Find inner tranquility at the Guernsey Library's yoga sampler with Lavender Lounge Yoga and Wellness Studio. Classes will be offered once a month for the next five months, and will include Winter Heart Yin Yoga, Grateful Dead Yoga Flow, Vinyasa Flow, Yinyasa and Billie Eilish, and Twilight Movie Vibes Yoga. (Sun file photo)

NORWICH — The Guernsey Memorial Library is embracing tranquility this year with their six-month yoga sampler, taught by Sarah Delgado from Lavender Lounge Yoga and Wellness Studio.

The series began this week with sleep yoga and essential oils, and will continue once a month for the next five months. Sessions are always held at 6:30 p.m. on Mondays in the Guernsey meeting room.

"They're all going to be quite different, like last night’s one they were supposed to have talked about essential oils too and how you can improve your practice with those. There’s going to be different music with a lot of them, and it’s different kinds of yoga too," said Guernsey Library Director Connie Dalrymple.

On February 26, Delgado will be leading Winter Heart Yin Yoga, which Lavender Lounge said includes "gentle poses designed to open your heart and invite a sense of calmness into the colder months." March 25 will bring a Grateful Dead Yoga Flow, an all-level flow paired with the music of the Grateful Dead.

On April 22, Delgado will lead a Vinyasa Flow, which will start with a warm up, then move into "flowing sequences aimed to improve stability, strength and flexibility, all guided with your breath," according to Lavender Lounge. To finish up the session, participants will be guided through a cool down and meditation.

Fans of Billie Eilish can join the Yinyasa and Billie Eilish class on May 20, which will include two styles of yoga that incorporate both stillness and movement. Lavender Lounge said the class will begin with Yin yoga to increase flexibility, followed by a soft flow and a final relaxation.

Closing out the sampler will be a Twilight Movie Vibes Yoga class on June 17. The slow flow class will incorporate the Twilight Saga soundtrack and focus on calm, relaxing yoga flows.

The sessions are free to attend, and no pre-registration is required. Dalrymple said participants are encouraged to bring their own towels and mats if they have them, but extras are available for those who don't have their own equipment.

Dalrymple said Guernsey has offered yoga classes in the past, but they had to be put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Fortunately, they were able to form a new partnership with Lavender Lounge, and Dalrymple said it's already popular with around 20 attendees at the first session.

"Depending on how popular this is, maybe it’s something that we’ll continue after the first six months here," she said. "I hope it’s popular, I mean a lot of people are interested. Even if this just leads them to having more business at their place, that would be a good outcome too. We want to support local businesses."

Guernsey will also be hosting a meditation class led by UPlift with Tracy, a Norwich-based business that aims to help individuals overcome depression and anxiety through one-on-one coaching, group therapy, mindfulness practices, emotional support, and incorporating small, positive habits into daily routines.

The meditation class will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 28.

In addition to new activities, the Guernsey Memorial Library has also acquired some new resources. Dalrymple said the library has joined the Library Speakers Consortium, which offers webinars from a variety of authors.

"There’s like two or three new presentations every month that people can register for, and they also have a back list," she explained. "They’ve had some pretty good authors on there. So I think people will enjoy that."

The library has also subscribed to a database that offers hobby and craft tutorials. Links to both resources can be found at GuernseyMemorialLibrary.org, and can only be accessed by Guernsey Memorial Library card holders.

Each month Guernsey Library will also offer its usual clubs and activities, such as the LGBTQ+ Support Group, LEGO Club, improv workshops, sewing club, adult crafts, and more.

Readers of all ages can find like-minded peers at Guernsey's two book clubs, one of which is a new installment for local young adults.

"There's a new book club intended for young adults mostly to be more representational of diversity in the community," said Dalrymple. "I believe that we’re providing the books for the kids and then they come back next month, eat pizza, and talk about it."

Individuals interested in joining the group should contact Guernsey Children's Librarian Kim Hazen at no.kim@4cls.org.

There is also a book club available for adults, which requires no pre-registration; readers are welcome to show up to meetings and join in on the discussion. Dalrymple said to find out which book the group is reading this month, contact Library Clerk Barbara Orinski at no.barbara@4cls.org.

For more information on the Guernsey Memorial Library and their available programs, visit GuernseyMemorialLibrary.org or the Guernsey Memorial Library Facebook page.

For more information on Lavender Lounge Yoga and Wellness Studio, go to LavenderLoungeYoga.com or the Lavender Lounge Yoga & Wellness Studio Facebook page.

More information on UPlift with Tracy can be found at UPliftwithTracy.com or the UPlift with Tracy Facebook page.