Being Yoga Conference Retreat
Session Descriptions

This unique and challenging intensive explores how making conscious and responsible choices can help purify our body and mind, supporting optimal health. We focus on cleansing the vital organs through a special vinyasa sequence that utilizes three internal components-compression, decompression, and twists-to stimulate the purification process within the body. We practice sun salutations A and B, a detox standing pose sequence, breathing exercises, and meditation. We also explore how making conscious and responsible choices in all aspects of our lives can help purify our body and mind, support good health, and result in numerous additional benefits.
NATABOC Level Advanced

Seane Corn is an inspired communicator, spirited yoga teacher, impassioned public speaker, and global servant. Named the National Yoga Ambassador for YouthAIDS, she also trains leaders of activism through her cofounded organization Off the Mat, Into the World®. Corn has three DVDs: Vinyasa Flow Yoga I, Vinyasa Flow Yoga II, and Yoga From the Heart. seanecorn.com

The principles of Thai massage find their origins deeply rooted in the yogic and Ayurvedic traditions. Practiced for centuries as a sacred healing modality in Buddhist temples, this treatment calms the mind, rebalances the body, increases flexibility, and stimulates the free flow of prana. Enjoying roles as both the giver and the receiver in this intensive, we have the opportunity to move in a sacred dance of assisted asanas, freeing blockages and allowing the body's energies to flow harmoniously and in a way that promotes healing. Kaline Alayna Kelly's playful, passionate, and loving presence creates a space where both those new to bodywork, as well as advanced practitioners, are able to find inspiration and take home valuable tools for their own spiritual practices, as well as to share with others.

Kaline Alayna Kelly is a senior teacher and holds a master certification in Asokananda’s Sunshine Network of Thai Massage and Ayruvedic Bodywork in Thailand and New Zealand. She has lived and taught in Thailand for 11 years and studied extensively with several Thai massage masters.

Meditation is the basic key to a happy life. The nature of our mind is to create fear because it feels this will protect us. However, we have the choice to see above and beyond fear through meditation. If we meditate, our subconscious fears will not leak into our conscious awareness. We then have an opportunity to live a clear and happy life, to view our lives beyond time and space. We end our time together with dancing and relaxing to the sounds of the "sacred gong."

Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa is the cofounder and director of Golden Bridge in Los Angeles and New York City. For almost four decades, students around the world have sought her classes in Kundalini Yoga and meditation as taught by Yogi Bhajan, whom she met 37 years ago. Gurmukh is the author of The Eight Human Talents: The Yogic Way to Restoring the Natural Balance of Serenity Within You and Bountiful, Beautiful, Blissful: Experience the Natural Power of Pregnancy and Birth with Kundalini Yoga and Meditation. goldenbridgeyoga.com

Low back strain is frequently due to pulling in the hamstrings, outer legs, and buttocks. In this intensive, we map patterns of strain in our legs through both dynamic and supported postures, and engage in chikitsa-applying posture techniques as a remedy for the way torque and compression compromise the sacrum and the low back.
NATABOC Level Essential

Tias Little’s teaching is a rich weave of poetry, anatomical detail, precision in the asana forms, and wisdom that stems from the dzogchen, vipassana, and Zen traditions. Steeped in classical yoga while offering a contemporary perspective, he combines the precision of Iyengar Yoga with the grace of Ashtanga vinyasa yoga. tiaslittle.com

When our lives and our practice are led by our own true inner voice, we feel fulfilled and can move toward our dharma-our life purpose. Yet the voices in our mind, which are infused with ego, are usually louder. Aadil Palkhivala guides us in beginning to discriminate between our true inner voice and the voices of our ego to lead us to a fulfilling lifelong yoga practice. Six months of asana practice required. Bring one belt, one sticky mat, and one blanket. NATABOC Level Advanced

Aadil Palkhivala began his studies with B.K.S. Iyengar at the age of 7 and was granted an Advanced Iyengar Teaching Certificate at the age of 22. He is founder of Purna Yoga™ and founder-director of Yoga Centers™ in Bellevue, Washington and The College of Purna Yoga™. Author of Fire of Love, he is also a licensed naturopath, a certified Ayurvedic health practitioner, a certified shiatsu and Swedish massage therapist, and a clinical hypnotherapist. aadil.com

Dive into this inspiring intensive based upon the wisdom teachings of yoga and Shiva Rea's own transformation and global experience in slums, villages, and sacred sites. Together we claim this truth: Our inherent happiness (sukha) is not based on any material circumstance, but on claiming the one thing that we are born with-the radiant light of love and consciousness that transforms all experience. Our celebration includes enlivening prana flow vinyasa yoga practice, joyous meditation, yogic poetic and textual wisdom, community interaction, and courageous gratitude. NATABOC Level Essential

Shiva Rea, MA, teaches vinyasa flow yoga worldwide. Her studies in the Krishnamacharya lineage, tantra, Ayurveda, and art infuse her approach to living yoga. As a global adventurer, she has led more than 60 retreats in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean. She is a contributing editor to Yoga Journal, and lives in Los Angeles, where she teaches at Sacred Movement, Exhale, and UCLA. shivarea.com

Join David Swenson for an in-depth and fun-filled exploration of the dynamic system of Ashtanga Yoga. Step-by-step, we cover the details of the practice, beginning with sun salutations and concluding with savasana. Swenson also guides us in the more subtle aspects of Ashtanga Yoga, including pranayama and the philosophy of the eight limbs in daily life. There is a lot of partner work as well as plenty of laughter woven into the wealth of knowledge and information presented. Great for beginners or those already familiar with Ashtanga Yoga.
NATABOC Level Essential

David Swenson learned the full Ashtanga Yoga system as it was originally taught by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. He is recognized today as one of the world’s foremost practitioners and instructors of Ashtanga Yoga, and is known for his ability to encourage deep learning in an enjoyable environment. davidswenson.com

Learn the foundational skills and knowledge essential to the blossoming vegetarian cook with Omega's executive chef, Robert Turner. Through classroom demonstrations and hands-on vegetarian cooking in a relaxed and fun atmosphere, we conquer our fears of cooking, become more confident in the kitchen, and learn to rely less on recipes. We also explore dietary options and creative ways to prepare whole foods with seasonal ingredients. $20 materials fee; include when you register.

Robert Turner is the general manager and executive chef of Omega FoodWorks. He began working at Omega in 2002 after graduating with high honors from the Culinary Institute of America. His experience includes fine dining, baking, catering, and holistic food service. Turner’s philosophy of food is straightforward: Cook locally, seasonally, and simply. Turner is author of the monthly recipe feature in the eOmega News.

Join Rodney Yee and Colleen Saidman Yee for an expertly guided asana, pranayama, and meditation intensive. We begin with a balanced asana practice that sets us up for true absorption of prana. From there, we practice a number of pranayama techniques that lead us to the door of meditation. As we go more deeply and quietly into the meditative state, we begin to understand the more subtle aspects of our posture and breath.
NATABOC Level Essential

Rodney Yee cofounded Piedmont Yoga Studio in Oakland, California and has created dozens of DVDs through Gaiam. He is author of Yoga: The Poetry of the Body and Moving Toward Balance (both with Nina Zolotow). yeeyoga.com

Colleen Saidman Yee graduated from Jivamukti Yoga’s teacher training program in 1998 and has been teaching ever since. She is co-owner of Yoga Shanti in Sag Harbor, New York. yogashanti.com

Start the weekend in community. Join the conference teachers for an inspirational evening of practices and meditations that will help us all guide our intentions for the weekend’s journey.

A sadhana is a spiritual practice-with the goal of liberation and enlightenment-that often involves deep meditation, prayer, or yoga. Join us for sadhana during the hours known as the amrit vela, or the time of the nectar, when life around us is very still. It is a time of deep healing and inner contemplation.

Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa is the cofounder and director of Golden Bridge in Los Angeles and New York City. For almost four decades, students around the world have sought her classes in Kundalini Yoga and meditation as taught by Yogi Bhajan, whom she met 37 years ago. Gurmukh is the author of The Eight Human Talents: The Yogic Way to Restoring the Natural Balance of Serenity Within You and Bountiful, Beautiful, Blissful: Experience the Natural Power of Pregnancy and Birth with Kundalini Yoga and Meditation. goldenbridgeyoga.com

To live a yogic lifestyle of wellness, we need to be nutritionally balanced through the activation of the five elements: ether (mind), air (lungs), fire (blood), water (bladder), and earth (colon). Using these five elements, Queen Afua teaches us how our human anatomy corresponds with the forces of nature and shows us how nature holds the answers for healing. Based on the ancient Nile Valley teachings from early civilization, this regimen, using natural elements such as exercise, herbs, food, hydrotherapy, and aromatherapy, can transform our body, mind, and spirit from disease to wellness.

Queen Afua is founder and director of Heal Thyself Natural Living Center and the Global Sacred Woman Village. She is author of Heal Thyself for Health and Longevity, Sacred Woman, and The City of Wellness: Restoring Your Health Through the 7 Kitchens of Consciousness. queenafuaonline.com

Yoga promises a revolution of consciousness. It offers a clear, time-tested pathway for transcending all artificial notions of self and the universe we live in. In this class, we explore gems of wisdom found in the Yoga Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita that form the heart of all yoga theory and practice. These essentials of yoga speak with clarity and authority on the inner workings of consciousness, the purpose of life, and suffering and the means to transcend it. They define yoga and are the basis of experiencing the unshakable peace that is your true nature.
NATABOC Level Essential

Rev. Jaganath Carrera is the founder and spiritual head of the Yoga Life Society and author of Inside the Yoga Sutras: A Comprehensive Sourcebook for the Study and Practice of Patanjali’s Sutras. A longtime disciple of Sri Swami Satchidananda, he established the Integral Yoga Ministry and has taught all facets of yoga at universities, prisons, yoga centers, and interfaith programs for more than 35 years. yogalifesociety.com

Your body speaks your truth. All you have to do is listen. In this class, Rachel Fleischman offers transformational tools for experiencing the pleasure, power, and passion of your body. Be ready to listen to the wisdom of your body and receive priceless guidance from it. Guided by inspiring music, you ignite your creative fire, connect with the earth, feel your life force, and restore your body image. Whether you dance every day, or have never danced, you awaken your inner dancer, free yourself from your mind, and begin to create the life you want. Come celebrate life and join this sweet ride into wholeness.

Rachel Fleischman, MSW, LCSW, is a gifted psychotherapist and leading facilitator of movement-based healing. Embodying 17 years of expertise, Fleischman’s teaching synthesizes yoga, modern dance, breathwork, guided imagery, expressive arts therapy, and contact improv dance. Offering workshops that are as playful as they are powerful, she is a longtime faculty member of Omega Institute, and has taught at Naropa University in Colorado and Esalen Institute in California. dancingyourbliss.com

Discover the secret to the yogi's ageless youthful glow. Using a safe, step-by-step process, we set the foundation needed to enter a world of effortless inversions. During our practice, we receive the endless benefits of being upside-down, including healthy circulation, ideal posture, shoulder opening, increased stability, and playfulness. Using the convergence of Anusara Yoga's universal principles of alignment and expansive vision of tantric philosophy, we discover that anyone can play with gravity.
NATABOC Level Advanced

Amy Ippoliti has been a student of yoga since 1986. Her study of hatha yoga, pranayama, yoga therapeutics, and yoga philosophy led her to become a certified Anusara Yoga® teacher in 2000. She has traveled extensively with Anusara founder, John Friend, apprenticing with him on his national tours, and continues to be a leader in the Anusara Yoga community. wildspirityoga.com

For many, life is lived in a constant state of reaction and action and feels like a roller coaster ride. However, at some point in our spiritual journey, we realize there is more to our being and living. Though Kundalini Yoga, chanting, meditation, dance, and the sound of the "sacred gong," we train ourselves not to act and react to all that occurs around us. We learn to watch our lives as a series of events, just as we watch a movie. From this meditative perspective, we are free. We then choose how to proceed and perceive, moving from karma to dharma.
NATABOC Level Essential

Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa is the cofounder and director of Golden Bridge in Los Angeles and New York City. For almost four decades, students around the world have sought her classes in Kundalini Yoga and meditation as taught by Yogi Bhajan, whom she met 37 years ago. Gurmukh is the author of The Eight Human Talents: The Yogic Way to Restoring the Natural Balance of Serenity Within You and Bountiful, Beautiful, Blissful: Experience the Natural Power of Pregnancy and Birth with Kundalini Yoga and Meditation. goldenbridgeyoga.com

Habitual patterns of tension become embedded in the musculature of the legs. With a focus on standing poses, we explore the ways in which the structure and muscular tone of our legs hold our own personal history, and free the karma of our legs by releasing strain in the buttocks, hamstrings, quadriceps, and feet.
NATABOC Level Essential

Tias Little’s teaching is a rich weave of poetry, anatomical detail, precision in the asana forms, and wisdom that stems from the dzogchen, vipassana, and Zen traditions. Steeped in classical yoga while offering a contemporary perspective, he combines the precision of Iyengar Yoga with the grace of Ashtanga vinyasa yoga. tiaslittle.com

Guided by master yogi Sri Dharma Mittra, we practice the Shiva Namaskara Vinyasa series, a gracefully fluid yoga series that increases flexibility and strengthens and tones the muscles, glands, and internal organs by igniting the continuous flow of prana through the spinal roots. We also learn ancient purifying breathing techniques, and yoga nidra, an essential practice to bring deep healing through conscious relaxation.
NATABOC Level Essential

Sri Dharma Mittra is known for his Master Yoga Chart of 908 Postures that has hung in yoga studios worldwide since 1984. He is the author of Asanas, and featured in the Yoga Journal book Yoga. At a time when the popularity of yoga has risen, he remains truthful to its classical and historical teachings. dharmayogacenter.com

This “30 Day Program to Lose 5,000 Pounds” is a fun, accessible, easy-to-use process that shows you how to dramatically reduce your carbon footprint in just one month. Learn to organize your family, business, school, or community to bring effective and lasting change to this critical environmental challenge.

Lovingkindness is a meditation that cultivates our natural capacity for an open and loving heart. It is traditionally offered with other meditation techniques that deepen our own sense of peace, and also enrich our compassion and our experience of joy in the happiness of others. These practices lead to the development of concentration, connection, fearlessness, and genuine happiness. Sharon Salzberg introduces these meditation teachings through direct instruction and guided meditation using classical techniques in a modern idiom. Suitable for both new and experienced meditators, this workshop includes time for questions and answers.

Sharon Salzberg is cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts. One of America’s leading meditation teachers and authors, she has been a student of Buddhism since 1971 and guiding meditation retreats worldwide since 1974. Salzberg’s latest book is The Kindness Handbook. She is also author of The Force of Kindness; Faith: Trusting Your Own Deepest Experience; and Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness. SharonSaltzberg.com

The word "mantra" means to free the mind. There are many mantras in yoga, but in Ashtanga Yoga, the mantra is the sound of our breath: ujjayi. There is no other sound more universal than the breath. It is not tied to language or culture, and it is "chanted" from the first moments after birth. Through interactive discussion and a series of practical exercises, we focus on the mantra of ujjayi within asana practice and pranayama, and explore the invisible world of bandhas (energy locks) as we attempt to free our mind and gain greater understanding of these subtle yet powerful practices.

David Swenson learned the full Ashtanga Yoga system as it was originally taught by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. He is recognized today as one of the world’s foremost practitioners and instructors of Ashtanga Yoga, and is known for his ability to encourage deep learning in an enjoyable environment. davidswenson.com

Each arm balance requires a specific hip opening. Learn to center your thigh bones into their hip sockets through practice of a variety of arm balances. With good sequencing, the arm balances and other hip openers can create balanced hip joints.
NATABOC Level Advanced

Rodney Yee cofounded Piedmont Yoga Studio in Oakland, California and has created dozens of DVDs through Gaiam. He is author of Yoga: The Poetry of the Body and Moving Toward Balance (both with Nina Zolotow). yeeyoga.com

Colleen Saidman Yee graduated from Jivamukti Yoga’s teacher training program in 1998 and has been teaching ever since. She is co-owner of Yoga Shanti in Sag Harbor, New York. yogashanti.com

When we understand how to adjust the base of an asana correctly, the true life of the posture begins to unfold. In this class, we explore the foundational support of yoga asana. Through our contact with the earth—from the ground up—we learn how to adjust our muscles, bones, joints, and breath for optimally aligned postures.
NATABOC Level Essential

Marla Apt, a certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher, has studied with B.K.S. Iyengar in India, Europe, and the United States, and has been teaching yoga for more than 16 years. She teaches yoga full-time at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of Los Angeles and Yoga Works, is on the faculty of the three-year Teacher Training Program of the Iyengar Yoga Association of Southern California, and leads workshops and trainings throughout Southern California and internationally.

The Omega Center for Sustainable Living (OCSL) is on track to be the first certified “Living Building” through the Living Building Challenge, a program of the Cascadia Region Green Building Council that asks us to move beyond the current standards for green building to redefine how we think of sustainability. This workshop explores what it takes to design and build a “Living Building” and how we can move to a state of balance between our natural and built environments.

Skip Backus is executive director of Omega. Formerly a contractor and the operations director at Omega for more than 20 years, he has provided the visionary leadership for the Omega Center for Sustainable Living, which is expected to be the first “Living Building” in the United States.

Jonathan Todd is president and chief operating officer of John Todd Ecological Design. He has aided in the planning, fabrication, and operation of a wide variety of Eco-Machines™ and floating water Aqua-Restorer™ technologies, and has a keen interest in developing sustainable solutions for refugee populations throughout the world. toddecological.com

The human body is capable of diverse and myriad movements. In this class, we learn to isolate each joint and then take the related bones through the ranges of movement available. Ultimate asana concerns itself with releasing mental and physical boundaries, usually self-imposed, so that awareness and conscious relaxation become integral in taking movement to its absolute extreme of pace and strength. This vigorous and rigorous class requires good health and understanding of movement.
Limited enrollment
NATABOC Level Advanced

Glenn Black has spent 40 years studying the body and its action. Known in the yoga community as a master teacher, he has an inspiring, no-nonsense style of teaching that is drawn from intensive study of yoga, movement, and therapeutic bodywork.

Intention and prayer, when used in the right context, are powerful cultivators of action and change. Get inspired as Seane Corn leads us through an uplifting and spiritually-centered vinyasa flow yoga class that speaks to the beauty and mystery of spirit within and beyond. Through asana, we use our body, breath, and unified intentions to contribute to individual healing and universal peace.
NATABOC Level Essential

Seane Corn is an inspired communicator, spirited yoga teacher, impassioned public speaker, and global servant. Named the National Yoga Ambassador for YouthAIDS, she also trains leaders of activism through her cofounded organization Off the Mat, Into the World®. Corn has three DVDs: Vinyasa Flow Yoga I, Vinyasa Flow Yoga II, and Yoga From the Heart. seanecorn.com

Deepen your yoga practice, rebalance your body, and allow the free flow of prana with this hands-on exploration of the ancient healing art of Thai massage. Combining passive yoga stretches, compression, acupressure, and rhythmic rocking, we are guided compassionately and playfully to both give and receive a Thai massage session focused on opening the hips, pelvis, and lower back.

Kaline Alayna Kelly is a senior teacher and holds a master certification in Asokananda’s Sunshine Network of Thai Massage and Ayruvedic Bodywork in Thailand and New Zealand. She has lived and taught in Thailand for 11 years and studied extensively with several Thai massage masters.

We are living in a time in which we can be informed about anything and everything; it seems as if there are no secrets, and therefore it can feel as if there is no sacredness. Yet, we can prepare ourselves to successfully navigate this information age and return to the sacred with a meditative mind and applied consciousness. Led by Gurushabd Singh Khalsa, we practice a sadhana to energize us to be simple and pure, to just "be." We touch our consciousness, intelligence, and endurance, and reach a state in which we can distinguish the feelings of prakriti, of heaven, and of what we are.

Gurushabd Singh Khalsa is codirector of Golden Bridge Yoga Center. He studied and trained with Yogi Bhajan for many years and offers classes that are challenging, musical, and inspiring. Gurushabd and Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa have been married for more than 25 years. goldenbridgeyoga.com

Pain, stress, illness, and the ideals of our culture all tend to separate us from the experience of being at home in our bodies. Yet, when we befriend the body, healing of our body and mind begins. Yoga can help us find a way back to viewing our body as a welcoming and safe place to be, even when pain, stress, or illness are present. Kelly McGonigal teaches us simple yoga therapy practices for coming back home to our body. Together we practice gentle movement, breathing, meditation, and relaxation with an attitude of self-compassion and self-acceptance.
NATABOC Level Essential

Kelly McGonigal, PhD, teaches yoga, meditation, and mind-body psychology at Stanford University. She is editor in chief of the International Journal of Yoga Therapy, a regular contributor to Yoga Journal, and the author of Yoga for Chronic Pain. McGonigal leads yoga teacher trainings that take a unique and integrative approach to yoga philosophy, anatomy, physiology, and psychology. kellymcgonigal.com

Experience a dynamic introduction to the ancient Indian martial art form kalarippayatu, or kalari, which shares its roots with yoga and Ayurveda. Our exploration of the fluid spiral strength of kalari includes integration with prana flow vinyasa forms, so that we may embody the instinctual shakti of yoga.
NATABOC Level Advanced

Shiva Rea, MA, teaches vinyasa flow yoga worldwide. Her studies in the Krishnamacharya lineage, tantra, Ayurveda, and art infuse her approach to living yoga. As a global adventurer, she has led more than 60 retreats in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean. She is a contributing editor to Yoga Journal, and lives in Los Angeles, where she teaches at Sacred Movement, Exhale, and UCLA. shivarea.com

Join Omega's executive chef, Robert Turner, to learn the basics of vegetarian cooking. Through an in-class demonstration of seasonal vegetarian dishes, we explore dietary options and creative ways to integrate whole foods and local ingredients into our meals.

Robert Turner is the general manager and executive chef of Omega FoodWorks. He began working at Omega in 2002 after graduating with high honors from the Culinary Institute of America. His experience includes fine dining, baking, catering, and holistic food service. Turner’s philosophy of food is straightforward: Cook locally, seasonally, and simply. Turner is author of the monthly recipe feature in the eOmega News.

Peace is our natural state and it is freely given. Yet pain is the unavoidable motive for people worldwide as they approach yoga in hopes of restoring balance to their life. In this workshop, Mark Whitwell helps us develop a new, nurturing relationship to our life, and even to our pain, as he guides us to understand that both yoga and our natural state is peace. Through our practice, we begin to feel nurtured and peaceful, even in the midst of difficulties. Whitwell also briefly discusses the Heart of Yoga project, which aims to bring yoga education worldwide, so that everyone may know peace. Asana will be integrated into discussion.
NATABOC Level Essential

Mark Whitwell has enjoyed a lifelong relationship with the teachings of T. Krishnamacharya, “the teacher of the teachers,” through his studies with B.K.S. Iyengar, K. Pattabhi Jois, A.G. Mohan, Srivatsa Ramaswami, Indra Devi, and T.K.V. Desikachar. He is author of Yoga of Heart: The Healing Power of Intimate Connection and The Promise, and is founder of The Heart of Yoga Association, a nonprofit foundation that provides yoga education around the world. heartofyoga.com

The arms and legs are powerful conduits to the spine when our alignment is good. In this class, we learn to use the arms and legs properly in backbends so that they create integration and strength, and discover how our arms and legs can transform into pillars of the spine as we practice a progression of backbends, culminating in upward facing bow (or wheel) pose.
NATABOC Level Essential

Rodney Yee cofounded Piedmont Yoga Studio in Oakland, California and has created dozens of DVDs through Gaiam. He is author of Yoga: The Poetry of the Body and Moving Toward Balance (both with Nina Zolotow). yeeyoga.com

Colleen Saidman Yee graduated from Jivamukti Yoga’s teacher training program in 1998 and has been teaching ever since. She is co-owner of Yoga Shanti in Sag Harbor, New York. yogashanti.com

Philosophy
Intermediate

In the Yoga Sutras, Patañjali presents the three-pronged approach of kriya yoga, the yoga of purification through action: tapas (effort), svadhyaya (study), and isvara pranidhana (transcendence). In this class, we explore how the triad of practices of kriya yoga in asana leads to the development of subtle awareness. Asana will be practiced in this class.
NATABOC Level Advanced

Marla Apt, a certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher, has studied with B.K.S. Iyengar in India, Europe, and the United States, and has been teaching yoga for more than 16 years. She teaches yoga full-time at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of Los Angeles and Yoga Works, is on the faculty of the three-year Teacher Training Program of the Iyengar Yoga Association of Southern California, and leads workshops and trainings throughout Southern California and internationally.

In this yoga asana class, we focus on the specific niyama (personal practice) of svadhyaya, or self-examination, which is to observe, study, reflect, and have conversations that complement the soul's path to divinity, God, and clarity in the yogic tradition. In this class, Seane Corn discusses the essence of this niyama in a fun and rich way that you can apply to your everyday life. Some asana will be practiced.
NATABOC Level Essential

Seane Corn is an inspired communicator, spirited yoga teacher, impassioned public speaker, and global servant. Named the National Yoga Ambassador for YouthAIDS, she also trains leaders of activism through her cofounded organization Off the Mat, Into the World®. Corn has three DVDs: Vinyasa Flow Yoga I, Vinyasa Flow Yoga II, and Yoga From the Heart. seanecorn.com

Deepen your yoga practice, rebalance your body, and allow the free flow of prana with this hands-on exploration of the ancient healing art of Thai massage. Combining passive yoga stretches, compression, acupressure, and rhythmic rocking, we are guided compassionately and playfully to both give and receive a Thai massage session focused on opening the heart and freeing the shoulders and neck.

Kaline Alayna Kelly is a senior teacher and holds a master certification in Asokananda’s Sunshine Network of Thai Massage and Ayruvedic Bodywork in Thailand and New Zealand. She has lived and taught in Thailand for 11 years and studied extensively with several Thai massage masters.

When your life reaches a stage where you find yourself saying "I don't know!" you suffer a misplacement of the vibratory effect of the brain. It has been shown scientifically that the left and the right hemispheres of the brain do not actively interrelate. That is why there are troubles in your life. Your trouble is that you are not yourself. You need to be yourself first! To come out of pain and suffering, you must develop strength and balance through meditation. In this pranayama and meditation class, you bring balance to the brain and become more fully yourself.

Gurushabd Singh Khalsa is codirector of Golden Bridge Yoga Center. He studied and trained with Yogi Bhajan for many years and offers classes that are challenging, musical, and inspiring. Gurushabd and Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa have been married for more than 25 years. goldenbridgeyoga.com

This “30 Day Program to Lose 5,000 Pounds” is a fun, accessible, easy-to-use process that shows you how to dramatically reduce your carbon footprint in just one month. Learn to organize your family, business, school, or community to bring effective and lasting change to this critical environmental challenge.

We are all born with an innate love of rhythm and movement. This movement connects us with the intrinsic flow of our life force and nataraja-the understanding that we live in a "dancing universe" of continual vibration. Beginning with prana yoga, or the experience of prana initiating yoga asanas, we engage in a yoga trance dance that flows into an exploration of free-form, breath-driven movement to liberate our creative life force and cultivate embodied freedom. We dance to the latest spin of meditative and high-energy world music as agents of positive change.
NATABOC Level Essential

Shiva Rea, MA, teaches vinyasa flow yoga worldwide. Her studies in the Krishnamacharya lineage, tantra, Ayurveda, and art infuse her approach to living yoga. As a global adventurer, she has led more than 60 retreats in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean. She is a contributing editor to Yoga Journal, and lives in Los Angeles, where she teaches at Sacred Movement, Exhale, and UCLA. shivarea.com

Join David Swenson, one of the world's foremost practitioners and instructors of Ashtanga Yoga, for a thorough introduction to this style of yoga practice. Using the basic elements of breath, bandhas, and vinyasa, we explore the building blocks of Ashtanga Yoga. Open to all levels of experience, or lack thereof, the class includes a short discussion, an introductory vinyasa flow through an abbreviated sequence from the First Series, and a guided deep relaxation.
NATABOC Level Essential

David Swenson learned the full Ashtanga Yoga system as it was originally taught by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. He is recognized today as one of the world’s foremost practitioners and instructors of Ashtanga Yoga, and is known for his ability to encourage deep learning in an enjoyable environment. davidswenson.com

Join Omega's executive chef, Robert Turner, to learn the basics of vegan cooking through in-class demonstrations of seasonal vegan dishes. Using ingredients that are derived solely from plant sources, we explore dietary options and creative ways to integrate whole foods and local ingredients.

Robert Turner is the general manager and executive chef of Omega FoodWorks. He began working at Omega in 2002 after graduating with high honors from the Culinary Institute of America. His experience includes fine dining, baking, catering, and holistic food service. Turner’s philosophy of food is straightforward: Cook locally, seasonally, and simply. Turner is author of the monthly recipe feature in the eOmega News.

We all know that anatomy is at the foundation of our asana practice. A fundamental understanding and respect for our human architecture determines whether our yoga practice will bring us healing or cause us injury. In an easy-to-apply fashion, Steven Weiss helps us tune up our yoga anatomy knowledge by presenting basic anatomical principles for the alignment, strength, and flexibility necessary in our asana practice.
NATABOC Level Advanced

Steven Weiss, MS, DC, RYT, is a holistic chiropractor, nutritionist, yoga teacher, and member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists. He has studied extensively in Pune, India, and the United States, and teaches anatomy and alignment for yoga teaching trainings. He also instructs ChiroYoga™ seminars, a post-graduate program for chiropractors exploring yoga-based biomechanics and therapeutics. chiroyoga.com

Yoga is relationship and relationship is peace. When asana is correctly practiced daily but not obsessively, it helps intimate relationships of every kind. In this class, Whitwell helps us make use of real yoga in our real life. We learn how to design a yoga practice that is entirely our own and appropriate to our age, health, body type, and cultural background. We learn to participate directly in the nurturing source within us, and enjoy optimal health, intimacy, and sex.
NATABOC Level Advanced

Mark Whitwell has enjoyed a lifelong relationship with the teachings of T. Krishnamacharya, “the teacher of the teachers,” through his studies with B.K.S. Iyengar, K. Pattabhi Jois, A.G. Mohan, Srivatsa Ramaswami, Indra Devi, and T.K.V. Desikachar. He is author of Yoga of Heart: The Healing Power of Intimate Connection and The Promise, and is founder of The Heart of Yoga Association, a nonprofit foundation that provides yoga education around the world. heartofyoga.com

Learn how to draw from your own yoga practice to support people with illness. We learn how to translate asanas into in-bed movements and guide a patient into relaxation and rejuvenation through breath awareness and body-scanning.
NATABOC Level Essential

Rodney Yee cofounded Piedmont Yoga Studio in Oakland, California and has created dozens of DVDs through Gaiam. He is author of Yoga: The Poetry of the Body and Moving Toward Balance (both with Nina Zolotow). yeeyoga.com

Colleen Saidman Yee graduated from Jivamukti Yoga’s teacher training program in 1998 and has been teaching ever since. She is co-owner of Yoga Shanti in Sag Harbor, New York. yogashanti.com

Many people are so malnourished that the first step in healing can come through detoxification and eating light, high-frequency foods that lighten the body’s toxic load. In this class, Queen Afua teaches us how to re-feed the body with easily assimilated pure nutrients using her 7 Kitchens of Consciousness model, a powerful springboard to wellness that promotes health restoration, weight loss, and spiritual empowerment.

Queen Afua is founder and director of Heal Thyself Natural Living Center and the Global Sacred Woman Village. She is author of Heal Thyself for Health and Longevity, Sacred Woman, and The City of Wellness: Restoring Your Health Through the 7 Kitchens of Consciousness. queenafuaonline.com

Reiki is a Japanese word that means “universal life force.” It is one of the most popular forms of energy healing in the world. In this class, Reiki master Brett Bevell performs a group Reiki healing based on techniques from his forthcoming book Reiki for Spiritual Healing, and offers insights on Reiki as a system of healing and spiritual awakening.

Brett Bevell is author of The Reiki Magic Guide to Self-Attunement, as well as the forthcoming Reiki for Spiritual Healing. A poet and performance artist, he is also author of the poetry books, America Needs a Woman President and America Needs a Buddhist President, a poem that initially aired nationwide on NPR’s All Things Considered. americaneedsabuddhistpresident.com

There are several ways to study a human body. One is to study pictures, names, and descriptions of the skeletal, muscular, and other systems. A second method is to attend a class in dissection of a corpse. Another way is to point out landmarks on a living body. However, the yogis determined that there is a far superior method for studying the human body—directly experiencing your own body performing asana. In this class, you are guided to feel both the superficial and profound tissues of your body in action.
Limited enrollment
NATABOC Level Advanced

Glenn Black has spent 40 years studying the body and its action. Known in the yoga community as a master teacher, he has an inspiring, no-nonsense style of teaching that is drawn from intensive study of yoga, movement, and therapeutic bodywork.

Yama and niyama, the first two of the eight limbs of yoga, are moral and ethical guidelines that form the bedrock of progress in yoga. Often misunderstood as simply a list of do's and don'ts, these universal principles offer us invaluable glimpses into what life looks like through the eyes of the enlightened. By practicing these principles, we can wisely navigate any situation in life and awaken to the unshakable peace that is our true nature. As we learn how to incorporate the principles of yama and niyama into our practice, we are able to integrate all areas of our life and all our capacities into a powerful, harmonious whole, and discover that all the lofty goals of yoga are realities within our reach.
NATABOC Level Essential

Rev. Jaganath Carrera is the founder and spiritual head of the Yoga Life Society and author of Inside the Yoga Sutras: A Comprehensive Sourcebook for the Study and Practice of Patanjali’s Sutras. A longtime disciple of Sri Swami Satchidananda, he established the Integral Yoga Ministry and has taught all facets of yoga at universities, prisons, yoga centers, and interfaith programs for more than 35 years. yogalifesociety.com

Your body speaks your truth. All you have to do is listen. In this class, Rachel Fleischman offers transformational tools for experiencing the pleasure, power, and passion of your body. Be ready to listen to the wisdom of your body and receive priceless guidance from it. Guided by inspiring music, you ignite your creative fire, connect with the earth, feel your life force, and restore your body image. Whether you dance every day, or have never danced, you awaken your inner dancer, free yourself from your mind, and begin to create the life you want. Come celebrate life and join this sweet ride into wholeness.

Rachel Fleischman, MSW, LCSW, is a gifted psychotherapist and leading facilitator of movement-based healing. Embodying 17 years of expertise, Fleischman’s teaching synthesizes yoga, modern dance, breathwork, guided imagery, expressive arts therapy, and contact improv dance. Offering workshops that are as playful as they are powerful, she is a longtime faculty member of Omega Institute, and has taught at Naropa University in Colorado and Esalen Institute in California. dancingyourbliss.com

This is classic Jivamukti Yoga®-educational, explorational, mystical, optimistic, original, empowering, nonjudgmental, vigorous, sequential, and inspired with a heavy dose of spirit, a sense of adventure, wildness, and great music! We explore radical yogic methods, focusing primarily on asana practice, which enable us to become spiritually activated on the mat to become politically active off the mat. Bring a blanket.
NATABOC Level Essential

Sharon Gannon and David Life have been teaching yoga around the world for more than 20 years. They are recognized as “innovators in yoga” by Yoga Journal and are sought after by thousands of yoga students. Gannon and Life are authors of Jivamukti Yoga and The Art of Yoga, and articles in Yoga Journal and other publications, as well as videos and music. They have been featured on The Today Show and in Time magazine, the New York Times, Vanity Fair, and many other publications. jivamuktiyoga.com

In this fun, interactive lecture, we uncover a secret that all great yogis know: To reach the heights of yogic awareness and evolution, one must first intimately understand the yamas and niyamas. Through a tantric lens, we experience these ancient ethical precepts and relate them directly to our life. We walk away feeling empowered to offer more beauty and love to the world.
NATABOC Level Essential

Amy Ippoliti has been a student of yoga since 1986. Her study of hatha yoga, pranayama, yoga therapeutics, and yoga philosophy led her to become a certified Anusara Yoga® teacher in 2000. She has traveled extensively with Anusara founder, John Friend, apprenticing with him on his national tours, and continues to be a leader in the Anusara Yoga community. wildspirityoga.com

Meditation has been practiced in the world for thousands of years. Through our developed meditative mind, we can choose how we perceive the world. We can live in a state of joy, so all that happens is an expansion of our soul's touch with infinity. Or, we can see all that happens to us as a curse that leads us to hell. It's really up to us. Through the techniques of Kundalini Yoga, we explore and develop our full potential to decide which path along the road we will travel.
NATABOC Level Essential

Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa is the cofounder and director of Golden Bridge in Los Angeles and New York City. For almost four decades, students around the world have sought her classes in Kundalini Yoga and meditation as taught by Yogi Bhajan, whom she met 37 years ago. Gurmukh is the author of The Eight Human Talents: The Yogic Way to Restoring the Natural Balance of Serenity Within You and Bountiful, Beautiful, Blissful: Experience the Natural Power of Pregnancy and Birth with Kundalini Yoga and Meditation. goldenbridgeyoga.com

In this class, we practice a unique and vigorous progressive posture sequence from the Shiva Namaskara Vinyasa series that reintegrates the continuous flow of prana through the spinal column and emanates deeply into all areas of the physical, metabolic, and intuitive bodies. Through additional discourses on the yamas and niyamas, and karma and reincarnation, as well as mantra chanting and sound techniques to remove toxic impurities, we evoke sattvic thoughts leading to higher states of health and consciousness.
NATABOC Level Advanced

Sri Dharma Mittra is known for his Master Yoga Chart of 908 Postures that has hung in yoga studios worldwide since 1984. He is the author of Asanas, and featured in the Yoga Journal book Yoga. At a time when the popularity of yoga has risen, he remains truthful to its classical and historical teachings. dharmayogacenter.com

Opening our hips enhances our sitting position, which in turn helps to stabilize our foundation for twists. In this class, Aadil Palkhivala guides us in his six-step hip-opening series with seated twists to bring the vital force from our pelvis up toward our heart. As we mobilize and strengthen our hips and twists, we stabilize our pelvis and enhance our emotional equanimity. Bring one belt, one sticky mat, and one foam or wood block.
NATABOC Level Advanced

Aadil Palkhivala began his studies with B.K.S. Iyengar at the age of 7 and was granted an Advanced Iyengar Teaching Certificate at the age of 22. He is founder of Purna Yoga™ and founder-director of Yoga Centers™ in Bellevue, Washington and The College of Purna Yoga™. Author of Fire of Love, he is also a licensed naturopath, a certified Ayurvedic health practitioner, a certified shiatsu and Swedish massage therapist, and a clinical hypnotherapist. aadil.com

Join in this jubilant kirtan of inspiring chanting, storytelling, and English language songs led by Wah! New York Spirit magazine says, “Wah! injects something a little trippier to create a mellow groove that’s luscious and highly addictive.” As we chant, dance, and sing to Wah!’s unique mix of reggae, Hindu chanting, and pop rhythms, we encounter an experience of spiritual world music we won’t soon forget.

Wah! began practicing yoga and meditation at age 17. She is a musician and spiritual seeker who tours worldwide 10 months of the year, offering music and stories of inspiration. She has 12 solo albums, including her latest release, Love Holding Love, which churns out the smooth vocals and retro production for which she is famous. wahmusic.com

A sadhana is a spiritual practice-with the goal of liberation and enlightenment-that often involves deep meditation, prayer, or yoga. Join us for sadhana during the hours known as the amrit vela, or the time of the nectar, when life around us is very still. It is a time of deep healing and inner contemplation.

Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa is the cofounder and director of Golden Bridge in Los Angeles and New York City. For almost four decades, students around the world have sought her classes in Kundalini Yoga and meditation as taught by Yogi Bhajan, whom she met 37 years ago. Gurmukh is the author of The Eight Human Talents: The Yogic Way to Restoring the Natural Balance of Serenity Within You and Bountiful, Beautiful, Blissful: Experience the Natural Power of Pregnancy and Birth with Kundalini Yoga and Meditation. goldenbridgeyoga.com

Yin Yoga is a quiet practice in which we patiently hold postures for up to five minutes. We find a sense of stillness and expand our awareness of our body while subtly working with the connective tissue in our lower back, sacrum, and hips. This relaxing but challenging practice is a great complement to most of the yoga Westerners practice, which emphasizes muscular-based movement.
NATABOC Level Essential

Jennifer Brown is an editor, gardener, and yoga teacher with a passion for growing food and sharing it with friends. She is the editorial manager 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.

In this class, Seane Corn motivates us to become powerfully and joyfully active in our local and global communities. First, we practice a vinyasa flow yoga sequence to uncover our passion and motivation. Then, we explore practical ways to bring our unique purpose into the world with the support of our community. We leave inspired and engaged-ready to take our practice off the mat and into the world!
NATABOC Level Essential

Seane Corn is an inspired communicator, spirited yoga teacher, impassioned public speaker, and global servant. Named the National Yoga Ambassador for YouthAIDS, she also trains leaders of activism through her cofounded organization Off the Mat, Into the World®. Corn has three DVDs: Vinyasa Flow Yoga I, Vinyasa Flow Yoga II, and Yoga From the Heart. seanecorn.com

Tai chi is a system of beautiful, flowing movements used by millions of people around the world as a graceful, meditative exercise. Qigong is an ancient mind-body system for cultivating natural energy. This class offers traditional solo and partner practices emphasizing the fundamental principles and standing poses of tai chi and qigong, giving you a solid foundation upon which to continue your enjoyment of these practices back home.
NATABOC Level Essential

Michael Craft has been a practitioner of Yang Style Tai Chi and Buddhist-Taoist qigong and meditation since 1978. An integral part of Omega’s curriculum development, he has also taught popular workshops at Omega for many years.

Times are changing rapidly. Our mental well-being will depend on how we can adapt to the changes around us, as well as within us. More than ever before, it is important to let the past go, dumping the clutter from our subconscious so that our sacred consciousness can develop. In this class, we bring forth the deepest kriyas in Kundalini Yoga and meditation to develop our sensory perceptions for the changes coming in the Age of Aquarius. Then we dance and relax to the sound of the "sacred gong" to set the changes deeply within.
NATABOC Level Essential

Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa is the cofounder and director of Golden Bridge in Los Angeles and New York City. For almost four decades, students around the world have sought her classes in Kundalini Yoga and meditation as taught by Yogi Bhajan, whom she met 37 years ago. Gurmukh is the author of The Eight Human Talents: The Yogic Way to Restoring the Natural Balance of Serenity Within You and Bountiful, Beautiful, Blissful: Experience the Natural Power of Pregnancy and Birth with Kundalini Yoga and Meditation. goldenbridgeyoga.com

The practice of no fear, called "abhaya," is central to the foundation of a yoga practice. With mind training and physical practice, we build the confidence and openness necessary to cultivate courage, fortitude, and fearlessness in a world of ongoing change.
NATABOC Level Essential

Tias Little’s teaching is a rich weave of poetry, anatomical detail, precision in the asana forms, and wisdom that stems from the dzogchen, vipassana, and Zen traditions. Steeped in classical yoga while offering a contemporary perspective, he combines the precision of Iyengar Yoga with the grace of Ashtanga vinyasa yoga. tiaslittle.com

You know how to do warrior pose but are you living life as a yogic warrior? Through asana, mudra, mantra, and meditation, Kelly McGonigal guides us in an exploration of the qualities of the bodhisattva-the ultimate yogic warrior, whose strength comes from an open heart and a centered mind-and teaches us how to create a yoga practice that breaks the heart wide open and puts us on the path of our highest purpose and fearless service.
NATABOC Level Essential

Kelly McGonigal, PhD, teaches yoga, meditation, and mind-body psychology at Stanford University. She is editor in chief of the International Journal of Yoga Therapy, a regular contributor to Yoga Journal, and the author of Yoga for Chronic Pain. McGonigal leads yoga teacher trainings that take a unique and integrative approach to yoga philosophy, anatomy, physiology, and psychology. kellymcgonigal.com

Alignment and flow in backbends cultivates the most cherished of asanas' effects-a realignment of the sushumna, vajra, and chitrini nadis (energy channels). Prepare to do deep backbends and powerfully work the spine toward these central channels, which lead us to our soul. Bring one belt, one sticky mat, and one foam or wood block.
NATABOC Level Advanced

Aadil Palkhivala began his studies with B.K.S. Iyengar at the age of 7 and was granted an Advanced Iyengar Teaching Certificate at the age of 22. He is founder of Purna Yoga™ and founder-director of Yoga Centers™ in Bellevue, Washington and The College of Purna Yoga™. Author of Fire of Love, he is also a licensed naturopath, a certified Ayurvedic health practitioner, a certified shiatsu and Swedish massage therapist, and a clinical hypnotherapist. aadil.com

Dive into this inspiring class based upon the wisdom teachings of yoga and Shiva Rea's own transformation and global experience in slums, villages, and sacred sites. Together we claim this truth: Our inherent happiness (sukha) is not based on any material circumstance, but on claiming the one thing that we are born with-the radiant light of love and consciousness that transforms all experience. Our celebration includes enlivening prana flow vinyasa yoga practice, joyous meditation, yogic poetic and textual wisdom, community interaction, and courageous gratitude.
NATABOC Level Essential

Shiva Rea, MA, teaches vinyasa flow yoga worldwide. Her studies in the Krishnamacharya lineage, tantra, Ayurveda, and art infuse her approach to living yoga. As a global adventurer, she has led more than 60 retreats in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean. She is a contributing editor to Yoga Journal, and lives in Los Angeles, where she teaches at Sacred Movement, Exhale, and UCLA. shivarea.com

Equanimity is a spacious stillness of mind that allows us to be with things as they simply are. It does not imply indifference, however. Rather, when equanimity is present, it is the fertile ground out of which sustained transformation can occur. It is also the foundation for the boundless arising of other qualities of the mind and heart, such as lovingkindness and compassion. Suitable for both new and experienced meditators, this workshop led by Sharon Salzberg includes guided meditations, talks, and time for questions and answers about cultivating equanimity.

Sharon Salzberg is cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts. One of America’s leading meditation teachers and authors, she has been a student of Buddhism since 1971 and guiding meditation retreats worldwide since 1974. Salzberg’s latest book is The Kindness Handbook. She is also author of The Force of Kindness; Faith: Trusting Your Own Deepest Experience; and Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness. SharonSaltzberg.com

Come learn how to put new twists on your current vegetarian cooking. Guided by Omega's executive chef, Robert Turner, we build on our current repertoire and develop the flavor profile of our vegetarian dishes.

Robert Turner is the general manager and executive chef of Omega FoodWorks. He began working at Omega in 2002 after graduating with high honors from the Culinary Institute of America. His experience includes fine dining, baking, catering, and holistic food service. Turner’s philosophy of food is straightforward: Cook locally, seasonally, and simply. Turner is author of the monthly recipe feature in the eOmega News.

Cultivate a deep sense of inner peace as we explore practices that cultivate joy and kindness. Both Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa and Sharon Salzberg inspire us from their respective traditions of Kundalini Yoga and Buddhism to open us to our true calling and help us return home with graciousness and openness.

Sharon Salzberg is cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts. One of America’s leading meditation teachers and authors, she has been a student of Buddhism since 1971 and guiding meditation retreats worldwide since 1974. Salzberg’s latest book is The Kindness Handbook. She is also author of The Force of Kindness; Faith: Trusting Your Own Deepest Experience; and Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness. SharonSalzberg.com

Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa is the cofounder and director of Golden Bridge in Los Angeles and New York City. For almost four decades, students around the world have sought her classes in Kundalini Yoga and meditation as taught by Yogi Bhajan, whom she met 37 years ago. Gurmukh is the author of The Eight Human Talents: The Yogic Way to Restoring the Natural Balance of Serenity Within You and Bountiful, Beautiful, Blissful: Experience the Natural Power of Pregnancy and Birth with Kundalini Yoga and Meditation. goldenbridgeyoga.com