Intro to Pranayama (B1E)

B.K.S. Iyengar says that pranayama is to yoga what the heart is to the human body. Guided by Iyengar Yoga teacher Carrie Owerko, we practice some asana as well as beginning breath awareness practices to help us realize that the state of our breath is a reflection of the condition of our mind and heart. As we learn to observe our breath through pranayama, we begin the process of cultivating a more serene inner atmosphere.

Carrie Owerko is a core faculty member of the Iyengar Yoga Institute of New York and holds an Intermediate Senior One teaching credential. An assessor for the Iyengar National Association, she also travels to India regularly to study with the Iyengar family. carrieowerko.com

Setting Foot on the Yoga Path (B2A)

The Early Years of Practice

Developing a regular, progressive practice as you set out on the path of yoga helps you to enjoy the benefits of greater awareness that result from refined attention. Beryl Bender Birch leads a good sweaty practice for beginners and a short discussion on the choreography, philosophical foundation, and spiritual intention of the active asana practices like ashtanga, power, vinyasa, flow, boomer, and hot yoga, and why those new to yoga need to enter these practices slowly and safely.

Beryl Bender Birch, an avid student of yoga and the study of consciousness since 1971, is the best-selling author of Power Yoga, Beyond Power Yoga, and Boomer Yoga. She has been training yoga teachers as "spiritual revolutionaries" for nearly 30 years, and is the director-founder of The Hard & The Soft Yoga Institute and founder of the Give Back Yoga Foundation. power-yoga.com

Successful & Satisfying Meditation (B3A)

Come and learn five simple steps to successful and satisfying meditation! Sandra Anderson helps us cultivate the natural inclination of the body and mind to meditate, freeing us to enjoy the deeply healing and rewarding process of inner growth that unveils our intrinsic happiness. We explore our sitting posture, learn breathing and relaxation techniques to train the body and breath, and develop inner focus. We also enjoy a guided practice, discuss mantra meditation, learn how to set up a home practice, and make a plan for progress.

Sandra Anderson is a resident and senior teacher at the Himalayan Institute in Pennsylvania. She teaches yoga and meditation, and has a special interest in working with prana and the subtle body. Anderson writes for Yoga International magazine, and is coauthor of Yoga: Mastering the Basics. adventuresinyoga.wordpress.com

What Makes Yoga, Yoga? (B4H)

Pandit Rajmani Tigunait presents yoga as originally envisioned in its homeland of India, Tibet, and the Himalayan Kingdoms, with a focus on theories and practices relevant to our modern times. Ultimately, we come to the single, conclusive point that yoga is yoga only when it connects us with the infinite healing power within, removing not only the pains and discomforts in our body, but also the deep anguish caused by fear, anger, and grief. Tigunait also demonstrates how we can begin a fruitful practice and maximize the benefits of any style of yoga.

Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD, is the spiritual head of the Himalayan Institute. As a young man, he lived and studied with renowned adepts before meeting his spiritual master, Sri Swami Rama of the Himalayas. Tigunait is a regular contributor to Yoga International (formerly Yoga + Joyful Living magazine) and author of 14 books, including his autobiography Touched by Fire: The Ongoing Journey of a Spiritual Seeker, and the best-selling At the Eleventh Hour: The Biography of Swami Rama. himalayaninstitute.org

Yin Yoga & Meditation (C5B)

Yin Yoga is a quiet, inward focused practice that affects the flow of energy through the body. Most postures are held for up to five minutes, which puts gentle pressure on the ligaments and joints, gently moving and stretching them. While we remain still in each posture, we cultivate a receptive awareness that allows us time to practice one of the most basic skills of meditation: paying attention. As we learn to direct our attention, we gain an additional tool for managing the movement of energy. This relaxing but challenging practice is a great complement to more active styles of yoga.

Jenn Brown is an editor, gardener, and yoga teacher with a passion for growing food and sharing it with friends. She is the managing editor at Omega, where she also teaches Yin Yoga to the staff. Her classes combine the focused attention of awareness practice with the embodied experience of yoga.