How is summer treating you? Though the season may be winding down, it’s not over yet! We still have some great ongoing classes (both indoors and out!) and special events to enhance the wonder of a summer in Maine. Keep reading or visit our online schedule for more details.

Our Fall schedule is in the works. Keep an eye out for it in the coming weeks! Jai!

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

in this issue

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES
STUDIO NEWS
PRACTICE

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

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES

LAUGHTER YOGA – FRIDAY AUGUST 6 5:45-6:30 PM $donation
Every first Friday this Summer! 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 AUGUST 14 2-4 PM $22
Every second Saturday this Summer! 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.

YOGA BOOTCAMP – MONDAY-FRIDAY UNTIL AUGUST 8* 6:15-7:15 AM $16 drop-in
Commit to change your routine and to change your body. Join Gabrielle for a whole week or two of early morning heated yoga. This is a vigorous practice meant to reawaken the mind, body and spirit. Feel incredible, be beautiful. Join us for an intense and exciting program. Get ready to re-energize your life and practice. 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 is the best part. Basic knowledge of yoga is needed to participate. The room will be heated, so please be hydrated.
*Please note, Yoga Bootcamp classes will replace the weekly Rise-N-Shine classes for the noted dates

SUMMER’S DAY YOGA RETREAT – AUGUST 28 8 AM-5 PM COST: $65 MEMBERS: $40
This day-long yoga retreat will be outdoors at a location soon to be decided. The morning session will focus on energizing backbends and arm balances. There will be a break from 11:30-2 for a leisurely lunch and time to explore the beauty of the area. The afternoon will offer hip openers and, of course, a deep relaxation and meditation.

To register, visit our website 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

FALL SCHEDULE COMING SOON!
Fall Schedule at Jai Yoga will begin September 1 and run through December 31. Look for hard copies in the mail, at the studio or around town soon.

SUMMER 2010 OFFICE HOURS
Jai Yoga will hold regular office hours on TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS from 1-3 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.

BECOME OUR FAN ON FACEBOOK!
You can now find us on Facebook! As a fan of Jai Yoga, you will receive the latest news and updates. We plan to post special events and schedule updates, as well as host discussions and some fun online activities. We look forward to hearing from and staying in touch with you! Click here to view our page.

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PRACTICE

SO HUM: A SIMPLE MEDITATION

Summer is such a wondrous time full of activity, it often zooms by. There is so much inviting our attention!

With a new season and new activities just around the corner, we can use our breath to quiet our minds and savor each moment.

By paying attention to our breath, we can indeed slow down time and develop appreciation for change, while investing ourselves deeply in our present.

Bring yourself into the rhythm of your breath anytime with this simple meditation. This technique is a great way to start the day, savor the beauty of nature at the beach or quiet your mind while standing in line.

Give it a try:

1 – Find a comfortable chair or floor cushion and sit with an erect spine (or stand)

2 – Either gently close your eyes or gaze softly at the floor in front of you

3 – Bring your awareness to your breath, especially the movement of the breath at the tips of the nostrils. Do not try to change your breath, just be an observer

4 – For the length of each inhale, let your mind echo the word “SO.” For each exhale, hear/say “HUM”

5 – Practice for just a few minutes or as long as you like. Take a few moments be still before moving back into your day

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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

Summer has arrived! We are so excited to offer a new schedule with more classes at more convenient times and a new monthly membership option to help you take your practice to new heights! Be the best you can be!

We also have some new class offerings…did we mention they are oceanside? Take your yoga practice into nature and embrace all that summer in Maine has to offer with Jai Yoga.

Keep reading to learn more about these opportunities!

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

in this issue

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES
NEW MONTHLY MEMBERSHIP
STUDIO NEWS
PRACTICE

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

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES

LAUGHTER YOGA – FRIDAY JULY 2 5:45-6:30 PM $donation
Every first Friday this Summer! 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!

BASICS SERIES BEGINS – MONDAYS JULY 5-AUGUST 23 7:15-8:45 PM $90 8 WEEKS
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. Click here to reserve your space in the first class.

YOGA NIDRA – SATURDAY JULY 10 2-4 PM $22
Every second Saturday this Summer! 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.

FAMILY YOGA BEGINS – TUESDAYS JULY 13-AUGUST 31 11 AM-12 PM AT MITCHELL FIELD IN HARPSWELL $10/CLASS PER FAMILY, CASH OR CHECK
Everyone can benefit from some light, fun stretching under the golden sun and deep breathing of the fresh sea air. This is a fun, spirited and gentle yoga class for everyone in the family; babies, toddlers, teens, parents, even great-grandparents! Everyone benefits from a yoga practice. All ages are welcome, no experience necessary. Please bring a mat, blanket or towel and water for each family member. There is  no need to sign-up, just show up! If rain, no class. Visit our online schedule for
more information, including directions.

OCEANSIDE YOGA BEGINS – TUESDAYS JULY 13-AUGUST 31 5:45-7 PM USE MONTHLY MEMBERSHIP, CLASS PACKAGE OR $16/DROP-IN
Enjoy breath-inspiring views with this outdoor yoga class at Wolfe’s Neck Farm’s wedding field. This is an all-levels class, lovely for beginners and advanced students alike. Bring your own mat, blanket or towel, some water and insect repellent, just in case. If it rains, class at the field will be canceled, but you are welcome to come to Jai Yoga for a moderate class at the same time. Visit our online schedule to register online and for more information.

YOGA BOOTCAMP – MONDAY-FRIDAY JULY 26-AUGUST 8* 6:15-7:15 AM $60/week, $50/repeater or $16 drop-in
Commit to change your routine and to change your body. Join Gabrielle for a whole week or two of early morning heated yoga. This is a vigorous practice meant to reawaken the mind, body and spirit. Feel incredible, be beautiful. Join us for an intense and exciting program. Get ready to re-energize your life and practice. 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 is the best part. Basic knowledge of yoga is needed to participate. The room will be heated, so please be hydrated.
*Please note, Yoga Bootcamp classes will replace the weekly Rise-N-Shine classes for the noted dates

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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NEW MONTHLY MEMBERSHIP!

For $75 each month, take as many weekly drop-in classes as you like at Jai Yoga! Yes, we’re talking unlimited classes!

This price also includes attendance at most of our special classes and workshops, though a few exclusions apply.

The best part is that this great price will continue for as long as your monthly membership does!

PLEASE SIGN UP BY JULY 4th!!!

Please understand that you are committing to a regularpractice and that you will be signed up for an automatically renewing monthly autopay. You can cancel at anytime by giving us 30 days advance notice. Commit to your own bliss!

Visit www.JaiYogaHome.com to sign up!
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STUDIO NEWS

SUMMER SCHEDULE BEGINS TODAY!
Summer Schedule at Jai Yoga begins today, July 1 and runs through August 31. If you haven’t received a hard copy of our schedule in the mail, pick one up at the studio or around town.

NO REGULAR CLASSES JULY 4th!
There will be no regular classes on Sunday, July 4th for Independence Day.

SUMMER 2010 OFFICE HOURS
Jai Yoga will hold regular office hours on TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS from 1-3 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.

NO YOGADANCE AUGUST 1st!
The Sunday, August 1st YogaDance class will be canceled. Sorry for the inconvenience. Classes will resume the following week.

BECOME OUR FAN ON FACEBOOK!
You can now find us on Facebook! As a fan of Jai Yoga, you will receive the latest news and updates. We plan to post special events and schedule updates, as well as host discussions and some fun online activities. We look forward to hearing from and staying in touch with you! Visit www.JaiYogaHome.com to find us!
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PRACTICE

TAKE A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE – EXPLORE YOUR WILD SIDE WITH CAMATKARASANA (WILD THING)

We all have a wild side, and summer is the perfect season to explore it!

Let your guard down, open your heart and gain a new perspective with this fun and challenging pose.

1 – Begin in adho mukha svanasana (downward-facing dog)

2 – Shift your weight into your right hand and roll onto the outer edge of your right foot, coming into a side plank with your left fingertips and toes still on the ground

3 – On an inhalation, lift your hips, staying strong in your right hand

4 – On an exhalation, open your left hip to the ceiling as you step your left foot

back, placing your toes on the floor with your knee partially bent

5 – Draw your shoulder blades down and back over the rib cage

6 – Inhale as you lift your hips higher and allow your head to drop

7 – Extend your left arm back from your heart

8 – Breathe here for 5-10 breaths before returning to adho mukha svanasana and switching 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

Are you ready for summer?! We are very excited about a new season and new offerings at the studio and beyond! Keep reading to learn more about an opportunity to take your practice further! And stay tuned to learn more about our Summer schedule in the coming weeks!

Jai! Jai! Jai!

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in this issue

NEW STUDIO MEMBERSHIP

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS

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NEW STUDIO MEMBERSHIP

At Jai Yoga, we truly believe that you are at your best when you practice yoga regularly.

So, we want to help you practice as much as possible! We’ve decided to offer an incredible deal on a monthly membership to the studio!

Starting this summer, for only $75 a month, you can take as many weekly drop-in classes as you like at Jai Yoga! Your monthly membership also includes attendance at most of our special classes and workshops, though a few exclusions apply.

Please sign up before July 4th to take advantage of this fabulous offer! And, you will continue to receive this amazing deal for as long as you continue your monthly membership with us!

In addition to a great new price, we’ve also revamped our schedule to offer more classes at more convenient times. New classes, new times, new you! Keep an eye out for the new schedule in your mailbox and at the studio soon. Summer schedule begins on July 1 and continues through August 30th (no classes 4th of July).

Take your yoga practice deeper! Try something new this summer! Be your best!

Visit www.JaiYogaHome.com or the studio to learn more and to enroll.

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UPCOMING WORKSHOPS AND SPECIAL CLASSES

YOGA NIDRA - SATURDAY JUNE 12 2-4 PM $22

RESTORATIVE YOGA - SATURDAY JUNE 26 2-4 PM $22

Visit www.JaiYogaHome.com to register for these workshops.

Please Note: The June Kundalini Cleanse workshop has been canceled.

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

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

This is the month to honor your mothers and, in doing so, honor your own lineage and your own life. Yoga practice is a great way to celebrate these joys!

We have a special Mothers Day Yoga class as well as our usual monthly offerings and weekly classes going on at Jai Yoga this May. There’s something for everyone! We hope to see you at the studio soon!

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in this issue

WEEKLY YOGADANCE
UPCOMING WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES
STUDIO NEWS
PRACTICE

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YOGADANCE OFFERED WEEKLY THIS SPRING! – SUNDAYS 5:30-6:15 PM

“The aim of life is to live, and to live is to be aware, joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware.” – Henry Miller

Celebrate the energy, freedom and strength of a whole new you with Yogadance. You don’t need to be a dancer to practice Yogadance. Come with beginner’s mind and give yourself permission to let your body speak openly. Everyone who comes leaves smiling and sweating. With Hoa. Class packages as well as drop-ins at $16 are welcome!

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UPCOMING WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES

LAUGHTER YOGA – FRIDAY MAY 7 5:45-6:30 PM $donation
Every first Friday this Spring! 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 MAY 8 2-4 PM $22
Every second Saturday this Spring! 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.

MOTHER’S DAY YOGA – SUNDAY MAY 9 2-3:30 PM $16
An all levels class devoted to honoring and treating Mom on Mothers Day. No experience necessary. Children 13 and older are welcome to take the class with Mom! A fun, healthy way to celebrate.

BASICS SERIES BEGINS – TUESDAY MAY 11 5:30-7 PM -AND- WEDNESDAY MAY 12 1:30-3 PM $90 8 weeks
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.

KUNDALINI CLEANSE: CREATING STRONG LUNGS, ENERGIZING THE LYMPHATIC SYSTEM – SATURDAY MAY 15 2-4 PM $20
Every third Saturday this Spring! A Kundalini Yoga workshop class designed to manually pump the lymphatic system. There will be a lot of heart opening in this class and we will work on building lung capacity as well as opening the ribcage. We will end with a seated meditation with mantra. 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.

YOGA BOOTCAMP – MONDAY-FRIDAY MAY 24-28 6:15-7:15 AM $60/week, $50/repeater or $16 drop-in
Get ready for Summer! Change your routine and 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.

RESTORATIVE YOGA – SATURDAY APRIL 24 2-4 PM $22
Every last Saturday this Spring! 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 MOTHERS DAY AFTERNOON – SUNDAY MAY 9
Special Mothers Day class instead! Learn more and find a link to sign up online in the Upcoming Workshops and Classes section of this newsletter.

BECOME OUR FAN ON FACEBOOK!
You can now find us on Facebook! As a fan of Jai Yoga, you will receive the latest news and updates. We plan to post special events and schedule updates, as well as host discussions and some fun online activities. We look forward to hearing from and staying in touch with you!

MAY 2010 OFFICE HOURS
Jai Yoga will hold regular office hours on MONDAYS and FRIDAYS 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 info@jaiyogahome.com if you are interested in making a contribution!

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PRACTICE

HONORING MATERNAL LOVE – A MEDITATION ON THE CHAIN OF LIFE

When we honor our mothers, we also honor ourselves. Regardless of our current relationship with the woman who brought us into this life, she is deserving of our gratitude for the simple reason that she made it possible for us to experience this world.

Without her, we would not have become who we are now and we would not have the opportunity to reach our fullest potential.

To honor your own mother and all those who came before her, give this meditation a try:

1 – Sit or lie comfortably with your right hand, palm taut, over your navel. Hold your left palm to the side and upwards, inviting grace into your being

2 – Bring your attention to your navel. Remember that once you were joined to your mother by an umbilical cord and that she nurtured you and gave you life in her womb

3 – Think of your mother’s navel and of your grandmother: she gave your mother life, who gave you life. Your mother too was once a vulnerable child, as were you

4 – Think of your grandmother’s navel and how she was once attached by an umbilical cord to your great-grandmother

5 – Think back to your great-grandmother’s navel: she too had a mother, to whom she was once attached by an umbilical cord. And she too had a mother…

6 – Trace the unbroken lineage, passed from mother to daughter via the umbilical cord, through the centuries

7 – You will reach a point where you feel you are in a hall of mirrors, peeping into infinity. Acknowledge the interface with eternity and listen to your own heartbeat

8 – Feel yourself dissolving into awareness of a living chain and retrace the trail back to the present, rejoicing in your rich inheritance of wordless maternal love

*Adapted from Yoga for Pregnancy by Wendy Teasdill

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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

Welcome to Spring! Our Spring 2010 schedule begins today! If you haven’t received a copy in the mail or picked one up at the studio yet, you can always visit us online! Follow any of the links below to see what’s new at Jai Yoga.

Spring’s all about making a fresh start and stretching into your most vibrant and full self…just like yoga! We hope to see you at the studio soon…transformation awaits!

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

in this issue

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES

NEW WEEKLY CLASSES

STUDIO NEWS

PRACTICE

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

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES

YOGA & SOUND: A SPECIAL KRIPALU YOGA CLASS WITH LIVE ClASSICAL GUITAR - SATURDAY APRIL 3 2-4 PM $22
Deepen your experience on the mat through a gentle to moderate flow of postures accompanied by acoustic classical guitar. Music takes us beyond barriers of language, verbal postural correction, inner monologue and monkey mind. The percussive ebbs of guitar directly meet the body’s own strings – sinews, tendons, nerves – often making it possible to let go of the mind a little more quickly so the body can feel its way into a posture.

PRENATAL YOGA SERIES - THURSDAYS APRIL 8-JUNE 10 4-5:15 PM $99 10 classes, $75 classes or $16/drop-in
Expectant mothers at any stage of pregnancy will learn and practice yoga poses, breathing and meditation techniques to assist in a healthy pregnancy and an active birth. This class cultivates strength, flexibility and tone in the body that is now a home for two. Meditation and breath create calm and confidence in preparation for labor, childbirth and parenting. Meet other expectant moms in this fun and relaxing class. No prior yoga experience is necessary. We do recommend that you check with your care provider before attending a yoga class.

YOGA FOR RUNNERS - SUNDAYS APRIL 11-MAY 2 1-2:30 PM $50 4 weeks or $16 drop-in
This class is designed to help correct the imbalances exacerbated by running. We will work on creating suppleness of muscles and an increased range of motion within the joints leading to a faster recovery from hard workouts as well as increased strength and resiliency of the body. We will also work on connecting breath with movement which is key in bringing ease and focus to one’s runs. For runners of all levels who want to increase their flexibility, core strength and balance. No prior yoga experience is needed.

YOGA NIDRA - SATURDAY APRIL 10 2-4 PM $22
Every second Saturday this Spring! 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.

KUNDALINI CLEANSE FOR OPTIMUM HEALTH - SATURDAY APRIL 17 2-4 PM $22
Every third Saturday this Spring! 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.

BABY & ME YOGA SERIES - TUESDAYS April 20-MAY 25 10:30-11:30 AM $50 4 weeks, $60 6 weeks or $16 drop-in
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.

RESTORATIVE YOGA - SATURDAY APRIL 24 2-4 PM $22
Every last Saturday this Spring! 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.

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

NEW WEEKLY CLASSES ADDED TO OUR OPEN CLASS SCHEDULE

NEW SCHEDULE STARTS TODAY!
The Spring schedule begins today, April 1, 2010. Pick up a copy at the studio or visit us online to check it out!

NEW WEEKLY CLASSES!
We have added new classes to our weekly open class schedule!

Moms & Kids Yoga – Tuesdays 11 AM-12 PM

Yoga Movement Therapy – Fridays 4-5:30 PM

YogaDance – Sundays 5:30-6:15 PM

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

STUDIO NEWS

BECOME OUR FAN ON FACEBOOK!
You can now find us on Facebook! As a fan of Jai Yoga, you will receive the latest news and updates. We plan to post special events and schedule updates, as well as host discussions and some fun online activities. We look forward to hearing from and staying in touch with you! Click the link at www.JaiYogaHome.com to find us.

SPRING 2010 OFFICE HOURS
Jai Yoga will hold regular office hours on MONDAYS, THURSDAYS and FRIDAYS from 1:30-4 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!

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

PRACTICE

VILOMA PRANAYAMA

Sometimes with the rush of Spring and newness everywhere we look, it can seem as if it all happens overnight. Anyone who has ever accomplished a long-term goal knows this is not usually the case!

Rather, change/progress/growth happens in stages. We can use our breath to explore and examine these stages, learning to appreciate the space in between each new phase, all while bringing a sense of ease and lightness to the body and strengthening our respiratory system for the summer activities ahead.

1 – Find a comfortable and relaxed sitting or lying position on the floor. Close your eyes and begin to connect to your breath, noticing its natural rhythm and quality

2 – Exhale completely. Inhale for a few seconds or about 1/3 of your lung capacity, then pause and hold the breath for a few seconds

3 – Inhale again for a few more seconds or until your lungs are about 2/3 full, then pause. After a few seconds, complete your inhale

4 – Exhale slowly, smoothly and completely, then repeat the process for each subsequent inhalation

5 – Practice this technique with absolutely no straining for 3-5 minutes to begin, gradually working your way up to 8-12 minutes, then return to your natural breath as you rest in savasana (corpse pose)

As you practice, you can increase the amount of pauses in each breath to 5 or 6. You can practice either staggering inhales or exhales, but practice only one technique each day – do not follow one with the other. Working with the inhale will be rejuvenating while working with the exhale will be detoxifying.

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

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

Spring is on the way! Our Spring schedule will begin April 1. Be on the look out for hard copies at the studio and in the mail in the next few weeks. Until then, we have many offerings this month at Jai Yoga to help you find health and happiness.

Whether you are looking for the ultimate experience in relaxation (try Svaroopa® Style Yoga, Yoga Nidra, Restorative Yoga) or a cleansing, transformative experience in preparation for Spring (try Kundalini Cleanse or Yoga Bootcamp), we have something for you. Keep reading for more info…as always, we look forward to seeing you at the studio soon.

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

in this issue
UPCOMING WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES
STUDIO NEWS
PRACTICE

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

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES

SVAROOPA® STYLE YOGA – MONDAYS MARCH 1-29 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!

BABY & ME YOGA SERIES – TUESDAYS MARCH 9-30 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 BEGINS – TUESDAYS MARCH 9-APRIL 27 5:30-7 PM -AND- WEDNESDAYS MARCH 10-APRIL 28 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.

YOGA MOVEMENT THERAPY: TO HEAL ACHES, PAINS AND AGING BODIES – FRIDAYS MARCH 12-APRIL 2 4-5:15 PM $50 4 weeks or $40 repeat, no drop-ins
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.

YOGA NIDRA – SATURDAY MARCH 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.

KUNDALINI CLEANSE: BUILDING A HEALTHY IMMUNE SYSTEM – SATURDAY MARCH 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.

RESTORATIVE YOGA – SATURDAY MARCH 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.

YOGA BOOTCAMP – MONDAY-FRIDAY MARCH 29-APRIL 2 6:15-7:15 AM $60/week, $50/repeater or $16/drop-in
Get ready for Spring! Change your routine and 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.

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.

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

STUDIO NEWS

NEW SCHEDULE STARTS APRIL 1!
We will have a new schedule taking effect April 1, 2010. Look for your copy in the mail or at the studio in the coming weeks.

MARCH LAUGHTER YOGA CLUB CANCELLED
Laughter Yoga Club will not be held the first Friday of this month. We apologize for the inconvenience and hope to see you next month!

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 info@jaiyogahome.com if you are interested in making a contribution!

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

PRACTICE

PEACEFUL WARRIOR – STRENGTHEN THE BODY AND STEADY THE MIND IN VIRABHADRASANA I

No matter how active we are, the Winter months canleave us feeling stagnant, heavy
and wholly unprepared for the rushing energies of a busy Spring. Practicing virabhadrasana I (warrior I) can help us clear our stagnant energy and strengthen our bodies so that we can welcome Spring with a clear mind and an open heart.

Virabhadrasana I stretches the thighs, calves, ankles, chest, lungs, shoulders, neck, belly and groins, all places where energy tends to get stuck during the long winter months.

When we actively engage and invite our breath into these areas, we release the old and make space for vibrancy and newness. Consciously using our breath gives our  mind a place to rest, encouraging a steady and calm outlook.

To cultivate peace and strength in body and mind, try virabhadrasana I:

1 – From tadasana (mountain pose), step your feet about 4 feet apart

2 – Turn your left foot in about 45 degrees and your right foot out 90 degrees, so that the right toes face the short end of the mat. See that the heel of the right foot lines up with the arch of the left

3 – Swivel your pelvis and torso toward the front edge of the mat, drawing your shoulder blades down the back and dropping your tailbone. Lengthen the entire spine, all the way up through the crown of the head

4 – With the four corners of both feet rooting into the mat, bend the right knee, aligning the knee over the ankle. The deeper the bend in the knee, the more challenging the posture will be

5 – Lift the arms overhead, keeping them shoulder-width apart and actively reach through the finger-tips. Remember to keep your scapula on your back

6 – Let your heart lift as your spine lengthens, gazing straight ahead

7 – Continue squaring the pelvis by drawing the right femur back into the hip socket while moving the left hip forward

8 – Breathe here for 5-10 slow, deep breaths before switching sides

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

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

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.

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

in this issue

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES

STUDIO NEWS

PRACTICE

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

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.

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

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!

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

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.

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

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!

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

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.

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

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!

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

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

This holiday season, make sure to give to yourself as well as to others! At Jai Yoga we have several offerings to help you stay grounded and present – the perfect gift for a busy season. Let your yoga practice set the tone for the holidays and guide you into the winter months, and a new year!

Happy holidays!

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in this issue

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES
STUDIO NEWS
PRACTICE

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

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES

BABY & ME YOGA SERIES – TUESDAYS DECEMBER 1-22 10:30-11:30 AM $50 4 weeks or $16 drop-in
Offered monthly this Fall! 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 if space is available. Limited to 12 participants.

LAUGHTER YOGA CLUB! – FRIDAY DECEMBER 4 5:45-6:30 PM $1 suggested donation
Every first Friday this Fall! 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 FOR RUNNERS – SUNDAYS DECEMBER 6-27 9-10:30 AM $50 4 classes
This class is designed to help correct the imbalances that can be exacerbated by running. We will work on creating supple muscles and increasing range of motion in the joints, allowing for faster recovery from hard workouts as well as increasing the body’s strength, stamina and resiliency. We will also work on connecting breath and movement, which is essential to bringing ease and focus to one’s runs. For runners of all levels who want to increase their flexibility, core strength and balance. No prior yoga experience is needed.

YOGA NIDRA – SATURDAY DECEMBER 12 2-4 PM $20
Every second Saturday this Fall! 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.

RESTORATIVE YOGA – SATURDAY DECEMBER 26 2-4 PM $20
Every last Saturday this Fall! 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

CLOSED FOR CHRISTMAS
There will be no regular classes December 24-27 for the Christmas Holiday. However, Restorative Yoga will still happen on December 26, as will Yoga for Runners on December 27!

WEEKLY COMMUNITY CLASS
In September we started offering a donation-based community class on Sundays from 3-4 PM. Everyone is welcome to come and pay whatever they are able! All donations go straight to our Jai Yoga Scholarship Fund. Join us in supporting our lovely yoga community!

NEW CLASS SCHEDULE STARTS JANUARY 2010
Our new class schedule will begin January 1, 2010. Look for hard copies in the mail, at the studio and around town mid-December.

7 DAYS FOR $7
Pay only $7 and attend as many or as few classes as you like the first week of 2010 at Jai Yoga. Take this opportunity to try a new class or meet a new teacher. Attend a bunch of classes to INVIGORATE yourself! See how we can all BENEFIT from a little more yoga in our lives! Visit www.JaiYogaHome.com to register online!

FALL 2009 OFFICE HOURS
Jai Yoga will hold regular office hours on MONDAYS 1-3 PM; TUESDAYS 1-3 PM; THURSDAYS 1-4; and FRIDAYS 1-4 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

LET GO OF EXPECTATIONS AND EMBRACE JOY

The holiday season is full of the warmth of giving and celebrating with loved ones…or at least, that’s what we expect. Some expect the holiday season to be an overwhelming time full of seemingly inevitable let downs and stress. When we expect things to be a certain way – good or bad – we attach our own happiness to a specific outcome.

By letting go of our ideas of how things “should be,” we allow ourselves the space to experience joy in how things actually are. The opportunity for joy is always there, it’s just a matter of seeing and embracing it.

How can we do that? Two ways: by recognizing and examining our expectations as they arise and by living in the moment.

Practice identifying and labeling expectations when you find yourself feeling that things are not going to plan. Ask why the expectation may have developed in the first place. Where did it come from? Then use your breath to relax into the moment; be right where you are. Enjoy yourself, one moment at a time.

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

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

The holiday season is upon us….time to rejoice with family and friends! As you make your holiday plans, remember we are here to support your practice and well being. We have many special class offerings to ensure that you bring your most vital self to the table this season.

And an offering which can help your friends and family bring their most vital selves to the table this month also. Get the details below!

We hope to see you soon! Happy Thanksgiving!

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

in this issue

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES
SPECIAL PROMOTION
STUDIO NEWS
PRACTICE

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

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES

KRIPALU YOGA DANCE SERIES – SUNDAYS NOVEMBER 1-22 9-10:30 AM $50 4 classes
Kripalu Yoga Dance (KYD) is an invitation to connect to your free and creative energy through movement and music. KYD originates from Kripalu yoga and, in its ultimate form, is a meditation in motion. Everyone who has participated LOVES this class! We welcome everyone from 9 to 99 years old, male and female. No experience in yoga or in dance is necessary, we always start with beginner’s mind! You will have so much fun discovering your own unique inner dancer while getting a great work-out combining dance and yoga poses. Wear clothing fit for movement.

BABY & ME YOGA SERIES – TUESDAYS NOVEMBER 3-24 10:30-11:30 AM $50 4 weeks or $16 drop-in
Offered monthly this Fall! 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. Limited to 12 participants.

BASICS YOGA SERIES – TUESDAYS NOVEMBER 3-DECEMBER 22 5:30-7 PM -AND- WEDNESDAYS NOVEMBER 4-DECEMBER 23 2-3:30 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.

PRENATAL YOGA SERIES – THURSDAYS NOVEMBER 5-DECEMBER 17 4-5:15 PM $72 6 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.

LAUGHTER YOGA CLUB! – FRIDAY NOVEMBER 6 5:45-6:30 PM $1 suggested donation
Every first Friday this Fall! 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 NOVEMBER 14 2-4 PM $20
Every second or third Saturday this Fall! 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.

RESTORATIVE YOGA – SATURDAY NOVEMBER 28 2-4 PM $20
Every last Saturday this Fall! 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 you NAME, PHONE and which WORKSHOP you want to attend and we’ll return your call ASAP.

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

SPECIAL PROMOTION

BRING A FRIEND FOR FREE THIS MONTH AT JAI YOGA!
We would like to invite you to bring a friend or family member to class with you for free! All you need to do is pick up a green “bring a friend free” coupon card at the studio – or look for one around town – and present it to your teacher before class. Offer valid for the month of November only and only with coupon. One coupon per person per class.

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STUDIO NEWS

INTRODUCING MINDBODY YOGANOW FOR iPHONE
MINDBODY yoga is your own personal yoga class finder. With the touch of one button, MINDBODY yoga uses your GPS location and gives you all the yoga classes that are available at Jai Yoga or wherever you happen to be!

CLASS CANCELLATIONS
Due to low attendance the 7 am Yin/Yang Yoga class on Tuesday mornings with Sally and the 8 am Moderate Yoga & Meditation class Wednesday mornings with Angie  have been cancelled. Thank you for your understanding.

CLOSED FOR THANKSGIVING
There will be no regular classes November 26-29 for the Thanksgiving Holiday. However, Restorative Yoga will still happen on November 28!

WEEKLY COMMUNITY CLASS
In September we started offering a donation-based community class on Sundays from 3-4 PM. Everyone is welcome to come and pay whatever they are able! All donations go straight to our Jai Yoga Scholarship Fund. Join us in supporting our lovely yoga community!

FALL 2009 OFFICE HOURS
Jai Yoga will hold regular office hours on MONDAYS 1-3 PM; TUESDAYS 1-3 PM; THURSDAYS 1-4; and FRIDAYS 1-4 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.

NEW EXCHANGE RATES
We have a new exchange rate for weekly class cards and drop-ins. The following rates became effective in September: $16 drop-in, 4 classes $56, 8 classes $96, 20 classes $220 and monthly unlimited $130. For more information on rates, class cards and policies, visit our website. Note: the rate change does not affect unused classes on current cards.

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 info@jaiyogahome.com if you are interested in making a contribution!

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

PRACTICE

STRESS RELIEF AND IMPROVED DIGESTION – PASCHIMOTTANASANA (SEATED FORWARD FOLD)

We all know Thanksgiving Day kicks off the bustle of the Holidays. For most of us, this means a busier schedule with more items on our “to do” lists. It can also mean more food on our plates and less time to make mindful choices about what and how much we eat.

Luckily, we can get relief from both the stress and indigestion that the holidays sometimes bring with one yoga posture.

To aid digestion and promote relaxation this Thanksgiving, try this seated forward fold:

1 – Come to a seated position on your mat, supporting your sit bones with a stack of folded blankets, and straighten the legs

2 – Use your hands to roll the flesh of the thighs and the buttocks away from the sit bones. Extend out through the heels and activate the inner lines of your legs, widening the hamstrings into the floor

3 – Place your palms or fingertips on the floor on either side of the pelvis and lengthen through the spine, lifting the heart toward the ceiling

4 – Draw the femur bones into the hip sockets, inhale and keep lifting your heart, lengthening the spine

5 – On an exhale, begin to crease at the hips, letting the torso move forward, maintaining length through the lower back

6 – Take your hands to your feet or loop a strap around the feet, holding firmly. Do not pull yourself forward. Keep your chest open as you lengthen the spine

7 – On another exhale, allow your torso to fold over your legs, keeping the length through the spine. Bend your elbows and lift them away from the floor as you fold so that the chest stays open

8 – Breathe here for 5-10 long breaths, softening with each exhale and lengthening with each inhale

9 – To come out, on a inhale, roll one vertebrae at a time, starting at the base of the spine, up to a seated position

Notes: To stay safe in this posture, focus on keeping the spine long rather than grabbing your toes and on folding from the hip crease rather than the waist. Use plenty of support under the sit bones for tighter hamstrings.

For a restorative version of this posture, stack pillows or blankets in your lap and rest your head on the support. Stay in the pose for 5-10 minutes.

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

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