10th Year Anniversary Celebration!
Friday, June 12, All Day
Can you believe it? Next week, we will celebrate our tenth anniversary in our current space. It's gone by faster than we can believe, and been a wonderful adventure. We could not have done that without your continuing support and devotion to your practice. It's been a real pleasure and we are very grateful. This time of year, it is our custom to offer a week of free classes as a tangible expression of our gratitude. Unfortunately, this year, as you know, we are unable to be together in-person. So we thought we would re-create our opening celebration using the magic of the Zoom platform. On our opening weekend, we offered a series of classes all day, which introduced different teachers and showcased the wide variety of experiences embodied in Svaroopa® practice. Below you will find a schedule of classes with descriptions, so you can choose the one that best meets your needs.
Thank you so much for joining us for this celebration. We hope you enjoy these free programs, designed to help you transition to our current business format. All featured yoga classes will be taught in the Svaroopa®-style, meaning that they conform to the fundamental principles you have come to know and love. They include core opening sequences, liberal use of props (or pose substitutes) and opportunities for inward focus. However, in preparation for our summer session, we will be modifying some of our standard formats to accommodate new opportunities, differing interests and different levels of prop access. There are also two classes (Introduction to Japa and Meditation Class Preview) which introduce you to other important practices that are part of the yogic tradition. Let us know what you like, and we will try to do more of it.
Schedule for June 12:
8:00 am-9:30 am, “Get Up, Dive-In and Go!”- Greet the day from a place of openness and clarity. Perfect for those who like to get up from their practice and re-enter the world immediately. We will begin with shavasana and ujjayi pranayama and continue with a complete pass through the spine and abdominal activators. Then, we’ll close with meditation and get you ready for the day with a lunge and simple standing closure. There will be NO second shavasana in this class. Students must be comfortable with a 10 minute seated silent meditation. Props (or their equivalents) required: sufficient blankets for shavasana and seated side stretch, and blocks. Your instructor can help you brainstorm around this if needed.
10:00 am-11:30 am, “Getting Started with Svaroopa® Yoga Online”- This beginner-level class is designed specifically for folks in the following categories: a) folks that are brand new to the practice, b) folks who have practiced Svaroopa Yoga before, but are getting used to Zoom classes and would like some extra help figuring out props and navigating the interface or c) anyone who would like to develop a simple home practice using props you likely have around the house.
11:45 am-12:15 pm, “Introduction to Japa (Mantra Repetition)”- Mantra repetition, or japa in Sanskrit, is a powerful way to quiet the mind and jumpstart the energy of enlightenment. In this class, you will be introduced to the mantra of the Svaroopa Vidya® lineage and gain a valuable tool for navigating chaotic times. It also prepares you to participate in the Ashram’s free Japa club should you wish to.
1:00 pm-2:30 pm, “Standard Format: Lower Spinal Release”- A “Standard” format class is what you are used to from Svaroopa® Yoga: an opening and closing shavasana with Guided Awareness, ujjayi pranayama and a sequence of poses designed to open your spine from bottom to top. Props (or their equivalents) required: enough blankets for a seated side stretch, a folding chair, a strap, a wall and blocks. Your instructor can help you brainstorm around this if needed.
3:00 pm-4:30 pm, “Ease (Back) Into Yoga”- This class is for students who are dealing with special challenges- a recent injury or surgery, chronic illness, or re-entry after a period of being away from yoga. It will be a smaller class with more personalized instruction, simpler lesson plans, and a longer breathing practice. It would be helpful to the instructor to have a brief conversation with you prior to class, so that the lesson plan can be better tailored to your needs and prop access. Props (or their equivalents) for this class include enough blankets for a seated side stretch, a folding chair, a strap, a wall and blocks. Your instructor can help you brainstorm around this if needed.
5:00 pm-6:30 pm, “Breathe, Move, Melt”- Patterned after our workshop of the same name, this is a low props experience, emphasizing breath and movement to quiet the mind and maintain flexibility in the body. This is an active class, which does NOT include an opening shavasana. Recommended for students who are looking to develop additional strength and stamina,while combining breath and movement. Props (or their equivalents) required: a folding chair, blocks and a wall space. Your instructor can help you brainstorm around this if needed.
7:00 pm-8:45 pm, "Deeper Delight"- Sample a deeper Svaroopa® Yoga class which introduces new variations to take you deeper into your own experience. This class is suitable for students who have been practicing Svaroopa® yoga for a minimum of two years and have, or are willing to develop, a daily home practice. Contact Rebecca to see if this class might be right for you. Props required: enough blankets for a seated side stretch, and blocks.
All classes are FREE of charge, but registration is required. Please contact Rebecca at 315-386-8461 or northernlightyoga@gmail.com to register or get additional information.