2008-09-13		HIP OPENING WORKSHOP	$35/$45 at the door
1:00 - 4:00pm		The hips can hold tons of tension. They are the meeting place of the upper and lower body. Tension from sitting for extended periods builds up in the spinal column, moves down to the sacrum and gets distributed into the two hip bones and many muscles. Standing for long periods of time moves stress up the legs and directly into the hip sockets (which are surrounded by the hip rotators). So, the hips are more than accommodating to the various forms of stress and tension in the body. This results in limited range of motion and general stiffness in the area.     In this workshop, we’ll explore the many hip muscles with postures ranging from ‘Figure Four’ and Pigeon to advanced poses such as Frog and Yoga Nidra. This exploration is a gentle process slowly opening the hips so that you can take some of the hate out of the hip opening postures and actually enjoy them! Yes, it is possible.     Hip openers are a love/hate relationship. What better way to explore this relationship with your hips than in a safe and fun environment? All levels are welcome. So, come join us on Saturday afternoon and get to know your hips a little better.     Joy Wolfe is the founder of PRANANDA and a certified yoga instructor with over sixteen years teaching experience. She has also taught anatomy and massage at the Massage School of Santa Monica. Joy has studied with such diverse teachers as Alan Finger, Rod Stryker, Erich Schiffman, and Ana Forrest. She describes her teaching style as eclectic Hatha with a strong emphasis on the breath. Care is taken to accommodate different levels of ability, body types and injuries.
2008-09-15		FULL MOON YOGA
7:35 - 9:00pm		“- governing our secret feeling, intuitions and internal wisdom, these are the matters of the Moon” In Sanskrit, chandra means, “moon” and namaskar (like Namaste`) means “salutation”.   The Moon reflects the power of our inner light, shaping our personality. With nightfall, in its quiet way, the Moon brings illumination to our life.  Join me as we Honor the Moon & its power to soothe and restore the mind, body and spirit. This workshop will introduce: •     Pranayama to quiet the body •    Variations of the Moon Salute •    Restorative Asanas to calm the nervous system •    Lore & Reflection on the Moon Friday  * July 18 *  7:20 - 9:45 $25 (in advance)  *  $35 (at the door) Space is limited, so please call/e-mail to pre-register. Rae Minten:      Rae was initially encouraged to try yoga by a friend who suggested that it would help improve her posture. The experience was love at 1st class for Rae.  After 17 years of practice, yoga has come to hold a central place for her offering guidance and support in her emotional and spiritual life as well as her physical well-being.  Wanting to share the amazing gifts of yoga, Rae completed a 200+ hour teachers training at Prananda Yoga in spring of 2007 and is a registered yoga teacher with the Yoga Alliance.  Rae is currently working on her mat certification with the Pilates Method Alliance. Rae is endlessly fascinated with the power and healing qualities of the breath.  Expect to explore a variety of pranayama (breath work) in her classes.
2008-09-20		FALL EQUINOX
8:00 - 9:25am		The Fall Equinox marks the time of year when we say 'good night' to the Sun King as  the days get shorter.  Join Rae on this Saturday morning to do 54 sun salutations!  It is a very do-able class.  ALL LEVELS ARE WELCOME.  You will not crawl out of the studio, yogis honor.  It's harvest time, come on in and reap the benefits of building up that internal heat to keep you warm through the darker months.
2008-09-21		INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR PEACE
9:30 - 11:00am		"Give Peace a Chance"... To honor this day, we will start and end class with the 'Shanti' chant repeated nine times.  Then we will have a 15 minute meditation followed by an hour of asanas (postures).
2008-09-27		YOGA BACK CARE BASICS	$35/$45 at the door
1:00 - 4:00pm		Back problems are a major health problem in our culture today. They are responsible for the disability and pain of millions of Americans. Based on the book, “Back Care Basics” by Mary Pullig Schatz, M.D., this workshop will address the use of yoga to heal and promote healthy backs. As each person’s spine is unique, this workshop will be tailored for the individual, first reviewing the anatomy of the back, then completing a thorough evaluation of the alignment and flexibility of your body, and finally providing adapted and modified yoga poses for healthy back care. Whether you are looking to address a particular back problem or to learn more about practicing healthy back care through yoga, this workshop is for you! Dorinda Holler: M.A.- UCLA; M.S.- Tufts University; RYT (Registered Yoga Teacher) Dorinda began practicing yoga regularly in 2000, as an adjunct to her modern dancing. Seeking to improve strength and alignment, she discovered that yoga is so much more than just the physical benefits. Yoga has become a way of life. Dorinda has always been involved in the movement arts, from all forms of dance to a MA in Dance/Movement Therapy from UCLA and a MS in Occupational Therapy from Tufts University. As a registered yoga instructor, Dorinda also draws upon her studies in Occupational Therapy and dance to keep her classes grounded in proper alignment and use of breath with movement. Dorinda brings her sense of humor and dynamic energy to teaching, providing an uplifting yoga experience for all.
2008-10-18		CORE/ABDOMINAL WORKSHOP	$25 pre-register/ $35 at the door
1:00 - 4:00pm		The core of your body:  belly, stomach, gut, hara, tummy, pouch, and spare tire.  It goes by many names ranging from endearing to outright demeaning.  Many of us have suffered trauma of some kind to the abdominal area.  Amongst them are caesarian section, appendectomy, digestive problems and even lower back injury and pain fall into this category. Other modalities of movement and exercise focus quite a bit on strengthening the arms, buttocks, legs and tightening the ‘gut’.  Tightening anything creates disconnection.  The core of your body is your power.  Power needs to flow to be functional and beneficial.  The abdominals connect the power of the upper and lower body. The first part to begin the connecting process to the belly is to get to know it.  Breathing exercises (pranayama) and kriyas (cleansing movements) such as Agni sara will be used to wake up the energy and strength in the second and third chakras.  Ana Forrest’s abdominal series will be explored and asanas such as cat pose and cobra will be analyzed to bring awareness and compassion to the abdominal area. All levels are invited to this workshop.  PLEASE do not eat for at least two hours before this workshop.  Come on in, Saturday, Oct. 18th , and wake up that creative second chakra energy and gut strength third chakra energy!      Joy Wolfe is the founder of PRANANDA and a certified yoga instructor with over sixteen years teaching experience.  She has also taught anatomy and massage at the Massage School of Santa Monica.  Joy has studied with such diverse teachers as Alan Finger, Rod Stryker, Erich Schiffman and Ana Forrest.  She describes her teaching style as eclectic Hatha, with a strong emphasis on the breath.  Care is taken to accommodate different levels of ability, body types and injuries.
2008-11-02		THE ILLUSIVE DOWNWARD FACING DOG	$35/$45 at door
1:00 - 3:00pm		What's the first thing a dog does when he/she stands up? Downward-Dog! Have you noticed how EASY the dog makes it look? Ever felt confused with your own practice of Downward-Facing-Dog Pose? This workshop will focus on making you feel as natural in Downward-Dog as the dog itself! Covering in-depth alignment so you can practice a healthy Downward-Facing-Dog pose every time...with fun variations of Downward-Dog and modifications for all levels! Alison Wesley, RYT: Alison was first exposed to Yoga as a child, seeing her mother do lion pose in the living room after getting overwhelmed with housework. Although she did not begin her own practice until much later, there were always aspects of Yoga finding ways into her life. Practicing Yoga in college, Alison enjoyed the physical benefits, but it wasn’t until the loss of a loved one that she discovered how vital Yoga can be in relieving stress and bringing one back to the present moment. Proud to have completed the 200-Hour Teacher Training at Prananda Yoga in North Portland, Alison teaches that Yoga should feel good, be fun and most importantly, it should open up any locked doors hiding inside ourselves.
2008-11-16		QIGONG AND YOGA
1:00 - 4:00pm		Rae Minten (course description en route)
2008-12-07		YOGA THROUGH GRIEF
1:00 - 4:00pm		Losing a loved one is one of the hardest things we can go through as human beings. It affects our emotions, our mental processes and our physical bodies.  Dealing with such stress causes us to tense up: preventing us from breathing correctly, impeding necessary organ functions and hindering our ability to get proper rest. Like the great Buddhist meditation, one must acknowledge a thought before one can clear it away. Instead of pushing away grief, this 3-hour workshop will focus on connecting with the emotion and working through it, using Yoga as a tool. We will combine a series of asanas (postures) with visualizations and journaling, and of course, we will breathe, breathe, breathe! Any person, regardless of level of Yoga expertise is welcome and encouraged to participate. Journals will be provided. Please call the Prananda Yoga Studio at 503-249-3903 to register and email aliwesley@yahoo.com if you have any questions. Alison Wesley, RYT: Alison was first exposed to Yoga as a child, seeing her mother do lion pose in the living room after getting overwhelmed with housework. Although she did not begin her own practice until much later, there were always aspects of Yoga finding ways into her life. Practicing Yoga in college, Alison enjoyed the physical benefits, but it wasn’t until the loss of a loved one that she discovered how vital Yoga can be in relieving stress and bringing one back to the present moment. Proud to have completed the 200-Hour Teacher Training at Prananda Yoga in North Portland, Alison teaches that Yoga should feel good, be fun and most importantly, it should open up any locked doors hiding inside ourselves.