yoga center of minneapolis magazine - winter 2012

Yoga Center of Minneapolis

Jan-Mar 2012 Magazine

Yoga MusicWinter Playlist

YOGI’s KITCHEN Recipes to Restore Balance

YCM Yoga StudyMore Than Just a Teacher Training

Accelerate Your Practice with KEVAN GALE

Sankalpa: Setting Intention for 2012

Celebrating 11 Years!

Class Schedules & Workshops

© Yoga Center of Minneapolis www.yogacentermpls.com | 612.436.4700 Jan-Mar 2012

Director’s Note

As the new year rolls in, I find myself

reflecting on YCM and its history. Now

that we are well into our 12th year of

business and service a new phenominon

has occured ...something I have never

experienced before on this journey. It

happened as I casually walked in to

observe Doug Swenson’s workshop;

I found myself suddenly flashed back

10 years to his first visit, where it was

myself and several other YCM teachers

sitting, learning and laughing as we

USing Yoga To:

This quarterly

publication is

assembled by the Yoga

Center of Minneapolis

staff and community.

Our studios are

located on the west

edge of downtown

Minneapolis near

the Twin’s Stadium

(212 3rd Ave N. #205)

and between Lake

Calhoun and Hwy 100

(4200 Minnetonka Blvd).

A special thanks

to those who have

contributed their

talents to this

publication. If you

are interested in

contributing ideas or

articles, please email

register@

yogacentermpls.com.

Rock Out

ACCELERATE YOUR PRACTICE

Set 2012

Intentions

Build Community

Heal

FLY!

BALANCE

BOND

DETOX

REKINDLE

(27)

(29 & 13)

(37)

(17, 22, 36)

(31_35)

(9, 11, 20)

(10, 15, 19, 23)

(22, 16)

(13, 24) (10)

Cover model: Sarah Anderson, Yoga Study 31 graduate.

TABLE OF conTEnTSYOUR YOGA JOURNEY Getting Started Class Passes & Free Class Opportunities............................................... Personal Yogi Consultation............................................................... Class Categories and Descriptions....................................................... Class Level, Sweat Factor.................................................................

Entry Level Practices Beginner Class Descriptions and Session Dates...................................

Continuing Practices View the Drop-in Class Schedule online! Workshops & Class Series................................................................. J.A.I. Postnatal Yoga Crib................................................................

Deepening Your Journey Special Programs: Detox Week, Yoga For Transformation Month................... Visiting Instructors......................................................................... Yoga Teacher Trainings....................................................................

FEATURED ARTICLES Interview with Kevan Gale.................................................................................. Sankalpa: Setting Intention for 2012......................................................................... Healing Yourself Through Nutrition........................................................................... A Yogi’s Kitchen: Health & Happiness Beyond the Holidays............................................... Music Guru Winter Playlist...................................................................................... Building Community Through Yoga Education.................................................................. Coupons!..........................................................................................................

3344

5-6

7-2323

2424-25

26

27-28

29-3031

33-3536

37-3838

© Yoga Center of Minneapolis www.yogacentermpls.com | 612.436.4700 Jan-Mar 2012 2

tried to help each other into new and

excting yoga poses. I immediately felt

a bit of nostalgia and a sense of awe as

I realized that we really do now have

history here at YCM. In that moment

I longed to have back that newness

and that sense of discovery... but in

the same moment felt overwhelming

gratitude for all that has occured here

with our wonderful community and

for all which is yet to unveil. Gratitude

to all YCM students and staff... and a

happy and healthy New Year to all!

- Namaste, Jennifer Gray

Set 2012

Intentions

BALANCE


Meet with one of our teachers to create a program of wellness services that is right for you utilizing YCM classes, workshops, programs and Dharma Wellness services. Each student’s needs are unique and we wish to help you find the path to achieving your goals in a manner that feels good, is affordable, and fits into your schedule. Call to schedule a Personal Yogi Consultation at either studio location. If you prefer, you may consult by phone. We request a $25 deposit at the time of your consult, which will be applied toward your first class passes, workshops, or intensives.

New to Yoga? For those of you who are just beginning, your first consultation will be spent determining your needs, goals, physical limitations, desires and experience to help place you in a class and/or recommend wellness services that are a best fit. Once you begin your classes or services, your Personal Yogi will follow up with you to answer any questions.

Have Yoga Experience? Take advantage of a consultation to determine how to deepen or create a consistent practice, weave wellness services and in-depth workshops into your practice, and explore other yoga opportunities.

Pregnant? YCM offers a variety of services and classes to help make this special time in your life meaningful, comfortable and help you to bring a calm state of mind to the birthing room. Your yogi consultant will help you design a program to support you in a yogic fashion during your pregnancy. We look forward to getting to know you!

Personal Yogi consultationsHelping you define your personal wellness needs, goals, and options

NEW STUDENT DEALS METRO AREA RESIDENTS new to the Yoga Center of Minneapolis have the option of purchasing a $25 One-Week Unlimited Drop-in Pass at their first class.

Single Class: $17 4 Class Pass: $64 6 Class Pass: $9612 Class Pass: $16924 Class Pass: $29936 Class Pass: $4148 for 88!* Pass: 8 classes for $88 (*1-month expiration, membership not applicable)

Student/Senior Single: $13 Student/Senior: 6 Class Pass $69 (Seniors=65+ / Student= a college/trade school student with current ID paying for own classes.)

CLASS PASSES Use at either Studio. Class passes expire 3 months from date of first use unless you are a member.

Yogi Rewards Did you know you can earn free class passes? Through

the ‘Refer a Friend’ and the ‘Frequent Yogi Card’

programs you can earn free classes and vouchers to

apply toward retail purchases. Visit the website under

Class Info > Yogi Rewards for details on how to get started!

YEARLY MEMBERSHIP: $50 + tax All pass expiration dates will be waived for ONE

YEAR from the membership start date. Receive 10% discount on all retail plus access to studio space for

personal practice when available. See web for full list of benefits!


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Experience LevelPregistration required for beginner sessions. Register online or call 612.436.4700.

Level 1/2: For those who have some yoga experience and are still working on gaining flexibility and need help learning how to modify poses for their bodies.

Level 2: For intermediates who have yoga experience and are ready for more challenging poses, pace, and concepts. For those who know how to and willingly will modify poses to suit their experience level and comfort.

Level 2/3: For yogis who are intermediates and up who are able to safely work into backbends & inversions such

as Bridge Pose and Headstand.

Vinyasa Vinyasa-based classes link breath and movement for a moving meditation. Poses are generally held for a shorter period of time so that transitions may become part of the poses themselves. This allows for more poses to be practiced during a class. Generally, our vinyasa classes are more rigorous than what we term ‘hatha’ classes and may involve sun salutations. AshtangaVinyasa (and all YTG -Vinyasa)Slow FlowUrban FlowJivamukti

HathaOur hatha-based classes generally involve holding the poses for a longer period of time to allow for more exploration of breath within a pose. This allows more time for focus on alignment.

Anusara Aerial YogaBig A#%! YogaMi-anYin Yoga RestorativeTwilight YogaYoga for FlexibilityYoga for Back Strength

Tantric yoga is the original yoga of ancient India in which all other styles of yoga are rooted. Tantra literally translates to “extend beyond all limitations.” Tantra class pays special attention to the whole person and works to intentionally help you move energy in a productive and clear direction, detoxify your body and mind, build your inner fire and through sequences that are both dynamic (repetitive and moving) and static (still), and help you create space and strength in your physical body while you gain a better sense of clarity and peace of mind. Pranayama (breath work) is the cornerstone of the practice.

ANU...SHTANGA..MUKTI...ASANAAAAA?!

CLASS STYLES DECRYPTEDAlthough “Hatha Yoga” technically encompasses all physical practices of yoga, over time the yoga tree has sprouted many physical variations. YCM welcomes all styles of yoga, so in order to help you find your best fit, we loosely categorize the styles we offer so even if you’re not familiar with the specific tradition or practice, you will have a better sense of what to expect in class. Specific class descriptions are available online.

DROP-IN CLASS SCHEDULE?Our weekly class schedule can be found at www.yogacentermpls.com.By checking the schedule online, you see up-to-date changes and substitute teachers. You can also purchase class passes and reserve your spot in class. If paper is still your preference, pick up a print schedule at either studio or print from our website.


Call or check online for updated session dates. Register online or call 612.436.4700

Absolute Beginner Class (4-week series $50)

The Absolute Beginner Class is for those new to yoga, and meets once each week for 4 weeks. This class will provide you with the tools to get started: yoga classes, fundamentals of yoga asana (poses), pranayama (breath work), and answers to your questions on the various forms of yoga or your personal practice. Whether you are coming to get in better physical condition or simply stop the chaos of your mind, there is a style of yoga that is right for you. Therefore, at the end of the four-week series, you will have the opportunity to consult with your instructor about your personal goals and choose the next yoga class(es) that will move you toward these goals.

Mondays 11:15am - 12:15pm SLP Studio (1/9-1/30) (2/6-2/27) (3/5-3/26) Amanda WhisnerMondays 7:30 - 8:45pm SLP Studio (1/2-1/23) (1/30-2/20) (2/27-3/19) Amanda WhisnerTuesdays 7:30 - 8:45pm MPLS Studio (1/3-1/24) (1/31-2/21) (2/28-3/20) Deirdre MurnaneWednesdays 8:00 - 9:15am SLP Studio (1/11-2/1) (2/8-2/29) (3/7-3/28) Laura LundThursdays 6:15 - 7:20pm SLP Studio (1/5-1/26) (2/2-2/23) (3/1-3/22) Laura LundSaturday 9:30 - 10:30am MPLS Studio (1/7-2/4) (2/11-3/10) (3/17-4/7) Amanda Whisner Sundays 4:00 - 5:00pm SLP Studio (1/8-1/29) (2/5-2/26) (3/4-3/25) Tara C. Sherman

Beginning Hatha Yoga (6-week series $96 ~ *$90 if just completed 4-week Abs. Beg Class)

This 6-week class is for all beginners and anyone wishing to deepen their foundational knowledge of Hatha Yoga. Each class will help you to develop a safe understanding of basic yoga postures, their benefits and help you build confidence to move to the next level. Cost for six-week session: $90, or $85 for all students who have completed the Absolute Beginner Series. Mondays 6:15 - 7:20pm MPLS Studio (1/9-2/13) (2/20-3/26) Jennifer Davis Thursdays 7:30 - 8:45pm SLP Studio (1/5-2/9) (2/16-3/22) Laura LundSundays 11:30am - 12:45pm MPLS Studio (1/8-2/19) (2/26-4/15) Deirdre Murnane

Beginning Vinyasa Yoga (6-week series $96 ~ *$90 if just completed 4-week Abs. Beg Class)

If you love the idea of a flowing, moving, yoga practice, this six-week session is for you! Classes will start with the fundamental ideas of linking breath and movement, developing awareness of Ujjayi Pranayama and other breathwork. We will go in-depth with the core poses of Surya Namaskara - the traditional Ashtanga sequencing, as well as other variations of Sun Salutations, and learn modifications for the different poses. In the following weeks we will learn how to move through standing and seated sequences, focusing on the alignment and technique needed to safely practice Vinyasa styles of yoga. Upon completion of the workshop, students will feel confident to attend mixed level Vinyasa classes and be able to work within their own limitations and potential. Mondays 6:00 - 7:15pm SLP Studio See web for dates Amanda WhisnerSundays 4:00 - 5:15pm SLP Studio See web for dates Naomi Hollingsworth

Beginning Big A#%! Yoga (6-week series $96 ~ *$90 if just completed 4-week Abs. Beg Class) This fun, challenging, and inspiring class is designed especially for bigger women and men who want to begin yoga but want to do it in a setting where everyone is similar in size and shape. Instructor and YCM owner Jennifer Gray (a Big A#%!™ graduate herself) and others will help all students find yoga poses that work for their current body type and create a beneficial yoga practice for all. In this class you will create a body mind connection, learn yoga poses that strengthen and tone, gain trust and find enjoyment in moving your body, and laugh and have fun!! Big A#%!™ yoga does not focus on losing weight and how you should look. This class strives to help you build self-trust and learn to reconnect and enjoy your body again. We call it Big A#%!™ Yoga so that everyone knows they are coming to a place where they can laugh and be comfortable with who they are. Any other name just wouldn’t be as fun! See web for more details and a note on physical limitations. Cost for 6-week session: $90, or $85 for those who have completed the Absolute Beginner Series.

Wednesdays 11:15am- 12:30pm SLP Studio (1/4-2/8) (2/15-3/21) (3/28-5/2) Steph Narveson Saturdays 10:30 - 11:45am MPLS Studio (1/7-2/18) (2/25-4/7) Celia McCoy

BEGINNING YOGA CLASSESIf classes are not full, drop-ins may be allowed (excluding

Absolute Beginner Classes). Call the studio to check availability.


Yoga for Men (6-week series $96) Calling all men! Have you been curious about yoga, but don’t know where to start? Or are you avoiding yoga classes, feeling intimidated by visions of studios full of super-flexible yogis who have been practicing for a lifetime? Well, here is an opportunity to discover what this grow-ing tradition is all about, one that was in fact, originally created and practiced exclusively by men for hundreds of years. Yoga is a journey that can indeed last a lifetime, but every student must start at the beginning, no matter when that happens. Join us for an introductory class for men of all ages in the basics of a traditional yoga practice. The emphasis will be upon basic physical postures and breathing. We will also address other aspects of Patanjali’s eight limbs of yoga, including self-discipline, relationships, and inner focus. Yoga students will gain body awareness, self-control, flexibility, and coordination as well as improved concentration and more energy. Tuesdays 7:30-8:45pm SLP Studio (2/21 - 3/27) (1/3 - 2/7) Joe Polach

Beginning Anusara (6-week series $96 ~ *$90 if just completed 4-week ABC)

For the beginning Anusara student- come learn in the style of Anusara yoga. Anusara means to flow with Grace or to follow your heart. Developed in 1997, by John Friend, Anusara Yoga is the fastest growing school of yoga in America. Fun, uplifting and playful this yoga uses Universal Principles of Alignment to joyfully unite body, mind and spirit. Tuesdays 10:45-11:55am SLP Studio (1/24 - 2/28) Chris Gordon

Morning Meditation (8-week series $100)

The purpose of meditation is to help calm the mind and release attachments that cause suffering. This brings clarity and balance to the mind in the way yoga balances the body. This is a 4-week class that meets twice a week, and will focus on a specific theme every month. We will practice techniques in breathing and visualization that can help clear the mind. We will also pactice silent meditation for 20-30 minutes fol-lowed by a brief chant. Tues & Thurs 7:00-7:45am SLP Studio (1/5-1/31) (2/2-2/28) (3/1-3/27) Laura Lund

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Come prepared for class:If you are new to the Yoga Center of Minneapolis, • please arrive 15 min early to fill out a New Student FormWear comfortable clothing to stretch easily.• Yoga is best practiced with bare feet and on an empty stomach. (Avoid eating 1-2 hours beforehand.)• Avoid wearing perfumes, colognes, etc. or smoking cigarettes before class.• We encourage students to bring their own yoga mats, but we do provide free loaner mats and props (also available • for purchase at either studio).Inform your instructor if you have injuries, are pregnant, or have any medical conditions that may require • caution.Silence cell phones while at the studio. (You may leave your cell phone with the desk attendant if•

you are expecting an important call.)

212 3rd Ave. N. - Suite 205Minneapolis, MN 55401

FREE PARKING on NON-TWINS GAME DAYS: M-F before 8am or after 4pm, and weekends.

Colonial Warehouse Lot is located behind the building and accessed from Washington Ave.

Street meters available ($.50/hr -$1.00/hr.)

4200 Minnetonka Blvd.St. Louis Park, MN 55416

Located between Hwy 100 and Lake Calhoun on Minnetonka Blvd. FREE PARKING in the lot behind the studio and on the street.

SLP STUDIOMPLS STUDIO

Register online, or if you are unsure which class is appropriate, call us at 612.436.4700.


JANUARY Workshops & SeriesSee web for updates. Register online or call 612.436.4700. Workshop Discount: Purchase a package of 3 two-hour or 3 three-hour workshops and receive $15 off. Workshop credits remain on your account until you decide to use them!

Ganesh and New Beginnings for 2012 with Tara Cindy Sherman Location: St. Louis ParkSun Date: 1/1/2012 From: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PMNow is the time to look ahead and put into motion what changes you would like to create in 2012. The yogic term for a resolution is sankalpa, which is an affirmation, intention, and resolve all rolled into one. Invoking the archetypal energies of Ganesh is a powerful tool for manifesting your intentions. Ganesh is know as remover of obstacles, blesser of new beginnings, and relates to the earth mother which helps us stay rooted, grounded, and open to having all our needs met. Build energy to commit to the present, which absolves the past and reverberates into the future. See web for full description of activities. Cost $40

Morning Meditation (4-week series) with Laura Lund Location: St. Louis ParkTues & Thurs 1/5 - 1/31/2012 From: 7:00 AM - 7:45 AMThe purpose of meditation is to help calm the mind and release attachments that cause suffering. This brings clarity and balance to the mind in the way yoga balances the body.This is a 4-week class that meets twice a week, and will focus a specific theme every month. We will practice techniques in breathing and visualization that can help clear the mind. We will also practice silent meditation for 20-30 minutes followed by a brief chant. Cost: $110 for 8 classes.

Kundalini Yoga Intensive (4-week series) with Nicole Nardone Location: St. Louis ParkThu Date: 1/5/2012 - 1/26/2012 From: 7:30 PM - 8:45 PMA four-week series open to new & old students of Kundalini Yoga. We’ll cover the basics of this practice over the course of four weeks, and also delve into the deeper philosophy, techniques, and benefits of this beautiful practice: “Kundalini Yoga can help relieve stress, anxiety, depression, insomnia, back pain, past trauma and current drama!” It blends dynamic movement with held postures, breath techniques, deep relaxation, meditation, mudras (hand positions), and mantras (chanting). Expect fun surprises in Kundalini Yoga class as sets vary and can contain everything from aerobic, strength-training to singing and dancing to quiet, introspective meditation. Often called the “yoga of awareness”, it encourages self-acceptance whatever your fitness level. Kundalini yoga is fun and incredibly efficient, challenging yet “doable” for practically everyone! It can be used to break through old patterns, elevate the spirit, increase endurance, cleanse the mind, heal the body, and increase energy. No experience necessary. Cost: $64

Bringing True Presence to Your Practice with Deirdre Murnane Location: St. Louis ParkFri Date: 1/6/2012 From: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PMWhat does it mean to be truly present? How does the practice of yoga help me find presence? Why is it that some days I have that blissful feeling after class and some days I don’t? How can I learn to be more present with myself and others? In this workshop we will address these questions with the help of the teachings of Eckhart Tolle, Thich Nhat Hanh, Adyashanti, Arjuna Ardagh and Rick Hanson. Through discussion, mental exercises, yoga and guided meditation you can discover your true Self, deepen your practice and be happier and more productive in life. Cost: $40


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Asana-Kicker! A Vinyasa Workshop with Moya Mathews Location: MPLSSat Date: 1/7/2012 From: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PMDo NOT miss this opportunity to experience a free-wheelin’, high energy, extended vinyasa class, full of fun poses, old favorites, and new challenges. This two hour workshop will include at minimum 90-minutes of active vinyasa flow, with plenty of opportunities to twist, balance, float, invert, bind, and basically tap into your whole arsenal of asana favorites. Followed by a sweet series of yin/restorative poses, and a well deserved savasana. Grab your mat, your towel (it’s gonna get a little warm...!) and head to our gem of a studio in downtown Minneapolis. You need at least a year of asana practice to attend this workshop. Cost: $40

JAI Prenatal Yoga for Birthing for moms and their birth partners! with Jennifer Gray Location: MPLSSat Date: 1/7/2012 From: 1:00 PM - 4:00 PMDuring this fun and interactive workshop with founder of JAI Prenatal Yoga, Jennifer Gray, couples will learn a variety of yoga based coping techniques for labor and delivery. See ‘JAI Crib’ on p.23 for full description. Cost: $90 per couple.

Meditation 101 with Tara Cindy Sherman Location: St. Louis ParkSat Date: 1/7/2012 From: 1:30 PM - 3:30 PMDon’t know how to meditate or need some help getting started? The benefits of having a meditation practice are many, and doctors, psychologists, and healthcare professionals are learning that meditators live healthier, happier lives. Why? Meditation is a way of slowing down and can create a sense of peace and inner harmony. When you move into a state of meditation, your heart rate decreases and your body relaxes. Your brain waves alter and move from the normal waking wave patterns to slower, deeper waves, reflecting the deep state of relaxation of the mind. Emotionally, meditation brings calm and serenity if practiced regularly. Psychologically the benefits can be tremendous, bringing an increased ability to concentrate and hold a focus. Spiritually, meditation is the path to enlightenment, connecting with your higher self and your soul. Cost: $40

Yama Creation Workshopwith Theresa Hutch Location: St. Louis ParkSat Date: 1/7/2012 From: 1:30 PM - 3:30 PMThis workshop is designed for people wanting to internalize some of the teachings from Patanjali’s Sutras, specifically the 5 Yamas (“right living” or ethical rules). It is designed for students in the yoga teacher training, current teachers and current yogis of all levels who are interested in taking your yoga practice off of your mat and into your creative hands.According to Patanjali, the 5 Yamas are: Ahimsa (non-violence), Satya (truth in word/thought), Asteya (non-stealing), Brahmacharya (abstinence, celibacy, fidelity), and Aparigraha (absence of greed). We will be working with a variety of media. Art materials will be provided, including: watercolor, watercolor pencils, hand-made paper, and a variety of materials, but you may also bring your own supplies. You will create your own personal symbols for each of the 5 Yamas and walk away with your beautiful design that you can use in your own practice or in your classroom. All artistic levels welcome! Cost: $40

Chakras & Asanas: Muladhara and Svadhisthana with Holly Schramm Location: St. Louis ParkSun Date: 1/8/2012 From: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PMWhat’s a Chakra? Ever wonder? Broaden your life experience and expand your “self” study when you join Holly Schramm for an introduction to your energetic body (the chakra system). Learn about the various elements and move through supporting asana of the root chakra “Muladhara” and your creative center “Svadhisthana”. This is one of a three part series on the Chakra System. Come for one or all. Cost: $40 (Or purchase a 3-workshop package for three Chakras & Asanas workshops for $105)

Teacher Training: Informational Open Houses 230 Hour Yoga Study/Teacher Training: 5:30-7:00 PMAdvanced (500 Hour) Teacher Training Program: 7:00-8:00 PMSun Date: 1/8/2012 Location: MPLSCome to these fun and free informational session to learn about our 230-hour teacher training program and our advanced training program! Q & A session with Jennifer Gray, founder and director of the Yoga Center of Minneapolis. Free parking behind the building. 230-hour program is open to all. Advanced program is for those who have already completed a 200+ hour training.

Intro to Inversions (4-week series) with Moya Mathews Location: St. Louis ParkTue Date: 1/10/2012 - 1/31/2012 From: 7:30 PM - 8:45 PMDo you always opt out of inversions in a class? Ever find yourself quaking at the prospect of attempting a handstand, and giving up after a few tries? Sometimes in a regular class we miss the opportunity to turn our worlds upside down - and experience all the benefits of inverting - whether through fear or inexperience. In this four week session, you will learn the anatomy, alignment, and prep you need to work toward, and sustain, poses like headstand and handstand. Plenty of warm-ups, plenty of practice time, and plenty of grounding and restoring will help boost your skill and confidence to safely add these upside-down asana to your repertoire. At least one year of yoga practice recommended. Consult teacher beforehand with any medical concerns. Cost: $64

Personal Practice Development Series™ (4-week series)with Michelle Pietrzak-Wegner Location: St. Louis ParkWed Date: 1/11/2012 - 2/1/2012 From: 6:00 PM - 7:15 PMWhether you enjoy practicing at home or in your favorite class, this four-week journey will add depth and meaning to your yoga practice on and off the mat. The four-week session is limited to ten students who are ready to explore the challenges surrounding their yoga practice. The instructor will help each student identify their limitations while also recognizing and developing their strengths. In-class practice will be supplemented by weekly take-home assignments for contemplation and practice. This series is highly recommended for all Yoga Study students and anyone who has practiced yoga for at least six months and is ready to deepen their yoga practice. Cost: $100

Beginning Aerial Yoga (4-week series) with Becky Stella Location: St. Louis ParkWed Date: 1/11/2012 - 2/1/2012 From: 7:30 PM - 8:45 PMUnnata® Aerial Yoga combines traditional mat yoga while practicing select postures suspended in a soft, fabric sling. Explore poses without compression of the joints and spine using gravity and the support of the fabric at your own level of comfort. No aerial experience necessary, but yoga experience requested. Please wear sleeves that fully cover your underarms and no jewelry or metal clothing that might snag the fabric If you have medical issues that prevent you from inverting (glaucoma, heart condition, etc) or spinal injuries, please contact the studio to speak to the instructor before registering. Cost: $100

Yoga and ‘The Artist’s Way’ Serieswith Thea Jensen Location: MPLS4 Fridays: 1/13, 2/10, 3/9, 4/6 From: 6-9 PMIn this workshop we will combine the art of yoga with ‘The Artists Way’, a book by Julia Cameron, that is intended to teach people to process and transform life through acts of creativity. Recover

JANUARY Workshops & SeriesSee web for updates. Register online or call 612.436.4700. Workshop Discount: Purchase a package of 3 two-hour or 3 three-hour workshops and receive $15 off. Workshop credits remain on your account until you decide to use them!


your creativity from a variety of potential “blocks,” replacing them with artistic confidence and productivity. Practice linking creativity with spirituality through a variety of exercises that spur the imagination. See web for full description. Cost: $200

Letting Go with Monique Maxwell Location: St. Louis ParkSat Date: 1/14/2012 From: 1:00 PM - 4:00 PMHuman beings are funny creatures, fragile creatures. Most of us have a handful of habits, or attachments - “rabbit pellets” - that we carry around and protect like mad. If anybody tries to take them away we get ANGRY because we think we are defined by our pellets. We don’t understand that often in the giving up we make room for real treasure, for truth; we know “rabbit pellets”, but we don’t recognize “gold”, and we’re afraid of making a change. Monique Maxwell invites you to practice Mi-An Yoga, a practice dedicated to the development of creating a perfect balance between body and mind. Through the art of words, the telling of stories, laughter, and the discipline of “let’s try again,” she will encourage you through a yoga practice seeding wisdom within that helps you create change. Cost: $55

Kundalini Yoga to Clear Karma with Nicole Nardone Location: St. Louis ParkSat Date: 1/14/2012 From: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PMStuck in a rut? Ready for change? Yogis often refer to “karma” as those lessons or mistakes we seem to make over and over again, the same holes in the road you seem to fall in even when you think you’re on a different street! In this workshop, we’ll practice a powerful Kundalini Yoga set (postures, movement, and breath) and end with a grand finale meditation to clear karma from your body and energy system. Come ready to embrace a new you! No prior Kundalini Yoga experience necessary. All levels welcome. Cost: $40

Yoga on the Slackline with Linda Rae Holcomb Location: MPLSSat Date: 1/14/2012 From: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PMwith YogaSlackers Sam Salwei & Dan Norgard & Assistant Slacker-in-Training Linda Rae HolcombThe easy way to describe Yoga on the Slackline would be to say it’s like yoga on a tightrope. Slackline yoga (or Slackasana) has been described as “distilling the art of yogic concentration”. The YogaSlackers have developed a new style of yoga that is practiced on a line, a 1” piece of webbing, tensioned between two trees or anchor points about 3 feet off the ground. Although it is challenging at first, the rewards are truly incredible! In this 2-hour workshop we will play and experience yoga on the slackline. You will learn basic poses to practice on and off the line, learn how to fall, how to breathe & use your Drishti (your gaze or focus) for balance. Cost: $40

Center of Balance with Naomi Hollingsworth Location: St. Louis ParkSat Date: 1/14/2012 From: 1:30 PM - 3:30 PMSome days we are better balanced then other days and our yoga practice can definitely make us aware of those not-so-balanced days. Yoga can also cultivate more awareness and strengths in balance. Come and be playful as you find your center of balance and realize your strengths as we work to break down the steps to move safely into a number of different postures that require you to locate a new center of balance within the body. We will play with arm balances, one-legged balances and even a few upside down and sideways balances. Some yoga experience helpful, playfulness required. Cost: $40

Family Yoga with Angela Wethor Location: St. Louis ParkSat Date: 1/14/2012 From: 3:00 PM - 3:45 PMYoga for kids is a time of building strength, imagination and concentration. For children of all stages of life, teaching them to calm and connect to their centers enhances contentment, emotional balance and love. From silly, wild dances, deep breathing, drumming, crafting, and singing at the top of their lungs, to quiet time and storytelling, this class offers children and families a life-long practice and discipline. Cost: $17 for 1 adult 1 child, $7 per extra person

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Devotional Gathering with Jennifer Gray Location: St. Louis ParkSun Date: 1/15/2012 From: 10:30 AM - 11:30 AMNew! Come to this inspirational, non-denominational, community gathering and set the tone for your week to come. Join Jennifer Gray for an hour of mantra, dharma talk, and bhakti yoga - the practice of devotion. To start your day with asana, consider attending Tantra with Jennifer at 9am and stay for the gathering, or arrive at 10:30 with an open mind and an open heart. This class is donation only, upon arrival. Please register in advance if possible!If you own a meditation shawl, and/or mala beads, please do bring them along.

Infant Massage Classeswith Kristin Wilk Location: St. Louis ParkSun Date: 1/15 & 1/22 From: 12:30 PM - 1:30 PMFor infants ages birth to six months. The focus of this workshop is to teach loving parents an entire massage that can enhance physical growth as well as relieve colic symptoms and encourage good sleep patterns. Cost: $40 for both classes. Price is for one adult and one baby - additional adult is $15. See ‘JAI Crib’ on p.23 for full description.

Developing a Personal Yoga Practice for a Relaxed Life (4-Wk PPD™) with Naomi Hollingsworth Location: St. Louis ParkSun Date: 1/15/2012 - 2/5/2012 From: 7:00 PM - 8:15 PMLife is busy. Life keeps right on moving and sometimes you can get swept away and before you know it, it has been a month since you stepped on your yoga mat. Or perhaps you have been attending your weekly/daily yoga class and it seems like the only hour in your busy life that you actually get to spend taking care of yourself. It can be hard to find the time to develop a personal yoga practice outside of the classroom. In this 4-week session, you will look at how to integrate some of the greatest tools used in yoga into your daily routines. You will learn pranayama, meditation, mudra, asana, mantra and reflection techniques to identify ways to help you lower your stress and enjoy life in each moment. Yoga Study students may apply their 6-pass/PPD credit toward this series. Cost: $100

Continuing/Advanced Aerial Yoga (6-week series) with Becky Stella Location: St. Louis ParkMon Date: 1/16/2012 - 2/20/2012 From: 7:30 PM - 8:45 PMPrerequisite: 4-week Aerial series (or 4+ aerial yoga classes/workshops) It’s finally here! Cont/Adv Aerial is for everyone who wants to continue their aerial practice beyond the basic 4-series. We’ll continue learning new poses and incorporate pranayama to ease in to the subtleties of familiar poses. Becky will offer suggestions for modifying each student’s asana based on personal needs. Cost: $96

Intro to Aerial Yoga with Becky Stella Location: St. Louis ParkSat Date: 1/21/2012 From: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PMCome hang out! Unnata® Aerial Yoga combines traditional mat yoga while practicing select postures suspended in a soft, fabric sling a few feet off the ground. With the help of gravity and the fabric, we can practice poses without compression of the joints and spine. Please wear sleeves that fully cover your underarms and no jewelry or metal clothing that might snag the fabric If you have medical issues that prevent you from inverting (glaucoma, heart condition, etc) or spinal injuries, please contact the studio to speak to the instructor before registering. Cost $40

JANUARY Workshops & Series See web for updates. Register online or call 612.436.4700. Workshop Discount: Purchase a package of 3 two-hour or 3 three-hour workshops and receive $15 off. Workshop credits remain on your account until you decide to use them!


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Backbends, A Survey of Heart-Opening Asana with Moya Mathews Location: St. Louis ParkSat Date: 1/21/2012 From: 1:30 PM - 3:30 PMFrom Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana) to Upward-Facing Dog (Urdhvamukhasvanasana), to standing balances like Dancer’s Pose (Natarajasana), backbends are often sprinkled throughout our asana practices. Alignment and proper sequencing are fundamental keys to fully experience the energizing potential of such poses. Whether you are flummoxed by Bow Pose (Dhanurasana) or have your head on your toes in Camel (Ustrasana), come learn the safe way to progress or modify these heart expanding day brighteners. Cost: $40

Winter Rejuvenation with Coleen Elwood Location: MPLSSat Date: 1/21/2012 From: 3:30 PM - 6:30 PMWinter is a time in which the Inner light is kindled in spite of outer darkness. A time to connect to the feminine energies of creativity & intuition. A time to awaken to the higher self. Purify, rejuvenate & meditate with this luxurious 3 hour yoga workshop. A 2 hour gentle, meditative practice includes mudra, mantra, visualization, gentle movement & restorative yoga postures to kindle the inner light. An hour of breathwork, self acupressure facial & foot massage replenish and rejuvenate. Peppermint lotion for your feet and chilled cucumbers for your eyes enhance this delicious spa-like experience. Awaken to the forces of nature and embrace this time of stillness. All levels welcome. Cost $55

Intro Workshop - Yoga for Men with Joe Polach Location: St. Louis ParkSun Date: 1/22/2012 From: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PMCalling all men! Are you avoiding yoga classes, feeling intimidated by visions of studios full of super-flexible yogis that have been practicing for a lifetime? Well, here is an opportunity to discover what this growing tradition is all about, one that was in fact, originally created and practiced exclusively by men for hundreds of years. Yoga is a journey that can indeed last a lifetime, but every student must start at the beginning, no matter when that happens. Join us for an introductory workshop for men of all ages in the basics of a traditional yoga practice. The emphasis will be upon learning basics of a physical yoga practice, class etiquette, as well as some discussion of philosophy. Cost: $40

Beginning Anusara (6-week series) with Chris Gordon Location: St. Louis ParkTue Date: 1/24/2012 - 2/28/2012 From: 10:45 AM - 11:55 AMFor the beginning Anusara student- come learn in the style of Anusara yoga. Anusara means to flow with Grace or to follow your heart. Developed in 1997, by John Friend, Anusara Yoga is the fastest growing school of yoga in America. Fun, uplifting and seriously playful this yoga uses Universal Principles of Alignment to joyfully unite body, mind and spirit. All levels - all hearts - warmly welcomed. Cost: $96

Yoga Lounge with Thea Jensen Location: MPLSFri Date: 1/27/2012 From: 6:15 PM - 8:15 PMIt’s the new year, and it’s cold. Start your weekend right with a fun, warming and active 75 minute yoga practice, a live DJ, and end with a glass of wine or beer before you hit the town. Level 2+. You must be 21 years old or older to attend. Please be prepared to show I.D. Cost: $40

Peace Medicine Continuing/Advanced (6-week series) with Coleen Elwood Location: St. Louis ParkSat Date: 1/28/2012 - 3/3/2012 From: 10:30 AM - 11:55 AMA continuing series for students to put into practice tools and techniques explored in the 4 week intensive. Deepen your ability to ground, protect, distill, cleanse and replenish. A unique blend of ancient wisdoms ( yogic and shamanic) with modern day applications to deepen your connection to nature, your spirit and your community. Earth-based, soul-centered practices and support for the changing consciousness. Cost: $120


Thai Bodywork for Yoga Teachers - Level 1 with Angie Viehman Location: MPLSSat Date: 1/28/2012 From: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PMIn this workshop you’ll learn how to fold the ancient art of Thai Bodywork/Massage into your yoga classes and private sessions. Thai Bodywork helps to create space and balance energy in the body using assisted stretching, acupressure and muscle manipulation. These techniques will allow your students to explore the full depths of their asana practice. Continue to build your adjustment vocabulary, examine alignment from a different lens and learn how to give a little extra love to your students in Savasana. No previous massage experience necessary. Cost: $40 or $75 for Levels 1 and 2.

Balance Through the Tao with Michelle Pietrzak-Wegner Location: St. Louis ParkSat Date: 1/28/2012 From: 1:00 PM - 4:00 PMBalancing Movement, Nutrition, and Lifestyle. Life is a balancing act. Balance in all that we do requires mindfulness. Mindfulness in yoga. Mindfulness in eating. Mindfulness in life’s choices. The patterns of nature and the natural cycles of life can act as our simple guide if we learn to watch and listen. Join Michelle Pietrzak-Wegner, Certified Yoga Therapist and Instructor along with Chris Pietrzak-Wegner, Certified Metabolic Typing Advisor and Holistic Lifestyle Coach in a workshop that combines yoga, meditation, nutritional education and discussion through the lens of the Tao. The Taoist emphasis will be on guiding the individual to find their way to their own path of balance. Cost: $55

Yoga Psychotherapy to Maintain New Year’s Resolutions with Rachel Allyn Location: St. Louis ParkSun Date: 1/29/2012 From: 1:30 PM - 3:30 PMEver wonder why your New Year’s resolutions fade away? This workshop blends psychological research, yoga, and cognitive therapy to unravel the reasons we lose motivation and will power. Through the combination of discussion and movement we will set free the cycles that trap us in old patterns interfering with our goals. Learn tips for making lasting changes through the integration of psychology, yoga, breathing, discussion, and life coaching. Cost: $40

Morning Meditation with Laura Lund Location: St. Louis ParkTue & Thurs: 2/2 - 2/28/2012 From: 7:00 AM - 7:45 AMSee p.7 for description. Cost: $110 for 8 classes.

Drumming and Percussion Workshop with Paul Cherba Location: MPLSFri Date: 2/3/2012 From: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PMDrums and musicians and a super fun night of learning to play! Check online for more details. Cost: $40

Detox Workshop with Jennifer Davis Location: MPLSSat Date: 2/4/2012 From: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PMWithout proper release of toxins, good nourishment and well being, we prevent ourselves from being able to experience our full capacity to grow and bloom, even during the chilly months of Winter. Join Jenn to breathe, move, sweat and stretch. Work through

JAN-FEB Workshops & Series See web for updates. Register online or call 612.436.4700. Workshop Discount: Purchase a package of 3 two-hour or 3 three-hour workshops and receive $15 off. Workshop credits remain on your account until you decide to use them!

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and release toxins from the entire system. We will start slow and continue to build heat in the body. As we warm up and increase our flexibility, we will have to option to move even deeper in our practice, releasing stored toxins, we will then wind down and end with a deep relaxation. Leave feeling light, refreshed and renewed. Cost: $40

Aerial Yoga: Hips & Shoulders with Becky Stella Location: St. Louis ParkSat Date: 2/4/2012 From: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PMThe patience required to open hips and shoulders in your mat practice is difficult to cultivate, thus we often ‘crank’ on these complex joint structures with little to show for it. Enter aerial yoga: Use gravity, the sling, and breath to gently coax open hips and shoulders. Deepen your understanding of the challenges facing your right and left sides and discover what else in the body may be holding them back. Cost: $40

Yoga Tools for Inner Listening with Michelle Pietrzak-Wegner Location: St. Louis ParkSat Date: 2/4/2012 From: 1:30 PM - 3:30 PMWhat you are seeking may be INSIDE of you? Learn to listen. Using tools steeped in yoga therapy, Michelle Pietrzak-Wegner, Certified Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapist, will guide a experiential class in discovering the inner you. Through meditation, asana, partner work, and discussion, participants will experience ways in which yoga and listening to their body, thoughts, and emotions can give them insights on leading a fulfilling and meaningful life. Cost: $40

Hips and Hamstrings with Ted Roseen Location: St. Louis ParkSat Date: 2/4/2012 From: 1:30 PM - 3:30 PMJoin our resident distance athlete and yogi, Ted Roseen, in a workshops sure to leave you feeling open and stabilized and strong. Whether you stick with asana, or mix it up with running, skiing, or walking, your hips and hamstrings play a vital role in how you move your body. They affect your practice in nearly every pose. They restrict you if they are tight, and don’t provide enough challenge if you are extra loose. We will work with modifications for all body types as we learn how to stretch safely and actively release tension in this flowing 2 hour practice. Come with your questions and pose requests! Cost: $40

Beginning Aerial Yoga (4-week series)with Becky Stella Location: St. Louis ParkSun Date: 2/5/2012 - 2/26/2012 From: 4:00 PM - 5:15 PMCome hang out! Unnata® Aerial Yoga combines traditional mat yoga while practicing select postures suspended in a soft, fabric sling. See p.9 for full description. Cost: $100

4-Week Intro to Yin Yoga with Michelle Pietrzak-Wegner Location: St. Louis ParkWed Date: 2/8/2012 - 2/29/2012 From: 6:00 PM - 7:15 PMEnter a quieter deeper practice. Yin Yoga is named due to it’s correspondence to the Taoist concept of “Yin and Yang”. Much of our lives are filled with the fast pace, fiery, and heat filled energy of Yang, including our regular yoga practices of vinyasa, power, and hot yoga. It is important to find a balance in our lives. We cannot have hot without cool; there cannot be light without darkness. Yin Yoga is a slower, quieter, deeper yoga that works to open up deep, dense, rarely touched areas of the body. It looks to stretch the connective tissues/joints rather than conditioning the muscles. This practice involves passive asanas held for several minutes allowing the practitioner to develop patience and to move into a deeper quietness. Yin Yoga is available to anyone practicing yoga at any level. Cost: $64

Intro to Big A#%!™ Yoga with Celia McCoy Location: MPLSSat Date: 2/11/2012 From: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PMSo what exactly is Big A#%!™ Yoga anyway? Big A#%!™ yoga does not focus on losing weight and how you should look. This class strives to help you to building self-trust and learn to reconnect and enjoy your body again. Through this transformation the rest will follow suit as you wish and anything is possible. We call it Big A#%!™ yoga so that everyone knows they are coming to a place where they can laugh and be comfortable with who they are. Any other name just wouldn’t be as fun! Anyone who feels they are out of shape, plus size and simply just wants to be a yoga class with those who are in the same boat is welcome. This workshop will introduce you to the philosophy of the program and will include asana, so dress prepared to move, listen, and have fun! All levels welcome. Cost: $40

Yoga and Your Core with Naomi Hollingsworth Location: St. Louis ParkSat Date: 2/11/2012 From: 1:30 PM - 3:30 PMCome and learn about the many layers of the core and center of the body, both its physical layers and energetic qualities. We will explore how to safely and effectively access the different layers of your core support muscles of the body from the front, the sides, the back and internally. We will also look into and experience how accessing this area of the body can challenge our self esteem and tap into our will power and personal strength. Cost: $40

Partner Workshop: Yoga and Acupressure for Stress Reduction with Moya M. and Jennifer J. Location: St. Louis ParkSat Date: 2/11/2012 From: 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM See Description online. Cost: $60 for 2 people

Family Yoga with Angela Wethor Location: St. Louis ParkSat Date: 2/11/2012 From: 3:00 PM - 3:45 PMSee description on p.10. Cost: $17 for 1 adult 1 child, $7 per additional person

Devotional Gathering with Jennifer Gray Location: St. Louis ParkSun Date: 2/12/2012 From: 10:30 AM - 11:30 AMCome to this inspirational, non-denominational, community gathering and set the tone for your week to come with an hour of mantra, dharma talk, and bhakti yoga - the practice of devotion. This class is donation only, upon arrival. Register in advance online if possible. If you own a meditation shawl, and/or mala beads, please bring them along. See p.11 for full description.

Kundalini Yoga and Love with Nicole Nardone Location: St. Louis ParkSun Date: 2/12/2012 From: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM“Open your heart!” We’ve all heard that before, but what does it really mean to have an open heart? In this workshop, we’ll explore the heart center from an experiential perspective. Learn what an open heart feels like, from the inside out. Physically, an open heart center can feel like a lightness in the chest, lack of pain or constriction, and ease of breath. Other effects include deep self love,

FEBRUARY Workshops & SeriesSee web for updates. Register online or call 612.436.4700. Workshop Discount: Purchase a package of 3 two-hour or 3 three-hour workshops and receive $15 off. Workshop credits remain on your account until you decide to use them!



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compassion, connectedness, and fulfilling relationships. Come ready to melt those walls that keep you from experiencing the infinite amount of love available to you! No prior Kundalini Yoga experience necessary. Cost: $40

Feel the Love! Valentine’s Partner Yoga Workshops with Holly Schramm Location: MPLSSun Date: 2/12/2012 From: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PMTue Date: 2/14/2012 From: 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM“Feel the Love” with partner yoga, chocolate and wine! This workshop is for everyone. Bring someone you care about (significant other, sibling, parent, or friend) and want to have some fun with, doing partner yoga and meditation. This workshop would only be complete with some delectable chocolate and the option to taste some of Holly’s fav red wines. All levels welcome. Warm up and feel the love! Cost: $85 per couple

Thai Bodywork for Teachers - Level 2with Angie Viehman Location: MPLSSat Date: 2/18/2012 From: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PMIn this workshop we’ll build on the techniques learned in level 1 to further integrate the ancient art of Thai Bodywork/Massage into your yoga classes and private sessions. Completion of Level 1 is not required to participate in Level 2. Thai Bodywork helps to create space and balance energy in the body using assisted stretching, acupressure and muscle manipulation Continue to build your adjustment vocabulary, examine alignment from a different lens and learn how to give a little extra love to your students in Savasana. No previous massage experience necessary. Cost: $40

Advanced Asana: Arm-Balances! with Moya Mathews Location: St. Louis ParkSat Date: 2/18/2012 From: 1:30 PM - 3:30 PMYou’ve heard of them, you’ve maybe seen someone do one out of the corner of your eye during class...now is your time to attempt the poses yourself. From Side Crow (parsva bakasana) to Scorpion (Vrischikasana) to Eight-Angle Pose(!)(Astavakrasana), join Moya as she breaks down these challenging and fun asana. Learn how to incorporate bandhas, find proper alignment, and continue breathing (important - always important to do this) so that you can feel confident integrating arm balances into your yoga practice. Recommended for students with a regular physical practice, but you definitely need not be able to achieve these poses to attend! Cost: $40

Yoga for Depression with Kevin Kortan Location: St. Louis ParkSun Date: 2/19/2012 From: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PMYoga has much to offer the epidemic of depression and anxiety in our modern world. Yet not all yoga methodologies are equally effective when dealing with depression. This workshop will present techniques that are particularly effective when dealing with depression. (The techniques used for anxiety are quite different and will be addressed in future workshops.)Come and learn a well-crafted practice of yoga postures, breathing, relaxation & simple meditative techniques that are specifically designed to alter depressive states in order to create a balance of being both energized and relaxed. These teachings are inspired by Gary Kraftsow and his teacher TKV Desikachar and his father Krishnamacharya. Cost: $40

Chakras & Asanas: Manipura and Anahata Chakras with Holly Schramm Location: St. Louis ParkSun Date: 2/19/2012 From: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PMWhat is so interesting about these chakras? If you are curious about your energetic body and want to learn more about how to tap into your inner power and outer strength, deepen your compassion for yourself and others and find peace within. Join Holly in a two hour workshop to learn about the elements associated with these fascinating chakras and experience an energetic asana practice igniting them. Feel the love! Feel the power! Cost: $40

Infant Massage with Kristin Wilk Location: St. Louis ParkMon Date: 2/20 & 2/27 From: 6:00 PM - 7:00 PMFor infants ages birth to six months. The focus of this workshop is to teach loving parents an entire massage that can enhance physical growth as well as relieve colic symptoms and encourage good sleep patterns. Cost: $40 for both classes. Price is for one adult and one baby - additional adult is $15. See ‘JAI Crib’ on p.23 for full description.

Hip Opening & Backbending: The Perfect Balance with Monique Maxwell Location: MPLSSat Date: 2/25/2012 From: 12:30 PM - 2:30 PMJoin Monique for a Mi-an style workshop that will support your practice on all levels. Whether you’re an Iyengar Practitioner or Ashtanga Practitioner, a beginning student or intermediate, this practice will develop an understanding how back bends and hip openers are one and the same. In this workshop we will move through the perfect balance of back bending and hip opening, each pose will building from the last and creating not only new-found strength but also an insight into the body to help further the practice of yoga. Cost: $40

Calm Mind/Healthy Spine with Camille Gage Location: St. Louis ParkSat Date: 2/25/2012 From: 1:30 PM - 3:30 PMThis workshop is designed for individuals who would like to relieve low back pain and acknowledge the role that stress plays in pain and muscle tension. Calm Mind/Healthy Spine blends carefully selected poses, guided meditation and restorative poses to gently stretch and strengthen the entire back body, build posture awareness, and quiet the mind. Learn how to reduce tension in neck and shoulders; build strength in the lumbar region, and bring awareness to posture – both sitting and standing – which will help you to elongate the spine, reduce compression of the disks and build the core strength needed to sit and stand tall. Cost: $40

Intro to Yoga Nidra - Deep Relaxation with Kevin Kortan Location: St. Louis ParkSat Date: 2/25/2012 From: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PMSee web for full description. Yoga Nidra is an ancient form of yogic meditation. Kevin teaches a modern adaptation of Yoga Nidra, also called iRest®, developed by his main Yoga Nidra teacher, Richard Miller. Yoga Nidra helps you break free of self-limiting patterns, emotions and beliefs so that you may live a contented life, free of conflict, anxiety and suffering. In its ultimate form, Yoga Nidra reveals the secret of enlightenment. This workshop begins with some gentle, mindful movements and segues into the practice of Yoga Nidra. Cost: $40

The Music of Yoga with Linda Rae Holcomb Location: MPLSSat Date: 2/25/2012 From: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PMCome practice yoga and experience the music created by some of the Yoga Community’s greatest musicians!! We will hear songs from a variety of artists and experience how the poses, when combined with music can make your practice deeper and more meaningful. Whether you are a teacher looking for more variety or a student wanting to learn more, this workshop will leave you feeling like you’ve gone a little further on your path. Mostly asana, some meditation, all levels of experience. Each student will leave with a the CD from class. Cost: $40

FEBRUARY Workshops & SeriesSee web for updates. Register online or call 612.436.4700. Workshop Discount: Purchase a package of 3 two-hour or 3 three-hour workshops and receive $15 off. Workshop credits remain on your account until you decide to use them!



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Continuing/Advanced Aerial Yoga (6-week series) with Becky Stella Location: St. Louis ParkMon Date: 2/27 - 4/9 (skip 3/12) From: 7:30 PM - 8:45 PMPrerequisite: 4-week Aerial series (or 4+ aerial yoga classes/workshops) It’s finally here! Cont/Adv Aerial is for everyone who wants to continue their aerial practice beyond the basic 4-series. We’ll continue learning new poses and incorporate pranayama to ease in to the subtleties of familiar poses. Cost: $96

Morning Meditation (4-week series) with Laura Lund Location: St. Louis ParkTues & Thurs 3/1 - 3/27/2012 From: 7:00 AM - 7:45 AMSee p.7 for description. Cost: $110 for 8 classes.

Yoga Nidra (6-week series) with Kevin Kortan Location: MPLSFri Date: 3/2/2012 - 4/6/2012 From: 12:00 PM - 12:45 PMYoga Nidra is an ancient form of yogic meditation. Kevin teaches a modern adaptation of Yoga Nidra, also called iRest®, developed by his main Yoga Nidra teacher, Richard Miller. Yoga Nidra helps you break free of self-limiting patterns, emotions and beliefs so that you may live a contented life, free of conflict, anxiety and suffering. Yoga Nidra induces deep relaxation throughout your entire body and mind and enables you to eliminate stress and resolve personal problems and trauma. Yoga Nidra helps you unravel the mystery of life and answer the questions, “Who am I?” and “What is enlightenment?” See web for full description. Cost: $96 ($5 off for students just completed the Absolute Beginner series)

Manifesting Abundance (4-week series) with Kate Karshna Location: MPLSFri Date: 3/2/2012 - 4/13/2012 From: 7:00 PM - 8:30 PMConnect to the source of your abundance through yoga, meditation, journaling and other creative exercises. Learn how the combination of meditation and intentional baby steps can work wonders in helping you achieve your dreams. Open your consciousness to new possibilities and discover how to create the life you imagine. This workshop will meet for 1.5 hours, every other week, for 4 weeks. Classes will include different forms of asana, pranayama, meditation and journaling. Cost: $100

Foundation of Standing Balances with Moya Mathews Location: St. Louis ParkSat Date: 3/3/2012 From: 1:30 PM - 3:30 PMWe all fall out of our standing poses, it’s a yoga fact! Ever wonder why sometimes you can hang out in Dancer’s Pose for minutes, solid as a rock, and then when you try out Tree Pose you are hopelessly teeter-tottering around on your mat? This workshop will give you the tools to build your balances, from your toes to your crown, using alignment and drishti, and yes, your breath (holding Big Toe Pose doesn’t count if you are also holding your breath!). Cost: $40

Yoga for Your Joints and Glands with Crystal Hanson Location: St. Louis ParkSat Date: 3/3/2012 From: 1:30 PM - 3:30 PMBy increasing the circulation to various parts of our bodies, especially the joints and glands, we begin to re-establish balance and harmony throughout the entire body. This workshop will allow you to practice joint and gland exercises based on those taught by Swami Rama, founder of the Himalayan International Institute. These very gentle exercises will be paired with breathing exercises (pranayama) to be practiced by anyone, no prior Yoga experience necessary. EVERY BODY will benefit. Cost: $40

Family Yoga with Angela Wethor Location: St. Louis ParkSat Date: 3/3/2012 From: 3:00 PM - 3:45 PMSee description on p.10. Cost: $17 for 1 adult + 1 child, $7 per additional person

PPD™: Personal Meditation Development (4-week series)with Tara Cindy Sherman Location: St. Louis ParkSun Date: 3/4/2012 - 3/25/2012 From: 2:30 PM - 3:45 PMWhether you are brand new to meditation, practice occasionally, or have a daily ritual, this 4 week journey will add depth and meaning to your practice on and off the mat. This session is limited to 10 students who are ready to explore the challenges and rewards surrounding a regular meditation practice. Traditional yogic and tantric methods of meditation will be employed. In class participation will be supplemented by weekly take home assignments for contemplation and practice. Cost $100

Kundalini Yoga Intensive (4-week series) with Nicole Nardone Location: St. Louis ParkThu Date: 3/8/2012 - 3/29/2012 From: 7:30 PM - 8:45 PMA four week series open to new & old students of Kundalini Yoga. We’ll cover the basics of this practice over the course of four weeks, and also delve into the deeper philosophy, techniques, and benefits of this beautiful practice. See full description on p.7. Cost: $64

Personal Practice Development Series™ (4-week series)with Monique Maxwell Location: St. Louis ParkSaturdays: 3/10, 3/24, 4/7 4/21. From: 11:30 AM - 12:45 PMThe instructor will help each student identify their limitations while also recognizing and developing their strengths. In-class practice will be supplemented by weekly take-home assignments for contemplation and practice. See p.9 for full description. Cost: $100

Kundalini Yoga and Vitality with Nicole Nardone Location: St. Louis ParkSat Date: 3/10/2012 From: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PMRestore your vital energy system! Feeling down in the dumps, anxious, fatigued, or just want to kick that caffeine habit? This workshop can help you balance your own energy the yogic way. Kundalini Yoga is a powerful energy-based technology that helps strengthen and balance the nervous system while balancing the glands of the body. No prior Kundalini Yoga experience necessary. All levels welcome. Cost: $40

JAI Prenatal Yoga for Birthing for moms and their birth partners! with Jennifer Gray Location: MPLSSat Date: 3/10/2012 From: 1:00 PM - 4:00 PMSee ‘JAI Crib’ on p.23 for full description. Cost: $90 per couple

Head- and Hand-stands with Naomi Hollingsworth Location: St. Louis ParkSat Date: 3/10/2012 From: 1:30 PM - 3:30 PMSalamba Sirsasana (a.k.a. Headstand) is often called the “King of Asanas” because it offers so many benefits for the practitioner. Adho Mukha Vrksasana (a.k.a Handstand or Downward Facing Tree)

MARCH Workshops & SeriesSee web for updates. Register online or call 612.436.4700. Workshop Discount: Purchase a package of 3 two-hour or 3 three-hour workshops and receive $15 off. Workshop credits remain on your account until you decide to use them!



is often called “that pose that I hope to someday learn.” Both of these asanas can be very challenging (and sometimes scary) to learn. In this workshop, you will learn the proper alignment, use of props and modifications, and the use of muscles as well as our bandhas (energy locks) to progress into or towards a safe inversion practice. We will also explore how the legs, hips and shoulders can all help and hinder our inversion practice. Yoga experience required. Cost: $40

Developing Your Intuition (4-week series) with Jennifer Gray Location: St. Louis ParkTue Date: 3/13/2012 - 4/3/2012 From: 7:30 PM - 8:45 PMThis fun and intuitive 4-week workshop will help you to get in touch with your inner voice, begin to find clarity and meaning about your personal life path, help you to understand how to tap into and listen to your intuitive voice and explore your inner knowing. During the workshop we will cover the different ways of knowing, learn more about the energy body, manifesting your goals and desires and how to push through chaos to hear your inner voice. Please come with a pen, journal and an open mind! Yoga Study Students may use their PPD credit to attend this session. Cost: $100

Intro to the Feldenkrais Method®: Awareness Through Movement with Kevin Kortan Location: St. Louis ParkFri Date: 3/16/2012 From: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PMThe Feldenkrais Method® was developed by Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais, judo master, engineer, and physicist. A man ahead of his time, many of the ideas put forth during his life are now being proven by medical science. Awareness Through Movement® lessons are fascinating, enjoyable explorations of our human potential. Improve your Yoga practice through working smarter, not harder and reprogramming the software of your brain that governs the elongation of your muscles. Learn to be stronger, faster, functionally flexible, and more coordinated. See web for full description. This workshop will be followed by a Spring 6-week series. Check online for dates and times. Cost: $40

Peace Medicine Energy Intensive (4-week series) with Coleen Elwood Location: St. Louis ParkSat Date: 3/17/2012 - 4/14 (skip 4/7) From: 10:30 AM - 11:55 AMJoin certified yoga instructor, reiki master, musician and shamanic healer Coleen Elwood for a month of developing personal practices to set energetic boundaries, awaken intuition, balance the chakras and deepen your connection with your own nature and all of nature. Discussion, meditation, yogic and shamanic tools and techniques to nourish peace within. Ideal for teachers, healers, massage therapists, nurses, parents, and anyone interested in a path to higher consciousness. Energetic boundaries workshop recommended and at least 1 year of a yoga/meditation practice. Cost: $100

Hips Workshopwith Jennifer Davis Location: MPLSSat Date: 3/17/2012 From: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PMExplore the deep spaces of your hip joints and the large muscles that hold them together, and learn safe and effective ways to stretch and strengthen the hamstrings, hip flexors, gluts, and lower back muscles. You will learn about the range of movement within your hips and how that mobility, or lack of mobility, affects many of your yoga asanas from seated to standing postures. We will also look into adjustments and modifications for injury prevention as well as support techniques for limitations of the muscles and joints. Cost: $40

Intro to Aerial Yoga with Becky Stella Location: St. Louis ParkSat Date: 3/17/2012 From: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PMTraditional hatha yoga combined with poses supported by a fabric sling. See description on p.11. Cost: $40.

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MARCH Workshops & SeriesSee web for updates. Register online or call 612.436.4700. Workshop Discount: Purchase a package of 3 two-hour or 3 three-hour workshops and receive $15 off. Workshop credits remain on your account until you decide to use them!

Taoist Yoga Featuring the Five Elements with Michelle Pietrzak-Wegner Location: St. Louis ParkSat Date: 3/17/2012 From: 1:30 PM - 4:00 PMExperience the essence of Taoism through discussion, lecture and a full Yin Yang practice that will incorporate the Five Chinese Elements. This is a combination class of yin postures (longer deeper supported holds) with yang flows (fluid movements cultivating chi) that is steeped heavily in the Tao (The Way of Nature). Participants will leave with a better understanding of Taoist philosophy, methods for chi flow, meridian lines, and the five elements. 2.5 hours. Cost:$50

Devotional Gathering with Jennifer Gray Location: St. Louis ParkSun Date: 3/18/2012 From: 10:30 AM - 11:30 AMCome to this inspirational, non-denominational, community gathering and set the tone for your week to come with an hour of mantra, dharma talk, and bhakti yoga - the practice of devotion. This class is donation only, upon arrival. Register in advance online if possible. If you own a meditation shawl, and/or mala beads, please bring them along. See p.11 for full description.

Infant Massage with Kristin Wilk Location: St. Louis ParkSun Date: 3/18 & 3/25 From: 12:30 PM - 1:30 PMFor infants ages birth to six months. See ‘JAI Crib’ on p.23 for full description. Cost: $40 for both classes. Price is for one adult and one baby - additional adult is $15.

Chakras and Asanas: Vishudda, Ajna and Sahasrara with Holly Schramm Location: St. Louis ParkSun Date: 3/18/2012 From: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PMIs curiosity getting the best of you? Join yoga instructor Holly in this workshop about the chakras that govern self expression, intuition and Bliss. Meditate, chant and enjoy a lively asana practice to awaken the energetic body of the throat, third eye and crown of the head. Come explore the elements of these chakras and leave enlightened! Cost: $40

Beginning Aerial Yoga (4-week series) with Becky Stella Location: St. Louis ParkWed Date: 3/21/2012 - 4/11/2012 From: 6:30 PM - 7:45 PMUnnata® Aerial Yoga combines traditional mat yoga while practicing select postures suspended in a soft, fabric sling a few feet off the ground See p.9 for full description. Cost: $100

Yoga and Shiatsu for Back Pain with Paul Cherba Location: St. Louis ParkFri Date: 3/23/2012 From: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PMWhether your back pain is a chronic condition, or stress or injury induced, it is time to take control of your body! Combining Yoga with Shiatsu (literally meaning “finger pressure”) and connecting our breath to movement and touch we will discover new ways to unlock the back and release pain and discomfort. We will learn to use finger pressure, stretching and balls (supplied) to help stimulate and move the stuck energy (Chi) in our bodies. We will learn how to massage, hold or stretch 12-20 key points along the meridians that run through and up through the legs, back, neck and head, balancing our whole body as we go along. No experience necessary. Cost: $40


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Yoga Lounge with Thea Jensen Location: MPLSFri Date: 3/23/2012 From: 6:15 PM - 8:15 PMWinter is on the brink of being over and cabin fever is settling in. Start your weekend right with a fun, energizing and active yoga practice, a live DJ, and end with a glass of wine or beer before you hit the town. Level 2+. Cost: $40 You must be 21 years old or older to attend. Please be prepared to show I.D.

Aerial Yoga: Creating a Flexible Spine with Becky Stella Location: St. Louis ParkSat Date: 3/24/2012 From: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PMNo previous Aerial experience required. In this workshop we will use Unnata® Aerial Yoga (on a fabric sling) to help open tight areas of the torso and unwind the fascia in the back. Wherever you are working from, these two hours will help you create new space and understanding in your torso. Please wear sleeves that fully cover your underarms. If you have a spinal condition or injury, please consult your physician before registering. Cost: $40

Big A#%!™ Restorative Workshop with Celia McCoy Location: MPLSSat Date: 3/24/2012 From: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PMUniting mind and body is fundamental to the practice of yoga but it can be hard to connect to the body when it doesn’t feel or respond exactly how you might like it to. It is important to take time to ground and turn inward, to truly renew your energy and find ease and contentment in the link between your physical and emotional selves. In this workshop geared specifically for Big A#%! Yoga™ students*. We will spend time connecting deeply to the body and the breath through a gentle flowing practice, restorative poses, pranayama and chanting. You will leave totally centered and blissed out! All levels welcome. *Big A#%!™ yoga does not focus on losing weight and how you should look. We call it Big A#%!™ yoga so that everyone knows they are coming to a place where they can laugh and be comfortable with who they are. Any other name just wouldn’t be as fun! Cost: $40

Yoga Psychotherapy and Acupuncture to Treat Depression with Rachel A. and Jennifer J. Location: St. Louis ParkSat Date: 3/24/2012 From: 1:30 PM - 3:30 PMFind freedom from hopelessness and helplessness. Experience the power of collaborative care in this team-lead workshop by Rachel Allyn, Ph.D. and Jennifer Johnson, L.Ac. We will combine holistic psychology, yoga, breathing, Chinese medicine, and acupuncture to find relief from the thoughts, feelings, behaviors and physical sensations underlying depression. A worksheet to assist you in your home practice will also be provided. Cost: $40

Advanced Asana - Core: Floating, and Inverting with Betsy Weiner Location: St. Louis ParkSat Date: 3/24/2012 From: 1:30 PM - 3:30 PMSee web for description! Cost: $40

Spring Into Love: Partner Yoga, Wine and Chocolate with Holly Schramm Location: MPLSSat Date: 3/24/2012 From: 5:30 PM - 7:30 PMFeel the spirit of the season with partner yoga, chocolate and wine! This workshop is for everyone. Bring someone you care about (significant other, sibling, parent, or friend) and get ready to have some fun with doing partner yoga and meditation. This workshop would only be complete with some delectable chocolate and the option to taste some of Holly’s favorite wines of the season. Cost: $85 for 2


J.A.I. Prenatal Yoga for Birthing For moms and their birth partners

with Jennifer Gray Location: MPLS StudioSaturday 1/7/12 or 3/10/12 Time: 1:00 - 4:00 PM

During this fun and interactive workshop with founder of JAI Prenatal Yoga, Jennifer Gray, couples will learn a variety of yoga based coping techniques for labor and delivery. Each couple will practice what they learn and will receive a take home packet of information and tools for the birthing room! Breath work from JAI Prenatal Yoga is taught, along with labor massage, movement, relaxation, and visualization. Special attention is given to the birth partner, who will be mentored in labor support. Great for women who have goals of unmedicated birth, as well as those who are open to pain medication. Cost: $90 per couple.

Infant Massage (Birth - 6 months)with Kristin Wilk, CMT Location: SLP Studio Jan Session: Sun 1/15 and 1/22 Time: 12:30 - 1:30 PM Feb Session: Mon 2/20 and 2/27 Time: 6:00 - 7:00 PM March Session: Sun 3/18 and 3/25 Time: 12:30 - 1:30 PM

For infants ages birth to six months. This is a 2 part series that will meet for one hour per class. Ideal for pre-crawling infants. This class emphasizes sustaining child friendly cultures and the role of nurture on infant development. Within weeks babies begin to develop expectancies from their caregivers through habituation- she will begin to map links between events in her world- maybe after bath time you will play a lullaby, she will hear the swish of oil in her parents hands, she will feel secure by eye contact, the familiar scent of her mom, and the loving intentional touch. The focus of this workshop is to teach loving parents an entire massage that can enhance physical growth as well as relieve colic symptoms and encourage good sleep patterns. These relaxation techniques will provide a foundation for babies to let go of stress early on! Kristin Wilk has earned National Certification in massage, and provides therapeutic massage as well as Pre- and Post-natal education. If you have an infant that is already crawling and you are still interested in learning infant massage, private instruction is also available with Kristin upon request. Cost: $40 for both classes. Price includes one adult and one baby (additional adult $15).

**If you are a JAI Prenatal student who has recently given birth, email your birth stories and photos to [email protected] so we can announce the arrival of your little one!

The JAI Crib (Pre & Postnatal)


Winter Detox Week with Jennifer J and Jennifer G Dates: Monday Jan 9- Friday Jan 13 Time: 7:00 AM - 8:30 AM Location: SLP Studio Cost: $250 (See web for YFT & Detox Alumni discounts)

Winter is the season to restore and rest our body and mind, and a winter detox is a great way to recover from the holidays both physically and mentally. Reap the benefits of this season by spending a week with mindful eating, breathing and stretching. Join us for a week-long detoxification program which uses the riches of Yoga, Chinese Medicine, herbs and whole foods to help cleanse the body, mind and soul. Acupuncturist Jennifer Johnson Lic.Ac. MAOM and yoga instructor Jennifer Gray will provide you with tools to nourish your body with food, acupuncture (optional), herbs, reflection, and specifically designed yoga practices. Class size limited. When you call and register you will be mailed your detox packet so that you can prepare your meals and head into your week with intention.

The week includes:

• Instructional booklet with 5-day cleanse, recipes, grocery list and journal • Week supply of detox support herbs • 5 yoga classes: 7:00 - 8:30am Mon-Fri at the St. Louis Park Studio • 2 Mini Detox acupuncture sessions during savasana with press balls (optional) • 20% off additional individual acupuncture appointments

Winter Yoga for Transformation Monthwith Jennifer Gray Dates: Tuesdays & Thursdays 6-8:30pm & Saturdays 9:00-11:30am (2/9-3/6) Location: SLP Studio Cost: $400 (Discounts: Call or see web for YFT Alumni, Yoga Study, or package prices)Payment Plan available; see web for details. *Note: We will freeze any current YCM class passes until after YFT Month and extend your expiration date if you wish.

YFT is a 4-week intensive that meets 3 times each week and will help you to detoxify, clarify, feel better mentally and physically, and instill the practice of yoga into your body and mind. Each YFT session will include special detoxifying and balancing yoga practices with Jennifer Gray, and a 1-hour workshop taught by experts in that wellness field. This winter’s YFT asana classes will continue to focus sound, energy, breath, movement, and intention which can help you to begin to lead a more balanced, meaningful and healthier life as well as transform the way you view and react to the world. The winter workshop theme will focus on the Yamas and Niyamas and we will learn how to weave yoga philosphy throughout our daily life. In addition we will continue to focus on clean eating, adding to our recipe books throughout the month, exploring mantra, pranayama and meditations.

It is recommended (but not mandatory) that you attend the Winter Detox Week to kick off your Transformation Month (at a discount- see web). Once you are a YFT Alumni, you are eligible to register for the Continuing YFT weekly classes and receive priority registration and future YFT and Detox Week discounts. Our wonderful YFT community is growing quickly and has proven that the fun, learning and practices does not end once the month is over!

Visiting Instructor: Rod Stryker Tantra Shakti: The Power and Radiant Soul of YogaDates: Wed 1/18 - Sun 1/22 Location: MPLS Studio 5-Day Master Training/Intensive --- Cost: $750 Time: 9am- 5:30pm (lunch 12-1:30pm)Morning Vinyasa Classes --- Cost: $55 each/$250 for all Time: 9am - 12:00pm

Using the traditional tools of Hatha as our foundation we explore, through practice and theory, Tantra as the full flowering of Yoga, as well as, its uniquely profound approaches to meditation. Practices will weave together dynamic vinyasa flow, asana, bandhas, and mudra in combination with breath work, meditation, and visualization techniques. Open to students and teachers of all levels. See web for curriculum details!

Deepening Your JourneyCommit to your practice through in-depth trainings and experiences.

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Visiting Instructor: Kevan GalePranaVayu Yoga WorkshopsDates: Fri day 11/4/12 - Sunday 11/6/12 Cost: Full Weekend: $210, Individual Workshops: Fri & Sat: $55 each / Sunday: $60

Kevan Gale is a Senior Level PranaVayu Yoga teacher and co-owner of Stil Studio in Boston. Learn more at www.kevangale.com & www.stilstudio.com. The PranaVayu Yoga workshops are designed to help you to achieve greater depth within your current practice and to establish the foundations for a truly effective home-based practice. Explore deeper levels of your potential, to achieve a healthier and more fulfilling practice on and off the mat.

Accelerated* classes are designed to help you deepen your range of motion at a much quicker rate than is normally possible in large group. This highly efficient training method cuts out wasted motion by reducing unnecessary postures and transitions, and instead focuses on grouping together poses that help develop full body strength and flexibility very quickly. A perfect supplement to your regular vinyasa practice.

Arm Balances - Pivot into Balance Friday 3/2/12 Time: 6:00 PM - 8:30PMFind your pivot point and then explore the effects of gravity. Using his signature lighthearted approach to help you reach pinnacle poses, Kevan will lead a PranaVayu flow that safely explores a variety of arm balances. Because this workshop requires a base level of strength and flexibility in order to be effective, the ability to comfortably perform the crow pose is required to attend this workshop.

Accelerated* Backbending & Basic Principles of PranaVayu AlignmentSat 3/3/2012 Time: 9:30 AM - 12:00 PMThis workshop will focus on advanced backbending techniques. Because this workshop requires a base level of strength and flexibility in order to be effective, the ability to comfortably perform the wheel pose is required to attend this workshop.

Accelerated* Hip-Opening and Continued Alignment Techniques Sat 3/3/2012 Time: 2:00 PM - 4:30PMThis workshop will focus on advanced hip and hamstring opening techniques. Because this workshop requires a base level of strength and flexibility in order to be effective, the ability to comfortably perform the half-lotus pose is required to attend this workshop.

PranaVayu Master Class, Meditation and Buddhist Philosophy Sun 3/4/2012 Time: 9:00 AM - 12:00PMThis class will incorporate techniques learned over the weekend practices. By the end of this class you should be floating and flying to new levels of your practice. There will be a lecture on Buddhist mind training techniques and the philosophy behind PranaVayu Yoga. This class will end with a 30 minute Savasana and guided meditation.

Upcoming Visiting Instructors (See web for details)

Jim BennittTantric Vinyasa Weekend May 4-6, 2012

Judith Lasater 5-Day Training: The Low BackJune 4-8, 2012 from 12:30-5pm daily

The Lumbar Spine and Sacroiliac Joint: Anatomy, Asana and Therapeutics

Christy BurnetteTantric Vinyasa Weekend July 27-29, 2012

Jason Crandell October 2012


The Yoga Center of Minneapolis offers both a 230-hour Training program that is registered with Yoga Alliance and an advanced 300-hour program that along with a 200-hour+ program, meets Yoga Alliances 500-hour registration requirements. These comprehensive programs are designed for any student wishing to teach or deepen their experience of yoga and its philosophies. Payment plans are available. The Yoga Center of Minneapolis is licensed as a private career school with the Minnesota Office of Higher Education pursuant to Minnesota Statutes 141.21 to 141.32. Licensure is not an endorsement of the institution. Credits earned at the institution may not transfer to all other institutions. Minnesota Office of Higher Education: 1450 Energy Park Drive, Suite 350, St. Paul, MN 55108 | 651-642-0567. Grading Policy: Students earn hours for participation under the guidelines of Yoga Alliance. Students graduate once they have completed sufficient hours to satisfy the Yoga Alliance RYT200 standards, and earn a passing evaluation from their mentor and the program director. Per Yoga Alliance, no credit can be given for previous trainings toward a 230-hour program certification. See web for current faculty and additional program information.

Primary 230-Hour Program Upcoming 9-Month Trainings: :: Monday Evenings -Starts Jan 23

:: Tuesday Daytime -Starts April 17

Upcoming Year-long Trainings: :: Sunday (Bi-monthly) -Starts March 4

Yoga Study students will learn from a variety of experienced instructors from different backgrounds and yogic philosophies. Training topics include Yamas and Niyamas, Sanskrit, Ayurveda, Yoga Sutras, Alignment, Adjustments, Bandhas, Chakras & the Energy Body, Gross Anatomy, Sequencing, Finding Your Teaching Voice, Practice Teaching Labs, various styles of yoga, pranayama and additional technique topics. Tuition includes core meetings and electives: 5 weekend workshops, Visiting Instructor Weekend, 34 Tech Sessions, 15-hour mentorship, and public class pass option. Each group will create a karma yoga project making yoga available to a local population that would otherwise not have access to it. See web for curriculum and schedule details.

Advanced 300-Hour Program (Combine with 200HR+ training for RYT-500 Registration)

Module A - Working with Special Populations Module B - Yoga Therapeutics for the Physical Body Module C - Yoga Therapeutics for the Emotional BodyModule D- Advanced Alignment, Cueing, Adjusting, & SequencingModule F - Working with Pranayama, Meditation, & Teaching Practices Module E - The Philosophy, Science and Mystics of Yoga

See web for all Module dates! Now taking enrollment for all modules. Upcoming Modules begin in January and April.

Modules may be taken as stand-alone trainings or in any order to achieve 500RYT status. See web for all module curriculum and schedules. Open to anyone who has completed a 200HR+ training that meets Yoga Alliance standards. This program has been broken into 6 modules (A-F) offered in a Monday daytime format (9am-4pm) or weekend format (one weekend/month for 3 months). Make-up any missed hours in the next round of that module. Required reading and report assignments due at the end of each module. Upon completion of each module you will receive a certificate. Upon completion of all six, you will receive a graduation certificate and may choose to apply for Yoga Alliance’s 500-hour registry.

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INFORMATIONALOPEN HOUSES

Learn more about Yoga Study Teacher Trainings by attending an Open House.

See web for upcoming dates!


KEVAN GALESpeaking with

PranaVayu Yoga helps students achieve the “yoke” of mind and body with distinctive asana, mind training, Buddhist principles, and skeletal alignment. Of course, the occasional belly laugh doesn’t hurt, either. Visiting instructor Kevan Gale, a senior-level PranaVayu teacher, is passionate about spreading the word about this newer style of yoga, and combining it with a lighthearted approach that allows students to go deeper—or at least, to smile more. In anticipation

of his Minneapolis training, we caught up with him to find out how PranaVayu has defined his practice.


Elizabeth Millard is (RYT200) is a yogini and writer based in Minneapolis.

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KEVAN GALEHow did you come to yoga?

During my junior year in college, I did a wilderness course that lasted 96 days and took us through different sections of Colorado and Utah and Canyonlands National Park. Our instructor was a yoga teacher as well as a guide, and every morning, we’d do yoga on the rocks during sunrise. Talk about an introduction to yoga! Who could beat that? So, I ended up doing yoga off and on after that.

What led you to teaching?

Yoga had started to become so much a part of my life, and I was practicing every day. I’d been a swimmer during college and a cyclist afterward, but yoga gave me something different that I hadn’t had before. I felt huge health benefits, I was happier, and I wanted to share that with others. At the time, I’d been in the corporate world for about 12 years in a management position and it wasn’t fulfilling for me. I wanted to be doing something more for other people and for myself. Because I’d developed such a passion for yoga, it seemed like a natural fit. An opportunity came up to teach full-time, and so I left my job and didn’t look back.

How did PranaVayu develop, and what does it involve?

I met David Magone, who was just starting the PranaVayu style and we began working together to build the style. I’d say it’s unique from other styles because it’s based on Tibetan Buddhist philosophy—there’s a lot of Hindu philosophy in yoga, but not as much Tibetan, and we felt like it was an important contribution.

There’s a focus on relaxation and meditation, and we’ve worked hard to create a system that will open the body completely. In terms of an asana practice, students may not feel that it’s different from just one class, but over time, they begin to feel it.

What type of effect have you seen in your own practice?

I’ve been teaching PranaVayu for about six years now, and the largest effect for me has been happiness. I really do find that I’m just generally happier in my life. I’m not talking about elation or those small bits of joy about a specific situation, but just overall contentment, a really deep and liberating happiness. I’m not bothered by as much as I used to be. That’s one of the fundamental results that I try to get across to students. I work a lot in my classes with being present because I believe that’s where happiness lies. When we’re there, we’re not thinking about the past or worrying about the future, we’re just here, right now.

In your opinion, why is it so difficult for people to stay in the present?

It’s the nature of our minds to wander off and think about what’s going to happen in the future, we build pictures in our minds of what might happen. Then we worry about those, thinking about what might be coming up, whether we’ll achieve a certain thing or acquire a certain

thing. And even if we get what we want, we go chasing after something else, so that builds a kind of insatiable appetite for the future. We have to continually bring ourselves back, and that requires mind training.

What can students expect from your upcoming workshop?

In the workshop, we’re going to delve into that mind training. We’re going to have mind-blowing svasanas, and we’re going to guide them into some poses they may not have seen. Basically, we’re going to help them go where they haven’t been before.

Kevan will be teaching PranaVayu yoga at the Yoga Center of Minneapolis from March 2 - 4. Information on his workshops can be found on page 25 or online at www.yogacentermpls.com.


Sankalpa.Setting AnIntention for 2012


Ryan Kelly is yoga teacher and massage therapist based in Minneapolis. See p.24 for more about Rod Stryker.

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With the turn of a new year, resolutions begin to spin through our heads. The desire to have a different experience of our body or to give up a habit that does not support our well-being is usually driven by our ego, senses, and conditioning. Unfortunately, for many of us resolutions actually affirm a negative thought pattern. To say, for example, “I want to lose weight,” affirms a lack of self-acceptance. The commitments that we make to ourselves in this manner seem to most always be fleeting. The resolve is superficial and, thus we go about our everyday in the same manner in which we did the year prior.

The Yogic tradition of Sankalpa offers a different look at the power of resolve. “San” refers to connection with the highest truth. While Kalpa means “vow” or the rule to be followed above all rules. A stated Sankalpa is really a reference to the deeper purpose in your life. Rather than referring to a habit that you would like to abandon, as some resolutions have a tendency to do, a Sankalpa states that you already are who you need to be to fulfill your life’s dharma.

Discovering your unique purpose is a process of listening to your deeper truths. Yogiraj Charles Bates says “We are spoken to from the silence within.” Quieting the mind through meditation and yoga will help each of us unearth the deeper purpose of our life that is aligned with the qualities of the divine inside of each of us.

When setting your New Year’s resolutions for 2012, write down the things that show up for you, and then dig below the surface of these desires. For example, if your intention is to lose weight, ask yourself what it is that you are really looking to feel. When we repeat desires in a negative way, we affirm the not having of what we want. Instead, allow your resolution to be an affirmation, such as, “I am healthy and vital, and I love

my body.”

Rod Stryker, the founder of ParaYoga explains that “Every choice we make is either in alignment with our soul’s higher purpose or it is not. The chief architect of life is the mind. To create the life that we are meant to live we must draw the mind again and again to our dharma.” ParaYoga has a practice called ‘The Departure point’ in which one gives up an unproductive habit for 40 days. Whether or not

the habit has anything to do with your sankalpa (your resolution) is unimportant. Rather, you will use the habit as a trigger: When you feel the urge to indulge in your habit, pause for a breath, remember your true nature, and bring your sankalpa to mind. In this way, the habit triggers the positive response of bringing you back to your resolution. Revisit the feeling of discomfort or compulsion that brought on the habit and then shift your heart back to your sankalpa.

Each time you switch back to your sankalpa, relish in it, and let it captivate the heart even more.

Stepping away from the things in life that hinder you from living your dharma (purpose) is important. The practice of yoga and meditation cultivate the discovery and experience of your greatest individual purpose and can lead you to a life of great fulfillment. The tradition of yoga says that each one of us already has what we need to fulfill our dharma. It is already inside of us. So, when self-doubt or fear surface, remember that you already have what you need to fulfill your deepest driving desires. In 2012 allow yourself to reach deeper within and seek to align with your divine-given gifts. Believe.

Every choice we make is either in alignment

with our soul’s higher purpose,

or it is not.


America is the most overweight, sick, and medicated country in the world. We continually seek medication, whether prescription or over-the-counter, to treat ailments that are a result of our ungrounded lifestyle. We are essentially trying to put out a fire while we keep pouring gasoline on it. I have experienced this with clients over and over who just want a “cure” for a symptom rather than actually getting to the root cause of the problem. Nothing affects the health and wellness of our body more than what we put in it. Food can be either the cause of illness, or the cure. It’s up to you. As a nutrition and food educator, Metabolic Typing Advisor, and Functional Diagnostic Nutritionist, I specialize in finding the root cause of many health issues and in setting up a program to allow the body to heal itself. It takes hard work, dedication, grounding, support, and a sense of self worth to make change in your nutrition and lifestyle. I use several “techniques” to assist people on their path to health and self-healing, including: Metabolic Typing, Mediator Release Testing, Functional Diagnostic Testing, and Cooking.

1. Metabolic TypingThis is both a test as well as a way of eating that is based on the principle that no one diet is appropriate for everyone. Although we all need the same basic nutrients to function, we each are biochemically unique in how we metabolize these nutrients and therefore require different ratios of them to be healthy. This is why

your friend felt great, lost weight, and regained health on the Atkins Diet, and you felt sluggish, tired, gained weight and actually felt worse. Metabolic Typing (MT) uses a very in-depth series of questions to determine your specialized nutrition plan. With this plan, your diet is fine tuned even more until you have the exact ratio of fats, carbohydrates, and protein to help your body regain balance and health.

2. Mediator Release Testing Food sensitivities and intolerances are one of the most common causes of illness and unwanted symptoms ranging from acne, bloating to inflammatory bowel disease. The Mediator Release Test is a blood test that screens for 150 different food and chemical sensitivities. This is not a test for food allergies such as Celiac Disease or peanut allergies, but instead it is a test to look for delayed immune reactions. By eliminating reactive foods from one’s diet, you can significantly improve many aspects of health. Essentially we are not pouring the gasoline on the fire anymore, and we can actually allow the body to heal itself. The combination of Metabolic Typing and Mediator Release Testing is a very powerful tool in creating balance and wellness.

3. Functional Diagnostic Testing For health issues that are not cleared up by using the MT and MRT, there is Functional Diagnostic Testing. These are a series of tests that can screen

A warm welcome to Chris Pietrzak-Wegner, CSCS, MTA who will now offer workshops and personal counselling through the Yoga Center of Minneapolis! Chris is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, CHEK Institute Level I Holistic Lifestyle Coach, and Certified Metabolic Typing Advisor. Chris has trained professional hockey players for the past eleven years, coaching them in strength & conditioning as well as nutrition. Experience working with athletes and non-athletes alike, Chris is able to work with individuals in fine-tuning their health, fitness, and nutritional goals. Chris also specializes in working with individuals experiencing food sensitivities, intolerances, and allergies helping them to reconnect to their food and life through balanced nutrition. His philosophy in food education is to honor the individual holistically, providing tools for his clients to really listen to their bodies and fine tune their food choices and perspective on food so that they are empowered to create their own change. Contact Chris via www.metalandearth.com.(Continued on p.36)

HEALING YOURSELF


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Angie ViehmanRTT, RYT

Jennifer JohnsonL.Ac., MAOM

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Thai Yoga BodyworkThai Bodywork or Thai Massage is a private treatment that helps release tension and open blockages throughout the body allowing healing energies to flow freely to the mind, body and spirit. Thai Bodywork can relieve pain or discomfort as well as provide overall relaxation using assisted yoga poses, muscle compression, joint mobilization, hands, elbows, knees and feet to massage lines of energy in the body.

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Yogi’s Kitchen

We all have our own relationship with eating. As for myself, I have come to forgive my excesses and accept them when I can see them in a larger context of a generally healthy lifestyle. My credo: “Everything in moderation-even moderation.” This speaks to the inevitability of the winter holiday season filled with gingerbread houses, holiday cookies, and cheese platters.

Our diet has a great deal to do with how we look, and feel. Unfortunately, these days we too often we eat convenience foods in order to save time. These empty foods cause havoc and stress on our bodies. While the body automatically rids itself of many toxins, the excessive consumption of processed foods, food additives, and pesticides, combined with toxic emotions and stress can interrupt

the body’s natural detoxification process. Some food ingredients make us unstable physiologically and emotional, triggering cravings and profound chemical changes in the body. The build up of excess toxins can result in an inflammatory response, which shows up in various parts of the body such as achy joints, skin infections, lack of mental clarity, and in our emotional state. To prevent an inflammatory

Kate Scharenbroich is a Minneapolis -based Yoga Instructor and Private Natural Health Chef Specializing in Gluten Free and Aryuvedic cooking. www.GenuineGourmentChef.com

Cherries contain a significant amount of melatonin, a hormone that influences the sleep process and a very powerful antioxidant.

Ingredients 5 TBSP canola oil or melted butter + more to grease the pan¾ cup honey10 drops liquid stevia (optional)2 tsp natural vanilla extract1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg4 ounces dark chocolate (at least 60% dark), chopped 1/3-cup pecans1 cup dried unsweetened Bing or sour cherries, roughly chopped

1 ¼ cup rolled oats¾ oat bran1/3 cup flax seeds4 tsp xanthan gum

ProcedurePreheat oven to 350F. Line a 9x13-inch baking dish with parchment paper and grease. In a small bowl, combine oil or butter with honey, vanilla and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, combine chocolate pieces, pecans, cherries, oats, oat bran, flax seeds and xanthan gum. Pour liquid ingredients over dry ingredients and stir to coat completely. Pour into prepared pan and press with a

Health & Happiness Beyond the Holidays

Chewy Chocolate Cherry Bars

spatula. Bake until golden and firm, ~25 min. Allow to cool, pop out of pan and peel off parchment. Gently slice, store in airtight container or individually wrap and freeze.

The


response, try to focus on low-glycemic foods. These are foods that the body breaks down slowly, versus rapidly converting to sugar, the most destructive inflammatory agent. High-glycemic foods include white pasta, processed desserts, candy, high-starch vegetables such potatoes, and corn. If we break down the ingredients in many classic holiday treats, the top three would be white sugar, shortening or butter, and white flour a trifecta of processed substances.

Sugar causes inflammation in several ways. When the blood sugar spikes, it creates free radicals that attack our body on a cellular level by oxidizing fats. These fats convert to a chemical compound called aldehydes that trigger an inflammatory response, effecting just about every system in the body, including the immune system, the cardiovascular system, and the skin by breaking down the lipid barriers of the cells. A good replacement for sugar is a natural herb called Stevia. It is noncaloric and its leaves and buds are three hundred times sweeter than sucrose but do

not have its harmful side effects. Clinical data indicates that it suppresses dental bacteria, regulates blood sugar, assists with weight loss, and reduces mental and physical fatigue. Stevia is becoming more widely available and can be used to sweeten drinks and baked goods. Other natural sweeteners that can be used in your holiday baking are dehydrated cane juice, maple syrup, and fruit-based sweeteners such as apple butter or date sugar.

Hydrogenated fats, also known as trans-fatty acids, are added to many fast food and packaged goods to extend their shelf life. These factory made fats wreak havoc on the body by unleashing free radicals, which play a role in heart disease, cancer, and cause a strong inflammatory response. Alternatives are organic butter, cold pressed canola oil or

unrefined coconut oil. These healthier, natural alternatives are also a good source of essential fatty acids and vitamin E.

Refined flour is the whole grain completely stripped of all of the health benefits, and transformed into a high-gylcemic starch, which acts like sugar.

Use this recipe as an essential part of any detox plan, to restore your mind and body. These foods will help mitigate the effects of your latest indulgence and help bring alkalinity to your body. Miso, a flavorful paste made from fermented soybeans and grains is traditionally served in Japan as a tonic for stomach or liver ailments, also helps the body expel toxins and impurities.

Ingredients1 TBSP miso paste1 cup hot water, (boiled water will kill some of the beneficial enzymes) ½ cup soft tofu, cut into small pieces1 TBSP Tamari1/2 garlic clove, minced1 tsp ginger, peeled and minced2 scallions, thinly slices½ carrot, thinly sliced¼ cup shitake mushrooms, thinly sliced

A few watercress leaves, or any dark leafy green¼ cup cooked rice, udon or soba noodles

ProcedurePlace the miso in a bowl, add ¼ cup of hot water and stir to make a thin paste. Stir in remaining water and ingredients. Serve immediately.

Detox Soup


Whole grains, on the other hand, are made up of the health-enriching bran (the outer layer) and germ (the internal seed), which have nutritive phytochemicals and fiber. There are many of whole grain choices, which can be milled into flour: amaranth, oats, quinoa, brown rice. Grains are nutritive and sweet, help build body mass, and tonify the spleen. Along with legumes, grains are the only foods that contain all the major nutrient groups needed by the body: carbohydrates, protein, fats, vitamins, minerals and fiber.

Replacing the highly processed ingredients with highly nutritious ones will aid in cleansing the body, dramatically improve your immune system and mental clarity, as well as bring a sense of calm and wellbeing for the winter.

The yoga world today emphasizes on the word “balance.” Balance is an elusive concept, a nirvana-like plateau. I sometimes guilt myself in to thinking that if I made it to a 6am yoga class every day and drank more nut milks,

Very colorful and healthy side dish to bring to any gathering. Beets support blood and chi circulation and the heart, liver, and large intestine. Beets treat anemia, are anti-inflammatory and help dissolve and eliminate acid crystals from the kidneys. Beets, in Aryvedic theory reduce Vata and Kapha.

Beets 6 fresh red or yellow beets, cooked1 tsp salt

Dressing2 TBSP orange juice¼ cup balsamic vinegar1 TBSP dijon mustard¼ cup olive oil2 TBSP honeysalt and pepper

SaladCooked beets, peeled and cut2 oranges, zested and segmented1 bag of arugula or mixed greens½ cup toasted pecans

ProcedurePlace beets in a large saucepan bring water to a boil with salt, simmer uncovered for 50 minutes to 1 hour depending on size, until beets are just tender. Drain and cool, then peel and cut into bite size pieces. Whisk all of the dressing ingredients. Place the cut up beets and arugula in a serving bowl, stir in dressing, top with orange segments, zest, and toasted pecans.

maybe I’d be invited in to the the Platinum Club for balanced people. However, balance, like nature, is all about cycles -- ever changing, much like our yoga practices. To expect ourselves to reach and maintain physical and emotional perfection is unrealistic. The ups and downs are part of living, so it is important to have some strategies on hand for those low points, when our yoga practice feels off, our energy is zapped, or we’ve overindulged in our vice of choice.

During this winter season, practice acceptance of your feelings and choices including the occasional indulgences. When you are baking at home, incorporate healthier

ingredients into your traditional treats, make some miso soup the day after a late night holiday party, or stir up a healthy beet salad for your family gatherings. Enjoy the mantra “moderation even in moderation.” Use the recipes below as tools to satisfy your soul, and maintain or restore your health and wellness. Forge your own traditions with these recipes to give the gift of health to your loved ones and yourself.

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Beet and Arugula Salad with Orange-Balsamic Vinaigrette


It is winter. The snow falls gracefully spreading its blanket across the earth. Darkness prevails, reminding us to celebrate the light that shines in and around each one of us. It is also a time to reflect. As we add layers to the outside, we begin peeling away the many layers on the inside, in search of the true Self. It is a season to give, to love, laugh and have gratitude for all that you have.

Through Seva (selfless service) or Karma Yoga, we are led out of the darkness and into the light. Karma Yoga musicians speak a Universal language, creating music that is therapy for the brain. Their music resonates within, accessing a deeper level of the mind. With music as the Mantra (mind tool) meditation can be a life-changer. Ambient music is powerful and provides an environment conducive for creative thinking and productivity, reducing tension and stress.

If yoga is a 5000 year old practice, then we are really all beginners! As you practice this winter, pull inward back to your beginner’s mind, for this is where the magic happens. The Sanskrit word for beginner is Araruksa (ah-rah-rook-sha) which means “one who has the desire to climb.”

The Bhagavad Gita teaches us that meditation is more powerful than knowledge, enabling us to cultivate a quiet, steady mind. When the mind is steady, only then can the seeds of truth take hold. When you come to your mat this season, setting goals and resolutions, let music and meditation find you.

Namaste - Linda Rae

for issues ranging from stress, hormonal imbalances and toxicity, to parasite infections and leaky gut syndrome. Tests are administered in a systematic fashion with the primary goal being the uncovering of root causes of health issues. Supplements, herbs, and diet are used in conjunction to provide support to allow the body to heal itself and regain balance.

4. Cooking One of the biggest roadblocks to achieving and maintaining nutritional independence is the lack of cooking skill. Learning just a few basic skills can greatly improve your success rate in health and healing and give you control over what you eat on a daily basis. I use private and small group cooking classes at client’s homes, with their own kitchen equipment to teach the basics of cooking as well as specialized cooking techniques.

Food is a very powerful tool in building health, wellness, balance and even community and relationships. It can be your greatest ally in the journey to health, or your biggest enemy. Although the journey to wellness through nutrition is often a challenging one, I offer tools, support and understanding to aid in your journey. One must be 100% committed to make sometimes very difficult changes to diet and lifestyle, but like any difficult journey, once you reach the final destination, it is often amazing!

Healing Yourself Through Nutrition (Continued from p.31)

MUSICGURU

THE

ANUSARA INVOCATION - Krishna Das

PURNAMADAH - Shantala

OM ASATOMA - Deva Premal & Miten

JAYA BHAGAVAN -Tina Malia & Shimshai

MAHADEVA - Ben Leinbach & Jai Uttal

LULLABY - Trevor Hall

LIFE LONG CHANT - Jeff Beal

STILL POINT - Gabrielle Roth

RETURNING TO NOW - Karunesh


YCM YOGA STUDYMore Than Just a Teacher Training

In the last ten years a confluence of factors have contributed to the rise in popularity of Yoga Teacher Trainings across the United States. A growing interest in Yoga has increased the exposure and positive effects of a physical asana practice and its philosophies, creating a growing demand for studios and high quality teachers who can lead the student beyond general fitness classes. Additionally, a shift in the economic landscape has forced many people to re-think their careers and consider alternate or secondary forms of employment that feel they can derive meaning from. Lastly, a collective interest in conscious living, alternative health modalities, and a widespread acceptance of a mind-body connection is supported by a yogic lifestyle. The Yoga Center of Minneapolis and their Yoga Study program which began in 2001, has evolved to meet the changing needs of this culture’s approach to health, to philosophy and community.

Jennifer Gray’s Yoga Study was one of the first comprehensive Yoga Teacher Training Programs in the Twin Cities, and it answered a need for a foundational education in yoga asana as well as an introduction to the vast body of Yoga Philosophy. Traditionally, someone in Minneapolis interested in learning to teach asana or seeking a basic understanding of the 5000 year old philosophic tradition, would have had to travel to the east or west coast and spend time studying and mentoring under the master of one particular school or branch of yoga. As Yoga has gradually spread across the West, the traditional yogic path of asceticism and strict physical and mental discipline has adapted to include accessibility to all demographics, including laypersons, women and people with families, rising from all age groups and socioeconomic backgrounds. It has been widely accepted that yoga is not just a spiritual path to transcendence, but also provides powerful tools for dealing with the stresses of modern living.

The rise in popularity of yoga has created a need for a yoga study program that is accessible as well as quality

driven. The teachers at the Yoga Center of Minneapolis are experts in their field. They have tens of thousands of hours of teaching experience and are able to address topics in great specificity. Teachers in the core program bring their training from the fields of Ashtanga and Iyengar, Meditation, Tantra, Shakti, Nada and Kirtan. The Yoga Study program is also proud to support faculty who teach Jivamukti, Viniyoga, Restorative, Vinyasa, Anusara, Yoga Nidra, and Yin yoga. The modern day yogi has moved away from intensive study with a single guru, and towards a more diverse group of teachers to address the varying phases of life. Teachers matriculating from this type of lineage have more tools for teaching the variety of people that are drawn to yoga.

Since YCM’s first Yoga Study Teacher Training in 2001, the popularity of Yoga has continued at an explosive rate. Yoga Journal publisher, Bill Harper reported that its readership has increased 300 percent since 2001, and there are currently 14.3 million people in the U.S. who regularly practice yoga compared to 4.3 million in 2001, according to a recent article


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in US News and World Report. With so many more people practicing yoga, the need for more yoga teachers is certainly warranted, and The Yoga Study program at The Yoga Center of Minneapolis has found a way to make this possible by offering a comprehensive overview of Anatomy, principles of basic alignment, philosophy and methodology in programs that span 9 months to 1 year. Appealing to those already employed, in school, or with responsibilities to children and families. The accessibility appeals equally to those students using the teacher- training program to augment current health and fitness careers, or as second incomes, as well as those hoping to make a shift to career yoga teaching.

In addition the employment aspect of this professional training program, there are growing numbers of people using programs like Yoga Study, for self exploration. The path of yoga is one that requires the student to look inward at the patterns and habits that keep us from living to our potential. In-depth exploration of the Yoga Sutras and the Yamas and the Niyamas, (an ethical code of conduct towards oneself and

others), helps to move the practice of Yoga beyond physical rewards.

Many people come to the Yoga Study program at the Yoga Center, knowing that yoga helps them feel better and their pursuit of the training is more about wanting to understand that, than it is about wanting to teach. With 9 months to a year to immerse oneself in the study and practice of this tradition, guided by an experienced faculty of teachers and facilitated by founder and director Jennifer Gray, there are myriad opportunities to find the personal connection that draws each seeker to greater knowledge. And, while the majority of students who go through the program do go on to teach in some capacity, whether in yoga centers, in health clubs, in their homes, churches or schools, nearly all find the education to be one of the heart and a coming home to a sense of connection to all living things.

Sarah Jane Wroblewski is the YCM Yoga Study Coordinator.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

SLP Studio :: 952.345.1953 :: 4200 Minnetonka Blvd 55416MPLS Studio :: 612.436.4700 :: 212 3rd Ave N #205 55401

Visit www.YogaCenterMPLS.com

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