Class Descriptions

Level 1

A well rounded beginning yoga practice with emphasis on breathing and healthy alignment. Yoga Basics is recommended but not required.

Level 2

A moderately paced intermediate class which builds strength, flexibility, stamina and concentration. Continued emphasis on breathing and healthy alignment.

Level 3

A more challenging class for those with an ongoing yoga practice. Advanced postures and methods of practice will be introduced. Not suitable for beginners.

Adaptive & Chair Yoga

This class is not a traditional active yoga class. It is designed for people who have limited agility or those with illness such as COPD, Multiple Sclerosis, Heart Disease, Cancer, Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia, Osteoporosis, Arthritis, Parkinson's, etc. It consists of a carefully designed and comprehensive system using gentle repetitive movements of the body, sometimes performed while seated in a chair or standing with use of the chair for support, plus restorative yoga postures (which are relaxed supported positions, using props such as blankets and foam blocks to gently support the body). All movements are simple and fun yet effective in building strength, flexibility, and range of motion.

There will be a strong emphasis on breath awareness and breathing technique, relaxation, and guided meditation. This class is suitable for anyone with health concerns and the benefits are accessible even to those recovering and living with injury or illness. These classes are a compassionate way to relax & renew, to build inner awareness and are infinitely adaptable to individual needs.

Community Yoga

Community classes are priced to benefit the individual looking for quality yoga training at a price they can afford!  $8/class

Creative Flow

By tapping into the body's natural instincts we learn to move and express life without resistance. This form of moving meditation is enjoyed by those with some yoga experience.

Gentle Yoga

is suitable for everybody. Focus is on breathing tech-niques, postures, relaxation and meditation to release tension and improve flexibility, resulting in a reduction of pain and stress.  Appropriate for the older student as well as those with special physical concerns, or for those who are just interested in moving at a slower pace.

Gentle Fluid Yoga

Bring joy back into movement, health back into body and peace back into mind.  Learn to listen to the inner wisdom and combine it with outer expression building strength, stamina, relaxation and increasing energy. 

This gentle class is appropriate for the older student,  for students with special physical concerns, or for those who are just interested in moving at a slower pace.   Yoga Basics is recommended, but not required.

Gentle/Yin Yoga

Gentle yin yoga postures are all done on the floor so that the muscles can relax and allow the deep connective tissue surrounding the lower back, the pelvis and the joints of the femurs to be gently stretched. We hold each posture between 3-5 minutes, with 1 minute transition between postures ending with a 10 minute relaxation. The intention of yin yoga is to keep energy flowing smoothly throughout the body. By bringing simple awareness to the breath, without judgement or control, without striving to make it any different, the breath will naturally lengthen and deepen. The mind will begin to quiet, to be more at peace, becoming more still and present. This is the yin way.   Joy in being alive here where we always are, in the present moment.

Hot Fudge Yoga

Heat it up physically with moderate exercise, then melt off into relaxation & restoration with yoga practice.   Designed for pre & post natal students, but anyone is welcome!

Labor is physically demanding and regular moderate exercise will maintain strength in your legs, back, and abdominal muscles to give you stamina for the labor experience. This class consists of 30 minutes moderate cardio exercise followed by an hour of yoga practice. A regular prenatal yoga practice improves balance, making it easier to manage the extra weight and the shifting center of gravity that comes with the second half of pregnancy. Yoga postures stretch and release tightness in the shoulders and open the chest. This improves circulation and mood--chest openers in particular can help lift the spirits when you're feeling down. The shoulder work improves your posture, which in turn can relieve any strain on your lower back. Pregnancy can be a complicated journey and sometimes women feel stuck and unhappy. Hot Fudge class can be a time for women to check in with how their bodies are changing and how they feel about themselves while helping to improve sleep, circulation, digestion and strength to help you prepare for childbirth.

New mom's are welcome with or without your baby (pre-crawling).

Hot Mama-Buddha Baby

After your baby is born, you address the demands of nursing, cradling and caring for a growing baby. Taking care of yourself is essential now that you are taking care of your baby. Yoga helps to build confidence as a parent as well as a strong and healthy body. Hot Mama & Buddha Baby Yoga is practiced with your baby. It is doing yoga to help you restore your muscle strength and tone, breathe more efficiently, as well as stretch and relax as you hold your baby or have your baby next to you. Some of the postures will even help your baby sleep better, relax and encourage their muscles to develop and grow! This class is appropriate for the beginner as well as for someone who has been practicing yoga for years (6-8 weeks post-partum—pre-crawling). The movements used respect the special demands put on the body of a new mother. Dad’s are sure welcome too!

Meditation

If you are interested in learning to meditate and participating in the ongoing practice but haven't been able to participate in the Introduction to Meditation course, we recommend reading the book Meditation by Sri Eknath Easwaran (copies are available at Yoga Loka). If you have questions or would like to join us, please call Mary Dugan at 851-4408

New Generation Yoga for Kids

A fun and creative class de-signed for kids ages 6-12, that introduces the benefits of Yoga. Classes will include singing and movement as your child connects poses to nature and sees how Yoga can positively affect their life.

Pre-Natal Yoga

A special practice addressing the changing phases of pregnancy, connecting mother and baby, while preparing for a healthy, mindful, more natural approach to the challenges of labor and birth.

Qi gong

Qi gong ("chi gong") has been studied in China for thousands of years becoming more popular in the U.S. in the last few years. The term Qi, in regards to our health, means our life force. Gong means work or technique. Qi gong is the art of self healing. Qi gong teaches us that life and health are the result of the harmonious flows of Qi through the body. Qi gong uses Qi to clear our energy blockages and improve the function of our physical body, our emotions and our spirit. The exercises of Qi gong involve our breath and the focusing of our mind, while doing simple body movements. The exercises focus on deep breathing, low impact conditioning and isometrics, all which work exceptionally well with common ailments in posture and balance, range of motion and the joints.

Revitalizing with Yin & Yang

An end-of-workweek revitalization class with an emphasis on balancing energies utilizing long held seated poses (yin), active vinyasa flow (yang) with mindfulness meditation.

Tai-Chi

is a form of slow moving standing exercise to keep you strong in body and mind. Tai Chi for Health is suitable even for a complete novice. The Yang Long Form is appropriate for anyone with 6 months or more experience in Tai-Chi.

Vinyasa

Vinyasa denotes a dynamic form of yoga that interlinks postures to form a continuous flow that is connected to the breath. It creates a movement meditation that reveals all forms as being impermanent and for this reason are not held on to.