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| - This is a long overdue rating. Yoga Shala is a wonderful studio that offers a very unique yoga experience. I've been going to the Shala for almost a year and my practice has developed so much in that time- both spiritually and physically. When I say spiritually, I don't mean that I'm now a snake charmer- I just mean that my ability to concentrate and move with breath and quiet my mind have improved by leaps and bounds.
In addition to kids yoga, Yoga Shala offers three distinct and very unique (to Charlotte) styles of yoga.
First and primarily- Tantra/Parayoga- I love tantra like a fat kid loves cake. This practice healed my back in a matter of months from having almost constant back pain with a lot of movement limitation to being having very little to no back pain. There was nothing else I did in this period of time- just tantra yoga. I found myself quickly progressing through modifications to protect my back to full expressions of a pose quickly as the practice built the muscle and flexibility I was lacking. It took patience and following instruction- but I was shocked at how quickly I saw results.
There are three different tantra classes offered:
* Sun Series: is designed for the early riser to wake up your body and uplift your spirit before beginning your work day.
* Fire Series: focuses on lengthening the spine, developing core strength and building your inversion practice.
* Moon Series/ Hips, Twists and Forward Folds: Your detox for the day! A great way to open, rinse and relax after a long day.
All classes are in a reasonably heated room- about 80-85 degrees. Tantra focuses on building internal fire- and you will in all of these practices.
Each class opens with a chant of OM after a short warm up- which is reasonable expectation in most classes in the area. Sometimes the instructor will open the class with a chant to "invoke Ganesha", if this is something that you are not familiar with- it is not nearly as scary (or demonic) as it seems! It's simply invoking the focus of removing obstacles in your life during your practice. :-) There's no worship or dogma involved.
In my opinion, Tantra differs from other yoga styles in that the isn't focus moving through each pose- its moving IN each pose. For instance, picture holding a deep lunge in side angle pose while moving your top arm dynamically from pointing the same direction as the crown of the head to around your back to form a deep twist (sometimes ending in a bind) for about 8 breaths. It requires stillness with movement and focus.
We practice inversions, arm balances and fun poses like peacock or flying pigeon. The poses change often, keeping your interest and challenging you to new levels in your practice. Through the practice the instructor explains what the intent is of each pose or breathing technique. If you're interested in Ayurveda- this is the practice for you.
The practice ends with a very satisfying Savasana and closes with a short meditation. Even if you think you can't meditate- give it a try! Like everything in yoga- it's a practice of inches or in this case, breath.
2. Ashtanga- Since I took my first Ashtanga class, I've always said that I wish I'd taken Ashtanga or tantra (Mysore style) first. Mysore Ashtanga is like taking a private class with an instructor. It is self led through the Primary Series (then secondary series) of poses. You're given a cheat sheet of the poses and you go at your own pace. The instructor helps you to perfect your form, shows modifications where necessary and guides you through the experience. My first time I took it- after a good year of power yoga, I think that I was adjusted in almost every pose. It was humbling but ultimately led me to understand what a difference the proper form can make. Nadine and Shanna are the instructors I've had through this practice and both are excellent. This isn't a "power flow" class- but if you think you have to take a hot power flow class to get your arse kicked- I dare you to try ashtanga. My well-seasoned-power-yoga-sometimes-multiple-times-a-day couldn't walk for a week after my first Ashtanga class.
3. Jivamukti- I have only taken this class a couple of times and enjoyed it both times. If you like inversions- this is a fun and different class. The sun salutations are different in Jivamukti than the standard sun a & b, music is a part of the class and the instructor Tai (who I believe is the only Jivamukti certified instructor in the area) is also a dancer and brings a special grace, presence and flow into her classes. Jivamukti is a fun (fun does not translate to easy!) class that you will leave feeling refreshed, recharged and enlightened. On a side note- I said inversions ( I think that hand stand is one of the first 5 poses- that may be an exaggeration but it comes early in the sequence) but that does not mean that you need to be able to do a hand stand. Just be willing to listen to Tai's instructions and give it a try! Have fun with it.
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