Our Fall 2010 schedule starts today! We are excited about a few new weekly classes and some great upcoming special classes and workshops. We received such a positive response to our Summer schedule format that we will continue to offer classes at regular times throughout the Fall so you can practice more often!
Keep reading to learn more about all that we have going on this month. We’d love to see you at the studio as you transition back to school and work! We hope you had a wonderful summer and are looking forward to the season ahead.
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in this issue
UPCOMING WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES
STUDIO NEWS
PRACTICE
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UPCOMING WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES
LAUGHTER YOGA – FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 3 5:30-6:30 PM $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!
*Please note, Laughter Yoga replaces Happy Hour Yoga on the first Friday of each month
YOGA NIDRA – SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 11 2-4 PM $22
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.
PRENATAL YOGA SERIES – MONDAYS SEPTEMBER 13-DECEMBER 13 5:45-7 PM 14 weeks $140, any 8 classes $96, any 4 classes $56 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.
BASICS SERIES BEGINS – MONDAYS SEPTEMBER 13-NOVEMBER 1 7:15-8:45 PM 8 weeks $90
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.
BABY & ME YOGA SERIES – TUESDAYS SEPTEMBER 14-DECEMBER 14 10:30-11:30 AM 14 weeks $140, any 8 classes $96, any 4 classes $56 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 SEPTEMBER 18 2-4 PM $22
Every third 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.
YOGA BOOTCAMP – MONDAY-FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 27-OCTOBER 1 6:15-7:15 AM $60/week, $50/week for repeaters, $16 drop-in ($5 drop-in for members)
Every last week of the month this Fall! 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 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 STARTS TODAY!
Fall Schedule at Jai Yoga will begins today, September 1 and runs through December 31. Look for hard copies at the studio or around town if you haven’t already received one.
CLOSED FOR LABOR DAY
There will be no regular classes on Monday, September 6, 2010 in observance of the Labor Day holiday.
FREE MEMBERSHIPS!
Jai Yoga is looking for 2 people to help with our weekly chores: Studio Cleaning Angel and Flyer Posting Angel.
Cleaning Angel is needed for about 2 hours the same time and day each week. Flyer Angel will walk and drive to put our fliers up in Downtown Brunswick, Bath and Freeport, etc.
In exchange for your service you will get free membership to the studio! Membership entitles you to unlimited weekly classes and 50% off workshops. Please call and speak with Jen if you are interested, 725-7874.
FIRST ANNUAL YOGATHON!!!
Jai Yoga is participating in Maine’s First Annual Yogathon at the Maine State Pier in Portland on September 26, 2010! A whole day of yoga for $10 in advance or $15 the day of! Proceeds will benefit Prebble Street Resource Center. Stop by the studio or visit http://989wclz.com for more info.
FALL 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!
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PRACTICE
BACK TO SCHOOL, BACK TO BASICS
As we’ve seen in school, before we start learning something new, we usually review what we have already learned. This can be helpful in refreshing the memory and in providing a foundation for new learning.
Reviewing the basics before we dive deeper can also help us gain a fresh perspective on both the old and the new. Oftentimes, we find there is always something new to learn, even within a subject we have spent a great deal of time studying. This is especially true if we can cultivate a “beginner’s mind.”
A beginner’s mind means approaching something open to possibility and new learning. It means putting aside what we already know (or think we know) and allowing our present moment to influence and develop our understanding.
So, as we head back to school and work this Fall, see if you can cultivate a beginner’s mind. Start with this basic practice…maybe one of the first bits of yoga you learned?
And guess what? The benefits of spinal extension, breath awareness and core strengthening still apply, whether it’s the first time you practice or the 100th time. So enjoy!
Marjaryasana/Bitilasana (Cat/Cow)
1 – Begin on your hands and knees in table top position with a neutral spine
2 – Spread your fingers into the mat, pressing slightly downward. Press the tops of your feet into the mat
3 – On an exhale, tuck your tailbone and arch your back toward the ceiling and let your head drop, feeling your shoulder blades spread apart as your spine rounds. See if you can allow your breath to travel up the spine, articulating each vertebra, as it exits through your nose. Move slowly
4 – On an inhale, point your tailbone, fanning your sitz bones out and dropping your belly toward the floor. Press your hands into the mat and allow your chest to come slightly forward, expanding your collar bone. Again, see if you can use your breath to isolate the movement of each individual vertebra. Move slowly
5 – Repeat 5-10 times and then rest in balasana (child’s pose)
Note: For a change in perspective, you can also try initiating movement from the crown of your head rather than your tailbone
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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