Yoga Center of Minneapolis Spring Magazine by Yoga Center

April-June 2012 Magazine

Yoga Center of Minneapolis

Celebrating 11 Years!

Class Schedules & Workshops

JAI Prenatal Training

New

JAMES BAILEY The Art of Living Your Truth

Stories from the Mat Lake Calhoun Stand Up Paddleboard Yoga

YOGI’s KITCHEN

Spring Farmer’s Market Eats

Yoga Music Spring Playlist

SPRINGTIME YOGA p.11, 15, 20

This quarterly publication is

p.7, 19

assembled by the Yoga p.12

Center of Minneapolis

p.8, 10, 13, 15, 19

staff and community.

Our studios are p.37

located on the west edge of downtown Minneapolis near the Twin’s Stadium

p.7, 13, 15 p.11

(212 3rd Ave N. #205)

p.23 p.25

and between Lake Calhoun and Hwy 100 (4200 Minnetonka Blvd).

A special thanks

p.20

to those who have contributed their talents to this publication. If you are interested in

Director’s Note

contributing ideas or

the beginngs of 2012 my heart fills with gratitude as we have recently welcomed over 40 new Teacher training students into our

Happy Spring! We here at YCM

community. Our Teacher Training

are thrilled to bring you a season

Tech weekend was a sight to

yogacentermpls.com.

filled with inspiration, innovation

behold when a teacher training

and transformation. As I reflect on

community of over 100 students

articles, please email

April-June 2012

TABLE OF

conTENTS YOUR YOGA JOURNEY

Getting Started

Class Passes & Free Class Opportunities...............................................3 Personal Yogi Consultation...............................................................3 4 Class Categories and Descriptions....................................................... 4 Class Level, Sweat Factor.................................................................

Entry Level Practices 5-6 Beginner Class Descriptions and Session Dates................................... Continuing

Practices View the Drop-in Class Schedule online! 7-22 Workshops & Class Series................................................................. 23 J.A.I. Postnatal Yoga Crib................................................................

Deepening

Your Journey

24 Special Programs: Detox Week, Yoga For Transformation Month................... 25-27 Visiting Instructors......................................................................... 27 Kids Yoga Summer Camps................................................................ 28 Yoga Teacher Trainings....................................................................

FEATURED ARTICLES

29-30 James Bailey Interview.......................................................................................... 31-32 JAI Prenatal Teacher Training: A New Training is Born..................................................... 33-34 A Yogi’s Kitchen: Farmers’ Market Spring Salads............................................................ 35-36 Stories From the Mat: The Middle Path...................................................................... 36 Music Guru Spring Playlist...................................................................................... 37 Stand Up Paddleboard Yoga..................................................................................... 38 Yoga Study Corner and Coupons...............................................................................

filled the Minneapolis studio just a

with their smiles and beautiful

few short weekends ago learning,

practices. An enormous THANK

teaching, chanting and having fun.

YOU to one and all for keeping the

Yoga for Transformation finished

Yoga Center of Minneapolis

its seventh run with 13 wonderful

in your lives.

and inspiring students. Students in our drop in classes and intensives

- Namaste, Jennifer Gray

warmed each studio every day © Yoga Center of Minneapolis www.yogacentermpls.com | 612.436.4700

April-June 2012

NEW STUDENT DEALS METRO AREA RESIDENTS new to the Yoga Center of Minneapolis have the option of purchasing a $25 One-Week Unlimited Drop-in Pass at their first class.

Yogi Rewards Did you know you can earn free class passes? Through the ‘Refer a Friend’ and the ‘Frequent Yogi Card’ programs you can earn free classes and vouchers to apply toward retail purchases. Visit the website under Class Info > Yogi Rewards for details on how to get started!

CLASS PASSES

Use at either Studio. Class passes expire 3 months from date of first use unless you are a member. Single Class: $17 4 Class Pass: $64 6 Class Pass: $96 12 Class Pass: $169 24 Class Pass: $299 36 Class Pass: $414 8 for 88!* Pass: 8 classes for $88 (*1-month expiration, membership not applicable)

YEARLY MEMBERSHIP: $50 + tax All pass expiration dates will be waived for ONE YEAR from the membership start date. Receive 10% discount on all retail plus access to studio space for personal practice when available. See web for full list of benefits!

Student/Senior Single: $13 Student/Senior: 6 Class Pass $69 (Seniors=65+ / Student= a college/trade school student with current ID paying for own classes.)

Personal Yogi Consultations

Helping you define your personal wellness needs, goals, and options Meet with one of our teachers to create a program of wellness services that is right for you utilizing YCM classes, workshops, programs and Dharma Wellness services. Each student’s needs are unique and we wish to help you find the path to achieving your goals in a manner that feels good, is affordable, and fits into your schedule. Call to schedule a Personal Yogi Consultation at either studio location. If you prefer, you may consult by phone. We request a $25 deposit at the time of your consult, which will be applied toward your first class passes, workshops, or intensives. New to Yoga? For those of you who are just beginning, your first consultation will be spent determining your needs, goals, physical limitations, desires and experience to help place you in a class and/or recommend wellness services that are a best fit. Once you begin your classes or services, your Personal Yogi will follow up with you to answer any questions. Have Yoga Experience? Take advantage of a consultation to determine how to deepen or create a consistent practice, weave wellness services and in-depth workshops into your practice, and explore other yoga opportunities. Pregnant? YCM offers a variety of services and classes to help make this special time in your life meaningful, comfortable and help you to bring a calm state of mind to the birthing room. Your yogi consultant will help you design a program to support you in a yogic fashion during your pregnancy. We look forward to getting to know you! © Yoga Center of Minneapolis www.yogacentermpls.com | 612.436.4700

April-June 2012

ANU...SHTANGA..MUKTI...ASANAAAAA?!

CLASS STYLES DECRYPTED

Although “Hatha Yoga” technically encompasses all physical practices of yoga, over time the yoga tree has sprouted many physical variations. YCM welcomes all styles of yoga, so in order to help you find your best fit, we loosely categorize the styles we offer so even if you’re not familiar with the specific tradition or practice, you will have a better sense of what to expect in class. Specific class descriptions are available online.

Vinyasa

Hatha

Vinyasa-based classes link breath and movement for a moving meditation. Poses are generally held for a shorter period of time so that transitions may become part of the poses themselves. This allows for more poses to be practiced during a class. Generally, our vinyasa classes are more rigorous than what we term ‘hatha’ classes and may involve sun salutations.

Our hatha-based classes generally involve holding the poses for a longer period of time to allow for more exploration of breath within a pose. This allows more time for focus on alignment.

Ashtanga Vinyasa (and all YTG -Vinyasa) Slow Flow Urban Flow Jivamukti

Anusara Aerial Yoga Big A#%! Yoga Mi-an Yin Yoga Restorative Twilight Yoga Yoga for Flexibility Yoga for Back Strength

Tantric yoga is the original yoga of ancient India in which all other styles of yoga are rooted. Tantra literally translates to “extend beyond all limitations.” Tantra class pays special attention to the whole person and works to intentionally help you move energy in a productive and clear direction, detoxify your body and mind, build your inner fire and through sequences that are both dynamic (repetitive and moving) and static (still), and help you create space and strength in your physical body while you gain a better sense of clarity and peace of mind. Pranayama (breath work) is the cornerstone of the practice.

Experience Level

Pregistration required for beginner sessions. Register online or call 612.436.4700. Level 1/2: For those who have some yoga experience and are still working on gaining flexibility and need help learning how to modify poses for their bodies. Level 2:

For intermediates who have yoga experience and are ready for more challenging poses, pace, and concepts. For those who know how to and willingly will modify poses to suit their experience level and comfort.

Level 2/3: For yogis who are intermediates and up who are able to safely work into backbends & inversions such as Bridge Pose and Headstand.

DROP-IN CLASS SCHEDULE? By checking the schedule online, you see up-to-date changes and substitute teachers. You can also purchase class passes and reserve your spot in class. If paper is still your preference, pick up a print schedule at either studio or print from our website.

G ST ETT AR IN TE G D

Our weekly class schedule can be found at www.yogacentermpls.com.

April-June 2012

BEGINNING YOGA CLASSES

Call or check online for updated session dates. Register online or call 612.436.4700 If classes are not full, drop-ins may be allowed. Call the studio at 612.436.4700 to check availability.

Absolute Beginner Class (4-week series $50) The Absolute Beginner Class is for those new to yoga, and meets once each week for 4 weeks. This class will provide you with the tools to get started: yoga classes, fundamentals of yoga asana (poses), pranayama (breath work), and answers to your questions on the various forms of yoga or your personal practice. Whether you are coming to get in better physical condition or simply stop the chaos of your mind, there is a style of yoga that is right for you. Therefore, at the end of the four-week series, you will have the opportunity to consult with your instructor about your personal goals and choose the next yoga class(es) that will move you toward these goals. Mondays Mondays Tuesdays Wednesday Thursdays Saturday Sundays Sundays

11:15am - 12:15pm 7:30 - 8:45pm 7:30 - 8:45pm 8:00 - 9:15am 6:15 - 7:20pm 9:30 - 10:30am 9:30 - 10:45am 4:00 - 5:00pm

Beginning Hatha Yoga

SLP Studio SLP Studio MPLS Studio SLP Studio SLP Studio MPLS Studio SLP Studio SLP Studio

(4/9-4/30) (5/7-6/4) (6/11-7/2) Amanda Whisner (4/23-5/14) (5/21-6/18) (6/25-7/16) Amanda Whisner (4/3-4/24) (5/1-5/22) (5/29-6/19) (6/26-7/17) Deirdre M. (4/18-5/9) (5/16-6/6) (6/13-7/11) Moya Mathews (4/26-5/17) (5/24-6/14) (6/21-7/12) Angie Viehman (4/14-5/12) (5/19-6/16) (6/23-7/14) Amanda Whisner (4/29-5/20) (6/3-6/24) Naomi Hollings. (4/1-4/29) (5/6-6/3) (6/10-7/1) Tara C. Sherman

(6-week series $96 ~ *$90 if just completed 4-week Abs. Beg Class)

This 6-week class is for all beginners and anyone wishing to deepen their foundational knowledge of Hatha Yoga. Each class will help you to develop a safe understanding of basic yoga postures, their benefits and help you build confidence to move to the next level. Mondays Thursdays Sundays

6:15 - 7:20pm MPLS Studio (4/9-5/14) (5/21-7/2) 7:30 - 8:45pm SLP Studio (3/29-5/3) (5/10-6/14) (6/21-7/26) 11:30am - 12:45pm MPLS Studio (4/29-6/17)(6/24-8/5)

Beginning Big A#%! Yoga

Jennifer Davis Ryan Kelly Deirdre Murnane

(6-week series $96 ~ *$90 if just completed 4-week Abs. Beg Class)

This fun, challenging, and inspiring class is designed especially for bigger women and men who want to begin yoga but want to do it in a setting where everyone is similar in size and shape. Instructor and YCM owner Jennifer Gray (a Big A#%!™ graduate herself) and others will help all students find yoga poses that work for their current body type and create a beneficial yoga practice for all. In this class you will create a body mind connection, learn yoga poses that strengthen and tone, gain trust and find enjoyment in moving your body, and laugh and have fun!! Big A#%!™ yoga does not focus on losing weight and how you should look. This class strives to help you build self-trust and learn to reconnect and enjoy your body again. We call it Big A#%!™ Yoga so that everyone knows they are coming to a place where they can laugh and be comfortable with who they are. Any other name just wouldn’t be as fun! See web for more details and a note on physical limitations. Tuesdays Wednesdays Saturdays

7:30-8:45pm SLP Studio (3/27-5/1) (5/8-6/12) (6/19-7/31) 11:15am- 12:30pm SLP Studio (3/28-5/2) (5/9-6/13) (6/20-8/1) 10:30 - 11:45am MPLS Studio (4/14-6/2) (6/9-7/14)

Steph Narveson Steph Narveson Celia McCoy

April-June 2012

Beginning Vinyasa Yoga

(6-week series $96 ~ *$90 if just completed 4-week Abs. Beg Class)

If you love the idea of a flowing, moving, yoga practice, this six-week session is for you! Classes will start with the fundamental ideas of linking breath and movement, developing awareness of Ujjayi Pranayama and other breathwork. We will go in-depth with the core poses of Surya Namaskara - the traditional Ashtanga sequencing, as well as other variations of Sun Salutations, and learn modifications for the different poses. In the following weeks we will learn how to move through standing and seated sequences, focusing on the alignment and technique needed to safely practice Vinyasa styles of yoga. Upon completion of the workshop, students will feel confident to attend mixed level Vinyasa classes and be able to work within their own limitations and potential. Mondays

6:00 - 7:15pm

SLP Studio

Beginning Ashtanga Yoga

(4/2-5/7) (5/14-6/25)

Amanda Whisner

(6-week series $96 ~ *$90 if just completed 4-week Abs. Beg Class)

This six-week Beginning Ashtanga class is for anyone and everyone who is seeking to learn more about the fundamentals of the Ashtanga primary series. All levels are welcome to attend this workshop. If you love Vinyasa or are looking to learn more about how to safely practice in a more rigorous vinyasa style class - this six-week session is for you! In this workshop we will explore the great tradition of Ashtanga Yoga and how to put it into practice. New yoga students will learn how to attend any Ashtanga yoga or Vinyasa yoga class and work within their own limitations and potential. We’ll start with the core poses of Surya Namaskara then move on to the essential standing sequence. In later weeks we will address the seated sequence, proper breathing and pelvic awareness (bandhas), the history of ashtanga and philosophy. Tuesdays

9:00 - 10:15am

SLP Studio

(5/1-6/5)

Emily Bauernfeind

SLP STUDIO

4200 Minnetonka Blvd. St. Louis Park, MN 55416 Located between Hwy 100 and Lake Calhoun on Minnetonka Blvd. FREE PARKING in the lot behind the studio and on the street.

212 3rd Ave. N. - Suite 205 Minneapolis, MN 55401

MPLS STUDIO

FREE PARKING on NON-TWINS GAME DAYS: M-F before 8am or after 4pm, and weekends. Colonial Warehouse Lot is located behind the building and accessed from Washington Ave. Street meters available ($.50/hr -$1.00/hr.)

Come prepared for class:

• •

If you are new to the Yoga Center of Minneapolis, please arrive 15 min early to fill out a New Student Form Wear comfortable clothing to stretch easily. Yoga is best practiced with bare feet and on an empty stomach. (Avoid eating 1-2 hours beforehand.) Avoid wearing perfumes, colognes, etc. or smoking cigarettes before class. We encourage students to bring their own yoga mats, but we do provide free loaner mats and props (also available for purchase at either studio). Inform your instructor if you have injuries, are pregnant, or have any medical conditions that may require caution. Silence cell phones while at the studio. (You may leave your cell phone with the desk attendant if you are expecting an important call.)

G ST ETT AR IN TE G D

• • • • •

April-June 2012

APRIL Workshops & Series See web for updates. Register online or call 612.436.4700.

Workshop Discount: Purchase a package of 3 two-hour or 3 three-hour workshops and receive $15 off. Workshop credits remain on your account until you decide to use them!

Thai Stretch Class with Angie Viehman Sun Date: 4/1/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM

In this special 1.5-hour class Yoga Instructor and Thai Massage Therapist, Angie Viehman, along with several Yoga Teacher Trainees, will stretch and move you into deep relaxation. We’ll combine yoga poses with deep Thai Massage style stretches and adjustments to bring you into complete balance. Cost: $17 Drop-in, or sign up using your class pass by going to the class schedule.

6-Week Acro Yoga with Caitlin Cook-Isaacson Mon Date: 4/2/2012 - 5/7/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 5:45 PM - 7:15 PM

Get ready to fly! Acro Yoga combines elements of Yoga, Acrobatics, and Thai Massage. Using these practices, students will refine grounding, strength, and surrender while having tons of fun. Working in small groups, we will emphasize the safe progression to different skills. This series allows us to move beyond introductory poses and flows, but is suitable for total beginners. We will work on conditioning as well as the subtleties of balance between base and flyer. Bring an open mind and the willingness to turn your world upside down! Cost: $96

Kundalini Yoga: Speak Your Truth! with Nicole Nardone Sat Date: 4/7/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Effective communication is essential to life. To express your true Self authentically, you must be able to listen, as well as speak. This workshop will use Kundalini Yoga & Meditation to explore three essential skills for harmonious communication: deep listening, empowering your speaking skills by balancing the 3rd and 5th chakras and aligning your words with your truth. See web for full description. Cost: $40

Self-Care Shiatsu for Neck and Shoulder Pain Relief with Paul Cherba Sat Date: 4/7/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 1:15 PM - 3:15 PM

Got a pain in your neck that won’t to go away? Tired of eating your shoulders every time you try to look to one side? Come learn some calming and relaxing Self Care Shiatsu Yoga to help relieve your neck and shoulder tension. We will learn about the Shiatsu meridians that run through the shoulders and neck and some key points and ways to stimulate and nurture these points. We will connect breath with movement, pain with laughter as we discover new ways to release pain. With the help of balls (supplied) we will help stimulate and move stuck energy (chi) in our bodies. All levels welcome! Cost: $40

Intro to Acro Yoga with Caitlin Cook-Isaacson Sat Date: 4/7/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM

Learn the basics of flying and basing! Acro Yoga combines elements of Yoga, Acrobatics, and Thai Massage. Using these practices students will refine and find grounding, balance, strength, and surrender while having tons of fun. We will work in pairs or groups of three, learning the three positions of Acro Yoga, base, flyer, and spotter. No partner needed, no experience required. An adventure into communication, playfulness, and support. Cost: $25

Intro to Yoga Nidra - Deep Relaxation with Kevin Kortan Sat Date: 4/7/2012

Location: MPLS From: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Yoga Nidra is an ancient form of yogic meditation. Kevin teaches a modern adaptation of Yoga Nidra, also called iRest®, developed by © Yoga Center of Minneapolis www.yogacentermpls.com | 612.436.4700

April-June 2012

his main Yoga Nidra teacher, Richard Miller.Yoga Nidra helps you break free of self-limiting patterns, emotions and beliefs so that you may live a contented life, free of conflict, anxiety and suffering.Yoga Nidra induces deep relaxation throughout your entire body and mind and enables you to neutralize anxiety, fear, anger, depression and insomnia, enter deep meditation, and in its ultimate form,Yoga Nidra helps you unravel the mystery of life and answer the questions, “Who am I?” and “What is enlightenment?” These workshops and classes begin with some gentle, mindful movements and segue into the practice of Yoga Nidra. See web for full description. Cost: $40

4-Week Partner Yoga Workshop with Holly Schramm Thu Date: 4/12/2012 - 5/3/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 6:00 PM - 7:15 PM

How often do we really stop and just breath and move and meditate with your partner. Are you ready to transform your relationship? Partner yoga will deepen and expand your connection with that special someone. It will move you to a new level of understanding and awareness of each other and open up your lines of communication. This will be time well spent on so many levels. You really begin to appreciate who each of you are in your unique relationship. Join Holly Schramm on an adventure with your partner that you won’t want to miss. Get your happy on, couples! Cost: $120 for two people

Yoga at the Wall with Sarah Kalweit Sat Date: 4/14/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 1:15 PM - 3:15 PM

The principals of alignment, which are well utilized and foundational in the practice of yoga asana, can easily be enhanced by the use of one key tool… the WALL! The wall is the most readily available “prop” that we have at our disposal. Many postures- active, balancing & restorative- are deepened simply by bringing your practice to the wall. We will use the wall creatively to find not only depth, but comfort, confidence and a sincere sense of “reality” with each pose. These lessons can easily be incorporated into a home or travel practice. This workshop is well suited for all levels of practitioners. Cost: $40

The Splits with Naomi Hollingsworth Sat Date: 4/14/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM

The splits, known as Hanumanasana (Monkey Pose), and the side splits, known as Samakonasana (Same Angle Pose), require a good amount of flexibility within the surrounding areas of the hips, legs and low back. However, the hips, legs and low back tend to be some of the tighter areas of the body and require time and patience to open and lengthen safely and effectively. In this workshop you will learn an effective stretching sequence, balanced with strengthening postures to safely advance your split and side split practice. We will also look at the energetic qualities surrounding these areas, as well as use of props and modifications. All levels of yoga practice and inflexibility are welcome. Cost: $40

Spring Cleanse and Renewal with Coleen Elwood Sat Date: 4/14/2012

Location: MPLS From: 3:30 PM - 6:30 PM

Throughout the spring season there is an impulse in nature to resurrect itself. As we learn to work with and embrace the forces of nature we can tap in to this creative impulse and use it to begin anew. Celebrate this time of renewal with a cleansing, rejuvenating experience. A luxurious yoga class blends gentle & restorative yoga postures, mantra, mudra, guided imagery, and conscious relaxation to purify what doesn’t serve and embrace what does. Acupressure self facial and foot massage, chakra balancing, meditation along with peppermint foot lotion and chilled cucumbers for your eyes adds to this spa-like experience. Come back in to balance with your own nature and all of Nature. Cost: $55

4-Week Beginning Aerial Yoga with Becky Stella Sun Date: 4/15/2012 - 5/6/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 4:00 PM - 5:15 PM

CO PR NT AC INU TI IN CE G S

Unnata® Aerial Yoga combines traditional mat yoga while practicing select postures suspended in a soft, fabric sling. With the help of gravity and the fabric, we can create space in our bodies and ease compression of the joints and spine. During this series, we will explore poses on and off the sling to find a more vibrant expression of each pose, at your own level of comfort. Please wear sleeves that fully cover your underarms and no jewelry or metal clothing that might snag the fabric. Not for those with glaucoma or high blood pressure. Cost: $100

April-June 2012

APRIL Workshops & Series See web for updates. Register online or call 612.436.4700.

Workshop Discount: Purchase a package of 3 two-hour or 3 three-hour workshops and receive $15 off. Workshop credits remain on your account until you decide to use them!

Personal Practice Development Series™ with Michelle Pietrzak-Wegner Wed Date: 4/18/2012 - 5/9/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 6:00 PM - 7:15 PM

Practicing and Teaching Sun Salutations with Moya Mathews Fri Date: 4/20/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

The practice of surya namaskar, saluting the sun and its energy, is a practice that reaches across many styles and methodologies of yoga. Ashtanga yogis, Sivananda practioners, disciples of Baron Baptiste and Dharma Mitra practice surya namaskar to move dynamically, stretching and re-setting the length of the muscle fiber for they day’s yoga practice on and off the mat and to orient the body at various angles to receive the energy of the sun. This workshop is for practitioners who want to develop a regular home practice and for teachers, teachersin-training, current yoga study participants and graduates. Develop confidence in your ability to practice surya namaskar with intention, to narrate a sun salutation sequence, to adjust the poses of surya namaskar and to work creatively with the sequence to develop variations in your own style. Cost: $40

Yoga Lounge with Thea Jensen Fri Date: 4/20/2012

Location: MPLS From: 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM

Try something new for your Friday night! Enjoy music from The Eclectic Ensemble during a 75 min yoga class, stay after class for snacks and Verdant Tea. Perfect for a girls night out or date night! Eclectic Ensemble is an ambient experimental group that draws on Jazz style free-form improvisation, Asian harmonic structure, African, Middle Eastern and Indonesian interlocking rhythms, and ambient texture schemes. (www.theeclecticensemble.com) Verdant Tea is a revolutionary young Minneapolis-based business, sourcing teas that were formerly never sold outside their local villages, let alone exported. David Duckler founded Verdant Tea after spending 2 years working with the most devoted tea farmers in China on a research project for a book on tea folklore.Verdant Tea makes these rare, seasonal harvest teas available across the country. (www.verdanttea.com). Yoga experience recommended. Cost: $25

6-Week Peace Medicine Continuing/Advanced Training with Coleen Elwood Location: St. Louis Park Sat Date: 4/21/2012 - 6/2, skip 5/26 From: 10:30 AM - 11:55 AM Embrace your destiny... utilize your unique gifts... awaken and replenish! A continuing series for students to put into practice tools and techniques explored in the 4 week intensive. Deepen your ability to ground, protect, distill, cleanse and replenish. A unique blend of ancient wisdoms (yogic and shamanic) with modern day applications to deepen your connection to nature, your spirit and your community. Earth-based, soul-centered practices and support for the changing consciousness. Continuing education for all students who have completed the 4 week intensive. Cost: $140

April-June 2012

Wood Element: Yin Yoga with Michelle Pietrzak-Wegner Sat Date: 4/21/2012

Location: MPLS From: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

The Chinese Element: Wood represents the season of Spring. Its energy is spontaneous and represents growth, new beginnings, playfulness, balance and renewal. Experience a Yin Yoga practice intended to detox your liver/gallbladder meridians as well as prepare space for you to mentally and physically welcome in the Season of Spring! Open to all levels and those new to a Yin practice. Cost: $40

Igniting Core Strength with Rachel Allyn Sat Date: 4/21/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM

Yoga for Personal Power. Do you find yourself deficient in energy, struggle with low self-esteem, or have poor follow through? This workshop will explore the solar plexus, a chakra of personal strength, transformation, self-definition and confidence. Focus will be on igniting your core strength - emotionally and physically - through challenging poses addressing all areas of the body but with particular attention to the abdomen and back. We will discuss how to face fears and increase drive in our life, both on and off the mat, inspiring you to awaken to your potential. Discussion of the psychology underlying our personal strength will be interwoven with yoga and breathing. Cost: $40

Infant Massage with Kristin Wilk Sun Date: 4/22/2012 - 4/29/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

For infants ages birth to six months. This is a 2 part series that will meet for one hour per class, ideal for pre-crawling infants. The focus of this workshop is to teach loving parents an entire massage that can enhance physical growth as well as relieve colic symptoms and encourage good sleep patterns. See JAI Crib on p.23 for full description.

Developing Your Intuition Level 2 with Jennifer Gray Tue Date: 4/24/2012 - 5/8/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 7:30 PM - 8:45 PM

This three week workshop is for students who have already completed Developing Your Intuition Level 1 course. In this course we will expand upon what you learned in level 1, begin to clarify and hone the tools that you are developing and process our experiences. Practice with fellow students and validations will be a primary focus of our time together. We will also explore the concept of group readings and everyone will participate in one. Readings, discussion, shared experience, plus much more! Cost: $75

Yoga Nidra with Singing Bowls with Leah Golberstein Wed Date: 4/25/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 12:00 PM - 12:45 PM

Quiet your mind and body as you relax with a guided Savasana journey that is accompanied by stunning crystal singing bowls. During this 45 minute class, you will melt into a deliciously relaxed state of semisleep. Students are led through a narrative which induces complete mental, physical and emotional relaxation, helping them achieve a state of yogic sleep, or yoga nidra. Allow yourself to detach from the business of your day, and emerge refreshed, peaceful and calm. Cost: $17 - or use your class pass, and sign up via the “Classes” schedule.

Intro to Aerial Yoga with Becky Stella Sat Date: 4/28/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 12:30 PM - 2:30 PM

CT U IC ING ES

PR A

Contin

Come hang out! Unnata® Aerial Yoga combines traditional mat yoga while practicing select postures suspended in a soft, fabric sling. With the help of gravity and the fabric, we create space in our bodies and explore poses without compression of the joints and spine. We will explore poses on and off the sling to find a more vibrant expression of each pose at your own level of comfort. Please bring a long sleeve shirt or hoodie. No rings, jewelry or metal clothing that might snag the fabric. Not for those with glaucoma or high blood pressure. Cost $40

April-June 2012

APRIL-MAY Workshops & Series See web for updates. Register online or call 612.436.4700.

Workshop Discount: Purchase a package of 3 two-hour or 3 three-hour workshops and receive $15 off. Workshop credits remain on your account until you decide to use them!

Mi-an Yoga Vinyasa Workshop with Monique Maxwell Sat Date: 4/28/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 1:15 PM - 3:15 PM

Come and experience 2 hours of a flowing adaptation of Mi-an Yoga. This workshop will have all of the alignment and strengthening techniques that students have come to know and love, plus the meditative, flowing asana sequencing of a vinyasa-style class. Let go of your expectations, and immerse yourself in the present as you develop a mind/body connection. Class will include preparation for, and potential to practice, inversions! Cost: $40

Workshop for Non-toxic Living with Sheli Ginsburg Sat Date: 4/28/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM

Spring Clean Your Home and Your Health! We have all heard about using clean non-toxic products in our homes but how do we sort out all the information and make smooth transitions? We will discuss common household cleaning, bath, baby and beauty products that can easily be replaced with healthful products you can make yourself, or buy locally. Learn practical ideas to create a cleaner, greener, healthier home, reduce you and your family’s exposure to common toxic chemicals, and clean up your diet. Seal in your intention with a fun asana class to start the detox process in your own body. Cost: $40

Yoga on the Slackline with Linda Rae H., Sam Salwei & Dan Norgard Location: MPLS Sat Date: 4/28/2012 From: 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM The easy way to describe Yoga on the Slackline would be to say it’s like yoga on a tightrope. Slackline yoga (or Slackasana) has been described as “distilling the art of yogic concentration”. The YogaSlackers have developed a new style of yoga that is practiced on a line, a 1” piece of webbing, tensioned between two trees or anchor points about 3 feet off the ground. Although it is challenging at first, the rewards are truly incredible! Play and experience yoga on the slackline. Learn basic poses to practice on and off the line, learn how to fall, how to breathe & use your Drishti (your gaze or focus) for balance. Build your core strength & balance with great emphasis on the breath and COME TO HAVE FUN! Cost: $40

Family Yoga with Angela Wethor Sat Date: 4/28/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 3:00 PM - 3:45 PM

Yoga for kids is a time of building strength, imagination and concentration. For children of all stages of life, teaching them to calm and connect to their centers enhances contentment, emotional balance and love. From silly, wild dances, deep breathing, drumming, crafting, and singing at the top of their lungs, to quiet time and storytelling, this class offers children and families a life-long practice and discipline. Cost: $17 for 1 adult 1 child, $7 per additional person

Devotional Gathering with Jennifer Gray Sun Date: 4/29/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM

Come to this inspirational, non-denominational community gathering and set the tone for your week to come. Join Jennifer Gray for an hour of mantra, dharma talk, and bhakti yoga - the practice of devotion. To start your day with asana, consider attending Tantra with Jennifer at 9am and stay for the gathering, or arrive at 10:30 with an open mind and an open heart. Bring a meditation shawl or mala beads if you have them. Cost: Donation only, upon arrival.

April-June 2012

Kundalini Yoga: Radiant Beauty with Nicole Nardone Sun Date: 4/29/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

We’ve all heard it said that true beauty comes from within. It comes from an inner confidence, fearlessness, and recognizing one’s true essence: radiant beauty. This is often just a lovely thought. But what does it really feel like to allow the radiant power of your true essence shine through for all to see? Kundalini Yoga is a powerful technology that works on your subtle, pranic, auric, and other light bodies. When we are strong in these areas, we take on a magnetic quality. We glow. We become radiantly beautiful. Even our physical bodies begin to reflect this shift in us. This workshop is geared towards women, but men are welcome to attend as well! We’ll practice kriyas and meditations to strengthen our radiance, make the skin glow, tune up our internal organs, and feel enchantingly beautiful! No Kundalini Yoga experience necessary. Cost: $40

Yoga for Golfers 2 with Moya Mathews Sun Date: 4/29/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

There is a legend that tells of a group of Zen monks who practiced archery for hours on end attempting to master the mechanics of the sport. Once they achieved this physical mastery, they threw away their bows and arrows. They had used archery practice merely as a tool for reaching a state of consciousness. They were unattached to the game, to winning or achieving a particular score. Before you throw away your golf clubs, consider this: yoga practice can help you connect with your breath and body, improve the rhythm of your swing and game, increase flexibility, strength and balance for a more comfortable body before, during and after a game. Come practice physical postures to complement your golf game and breath work to quiet the mind and be present for a deeper level of enjoyment of golf. In Yoga for Golfers, Part II, Moya McGinn Mathews will review techniques offered in her previous Yoga for Golfers workshop and build on those techniques. All golf enthusiasts (and people who live with or socialize with golf enthusiasts) are welcome to attend this workshop.You need not have attended the previous Yoga for Golfers to attend this workshop –no previous yoga (or golf) experience is required. Cost: $40

6-Week Kundalini Intensive with Nicole Nardone Thu Date: 5/3/2012 - 6/7/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 7:30 PM - 8:45 PM

A 6 week series open to new & old students of Kundalini Yoga. We’ll cover the basics of this practice over the course of six weeks, and also delve into the deeper philosophy, techniques, and benefits of this beautiful practice: Kundalini Yoga can help relieve stress, anxiety, depression, insomnia, back pain, past trauma and current drama! It blends dynamic movement with held postures, breath techniques, deep relaxation, meditation, mudras (hand positions), and mantras (chanting). Expect fun surprises in Kundalini Yoga class as sets vary and can contain everything from aerobic, strength-training to singing and dancing to quiet, introspective meditation. Often called the “yoga of awareness”, it encourages self-acceptance whatever your fitness level. Kundalini yoga is fun and incredibly efficient, challenging yet “doable” for practically everyone! It can be used to break through old patterns, elevate the spirit, increase endurance, cleanse the mind, heal the body, and increase energy. The three goals of Kundalini Yoga are health, happiness, and spiritual progress. Cost: $96

Yoga for Hikers with Crystal Hanson Fri Date: 5/4/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

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Can’t wait to get out to the bluffs and woods for those wonderful, fresh air hikes? Get your mind and body prepared in this 2 hour workshop which is all about strength building, balance and breathing so you can fully be one with Nature. Practice gentle Yoga that will both strengthen and relax your body. Create muscle memory that will enable you to deeply experience your hike as your body “knows” how to physically guide and protect you. All Yogis are welcome, but you need not have Yoga experience to enjoy this hikers’ prep class. Cost: $40

April-June 2012

MAY Workshops & Series

See web for updates. Register online or call 612.436.4700. Workshop Discount: Purchase a package of 3 two-hour or 3 three-hour workshops and receive $15 off. Workshop credits remain on your account until you decide to use them!

Intro to Aerial Yoga with Becky Stella Sat Date: 5/5/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 12:30 PM - 2:30 PM

Unnata® Aerial Yoga combines traditional mat yoga while practicing select postures suspended in a soft, fabric sling. See p.10 for full description. Cost $40

Your Feet, Your Foundation with Deirdre Murnane Sat Date: 5/5/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 1:15 PM - 3:15 PM

Did you know that strengthening your feet and ankles improves your balance? That heightening awareness of your feet improves your alignment in standing poses, seated poses and inversions? Strengthen, energize, stretch, nourish and open your feet to take your yoga practice to a whole new level. In this workshop you will learn exercises to strengthen the muscles of the foot and ankle, stretches and massage to open up the facia and reflexology points to stimulate and nourish the whole body. Then you will take these new feet of yours through an asana practice with a whole new awareness of your foundation. Finish up with a rosemary-arnica-oil-foot-massagesavasana that will leave you walking on air. Cost: $40

Thai Stretch Class with Angie Viehman Sun Date: 5/6/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM

Aerial Yoga: Inversions Workshop with Becky Stella Sun Date: 5/6/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM

No previous Aerial experience required but yoga experience requested. What really happens when you’re upside down? Do you ever stay there long enough to find out? Unnata® Aerial Yoga (in a fabric sling) gives us the opportunity to invert in a completely relaxed state. We’ll explore all manners of being upside down, and work through the panic and mental blocks that trick us in to thinking that we can’t balance or that we must re-vert. We’ll prepare the body to hold its own inverted weight strengthening and stabilizing our base, while we are in our supported inversions. Gain a more flexible perspective about your physical relationship to the outside world and a new understanding of center. Cost: $40

Personal Practice Development Series™ with Monique Maxwell Thu Date: 5/10/2012 - 5/31/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 6:00 PM - 7:15 PM

Whether you enjoy practicing at home or in your favorite class, this four-week journey will add depth and meaning to your yoga practice on and off the mat. The four-week session is limited to ten students who are ready to explore the challenges surrounding their yoga practice. The instructor will help each student identify their limitations while also recognizing and developing their strengths. In-class practice will be supplemented by weekly take-home assignments for contemplation and practice. This series is highly recommended for all Yoga Study students and anyone who has practiced yoga for at least six months and is ready to deepen their yoga practice. This class will not meet on holidays or holiday weekends. Check your schedule online or ask the teacher for exact dates. Cost: $100

April-June 2012

Transitions with Sarah Kalweit Sat Date: 5/12/2012

Location: MPLS From: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Some of the most gratifying moments spent on the mat can be those few moments spent moving or “transitioning” from pose to pose. These can also be some of the most difficult moments! We will spend the workshop literally “picking apart” the movement that occurs during transition time between the most commonly practiced Hatha asana. Each transition will take place with intense mind focus and the imperative support of the breath.Your practice will take on a new perspective and gracefulness as you slow the pace of your transitions.You may even become stronger and more BALANCED in the process! Cost: $40

JAI Prenatal Yoga for Birthing For expectant moms and their birth partners! with Jennifer Gray Sat Date: 5/12/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Couples will learn a variety of yoga based coping techniques for labor and delivery. Each couple will practice what they learn and will recieve a take home packet of information and tools for the birthing room! Breath work from JAI Prenatal Yoga is taught, along with labor massage, movement, relaxation, and visualization. Special attention is given to the birth partner, who will be mentored in labor support. Great for women who have goals of unmedicated birth, as well as those who are open to pain medication. Cost: $90 per couple

Create Your Own Mala with Kate Karshna Sat Date: 5/12/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 1:15 PM - 3:15 PM

Express your individuality and let your creativity flow into a mala of your own design in this fun, whimsical workshop. Use gemstones, numerology, and mystical incantations to infuse your mala with your own personal mojo. All materials will be supplied to help you create a gorgeous, one of a kind mala/necklace that will be suitable for meditation and body temple decoration.You are welcome to bring your own beads or charms that you want to incorporate into your design, and to share your favorite mantra. Cost: $50 (includes materials)

Mother’s Day Restorative Yoga with Tara Cindy Sherman Sun Date: 5/13/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM

(For women only) Give yourself or that special mom in your life the gift of health, healing and balance through 100% Restorative Yoga. Indulge in this workshop as we focus on completely neutral, relaxed postures. These prop-supported poses work to relax the muscles and physiologically to quiet the sympathetic nervous system, the brain, and the breath. A truly special gift for mom (or yourself)! Cost: $40 for one, $70 for two.

4-Week Intro to Pranayama with Thea Jensen Tue Date: 5/15/2012 - 6/5/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 7:30 PM - 8:45 PM

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Why study pranayama? It reduces stress and strengthens the immune system, calms the mind, improves focus and concentration, increases lung capacity and removes toxins from the body. By practicing the art of pranayama we are mastering and strengthening life-force within the being and body. This four week intro to pranayama will provide the basic fundamentals to understand and work with the breath. This is a great start for beginners or those wanting more practice with pranayama. Students will have a deeper understanding of their breath and techniques to keep exploring their practice on their own. “Pranayama is the science of breath, which leads to the creation, distribution and maintenance of this vital energy”- BKS Iyengar. Cost: $64

April-June 2012

MAY Workshops & Series

4-Week Beginning Aerial Yoga with Becky Stella Wed Date: 5/16/2012 - 6/6/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 7:30 PM - 8:45 PM

Unnata® Aerial Yoga combines traditional mat yoga while practicing select postures suspended in a soft, fabric sling. See p.8 for full description. Cost: $100

Yoga Lounge with Thea Jensen Fri Date: 5/18/2012

Location: MPLS From: 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM

Try something new for your Friday night! Enjoy music from The Eclectic Ensemble during a 75 min yoga class, stay after class for snacks and Verdant Tea. See p.9 for full description. Cost: $25 - yoga experience recommended.

Thai Bodywork for Yoga Teachers - Level 1 with Angie Viehman Sat Date: 5/19/2012

Location: MPLS From: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

In this workshop you’ll learn how to fold the ancient art of Thai Bodywork/Massage into your yoga classes and private sessions. Thai Bodywork helps to create space and balance energy in the body using assisted stretching, acupressure and muscle manipulation. These techniques will allow your students to explore the full depths of their asana practice. Continue to build your adjustment vocabulary, examine alignment from a different lens and learn how to give a little extra love to your students in Savasana. Each person will have the chance to give and receive each of the techniques. No previous massage experience necessary. Workshop is suitable for current or aspiring yoga teachers. Cost: $40 or $75 for Levels 1 and 2

Range of Movement with Naomi Hollingsworth Sat Date: 5/19/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM

Every person has their own unique body that comes with unique proportions, possibilities, limitations, and ranges of movement. It is not only tight vs. flexible muscles that affect how the human body can and cannot access certain yoga postures. Come and learn about the potentials of your body, its limitations and how your practice can go deeper, efficiently. We will explore everything from those “tight hips, backs and shoulders” to those “short and long limbs” and look at how yoga props, modifications and adjustments can find you more stable in your practice. This workshop will benefit anyone, whether they are new to yoga or have been practicing or teaching for many years. Cost: $40

Family Yoga with Angela Wethor Sat Date: 5/19/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 3:00 PM - 3:45 PM

For children of all stages of life, teaching them to calm and connect to their centers enhances contentment, emotional balance and love. See p.11 for full description. Cost: $17 for 1 adult 1 child, $7 per additional person

Creating Energetic Boundaries with Coleen Elwood Sun Date: 5/20/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM

The World is changing for the better. Many of us are waking up to our gifts, becoming more sensitive, developing our intuition. This workshop gives practical tips, tools and techniques for creating and sustaining energetic boundaries. The first half explores meditations, visualizations © Yoga Center of Minneapolis www.yogacentermpls.com | 612.436.4700

April-June 2012

and discussion on grounding, defining your aura, distilling heavy energy, protection and cleansing. The second half weaves in yogic postures and breathing techniques along with shamanic (Earth-based) tools for navigating the changing world. Ideal for teachers, healers, body workers or anyone interested in delving into the world of energy. Led by certified Yoga instructor, Reiki master and Shamanic healer Coleen Elwood. Cost: $55

Kundalini Yoga: Spring Renewal with Nicole Nardone Sun Date: 5/20/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Spring is time for regeneration and renewal. Treat your body to a deep purification of your internal organs. Reset your glandular and nervous system. We’ll do a special Kundalini Yoga set for the liver; designed to release toxins from the body and alleviate negative thoughts and emotions. We’ll end with a powerfully uplifting meditation to leave you feeling light and happy. Kundalini Yoga is a fast and effective yogic technology that works on all levels of your being: physical, mental/emotional, and spiritual. We’ll use asana, pranayama, meditation, mantra, mudra, and more to clear out clutter and let more light in! This workshop is an excellent complement to any spring detox program. No Kundalini Yoga experience necessary. Cost: $40

4-Week Intro to Yin Yoga with Michelle Pietrzak-Wegner Wed Date: 5/23/2012 - 6/13/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 6:00 PM - 7:15 PM

Enter a quieter deeper practice.Yin Yoga is named due to it’s correspondence to the Taoist concept of “Yin and Yang”. Much of our lives are filled with the fast pace, fiery, and heat filled energy of Yang, including our regular yoga practices of vinyasa, power, and hot yoga. It is important to find a balance in our lives. We cannot have hot without cool; there cannot be light without darkness.Yin Yoga is a slower, quieter, deeper yoga that works to open up deep, dense, rarely touched areas of the body. It looks to stretch the connective tissues/joints rather than conditioning the muscles. This practice involves passive asanas held for several minutes allowing the practitioner to develop patience and to move into a deeper quietness.Yin Yoga is available to anyone practicing yoga at any level. Cost: $64

Devotional Gathering with Jennifer Gray Sun Date: 5/27/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM

Honoring Loss with Moya Mathews Sun Date: 5/27/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM

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Yoga for Grief and Transition: When we experience deep emotional trauma and loss, our bodies hold our grief. If we do not find methods to release it, grief keeps us from the flow of our lives and even makes us ill. If we seek opportunities to acknowledge and mourn our losses and allow the energy of those experiences to flow through us, we can be free to accept the healing that is available to us and fully embrace the goodness of life as it is. In the spirit of this Memorial Day weekend, we offer this workshop which will combine reflection, meditation, asana and ritual to honor our losses and cleanse our bodies to help us feel lighter, balanced and free. Cost: $40

April-June 2012

MAY-JUNE Workshops & Series See web for updates. Register online or call 612.436.4700.

Workshop Discount: Purchase a package of 3 two-hour or 3 three-hour workshops and receive $15 off. Workshop credits remain on your account until you decide to use them!

Yoga Nidra with Singing Bowls with Leah Golberstein Tue Date: 5/29/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 6:00 PM - 6:45 PM

Quiet your mind and body as you relax with a guided Savasana journey that is accompanied by stunning crystal singing bowls. See p.10 for full description. Cost: $17 - or use your class pass, and sign up via the “Classes” schedule.

Healing Yoga with Ann Christian Fri Date: 6/1/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

A workshop designed for all those touched by cancer. Open and heal your heart through breath work, guided meditation and gentle yoga to move life energy through your body. Explore the connection between body, breath and mind, moving through the focus of the illness to reconnecting with a sense of stillness and peace. This class is welcoming to cancer patients, survivors, family members and caregivers, including healthcare providers. If you are a healthcare provider, you are eligible for 2.4 CEU’s upon completion. Cost: $40

Intro to Manifesting Abundance with Kate Karshna Fri Date: 6/1/2012

Location: MPLS From: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Connect to the source of your abundance through yoga, meditation, journaling and other creative exercises. Learn how the combination of meditation and intentional baby steps can work wonders in helping you achieve your dreams. Get clear on what you really want; let go of what is no longer serving you; ask for what you want and let it go; feel as if you already have what you want. Open your consciousness to new possibilities and discover how to create the life you imagine. Cost: $40

Yoga Tools for Inner Listening with Michelle Pietrzak-Wegner Sat Date: 6/2/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM

What you are seeking may be INSIDE of you? Learn to listen. Using tools steeped in yoga therapy, Michelle Pietrzak-Wegner, Certified Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapist, will guide an experiential class in discovering the inner you. Through meditation, asana, partner work, and discussion, participants will experience ways in which yoga and listening to their body, thoughts, and emotions can give them insights on leading a fulfilling and meaningful life. Cost: $40

Big A#%! Yoga, Strong Core with Celia McCoy Sat Date: 6/2/2012

Location: MPLS From: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

When we think “core,” we think of sit-ups, crunches, hovering in plank or images of a six-packs on a model with 6% body fat, but there is more to it than that. In this Big A#%! specific workshop we will spend time getting deeply acquainted with our core muscles, learn about the many muscles that make up our core, and how they work to support us. We will practice strengthening exercises for both the front and back of the core, and explore how we can engage our core muscles to protect the back, find balance and stability and increase strength. And when we have finished working and engaging, we will find ways to stretch and let go of our core muscles to thank them for a job well done. Cost: $40

April-June 2012

Intro to Tantra with Jennifer Gray Sat Date: 6/2/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM

See web for description. Cost: $40

Thai Stretch Class with Angie Viehman Sun Date: 6/3/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM

Infant Massage with Kristin Wilk Sun Date: 6/3/2012 - 6/10/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Personal Practice Development Series™ for a More Relaxed Life with Naomi Hollingsworth Sun Date: 6/3/2012 - 7/1/2012 (skip 6/17)

Location: St. Louis Park From: 7:00 PM - 8:15 PM

Life is busy. Life keeps right on moving and sometimes you can get swept away and before you know it, it has been a month since you stepped on your yoga mat. Or perhaps you have been attending your weekly/daily yoga class and it seems like the only hour in your busy life that you actually get to spend taking care of yourself. It can be hard to find the time to develop a personal yoga practice outside of the classroom. In this four week session, you will look at how to integrate some of the greatest tools used in yoga into your daily routines.You will learn pranayama, meditation, mudra, asana, mantra and reflection techniques to identify ways to help you lower your stress and enjoy life in each moment.Yoga Study students may apply their 6-pass/PPD credit toward this series. Cost: $100

PPD™: Personal Meditation Development Series with Tara Cindy Sherman Mon Date: 6/4/2012 - 6/25/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 6:00 PM - 7:15 PM

Whether you are brand new to meditation, practice occasionally, or have a daily ritual, this 4-week journey will add depth and meaning to your practice on and off the mat. Of Patangali’s 8 limbs of Ashtanga Yoga, 4 limbs are dedicated to meditation. Discover why meditation is so important. Tara will help each student create a meditation practice that is both practical and optimal for their particular needs as a means to cultivate the inner riches of yoga. Traditional yogic and tantric methods of meditation will be employed. In-class participation will be supplemented by weekly take home assignments for contemplation and practice. Cost: $100

4-Week Peace Medicine Energy Intensive with Coleen Elwood Sat Date: 6/9/2012 - 6/30/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 10:30 AM - 11:55 AM

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This intensive is designed to help you navigate the changing world, deepen your awareness of the energy realm, and open to that which is larger. Join certified yoga instructor, reiki master, musician and shamanic healer Coleen Elwood for a month of developing personal practices to set energetic boundaries, awaken intuition, balance the chakras and deepen your connection with your own nature and all of nature. Discussion, meditation, yogic and shamanic tools and techniques to nourish peace within. Ideal for teachers, healers, massage therapists, nurses, parents, and anyone interested in a path to higher consciousness. Cost: $100

April-June 2012

JUNE Workshops & Series See web for updates. Register online or call 612.436.4700.

Workshop Discount: Purchase a package of 3 two-hour or 3 three-hour workshops and receive $15 off. Workshop credits remain on your account until you decide to use them!

Kundalini Yoga: Coiled Serpent with Nicole Nardone Sat Date: 6/9/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Raise your kundalini! According to yoga tradition, the kundalini energy is a dormant energy coiled at the base of the spine - like a metaphorical snake.Yoga and other spiritual disciplines seek to awaken this energy and move it up the spine towards the higher chakras, resulting in a spiritual awakening and an expansion of consciousness. This energy then travels back down the spine to be integrated into our lower chakras. This way, higher consciousness is integrated into our daily lives. Kundalini Yoga releases the kundalini energy in a controlled and safe way, and balances the nervous system and other energy centers of the body. We’ll learn about kundalini energy and experience ways to awaken it through asana, pranayama, and meditation with mudras, mantras and more. Beginners welcome! Cost: $40

Shoulders and Heart Openers with Jennifer Davis Sat Date: 6/9/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM

We all carry tension in our shoulders. In fact, the shoulders, neck and upper back can be a tough area to reach in your yoga practice. Sometimes it can feel like yoga even builds tension in this area. Tight shoulders can make back bends and inversions quite a challenge, not to mention downward facing dog. Join me in this workshop devoted to our shoulders and the opening of our hearts. We will release the tension and stress of daily life through gentle movements. Once we have begun to relax this area, we are ready to learn how to effectively build strength without building tension. Leave with a better understanding of your shoulders and how to relax and release the tension that loves to build in this area. Cost: $40

4-Week Beginning Aerial Yoga with Becky Stella Fri Date: 6/15/2012 - 7/6/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 11:00 AM - 12:15 PM

Unnata® Aerial Yoga combines traditional mat yoga while practicing select postures suspended in a soft, fabric sling. See p.8 for full description. Cost: $100

Intro to Acro Yoga with Caitlin Cook-Isaacson Sat Date: 6/16/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM

Hips and Hamstrings with Ted Roseen Sat Date: 6/16/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM

Join our resident distance athlete and yogi, Ted Roseen, in a workshop sure to leave you feeling open and stabilized and strong. Whether you stick with asana, or mix it up with running, skiing, or walking, your hips and hamstrings play a vital role in how you move your body. They affect your practice in nearly every pose. They restrict you if they are tight, and don’t provide enough challenge if you are extra loose. We will work with modifications for all body types as we learn how to stretch safely and actively release tension in this flowing 2 hour practice. Come with your questions and pose requests! Cost: $40

April-June 2012

Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) Yoga with Scott Beesley Wed Date: 6/20/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

Steadiness and comfort of both body and mind are benefits of regular yoga practice. Take your practice off the mat and onto open water! Learn to cultivate that physical and spiritual steadiness on the inherently unsteady surface of a stand up paddleboard (SUP). SUP yoga has taken the coasts by storm in the last couple years. Come see what the buzz is about right here in Minneapolis. Pre-reqs: Practitioners should come with an open mind, one year of yoga experience, and the ability to swim (or at least the ability to not sink). No SUP experience is necessary. Please dress to get wet! Class is limited to 10 people, with a minimum enrollment of 7 to make it happen, so enroll soon! Class will be held at Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis, details provided after registration. Cost: $75 (includes board rental courtesy of Minnesota Stand Up Paddle and Sail) Check out more on p.38!

Drumming and Percussion Workshop with Paul Cherba Fri Date: 6/22/2012

Location: MPLS From: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

When you hear the drumming the natural rhythm flows. Instinct takes over and your body goes where it wants to go. It could be a dance or a certain pose.Your body moves and breathes and gains complete control. The rhythm of drumming enhances life, connects you to your spirit, and releases pent up energy, nervousness, curiosity and even anger. Not to mention it’s really fun! Rhythm helps bring focus, relaxation and meditation to the mat and beyond. Learn the basics of hand drumming after a short yoga practice to open up our inner dancer and meet Nataraj, who will play the drum for us. Come explore the rhythm of your inner YOU! All participants will receive a rhythm instrument to take home. If you have a drum or instrument, please bring it with you. Cost: $50

Thai Bodywork for Yoga Teachers - Level 2 with Angie Viehman Sat Date: 6/23/2012

Location: MPLS From: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

In this workshop we’ll build on the techniques learned in level 1 to further integrate the ancient art of Thai Bodywork/Massage into your yoga classes and private sessions. Completion of level 1 is not required to participate in level 2. Thai Bodywork helps to create space and balance energy in the body using assisted stretching, acupressure and muscle manipulation. These techniques will allow your students to explore the full depths of their asana practice. Continue to build your adjustment vocabulary, examine alignment from a different lens and learn how to give a little extra love to your students in Savasana. Each person will have the chance to give and receive each of the techniques. No previous massage experience necessary. Workshop is suitable for current or aspiring yoga teachers. Cost: $40

You are What You Eat with Chris Pietrzak-Wegner Sat Date: 6/23/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM

Changing thoughts and patterns around food. We are constantly bombarded with food and nutrition advice from every angle. Our relationship to food is extracted from our childhood, from our friends, even from so called “experts” in the media. This workshop will look at our current thinking about the foods that we eat and how these thoughts create patterns that keep us from reaching our health and nutrition goals. Participants will be given tools for looking at their own patterns, as well as simple methods to create awareness towards change. This is a lecture/discussion only. Cost: $40

Family Yoga with Angela Wethor Sat Date: 6/23/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 3:00 PM - 3:45 PM

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April-June 2012

JUNE Workshops & Series See web for updates. Register online or call 612.436.4700.

Workshop Discount: Purchase a package of 3 two-hour or 3 three-hour workshops and receive $15 off. Workshop credits remain on your account until you decide to use them!

Embracing Menopause with Coleen Elwood Sat Date: 6/23/2012

Location: MPLS From: 3:30 PM - 6:30 PM

The years leading up to and surrounding menopause can be a time of profound transformation. Menopause literally re-wires your brain triggering a necessary shift in priorities. Transform your fear and dread and embrace this time of wisdom and power. This workshop includes discussion, meditation, mudra and mantra along with gentle & restorative yoga postures and guided imagery to transform your experience. Tools and techniques to connect to intuition and honor your bodies wisdom. Perfect for women 40-55 or anyone interested in understanding this time of transition. Led by certified yoga instructor, reiki master, shamanic healer Coleen Elwood. Cost $55

Devotional Gathering with Jennifer Gray Sun Date: 6/24/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM

Come to this inspirational, non-denominational, community gathering and set the tone for your week to come. Join Jennifer Gray for an hour of mantra, dharma talk, and bhakti yoga - the practice of devotion. To start your day with asana, consider attending Tantra with Jennifer at 9am and stay for the gathering, or arrive at 10:30 with an open mind and an open heart. Bring a meditation shawl or mala beads if you have them. Cost: Donation only, upon arrival.

Calm Mind/Healthy Spine with Camille Gage Sun Date: 6/24/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM

This workshop is designed for individuals who would like to relieve low back pain and acknowledge the role that stress plays in pain and muscle tension. Calm Mind/Healthy Spine blends carefully selected poses, guided meditation and restorative poses to gently stretch and strengthen the entire back body, build posture awareness, and quiet the mind. Learn how to reduce tension in neck and shoulders; build strength in the lumbar region, and bring awareness to posture – both sitting and standing – which will help you to elongate the spine, reduce compression of the disks and build the core strength needed to sit and stand tall. Cost: $40

Yoga Nidra with Singing Bowls with Leah Golberstein Wed Date: 6/27/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 12:00 PM - 12:45 PM

April-June 2012

Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) Yoga with Scott Beesley Wed Date: 6/27/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

Take your practice off the mat and onto open water! Learn to cultivate that physical and spiritual steadiness on the inherently unsteady surface of a stand up paddleboard (SUP). SUP yoga has taken the coasts by storm in the last couple years. Come see what the buzz is about right here in Minneapolis. See p. 20 for full description. Must be able to swim (or at least not sink). Cost: $75 (includes board rental courtesy of Minnesota Stand Up Paddle and Sail)

Yoga For Overachievers & Perfectionists with Rachel Allyn Sat Date: 6/30/2012

Location: MPLS From: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Calling all Type A personalities out there, this workshop is for you.Yoga teaches us to have self-acceptance and self-compassion. But how often do we really give that to ourselves? This workshop will blend yoga and breathing with psychology aimed to help you LET GO. Let go of your high standards, let go of unrealistic expectations, and let go of your constant mental “to-do list.” This workshop is essential for those of you who feel you just don’t have time for a yoga workshop! (Taught by a recovering perfectionist herself). Cost $40

Yoga for Your Joints and Glands with Crystal Hanson Sat Date: 6/30/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 1:15 PM - 3:15 PM

By increasing the circulation to various parts of our bodies, especially the joints and glands, we begin to re-establish balance and harmony throughout the entire body. This workshop will allow you to practice joint and gland exercises based on those taught by Swami Rama, founder of the Himalayan International Institute. These very gentle exercises will be paired with breathing exercises (pranayama) to be practiced by anyone, no prior Yoga experience necessary. EVERY BODY will benefit. Cost: $40

Ashtanga for Anybody with Moya Mathews Sat Date: 6/30/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM

Ashtanga Yoga can be for any body who wants to do it, and Moya McGinn Mathews offers this workshop to make the practice accessible and fun. “Fun” may not be the first word that comes to mind when you think of Ashtanga Yoga, but Moya would like to help YOU find the pleasure in this grand-daddy of all vinyasa forms, to lighten up, not worry about doing it all perfectly and be happy. The practice of Ashtanga yoga is not about making an asana of yourself; form follows function, and every practitioner can learn to work in a joyful and intentional way to combine pranayama, (breathing techniques), vinyasa (sequenced movement) bandhas (energy locks) and drishti (gaze) while maintaining calm focus to free the mind and create space for deeper awareness in the moment. Learn to focus on the breath, practice at a level that’s appropriately challenging for you and find effortlessness in the effort. Cost: $40

Summer of Love; Partner Yoga & Wine Workshop with Holly Schramm Sat Date: 6/30/2012

Location: St. Louis Park From: 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM

Contin PR AC U TI IN CE G S

Feel the spirit of Summer with someone you love. This workshop is for everyone - bring someone you care about (significant other, sibling, parent, or friend) and get ready to have some fun doing partner yoga and meditation. After the practice, this workshop would only be complete with the option to taste some of Holly’s favorite seasonal wines and delectable cheese pairings. Let the sun shine in and feel the love! Cost: $85 for 2

April-June 2012

The JAI Crib (Pre & Postnatal) J.A.I. Prenatal Yoga for Birthing For moms and their birth partners with Jennifer Gray

Location: SLP Studio

Sat Date: 5/12/2012

From: 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM

During this fun and interactive workshop with the founder of JAI Prenatal Yoga, Jennifer Gray, couples will learn a variety of yoga based coping techniques for labor and delivery. Each couple will practice what they learn and will receive a take home packet of information and tools for the birthing room! Breath work from JAI Prenatal Yoga is taught, along with labor massage, movement, relaxation, and visualization. Special attention is given to the birth partner, who will be mentored in labor support. Great for women who have goals of unmedicated birth, as well as those who are open to pain medication. Cost: $90 per couple.

Infant Massage (Birth - 6 months) with Kristin Wilk, CMT April Session: Sun 4/22 and 4/29 June Session: Sun 6/3 and 6/10

Location: SLP Studio Time: 6:00 - 7:00 PM Time: 4:00 - 5:00 PM

Ideal for pre-crawling infants. This class emphasizes sustaining child friendly cultures and the role of nurture on infant development. Within weeks babies begin to develop expectancies from their caregivers through habituation- she will begin to map links between events in her world- maybe after bath time you will play a lullaby, she will hear the swish of oil in her parents hands, she will feel secure by eye contact, the familiar scent of her mom, and the loving intentional touch. The focus of this workshop is to teach loving parents an entire massage that can enhance physical growth as well as relieve colic symptoms and encourage good sleep patterns. These relaxation techniques will provide a foundation for babies to let go of stress early on! Kristin Wilk has earned National Certification in massage, and provides therapeutic massage as well as Pre- and Post-natal education. If you have an infant that is already crawling and you are still interested in learning infant massage, private instruction is also available with Kristin upon request. Cost: $40 for both classes. Price includes one adult and one baby (additional adult $15).

Marjane Savithri Hadi-Iyer was born at 1:29pm on 1/16/12 to Veena Iyer and Faisal Hadi weighing 7lbs 8oz and measuring 20-3/4 in.

**If you are a JAI Prenatal student who has recently given birth, email your birth stories and photos to register@yogacentermpls.com so we can announce the arrival of your little one! ÂŠ Yoga Center of Minneapolis www.yogacentermpls.com | 612.436.4700

April-June 2012

Deepening Your Journey Commit to your practice through in-depth trainings and experiences.

JAI Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training with Jennifer Colletti and Jennifer Gray Cost: $1400 ($300 deposit reserves your spot; payment in full by first training day) Location: SLP Studio Dates: Fri 6-9pm, Sat & Sun 9-3:30pm ~ May 18-20 , June 8-10, July 20-22, Aug 17-19, Sept 21-23

The Yoga Center of Minneapolis is excited to announce the new JAI Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training program! This new training lead by Jennifer Colletti and Jennifer Gray follows the 85-hour standards for Prenatal training put forth by Yoga Alliance. This unique training will cover everything from the changing anatomy of a pregnant student, yoga for pregnancy, yoga for birthing, sequencing and much more. The training meets one weekend per month (Friday night through Sunday afternoon) for 5 months. To receive certification through YCM, each student must have 200 hours or equivalent in Yoga training and a passion for working with the prenatal community. If you wish to register with Yoga Alliance as a prenatal teacher, you must be registered as an RYT upon starting the prenatal training. Once you have completed your JAI Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training you will be a part of a growing Prenatal Teacher Community! To Register: please download and complete the JAI Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training Application online or call 612-436-4700 to have one mailed to you. You must include proof of your completed 200-Hour training, or Yoga Alliance registration number. You will be notified by writing of your acceptance into the training.

Spring Detox Week with Jennifer J and Jennifer G Location: SLP Studio

Dates: April 15-20: Sun 4-4:45pm and Mon-Fri from 7-8:30am Cost: $250 (See web for YFT & Detox Alumni discounts)

Join us for a week-long Detoxification program which uses the riches of Yoga, Chinese Medicine, herbs and whole foods to help cleanse the body, mind and soul. NEW! This spring, so that you may get started detoxing right away on Monday morning, we’ll hold an orientation Sunday evening to get you your materials and your schedule for the week. Spring is the season of change and new beginnings. this is the time when our bodies are naturally going through a detoxification process, or ‘Spring Cleaning’, after a restorative, sedentary winter season. Reap the benefits of this season by spending a week with mindful eating, breathing and stretching. The group will meet every morning Monday through Friday from 7:00 - 8:30am at the St. Louis Park Studio. Acupuncturist Jennifer Johnson, Lic.Ac. MAOM, and yoga instructor Jennifer Gray will to provide you with all of the tools to help you reap the benefits of nourishing your body with food, acupuncture (optional), herbs, reflection, and specifically designed yoga practices. The week includes:

• Instructional booklet with 5-day cleanse, recipes, grocery list and journal • Week supply of detox support herbs • 5 yoga classes: 7:00 - 8:30am Mon-Fri at the St. Louis Park Studio • 2 Mini Detox acupuncture sessions during savasana with press balls (optional) • 20% off additional individual acupuncture appointments

Jump into spring and dedicate yourself to making the changes you have been intending to make this year. Whether you are a fan of Detox Week, a YFT Alumni or are just ready to make lasting changes to your yoga practice and sense of well being, this month long intensive is for you.YFT is a 4-week intensive that meets 3 times each

EP E JO NIN UR G NE YO Y U

with Jennifer Gray Dates: Tues/Thurs 6-8:30pm & Saturdays 9-11:30am (June 19 - July17, skip 7/3) Location: SLP Studio Cost: $400 (Discounts: Call or see web for YFT Alumni, Yoga Study, or package prices) *Note: We will freeze any current YCM class passes until after YFT Month and extend your expiration date if you wish.

Spring Yoga for Transformation Month

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week and will help you to detoxify, clarify, feel better mentally and physically, and instill the practice of yoga into your body and mind. This spring’s YFT classes will continue to focus sound, energy, breath, movement, and intention which can help you to begin to lead a more balanced, meaningful and healthier life and transform the way you view and react to the world. These class practices will be handed out so that you can continue at home. This spring’s workshop topics will include: yoga and how it helps to create balance in the body and mind, creating lasting change, developing a Jappa Mala practice, mantra and meditation, elements of yoga that help us to move out of undesireable behaviors, tools to manifest your goals and helpful food and nutrition guidelines will be given through out the month to give you the tools you need to start your summer off right. Basic yoga knowledge is recommended but all levels are welcome. It is recommended (but not mandatory) that you attend the Spring Detox Week to kick off your Transformation Month (at a discount- see web). As a YFT Alumni, you are eligible to register for the Continuing YFT weekly classes and receive priority registration and future YFT and Detox Week discounts. Our wonderful YFT community is growing quickly and has proven that the fun, learning and practices does not end once the month is over!

Yoga for Transformation -Continuing Classes with Jennifer Gray Location: SLP Studio

Dates: Thursdays 4/26 - 6/7 Cost: $96 (See web for YFT package prices)

From: 7:00 AM - 8:15 AM

These weekly classes are for those who have ever taken Yoga For Transformation or Detox Week and wish to continue their work with these practices. In this weekly class we will continue our to deepen our practices with pranayama, detoxification, the power of sound and space creation in the physical body. Minimum of 10 preregistered students to run and preregistration for 6 of the 7 weeks will be necessary; those who attend the first six classes will get the 7th free!

Visiting Instructor: JIM BENNITT Tantric Vinyasa Weekend Workshops Dates: Fri 5/4 - Sun 5/6

Location: MPLS Studio

Cost: $55 each/$200 for all

The main difference you’ll notice in a Tantric Vinyasa class is that they include something called ADHIKARA. Simply put, adhikara means ‘progression’ and ‘a sensitivity to the subtle realms’.There will be a smooth pace to the classes to build a little heat, improve flexibility and strength, however, it won’t stop with the physical body. Through ‘weaving’ in certain breathing and meditation techniques, we will build this ‘sensitivity to the more subtle forces’ which is called PRANA or the vital life force.The ancient Yogis believed through learning to control the prana, you also learn to control the mind.You will leave a Tantric Vinyasa class feeling like you’ve cultivated vital life force and also a clear mind.

Folding Forward - Fri Date: 5/4/2012

From: 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM

When we fold forward we stretch the back body, strengthen the front and increase the energy that moves down and out called apana in Sanskrit. This energy is responsible for removing toxins and waste on both physical and mental levels. If this energy or vayu is not strong, we can consume a healthy diet and get proper exercise but still be full of toxins and be the perfect environment for disease to grow. This class will consist of postures, breathwork and meditation to help facilitate the downward flow of energy and is open to all levels.

Tantric Vinyasa - Sat Date: 5/5/2012

From: 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM

The word vinyasa stems from the Sanskrit word nyasa, which means “to place”. The prefix vi, in this case, means “in a special way”. Thus vinyasa would mean “to place something in a special way”. The word tantra translates “to weave” and refers to weaving together the material and spiritual worlds. A tantric vinyasa class is a practice consisting of postures, movements, gestures, breathwork and meditation weaved together in a special way to reach a specific desired result. In this class we will first decide what our desired result will be and then practice in an intelligent way to get there. This class will be on the more vigorous side and is appropriate for students in good health and a strong physical practice.

Vipariti Karani - Turning Your World Upside Down - Sat Date: 5/5/2012

From: 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM

Although today most yoga practitioners believe viparita karani means “legs up the wall”, the literal translation is “active reversal” or “to be inverted”. Some ancient scriptures described viparita karani as headstand (the Gheranda Samhita) and some as shoulderstand (the Hatha Yoga Pradipika). BKS Iyengar calls headstand the “king of all asanas” and shoulderstand “the queen”. Everyone seems to agree that holding inverted postures for long periods of time kept the ancient yogis looking incredibly young and healthy. In this © Yoga Center of Minneapolis www.yogacentermpls.com | 612.436.4700

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class we will focus on intelligent preparations, safe alignment and proper counterpose for inversions to lower any risk of injuring the cervical vertebrae.

Bandhas and Mudras - Sun Date: 5/6/2012 From: 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM The advanced practices of yoga are not contortions of the body, they are the ability to stop and redirect the vital life force (prana) at will.Yogis build prana through breathwork (pranayama), stop the movement of energy through locks (bandha) and redirect the flow through full body gestures (mudra). In this class we will focus on the three main bandhas and three main mudras within a physical practice. We will also discuss the appropriate time and place to practice them and what is the desired result of each. This class is for experienced practitioners who have a firm grasp on asana and basic pranayama.

Visiting Instructor: JAMES BAILEY Yoga Science, Psychology, and Spirituality Dates: Friday 5/11 - Sunday 5/13/12 Location: SLP Studio Cost: $50 each or $135 for the full weekend

(Interview on p.29!)

James G Bailey, LAc, Dipl Om, Dipl Ayu, E-RYT is a third generation healer, CAM physician,Yoga educator, and Yoga teacher trainer who has been living yoga and ayurveda for 30 years. He practices Ayurveda, Marma Therapies, Acupuncture, and Wellness Counseling to aid patients towards their true nature of well being. His training includes 5 years (4000+ hours) of formal clinical studies in Oriental Medicine (Master of Traditional Chinese Medicine from Yo San University) and training in Ayurveda under such luminary teachers as Dr.Vaijayanti Apte (Dipl Ayu from the Kerala Ayurveda Academy), Dr. Subash Ranade, Dr. Avinash Lele, Dr.Vasant Lad, and many Ayurvedic doctors and therapists in Kerala, south India where he spends time teaching and studying while on retreat.

Sadvritta: Living True to Oneself in Yoga and Life - Fri Date: 5/11/2012 From: 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM To live true to ourselves we must appreciate and integrate the power of our unique individuated beingness. We are one-of-a-kind. To be spiritually, emotionally and physically healthy we must be authentic to our true nature, as authenticity is the highest expression of faith in oneself. Sadvritta is more than knowing our truths, it is the art of living it. Come and explore the inner teachings of the self within Yoga and Ayurveda as the grounding for those living a yogic life. We will explore outer versus inner truths, self knowledge (swasthavritta), self study (svadhyaya), pure satvic living (sadvritta), and living according to the unique truths of our own personal nature (prakriti).

Cycles of Change: Renewal and Rebirth in Yoga - Sat Date: 5/12/2012 From: 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM Cycles of nature come and go. We observe some while others go unnoticed.Yet, our bodies are rhythmic by nature and desire connection to the larger cycles around us. Cycles also bring change, both large and small. Every sensory phenomenon has a beginning, middle and an end. So does a single thought or an entire life span. We cry with joy over the birth of a life, a marriage, or a business. We do our best to maintain things in the middle, and yet we grieve and go unconscious at its end. In yoga as a reality-based spirituality, these powerful transitions are the real work. We observe that every death is followed by a new beginning. How do we stay conscious through transitions? Why do we numb ourselves to change? How do we keep it real? Come and explore reality-based spirituality as a powerful direction in contemporary yoga.

Sankalpa: The Maha Mantra of our Life Purpose - Sun Date: 5/13/2012 From: 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

From: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Duration: 90 minutes

Location: SLP Studio

During his visit to Minneapolis, James Bailey will be conducting 90 minute private consultations ($150) on Friday May 11th (downtown), and Sunday May 13th (St. Louis Park). Space is extremely limited for these appointments, © Yoga Center of Minneapolis www.yogacentermpls.com | 612.436.4700

Dates: Fri 5/11 and Sun 5/13 Cost: $150

EP E JO NIN UR G NE YO Y U

Individual Consultations - Yoga Psychology or Ayurveda

Life is a journey across the waters of a great river. Some of us are waiting to step from a stone we’ve been on too long, while others are in wild waters. On this journey, some get lost while others have a clear intention and plan. Sankalpas are expressions of our personal dharma that define and guide our life’s spiritual journey. Like cognitive affirmations that help us to avoid core negative beliefs about ourselves, sankalpas are deep somatic resolves found at the soul level and are to be revealed, not thought. Join us as we explore the process of revealing our personal sankalpa as the maha (great) mantra (word, verbal formula) of our life purpose. Bring pen and paper, an open heart, and an appreciation for self reflection.

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so donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t delay registering for this special opportunity. James will be seeing clients for either an Ayurvedic Consultation or a Yoga Psychology session. Please specify which type you are seeking when making your appointment. Sevanti Wellness is an interdisciplinary healing practice that integrates several modalities from both Ayurveda and Oriental Medicine. To register call the studio between 9am-5pm Mon-Fri (952-345-1953 or 612-436-4700). See web for in-depth description of consultation options.

Visiting Instructor: JUDITH HANSON LASATER 5-Day Training -The Low Back Dates: Mon-Fri 6/4 - 6/8/2012 Location: MPLS Studio

From: 12:30 PM - 5:00 PM Daily (Attendance mandatory for full week) Cost: $650 (Payment plan available with a deposit of $250, to be paid before June 4th)

The Lumbar Spine and Sacroiliac Joint: Anatomy, Asana and Therapeutics: Many practitioners of yoga, both novice and teacher alike, have had problems with their lower back and/or sacroiliac joint. What poses can make this area better? Worse? This training for teachers and serious students will include anatomy, movement principles, therapeutics and applied asana practice to help us all teach with more knowledge and compassion. Come prepared to learn new principles, see them applied to others, then feel and practice them in your own body so they will become a part of your teaching. We will be practicing both Active and Restorative yoga. Required reading:Yogabody: Anatomy, Kinesiology, and Asana, by Judith Hanson Lasater. This book is available for pre-order at a discount to training registrants through out boutique. Call for details.

KIDS YOGA CAMPS (Age 6-8) June Session: 6/18 - 6/22 with Angela Wethor (Registration deadline 6/14) July Session: 7/16 - 7/20 with Amanda Whisner (Registration deadline 7/11) August Session: 8/20 - 8/24 with Amanda Whisner (Registration deadline 8/16) Mon-Fri 1:30-4pm Cost: $100 per camp session. Location: SLP Studio This summer, give your child an opportunity to experience this fun and unique 1/2 day summer camp! Confidence, strength, focus, body awareness, and balance are woven in to fun activities for these pint-sized yoga enthusiasts. Through yoga, artwork, creative movement, games and creating sequences with others in the class, your campers will get a chance to move, connect, and have fun. Please pack a nutritious snack for your camper daily. Minimum of 6 campers, maximum 12. Kids are welcome to return for multiple sessions!

Upcoming Visiting Instructors (See web for details)

Christy Burnette

Max Strom

Jason Crandell

Tantric Vinyasa Weekend

How to Function in a Dysfunctional World

October 2012

July 27-29, 2012

Sept 1-2, 2012 ÂŠ Yoga Center of Minneapolis www.yogacentermpls.com | 612.436.4700

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TEACHER TRAININGS The Yoga Center of Minneapolis offers both a 230-hour Training program that is registered with Yoga Alliance and an advanced 300-hour program that, along with a 200-hour+ program, meets Yoga Alliances 500-hour registration requirements. These comprehensive programs are designed for any student wishing to teach or deepen their experience of yoga and its philosophies. Payment plans are available. The Yoga Center of Minneapolis is licensed as a private career school with the Minnesota Office of Higher Education pursuant to Minnesota Statutes 141.21 to 141.32. Licensure is not an endorsement of the institution. Credits earned at the institution may not transfer to all other institutions. Minnesota Office of Higher Education: 1450 Energy Park Drive, Suite 350, St. Paul, MN 55108 | 651-642-0567. Grading Policy: Students earn hours for participation under the guidelines of Yoga Alliance. Students graduate once they have completed sufficient hours to satisfy the Yoga Alliance RYT200 standards, and earn a passing evaluation from their mentor and the program director. Per Yoga Alliance, no credit can be given for previous trainings toward a 230-hour program certification. See web for current faculty and additional program information.

INFORMATIONAL OPEN HOUSES

Primary 230-Hour Program Upcoming 9-Month Trainings:

:: Monday Evenings :: Tuesday Daytime

-Starts April 17 -Starts May 2

Upcoming Year-long Trainings:

:: Sunday (Bi-monthly)

Learn more about Yoga Study Teacher Trainings by attending an Open House. See web for upcoming dates!

-Starts Fall 2012

Yoga Study students will learn from a variety of experienced instructors from different backgrounds and yogic philosophies. Training topics include Yamas and Niyamas, Sanskrit, Ayurveda, Yoga Sutras, Alignment, Adjustments, Bandhas, Chakras & the Energy Body, Gross Anatomy, Sequencing, Finding Your Teaching Voice, Practice Teaching Labs, various styles of yoga, pranayama and additional technique topics. Tuition includes core meetings and electives: 5 weekend workshops, Visiting Instructor Weekend, 34 Tech Sessions, 15-hour mentorship, and public class pass option. Each group will create a karma yoga project making yoga available to a local population that would otherwise not have access to it. See web for curriculum and schedule details.

Advanced Teacher Training Modules (For RYT-500 Registration) Module A - Working with Special Populations Module B - Yoga Therapeutics for the Physical Body Module C - Yoga Therapeutics for the Emotional Body Module D- Advanced Alignment, Cueing, Adjusting, & Sequencing Module E - The Philosophy, Science and Mystics of Yoga Module F - Working with Pranayama, Meditation, & Teaching Practices See web for all Module dates! Now taking enrollment for all modules. Upcoming Modules begin in April, June, & July. Modules may be taken as stand-alone trainings or in any order to achieve 500RYT status. See web for all module curriculum and schedules. Open to anyone who has completed a 200HR+ training that meets Yoga Alliance standards. This program has been broken into 6 modules (A-F) offered in a Monday daytime format (9am-4pm) or weekend format (one weekend/month for 3 months). Make-up any missed hours in the next round of that module. Required reading and report assignments due at the end of each module. Upon completion of each module you will receive a certificate. Upon completion of all six, you will receive a graduation certificate and may choose to apply for Yoga Allianceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 500-hour registry. ÂŠ Yoga Center of Minneapolis www.yogacentermpls.com | 612.436.4700

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Speaking with

JAMES BAILEY

Letters trail after

James Bailey’s name like knots on a kite string: LAc, Dipl Om, Dipl Ayu, Dipl CH, E-RYT500. They signify mastery of a wide range of subjects - Ayurveda, Chinese Herbology, Yoga, Acupuncture,

Complimentary and Alternative Medicine; they also exist as signposts of a lifelong exploration into the true nature of well being. I talked with James from his home in California where he has a private clinic, Sevanti Wellness. He was wearing what looked like an Irish fisherman’s sweater pushed up to the elbows. He has gingery hair, freckles, an open countenance and an air of relaxation and good health. As a third-generation healer (his father

is a surgeon), James Bailey was always interested in practicing medicine. With a Master’s Degree in Public Health from UCLA, an interest in epidemiology and tropical medicine and a deep respect for Dr. Albert Schweitzer, he made his way to Africa and India. While studying and working there, he had three near-death experiences: a bout of malaria in Ghana led to delirium, parasites nearly bled him to death in southern India, then the parasites

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returned later that year in northern India. Each time he was healed by a combination of traditional medicine, music and herbs, with more intensive treatment of the parasites in the U.S. If you were a cat you would already have lived three of your nine lives. But these near-death experiences led you to study traditional medicines, including Ayurveda. I was learning to play the balafon [traditional xylophone] in northern Ghana when I acquired malaria. In Ghana, the musicians are also the healers. My teacher gave me a bitter tea to drink and played music throughout the night. I was delirious with fever and lost consciousness. I went into a healing trance and a long deep sleep. When I awoke in the morning, the fever and malaria were gone and so was my conventional view of medicine and healing. You write “medicine and healing is a relative and creative paradigm that in most cultures rises from natural understandings”. The more we recognize each individual as authentic and unique, the more we see the crisis or disease as unique as well. Each person has an enormous, fascinating story to tell that comes from their karma, their choices. We’re not renunciates, we’re householders, karma manufacturers by necessity. What do you mean by ‘karma manufacturers’? As householders we need to create the karmas of partner, family, friends, and work relationships for our survival. These karmas are necessary to life and yet create much of the drama and suffering we endure. Traditional yogis were/are karma

destroyers. Modern western yogis are householder yogi hybrids. We need these karmas and yet we work consciously to destroy those karmas that are unhealthy. We’re walking a middle path between liberation (moksha, release, absence of karmas) and family life (karma manufacturing). Tension often arises between the desire for liberation and the desire for connection and intimacy. You say that the best medicine for the health of the nadis is exercise, including a daily practice of Hatha Yoga. Is that a bit like housecleaning, breathing fresh air into the practice in order to do the rest of the work? Yes, exactly. The function of the nadis is to receive and circulate Mahaprana, or cosmic prana, that exists in the world around us. Hatha Yoga is a way to connect with, acquire and organize Mahaprana into ourselves. Yoga harmonizes the energetic balances and leads to a feeling of moksha, or liberation, in the body. Some ancient yogis were so in balance with the elements of their natures – the ida [lunar, abstract, yin] and pingala [solar, linear, yang] that they were considered androgynous. Are both Sun and Moon practices necessary? Do we need a little of each? The main thing to avoid is what I call Conformity Yoga. Krishnamacharya gave a different yoga to Iyengar than he did to Pattabhi Jois. Study yourself and listen to your body’s inner wisdom. Be aware of your behaviors. We can keep a fundamental faith in ourselves and avoid trends. Can you give an example of a trend? A few years back, here in California, there was a trend toward eating raw food. Pittas were very happy but Kaphas had a lot of trouble with this diet. Once

you gain an understanding of your own body, you can say ‘I see me. I see that this food is not good for me.’ Can knowledge of Ayurveda be applied in a teaching environment? Yes, even a superficial knowledge of the doshas can be helpful. Vatas can be encouraged to be a bit more grounded; Kaphas need to build fire and sweat. You could ask those in the back of the room to switch places with those in front. Tell us a little bit about your workshops at the Yoga Center. The first one is Sadvritta: Living True to Oneself in Yoga and Life. We will participate in a dialogue about healing. Issues sometimes arrive in our lives in ways that are untrue. Through self-observation in yoga and ayurveda we can begin to understand the unique truths of our individual natures; this knowledge has the power to translate into behavioral shifts. The second workshop is Cycles of Change: Renewal and Rebirth in Yoga. This concerns the psychology of change using Hinduism and Vedic philosophy. The third workshop is Sankalpa: The Maha Mantra of our Life Purpose. Sankalpas are expressions of our personal dharma that define and guide our life’s spiritual journey.

James Bailey will visit YCM May 1113th to offer lectures and personal consultations in Yoga Psychology and Ayurveda. See p.26 for details or visit www.yogacentermpls.com

................ Nancy Vala is a certified yoga instructor, artist and writer living in Minneapolis. Check out www.walkingsatellite.com for news, classes, portfolio and Miss Nancy Fan Club freebies.

April-June 2012

JAI Prenatal

Teacher Training

tarting this May, yoga instructors looking to expand their expertise in pre and post-natal yoga will have the opportunity to attend a teacher training like no other. Yoga Center of Minneapolis founder Jennifer Gray has teamed up with Jennifer Colletti of the OM Collective, to offer the first ever 85-hour J.A.I. Prenatal Teacher Training. Both teachers have taught prenatal teacher training workshops at their respective studios, but after the Yoga Alliance created the guidelines for an 85-hour prenatal teacher training certificate, they realized that Jennifer Gray’s 30 hour training, and Jennifer Colletti’s 45 hour training melded beautifully together to create one comprehensive curriculum. “Jen and I had been trying to do something together for a while,” says Colletti,” I emailed her and said ‘hey, what are

A New Training is Born

you doing around prenatal?’ She said, ‘I want to talk to you about it,’ and here we are.” Both women bring years of yoga experience to the program, and their enthusiasm about the teacher training is evident. “I had been teaching prenatal for about five years before considering starting a teacher training.” says Colletti, “I love teaching teachers, and I feel like that information needed to be shared.” Gray adds, “Between the two of us, we have a lot of practical experience and knowledge to bring to this training.” The origins of J.A.I. go back 10 years, to when Jennifer Gray started practicing yoga before her third pregnancy. She intuitively knew that yoga could help in the birthing process, but when she tried ujjayi breathing during labor, she spiked a temperature and started sweating bullets:

April-June 2012

“What I was using was not working for me, it was working against me. After that I set out on a quest to discover how yoga can help women through their pregnancy and in the birthing process, and that’s the program that I developed.” J.A.I. Yoga, which contains the initials of her children, Josh, Annie, and Isabelle, also means “to honor the higher self.”

giving birth. “With the teacher trainings, we hope to keep the conversation going,” says Colletti. “We want to build a website as a resource to encourage community and continuing education.”

Additionally, Gray is at work on a book aimed at sharing According to Gray, J.A.I. Yoga is not only about staying the J.A.I. Yoga techniques to pregnant in shape during pregnancy; it goes yoginis everywhere. “This is so important, beyond the physical benefits, and “We want to create a it should not be kept quiet,” she says. “It’s incorporates meditation, grounding, community that helps too valuable. We need to get the word and breathwork techniques that carry out, to bring it to other places.” moms no matter into the birthing room. “You have to find calm in very short order,” says where they are,” says Colletti also brings her experience in Colletti, “Much of what goes on in Gray. “This is not just working with women going through birth is anxiety and fear related, and about doing yoga while infertility, which can be an emotionally it’s hard to get out of that cycle.” She pregnant, but also about and physically challenging time. She stresses the importance of helping building something says, “I want to teach women how to women with grounding, and allowing greater, connecting bring yoga into their whole being.” it to become second nature so that they may use it as tool when they women.” The teacher training will focus on a need it. She says, “It’s important to philosophy of getting women through create a mind body connection and pregnancy and birth, and creating a yoga lifestyle prior to empower women to guide themselves to the birth that to and after parenthood. It will emphasize gentle, yet speaks to them.” challenging flow and restorative practices, and the importance of yoga to a family, including the benefits of Gray says that the purpose of this collaborative offering mindfulness. Trainees will learn how to teach meditation, is “to provide high quality training from people who grounding, and specific breathwork that will become a have been there and done that.” Colletti adds, “The J.A.I. coping mechanism for expectant and new mothers. Teacher Training is going to emphasize depth of teaching and authentic voices from people who are personally Instruction will also include training in nutrition, chakras, and professionally experienced and teach from their own anatomy, and lifestyle education. Students will use integrity.” prosthetic bellies to experience what it is like for their students to move through poses, and to learn how to Teachers who participate in this training will be invited teach to women of all sizes. One of the requirements for to be part of a bigger community of prenatal teachers, the J.A.I. Teacher Certification is that students either have including sharing of information and support for given birth, or have observed a birth by the end of the themselves as teachers, as well as to their students. training. “We want to create a community that helps moms no The five-month J.A.I. Teacher Training is open to 200-hour matter where they are,” says Gray. “This is not just about certified yoga instructors. For more information see P.24 doing yoga while pregnant, but also about building something greater, connecting women. It’s nice to watch women drawing together through sharing of experiences.” Kate Karshna is a Minneapolis-based freelance writer Indeed, many J.A.I. Students return with their babies after and a Yoga Study graduate (YS22).

........................

April-June 2012

The

Yogi’s Kitchen Farmers’ Market Spring Salads

Kate Scharenbroich is a Minneapolis -based Yoga Instructor and Private Natural Health Chef Specializing in Gluten Free and Aryuvedic cooking. www.GenuineGourmentChef.com

t’s that time again. Colors of spring are blooming and our black and white winter existence is to be replaced with a Monet-colored spring. This means farmers’ markets are flourishing and blueberries, zucchini, and kale are beckoning. This is the perfect time to step up to a New Years goal of a healthier diet, eating local and contributing to a more environmentally conscious lifestyle. Market to table cooking is now more accessible than ever, and with the start of spring comes the promise of warm-weather bounty. Bathed in nourishing sunlight, find brilliantly green herbs like mint, parsley, basil, and tender greens like kale, spinach and lettuce. There is an endless rainbow of produce and this is the easiest time of the year to get your nutrients, especially antioxidants

and vitamins B and C, from fruits and vegetables. Making a variety of fruits and vegetables the center of meals is a natural way to maximize produce at its peak. At a genuine farmers’ market, the farmer comes from a short distance away and food goes from earth to table in 24 hours or less. In many big chain stores, “Food is involved in a distribution system. Even when the produce sold is locally grown, it has to be dropped at a distribution point first and then trucked from that point to the store,” explains Deborah Madison, author of Local Flavors: Cooking and Eating from America’s Farmers’ Markets. Freshness is a real selling point for a market because the crops are picked when they’re ripe and ready to eat instead of picked unripe to withstand transportation across the states.

When produce is this fresh, it doesn’t need to be masked by complex flavors. No longer does a salad have to be a side dish of pale iceberg lettuce and rubbery tomatoes overpowered with large blobs of costly bottled dressings laden with calories, preservatives, excess sodium, and soybean oil. Homemade dressings are surprisingly quick to whisk together, much more economical and contain no unwanted chemicals. Plus, there is more room in your fridge when not storing all those bottles for who knows for how long. Salads can be a side dish or the main entrée with chicken, fish or steak, beans, grains, fruits and nuts. A salad is a blank slate for an innovative and healthy meal, quick to make for dinner at the end of a busy day, yet elegant and enticing for a summer party. With

Kale Apple and Cheddar Salad Ingredients

Procedure

1 bunch or 2 ½ cups kale (preferably dinosaur kale), ribs removed and very finely sliced ¼ cup almonds, toasted and roughly chopped ¼ cup crumbled or finely chopped Cabot clothbound cheddar or any aged cheddar. (If you can’t find aged cheddar, use parmesan cheese.) ¼ cup dried cranberries ½ cup diced apple Fresh lemon juice Extra-virgin olive oil Salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Heat oven to 425° F. Toast the almonds on a baking sheet in the same oven until they start to smell nutty, tossing once, about 8-10 minutes. Roughly chop when cool 2. In a large mixing bowl, toss the kale with the almonds, cheddar, cranberries, and apple. Season to taste with lemon juice and olive oil (approximately 2 tablespoon lemon juice and 3 tablespoons olive oil). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide salad between two plates or shallow bowls and serve. Makes 2 large salads.

April-June 2012

the incredible array of ingredients from farmers’ markets, it is easy to toss together a meal that is nutritious, fresh and flavorful. Adorn your spring meals with the season’s most vivid hues, delighting the eyes and taste buds while nourishing your body this spring. These spring salad recipes need just a few basic seasonings, very little time, and minimal cooking -- a bonus when you want to get to the lake.

Salads are a great way to be creative in the kitchen. Use what you have and design it to your own taste. They can be easily transformed to match any of your friends or family’s dietary needs - vegan, gluten free, carnivorous, or other. Homemade vinaigrettes can really enhance a salad and put your own twist on the dish. Dressings can be creamy with yogurt, lemon juice and herbs, or

light with vinegar, olive oil and seasonings. Mix fresh herbs, which are concentrated antioxidant powerhouses, with a variety of greens such as dandelion, endive, fennel, and kale, and add a crunch with omega-3 rich nuts, and seeds or fiber boosting beans and vegetables. Enjoy these recipes for a new season of health and happiness!

Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas, Roasted Vegetables, and Walnuts I love the depth and richness roasting brings to vegetables, which gives them another texture and flavor that I try to incorporate into grain salads. Quinoa, a staple of South America, is the only grain to contain the eight essential amino acids such as lysine in perfect proportion. This makes a healthy alternative to a mayo rich potato salad for a spring picnic or a portable lunch for the week.

Ingredients 1 lb carrots, sliced 3/4 inch thick on the diagonal 1 red onion, medium chopped 1 sweet potato, chopped into small cubes 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, minced 3 tablespoons olive oil Coarse salt and ground pepper 1 cup black, red or white quinoa, rinsed and cooked 1 cup chickpeas, rinsed and drained

(preferably beans soaked and cooked) ½ cup golden raisins 1cup walnuts, toasted ½ cup crumbled goat or feta cheese Vinaigrette 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice plus 1 tablespoon lemon zest ¼ cup orange juice ¼ cup Extra-virgin olive oil ½ cup chopped parsley

In a small bowl, whisk together the orange and lemon juices, lemon zest, olive oil, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. In a large bowl, toss together the roasted veggies, the quinoa, chickpeas, golden raisins, walnuts and half of the vinaigrette. Top with goat or feta cheese and remaining dressing.

Procedure Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place carrots, red onion, and sweet potato on a rimmed baking sheet. Toss with the rosemary and olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast 25-30 minutes, rotating halfway through, roasting until browned and tender. Let cool to room temperature. While vegetables are roasting, cook quinoa according to directions. Make the dressing:

Dandelion, Mixed Greens, Blueberry and Pumpkin Seed Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette Finely chopped dandelion greens sneak into this salad but have liver detoxifying benefits. This salad is still delicious if you substitute the blueberries and pumpkin seeds for any other fruit and nut you have on hand. Serves 4. Ingredients ½ bunch Dandelion greens 1 (10 to 12-ounce) package of mixed greens or baby spinach ¼ cup blueberries ¼ cup pumpkin seeds ½ avocado, cubed Vinaigrette (Makes ½ cup, keeps four days)

¼ cup balsamic vinegar 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 2 teaspoons fresh basil, minced 1-teaspoon honey ½ teaspoon garlic, minced Freshly ground black pepper to taste Procedure Cut off the lower part of the dandelion stems, wash, dry, and finely slice leaves. Place the dandelion leaves, mixed greens, blueberries, and avocado in a salad bowl. Whisk in all the ingredients for the vinaigrette except olive oil. Slowly stir in the olive oil until slightly thickened. Toss the

vinaigrette with the salad ingredients and top with the pumpkin seeds and ground pepper.

April-June 2012

THE MIDDLE PATH STORIES FROM THE MAT This March marks the two-year anniversary of the most terrible and most enlightening time in my life. Looking back, it all feels like a trip down a rabbit hole. My journey to the darkest place I’ve ever been has led me to the brightest hope I have ever known. And what, at the time, seemed like a nonsensical nursery rhyme now reads like a sacred text. Humpty Dumpty Had a Great Fall… I’ve used yoga and meditation as tools to support my health since my early teens. On my yoga mat, I felt connected and happy, but my life off my mat, well, I was far from healthy. Two years ago I began an extreme and expensive dieting program and lost 30lbs in less than three months. I was in an emotionally abusive relationship and working a job where I cared for children up to twelve hours a day. It began with days where I couldn’t lift my arms up or take even one more step. I spent a few weekends lying in bed, so physically exhausted, I couldn’t move. A co-worker at the time asked if I was depressed. So separated from my own body, I smiled and said, “I can’t be depressed – there’s nothing in my life to be sad about.” It wasn’t until a friend looked into my exhausted eyes and with blunt honesty said, “You look like sh*t,” did I seek out help from my doctor. All the King’s Horses and All the King’s Men... Every possible test was run, but there was nothing medically wrong with me. The day came when I simply could not go back to work. I was finally diagnosed with Major Depression. It became impossible to sleep at night and necessary to sleep all day. I was wracked with guilt, believing I had done something wrong, that I was weak, and a failure. My anxiety was crippling. I

lost ten more pounds. When you suffer from depression, you will be asked over and over if you’re having suicidal thoughts. Killing myself sounded like too much work. I simply wanted to stop existing. Through the love and support of my amazing family, counseling, hours of crying, medication, and energy work, the truth began to slowly rise to the surface. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that my mind, my heart, and my body could have become so distant from one another. Putting the Pieces Back Together… I slowly became better. I changed jobs, I eventually ended the bad relationship, and I found much of my anxiety disappeared when I ate a healthy diet with no fake protein-enhanced diet foods. And I learned an important lesson, much easier to preach than to practice: Everything else must come second to your own health. But the depression medication was not totally working. A darkness lingered. The doctors switched my depression medication a number of times, and I suffered intense side effects with each change: euphoria, over-eating (I gained back all of the weight

I’d lost), uncontrollable talking, agitation, and ADD. Even though I had made so many life changes (including getting back on my yoga mat), I was in another downwards spiral and desperate to avoid a second crash. I was sent to be tested for bipolar disorder. I really opened up to this psychiatrist about my past – about my youth, filled with never-ending projects and activities where I would barely sleep for days or weeks. I described how creativity strikes me so hard, I am unable to focus on anything else until my idea is completed. I admitted that after periods of great productivity, I would turn off my phone and drive to some random hotel where I would hide out. I acknowledged bouts of minor depression and anxiety dating all the way back to age twelve. A New Perspective… I was diagnosed as bipolar 2. I had always thought bipolar meant one minute you were nice and the next, mean. Who hasn’t used the word casually to describe

April-June 2012

My brain is overly electrified. Because of this, I can be more powerful and creative and feel a greater depth of happiness than most people. But this makes the opposite also true. To allow myself to go to those wonderful extremes requires accepting I will inevitably fall to the darkest depths, a place I don’t care to ever see again. I cannot help but think I was born into the exact country where I was meant to be, a society itself that could be diagnosed as bipolar; beautiful, skinny models eating fast food on television and a system that teaches happiness is a destination you can reach at the top of a corporate ladder via 60-hour work weeks.

Where has this left me? – Searching for the balance point. Happiness is a slippery fish. Although the medication has helped me significantly, it is not a solution in itself. I have worked diligently to eliminate stressors, change my perspective, and make me my number one priority. I now run 3-4 days per week, but most importantly, I work on the connection between my mind, body, and spirit to make sure the three are in constant communication with each other. I do this through yoga and meditation practices. In my experience, there is great opportunity in accessing both western doctors and eastern healing practices. I continue to attend classes at the Yoga Center of Minneapolis with Ted Roseen and Kundalini and meditation workshops with Helena Raghubir. But alone, these practices are not enough. I need the medication, too. This is the middle path, an alliance the Buddha probably never imagined. I have taken my first shaky steps on this path, and every day my balance

WHISPERS OF SPRING PLAYLIST Under the Wings of Blessing Whispers of our Ancestors Lotus Heart Vardo You Love Me Al Jewad Narayana Morning Raga Jewel in the Lotus Cinematic Reprise Into the Deep Blue Bindhu

~ NAWANG KHECHOG ~ LIQUID BLOOM ~ DESERT DWELLERS ~ BEATS ANTIQUE ~ DEVOTCHKA ~ MOMO LOUDIYI ~ MASOOD ALI KHAN ~ AYKANNA ~ MANEESH DE MOOR ~ KARSH KALE ~ CRAIG KOHLAND

Namaste - Linda Rae

becomes stronger. I take my meds. I do my sun salutations. I breathe. For the first time in my life, I’m not a fragile person teetering on the edge of a dangerous fall. I’m the one with an easy smile on my lips and one hell of a sturdy mountain pose.

................. Laura Stella is a retirement specialist and yoga practitioner living in Roseville, MN

MUSIC GURU

THE

someone with unpredictable mood swings? I learned bipolar disorder is actually the result of the over-firing of neurons in the brain. Something about that description opened my eyes. I was put on a low dose of an anti-seizure drug, and suddenly, I didn’t feel like a crazy person. I felt like a super person.

April-June 2012

Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) Yoga MEET SCOTT BEESLEY, S.U.P. Yoga Instructor... “A friend originally approached me about the physical benefits of SUP for some of the runners and triathletes I coach. I was luke warm at best. Then he started sharing stories of midnight SUP sessions and floating under a full moon. I was listening. When he went on to describe meditation on the board and savasana while rocking gently to the waves I knew I had to try it. Now, as perhaps the only SUP boarder in Mpls who is also a yoga teacher and lifeguard, I’d have to say the teaching part is a natural fit.”

THE BENEFITS...

EXPERIENCE SUP YOGA... Each class will involve a little meditation and relaxation. The physical part of the class depends on the individual and the weather. A good bit of time is left for individual exploration on the board. Even basic poses like down dog can take new meaning on a SUP board.

Physically, taking your practice out on the water adds a significant amount of instability to the practice. Finding stability on an inherently unstable surface is a challenge for both body and mind. Spiritually, just being out the water is enough for some of us to connect to something deeper. It’s hard to describe. Sailors, open water swimmers and devote Jimmy Buffett fans know what I’m talking about. All others will have to come out and experience it for themselves.

YOUR TURN! Interested in trying Yoga on a Paddleboard? Scott will be holding workshops on Lake Calhoun in late June. See P.20 & 21 for details!

April-June 2012

YOGA STUDY

We look forward to more Kirtan events later this year; many of us who were Kirtan “virgins” were happy to get to practice with each other first. Also in March, Kevan Gale made his first visit to our studio as a visiting instructor and many YS students enjoyed his challenging workshops on arm balances and backbends. If you missed out on these events, an exciting line-up for the rest of 2012 will give you plenty of opportunity to be a part of our Yoga Study community.

Sarah Jane Wroblewski, YS Coordinator

CORNER

oga Study is enjoying the buzz of a thriving program. In 2012 already we have begun two full classes, YS39 and YS40, and graduated YS34. The beginning of March gave us the opportunity to host another Yoga Study Tech Weekend, when all past and present YS students were invited to come for an immersion weekend, taking as many as 5 tech sessions between Friday night and Sunday morning. The apex of the weekend was a Yoga Study Kirtan, led by Jennifer Gray, where students from many different groups came together for devotional singing and chanting.

The following students met or exceeded the required hours for a 230-hour Yoga Teacher Certificate from the Yoga Center of Minneapolis during the Winter quarter. Congrats yogis! YS33 Tatum Fjerstad Julie Geyen Alison Sipkins YS32 Ruth Erickson Patricia Rustad Ann-Charlotte

Sivertsson Jessa Walters Dan Gaustad Sue Myers Martha McLaughlin Caitlin McMahon Lyne Seppala Barbara Haugen

YS31 Sarah Anderson Emily Nesheim Zoe Erickson Erin Hanson Nicole Terry Nathan Thompson Julie Tilka

YS30 Juliet Nail Keiko Mayek YS26 Kristin Murch

YS25 Amanda Whisner YS24 Christine Jasken

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April-June 2012

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