CLASS DESCRIPTIONS

beginner yoga

Just get here! The beginning is the most potent part…

60 minute
We are all beginners, and it is important to keep this mindset as you progress in yoga.  And life.  

All levels, ages, experience - We always have first timers, students who are returning to their practice, students who have dibbled and dabbled, as well as students who have been practicing here for several years.  

An offering that will mindfully introduce you to yoga, including physical, ethical, philosophical, and meditative aspects of practice. The intention behind this series is to provide compassionate instruction and space to bring yoga to EVERYONE who is curious, and seeking strength, flexibility, relaxation, and healing. Knowledgeable instruction, modeling, and modifications will be offered in each class to make postures available to ALL levels, ages, and experiences, including new or forgotten practices, and those practicing with illnesses or injury. By participating in beginner classes, students will become comfortable practicing in any of the classes offered in the studio, and also have the foundational knowledge to begin a consistent home/self practice.  

We occasionally offer mini workshops to beginners, as well as alignment classes and philosophy classes.  Free meditations are scheduled regularly.  Other suitable classes would be gentle, restorative, and deep stretch.  As you feel more comfortable or curious, please join us for heated classes, vinyasa, and intermediate classes.  You are your own best teacher.  Please ask us if you need direction.  

We are incredibly grateful to share this practice with you and our community.  Just begin.  While you're thinking about it... follow the studio or Dani on social media to stay on top of studio offerings, and access to positive vibes.

Gentle Yoga

In our studio, we offer gentle yoga as a way to approach our practice from a gentler perspective.  A kinder way to incorporate movement and breath work into our individual journey and yogic practice.  Gentle yoga is beneficial and accessible to everyone. Incorporating beginner, therapeutic, and restorative opportunities, it is a safe class to begin or refine a yoga practice, as well as an opportunity to stabilize and heal. Slow, intentional movement and breath work, and ample relaxation time, will establish increased strength, flexibility, stress reduction, and confidence. A great class to incorporate into ANY yogic practice, or wellness schedule.  We have intelligent options for postures, as well as props (yoga blocks, blankets, straps, chairs, bolsters, walls, and music) to bring ease into the practice for all practitioners.  You learn as you go.  

Gentle yoga is perfect if you are beginning a yoga practice, want to help reduce physical or emotional stress and anxiety, limited mobility, are recovering or healing from an injury or illness, are pregnant, or are just enthusiastic about enhancing your overall quality of life.  Highly recommended for those go-hards who work hard and play hard and never stop.  Athletes who need to recover and/or professionals who need to slow down.  Those who care for others:  mothers, caregivers, helpers... We invite you.  Expecting mothers:  we sometimes offer specific prenatal classes, but if we do not, please join us for gentle yoga.  Please contact Dani if you have questions about the classes.  

If you are working therapeutically, Dani is also available to work privately to make the practice more individualized and accessible.  This can be done on a regular basis, or just to become comfortable to practice with us in group classes.  For groups or individual persons.

Vinyasa

Vinyasa is sometimes called flow yoga for the way that each asana (physical posture) is linked mindfully from one to the next. Breath is fundamental in vinyasa practice, as movements in the body are harmonized with the rhythm of one's own inhale and exhale. There are infinite expressions of vinyasa. Some practices may be slow and calming, while others are more vigorous and exhilarating. Each teacher will have their own style of Vinyasa and may even teach a offer various options within their weekly class offerings. Vinyasa practice is great for developing overall health, strength, and flexibility in both the body and mind.  Every practice will offer all over stretching, strengthening, and energizing.  

Asana practice is mindfully linked with continual focus on the breath, and applies added transition flows to build heat within the body, increase muscle stamina, and allow for more movement between set postures. This class is appropriate for all levels, and modifications will be given for those wanting to flow, but working with any injury, illness, or lack of experience.  

Recommended 3 times a week
ALL levels
See schedule for additional times and information

"Vinyasa is the unique linking of one asana to the next in a serpentine flow.  It is more than a simple set of physical maneuvers.  It is a dynamic marriage of our internal and external worlds.  Vinyasa is an outward expression of the subtle movement of life force.  It is a manifestation of prana.  Vinyasa orgestrates balance.  A balance of strength and flexibility, lightness and heaviness, movement and stillness.  Through vinyasa one may know the vibration of life.  This integration manifests when the act of breathing and movement cease to be separate entities.  The two actions converge to crete a symphony of seamless unity.  Each action encourages the other.  They exist as one.  The mind is then set free and the practice may become a rhythmic dance.           In order to understand vinyasa we must start with the gross aspects and through refinement we many gain knowledge of its sublets.  Vinyasa begins with an understanding of the physical set of movements prescribed as links between asanas.  Through repetition this action becomes familiar to the body on a cellular level.  Vinyasa assist in creating heat which allows more freedom of exploration within the asanas.  It also brings the body back to a neutral position between postures.  Vinyasa is like an "etch-a-sketch."  After exiting from one asana, the body's screen is cleared and prepared for entry into the next.  Without linking this movement with the breath, the action remains within the physical realm.  There is joy in developing our physical bodies, yet to discover vinyasa's magic we must explore the breath simultaneously.  When this marriage is successfully achieved, the action becomes one of spirit and the physical practice acts as a conduit for a deeper exploration of our core identity."  David Swenson:  Ashtanga Yoga The Practice Manual