Welcome
At The Yoga Center you will learn the art and science of yoga in a relaxing and personal environment. Choose the level of class you desire, ranging from basic instruction in pranayama (breath) and asanas (postures) to intermediate class with vinyasa flow. Our registered instructors are themselves constant students, committed to continued personal training and development in yoga. The central purpose of yoga is to increase your ability to succeed and enjoy life. To create an existence where you are aware, and engaged in every breath becoming more alert to life. Yoga is the way of connecting mind and body to spirit...through the breath in order to experience life to the fullest. Our intention is for you to leave yoga class with the feelings of balance, tranquility, and peacefulness. Taking from each class you participate in skills to carry you through your day to day life, adding tools for creating energy, vitality, strength and accomplishment in your life and the world around you.
What is Yoga?
The word yoga means "yoking" in the sense of the coming together of a harmonious relationship between our separate aspects, bringing the body, mind, and emotions into harmony. Yoga is not a religion. Yoga is a spiritual practice that develops from where you are in your faith. People of all faiths practice yoga- "everyone is seeking the joy found in the experience of the Self as our innate spirituality." The purpose and function of yoga is to give us what we are as a whole. It is not just about becoming more flexible, stronger, more fit or any other external benefit. These things are added benefits. Yoga is a powerful and simple process. It is using the body to free the breath and allowing the breath to move the body.
What are the benefits of yoga?
Create mental equilibrium, emotional health, calmness, sensitivity to yourself and others, and prepare the mind for meditative introspection. When this relaxation of effort and steadiness of your body is created, the resulting pleasurable sensations of being in stillness and contentment of the final posture pervade all levels of physiology and consciousness. This is what makes yoga truly unique.
Breath awareness
Our breath is the link between body and mind. We begin to free the breath by freeing the body. The three part Dirgha breath is accomplished by allowing your stomach to relax, begin to inhale through your nose allowing the stomach to fill (as if you were blowing up a beach ball). As the breath becomes full in the belly it will naturally flow into your diaphragm, filling and lifting and continuing into your chest/lung area like a wave. As you begin to exhale, allow the breath to flow down like a wave as you gently pull your navel, in an up, toward your spine releasing all the stale air. Do not ever hold your breath. Use the breath to pull you deeper into the posture, and out of the posture. Once you have awareness of your breath you will experience a life change. Breath (prana) is our life force.
Postures (Asana)
Whether entering a posture from standing, sitting, or lying down all are obtained in a number of steps and breaths. Each step of every posture is taken with an inhalation or exhalation. Allow the breath to move the posture. As inhalation begins, the movement of that step of the posture begins. As the breath completes, the movement completes. In the beginning it may be difficult to match breath with movement. Focus on the breath and as your practice develops you will notice that your body and breath begin to easily flow together. You should never feel pain in a posture. Great care should be taken to make sure that there is no pain in your knees, neck or back. Pay attention to your body, listen to what you body is telling you with subtle messages. Never push, force, or bounce your way into a posture. If you are recovering from an illness or injury be sensible, sensitive, and patient. Let your instructor know if you have had injuries so she may direct you toward modified movements in a posture.
Savasana (corpse pose) relaxation
Your yoga practice is a process of relaxation. The ultimate goal is to reach a complete absence of physical, emotional, and spiritual tension. Yoga works on the levels of tension starting with the large muscles penetrating to the smaller, deeper muscles (including vital organs). It is easy to use the postures to our disadvantage by winding ourselves up, over working muscles through aggression or by imposing unrealistic ambitions on our capabilities. Learn to find the challenge between action, rest, effort and ease. This is the root of a quality yoga practice. Savasana is vital to absorbing your practice and allowing your hard work to be integrated into your body, mind and spirit. Relax, become an explorer and travel deep into yourself, and encounter the treasure you truly are.