We Love Spring & Yoga!

The Sanskrit word Vinyasa means “breath-synchronized movement.” Vinyasa Yoga flows through each series of poses in a fluid motion lead by the breath. By applying a more internal, energetic approach to the practice, students will learn how to move through a series of poses with more intelligence, awareness and ease. The purpose of Vinyasa is to create heat in the body, which leads to purification of the body.  This is a level one class, appropriate for beginners to advanced.

Vinyasa is the movement of the poses linked with the breath - this serves as an active class designed to gradually generate heat in order to warm the body and prepare the muscles for work. As a progressively intense class, students with prior Vinyasa experience are recommended. The focus of this class is the development of the body for more advanced poses in order to further your yoga practice through intentional self-challenge. Intermediates will be comfortable but beginners wishing to challenge themselves are welcome.

Whether you are new to yoga or experienced, Vinyasa – All Levels is for everyone. This class links body movement with breath and emphasizes warming the body and restoring balance. Pose modifications and challenges are offered to fit the participant’s experience level. Starting slowly with warm up poses, the music takes you to a progressively higher energy level about midway into the class and concludes with a cooling & final relaxation period. Some benefits for you are improved posture, flexibility, balance, overall strength and of course - the calming of your mind and relief from stress!

Based on the yoga principle of using the breath to calm the mind and relax the muscles, this class will focus on poses that stretch, strengthen, and tone while releasing stress and tension from joints and muscles.  Students will explore basic flow poses to increase balance and energy, while opening hips, shoulders, back and legs.  Each class will include deep relaxation and visualization techniques to enhance the mind/body connection to focus and discipline the mind.   The slower, gentler pace is easy enough for beginners, and great for everyone who wants/needs to slow down a bit.  This class is for all levels wanting to enjoy the basics of yoga to find their centering energy and self.

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This Gentle Vinyasa class spends extra time on stress-relief, releasing tension in the body, and improving flexibility. Expect to enjoy restorative poses mixed in with the flow and find yourself refreshed as you move into the weekend. This class aims to shake off the work week in a gentle, relaxing way that is enjoyable
for beginner and seasoned
yogis alike!

Destress Deep Stretch Yoga, a blend of Yin and Restorative Yoga, primarily involves floor poses, typically held for 3 to five minutes, and are designed to allow you to stretch muscles and joints while accessing the deeper layers offascia – the body’s connective tissue that allows our body to function as a unit.  The class is designed to reduce stress and anxiety while increasing circulation, flexibility and joint mobility.  Finding yourself in poses as you meet your own, “edge”, using props and support as needed, brings a stillness and calm to the mind and body that encourages a deeper awareness of the body and the breath as you practice - and ensures an excellent night sleep after the practice.  The class is appropriate for beginners new to yoga, as well as to advanced practitioners of all levels and abilities. 
 

Yin Yoga is a profoundly meditative yet dynamic Taoist practice of yoga, emphasizing our quieter moon energy. It consists of long-held relaxed floor postures that seek to stretch, stimulate and create fluidity in the deep connective tissues, fascia, tendons and ligaments. It is often called "yoga for the joints, not the muscles."
A Yin Yoga practice increases flexibility and range of motion. It encourages a healthy flow of life force in the body. A deeper experience unfolds in body, heart and mind.
I discovered Yin Yoga during our 2009 family Christmas vacation in Vermont and I never looked back. As soon as I came home, I wanted to share this amazing mindful practice with my community. I’m excited to have you join us for a perfect end to your week with a Yin class on Fridays at 4:30pm.

Cardio Barre is an energizing fusion of Dance, Pilates and Yoga. You will notice immediately the increase in total body, core strength and stabilizing muscles, as well as newfound stamina! Join us for this total body-sculpting class that is open to all levels and abilities - no dance experience needed!

Zen Body is a 60 minute class that drives intensity and challenges with not only functional-movement exercises, but also by adding resistance to traditional yoga postures in fitness interval format that call for multiple sets of muscle-stimulating repetitions. While you slow down and bring your focus to the breath, the body movements, and your balanced control - you will cultivate stillness, core stability, and muscular strength and endurance.
This non-impact yoga experience is a fusion of cardiovascular body work, traditional yogic movements, and offers more variety to your current routine with the addition of light hand weights/dumbbells, stability balls, elastic bands, etc. as you work to build muscular strength and endurance. Improve functional movement and core stability as you  transform your overall sense of connection and personal power. All levels of abilities welcome.

Chair Yoga makes yoga accessible to people who lack the mobility to move easily from standing to seated to supine positions.  While seated on chairs, students can do versions of twists, hip stretches, forward bends, and mild backbends.
Many of the basic body mechanics of the individual postures are retained, no matter the stance of the practitioner.  The chair replaces the yoga mat and becomes an extension of your body allowing you to work the joints and muscles to increase flexibility, strength, balance, and circulation.  It goes beyond typical exercises in that it encourages quiet reflection, proper breathing, reduction of stress and a sense of well-being.
The benefits of this practice are remarkable. Students report reduced blood pressure, faster recovery from injury or surgery, better sleep, increased mobility and improved posture.

Senior stretch is a class that provides flexibility and increase range of motion for the entire body. The instructor will focus on all major muscle groups with a variety of different types of stretch techniques.
The goal is for your body to feel better, prevent injury, and increase range of motion. For more information and to check your availability go to SilverSneakers website  www.silversneakers.com

SilverSneakers FLEX classes are available at Garden of Zen Yoga Studio at no additional cost for SilverSneakers members. For non-SilverSneakers members: Regular class passes, Chair Class passes  and Memberships can be used. 

Yoga and Breath Work combines yoga and Chi breath work for better health by improving the efficiency of the breath. When we breath more deeper we improve our health, especially the lung capacity and immune system, This brings more energy to our body and mind. In this class yoga can be done in the chair or on mat, standing for enerchi breath work. Silver Sneaker members are invited to attend.
The goal is for your body to feel better, prevent injury, and increase range of motion. For more information and to check your availability go to SilverSneakers website  

www.silversneakers.com

SilverSneakers FLEX classes are available at Garden of Zen Yoga Studio at no additional cost for SilverSneakers members. For non-SilverSneakers members: Regular class passes, Chair Class passes  and Memberships can be used.