What happens during a Yoga class?

Yoga classes typically begin with some breathing exercises and warm-up poses to prepare your body for the practice. The main portion of the class includes a series of yoga poses or asanas, which are held for varying lengths of time. These poses can range from gentle and relaxing, to more challenging and physically demanding. Throughout the class, you will be given verbal cues to help you maintain proper alignment and offer modifications to make the poses more accessible or challenging.
Many classes also incorporate meditation and relaxation techniques, as well as ending with a final resting pose called Savasana to allow your body to fully relax and integrate the benefits of the practice. Some classes may include chanting during or at the end of the practice, and you can choose to engage as you feel comfortable. Generally, the yoga classes are 90 minutes long.
Overall, a yoga class is a holistic experience for the body and mind, and it’s designed to help increase strength and flexibility, reduce stress, and promote overall wellness.

“Yoga means integration of the spirit.” In this sense, yoga means wholeness or the process of becoming whole at the deepest spiritual level, united with one’s truest, deepest Self. In order to achieve this union, we start with bringing our attention to our physical body, through asana (physical practice) and pranayama (conscious yogic breathing techniques), and move to more subtle levels of our true selves.

There are many different styles of yoga, each with their own unique approach and emphasis. Here are some of the yoga styles I practice and teach at the present moment:

• Hatha Yoga: asana practice at a slower pace, with focus on the breath, controlled movements, and stretching.
  Hatha Yoga class: Awakening and energizing the spine – a relaxing, conscious yoga class that focuses on the spine: gradually increase the fluidity, flexibility, strength and health of your spine, while intentionally allowing the energy flow throughout your chakras in order to bring balance and deep healing. This yoga class is perfect for all levels of yoga practitioners: beginners, intermediate and advanced.
• Vinyasa Yoga: focuses on connecting the breath to your movements, which tend to be set at a faster pace.
  Vinyasa Yoga class: Increase Confidence & Self Esteem– a dynamic yoga class to get a boost of energy- focused on your core. This is a more intense yoga practice, all levels of yoga practitioners are welcomed.
• Ashtanga Half Primary Series: a dynamic and precise sequence of postures (asanas), a specific breathing technique, as well as the use of bandhas, drishti. Mentally, the primary series builds willpower, focus and mind-body awareness. Physically, it strengthens, improves flexibility and detoxifies the organs. Energetically, the poses clear obstacles to free the flow of energy in the nadis, or energy channels of the body.
• Yin Yoga: focuses on your deep connective tissues, like your fascia, ligaments, and joints. It is slow-paced style of yoga practice, where asanas (postures) are held for longer periods of time than in other styles. It’s more meditative, giving you space to turn inward and tune into both your mind and the physical sensations of your body. Yin yoga helps you stretch and lengthen those rarely-used tissues while also teaching you how to breathe through discomfort and sit with your thoughts.  Recommended to all level of yoga practitioners. Advanced practitioners may stay in one asana for five minutes or more. It is one of the most beautiful ways of balancing your Yang energy, especially for Power Yoga and Ashtanga practitioners.
• Restorative Yoga: is a passive, meditative form of yoga that allows you to focus on your breath while releasing tension in your body. Restorative yoga helps an unhealthy body, or an injured body, restore itself back to the best it can be.
• The difference between Yin Yoga and Restorative yoga: Yin Yoga is a practice of resilience whereas Restorative Yoga rehearses rest.
• Guided Meditation: is the path to consciously focusing your attention to observe the quality and nature of your thoughts, steadying the mind and anchoring into the present moment. Meditation brings calmness and increases awareness.
• New Moon Ceremonial Yoga Class: Astrology, Asana practice, Meditation & Sound Healing
• Full Moon Ceremonial Yoga Class: Astrology, Asana practice, Meditation & Sound Healing
• and more…

• Fun Facts!
• Is it normal to cry during a yoga class? If you’re a student and find yourself starting to cry, try not to panic. Although it can feel uncomfortable or even embarrassing to cry in a yoga class, it’s completely normal. Let go of those emotions that you allowed to bring to surface!
• Why do I get angry after a yoga class? Even-though, this happens rarely, as we work on the physical body, we also work on the energetic and astral bodies. Mental and emotional blockages are un-blocked and things start to move. This can lead to us re-experiencing emotions and thoughts with no obvious cause.