refines his advanced interpretation and application of gong sound healing under the guidance of senior instructor, lecturer and teacher Mitch Nur, PhD of