The month of February is the perfect time to explore your love of yoga, deepening your relationships with the practice, your loved ones, your community and yourself. Maybe it’s time to try Partner Yoga? Or, to explore the connection between Love & Laughter?

There are many opportunities to connect with yourself and others at the studio this month…some new and some familiar. Keep reading to learn more. Whatever practice(s) you choose for the following weeks, allow your heart to expand with each breath and embrace the love all around you.

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in this issue

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES

STUDIO NEWS

PRACTICE

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UPCOMING WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES

YOGA MOVEMENT THERAPY: TO HEAL ACHES, PAINS AND AGING BODIES – FRIDAYS FEBRUARY 5-26 4-5:15 PM $50 4 weeks or $16/drop-in
When life changes, our bodies change and often, we need to learn to move in new ways in order to live with freedom and joy again. If you are interested in prevention, recovery and healing this is the class for you. Keeping the class size small, Sue will tailor the class to meet the individual needs of each student, helping to find ease and comfort through safe yoga practice. Special attention will be paid to arthritis, hips, back and shoulders, as these are common problem areas. We highly recommend advanced reservations for this class.

LAUGHTER YOGA CLUB! – FRIDAY FEBRUARY 5 5:45-6:30 PM $5 suggested donation
Every first Friday this Winter! Join Katie for an evening of fun and laughter…the yogic way! Laugh to get your heart pumping and the positive energy flowing! This is an excellent way to support the community and yourself in an ongoing way. Come laugh with us! No need to register, just show up!

MINDFULNESS YOGA AND MEDITATION RETREAT – SATURDAY FEBRUARY 6 2-5 PM $35
Join Jennifer Nadeau from Jai Yoga and Lisa Blake from the Maine Mindfulness Project for a sweet yoga and meditation retreat. Begin or deepen your yoga and/or meditation practice. Give yourself the gift of stress relief by learning and practicing mindfulness. You will have two excellent guides on this soul restoring retreat. Please bring a journal.

BABY & ME YOGA SERIES – TUESDAYS FEBRUARY 9-MARCH 2 10:30-11:30 AM $50 4 weeks or $16 drop-in
Offered monthly this Winter! This class is for moms or dads and babies at least 4 weeks until they are active crawlers. Learn postures and breath that you can practice with your baby. Poses focus on creating and restoring strength and flexibility for mom/dad, parent-child bonds, baby massage and baby yoga postures to aid digestion and development. Time to connect with other parents in our community. This class tends to fill quickly, reservations are recommended, but drop-ins are welcome provided space is available. Limited to 12 participants.

YOGA NIDRA – SATURDAY FEBRUARY 13 2-4 PM $22
Every second Saturday this Winter! Yoga Nidra is a powerful yet simple technique of guided relaxation; the perfect antidote for a busy and fragmented life. As you are guided to move your awareness throughout your body, you will experience deeper and deeper states of relaxation, resulting in a sense of peace, harmony and balance. Deep healing is possible with the practice of “yogic sleep,” a true gift to the body, mind and spirit. No experience is needed.

VALENTINE’S DAY YOGA – SUNDAY FEBRUARY 14 – PARTNER YOGA 1-3 PM -AND- LOVE & LAUGHTER YOGA 3:30-5:30 PM $45/couple one class or $75/couple both classes
Partner Yoga will be a fun, playful class for friends, siblings or sweethearts. Learn how to support and be supported. Through partner yoga poses, we build connection and create trust. For those new to yoga, you’ll get extra support, and for those experienced with yoga, you’ll find deeper poses with the assistance of your partner. Open to all levels, no experience necessary. A great way to celebrate love and connection on Valentine’s Day! Love & Laughter: Valentine’s Day is a time for celebrating the love you have for those around you and often for your significant other. Come join us for an entertaining afternoon of laughter yoga and exercises specifically to help couple find joy together and to be able to bring some breath and laughter into their relationships. Laughter has the ability to unite us in our daily lives. You will walk away with some tools for how to bring laughter into your life as a couple as you face life in its wonder and its challenges.

KUNDALINI CLEANSE: STRENGTHENING THE STOMACH – SATURDAY FEBRUARY 20 2-4 PM $20
Every third Saturday this Winter! A Kundalini Yoga workshop class designed to cleanse and strengthen a particular system of the body. Kundalini Yoga is a spirited practice which pairs kriyas (cleansing physical practices) with asanas, breathing exercises, mantra and chanting. Kundalini Yoga leaves you feeling strong and clear, busting through the ego to gain access to your true self. In Kundalini, you learn how strong you really are in body, mind and spirit.

POSTNATAL YOGA – SUNDAYS FEBRUARY 21-MARCH 21 9-10:30 AM $60 5 weeks or $16/drop-in
Following childbirth the body’s core is often held in a receptive and released state. During this time of intense learning and deep nurturing it’s helpful to rebuild strength and make choices with awareness. Learn to use your yoga practice as a way of managing the transition for your body, your well-being and your family. This class is open to all women, regardless of yoga experience. Babies are welcome.

RESTORATIVE YOGA – SATURDAY FEBRUARY 27 2-4 PM $22
Every last Saturday this Winter! Restorative yoga uses blankets, blocks, cushions, ties and the wall to support the body in a complete letting go. Releases tension, calms the nervous system, removes the toxic leftovers from stress and floods the body with happiness and bliss. A gentle and slow-paced class. Totally relaxing, no experience necessary.

To register, visit www.JaiYogaHome.com to try our online registration system, available up to one hour before the start of an event! Or, register by phone at least 24 hours in advance. Just give us a call: 207.725.7874. Leave a message with your NAME, PHONE and which WORKSHOP you want to attend and we’ll return your call ASAP.

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STUDIO NEWS

NO REGULAR CLASSES 2/14 – VALENTINE’S DAY AFTERNOON
Special workshops instead! We will offer Partner Yoga from 1-3 PM and Love & Laughter Yoga from 3:30-5:30 PM. One class is $45/pair or come to both classes for $75/pair! Read more about these special offerings in the Upcoming Workshops and Classes section of the newsletter.

SPECIAL DONATION CLASS TO BENEFIT THE JAI YOGA SCHOLARSHIP FUND AND A HABITAT FOR HUMANITY PROJECT IN PONDICHERRY, INDIA – SUNDAY FEBRUARY 7 9-10:30 AM $donation of choice
Kara will lead a multi-level class – postures will be appropriately modified – followed by meditation to benefit both the Jai Yoga Scholarship Fund and Habitat for Humanity. Kara’s cousin Hillary will travel to India in May to work on an international project there. The class is by donation – no donation amount is too small! The dual intention of this class is to make the practice of yoga accessible to everyone, regardless of financial status, as well as to support good causes near and far. No need to register in advance, just show up!

WINTER 2010 OFFICE HOURS
Jai Yoga will hold regular office hours on TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS from 1-3:30 PM. At those times, messages can be left for specific teachers, questions can be answered and ideas will be heard! These are also excellent times to shop in our retail store! Please get in touch with us if you have any comments, questions, concerns or praise. Stop by the studio or give us a call at 207.725.7874.

DON’T LET ANYTHING STOP YOU FROM COMING TO YOGA CLASS!!
Jai Yoga offers partial and full scholarships, work-study programs and accepts time dollars (MerryMeeting Community Shares Program) as payment for classes! If you, or someone you know, are experiencing financial hardship, all the more reason to get to a yoga class. Our community is here to support everyone’s well-being! Please call 207.725.7874 today to discuss opportunities to enjoy the practice of yoga. Yoga is good for all of us!!

THE JAI YOGA SCHOLARSHIP FUND NEEDS CONTRIBUTIONS!
We’ve been helping so many people practice yoga that our scholarship fund is running low. Donations are very much appreciated and are welcome at any time for any amount. Please give us a call at 207.725.7874 or email us at info@jaiyogahome.com if you are interested in making a contribution!

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PRACTICE

LIFT YOUR HEART AND OPEN TO LOVE WITH MATSYASANA – FISH POSE

Matsyasana is a great pose for opening the front of the body because it stretches and stimulates the organs and muscles of the belly and throat. This pose also helps to improve posture as it strengthens the upper back and rear neck muscles.

When we lift our hearts in Matsyasana, we gain access to the well of love inside us and allow it to shine out. This can be exhilarating! But, as in relationships, this openness can also make us feel vulnerable.

By practicing Matsyasana, we can learn to lift our hearts with joy and courage,  exposing our most vulnerable selves with trust and confidence. We can open our hearts and experience love purely and more fully.

1 – Recline on your mat with knees bent and feet on the floor

2 – Inhale and lift your pelvis slightly, just enough to place your hands, palms down, beneath your pelvis. Lower down and bring your elbows and forearms in close to your sides

3 – Press the elbows and forearms into the mat as you draw your shoulder blades down your back

4- On an inhale, lift your heart and head away from the floor. Release the head back to the floor, resting either on the crown or back of the head. Avoid crunching the neck by keeping weight on the head minimal

5 – Choose to keep your knees bent or straighten the legs along the mat, pressing out through the heels and keeping the legs active. For an advanced leg variation, fold your legs into Padmasana, or full lotus

6 – As you breathe in the pose, become aware of your heart as it rises and falls on the breath. Keep lifting your heart joyfully and courageously and feel its energy expanding through your entire body

7 – After 5-10 nice, long, slow breaths, lower down on an exhale and pull the knees into the chest

Notes: Matsyasana is contraindicated for people with high/low blood pressure and serious low back/neck injury. Use caution if experiencing insomnia or migraines. To modify this pose, a blanket can be used under the head and a thickly rolled blanket/bolster under the back.

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Love and Light,

Jen and the Jai Yoga Family

Jai Yoga
Suite 314 Fort Andross
14 Maine Street
Brunswick ME 04011
207.725.7874
info@jaiyogahome.com
www.jaiyogahome.com

Welcome to 2010! Going on right now at Jai Yoga, we have a number of classes, events and workshops to help you make this the best year ever! Not to mention, a new schedule full of weekly drop-in classes. Attend as many as you like for only $7 this first week of January. That’s right, it’s 7 Days for $7! Read more below and find a link to register online. We also have several new workshops beginning this month. Keep reading for more information and to find links to register online.

We are very excited about our offerings for the Winter and hope to see you at the studio soon! Happy New Year!

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in this issue

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES

STUDIO NEWS

PRACTICE

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES

YOGA DANCE – FRIDAY-SUNDAY JANUARY 1-3 5:30-6:30 PM $40/3 classes or $16/drop-in
“The aim of life is to live, and to live means to be aware, joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware.” – Henry Miller
Celebrate the energy, freedom and strength of a whole new you with YogaDance. Give yourself a chance to experience a different kind of yoga practice and gain a new perspective with support and love from your fellow yogis and yoginis. You do not need to be a dancer to practice YogaDance. All you need is the beginner’s mind and permission from yourself to let your body speak openly.

YOGA BOOTCAMP – MONDAY-FRIDAY JANUARY 4-8 6:15-7:15 AM $60/week, $50/repeater or $16/drop-in
Commit time this New Year to change your routine and to change your body. Drop a dress size, feel incredible, be beautiful. Join us for an intense and exciting program! Get ready to drop those extra pounds and to re-energize your life! Let go of your inner intellectual and just sweat, breathe, hold and move. Your body will thank you for it. Ending each session in savasana (corpse pose) is the best part. Basic knowledge of yoga is needed to participate. Please be hydrated for each class.

BABY & ME YOGA SERIES – TUESDAYS JANUARY 5-26 10:30-11:30 AM $50 4 weeks or $16 drop-in
Offered monthly this Winter! This class is for moms or dads and babies at least 4 weeks until they are active crawlers. Learn postures and breath that you can practice with your baby. Poses focus on creating and restoring strength and flexibility for mom/dad, parent-child bonds, baby massage and baby yoga postures to aid digestion and development. Time to connect with other parents in our community. This class tends to fill quickly, reservations are recommended, but drop ins are welcome provided space is available. Limited to 12 participants.

BASICS YOGA SERIES – TUESDAYS JANUARY 5-FEBRUARY 23 5:30-7 PM -AND- WEDNESDAYS JANUARY 6-FEBRUARY 24 1:30-3 PM $90 8 weeks or $16/drop-in
In our Yoga Basics Class you will learn the fundamentals of safe yoga practice:  postures, alignment, breathing techniques and relaxation. Our teachers will help you learn to modify postures to suit your individual needs. The pace of the class is slow and steady. We provide you with handouts to illustrate the poses so that you can practice at home and simple, fun homework assignments to help you integrate what you are learning into your daily life. You will have fun in our basics class and leave feeling relaxed and energized.

LAUGHTER YOGA CLUB! – FRIDAY JANUARY 8 5:45-6:30 PM $5 suggested donation
Every first Friday this Winter! Join Katie for an evening of fun and laughter…the yogic way! Laugh to get your heart pumping and the positive energy flowing! This is an excellent way to support the community and yourself in an ongoing way. Come laugh with us! No need to register, just show up!

YOGA NIDRA – SATURDAY JANUARY 9 2-4 PM $22
Every second Saturday this Winter! Yoga Nidra is a powerful yet simple technique of guided relaxation; the perfect antidote for a busy and fragmented life. As you are guided to move your awareness throughout your body, you will experience deeper and deeper states of relaxation, resulting in a sense of peace, harmony and balance. Deep healing is possible with the practice of “yogic sleep,” a true gift to the body, mind and spirit. No experience is needed.

POSTNATAL YOGA – SUNDAYS JANUARY 10-FEBRUARY 7 9-10:30 AM $60 5 weeks or $16/drop-in
Following childbirth the body’s core is often held in a receptive and released state. During this time of intense learning and deep nurturing it’s helpful to rebuild strength and make choices with awareness. Learn to use your yoga practice as a way of managing the transition for your body, your well-being and your family. This class is open to all women, regardless of yoga experience. Babies are welcome.

COMMIT TO SIT SUNDAYS – SUNDAYS JANUARY 10-31 1-2:30 PM $50 4 weeks
A workshop series for people new to meditation or for those who have fallen out of practice and would like to reintegrate meditation into their life. Meditation induces relaxation, promotes happiness and supports well-being. In this 4-week course you will learn the basics of meditation practices and hints and tips to help you along the way. The series consists of a bit of lecture, plenty of practice, question and answer sessions and time to experiment and discussion to share your insights and learn from the experiences of each other. You will be asked to practice at home. Take the plunge and commit to sit with us. Feel the refreshing benefits of meditation for yourself.

SVAROOPA® STYLE YOGA – MONDAYS JANUARY 11-FEBRUARY 8 7:30-9 PM $65 5 weeks
Svaroopa® Style Yoga is a deep but blissful practice using poses in a whole new way. Start in Savasana, end in Savasana! Our focus on awareness creates a “core opening,” releasing tensions deep in the muscles attached to the spine. Create an easy feeling of well-being. No experience is necessary!

PRENATAL YOGA SERIES – THURSDAYS JANUARY 14-MARCH 18 4-5:15 PM $99 10 classes or $16/drop-in
Expectant mothers at any stage of pregnancy will learn and practice yoga poses,  breathing and meditation to assist in a healthy pregnancy and an active birth. Drop-ins are welcome provided space is available. No prior yoga experience is necessary. We do recommend that you check with your care provider before attending a yoga class.

KUNDALINI CLEANSE: BALANCING THE CHAKRAS AND SPINE – SATURDAY JANUARY 14 2-4 PM $20
Every third Saturday this Winter! A Kundalini Yoga workshop class designed to cleanse and strengthen a particular system of the body. Kundalini Yoga is a spirited practice which pairs kriyas (cleansing physical practices) with asanas, breathing exercises, mantra and chanting. Kundalini Yoga leaves you feeling strong and clear, busting through the ego to gain access to your true self. In Kundalini, you learn how strong you really are in body, mind and spirit.

RESTORATIVE YOGA – SATURDAY JANUARY 30 2-4 PM $22
Every last Saturday this Winter! Restorative yoga uses blankets, blocks, cushions, ties and the wall to support the body in a complete letting go. Releases tension, calms the nervous system, removes the toxic leftovers from stress and floods the body with happiness and bliss. A gentle and slow-paced class. Totally relaxing, no experience necessary.

To register, visit www.JaiYogaHome.com and try our online registration system, available up to one hour before the start of an event! Or, register by phone at least 24 hours in advance. Just give us a call: 207.725.7874. Leave a message with your NAME, PHONE and which WORKSHOP you want to attend and we’ll return your call ASAP.

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STUDIO NEWS

NEW SCHEDULE STARTS TODAY!
Our new schedule takes effect today and runs through the end of March. If you have not received a copy in the mail, you can pick one up at the studio.

7 DAYS FOR $7 GOING ON NOW!
Attend as many or as few classes you like the first seven days of 2010 for only $7! Class sizes are limited – we recommend reserving your space in advance using our online system. First come, first served. Happy New Year!

WINTER 2010 OFFICE HOURS
Jai Yoga will hold regular office hours on TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS from 1-3:30 PM. At those times, messages can be left for specific teachers, questions can be answered and ideas will be heard! These are also excellent times to shop in our retail store! Please get in touch with us if you have any comments, questions, concerns or praise. Stop by the studio or give us a call at 207.725.7874.

DON’T LET ANYTHING STOP YOU FROM COMING TO YOGA CLASS!!
Jai Yoga offers partial and full scholarships, work-study programs and accepts time dollars (MerryMeeting Community Shares Program) as payment for classes! If you, or someone you know, are experiencing financial hardship, all the more reason to get to a yoga class. Our community is here to support everyone’s well-being! Please call 207.725.7874 today to discuss opportunities to enjoy the practice of yoga. Yoga is good for all of us!!

THE JAI YOGA SCHOLARSHIP FUND NEEDS CONTRIBUTIONS!
We’ve been helping so many people practice yoga that our scholarship fund is running low. Donations are very much appreciated and are welcome at any time for any amount. Please give us a call at 207.725.7874 or email us at info@jaiyogahome.com if you are interested in making a contribution!

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PRACTICE

THIS NEW YEAR, TEACH AN OLD DOG SOME NEW TRICKS – ADHO MUKHA SVANASANA BASICS AND VARIATIONS

Adho Mukha Svanasana, or Downward-Facing Dog (or Down Dog or even just “Dog”) is a foundational pose of Hatha Yoga. But, it can also be a very difficult pose to master. The secret is in balancing the opposing energies of lifting and lengthening with dropping and grounding as well as the muscle work of the upper and lower bodies.

Fortunately, there are many many variations of Adho Mukha Svanasana that can help us both fine tune this highly beneficial pose and make it work for our own unique body. Or, just spice things up a bit! First, the basics.

BASICS

To come into Adho Mukha Svanasana, begin on your hands and knees with the knees directly below the pelvis, toes turned under, and the hands just forward of the shoulders and turned out slightly, palms spreading evenly into the mat.

On an exhale, firm the belly as you lift the knees from the floor and take the pelvis back and up. Let the heels lift and the knees stay slightly bent. Lengthen through the spine as you lift your sitting bones toward the ceiling. Pull the lower ribs in to maintain a straight spine.

Keep breathing as you make your way into the pose. Draw the inner legs into the pelvis and feel the back of the pelvis broaden as you rotate the inner thighs inward.

On an exhale, firm the entire leg and take the tops of the thighs back, fanning out the hamstrings. Straighten the legs and drop the heels toward the floor. Do not lock your knees.

Draw your shoulder blades onto your back as you strengthen the outer arms and press evenly through the knuckles. Rotate your upper arms so that the “eyes” of the elbow face each other. Align your ears with the upper arms. Breath here, slowly fine tuning these actions, for 3-5 breaths, then rest in Child’s Pose.

In this pose, be mindful of your joints. Be careful not to hyperextend through the elbows, shoulders or knees. Do not press your chest and shoulders back with your sitting bones, but keep them active and stable so that you can get maximum length through the spine, a major aspect of the pose.

TIPS & PROPS

If you tend to hyperextend through the shoulders and elbows, back off a little.

Bend the elbows slightly, do not push so hard through the chest and pull the ribs and belly in more for stability. If you tend to hyperextend through the knees, activate the fronts of the thighs more strongly and keep the knees slightly bent.

For help with keeping the legs active, practice with a block between the upper thighs. Place the block there when on hands and knees and squeeze it with your legs as you lift your sitting bones to come into the pose. If your heels do not come to the floor, support them with a rolled up mat or blanket. If your shoulders are  tight, place your palms on blocks or the seat of a folding chair. To get a sense of the work of the arms in this pose, loop a belt around the upper arms. Press the arms into the strap.

VARIATION: WALL DOG OR HALF-DOG

Half Dog or Wall Dog is a good alternative for anyone who has trouble getting down onto the floor or for someone with tightness through the hamstrings, low back and/or shoulders. The energy and muscle activation of the basic pose still applies here, but rather than pressing the hands into the mat, you can use the wall or a chair.

Come to a wall or the back of a chair and place your palms there. Begin to slowly walk your feet back, creasing at the pelvis. Keep breathing. If at the wall, allow your hands to slide down as you walk your feet away. Make an “L” shape with your body, lining the hips up over the feet and keeping the spine long and in line with the hands. If needed, use a mirror or get help from another person to find your alignment. Breath here for 3-5 breaths.

VARIATION: DOWN DOG SPLITS

This is a more challenging variation of the basic pose. Again, all of the energetics and actions of the basic pose apply here.

From the basic pose, shift your weight slightly to the right leg. On an inhale, lift the left foot away from the mat and reach it back toward the wall behind you. Activate the whole leg, reaching all the way from the crown of the head through the foot. The leg is an extension of the line of the spine. Breath here for 3-5 breaths, feeling the leg become more spacious, then switch sides.

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Namaste,

Jen and the Jai Yoga Family

Jai Yoga
Suite 314 Fort Andross
14 Maine Street
Brunswick ME 04011
207.725.7874
info@jaiyogahome.com
www.jaiyogahome.com