Goodbye North Yogalife Party
With heavy hearts on June 20th, 2022 Yogalife Studios closed its North Edmonton doors. To say thank you to our northside community for providing us with the best time over the years, we put together a small farewell party. Here are some photos from our final goodbye at the studio.
Goodbye North Yogalife Studio
With heavy hearts on June 20th, 2022 Yogalife Studios closed its North Edmonton doors. To say thank you to our northside community for providing us with the best time over the years, we put together a small farewell party. Here are some photos from our final goodbye at the studio.
While we are sad to see our North Edmonton studio go, we are excited for Yogalife’s future!
Presently, we are finalizing the details of our lease for a new studio on 124 Street, close to the Brewery District. There will be parking!
We are working on design plans and getting development permits applied for. We'll likely be 'breaking ground' in September or October, depending on how quick or slow the city works. Once we have a timeline, we'll be posting more about it on our socials and keeping everyone updated through our newsletters.
VIRYA CHALLENGE
Virya means diligence, effort and enthusiasm
Yoga is an inward journey for all of us so allow yourself the time and space to develop your own personal practice.
VIRYA CHALLENGE
USE EXISTING MONTHLY PASS OR SIGN UP FOR $99 PER MONTH COMPLETION OF CHALLENGE GIVES YOU 15% OFF THE $99 MONTHLY MEMBERSHIP VALIANT EFFORT & PARTICIPATION GIVES YOU 10% OFF THE $99 MONTHLY MEMBERSHIP
FOR OUR ORIGINAL REGULAR MONTHLY MEMBERS WE HAVE PRIZES FOR YOU FOR COMPLETING THE CHALLENGE
WRAP UP PARTY SWAG FROM OUR AWESOME PARTNERS PRIZES TO DRAW
BUY MONTHLY PASS
You can sign up at the studio. Find the board and put your name on it. Start counting on July 1st.
Your Edmonton Yoga Teacher Training Team is Coming from Far and Wide This Fall!
With Yogalife's most recent teacher training group freshly wrapped up we are more excited and inspired than ever to continue curating the best experiences possible.
Our next 200 hour Foundational Teacher Training is kicking off in September; get to know the faculty joining us from around the world behind your next step.
Sarah Zandbeek, Main Facilitator Edmonton, Alberta
Biography and Intention:
Maybe this sounds odd, but my hope is that people leave the program not ready to teach, but ready to Seek. I want people to graduate with an unrelenting curiosity for Life that is met with a deep contentment for the momentary reality. To not need more than what is available to them now, yet not to become comfortable in one way for too long, as this is the cause of stagnation, which is the cause of mostly all dis-ease.
I have learnt that my resistances (mind/body/emotional) come from my opinions of something being right or wrong, which means I have an absolute certainty about something that I have either learned or was programmed to believe as such. These resistances or opinions we hold of how things are “suppose” to be, limit us and create an unimaginable amount of tension in the mind, in the body, and in the heart.
So, yoga to me is about freedom and steadiness; it’s about finding the path that allows your self to widen or expand offering you a greater capacity to receive and meet life with.
Rumi says, “There are a 1000 ways to kneel and kiss the ground; there are a 1000 ways to go Home again.”
Yoga training is the start or continuation of finding your way home, back to your true Self.
In this training we utilize Traditional Hatha techniques: kriya, asana, pranayama, meditation, and yoga philosophy, anatomical and Anusara alignment, Traditional Chinese Medicine meridians, Ayurveda, group discussion and journaling as the tools to dive into Who we are. We will look at the main purpose of yoga asana and how to create sophisticated sequencing to harmonize the body and prevent illness. This is a foundational training, so you will learn all you need to know about how to observe bodies, hold space, and set clear intentions.
Our line up of guest teachers this year is out of this world.
Check it out…
Fall 2016 Guest Teachers list:
Stephen Thomas Zurich, Switzerland
Teaching: Technique and alignment, pranayama, mantra, kriya, and mudra
Stephen Thomas has been a dedicated student of yoga since 1998. He has practiced, taught and lived in Asia and Europe for the past decade studying various traditions, which he incorporates into a unique yoga practice influenced and made possible by the grace and support of his central teachers.
Stephen’s background includes studies in Buddhism, Ayruveda and traditional Hatha yoga in India. In Asia, he continues an in-depth study of traditional Pranayama and Kriya through his master, O.P.Tiwari, which he combines with his love for the Asana practices that stem from his experience with Krishnamacharya’s work and influence on the Ashtanga Vinyasa and Iyengar systems of yoga. He also brings in elements of the Chinese and Tibetan systems where appropriate.
Stephen is an avid reader and student Eastern philosophies and a lifelong lover of the arts and music. His ability to re-frame various viewpoints and to simplify things without sacrificing depth and integrity has helped him develop a unique, non-dogmatic but deeply rooted teaching style. His works spans Meditation, Pranayama, Asana and the commitment to seeing the practice off the mat. He uses these methods as tools for health and wellbeing and to support the spiritual pursuit of living life courageously and compassionately from one’s heart.
Stephen teaches classes from his base studio in Zurich, Switzerland as well as spending a part of each year traveling as a guest instructor and teaching retreats throughout the world. He also dedicates energy each year to directing Teacher Intensive Trainings and ongoing education and works one-on-one with many students and teachers in his community.
Sean Haleen San Francisco, California Teaching: Technique and alignment and Yoga therapeutics
Sean Haleen is a celebrated yoga teacher with two decades of consistent yoga practice and nearly a decade of full time teaching experience. His extensive background as a former Anusara teacher and devoted Iyengar student has equipped him to share his love for alignment with the yoga community worldwide. He's taught in over fifteen 200HR and 500HR teacher trainings specializing in therapeutic yoga and bio-mechanics.
Sean's love for teaching extends to different populations where he's taught queer youth groups, in recovery centers, high schools, and more. He is never shy to speak in gratitude about his main teachers whom he studies with regularly including Jack Kornfield, Brian Hogencamp, and Desiree Rumbaugh.
Neil Dalal Edmonton, Alberta Teaching: Philosophy
Neil Dalal is Associate Professor of South Asian Philosophy and Religious Thought at the University of Alberta. He holds an MA in East/West Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies, and a Ph.D. in Asian Cultures and Languages from the University of Texas at Austin where he specialized in Indian philosophy, the history of Indian religions, and Sanskrit. He has spent over four years in India studying Advaita Vedānta, the philosophy of non-duality, with traditional scholars and monks.
Neil’s primary research explores the meditative and contemplative practices in classical Yoga philosophies to understand how they employ textual knowledge, memory, and visualization to grasp pure consciousness. He regularly teaches courses on Yoga philosophy, asceticism, Hinduism, and India’s philosophical wisdom texts such as the Upaniṣads and Bhagavadgītā.
Neil is the co-editor of Asian Perspectives on Animal Ethics (Routledge Press), co-director of the documentary film Gurukulam (Matson Films), and currently writing a book analyzing the intersection of texts, contemplative practices, and religious experience in Advaita Vedānta.
https://uofa.ualberta.ca/integrative-health-institute/scholars/neil-dalal#sthash.I2XN7CKt.dpuf
Ian Hayward Edmonton, Alberta Teaching: Ayurveda
Ian's first introduction to Vedic knowledge was in 1984 on there commendation of a close friend. At that time he had duodenal ulcers from an unhealthy and stressful lifestyle and the Western health system could only offer medication with undesirable side effects, so he was open to alternatives.
Ian was initially instructed in the practice of Vedic mantra meditation and over the next ten years he attended countless Meditation Retreats and Vedic Science Courses at home and abroad. Eventually, in the summer of 1993, he emerged from the Maharishi Vedic University in Valkenburg, Holland (Deepak Chopra’s training was in the same lineage) fully trained as a Panchakarma therapist offering an extensive range of bodyworks and elimination therapies and as an Ayurvedic Wellness Consultant offering pulse diagnosis and lifestyle solutions.
After graduation in 1995 Ian spent the next two years in clinical practice applying these techniques under the supervision of medical doctors in London, England. He mainly treated very sick people and although he saw amazing results, he realized his passion was to prevent rather than cure illness; he also wanted to provide the Ayurvedic therapies in a more relaxing environment. So for the next three years, with the financial support of some client/investors, he developed the first residential Ayurvedic Centre in the UK, based in a Meditation Academy within a large stately home in a beautiful rural setting.
During this time, with the encouragement and guidance of his teachers, Ian adapted the presentation of Vedic knowledge to suit people living in a modern Western society and named this European Ayurveda. This made Vedic knowledge more accessible and self empowering with an emphasis on practical application in everyday life.
Brea Johnson Edmonton, Alberta Teaching: Integrative anatomy
Brea Johnson has been a yoga teacher and movement educator for well over a decade. With a love for learning and studying the human body she continues her on-going education in yoga, anatomy and biomechanics and is also a certified Restorative Exercise Specialist™ with biomechanic scientist, Katy Bowman. As a teacher and mentor, Brea leads numerous workshops, teacher trainings and retreats along with a private practice helping clients move and feel better. She is known for her warm and engaging teaching style providing a safe foundation of healthy movement while remaining focused in the heart of the yogic teachings. As the popularity of yoga increases along with yoga-related injuries, this approach has made her a much sought-after teacher in the wellness and yoga community.
Also joining us will be a few of our in studio teachers: Melissa Perret for Ashtanga and Adjustments, Emily McNichol for prenatal yoga, and Cole Williston.
For more information on the experience of a yoga teacher training, check out our blog Yoga Teacher Training: 11 Reasons To Dive In
We Want To Give You Yoga!
Here's how we're going to do it
Feeling loved, appreciated and comfortable in a yoga studio is incredibly important. This is perhaps where you spend your calmest hour or so of the day; where you may open up and become more sensitive to yourself and your needs. It's where you sweat, grow, challenge yourself and even change. This place can grow to be your second home, your family, your team!
We want to make your connection to our studio really easy and affordable, and keep you excited about us! Here's a few ways we're going the extra mile to keep you on our team:
30 Days of Unlimited Yoga for $39
The best way to become acquainted with a studio is to go as much as you can! Get the most out of your 30-day trial: try new classes, meet the instructors, make friends in the tea lounge, have an apple after class (we provide those!). Your membership includes mat and towel service if you need it, on a first come first serve basis.
Our new student trial price equals less than the price of two drop-ins and comes with a mat and towel if you need. Bonus.
12 Class Challenge
This is where things get interesting. The 12 class challenge is just like it sounds, completing the goal of 12 classes within 30 days. We offer such a variety of classes; warm foundation, yin, meditation, vinyasa flow, acro, hatha flow and happy hips, just to name a few. You may fall in love with hot yoga or prefer to practice in a non-heated space; this trial period is your time to explore.
Once you complete your 12 classes in 30 days we will excitedly gift you with a free month of yoga (one month auto-renew = $99 - we're giving you two!).
We hope your curiosity and connection to yoga and Yogalife will continue to flourish as you deepen your practice.
Save On Your Monthly Membership
When you get into the groove of a steady practice and come to the studio multiple times a week, it makes sense to do an auto-renew membership. To help with this commitment, we'll cover $10 of your monthly fee. Sign up in the first month of your 30-day trial to snag this deal.
We know this is a lot of information but at the end of the day we just want to give you yoga. We want you to feel valued and supported as you get more serious about your practice. Whether that involves 3 sweaty flow classes a week or a variety of hatha/yin/meditation, we want to make this as accessible as we can. Never hesitate to ask our staff and instructors about the details.
How to find the right teacher training for you
Yoga Training... Where do you start?
You've been practicing yoga for X amount of time and feel like you want to deepen your journey and perhaps switch up your role in the studio. You like a variety of styles of yoga, love travelling, want to learn it all; you also work a job in the city, have a family or are finishing your degree. There are so many factors that come into play when you start contemplating taking a yoga teacher training. Do you study locally? Do you submerge in India for 6 months? What factors in your life depend on this decision?
I took my first yoga training in 2010 in Edmonton. At the time I had just finished a 2 year program at MacEwan and was plugging away at my student loans, working full-time. Although I lusted over dropping into an intensive month in Costa Rica or some place of the sort, it just wasn't feasible at that time in my life. It takes a lot of planning and freedom in your life to be able to pick up and unplug. To each their own! My training complimented my schedule and needs perfectly; every second weekend, Friday evenings and all day Saturday/Sunday. I was able to let the teachings settle during my time off, catch up on reading and personal practice, and still head to my job every day and spend time with family and friends.
Yoga is about balance, so it's important to make sure that this is maintained in all areas of your life if you're looking to dive in deeper. I took my second training in this same style; weekend modules followed by a delicious retreat in the end. To me, maintaining my responsibilities and general life at home is a big priority. Will I pick up and take off, going off the grid and truly submerging? Yes, one day. It's always been in the plan, it just hasn't quite fit in yet.
Edmonton has an amazing yoga community with teachers offering trainings locally and around the world. The best thing you can do is reach out to them and get to know what they're about. Take their classes, workshops, read their blogs and maybe sit and have a tea with them. Resonating with your guide is a huge part of the experience.
Talk with the people that have taken similar trainings. Someone that has been through a similar process will be able to answer questions and illuminate the process a website or course outline may not.
Investigate the styles of yoga offered. If you like a fiery, flow practice, yin training isn't what you're looking for. What is kundalini? Do you want more meditation-focused training? There are so many options out there, so narrowing down a style can be a good place to start. In that same breath, remember that yoga in general is essentially comprised of universal teachings. Don't limit yourself because you are hooked on one style in this moment. Yoga is yoga, and a teacher training of any sort will teach you far beyond what you thought you were going to get. One of my teachers says "this should be called human training". It really should.
If you're on the fence or want to know more, reach out. We love to talk about this stuff! I personally believe that every human in the world would benefit from taking a yoga training, and it definitely doesn't mean that you have to stand up in front of a class.
We have 4 spots left in our 200 hour Foundational Teacher Training with Sarah Zandbeek (another one of my amazing teachers!). Again, if you're on the fence, get in touch with us and ask all the questions that have been building. This might just be one of the best things you leap into.
- Caitlin, caitlin@yogalifestudios.ca
trainings@yogalifestudios.ca
Thank You For 2015
2015: An Incredible Year. Thank you.
2015 has been an amazing year. We've seen our community expand and thrive and we are so excited to see what's around the corner for our south and north families in the new year. Our 2015 line-up was stacked, from workshops including special guests Suzanne Slocum-Gori and Kevin Naidoo, to another amazing teacher training, to a couple great parties and community events (hello, BLOOM!). Yogalife Studios South turned a whopping 5 YEARS OLD and our north studio celebrated 3 years. Time flies when you're having fun!
Again, none of this would have gone off without the energy and commitment of our community. We are truly grateful for every person that comes through the door and onto their mat, or stops and says hello at a local event. The Edmonton yoga community is rich and inspiring: how fortunate we are to have each other. So let's get excited about another awesome year together and many more to come! And hey, if you want to drop by for your first practice of 2016 tomorrow, we're open!
See you next year!
New Year Tibetan Singing Bowl Meditation
Sound healing meditation to reflect and renew
Many cultures recognize the importance of music and sound as healing power. In the ancient civilizations of India, the Orient, Africa, Europe, and Native Americans, the practice of using sound to heal and achieve balance from within has existed for years. The Tibetans use bells, chimes, bowls and chanting as the foundation for their spiritual practice. In Bali, Indonesia, the echoing, gamelong, gong and drum are used in ceremonies to uplift and send messages. The Australian aboriginals and native shamanists use vocal toning and repetitive sound vibration with instruments created from nature in sacred ceremony to adjust any imbalance of spirit.
We are excited to bring this healing practice to Yogalife Studios this holiday season with a New Year Tibetan Singing Bowl Meditation with Neil Haggard.
Celebrate the New Year with an Asana and guided Meditation practice to reflect on the important things in life. Wellness. Peace. Health. Family. Renewal. Movement. Focus.
When we hear inspiring stories and take time to reflect on what is important in our lives, taking stock, we can see our lives in new ways, focus on what is great about life! Taking some time to relax, listen to our hearts, move the body, calm the busy mind, restore the senses and learn to breathe - a sure way to being healthy and a great practice to take into the year to come.
Walk away with a renewed sense of well being and deep commitment to the important things in our lives! Click here to register!
Yoga For Trauma and PTSD
The following is a guest post from Yogalife instructor Gabi Weaver. Gabi brings a special element to our team with her experience in Therapeutic Yoga and her involvement with helping at-risk groups begin to stabilize and heal.
Gabi is excited to share a special 3-hour workshop with the community October 31 at Yogalife Studios North.
My name is Gabriela Weaver, RYT, RHN, YoR. I am a practicing Yoga therapist. I have used Yoga’s many tools to heal and support others with anxiety and depression, alcohol and drug addiction, eating disorders and PTSD. I have worked with people who have cancer, fibromyalgia, HIV, high blood pressure, multiple sclerosis and neurological and neuromuscular diseases. I have used Yoga countless times to support and strengthen thousands of practitioners, and lead them back to better lives, happier lives, with better health, and a new vitality for living that is so exciting and wonderful to see.
I’m going to ask you to think of yoga as medicine - a concept which may be new to you. You have probably seen many pictures of yoga practitioners in very advanced postures and have heard about the sauna-like conditions that accompany many modern yoga practices. This has convinced many people that yoga isn’t something that could possibly be for them. But take a closer look; you will find yoga being used in ways you may have never thought of before. Yoga is now being used in many capacities to heal both body and mind.
Yoga may be the most powerful overall system for healing ever discovered. The relief of suffering has been the central aim of yoga for thousands of years. Part of the reason that yoga is so effective is that it aims to heal the mind, body and spirit together. Yoga not only addresses the symptoms of PTSD, but has the tools to do it. A number of yoga practices, starting with simple breathing exercises that almost anyone can do, can reliably shift the body from the flight-or-fight response to relaxation (Colonel David Grossman -Tactical Breathing author of ‘On Combat’). It is even possible, using yogic tools, to shift your mind and body into a relaxed state when you are experiencing PTSD symptoms. Keep in mind though, that while powerful, yoga isn’t a quick fix. Yoga becomes more and more effective over weeks, months, and years of practice.
Therapeutic yoga awakens in you the ability to heal yourself. Therapeutic yoga is supported by psychology and neuroscience. It is brought to life by my students who share their stories of struggle and healing. By connecting with your mind and body, you’ll gain a glimpse of what lies beyond the emotional pain of PTSD, trauma, and heightened states of anxiety. Yoga opens a window to a new world. This includes a connection to a deeper part of you that lives within and also transcends your mind and body: your spirit or vital essence.
Yoga For Trauma and PTSD w/ Gabi Weaver Yogalife Studios North Saturday, October 31 || 2:30-5:30pm
The Yogalife App Is LIVE!
We like to consider ourselves somewhat tech-savvy and are always looking for ways to make your lives a bit easier. Behold, the newest edition to the Yogalife Studios collection of things digital: our very own app!
APP /ap/ noun a self-contained program or piece of software designed to fulfill a particular purpose; an application, especially as downloaded by a user to a mobile device.
Now you can book your classes, find out who's teaching, learn about new workshops and all things related to the studio from anywhere.
Find us in the app store:
Our Latest Offerings For Yogi Mamas
Check out the latest pre and post-natal registered classes coming up at Yogalife Studios South with Dawn McCorry!
Dawn is Certified Prenatal/Postnatal Yoga Instructor as well as Certified Birth Doula through DONA. She has also had the honour of carrying and bringing into this world 3 amazing sons. Dawn’s open approach to yoga encourages students to be guided by their own inner wisdom. She can’t wait to share all the benefits yoga has to offer to new parents.
The morning sickness, achy lower back, and fatigue of pregnancy have passed. But for new mamas, a whole other different set of physical conditions often accompanies the bliss of loving your little creation. Luckily, yoga can help address the most common concerns after having your little one. And moms aren't the only ones who can benefit from yoga; a few basic moves for the wee one can make your infant more comfortable and calm.
Mom and Baby Six Weeks Pre-Registered with Dawn McCorry Yogalife Studios South || September 15-October 20, 11:00-12:00
Prenatal yoga is designed to prepare expectant mothers for labour, and focuses on increasing flexibility, strength, circulation and balance, to help support both mom and baby during this time. Through the six weeks, you will be guided through meditations, pranayama (breath exercises), and postures to help adapt to the changes happening in your body through each trimester, and to connect deeper with the self, and the life growing within.
Prenatal 6 weeks Pre-Registered with Dawn McCorry Yogalife Studios South || September 15-October 20, 12:15-1:15
Kari Edwards at MindBodyGreen offers these tips for new yogi mamas:
1. Focus on breathing.
In the first few weeks after birth your body needs time to recover so the best thing you can do is put your asana practice aside and focus on pranayama and meditation. When you're feeding your baby or in need of a boost after a long sleepless night, practice breathing deep into your belly long and slow through your nose.
Close your eyes and focus on the feeling of the breath as it moves in and out of your body. Even if you only manage one deep breath, your body and mind will thank you. Do this as often as you need throughout the day and it will help focus and calm your mind and enjoy these special early moments.
2. Ease into your practice with forward bends.
Provided you are recovering well and had a normal birth, beginning to include a few forward bends around two weeks or so post birth can help to compress your belly and aid in returning your uterus to its pre-pregnancy position. Check with your midwife if it's OK before you begin.
Sit with your legs together straight out in front of you. (You can lie your baby on your legs or beside you if you wish.) Bend forward from the hips, remembering not to push yourself, close your eyes and take a few deep breaths here.
3. Before you begin to include asana in your daily yoga practice, wait until six weeks postnatal or until you have the OK from your doctor or midwife.
If your baby allows you to put her down, you can begin with a few rounds (or just one round) of Sun Salutations to get your body moving and stretching again. Include chest and shoulder stretches such as eagle arms to stretch out a sore back from holding the baby and nursing. If your baby just needs to be held, you can practice a few gentle lunges or some standing hip rotations while you soothe your baby.
If you are feeling steady, you can include balancing asana like tree pose while you hold your baby but remember to take things slow and not to push yourself.
The key to transitioning from a prenatal to a post natal yoga practice is to take things slow. Listen to what your body needs as it changes and remember that you don’t need to be on the mat for a 60-minute period to benefit from yoga. Little bite-sized bits of yoga in your day will help to keep you calm and centered and to enjoy the many benefits of yoga.
'Smitten With Life' Nicaragua Retreat || Destination Feature
Breathe In Life Destination Feature Playa Escameca, Nicaragua
Yogalife Studios and Breathe In Life travel/adventure/yoga/all-around amazing company are teaming up to bring you a special offering in a beautiful corner of the world. The following is a feature on Playa Escameca, the breathtaking area of Nicaragua that Yogalifers Caitlin Varrin and Graham Parsons are taking yogis to get a little more smitten with life. You can find more destination features on the Breathe In Life blog, alongside tons of cool yogi/yoga features, recipes, festival reviews and more.
In the deep south of Nicaragua, just a stone’s throw from Costa Rica, there is a special beach you can only hope to stumble upon while traveling – Playa Escameca. Arguably one of the nicest beaches in Central America, you won’t find Playa Escameca in any travel books and that’s because this spot is unique. This incredible stretch of beach presently only has 1 eco-resort where we will be staying named ‘Costa Dulce’ which means ‘Fresh Coast’. It boasts not only gorgeous scenery but some seriously gnarly surfing conditions that you can enjoy all to yourself. You are about as far away from honking horns, pesky sales people, crowded waves and booming late-night parties as you can get. That’s why Free & Easy Traveler (Breathe in Life’s sister company) jumped all over the opportunity to start building our own little sanctuary for the travellers we know are out there looking for something peaceful and off-the-beaten-path. Many of you actually may have seen it before and not known it; Playa Escameca was the setting for the TV show Survivor Nicaragua! You know this show always finds the most beautiful, remote paradise locations so this says a lot about this special spot.
At the beach-house we stay in you will experience resort living in an ecological reserve teeming with wildlife and natural beauty. This private villa has been custom designed using green building concepts, native hardwoods and stones. High ceilings and large overhangs provide shade from sun and rain showers. Boundaries between indoors and outdoors blur when sliding walls open kitchen and bedrooms to large decks overlooking the beach. The yoga studio has a stunning view as soothing sounds of jungle and ocean intermingle. Monkeys sometimes even make an appearance at our sessions!
We can't wait to practice with you, laugh & co-create with you, root down & uplift with you. Come partake of something special, and re-acquaint yourself with the wonder that's always quietly humming in the world around us. All we need to do is listen. And get smitten.
SMITTEN WITH LIFE with Graham Parsons and Caitlin Varrin November 13th – November 23rd, 2015 Playa Escameca, Nicaragua Click here for more information on this retreat!
Therapeutic Yoga with Gabi Weaver
Yogalife Studios North is pleased to introduce a regular Therapeutic Yoga class with Gabi Weaver, starting this Sunday, April 5, 1:00-2:15pm. Learn more about this beneficial practice below in this guest post written by Gabi.
Therapeutic Yoga
Gabi Weaver
Yoga has long been practiced with therapeutic intentions as a way of healing and awakening both the body and the mind. Therapeutic yoga is a particularly effective practice for those recovering from, or living with, injury or illness. Therapeutic Yoga blends restorative yoga (supported postures) gentle yoga, subtle strengthening exercises, breath-work, hands-on healing adjustments, and guided meditation techniques. It is excellent for those who need something gentle -yet effective for reducing pain, bringing the body into balance, opening it, strengthening it and reducing stress.
Therapeutic Yoga can be a deeply restorative experience and can help to access the deeper wisdom that resides within-to awaken our bodies’ own ability to heal itself. Therapeutic yoga differs from a regular yoga class by focusing on the needs of students instead of the student modifying to fit the class. The class is catered to benefit the needs of students. Health issues ranging from chronic pain and injury, to cancer, depression, digestive issues, heart conditions and stress-related symptoms can be effectively addressed using yogic techniques.
Healing is a process of bringing the entire being into wholeness, not just relieving symptoms. Western or allopathic medicine diagnoses and then treats the symptoms of disease, but often ignores the root cause- which may be physical (due to a lack of movement or injury) emotional, (brought on by stress or negative mind chatter) or spiritual (expressed in feelings of despondency, depression or a failure to thrive). Yoga’s broader approach reminds clients that they are not defined by their diagnosis and symptoms. It recognizes healing as a multi-faceted journey toward greater health and wellbeing. Therapeutic Yoga is not intended to be a substitute for modern medicine, but is a complementary and alternative method that enhances the healing process.
Yoga Therapy and Therapeutic yoga are only now emerging as a discipline in itself. More and more health care practitioners are starting to include yogic techniques in their approach to healing-and more yoga teachers are giving a therapeutic intention to their teaching. People who have never tried yoga before are starting to consider including yoga in their treatment plan. Yoga is beneficial for our health in ways that modern science is just beginning to understand, though it has been applied with therapeutic intention for thousands of years. More and more research is being conducted on helping science and the medical community to understand and accept the benefits of Yoga Therapy.
Laughter Yoga With Graham Parsons
If you've never partaken of a laughter yoga session, chances are you've maybe pondered already what it could entail: Do we practice belly laughing while we do headstand? Do we sit in pigeon and tell each other off-colour jokes? Maybe we just get lifted on our own manic delight & float through the universe like this crazy human:
In the end none of these three truly get close, it's more so something you have to experience for yourself. But to do so is well worth it, because in exactly the same way that we yogis strive for years to harness the subtle energies of our breath to cleanse & revivify ourselves physically, mentally & emotionally, getting deeply immersed in laughter can offer these same treasures in mere minutes.
Some tangible benefits of laughter itself:
~Tones the core - When we laugh freely we are rapidly contracting our abdominal muscles in a way that promotes stability through center
~Improves Respiratory & Cardiac Health - Ever laughed so hard as something that you felt near passing out with sheer joy? Hearty laughter quickens the breath & blood circulation, allowing more efficient circulation of oxygen throughout the body. This is why we feel that warm afterglow long after the belly laughs have ceased & we've wiped the tears from our eyes.
~Reduces Stress- The physical act of laughter naturally reduces the prevalence of hormones like cortisol and epinephrine, thus greatly reducing the state we sometimes find ourselves in of being 'wired for stress.' Reduction of these hormones has a wonderfully beneficial effect on immune system health as well
~Dissolves social conditioning - Milton Berle once said that 'the shortest distance between two souls is a shared laugh.' When we're really absorbed in a moment of mirth with someone, so much social patterning as resistance freely falls away
Graham leading the laughter at Astral Harvest Music & Arts Festival, photo by the talented Tinka Kalajzic
Now, all of these benefits and more are derived from incidental laughter as we move through our day, and this laughter usually requires a stimulus: a witty meme, an inside joke from a friend, someone letting a fart go in an elevator, etc.
But something odd & unexpected happens when a group of people get together & start laughing for no reason whatsoever: the act of laughing is mechanical at first, but the more we share the collective sound & sight of laughter around us, the more the analytical mind quiets down , the more the laughter flows freely without particular stimulus, and the more the body & mind are able to reap these benefits enduringly. Think about how good you feel when you stop to take a few deep, mindful breaths. Now think about how good you feel after a 90 minute yoga class of mindful breathing. The benefits deepens into our very cells, and patterns us toward continuing to be receptive to this same nourishment in times to come.
Laughter Yoga as a specific practice was begun by a Physician in Mumbai, India a few decades back, and since then has expanded to untold numbers of laughter gatherings and clubs all over the globe. Think of the sun just rising over a pristine, tree-filled park in India. Now think of it filled with hundreds of men, women & children, washing their hearts with laughter to start their day. It may seem ludicrous, but that is precisely why it is of such benefit.
So come join this mirthful gathering of humanity, make a joyful noise, and heal, both inwardly & outwardly. All it takes is a chuckle.
Join Graham this Saturday, January 24, at Yogalife Studios South from 2:30-5:30 for the giggle-fit of a lifetime! Register here.
Featured Yogi Of The Month: Suzanne Slocum-Gori
Suzanne Slocum-Gori is joining the YEG yoga community this Sunday to share "Architecture, Mystery & Radiance within the Subtle Body" at Yogalife Studios South. In the past few weeks I've been getting to know this woman through emails, reading her website, and chatting with fellow teachers; we are HYPED, to say the least. She holds a doctorate within Counselling Psychology, a E-RYT 500, Co-Owner of One Yoga for the People Vancouver & the SARA Foundation for Cancer Prevention. Amazing.
Suzanne's teachings encourage students to dissolve barriers & to dance through an intelligent practice in order to create more intimacy with Grace.
We simply can't wait!
Architecture, Mystery & Radiance within the Subtle Body Sunday, January 18 || 1:30-3:30pm
A conversation with Suzanne:
How did you get your yogic start? Who brought you to your first class, what was that like, and where was it?
A memorable jump into yoga was when I was living in Boston and completing my Master’s Degree . I was a marathon runner. One of my running buddy’s mother recommended I attend a ‘breathing’ (pranayama) and restorative class with her. She took me to an Iyengar instructor where we primarily focused on witnessing & feeling our natural breath, developing a steady Ujjai and relaxing our muscular-skeletal system. All I can remember is I left the class feeling as if I was walking on a different planet embedded with a new atmospheric system. I was so heavily rooted yet incredibly buoyant. My senses were awakened to a point I felt I was smelling, tasting, seeing and experiencing myself and the elegance around me for the first time. I dove into the practices of yoga and all of its components from that day on.
Share a favourite teaching that inspires you.
One of my favourite teachings is to ‘look for the good or magic ~ in every situation’. We will find it if you look long and deep enough. Applying this motto requires a triggering of our cognitive functioning, and the rippled effects are immediate, soothing, uplifting and permeate into the physiological and emotional layers. An additional teaching that changed my life: ‘you need to ask in order to receive’. Our needs and longings are more likely to be nourished (satisfied) when we send out a request, prayer or intention. My little piece of advice when you send a request: be very specific.
Your favourite books, yogi-inspired and fiction.
There are too many favourite books to list…I am officially a book junky. Here are a few that have been in my hand in the last month:
- Avatar: The Last Airbender (Book Series) - Gene Luen Yang
- The Power of Myths - Joseph Campbell
- Bless the Space between Us - John O Donohue
- Tantric Visions of the Divine Feminine - Dr. David Frawley
- Anghora - Dr. Robert Svoboda
- The Sacred Path of a Warrior - Chogyam Trungpa
- Take your pick of yogic texts: Upanishads, Mahabharata, Shiva Sutras, Vijnana Bhairava Tantra, etc.
What is your favourite meal to make and share with friends?
I cherish my time in the kitchen. It grounds my family, friends and myself. Preparing food creates an internal and collective cohesion. When the kids and our family unit seem to be scattered, stressed, dense or sad, I immediately pour a focused and loving attention into a curry…usually one that includes tumeric, cumin, mustard & cardamon seeds, ginger, cinnamon and coconut oil & milk. My curries most often utilize lentils or moong beans, served with squash, kale and quinoa (or rice). The mixture of ingredients slowly (at a low heat) metamorphose into aromas which provide a deep anchoring in our beings. The nourishing food enters our systems ~ creating an ignition of our innate fire and energetic centre points, which ultimately cultivate an internal magnetic force, a feeling of 'wholesomeness' and a cohesion of all of our fragmented parts. The element associated with smell (or our nose) is ‘EARTH’. The earth element is stable and medicinal, but is also incredibly rich with diversity and strength. Therefore, the aromas bring forth an abundant amount of sensation to experience from a deeply rooted & cohesive stance. The kitchen also serves as a fire place….a space for family and friends to gather and tell stories. This process often stimulates the power of healing, synthesis and even ancestry. Fire is a ceremonial element, inviting alchemy and transformation. The kitchen is my fire ground.
What's your favourite pose/sequence/area of the body to work on?
My practice prioritizes attention into my legs, hips and pelvis on a daily basis. I open and strengthen my thighs, hamstrings and hips. Mobility of my femur bones allows me to clear the pelvis, (specifically a widening of the pelvis) leading to more freedom in my low back and additional power to broaden my chest and heart. I couple this with a strengthening and activation of pelvic floor and deep core muscles with the aim of directing an energetic force up my center line (as I internalize a divine flame (or deity) rising up to the sacred space of my heart). I find these practices can be incredibly purifying as they tend to assist in eliminating energetic debris, toxins or emotional blockages and ultimately assist in healing wounds. As our channels are cleansed, prana and awareness flow more freely filling in imprints with sprinkles of the most important ingredient of all - LOVE (i.e., bliss).
Who inspires you?
My mother has been the most inspiring being for me. Her ability to serve others and emanate compassion in a reliable and consistent manner is extraordinary. Her energetic system must be incredibly strong in order to hold and direct the amount of light that she does so gracefully. Light is a refined force which vibrates at a high frequency, and my mother exudes this medium as her primary pulse. Yes - she oscillates, as all humans do, but she never grasps on to any of the various energies moving through her. She always traverses back to the middle path, serving out abundant amount of
Love.
Little Hippies At Yogalife Studios!
Yogalife Studios North is excited to host Little Hippies 50 Hour Kids Yoga Teacher Training December 12-14, 2014. Today we're sharing more about this amazing company out of Calgary that is making a difference for little yogis!
About Little Hippies
Little Hippies is a children’s yoga company that offers yoga classes to children between the ages 2 – 12, teens, and families. All Little Hippies yoga classes are integrative and open to children with Special Needs.
Little Hippies is all about encouraging the healthy development of today’s youth for a more positive, strong, and healthy future. It is no secret that our society is currently struggling with conditions such as obesity, anxiety, and depression- all of which we can reduce by taking an “upstream” approach to health. By supporting children physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally through the Little Hippies program, we hope to encourage the healthy development of children for a healthier and happier tomorrow.
Little Hippies has taken into consideration the standards outlined by yoga organizations such as Yoga Alliance, and fellow kids yoga teacher training programs. We have designed this program to go above and beyond these expectations, creating experienced and creative teachers who are not only able to provide students with an amazing yoga experience, but who can also connect with these children and their families.
By taking the Little Hippies Kids Yoga Teacher Training, you are not only becoming a “children’s yoga instructor”, you are investing in the well being of our tiny humans for future generations to come. We hope to set “the standard” for children’s yoga teacher training.
What is a Little Hippie? "Little Hippie": An infant, child, or teen who has a zest for exploring, creating, moving, and shaking! Children of all abilities are welcome in our classes.
Their Story Co-owners Chloe Dusser and Jenna Galloway are two great friends who decided to put their heart & soul into a company designed to encourage healthy development in kids and provide a supportive & fun community for families.
Their Vision
Our company Little Hippies is all about giving back. For every yoga class purchased, we provide a FREE yoga class to a child in need.
Little Hippies provides a very inclusive environment, creating a place for each child in our yoga classes- regardless of ability. We ensure that children have a safe and welcoming space to practice in, where they are supported and given the opportunity to learn, thrive, and belong. All the lessons and skills learned during our classes are important tools for living harmoniously at home, at school, and in the community.
Our main goal is to encourage every child to explore their creativity, express their unique personalities through physical movement, and build an awesome little yoga community where kids feel supported.
Our teachers care deeply about children and share in the fresh and optimistic outlook they have towards life as they are growing. Each day, we witness the powerful and unique ability of yoga to bring out the best in our students. From fostering imaginations and creativity, to developing motor skills and promoting healthy bodies, we believe that play and yoga are critical parts of childhood.
Visit Little Hippies online at www.littlehippieskidsyoga.com or on Facebook
Learn more about the upcoming training here!
Make Your Heart Sing
We have a few tasty holiday offerings to make your heart SING! Whether you're looking for the perfect gift for a special yogi, getting into yoga yourself, or just looking for a great deal, we have some amazing offerings to share with you.
The Beginner's Journey
$179. Help someone start their Yoga journey for Christmas. Get them a three month unlimited pass to start their New Year off, and receive a Yogalife Journal to gift to them with their Yoga Pass.
Available starting December 1st.
The Yogi Starter Kit
Receive 20% OFF a Manduka Mat and a 4 Week Unlimited Pass, and you'll also get a Yogalife Journal. This is a great gift for someone you know who would enjoy starting yoga in the New Year.
Available in studio to purchase December 1st - 25th.
And just a little sneak peak into 2015, to prepare you for the new year, we'd like to offer you our 2015 New Year's Resolution.
The Resolution Yogi
A one year pass, a Goal Setting Session and a Yogalife Journal for only $790. Start your 2015 off with the best of intentions and plan to watch yourself succeed. Available to purchase January 1st - 31st, 2015. Limited number of passes available.
Acro Yoga Fundamentals
Meet Luc Felicidade, Gaiatri Yoga Training grad and acro yoga LOVER, amongst other things! Luc is joining us at Yogalife Studios South to offer Acro Yoga Fundamentals, a playful workshop to learn the basics of acro yoga. This is a great opportunity to learn new skills and deepen the ones you may already have.
In AcroYoga Fundamentals, not only will you learn the 7 fundamentals of AcroYoga, you will learn how to safely practice at home with friends. AcroYoga Fundamentals will take the foundations of yoga into the air in a fun and playful way. This interactive workshop will include foundational postures including therapeutics.
If you have been thinking about giving AcroYoga a try, this is your chance.
All levels of yoga and fitness are encouraged to attend as you explore partner yoga poses and take flight in AcroYoga!
No partner required. Only a desire to have fun with others in your community.
If you are registering with a partner, there is a discount!
Acro Yoga Fundamentals Yogalife Studios South November 8, 2014 2:30-5pm register here!
Introducing the Class of 2014: Uttara Vidya 200-Hr YTT Grads!
It's been a long, introspective, snort-kombucha-out-of-your-nose hilarious, challenging journey—full of asana, alignment, anatomy and ancient philosophy—but the graduates of Yogalife's first-ever Yoga Alliance-certified Uttara Vidya 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training have finally completed their learning adventure. Or has it only just begun...
The idea for a Yogalife teacher training came long ago. Yogalife's studio director Lindsey Park says this dream of hers has been a long time coming. After years of seed-planting and mental prep, and months of pulling together plans, photos, manuals, and assembling a team of facilitators, Yogalife's school of Uttara Vidya, or Higher Learning, was ready. With 25 eager students and three willing teachers, the first of Uttara Vidya's 200 hours began on May 9th, 2014.
Yogalife's teacher training was the most transformative time of my life. I grew significantly as a practitioner and as a person. It was fantastic to be led by three of the most amazing people I've had the pleasure of meeting, and to make so many new friends. The environment was a supportive and safe place to grow and change and I wouldn't have changed a single thing about my experience.
-Brandi Armstrong, CYT-200
With four full weekends and a two-week intensive behind them—hours upon hours (200 of them!) full of heart-opening and hatha, build-ups and breakdowns, sweat, laughter, and tears—Lindsey, Brittany, and Brandon present 25 freshly-certified teachers into Edmonton's yoga community, full with wisdom and ready to share. Look for these beauties at an upcoming Yogalife Karma class (at Yogalife North, Saturdays at 11 a.m., and Yogalife South, Sundays at 1:30 p.m.).
Congratulations, Uttara Vidya Graduates of 2014!!!
Look for Uttara Vidya's next YTT 200-Hr Training program coming in early 2015, registration opening soon. If you have any questions in the interim, please feel free to contact Uttara Vidya at trainings@yogalifestudios.ca.
Guest Teacher Lisa Cohen
Yogalife Studios South is excited to welcome guest teacher Lisa Cohen, joining us from Arizona.
Lisa will be leading Melissa's Ashtanga class this Sunday June 29th at 12:30pm.
A little bit from Lisa:
Yoga came into my life when my father and sister took me to their Ashtanga yoga teacher, Anthony "Prem" Carlisi, in 1998. I did Primary series, all of Primary series in my first class. I couldn’t move after class or the week after. I was humbled. I knew that I would practice yoga for the rest of my life. I didn’t know that I would teach, but Prem passed the torch to me when he moved away. After 15 years on the mat, I am still a lifelong student, still humbled and still in-love with the Practice.
Yoga opened me up to many ways of seeing and learning, communicating and growing. Yoga is opening, loving and evolving. Yoga is an ego corrective experience. Finding yoga has helped me practice gratitude everyday in every way.
My class is appropriate for all students willing to try something new and step out of what they might think is possible, ordinary or routine. With guidance and love I try to challenge each student while nourishing the body with breath and awareness and clarity of alignment.
To learn more about Lisa visit her site www.flowinwithcohen.com See you Sunday!
New Class Reservation Policy
Hey Yogalifers!
We HEAR you! We definitely do, and have been working hard on solutions for the busy-ness of the studios and being unable to get into your favourite classes! Or that you have to show up really early for class to be able to get in a spot.
We understand that A) That's not the best use of time and B) sometimes you just can't!
So here's our new class reservation policy.
Class Reservation Policy
Thank you to everyone who provided us feedback about our classes and how busy it's been. We definitely hear you! The studios have been overwhelmingly busy and we know it has been difficult to get into your favourite classes! So we're changing things up a bit to enhance your experience at Yogalife. We want you to get your yoga in without it being so stressful.
- We are increasing the number of pre-registrations available for classes so that you can be certain you'll get into class.
- We will be charging for no shows (as this happens too often and is unfair for those students who plan to come but is unable to reserve a spot).
- If you do know you won't be able to make it, you can call or cancel your reservation up to 5 minutes prior to class.
- Pre-Registrations will be allowed up to 3 days prior to class, unfortunately we will no longer allow unlimited future bookings. (Unlimited days = more no shows).
- Please note that the 10 minute rule still applies. If you reserve a spot, that spot will be held up until 10 minutes prior to class. At that point, your spot will be given to the next person on the wait list and you will be charged a late cancel. (If you know you will be unable to make it, please give us a call)
We hope these changes will create better accountability for all of us. We really want to provide you the best experience and we understand that it's very disappointing to travel all the way only to find out that you won't be making it into class.
Please bear with us as we continue to adjust and ensure quality experiences.
Sincerely, Caren, Lindsey, Michelle & Sara.
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