Modifications and stages are demonstrated for all postures to make each class challenging yet possible for beginning to advanced students. All Lake Tahoe Wellness Center Yoga classes are all-levels, regardless of your physical fitness/flexibility level.
The BENEFITS of yoga are abundant. The practice cultivates:
Increased Flexibility
Strength Building
Deep Breathing
Internal Cleansing
Weight Loss
Chronic Pain Relief
Healing of Injuries
Improved Circulation
Stress Management
Mental Clarity
Vinyasa is a style of hatha yoga, and is literally translated as "to place in a special way". In the Vinyasa flow style of yoga a fluid movement between postures is linked to the cycle of the breath, intended to free the mind from thought. There is a balanced focus on integrating breath and movement, awareness and alignment, and strength and flexibility, so classes can often be quite challenging and/or vigorous- though can always be modified for a variety of practitioners.
Ashtanga Yoga is the practice of a traditional sequence of postures as taught by Sri. K. Pattabhi Jois. The Primary Series physically emphasizes hip opening and forward bending. The practice begins with the Sun Salutations followed by the standing sequence, seated series, and finishes with the traditional closing sequence of back bends, inversions and relaxation. Internal heat is created through the dynamic series of asanas (postures) that flow one into another, pranayama (breath work) and bandhas (energy locks). Ashtanga yoga in it's entirety can take several hours so each class will emphasize a few asanas from each part of thepractice.
To ease life stresses and challenges, this system of yoga uses intense pose sequences, compassionately taught, to develop skills in awakening the senses. Core strength is developed and concentration is honed through linking strong standing postures, challenging balancing poses with the strength and power of the breath.
Shanti Rasa means peace, calm and thoughtless state of mind. These classes are slow and peaceful with a focus on deep hip and shoulder openers, allowing the breath to move through the body and create more awareness and openness. Great for beginner through advanced practitioners.
A Slow moving class that creates flexibility and strength in the joints, tendons and ligaments. It is a safe place to open and explore the areas that bind the body and constrict the flow of vital life force to the organs and through the meridians.
Helping athletes recreate mobility in the spine and joints. This class focuses on building strong and flexible muscles, core strength and balance. Assisting with breathing patterns through conscious breathing techniques (pranayams). Suitable for athlets of any kind and non-performance athletes as well, with the desire to obtain peak performance.
Who grants peace: You do, no one else can give it to you.
What we seek: Emptiness, Stillness, Peace.
When do we seek it: Now, always now, always in the instant, constantly.
Through the pursuit of emptiness we can bypass the illusions of the mind that distract us from truth. Meaning, we gain the ability to turn off the psychological defenses that we use to seek approval, comfort and control.
Any disturbance or discomfort we feel is the root of something negative (like insecurity, fear, anger, hatred, loneliness, etc.) within ourselves, not "bad", but negative to our perfect lives. From a point of silence we can learn to guard our minds and ease the suffering we bring to others and ourselves through the negative use of the wanting ego.
In a group it is easier to utilize spiritual energy, because it is naturally shared among the participators. Plus, people naturally want to adapt to their surroundings. We focus inwards. We remove the focus of consciousness from the forehead and eyeball area. It is good to rest the focus into the stomach, but avoid applying pressure to the physical system; meaning, keep it light, the spiritual consciousness is light energy, it does not require force, it is relaxed.
Focus on stillness. If a thought arises, perhaps this is a sign to go deeper. More still. Present. If one feels despair or anxiety, perhaps this is a sign to feel the emotion, do not think of it, feel it and let it dissolve. Let it lead you deeper as you relax it.
We can direct our minds within this meditation, because we have separated ourselves from the mind and are now more able to control it. We can utilize the technique of the Inner Smile. The Inner Smile is a sense of happiness that we can draw across the void of nothingness/stillness that we are seeking. We must focus on our body as an empty shell. More and more empty. More and more into the void.
Trusting all along that there is no danger in doing this. Focus more and more that the crisis is an illusion, and we are an empty shell within the illusion. We know that we are doing this correctly because our tension will become less and our sinuses will clear.
What this does for us: Brings us peace, and lets us stop making war with others to prove that we are right and that we are in control. We move away from the fear of losing control. When we are very still, we can see that all around us is the same stillness from within ourselves, it is simply masked by the hectic ego that fears.
See our Class Schedule or for more information click here.
$12 - Drop in / $50 - Five class card ($10 /class) / $90 - Ten Class card ($9/class)
Private Classes 1-5 people $60/hr. - Additional person $10 each.
Each class is appropriate for all levels, unless otherwise specified
Level 1-2 identifies a slower paced class.
Please arrive to class 10 minutes early.
Having time before class allows for you to talk with the instructor, sign-in and pay for class, sit quietly and get comfortable, and ensures that we begin class on time.
Yoga mats and all equipment provided for all classes. Thank you!
If you have any questions, click here or call (530) 546-8201