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eNewsletter Archives

July 2009

Summer is finally here! Time to kick back and have some fun! And we are here to help you do just that! Our new schedule starts today and with it comes a new round of special classes and events.

What better way to relax and enjoy the season than with a seaside yoga class? Ready to try something different? How about a 4-week Svaroopa® Style Yoga series? Keep reading to learn more about these offerings and many more.

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in this issue

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES

STUDIO NEWS

PRACTICE

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UPCOMING WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES

LAUGHTER YOGA CLUB – FRIDAY JULY 3 5:45-6:30 PM $1 suggested 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!

SVAROOPA® STYLE YOGA SERIES – MONDAYS JULY 6-27 7:30-9 PM $55 4 weeks
Svaroopa® Style Yoga is a deep but blissful practice using poses in a whole new way. Start in Shavasana, end in Shavasana! 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!

YOGA BASICS SERIES – TUESDAYS JULY 7-AUG 25 5:30-7 PM 8 classes $88
Perfect for beginners or those wanting a nice refresher of the fundamentals! In this 8-week series, we will cover 18 basic yoga postures and 4 breathing techniques, providing a strong foundation from which to build a home practice and to fully participate in our gentle and moderate classes.

PRENATAL YOGA – THURSDAYS JULY 9-AUG 27 4-5:15 PM $90 8 weeks
This class is for women at any stage of pregnancy. Practice gentle postures, breath work, vocal toning and meditation to cultivate 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.

SEASIDE YOGA AT WOLFE’S NECK FARM – THURSDAYS JULY 9-AUG 13 6:15-7:30 PM $70 6 weeks or $15 cash drop-in
This will be an outdoor, seaside all-levels yoga practice at Wolfe’s Neck Farm in Freeport. Our “studio” will be a soft, grassy field with Casco Bay as our back-drop. Let the sounds of the birds and the waves soothe you as you immerse yourself in your practice and in nature. Please bring your own mat/blanket and props. Please contact us for additional information and directions.

YOGA NIDRA – SATURDAY JULY 11 2-4 PM $20
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.

LIFE, LAUGHTER AND LEVITY – SUNDAY JULY 19 2-4 PM $25
Join Katie the Levity Coach, for an energizing two-hour workshop to help you recharge your  sense of fun and freedom. We will explore how to maintain a sense of lightness and joy in daily life, especially during challenging times. Through the practice of laughter yoga, we will use laughter as a tool to help infuse life with a sense of fun and vitality. Additionally, we will envision what a joy and laughter filled life looks like and explore some steps to help bring the dynamic, positive and freeing energy of this class back into day to day life.

RESTORATIVE YOGA – SATURDAY JULY 25 2-4 PM $20
Every last Saturday this Summer! 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, try our online registration system, available up to one hour before the start of an event! Visit our website, www.jaiyogahome.com, for registration links and a complete listing of  workshops!

Or, register by phone or at the studio 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

SUMMER SCHEDULE STARTS TODAY!
Our Summer 2009 schedule begins today, July 1, and runs through August 31. If you have not received a hard copy in the mail, you can pick one up at the studio or view the schedule on our website.

CLOSED FOR 4TH OF JULY!
There will be no regular classes July 4-5, 2009 for Independence Day weekend. Happy holidays!

SUMMER 2009 OFFICE HOURS
Jai Yoga will hold regular office hours on MONDAYS 1:30-4:30 PM and THURSDAYS 12:30-3 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.

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

RECLINING BOUND ANGLE POSE – SUPTA BADDHA KONASANA

Too much heat can make us irritable and frustrated or just empty us of energy. Coupled with an increase in our overall activity levels during the summer months and it’s all too easy to get fired up and then burn out.

Think about balancing the heat and activity of the season with a cooling restorative practice. Let yourself slow down and relax. Avoid over-heating and take time to restore your energy so you can truly enjoy yourself and all that the season has  to offer.

1 – Begin reclining on your mat with knees bent and the soles of the feet hip-distance apart on the floor, comfortably close to your pelvis

2 – Lift your hips away from the mat slightly so that you can use your hands to  spread the back of the pelvis. Lower down and release the lower back and pelvis into the mat

3 – Open the knees, letting them float down toward the mat and bring the soles of the feet together. Use your hands to roll the flesh of the inner thighs away from center, creating an external rotation. Feel free to adjust the distance between pelvis and feet as needed

4 – Let the arms lay at the sides of the body, angled out slightly, palms up

5 – As you breathe in this pose, think about drawing the sit bones together and pulling the femur bones into the hip sockets. Allow the knees to sink with gravity rather than forcing them toward the floor

6 – Breath deeply for 1 minute, focusing on a long, complete exhale. As you practice, you can gradually increase the hold time to 5-10 minutes

7 – To come out of the pose, use your hands to close the legs and then roll to one side and use your hands to slowly push yourself up. The head is the last to rise

Notes: This pose can be made even more blissful with the use of props. Try a rolled or folded blanket under the head/neck and under each thigh/knee. For an extra yummy restorative version of supta baddha konasana recline against a bolster or a few folded blankets, keeping the hips on the mat. Ask your yoga instructor about how to use a strap in supta baddha konasana.

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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