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guide W

elcome to the

Natural Awakenings

Yoga Guide. Celebrating this year’s National Yoga Month and recognizing those teachers and centers committed to the wellbeing of our community.

FIREFLY HOT YOGA Bertha Diaz,Certified Instructor 786-488-8739 www.fireflyhotyoga.com Vinyasa yoga for beginners, conducted in a heated room to promote weight loss, improve circulation, and detoxify the body.

Yoga reduces stress, increases strength, develops muscle tone, flexibility, and increases vitality.

GENTLE YOGA FOR STIFF BODIES Dena Glazer, Iyengar certified 786-253-3060 Near Miami Shores Mondays, 4:30-5:45, Thursdays, 6-7:15. Privates on request. Therapeutic instructions on how to move correctly. 30 years experience. Leave feeling better than when you came! Namaste’

LAWRENCE HUFF 305 926-3578 www.ilovemeditation.net Free introduction to “Yoga and Meditation“ at local libraries!

All ages, levels. Website has schedule. Also: Personalized Meditation, Meditation and Mantra facilitator, Vedic Astrology Classes and Readings.

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www.namiami.com

2490 Coral Way, 2nd Floor, 33145 305-856-YOGA(9642) www.rinayoga.com

®

Nurturing Moves Integrative Yoga Therapy Michelle is a licensed physical therapist, Yoga Therapist, and provides Energy Healing at The Canyon Ranch Miami Beach. Her diverse backgrounds have inspired her to create NURTURING MOVES®, a pioneering approach that unites physical therapy with the ancient wisdom of yoga, belly dance and massage.

Michelle aligns with Divine Source to cocreate your personalized healing experience. She has expertise in breathwork, women’s health, cancer, fertility, pregnancy and cesarean birth recovery. She is available to teach cutting-edge workshops such as Breathing As Medicine, The Bio-Mechanics of Yoga Asana and Injury Prevention For Yoga Teacher Trainings. 305.206.2229, www.nurturingmoves.com.

Practice Yoga with Us! Why Us? 1.Friendly Community.2.Personal Attention 3.High-Quality Yoga.4.Affordable Classes & Teacher Trainings.5.All Levels Welcome. Plus, this hidden gem is only minutes away from you!

YOGA WITH DRISHTI drishti@bellsouth.net 305 335-7618 Yoga with Drishti, 500RYT and Yoga Therapy, private sessions and yoga kids available. Using Yoga techniques of focusing inward and working with breath and core balance will help every body!

DHARMA STUDIO 3170 Commodore Plz. Coconut Grove 305-461-1777 dharmastudio.com

Ayama Yoga Center

Dharma Studio is a beautiful sanctuary for yoga and more, offering all types and levels of yoga classes including, vinyasa, Anusara, gentle, prenatal, yin and meditation classes.

Ayama Yoga celebrates National Yoga Month with free classes and 30% off packages for new students all month. As featured on NBC, CBS and CW TV, Ayama Yoga offers 90-minute classes in Vinyasa, Hatha and Anusara in a warm, spacious and enchanting space with free props and mats.

Students of all levels are encouraged to participate and experience the many benefits of yoga. For a schedule of morning, evening and weekend classes, visit http://www.ayamayoga.com/schedule.htm.

Ayama Yoga Center. 2624 N.E. 188th St.,North Miami Beach, FL 33180. 305.932.7755. *Free parking available

Bikram Yoga with Deborah Jacobson

Bikram Yoga has 26 poses and is performed in a room heated to 95-100 degrees, which allows the body to become heated and more flexible, and rid itself of toxins.

Rosa Santana Iyengar Yoga

Visit us on Cudjoe Key Call Now 305-744-3348 Weekdays 5 AM to 9 PM Weekends 8 AM to 4 PM

Iyengar Yoga is meditation in action. Through the use of the body, we train the mind into silence, so we can encounter a vision of the soul. With the use of props, special sequencing, and rigorously-trained instructors, this style of Hatha Yoga is available to all bodies, including those who are stiff, weak, or injured. Experience the benefits of yoga coming from a rich and extensive unadulterated lineage.

Classes and workshops available for all levels of experience.

Iyengar Intensive and Teacher Training with Dean Lerner Sept. 2426 (954) 456-6077 yogarosa@msn.com www.yogarosa.com

www.piratewellnesscenter.com

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RINA YOGA, INC.

Michelle Maniaci PT, RYT, EHP

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bookreview Thrive Inside: Transformative Secrets of Spiritual Masters, Gurus and Shamans

By Bill Eager, Amrit Yoga Teacher

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or six years Bill Eager has come to yoga programs at the Amrit Yoga Institute in Salt Springs, FL. His connection with Yogi Amrit Desai, lead him to pursue an understanding of yoga and natural health.

Certified as an Amrit Method® teacher, Bill studied with other masters including Alan Finger, AG Mohan and BKS Iyengar. His new book Thrive Inside: Transformative Secrets of Spiritual Masters, Gurus and Shamans weaves teachings from many spiritual traditions. Readers will find insights and practical tips they can apply in all areas of life. Ram Dass notes, “An excellent book.” Learn how to activate the healing intelligence of energy systems in your own body.

Experience an encounter with His Holiness the Dalai Lama that reveals the compassion and love at the core of all relationships.

“This book is about your transformation.

You do not create transformation. You experience it. Like a flower bud that reaches the time to open,” explains Bill Eager. “There is no willful action in blossoming. Change your awareness about yourself. Your conviction about yourself and the world you live in. This is transformation. This is the space we walk in.

I share techniques that help you experience the process of your own transformation. Through conscious transformation you achieve harmony and personal satisfaction in life. The book focuses on transformation in five distinct areas which are common in daily life.”

Thrive Inside: Transformative Secrets of Spiritual Masters, Gurus and Shamans is available on Amazon.com (search for Thrive Inside), and signed copies are available from www.ThriveInside.net/yogabook.html.

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www.namiami.com

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TITANS OF YOGA

LESSONS DISTILLED FROM A LIFETIME OF DISCIPLINED PRACTICE

by Johannes R. Fisslinger

For the first time, orga-

Enjoy the moment; don’t be inhibited by the past or future. You are in a timeless space, connected to the infinite. ~ Sharon Gannon, cocreator of Jiva Mukti Yoga

nizers of National Yoga Month have collected in one place insights on health, happiness and

Try this healing exercise: Sit up, put your hands in your lap, close your eyes and watch your breath. Take 30 seconds to enjoy this moment, right now, being present… and connecting with your inner smile. ~ Lilias Folan, called the “First Lady of Yoga” since her 1972 PBS series, Lilias!

Yoga and You

enlightenment from contemporary practitioners who are deemed by their peers as world titans of yoga.

Focus on the Breath

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he essence of yoga, no matter its style, is a journey of self-discovery and transformation. It becomes a way of life that embraces a system of physical science, while honoring the quest for mental and emotional stability and balance. Millions of U.S. practitioners of all ages enjoy the benefits of increased flexibility and muscle strength, better posture and alignment, and decreased stress. As their practice deepens, they also experience yoga’s larger gift: a body/mind attunement that nurtures mental clarity, emotional composure and a greater sense of overall well-being.

The titans interviewed incorporate various techniques and approaches. Yet, they all agree upon the following handful of principles, designed to inspire, facilitate and heighten anyone’s yoga practice.

Be Present in the Moment Yoga… is about the power of now, being present in the moment. Anytime, [you can] take a few deep breaths and find a peaceful space within. ~ Beth Shaw, founder of YogaFit 34

Miami-Dade/Florida Keys

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If you bring your attention to your breathing, you become present; develop this muscle of being present by focusing on the breath. ~ Bryan Kest, creator of Power Yoga Try this transformative exercise: If your mind becomes restless, relax your jaw and breathing, then become aware of the quality of your breath, using a soft inhale and exhale.

Feel your belly move as breath enters and exits through the nostrils, like a guest. Choose to observe your breath and it will redirect the mind. ~ Lisa Walford, developer of YogaWorks teacher training program

Experience Health and Oneness with the Body Regular practice is key. Inevitably, if you do the postures enough, there’s magic to them. Even if you [begin with] no intention, yoga leads you to a state of union. Practicing yoga helps you remember that you’re already perfect, already free. ~ Sara Ivanhoe, creator of bestselling yoga DVDs

Yoga strengthens our life force and makes us stronger from deep inside; it builds life energy, prana, chi. ~ Vinnie Marino, Vinyasa flow teacher who employs music styles ranging from trance to rock

Strengthen the Mind through Meditation The real power of yoga is in meditation, the qualities of the mind behind the action. Bring these meditative qualities into the physical practice, and it becomes meditation in motion. ~ Bryan Kest Learn to concentrate on your mantra, your sacred words that you recite over and over again. My favorite is, “Let go… just let it go…” ~ David Life, co-creator of Jiva Mukti yoga Practice pranayama [regulation of the breath] and meditation to improve concentration and the power of your mind.

The mind creates emotions and thoughts; when the mind is healthy, the body and mind connect. Then you really find your soul essence, your consciousness. ~ Rajashree Choudhury, teacher of Bikram yoga

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If you don’t feel good in your body—if you can’t move forward with ease and not dis-ease—how can you feel good about anything? Yoga… makes us feel good about the bodies we are in. ~ Beth Shaw

Triyana: YOGA, QIGONG & BREATHING

Triyana-means “the three vehicles” or “three degrees of Yogaship” Renew and revitalize your mind and body through mindful breathing, and a series of yoga poses called asanas, which work by safely stretching your muscles. This releases the lactic acid that builds up with muscle and causes stiffness, tension, pain, and fatigue. In addition, yoga increases the range of motion in joints, and may also increase lubrication in the joints. The outcome is a sense of ease and fluidity throughout your body. Qigong -- pronounced chee gong is a practice that involves a series of postures and exercises including slow, circular movements, regulated breathing, focused meditation, and self-massage.

Register today! 305-567-0165 3570 Main Highway, Coconut Grove, Fl 33133.

Experience Oneness with the Spirit For energy to be flowing, you have to be in tune and in balance not only with the nature around you, but [with] something that’s deeper inside you. This energy that’s in you, in me, in plants and animals, is the pure energy, the one life that connects us all. Who you are is an expression of consciousness, an expression of God. ~ Kim Eng, Qi Flow yoga teacher and partner of author Eckhart Tolle Yoga helps you [let go of] attachment to material things and empowers your soul. ~ Rajahshree Choudhury The essence of yoga is truth and love… willingness to embrace the God that is within, recognizing that we are all connected. ~ Seane Corn, internationally celebrated yoga teacher Johannes R. Fisslinger is the co-founder of National Yoga Month and founder of Yoga-Recess in Schools. Both initiatives are coordinated by the Yoga Health Foundation. For information about free local yoga classes and events in September and the new Titans of Yoga DVD, featuring 25 masters of yoga and meditation now available through yoga teachers and studios, visit YogaMonth.org. natural awakenings

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ANAHATA YOGA STUDIO 5445 Collins Avenue Miami Beach, Fl 33140 (917) 660-7892 www.anahatayogastudio.com

SEANE CORN FINDING A YOGA STYLE AND MAKING IT MEANINGFUL

BIKRAM YOGA 235 11th St. Miam Beach, FL 33139 305-534-2727 www.bikramyogamiami.com

by Kim Childs

COFFEE MILL DANCE & YOGA STUDIO 916 Pohalski St Key West, FL 33040 305-296-9982 www.coffeemilldance.com

CORPO YOGA STUDIO 9030 SW 72 Ct Miami, FL 33156 305-582-7772 www.corpoyoga.com

KRIYA YOGA INSTITUTE 24757 SW 167 Avenue Homestead, FL 33031 (305) 247-1960 www.kriya.org

MIAMI LIFE CENTER 736 6 Street Miami Beach, FL 33139 (305) 534-8988 miamilifecenter.com

YOGA RESEARCH FOUNDATION 5691 SW 102 Avenue Miami, FL 33173 (305) 666-2006 www.yrf1.com

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Seane Corn, a yoga superstar featured on magazine covers and Oprah.com, has been practicing yoga for 23 years and teaching for well over a decade. She has also taken her yoga “off the mat,” inspiring activism and raising funds for programs around the world that serve at-risk youth and AIDS/HIV treatment and prevention. Natural Awakenings asked this renowned teacher to share her advice on choosing a style of yoga and creating a home practice.

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orn observes that personality may initially predispose a student to prefer one style of yoga over another. “For example, the style of yoga I teach is Vinyasa, a fluid form of yoga,” she says. “It tends to draw people who are more athletic and perhaps more goal-oriented or self-competitive—those who prefer a practice that feels more like a workout.” This style of so-called flow yoga can also be very emotionally therapeutic, she adds.

Students who want to try more vigorous yoga styles like Vinyasa or Ashtanga should have a basic understanding of how to build yoga asanas (postures), integrate the breath and work with their body’s flexibility. “In my dream world, students would know that there are techniques they need to understand before they approach a more challenging or fluid practice,” says Corn. “That would mean either going to a very beginner-level class or an Iyengar class. For some students,

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Turn off phones and other distractions, she advises, and focus. The more sacred, intentional and meaningful a home practice is, the more likely one is to regard it as more than an exercise routine. “I set up an altar with things that are important to me,” remarks Corn. “When I put my palms together, I’ll set an intention and ask Spirit that the practice be a reflection of my devotion, a dedication to something greater than myself.”

At 43, Corn credits her yoga practice and diet (avoiding meat, fish, dairy, sugar, alcohol, caffeine and chemical additives) with maintaining her good health. “My bones are strong, my muscles and joints are quite supple, and my hormonal system is in really good shape,” she reports.

“I don’t have PMS or other [premenopausal] symptoms and my skin looks good and clear. More importantly, I’m just very comfortable in my body and confident on my feet.”

As with any physical undertaking, anyone with a pre-existing injury or medical condition should consult a doctor before beginning a yoga practice. Corn advises students to, “Find a teacher who can meet you where you are.” Once on the mat, she says, explore what feels right and allow your practice to evolve as you do.

Kim Childs is a Kripalu yoga teacher in the Boston area. Connect at Kim Childs.com.

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that may feel too slow, but it’s providing the appropriate information that’s going to give them longevity in their practice.” Likewise, she recommends Iyengar if an individual is recovering from an injury.

Without proper technique, students can compromise their knees, lower backs and necks, Corn counsels. She explains that while Iyengar is quite a methodical and precise style for teaching fundamentals, styles like Kripalu, characterized as “meditation in motion,” can be more forgiving.

Once people begin to practice, physical and life changes may lead to the exploration of other styles.

This is true for Corn, who has studied many traditions over the years. “When I was younger, I wouldn’t have considered an Iyengar or a Kripalu class,” she recalls. “It was only Ashtanga or Vinyasa. Now that I’m in my 40s—or even back in my 30s— I’ve wanted a deeper practice that has more space and more areas of stillness and connection, which seems to match my growth as a person.”

For those who are grounded in yoga fundamentals and want a home practice, Corn recommends setting aside 30 minutes to an hour at least three days a week. “If you have a halfhour, I would recommend 10 minutes of sun salutes, 10 minutes of standing poses and 10 minutes of backbends, forward bends and a resting pose.”

MIAMI YOGA - SUNNY ISLES 17070 Collins Avenue #268 Sunny Isles, FL 33160 (305) 974-0046 miamiyogasunnyisles.com

OM YOGA MIAMI 17070 Collins Ave Sunny Isles, Florida, FL 33160 786-436-4087 www.omyogamiami.com

OM’ECHAYE 1100 E. Hallandale Beach Blvd.

Hallandale FL 33009 954-456-6945 www.omechaye.com

PRENATAL PLUS YOGA 401 Miracle Mile Coral Gables, Fl 33134 305-279-1322 www.prenatalplusyoga.com

SHORES YOGA 9713 Northeast 2nd Avenue Miami, FL 33138 (305) 759-6461

THE BISCAYNE INSTITUTES OF HEALTH & LIVING, INC. 2785 N.E. 183rd Street Miami, FL 33160 305-932-8994 www.biscayneinstitutes.org

THE YOGA CENTER 2999 NE 191st St Miami, FL 33180 305-466-1100

YOGA IN BAL HARBOUR 502 96th St., Bal Harbour, Bal Harbour, FL 33154 305 895 9436

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