spring into summer with rhana harris
saturday, june 22nd 12:30pm-2:30pm
the shala union square
$35
sign up here

spring into summer with this yoga workshop targeting the feet and lower legs.
experience how creating resiliency and tone in the arches of the feet can create
support and stability for the knees and more freedom in the hips and lower back.

if you are interested in the longevity of your practice and the health of your
joints please join us in this invigorating practice where we will align from the
foundation up.

"i was amazed at how the arches of the feet can tone and lift. there is an
immediate groundedness and a simultaneous lightness of being."

you will leave feeling refreshed and invigorated in the feet and lower legs.

about rhana
when i first came to yoga it was the consistent feeling of well being that the
practice generated after class that kept me coming back. i worked long hours
hunched over a computer doing graphics. underlying emotional turbulence, fear
and anxiety predominated in my life. i would drag myself to the last yoga class
of the day and walk out de-stressed in the body and steady in the mind. the
practice of yoga made me feel more present and connected to myself, and the
world around me as well as help give me a broader perspective. i realized how we
see the world is so much about the perspective from which we stand and that
these poses were powerfully transforming. this realization compelled me on what
would be a life's quest to learn more about yoga.

from 1997-99 i completed the jivamukti teacher training and began to teach in
new york city. i also traveled to india to study astanga yoga. by 2002 i was
forced to reavaluate my practice because of repetitive stress injuries. at this
time of crises i was introduced to anusara yoga and was amazed to find the
clear refinement that i needed to heal and strengthen my hip, lower back, wrist
and shoulder. my yoga mat became an even more empowering place to turn to create
a dynamic stability as well as an expanding freedom. i realized i could align my
physical stance or posture to create a more positive and directed outlook in my
life. in my class i wish to offer my passion for alignment as a way for students
to empower themselves to help heal injuries, create more balance and harness the
transformative power of engaging oneself on and off the mat.

the jump back/jump through playground
with timothy lynch
saturday, july 20th
1-3:00pm
the shala union square
$25 in advance - $30 same day
sign up here

ever wonder what in the world to do when
you hear, "inhale lift up, exhale jump back"...
or, "bend the knees and jump through to sit"?

if so, join us and explore a variety of ways to incorporate the jump back/jump through into
the daily practice of asana. we will examine
breath, strength, and the technique required
to develop more grace and fluidity in this
seemingly elusive transition.

*please do your bandhas a favor and don't take food within
three hours before the workshop begins.

the shala welcomes senior iyengar teacher kevin gardiner
back from budapest for his annual visit to new york
"the searching intelligence: from structural stability
on the earth to stability in space"

wednesdays: july 31, august 7, august 14
2:00 to 4:00 pm
the shala union square
$30 for individual classes, $85 for all three classes
sign up here

wednesday, july 31st
the foundations of stillness and space:
the standing poses/inversions

wednesday, august 7th
maintaining stillness and space: forward
extensions/rotation/inversions

wednesday, august 14th
expansion of stillness and space:
inversions and backbends

kevin gardiner, a native new yorker, began studying yoga in 1970 and has been teaching iyengar yoga since 1982. he was a co-founder of the iyengar institute of greater new york serving on it's executive committee and in various leadership roles continuously since it's inception. he now holds a senior intermediate i teaching certificate.

his teaching is highly detailed and textured, seamlessly incorporating many components of yoga philosophy and the sutras, while continuously challenging students to gain greater sensitivity and awareness in each asana. he has a tremendous pracaitcal understanding of the living anatomy of the human body, and a lighthearted and off-beat sense of humor.

begin at the beginning
a beginners workshop at the shala with frank mauro
sept 14 and 15
12:30 to 2:30
$40 each or $75 for both
sign up here

since the turn of the millennium our culture has witnessed the popularity of yoga soar from virtual obscurity into the heart of americas main stream. as with many systems of mind-body disciplines, the practice of yoga asana (postures) is rich in depth and technique that requires practice and patience.
this does not mean that it needs to be inaccessible or intimidating to new students.

join senior yoga teacher frank mauro in this two part workshop that will focus on the fundamental elements required to develop a strong and consistent practice. if you're a total beginner or a student who just wants a refresher in the foundational aspects of yoga practice, this workshop is for you.

in this workshop we will:
-focus on correct and clear alignment of basic yoga postures.
-increase confidence to attend frequent classes.
-develop balance, strength and flexibility through consistent practice.
-encourage learning in a safe and relaxed setting among fellow beginners.





workshops with tim miller at the shala union square
sept 27 to 29, 2013

the shala is honored to be hosting tim miller. tim has been studying and teaching ashtanga yoga for over thirty years and was the first american certified to teach by sri k. pattabhi jois.

prices vary per workshop or the whole weekend for $300
no class cards, no refunds
sign up here

friday, september 27
4:00 to 5:45 "the physics of asana" (strong practice)
$40
the primary series of ashtanga yoga is a profound system for detoxifying, strengthening, and increasing the range of motion of the physical body. at the same time it works deeply in the pranamaya kosha (energy body) through the constant emphasis on breathing via ujjayi breath and vinyasa. this class will explore how the primary series serves as a foundation for our sadhana.

6:30 to 8:00 "the metaphysics of asana" (philosophy talk, no asana)
$40
what distinguishes asana practice from other forms of exercise is its ability to penetrate beyond the physical body. this class will explore how the ashtanga approach to asana practice is designed not just to address the physical, but all of the pancha koshas--the physical, energetic, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual bodies.

saturday, september 28th
10:00 to 12:30 "roots and wings—the mysterious and elusive bandhas" (strong practice)
$65
we will explore the application of bandhas within the first series of ashtanga yoga as a way of enhancing concentration, stability, comfort, alignment and lightness. we will also use a variety of pranayama techniques to explore the connection of breath to bandhas and a refined sense of awareness.

1:30 to 3:30 "the asana doctor" (no asana)
$50
an open forum to address practice related questions such as biomechanics of asanas, adaptations for special needs, working with injuries or areas of particular density, etc.

sunday, september 29th
10:00 to 12:30 "nadi shodana and the subtle body" (strong practice)
$65
an introduction to the intermediate series and how it relates to the pranamaya kosha.

1:30 to 3:30 "pranayama—cultivating the buddhi" (pranayama class, no asana)
$50
pranayama is an important tool to bring calmness and clarity to the mind and to awaken our natural intelligence. this class will introduce the basics of pranayama and provide a foundation for cultivating a personal practice. (two hours)