Class descriptions

Balance Yoga and Wellness is not a “one size fits all” yoga studio. Our teachers provide thorough, educated, playful and mindful insight into your body, mind and deeper consciousness. Our classes give you a unique taste of yoga’s gifts of peace, joy and health.

We invite you to try a variety of class styles and teachers until you find your perfect match.

Ashtanga Offerings

Beginners Ashtanga
Learn to connect to your breath and your body in a safe, supported environment.  You will be guided through the sun salutations and the standing postures of the Ashtanga Series.  Each week different postures from the seated sequence will be explored, followed by a relaxing finishing series.  Beginners’ Ashtanga gives you a firm foundation in the Ashtanga Series and prepares you for attending Mysore style. Suitable for students with some prior yoga exposure who want a challenging class. 

Mysore style

Develop a deeper understanding of yoga in relation to your individual body type

Imagine a semi-private class where you practice according to the pace of your own breath. You move through postures with your individual strengths and restrictions in mind. The teacher provides guidance and adjustments tailored to you alone. Detailed hands-on assistance will help you to avoid mis-alignments that can lead to injury. This style of instruction builds on the traditional Ashtanga approach first established by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois in Mysore, India.

Discovering this type of independence in yoga has a profound impact on your practice.

In guided classes, instruction is provided to the group as a whole and the pace depends on the teacher.

Mysore classes allows you the freedom to work within your own unique boundaries. You work one-on-one with an instructor whose adjustments are informed by compassion, respect and intelligence.

Ashtanga Vinyasa 
The teacher guides students through postures from the primary and intermediate series.   Students learn awareness of the connection between the breath and the body as they move in and out of postures. Each week the class focuses on a different theme, including safe backbends, opening the psoas, handstands in Ashtanga, inversions, jumping back into a flow. Once per month this class is Mysore-style Ashtanga.  

Alignment-Based Classes

Align and Flow classes are geared to absolute beginners (L0/1) to the seasoned practitioners. These classes help students to refine the foundation of poses, flow into creative vinyasa sequences, and break down elusive postures. They emphasize shape, flow, workshopping, and integrating yogic principles into your daily life. Some classes integrate the principles of  Anusara School of Hatha Yoga© which is based off of Iyengar Yoga and the philosophy of Kashmir Shaivism (more popularly known as Tantra).

For New Students: Intro Classes or Level O/I

If you are new to yoga and think that you are not flexible or strong enough, start here.  Our highly-qualified teachers will lead you through the first steps in your yoga journey.  In these classes you receive detailed instruction on proper alignment, yogic breathing, and the background of yoga.  You will have the chance to ask lots of questions and connect with others who are also new to yoga.

We offer weekly Raw Beginner’s classes  Level 0/1 on Wednesdays from 9:30-11am. In addition we also offer Intro to Yoga series for those who would like to start with a group and be guided step by step, each week building on the next.  The teacher will even provide handouts and help you to begin to incorporate yoga into your everyday life.

Other Classes At Balance

Vinyasa 

Vinyasa classes are dynamic where the emphasis is on movement and flowing into and out of postures.  We offer Vinyasa classes for newer students, (Level 1), mixed levels (All Level) and and more seasoned practitioners (Level 2 or 3).

Community Classes
Community classes reflect individual teacher’s training and are always donation based.  Instruction generally emphasizes alignment, full breath, and doing the poses attentively, deeply and non-aggressively.  These classes are great for those new to yoga.

Yin Yoga

Yin is a quiet yet intense style that emphasizes three core principles; Finding the appropriate depth of a pose, holding a pose for an extended period of time, and allowing yourself to remain in a place of deep stillness in each pose. Yin aims to release tension in the fascia or connective tissues of the body while simultaneously bringing awareness to the internal energetic channels. This practice is based on Daoist philosophy and medicinal practices of Eastern traditions. All levels class.

 

Restorative
In restorative yoga classes, students use yoga props such as blankets, bolsters, blocks and straps to facilitate holding of poses for long periods of time (between 5 – 20 minutes).  Restorative Yoga allows the practitioner to reach a deep state of relaxation helping to lower the heart rate, blood pressure and stimulate the immune system.  By letting go of muscular tension with the support of props, the body is given a chance to rest deeply, allowing chronic stress to dissipate and healing to occur.  This practice is a quiet and internal, allowing the practitioner to relax and release in both mind and body.

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