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Hot Foundation Series

Hot 1 (foundation): 90 min /
All Levels: Ideal for beginners
our heated room of 38~40°c facilitates safe deeper stretching & a healthy glow through a detoxifying sweat. Balance your body; build core strength, mental focus, & patience. Come prepared with bath towel and water!

Hot 2: 90 min /
Intermediate Level: NOT for beginners
this is a intermediate level hot class, with challenging deeper postures. A regular hot 1 practice is mandatory as this class builds from that foundation and includes binds and inversions. Come prepared with bath towel and water!

 
Prenatal Yoga

Regardless of experience come nourish yourself & feel inspired through a community of pregnant women. Throughout 90 minutes, gentle stretching, strength, flexibility, relaxation and breath awareness will be the focus. This class will benefit moms to be to safely condition the body, gain confidence and energize! The room is NOT hot.

Classes are set up as 8 week sessions:
SATURDAYS 3:00 -4:00 PM
Time:1:30 - 3:00PM
Call for more information about when the next session begins!


Mom and baby yoga... a great way to connect and engage with your baby through massage and movement.  A time essential for regaining harmony, strength and confidence. This 90 min practice is a great opportunity to have fun, relax and bond with baby. Recommended 4 weeks old – crawling. Please bring a blanket, pillow, comfortable clothing water and yoga mat (we rent mats, towels and sell water). The studio is NOT hot!

Classes are set up as 8 week sessions:
WEDNESDAYS 3:00 -4:00 PM
NOTE: missed classes can be made up with any other of our classes within the 8 weeks, classes do not get carried over
Click here to sign-up by Email or call at 9501 1124.

  
Yin Yoga

Drawn from the Taoist tradition this complimentary practice explores the body's subtle energies. Postures are slow and held for several minutes to encourage lengthening and deep release in the connective tissue, cultivating a peaceful and meditative mind. This is suitable for pregnant women.

 
Private Sessions/ Corporate Yoga
 Private Classes / Sessions

Personal instruction can be an incredibly valuable tool whether you are new to a yoga practice or a seasoned practitioner. Our experienced teachers take the time to access the needs of your specific body / mind and work with you on the path.

Recovering from injuries with a restorative postures or wanting to take your practice to its next level? Perhaps a public studio environment just isn't your thing. Call and discuss the options for one on one or small group private sessions with our teachers both in-studio or at a suitable place more convenient for you.

 Personal / Private Workshops

Working parallel to a regular consistent yoga practice (we recommend a minimum 3 times a week), both, new or experienced practitioners to us can benefit greatly from the open public workshops held regularly at the studio (10-30 students). These workshops are dedicated to exploration and clarification of the Hot Foundation and Power Flow classes. More personal attention and focus can be addressed to your specific needs by scheduling a one on one or small private group session. (max 6 people)

The workshops address the key points and the underlying foundations of each style of practice with practical application in postures. The casual fun open setting is conducive to question and answer.

It is recommended (but not mandatory) to have done a warm up practice or class earlier in the day prior to starting your personal workshop. Small groups have a maximum 6 students.


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The sixth limb of the Ashtanga Yoga, literally means 'immovable concentration of the mind' or in other words ‘holding our mind to certain points’. The essential idea is to focus our attention in one direction. By this we definitely don’t want to think of forced concentration, such as solving a complex mathematical problem. While practicing dharana, we create conditions for our mind to focus its attention in one direction instead of radiating out in a million different directions. For instance, the simpliest way we can try to reach this state by trying to feel only our hand, or by focusing our attention to a certain point in our heart. Playing with our imagination can be very helpful, like a flower or a bright lighting spot, but certainly not easy for the very first time. By keep on practicing, our mental strength increases and we can directly experience the physical and mental blocks and imbalances that remain in our system.
Daily practice of Dharana is not necessary, but for those who want to achieve progress it is recommended to practice daily under the guidance of an expert guru.

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The fifth limb of Classical Ashtanga Yoga is Pratyahara, withdrawal of
the senses.
When we practice yoga it is important to keep our awareness drawn within.
That is, we feel the sensations of the body and we observe the processes of the mind avoiding thinking or observing external things.
Try to keep your mind in the present. Don't think about anything that has already happened or is going to happen. What happens before or after the class is not important.
The purpose of practicing yoga is to give yourself a time to turn off your phone,
forget about work or social life, and simply focus on the breath and
the stillness of the body. While this may not always be easy, if you
make it your intention you can bring your awareness back every time
you mind wanders.
Remembering to deepen your breathing in each moment of awareness helps also.

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1. All things are interdependent. 
2. Touch and intimacy are basic human needs. 
3. Fear and pain are two of life's greatest teachers. 
4. Exercise and rest are essential for vibrant health. 
5. Laughter and play are life's fountains of youth. 
6. Partnership is based on trust and communication. 
7. Breath is life. 

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What does "Namaste" mean? My yoga teacher says it every week after our practice and I've always wanted to know.

—Rita Geno

Aadil Palkhivala's reply:

The gesture Namaste represents the belief that there is a Divine spark within each of us that is located in the heart chakra. The gesture is an acknowledgment of the soul in one by the soul in another. "Nama" means bow, "as" means I, and "te" means you. Therefore, Namaste literally means "bow me you" or "I bow to you."

To perform Namaste, we place the hands together at the heart charka, close the eyes, and bow the head. It can also be done by placing the hands together in front of the third eye, bowing the head, and then bringing the hands down to the heart. This is an especially deep form of respect. Although in the West the word "Namaste" is usually spoken in conjunction with the gesture, in India, it is understood that the gesture itself signifies Namaste, and therefore, it is unnecessary to say the word while bowing.

We bring the hands together at the heart chakra to increase the flow of Divine love. Bowing the head and closing the eyes helps the mind surrender to the Divine in the heart. One can do Namaste to oneself as a meditation technique to go deeper inside the heart chakra; when done with someone else, it is also a beautiful, albeit quick, meditation.

For a teacher and student, Namaste allows two individuals to come together energetically to a place of connection and timelessness, free from the bonds of ego-connection. If it is done with deep feeling in the heart and with the mind surrendered, a deep union of spirits can blossom.

Ideally, Namaste should be done both at the beginning and at the end of class. Usually, it is done at the end of class because the mind is less active and the energy in the room is more peaceful. The teacher initiates Namaste as a symbol of gratitude and respect toward her students and her own teachers and in return invites the students to connect with their lineage, thereby allowing the truth to flow—the truth that we are all one when we live from the heart.

Recognized as one of the world's top yoga teachers, Aadil Palkhivala began studying yoga at the age of seven with B.K.S. Iyengar and was introduced to Sri Aurobindo's yoga three years later. He received the Advanced Yoga Teacher's Certificate at the age of 22 and is the founder-director of internationally renowned Yoga Centers™ in Bellevue, Washington. Aadil is also a federally certified Naturopath, a certified Ayurvedic Health Science Practitioner, a clinical hypnotherapist, a certified Shiatsu and Swedish bodywork therapist, a lawyer, and an internationally sponsored public speaker on the mind-body-energy connection.

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Try this series for a practice that promises to increase flexibility.

By Cyndi Lee

OM: Chant three times.

BREATHING EXERCISE: Sit in Easy Pose and slowly deepen your breathing. Then touch your bottom ribs. Notice how they move when you are breathing. Feel the space in between the bottom rib and the one above it. Then touch the next rib up. Keep going all the way up. Notice the solid feeling of your ribs, the texture between them, and the delicate power of your breath.

WARM-UP VINYASA: Repeat this sequence slowly four times:

  • Mountain Pose
  • Upward Salute
  • Standing Forward Bend
  • Half Standing Forward Bend (with flat back)
  • Standing Forward Bend
  • Upward Salute
  • Mountain

    • SUN SALUTATION: Do the following sequences four times, twice on each side:

  • Mountain
  • Upward Salute
  • Standing Forward Bend
  • Step the right foot back into a lunge
  • Down Dog
  • Plank
  • Knees-chest-chin
  • Low Cobra
  • Down Dog
  • Step forward with right leg into a lunge
  • Standing Forward Bend
  • Upward Salute
  • Mountain

    • On the third Sun Salutation, add warriors I and II to the right side after Down Dog. On the fourth add Warriors I and II to the left side.

    MINI STANDING VINYASA: Hold Eagle Pose for five breaths with the right leg wrapped around the left, hooking the toes around the calf, and the right arm under the left. Then unwind the right leg and lift it directly into Tree Pose for eight breaths. Slowly lift the arms overhead, then lower them and repeat to the other side.

    FEATURED SEQUENCE: Perform the flexibility sequence twice—once leading with the right leg, then leading with the left.

  • Virasana (Hero Pose)
  • Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose)
  • Virabhadrasana I with Gomukhasana Arms (Warrior Pose I with Cow Face Pose Arms)
  • Parsvottanasana (Intense Side Stretch Pose with Reverse Prayer Position)
  • Virabhadrasana II (Warrior Pose II)
  • Low Lunge
  • Runner's Lunge
  • Hanumanasana (Pose Dedicated to the Monkey God, Hanuman)
  • Ardha Dhanurasana (Half Bow Pose)
  • Windshield Wipers
  • Tarasana

    • Finish the second side with Star Pose.

    FORWARD BEND: Wide-Angle Seated Forward Bend

    BACKBEND: Come up into Bridge Pose and down again five times with the breath, lifting on the inhalations and lowering on the exhalations. On the fifth time, stay up and lift one leg up for three breaths, then put it down. Repeat with the other leg.

    TWIST: Repeat Windshield Wipers or do Revolved Abdomen Pose with the legs bent.

    INVERSION: Supported Shoulderstand


    CLOSING POSE: Do Savasana for 10 minutes.

    MEDITATION: Sit for five to 10 minutes.

    OM: Chant three times.

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    CORE
    Paripurna Navasana (Full Boat Pose)
    Abdominal and deep hip flexor strengthener, requires you to balance on the tripod of your sitting bones and tailbone.

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    RESTORATIVE
    Balasana (Child's Pose)
    Balasana is a restful pose that can be sequenced between more challenging asanas.    		 Savasana (Corpse Pose)
    Savasana is a pose of total relaxation--making it one of the most challenging asanas.
    Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclining Bound Angle Pose)
    A classic restorative posture. Can be modified for any level of hip and groin resistance.     		Supta Padangusthasana (Reclining Big Toe Pose)
    Provides relief from backache and stretches the hips, hamstrings, and calves.
    Supta Virasana (Reclining Hero or Heroine Pose)
    Intensifies the stretch in the thighs and ankles of its upright version.     		Viparita Karani (Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose)
    Yogis agree that Viparita Karani may have the power to cure whatever ails you.

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    FORWARD BENDS
    Balasana (Child's Pose)
    Balasana is a restful pose that can be sequenced between more challenging asanas.    		 Janu Sirsasana (Head-to-Knee Pose)
    A forward bend for all levels of students, Janu Sirsasana is also a spinal twist.
    Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend)
    Paschimottanasana can help a distracted mind unwind.    		 Parsvottanasana (Intense Side Stretch Pose)
    This beginner variation is done with the hands on the floor.
    Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-Legged Forward Bend)
    The pose as described here is technically known as Prasarita Padottanasana I.    		 Upavistha Konasana (Wide-Angle Seated Forward Bend)
    A good preparation for most of the seated forward bends, twists, and the wide-leg standing poses.
    Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)
    Uttanasana will wake up your hamstrings and soothe your mind.

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    BACKBENDS
    Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)
    This posture promotes flexibility in the spine and encourages the chest to open.    		 Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)
    The torso and legs represent the body of the bow, and the arms the string.
    Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (One-Legged King Pigeon Pose)
    Deep backbend that puffs the chest, making a yogi resemble a pigeon.    		 Matsyasana (Fish Pose)
    It is said that if you perform this pose in water, you will be able to float like a fish.
    Salabhasana (Locust Pose)An effective means for strengthening the back of the torso, legs, and arms in preparation for the deeper backbends. Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose)
    Calms the brain and rejuvenates tired legs.
    Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Bow Pose or Wheel)
    Strengthens the arms, legs, abdomen, and spine, and gives a boost of energy.    		 Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward-Facing Dog)
    Upward-Facing Dog will challenge you to lift and open your chest.
    Ustrasana (Camel Pose)
    For this pose you can pad your knees and shins with a thickly folded blanket.

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    INVERSIONS
    Adho Mukha Vrksasana (Handstand)
    The alignment in Handstand is exactly the same as it is in Mountain, the only difference being in the position of the arms.    		 Halasana (Plow Pose)
    Plow Pose reduces backache and can help you get to sleep.
    Pincha Mayurasana (Feathered Peacock Pose)
    Commonly called Forearm or Elbow Balance.    		 Salamba Sarvangasana (Supported Shoulderstand)
    This version is performed with blanket support under the shoulders.
    Salamba Sirsasana (Supported Headstand)
    Standing on your head in proper alignment calms the brain and strengthens the body.

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    Bakasana (Crane Pose)
    A compact arm balance, Crane Pose tones and strengthens the abdominal organs and arms.    		 Chaturanga Dandasana (Four-Limbed Staff Pose)
    The challenging yoga push-up frequently practiced as part of the traditional Sun Salutation sequence.
    Plank Pose
    Plank Pose is a good precursor to more challenging arm balances.    		 Vasisthasana (Side Plank Pose)
    A powerful arm and wrist strengthener. Might also be called the One-Arm Balance.
    Tolasana (Scale Pose)
    The head, torso, and legs hang from and balance on the hands like the pans of an old-fashioned scale.

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    SEATED & TWISTS
    Anjali Mudra (Salutation Seal)
    Practicing Anjali Mudra is an excellent way to induce a meditative state of awareness.    		 Ardha Matsyendrasana (Half Lord of the Fishes Pose)
    This twist energizes the spine and stimulates the digestive fire.
    Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose)
    Bound Angle Pose is an excellent groin- and hip-opener.     		Bharadvajasana I (Bharadvaja's Twist)
    This gentle twist is a tonic for the spine and the abdominal organs.
    Gomukhasana (Cow Face Pose)Can't see the cow face? Notice that the crossed legs look like the lips. The bent-elbow arms, one up and one down, are the ears. Hanumanasana (Monkey Pose)
    Hanuman literally means "having large jaws." Hanuman, is a figure in Hindu mythology.
    Krounchasana (Heron Pose)
    Intensifies the stretch of Triang Mukha Eka Pada Pashcimottanasana.    		 Marichyasana I (Pose Dedicated to the Sage Marichi, I)
    Marichi is the Vedic Adam, and the "father" of humanity.
    Marichyasana III (Pose Dedicated to the Sage Marichi, III)
    Marichi's Pose is sometimes called the Sage's Pose.     		Padmasana (Lotus Pose)
    The ultimate yoga pose, Padmasana requires open hips and consistent practice.
    Paripurna Navasana (Full Boat Pose)
    Abdominal and deep hip flexor strengthener, requires you to balance on the tripod of your sitting bones and tailbone.    		 Pasasana (Noose Pose)
    In the full pose the arms are wrapped around the squatting legs and the hands are clasped behind the back, forming a "noose."
    Upavistha Konasana (Wide-Angle Seated Forward Bend)
    A good preparation for most of the seated forward bends, twists, and the wide-leg standing poses.     		Virasana (Hero Pose)
    Virasana is a balm for tired legs at the end of the day, as well as an alternative to Lotus for seated meditation.

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    STANDING

    Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog)
    One of the most widely recognized yoga poses... an all-over, rejuvenating stretch.

    Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon Pose)
    Highly effective strengthener for the legs and ankles.

     

    Garudasana (Eagle Pose)
    You need strength, flexibility, and endurance, and unwavering concentration.

    Natarajasana (Lord of the Dance Pose)
    Nataraja is another name for Shiva. His dance symbolizes cosmic energy.

    Parivrtta Parsvakonasana (Revolved Side Angle Pose)
    One of three revolved variations of standing poses.

    Parighasana (Gate Pose)
    The torso is curved to the side over the straightened leg.

    Parivrtta Trikonasana (Revolved Triangle Pose)
    Usually a counterpose to Trikonasana. Also a preparation for seated forward bends and twists.

    Parsvottanasana (Intense Side Stretch Pose)
    This beginner variation is done with the hands on the floor.

    Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-Legged Forward Bend)
    The pose as described here is technically known as Prasarita Padottanasana I.

    Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
    Practiced as a starting position for standing poses, in between standing poses, or by itself to improve posture.

    Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward-Facing Dog Pose)
    Upward-Facing Dog will challenge you to lift and open your chest.

    Utkatasana (Chair Pose)
    Chair Pose clearly works the muscles of the arms and legs, but it also stimulates the diaphragm and heart.

    Utthita Parsvakonasana (Extended Side Angle Pose)
    Stretch along the top side of the body, from the back heel through the raised arm.

    Utthita Trikonasana (Extended Triangle Pose)
    Triangle Pose is the quintessential standing pose in many styles of yoga.

     

    Virabhadrasana III (Warrior III Pose)
    Customarily entered from Virabhadrasana I. Here we'll move into the pose from a high lunge position.

    Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II Pose)
    Named for a fierce warrior, an incarnation of Shiva, this version of Warrior Pose increases stamina.

     

    Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I Pose)
    What’s really being commemorated in this pose’s name, and held up as an ideal for all practitioners, is the "spiritual warrior."

     

    Vrksasana (Tree Pose)
    Vrksasana clarifies just how challenging it can be to stand on one le

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    What is Yoga?

    The word yoga, from the Sanskrit word "yuj" means to yoke or bind and is often interpreted as "union" or a method of discipline. A male who practices yoga is called a yogi, a female practitioner, a yogini.

    It can be considered a science, philosophy and to the serious practitioner, a life's path.

    Patanjali (the 1st ancient sage to document this tradition) describes yoga as a complete path towards total well being. Within his writing, he outlined the 8 limbs of yoga:

    Yama:  Observances
    Niyama:  Restraints
    Asana:  Physical conditioning
    Pranayama:  Breath control
    Pratyahara:  Withdrawal of the senses
    Dharana:  Concentration
    Dhyana:  Meditation
    Samadahi:  Superconciousness... joy and peace    
     
      

    Hatha Yoga is the physical component of Ayurveda (the traditional naturopathic healing science of India) and Ayurveda is the medicinal component of hatha yoga.

    Today most people practicing yoga are engaged in the third limb, asana, which is a program of physical postures designed to purify the body and provide the physical strength and stamina required for long periods of meditation and overall health.

    I'm not flexible - can I do yoga?
    This is a great reason why you should practice! Come as you are and you will find that yoga will help you become more flexible, balanced and coordinated. A regular yoga practice will enhance cardiovascular health, physical confidence, mental clarity and overall well-being. Yoga is a complete body and mind experience.

    Why are you supposed to refrain from eating two to three hours before class?
    In yoga practice we twist from side to side, turn upside down, and bend forward and backward. If you have not fully digested your last meal, it will make itself known to you in ways that are not comfortable. If you are a person with a fast-acting digestive system and are afraid you might get hungry or feel weak during yoga class, experiment with a light snack such as yogurt, a few nuts, or juice about 30 minutes to an hour before class.

    Why is the room warm / hot?
    For our Hot Foundation class, the room is hot by design (105-110ºf). It facilitates safe deeper stretching and a healthy glow through a detoxifying sweat. It's important to drink a lot of water during the day and after class to avoid dehydration.

    For similar principals our Power Flow classes are practiced in a moderate 90ºf room, emphasis is on elevated breath work to charge and heat the body.

    Prenatal classes are not done in a heated environment.

    Always bring your water bottle along.

    How many times per week should I practice?
    Yoga is amazing--even if you only practice for one hour a week, you will experience the benefits of the practice. If you can do more than that, you will certainly experience more benefit. We suggest starting with two or three times a week, at your own pace. Don't let time constraints or unrealistic goals be an obstacle--do what you can and don't worry about it. You will likely find that after a while your desire to practice expands naturally and you will find yourself doing more and more.

    How is yoga different from stretching or other kinds of fitness?
    Unlike stretching or fitness, yoga is more than just physical postures. Patanjali's eight-fold path illustrates how the physical practice is just one aspect of yoga. Even within the physical practice, yoga is unique because we connect the movement of the body and the fluctuations of the mind to the rhythm of our breath. Connecting the mind, body, and breath helps us to direct our attention inward. Through this process of inward attention, we learn to recognize our habitual thought patterns without labeling them, judging them, or trying to change them. We become more aware of our experiences from moment to moment. The awareness that we cultivate is what makes yoga a practice, rather than a task or a goal to be completed. Your body will most likely become much more flexible by doing yoga, and so will your mind.

    Is yoga a religion?
    Yoga is not a religion. It is a philosophy that began in India an estimated 5,000 years ago. The father of classical ashtanga yoga (the eight-limbed path, not to be confused with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois' Ashtanga yoga) is said to be Patanjali, who wrote the Yoga Sutra. These scriptures provide a framework for spiritual growth and mastery over the physical and mental body. Yoga sometimes interweaves other philosophies such as Hinduism or Buddhism, but it is not necessary to study those paths in order to practice or study yoga.

    It is also not necessary to surrender your own religious beliefs to practice yoga.

    What does Om mean?  
    Om is a mantra, or vibration, that is traditionally chanted at the beginning and end of yoga sessions.

    It is said to be the sound of the universe. What does that mean?
    Somehow the ancient yogis knew what scientists today are telling us--that the entire universe is moving. Nothing is ever solid or still. Everything that exists pulsates, creating a rhythmic vibration that the ancient yogis acknowledged with the sound of Om. We may not always be aware of this sound in our daily lives, but we can hear it in the rustling of the autumn leaves, the waves on the shore, the inside of a seashell.

    Chanting Om allows us to recognize our experience as a reflection of how the whole universe movesÐthe setting sun, the rising moon, the ebb and flow of the tides, the beating of our hearts. As we chant Om, it takes us for a ride on this universal movement, through our breath, our awareness, and our physical energy, and we begin to sense a bigger connection that is both uplifting and soothing.

    What does Namaste mean?
    The gesture Namaste represents the belief that there is a Divine spark within each of us that is located in the heart chakra. The gesture is an acknowledgment of the soul in one by the soul in another. "Nama" means bow, "as" means I, and "te" means you. Therefore, Namaste literally means "bow me you" or "I bow to you."

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