Candlelight Restorative

This class is offered on the fall/winter schedule as we head into a time of darkness and the busy holiday season. There will be candlelight and soft music. Restorative Yoga is a gentle, therapeutic practice that allows the body to open at it’s own pace. Using props for support, we hold poses for a long time without effort or force. This allows the body to relax deeply while the mind rests. You will leave with an expanded awareness of your body’s unique holding patterns.

Family Yoga

Family Yoga is for children ages 3-12 and their parents. This class creates an opportunity for each person to connect with their own strength, calm, wisdom, and create vitality while we bond as a group and you experience quality loving moments as a family. Be prepared to sing, dance, move, and freeze as we explore the many layers of our body, mind, and heart and let our spirit soar. Students of all ages will learn appropriate breath techniques, postures, and meditations that enhance energy and wellbeing.

Flow

Flow explores moderate to challenging traditional yoga asanas (postures) to increase flexibility, strength, and relaxation. Flow is an invigorating, alignment-based class that links each movement with breath. This is your awakening practice that that offers basic yogic principles that can be called upon in our busy modern lives.

Kripalu

Welcome! This yoga is designed for anyone who wants to strengthen and open their body, mind and spirit. Kripalu will enhance your health and wellness and help you develop skills to be relaxed and grounded both on and off your mat. With a focus on alignment and breath, you will explore movement and stillness within the yoga poses. You will raise consciousness by honoring your body’s wisdom, linking each movement with the breath.

Kripalu includes:

• Opening discussion: yogic philosophy and meditation
• Pranayama practice/ breath techniques to master the breath
• Pratapana, warming the sacred fire, yogic movement to energize muscles and lubricate joints
• Stage 1 Kripalu- Focus on postural form and physical alignment
• Stage 2 Kripalu- Hold the pose, explore being still and focus on all types of sensation. Explore movements within each pose as well.
• We explore bits of Stage 3 Kripalu- Moving beyond thought into the freedom of true nature- a free flow of postures organically unfolds- the witness consciousness observes such.
• Guided relaxation/ savasana
• Closing meditation

In Kripalu Yoga we move through postures based on body wisdom rather than ego. This practice helps us to become more self-accepting, loving and trusting individuals. Simply show up on your mat, as you are, however you are feeling, without need to change a thing- this is where the journey begins. Kripalu yoga can become a part of any moment.

Morning Flow

Awaken with this warming flow. Begin your day with an energizing, balancing practice that leads to new space and freedom. The class begins slowly with a focus on the breath and eases into dynamic movement and posture inquiries.

Vinyasa

Vinyasa yoga is the practice of consciously linking the movement of the body to the movement of the breath. Classes are a moving meditation during which the breath acts as the seamless connection between all experiences.

Yoga Dance

Yoga Dance begins with Kundalini type yoga warm-ups to awaken energy, body, and mind. You will move fluidly from warm-ups into a standing pose for some guided movement inquiry and eventually into a free-form prana-flow, you’ll find yourself in an intuitive movement meditation before an ambient savasana. Dynamically enhance your range of motion, break through physical and energetic blockages, boost cardiovascular strength, and create a more positive relationship with your body while you open your mind and heart. This is not a technical dance rather an experience in liberation, a meditation in motion.

Yoga on the River (summertime only)

Take your yoga practice outdoors to the Winooski River. Meet at Laughing River Yoga for class and we’ll walk outside together. Dress in layers and bring a beach towel to place under your mat. Inward focus and the river will calm your nerves. Fresh air, pranayama and yoga postures will invigorate your body. In the event of rain, class is held inside the studio with a focus on nature.