Ananta Yoga @ The Academy

WINTER OFFERINGS @ ANANTA YOGA

The winter sessions run Jan 17th - April 7th. For more information, view the posters:

Gentle Hatha ~ Sweet Somatics ~ Ananta Yoga

Gentle Hatha Yoga: Healthy Aging	Tuesday PM	5:30 - 6:45
Yoga Mixed Moves	Wednesday AM	10:30 - 11:45
Yin Yoga - Targets fascia joints/ligaments & tendons	Thursday PM	5:30 - 6:45
Sweet Somatics	Friday PM	10:30 - 11:45

Cost for a 12 week session is $120 or $12 for Drop-In.

Registration fees due at first class or alternate arrangements can be made.

Please confirm you space as soon as possible as they are going fast. Drop-in is only available if the class is not fully enrolled prior to start date. If you would like to secure a spot, registration for the session will do that. If you know you will be away for Dr.'s appts out of town, travel, etc., you may deduct up to cost of 2 classes from total owing. If you are away due to illness or to attend another event, etc., you may
come to any of the other classes as a make-up session, space permitting.

For more information contact Audrey Morrison: yogasparks1@gmail.com
Tel: 604.483.8939

Please read our Preparations for Yoga Practice information sheet.

The Sanskrit word, “ANANTA” means INFINITY. I chose this name for my practice to reflect the infinite nature of the spirit. Yoga means “union”, a joining of opposites, the Yin and the Yang, the union of mind and body, heart and actions. Yoga is the human quest for remembering our true nature, our deepest selves, a mind-body-spirit practice. The journey of yoga is an inner journey to the very essence of who we are.

Though the art of yoga is often associated with Hinduism, yoga is not a religion. While a religion emphasizes belief structures about life and the human relationship to the divine, yoga seeks to reveal our own deepest nature through direct experience of our divinity. One need not be religious to practice yoga, nor does yoga exclude any religious practice. All that is required to practice yoga is a desire to learn more about yourself.

Gentle Somatic Yoga: Hanna Somatic Education, as developed by Thomas Hanna, Ph.D., is a safe and gentle approach to eliminating chronic muscle pain for the long term.  Somatic exercises rapidly release and reverse chronic pain patterns from injuries (including surgical trauma), stress, soft-tissue injuries, repetitive use patterns and the ageing process, through an increased sense of "body awareness" and release of chronically tight muscles ("sensory motor amnesia"), as we move through the sequences. Somatic exercises are an excellent complement to any movement practice, as well as alternative therapies.

Yin Yoga: Yin yoga is a passive style of yoga that works the deep connective tissues of the body; the ligaments, tendons, joints and fascia – structures that are rarely worked in a regular exercise program. These structures shorten with age or injury, resulting in pain, stiffness and ultimately, a decreased range of motion in joints. While Yin yoga targets the area from the navel to the knees, we do incorporate upper body work in most classes. Yin poses are long and static, students are supported with props to allow the muscles to relax, as Yin strives to by-pass the muscles to reach the deep connective tissues. If the muscles are active, they will absorb the efforts of our work. As beginners, students are supported to hold poses for 3 – 5 minutes, or to their own comfortable edge. In Yin, the focus is also on the breath as a tool to focus, calm and energize. (Wednesday Yin is a gentle class suited to beginners.)

Gentle Hatha Yoga: Hatha yoga is a series of physical postures (asanas) designed to strengthen and increase flexibility. Hatha yoga targets the muscles of the body and is an active, or Yang style of yoga. Hatha poses are held for short periods of time, usually a minute or less. This class is suited to all levels of practice, including beginners. The focus is on building strength and stamina through combining gentle asana, pranayama (breath work) and mindfulness mediation, focusing internally on what the body is feeling in each pose. Students practice to their own level of ability, and each pose may be modified to suit any restrictions.

Fusion Class: As the name suggests, this very gentle class is a combination of both the Hatha and Yin styles of yoga and is suited to those who are new to yoga, those wanting a gentle experience, as well as those who may be experiencing chronic pain. Poses are modified as required to allow each student to achieve a pose to the best of their ability. Each class will begin with 10 minutes of “core-awareness” practice to learn to achieve a “neutral core” for optimal health, followed by 30 minutes of Yin poses and 20 minutes of Hatha poses. All classes end with a 5 – 10 minute end relaxation/ breath awareness time.

All classes are held in the Ananta Yoga studio at the Academy of Music.

Have to miss a class?

When registering in advance, if you know you will be missing a class or two, (i.e. previously booked appointments, vacation etc.) the cost of the session may be adjusted to reflect the missed class(es). If it is more than just one or two classes, I ask that you consider attending on a drop-in basis to allow others who may attend more frequently, to attend.

If you miss a class once the session has started, due to illness or meetings, appointments etc. no refund will be offered. If you have paid in advance for the entire session to secure your space, and then are absent due to illness or appts., you may attend any of the other classes as a “make-up” session, space permitting—please check with me before doing so to ensure space is available. In exceptional circumstances where you have an unexpected longer absence, we can work out a credit or refund.

“OUR GOAL IN LIFE IS NOT TO BECOME PERFECT: OUR GOAL IS TO BECOME WHOLE”

For further information, please contact the Academy
Tel.: +1 604 485 9633; e-mail: info@powellriveracademy.org