January, 2009

Happy New Year!

Teacher Training Registration closes February 1st, so get signed in through the Lake Metroparks and payments in by February 15th to take this year's teacher training. Our first trainees are getting ready to graduate soon, meet them at your first training! Your training will be an amazing journey of your life, led by a group of amazing instructors, join us!

New Classes & Workshops!

· All Level Vinyasa Yoga 5:15-6:45 PM Every Friday @ Harmony Studios

· Sunday's Meditation and Yoga Nidra 2:15 - 3:15 PM

· Foundational Vinyasa Workshop Saturday January 31st, 1-3:30 PM, @ Harmony Studios.
Great if you are new to yoga or Vinyasa! Jennifer will take you through the foundations of the practice of Vinyasa Flow. This workshop will give the student the theory and understanding of how to breathe and flow in and out of postures in a flow style class. This class will be geared towards a healthy beginner and intermediates will gain further knowledge for their practice. This is a great compliment workshop if you have taken the beginner's workshop and are looking to advance your practice. This class will build from a moderate to vigorous pace so the student's body will begin to understand how the breath moves the body.

· Beginner's Workshop at Harmony, Saturday January 3rd, 1:00-3:30 PM.
New to Yoga? Maybe it has been awhile and you want to get back into your practice. Anne Ondrey and I will take you through the basics of meditation, breathing, the various styles of yoga, and Yoga Nidra, while answering your questions about yoga and its practice in a safe and comfortable environment.

· Live Tabla Drumming and Yoga - January 31st, 6:30-8:30 PM at Harmony Studios, $20.
Jennifer Kovalchik of Awaken Yoga E-RYT & Josh Sherman-Tabla Disciple of Guru Hasu Patel Live Drumming during Vinyasa Practice Followed by Taal-Yoga Trance Meditation $20 Feel free to bring something Healthy to share if you would like to stay after!

· Couple's Sweetheart Yoga, $50 a couple, includes refreshments after and massage oil.
2/13/09 @ Nishkama Studios 6:30-8:30
2/14/09 @ Harmony Studios 6:30-8:30
Warm up with your partner in this nurturing couple's yoga class. You and your partner will be guided through a variety of partner yoga postures, yogassage (yoga massage), and heart meditations and relaxation. This is a great way to reconnect with your partner this winter. No yoga experience is necessary

· Bringing your practice Home, $50, 2.5 hours
Febraury 21st, 1:30-3:30 @ Harmony Studios.
Learn how to set up your own home practice, tailored to your needs. Study with a highly trained Yoga Professional and learn the foundations to a safe and well balanced practice. This class you will review setting up your home space, yoga props, types of practice, and very simple sequencing techniques. Afterwards, you will receive up to one hour, over the phone consultation to be used within 30 days of the workshop and an emailed copy of your personal designed home practice

· Please note that prices for Yoga Therapy and Private Sessions have changed:
8 sessions $280
6 sessions $240
4 sessions $180
Per Session $50/hr
*All packages must be used in 4 months or they expire
* Cancellation policy: All Private Sessions require a 24 hour notice or they are non-refundable

What is a Sankalpa?

Every year we sit back and tell ourselves we are making a resolution and we are going to stick with it! Instead of making a resolution, which are usually hard on ourselves, made with judgements or criticism, try a Sankalpa instead!

"A Sankalpa is the most powerful form of intention you can make. If there is a negative tendancy or habit in your life, and you want to correct it, that can also be done through a positive sankalpa. Swami Satyananada says that the purpose of sakalpa is not to fulfill desires, but to create strength in the structure of the mind. You can even say it is the force of will. The purpose of sankalpa is to influence and transform the whole life pattern, not only physically but also mentally, spiritually and emotionally. So to use it only for the purpose of losing weight or quitting smoking you are misusing it, if you use the power of sankalpa wisely you will automatically give those bad habit up. It is best to choose a sankalpa that will change your whole personality so that you will become more balanced, happy and fulfilled, when your sankalpa becomes your direct force everything you do in life will become successful! So as an example, do not say I want to lose weight, change it to I will achieve total health or I will be successful in all that I undertake. Do not hurry your sankalpa, let it rise from your heart, not from your mind or what you think the right image of your self is" (Swami Satyanada's Yoga Nidra). If you let the sankalpa come to you through meditation you will find it resonates the truth you need! Your sankalpa is bound to come true in your life! Namaste!

- See Swami Satyanada's Yoga Nidra for additional information on Sankalpa

Mantra of the Month

Om gam ganapataye namaha!
Om Salutations and Prostrations to Lord Ganesha.

Om has no meaning, it is just the pure sound of the consciousness we call Brahman or God. Lord Ganesha is the Lord of obstacles and is always invoked first before starting any spiritual or material (such as using your computer) undertaking. The vibration and the energy of this Mantra will actually remove all inner (in your mind) and outer obstacles.

Teacher of the Month

Anne Ondrey RYT, www.theyogapathonline.com

Anne is a wonderful teacher, as a runner she understands and has compassion for bodies who need a well balanced yoga class, without a competitive edge. She will take you where you need to go in a class. Her warm nurturing energy will keep you with a steady afterglow after your class is over. Check her website out for her class schedule, I recommend her Hatha Classes or join us for a Beginner's Workshop at Harmony Studios on the first Saturday of the month!