03 Apr 2020 Online Class Descriptions
While the studio is closed, we are now offering online classes, so we can stay connected, keep practicing, and focus on gratitude, joy, and love.
Find out which class is best for you with the following class descriptions.
OUR ONLINE SCHEDULE
We’re so happy to share Purna Yoga and Heartfull Meditation during this challenging, piviotal, serious time.
Please check out our online calendar for the most up-to-date schedule. Currently, we are offering 2 classes a day, 6 days a week:
We are offering these classes on a sliding scale payment system. You may pay a drop-in donation rate ranging from $1 to $25, use existing class credits, purchase an online 10-class pass (6 month expiration date) for $130 or get an unlimited online pass (30 day expiration) for $200. Starting March 31st, we will also have a recording of the class available for 48 hours for any registrants who can’t make the class due to time constraints or technical errors.
CLASS DESCRIPTIONS
Online classes are different than in-person classes. When teacher and student are in the same room, there is greater potential for transference of knowledge. A teacher can see, perceive, and intuit with greater clarity when the student is in the same room and can address the student’s needs more effectively. While we do watch our students in online classes, and our goal is to facilitate a true connection between teacher and student, it still isn’t the same as being in the same room together.
Purna Yoga puts a strong emphasis on learning, self-study, and refining skill sets. We want you to learn more about your whole self when you are practicing. We’re not interested in merely guiding you through a practice that engages the body but creates numbness in the mind or emotions. Because we value safety in practice and the instructor’s responsibility to provide a safe space for students to practice, we are deliberately keeping our online classes simple, with an emphasis on clarity of instruction and mastery of the basics. We also intentionally sequencing our classes with postures, practices, and Heartfull Meditation techniques that speak specifically to the world we are living in today. For instance, we almost always do Surya Namaskar (sun salutations), and we usually end with Setu Bandha Sarvangasana because it is so beneficial for the immune system. Our online classes require a minimal amount of props.
All Purna Yoga classes have a mix of flow sequences and held poses with a focus on finding alignment and feeling the poses deeply both anatomically and energetically. There is not a set series for each class. Every one is different, though there are similar elements that show up in each class. We always start class with 3-5 minutes of Heartfull Meditation and end with at least a 5 minute Shavasana. There also are lots of little series in Purna Yoga (like the Hip Opening Series) that are strung together to make a bigger sequence. Some classes, like Purna Yoga Foundations, will focus more intently on the details of these series so that in more advanced classes, students can flow through them more quickly as they become more familiar.
We are offering four classes in our online calendar: AM Asana, PM Practice, Purna Yoga Foundations, and The Noon Reset: Restoratives.
AM ASANA (every day but Sunday)
Our morning classes range from 60 to 90 minutes and are classified as Level I, Level I/II, and Level II. We believe that time of day, time of season, and time of life all help shape a practice, so our AM Asana classes take into account the stiffness that can be present in the body in the morning – even while the mind might be sharp. We generally take more time to warm the body up in the morning than we do in our evening classes. Each class has its own particular focus for the day, but over the course of the class, we cover a general sequence that addresses the whole body and a wide range of poses.
Level I – more detailed instruction, more opportunity to view demos, and slower paced to help facilitate learning the series of Purna Yoga.
Level I/II – less instruction, greater usage and identification of the poses by their Sanskrit names only, faster paced with an expectation that students know the elements of most Purna Yoga series without detailed instruction to facilitate movement
Level II – our fastest paced classes rely heavily on the use of Sanskrit to denote poses and lessen instructional cues so that students – who already have a working understanding of Purna Yoga series and common practice concepts – can focus more on the feeling of the poses rather than on the voice of an instructor. Greater opportunity to practice inversions and more challenging poses while still having some instructor supervision.
PM PRACTICE (Monday – Thursday)
Our evening classes range are all 60 minutes and are classified as Level I, Level I/II, and Level II. PM Practice classes take into account that while your body might be more limber in the evening – or logey from excessive sitting – the mind is less focused. We want our evening classes to prepare you to wind down from your day and prepare for a restful sleep. Each class has its own particular focus for the day, but over the course of the class, we cover a general sequence that addresses the whole body and a wide range of poses.
Level I – more detailed instruction, more opportunity to view demos, and slower paced to help facilitate learning the series of Purna Yoga.
Level I/II – less instruction, greater usage and identification of the poses by their Sanskrit names only, faster paced with an expectation that students know the elements of most Purna Yoga series without detailed instruction to facilitate movement
Level II – our fastest paced classes rely heavily on the use of Sanskrit to denote poses and lessen instructional cues so that students – who already have a working understanding of Purna Yoga series and common practice concepts – can focus more on the feeling of the poses rather than on the voice of an instructor. Greater opportunity to practice inversions and more challenging poses while still having some instructor supervision.
PURNA YOGA FOUNDATIONS (Monday afternoon)
Purna Yoga Foundations is the class that takes you back to the basics. If you’re new to yoga or looking to have a beginner’s mind in asana and meditation, this is YOUR class. We will go through the Purna Yoga Series, standing poses, preparations for inversions, twist and backbends. Even though this class is foundational, it does not mean it can not be physically challenging, just expect more instruction, safety points, and alternatives.
THE NOON RESET: RESTORATIVES (Friday)
This 60 minute class focuses on grounding poses, restorative postures, Heartfull Meditation and Pranayama (breath work) to soothe the nervous system and help alleviate the effects of stress and anxiety on our bodies, minds, and emotions. This is the most prop-heavy online class we offer, and it is recommended to have at least a strap, two blocks, blankets, and either a bolster or something that approximates a bolster like folded blankets, firm pillows or even couch cushions. All levels are welcome, and even if you lie in Shavasana for the whole class, you’re still winning.
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