I am ready to try Yoga, what should I expect?
Congratulations! You should expect a really good workout, and expect to sweat. Power Vinyasa Yoga is a unique, flowing sequence of postures done in a heated room, with focus on breath, strengthening the integration of your body and mind. Like anything new, be patient with yourself and the process, listen to your body, and go at your own pace. For myself, having played basketball, softball, and volleyball at a collegiate level and even with summer sessions and spring training I have never experienced a workout this satisfying. After yoga I found that I slept better, was more focused, and less reactive and felt stronger.
 
How hot will it get?
We heat the room to about 90 degrees, complemented by a humidifier. When our bodies are warm we are more supple and flexible, and can go deeper into poses. The heat induces sweating, encouraging the body to release toxins and excess fluid through the skin, giving the kidneys and liver a break. If you ever feel overheated or dizzy or nauseous, we ask that you take a resting pose like child’s pose, allowing your body to relax into the new temperature.

What should I wear?
Wear clothes you can sweat in, like something you would work out in or go running in. When I first started doing hot yoga I wore basketball shorts and a t-shirt. Lululemon makes good quality hot yoga gear and just opened a store in Portland. (Their clothes may seem expensive but they last a long time). We have changing rooms and shower so you can slip into something more comfortable after class.

What should I bring?
You will want to bring your own yoga mat, a towel or yogitoes, and water.  Don’t worry if you don’t have these, you can rent them at the studio. We also have blocks and straps for use for free. We sell coconut water which is very hydrating and great to drink before or after class. 

What if I am not that flexible?
As Baron Baptiste says in Journey into Power “You don’t need to be some super flexible version of Gumby in order to do power yoga. Any dimwit can wrap their legs around their head; it has nothing to do with health.”  This type of yoga is not about contorting or forcing your body where it does not want to go. You just begin as you are.

What should I eat or drink before class?
Avoid eating anything heavy for two hours before class if you can. Something light, like a banana or piece of fruit is fine. Try to drink a decent amount of water before you arrive.
 
Is this yoga safe for pregnant women?
It is best to check with your doctor prior to beginning any exercise program, especially if you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant. We do not recommend starting a hot yoga practice if you are a raw beginner and pregnant.  If you have been practicing hot yoga, have received the ok from your doctor and want to continue once pregnant there are modifications required: no lying on the stomach, no inversions, no twists.  

Will my body change?
It depends on how often you practice. For good results you want to practice at least 2-3 times a week, for amazing results 5-6 times a week. This type of yoga can really burn calories and strengthen muscles. Over time and combined with meditation and mindful eating, power vinyasa yoga can have a truly transformative effect on your entire life. 

Meditation

We offer morning meditation classes as a complement to your own meditation practice, or as an introduction if you have always wondered what it would be like to try meditation.  Meditation and Yoga go hand in hand.  A regular meditation practice encourages a mindfulness , or state of mind fully in the present moment, which often allows you to observe your thought processes without being distracted by a scattered mind of to-do lists, email, phone, or future obligations, or thoughts of the past.

“When we speak of meditation, it is important for you to know that this is not some weird, cryptic activity, as our popular culture might have it. It does not involve becoming some kind of zombie, vegetable, self-absorbed narcissist, navel gazer, space cadet, cultist, devotee, mystic, or Eastern philosopher.  Meditation is simply about being yourself and knowing something about who that is. It is about coming to realize that you are on a path, whether you like it or not, namely, the path that is your life. Meditation may help us see that this path we call our life has direction; that it is always unfolding, moment by moment; and that what happens now, in this moment, influences what happens next. “

Jon Kabbat-Zinn Wherever you go there you are  Mindfullness Meditation in Everyday Life

Suggested Meditative Sitting Postures

Easy Pose  Sukhasana
This is the traditional cross legged seated meditation post. Sukha means “ease” and if you feel any discomfort  try using a meditation cushion, block, or folded blanket, as long as your spine is straight in the seated pose.  You can sit cross legged on the bony part of your buttocks and lift your spine as straight as possible.  You can then place your hands comfortably on your knees in a receptive palms facing upward position.

Thunderbolt Pose Vajrasana
This is a kneeling pose which some people find more comfortable.  Vajra means “thunderbolt” and refers to the energy channel  vajra nadi, that links the genito-urinary nerve pathway to the brain.  You can place one or two blocks on top of a blanket, and sit on the blocks with your spine straight, bringing your legs to each side and stretching your ankles and toes with your heels up.  You can place your palms on your thighs and sit comfortably alert.

Please arrive quietly, removing your shoes.  Meditation will begin with some pranayama, or breathing exercises, followed by a light guided meditation, and silence.  This class is donation based, with all donations going to the Lincoln County Animal Shelter.

You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.  Joseph Goldstein

Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens. Carl Jung