Energy flows through the spine, the body and limbs, and the energy centers known as chakras. In Kundalini Yoga, we focus on the eight chakras: seven within the body situated along the spine, and the magnetic field - the aura - that surrounds the body. The exercises that we do provide balance and full functioning of the chakras and stimulate free energy flow throughout the body. The intent is to balance and to interconnect each chakra with all the others. Balanced and open chakras allow us to relate to the ultimate energy source.  Join us to build consciousness of the eight chakras in a three-hour workshop, from the first chakra up to the heart chakra and then up and out into the aura.

Cost: $45 -- or Early Bird Special $40 if pre-paid by July 7th.
Click here to register online with credit card.
No refund or credit if you cancel within 24 hours of workshop.

Saturday, July 18th, 2:30-5:00pm
Turning Outward to Turn Inward:
Intermediate and Advanced Backbends, Timed Holdings, and Forward Bends
(Full Wheel as prerequisite)
with Laura Flora

The spine is the pathway for the shushumna nadi, a current of energy that runs inside the vertebral column. In many yoga traditions, this is the path of Kundalini, the latent energy coiled at the base of the spine that can be awakened through the process of yoga. In the Rajanaka tradition, Kundalini is already awake: your birth was the dynamic unfolding of Kundalini into embodied power. The process of yoga, then, is to align to the empowered self. The pathway of Kundalini is a circuitry that you can create and empower. In this workshop we will explore how to create optimal alignment in the spine in a neutral position, back bends and forward bends. In connecting the circuitry of the spine in this optimal way, we easily and skillfully flow between our inner and outer experiences to come into the recognition of our own freedom.

Cost: $40 -- or Early Bird Special $35 if pre-paid by July 14th.
Click here to register online with credit card.
No refund or credit if you cancel within 24 hours of workshop.

July 24th-26th
Vinyasa Yoga Workshop Series
with Simon Park and Julia Horn

Friday, July 24th 7-9:30
Surfing The Vinyasa Wave

Experience the latest evolution of Prana Vinyasa Flow: Dynamic asana, creative flows, and integrated pranayama as a moving meditation that will tune and tone you from the inside out while giving you the tools for navigating life's changes with grace, power, and confidence. We will explore several vinyasa waves of multi-dimensional sequences-intelligently unfolding an evolution of movement meditation, fluid namaskars, backbends, arm balances and hip opening to understand the underlying flow of prana.

Cost: $40 -- or Early Bird Special $35 if pre-paid by July 20th.
Super Yogi Special: $135 for all four workshops.
Click here to register online with credit card.
No refund or credit if you cancel within 24 hours of workshop.

Saturday, July 25th 2:30-5:30
The Artistic Process within Creative Sequencing

Join special guest Julia Horn as we dive in to our creative selves to discover new ways of moving and sequencing for Vinyasa Yoga classes. Julia has spent the last two years globe-trotting with London based Tripsichore Yoga Theatre, and from this experience has developed inspired insight into creating unique, beautiful movement within Yoga. One of the toughest challenges of facing many vinyasa teachers is creative sequencing. The approach in this workshop is to impart the confidence within each practicioner and teacher to explore their own process in order to continuously create anew.

Cost: $45 -- or Early Bird Special $40 if pre-paid by July 21st.
Super Yogi Special: $135 for all four workshops.
Click here to register online with credit card.
No refund or credit if you cancel within 24 hours of workshop.

Sunday, July 26th 10:30-12:30
Liquid Flow: Yoga To Restore Your Prana

Enjoy a slowly developing, flowing sequence of postures that are restorative in nature, yet heart-opening as well. Practice in a way that creates space in the joints and spine, and calms the nervous system. The movements are similar to the way tai-chi is practiced; slow, methodical and meditative. We will fluidly work toward deep hip-openers, liberating backbends, and quiet forward bends. Restorative and supported inversions, completes this thoroughly re-energizing experience.

Cost: $35 -- or Early Bird Special $30 if pre-paid by July 22nd.
Super Yogi Special: $135 for all four workshops.
Click here to register online with credit card.
No refund or credit if you cancel within 24 hours of workshop.

Sunday, July 26th 1:30-4:30
Body Enlightening; Aerial Partner Yoga and Thai massage

Simon Park is an effervescent, worldwide teacher of Vinyasa Flow and Thai Massage. He was originally inspired to explore the incredible gifts of yoga by his first teacher Shiva Rea in the World Arts and Cultures Center at UCLA. Simon's unique style has been featured in the New York Times, Yoga Journal, and American Express Black Ink Magazine.

Julia Horn has performed worldwide as a principal member of the Dance-Yoga troupe Tripsichore Yoga Theater for the past two years. A Graduate of the Tisch School of Arts, and North Carolina School of Dance, her diverse performance background, infuses her teaching with a rich, artistic vision that inspire students of all levels.

Saturday, August 1st, 3:00-5:30pm
Afro Flow Yoga Workshop
Sunday, August 2nd, 11:00am-1:30pm
Ecstatic West African Dance
with Debbie Steingesser

Connect to your ecstatic self through basic West African Dance and Ha-Tha yoga! In this 2-hour workshop we'll explore the relationship between the wild, passionate, joy of traditional West African Dance and Ha-Tha Yoga. Through basic dance movements, music, deep yoga stretches, chanting, breath work, and meditation you'll discover the natural rhythms of your own individual body, mind, and spirit. Dance and music in West Africa serve as “sadhana,” or spiritual rituals for communities to come together in celebration of birth, loss, marriage, and protection. The traditional dance doesn't focus on performance or technique, but rather a union with yourself and spirit. Both West African Dance and Ha-Tha Yoga play with the balance of solar and lunar energy, steadiness and lightness, grounding and rising, heating and cooling. As you begin to unite these elements within you, you'll feel joyful, calm, ecstatic and peaceful. This workshop is open to all levels. No dance experience necessary. Featuring LIVE Music from Rhythm Village: www.rhythmvillage.net

Cost: $35 -- or Early Bird Special $30 if pre-paid by July 28th.
Click here to register online with credit card.
No refund or credit if you cancel within 24 hours of workshop.

Debbie Steingesser discovered her true sense of inner ritam (rhythm) and JOY in her yoga practice. She first experienced the bliss of savasana as a teenager during the final moments of a modern dance class in upstate New York. A dancer all her life, Debbie has traveled around the world studying, teaching, and performing West African dance and music. Debbie danced her way into the rich, vibrant Bay Area yoga community through her work with Common Ground Magazine, Gaiam, and yogamates.com. She has delighted in following her yogic path around California at events such as the Green Yoga Conference, Ojai Yoga Crib, and various Yoga Journal Conferences. She thoroughly enjoyed her 200+ hour Holistic Yoga teacher training at Exhale Center for Sacred Movement in Venice, CA with Saul David Raye, James Bailey, and Dr. Jeremy Brook. Debbie is consistently amazed and inspired by the guidance she receives from her teachers, Saul David Raye, Alseny Soumah, Kira Ryder, Djeneba Sako, Erich Schiffmann, Denise Kaufman, Dana Flynn, Jasmine Tarkeshi, Bill Wyland, Gizella Donald, Marietou Camara, Rod Stryker, Joel Kramer, Alassane Kane, Youssouf Koumbassa, Jai Uttal, and Sean Johnson. Read more about Debbie's dance through life on her blog: http://ecstaticdancingyogini.blogspot.com/

Friday, August 14th, 8:00pm
Sita Sings the Blues
(Movie)

Please visit sitasingstheblues.com for more info.

September 19th or 20th
Global Mala Project
(Details TBA)

Visit globalmala.org

September 25th - October 1st
Kalari Instruction
Ancient Indian Martial Art Practice
with Gerhard Schmid

Kalari cannot be spoken about; it must be practiced to understand. Kalari has a systematic approach to training the complete Self: the body, the emotions and the mind. Kalari is an ancient martial art form that is as old as yoga and Ayurveda, and is considered the sister to these ancient practices. It is a system that creates global awareness of a person's place in the world, and the energies that surround us. Kalari trains and heals the physical body, as well as the energy channels of the body, through movement forms, static postures and weapons training.

What happens in a Kalari practice?

Kalari practice begins with movement-based warm-up and conditioning exercises which are all repeated for maximum effect. Then the practitioner moves on the set sequences of flowing movement, called forms. Each form takes on a specific quality of either energy generating (masculine) or energy focusing (feminine). Both types of forms are equally important to the practice of each student, and both are equally challenging. Kalari is, to be sure, a physically demanding practice, but the beauty of Kalari is that persons of any physical condition can participate.

What do I bring & wear to the workshop?

No special clothing or equipment is necessary for the practice of Kalari. Just wear comfortable clothes (like you would wear to any yoga or exercise class). If you like, you can bring a bottle of water and a small hand towel- you will sweat!

Bio

Gerhard found the practice of Kalari (Kalarippayat) purely by coincidence in 1999. From the first session onwards Gerhard was amazed about the effects: After a hard training he felt energized, more present than before, rather than depleted as he had with previous types of training. Since then Gerhard has embarked on a powerful journey, training up to six months every year with his teacher C. M. Sherif Gurukal in Kerala/India, and immersing himself ever deeper into what is said to be the most ancient martial art in the world.

He is a certified senior instructor of the Kerala Kalarippyat Academy in Kannur / Kerala and teaches at his own studio in Hamburg/Germany as well in various places around the world. Gerhard has completed ten years of the traditional 12-year-“gurukkula“”-education and is one of the very few Westerners who have been trained and given permission to teach in the three different styles of Kalarippayat. Gerhard is also studied in the healing side of Kalari, called Chikitsa, which is equally important to the tradition and permission to give these treatments in only given to Kalari's most senior students.

His inspiring classes are deeply rooted in his fundamental knowledge, his descriptive approach, his love to share what he was granted to discover and his great sense of humor. His ability to lead each student according to his/her individual potential makes every class an experience of growth and joy - for beginners and advanced practitioners alike.

Born in southern Germany and raised in Toronto/Canada, Gerhard has lived in Ireland, France and Germany. In an “earlier life” he has been a fashion-photographer and web designer. Teaching and continuously learning Kalari, the true cosmopolitan is now based in Hamburg, frequently travelling to India and abroad.

Saturday, October 17th, 2:30-7:30pm
Sunday, October 18th, 1-4 pm
Storytime Yoga Weekend Training

Sunday, October 18th, 4:30-5:30pm
Family Yoga Class and Storytelling

with Sydney Solis

Since 2000, Sydney Solis has been spreading the joy and wisdom of yoga and story with classes, performances, trainings and workshops internationally. From her children's show on PBS to The National Association for the Education of Young Children to the Estes Park Yoga Journal Conference, Sydney enchants audiences of all ages with Storytime Yoga and Mythic Yoga. Sydney is internationally known as a storyteller to teach the healing power of yoga and story, and for her experiential learning techniques to teach children literacy, health and peace and character education. Storytime Yoga is also used as children's play therapy and for at-risk teens. A widowed mother of two children, she lives in Boulder, Colorado and publishes her books, audio and dvds through the Mythic Yoga Studio. From toddlers to teens, learn to teach children the joy, wisdom and health of yoga the Storytime Yoga way!

Saturday, October 17th, 2:30-7:30pm
Sunday, October 18th, 1-4 pm
Storytime Yoga Weekend Training

AT THIS WORKSHOP YOU WILL LEARN ABOUT:

· The importance of teaching yoga to children
· Ages and stages of children's growth and physiology
· Child and adolescent psychology
· Structuring and planning classes
· Teaching warm ups and breath awareness
· Teaching relaxation and meditation to children and teens
· Teaching family programs
· Teaching classes to children with special needs and ADD/ADHD, anxiety, depression and other ailments. Play therapy for children and teens through yoga and story
· Oral storytelling skills
· Integrating literacy, art, music and other educational content into yoga
· Peace and character education for children and teens
· Teaching healthy lifestyles
· Using props and books
· Games and asanas for children and teens
· Business practices

For more information, please visit StorytimeYoga.com

Cost: $225 -- or Early Bird Special $199 if pre-paid by September 14th. Material fee: $55 for Books and DVD (Books: Teaching Yoga to Children Through Story and The Treasure in Your heart: Stories and Yoga for Peaceful Children, and the DVD: The Peddlers Dream).
Click here to register online with credit card.
No refund or credit if you cancel within 24 hours of workshop.

November 6th & 7th
Chanting
with Girish

Details to be announced. Visit girishmusic.com

Girish is a singer, songwriter, producer, and teacher of tantric yoga philosophy who's life journey has been marked by a series of profound transformations. He has gone from aspiring jazz drummer to renunciant Hindu monk to first call tabla guru for the likes of Krishna Das to solo mantra troubadour, and he's not done yet.

Girish lived in an ashram for five years taking the vows of a monk in the divine mother tradition called Dakshina Marg or Mahashakti Yoga. Another compelling sound force emerged for Girish: the chanting of Sanskrit mantras. As a monk in the ashram he spent hours every day chanting. Girish also studied Sanskrit as a means to understand the deeper meanings of these ancient chants, and helped his teacher translate dozens of hymns.

Girish is currently on tour to support Yoga Vision (Mondolaya, January 2008). His widely acclaimed Shiva Machine (Spirit Voyage, October, 2005) and Reveal (Spirit Voyage, May, 2004) cds and tours introduced his original music to yoga studios, churches, and music festivals all over the world. Girish's next CD will be released September 2009, and his new tour will kick off with BhaktiFest September 2009 in Joshua Tree, CA.

November
Meditation
with Lorin Roche

Details to be announced. Visit lorinroche.com.

Lorin Roche is a renowned meditation teacher based in Los Angeles, CA. He is the author of Meditation Secrets for Women, Meditation 24/7: Practices to Enlighten Every Moment of the Day, Meditation Made Easy, Breath Taking, Whole Body Meditations, and The Radiance Sutras. Lorin's "zesty, life-affirming approach to meditation" combines body awareness, movement, spontaneous gestures, mantras, visualizations, and above all, individuality.

December 4th-6th
Dana Flynn & Jasmine Tarkeshi

Details to be announced. Visit laughinglotus.com.