Saturday December 31st -
Vinyasa with Malka at 10:30am
Anusara with Hannah at 12:00 pm
Sunday January 1st
*SPECIAL CLASS* Guided Ashtanga Full Primary Series at 3pm
$10 drop-in (*members bring a friend for free*)
* A traditional holiday feast for manifesting abundance, love, health and prosperity will be served. <3
YOUR LIFELONG YOGA PRACTICE BEGINS HERE!
This month long fundamental immersion program is specifically tailored to develop a well rounded ongoing practice under the guidance of an experienced and teacher. Our commitment is to support your progress every step of the way from Intro to Ashtanga and Basics, to Ashtanga Primary Series and Vinyasa.
Our specialized class schedule structure, including the personal relationship with the teacher at every level of practice, ensures you will always be learning, growing in a consistent direction and moving deeper into your understanding of yoga and yourself at a pace that best suits your individualized needs.
Our beginner classes are inspired by the Ashtanga and Iyengar traditions, guiding the student through the breath system of Ashtanga as well as the precision of alignment found in Iyengar. We aim to inspire and support each and every practitioner while offering comprehensive and easy to understand introductions supporting an informed and evolving practice.
It is recommended to begin with Intro to Ashtanga but not mandatory.
Included in this month long Introductory special is unlimited access to Basics and Intro to Ashtanga classes only.
Its interesting to notice how many seemingly major happenings result from such seemingly minor actions. I recognize this phenomenon through many different lenses, for example; a tennis match being won or lost based on the rotation of the wrist and how that affected the way the ball was delivered across the net, or the outcome of a basketball game determined by a foot shuffle or a poor follow through.
Ive been thinking about this idea of how sometimes the smaller things are bigger than the bigger things and ultimately refining and paying attention to those often “drive-by”details are the key to long standing change and achievement of loftier and broader goals. To draw from the yoga practice- its easy to get caught up and overwhelmed by the thought of accessing an entire shape or pose. Besides the notion being general, paralysis by analysis can hinder the minds ability to motivate and try. But if you focus your breath on a specific area or action for some time and then move to another at a later date eventually playing back and forth between them – all of a sudden one day you realize that you have achieved the “bigger thing”, and in fact it was the smaller things that were the bigger things all along.
<3
Alana
In today’s world, with technology evolving at a rapid rate and keyboards and interface replacing mouths and ears as the vehicle for transmitting and receiving information, it becomes challenging to determine at what point we have crossed the line from involved to invasive.
Through yoga we are instructed to practice brahmacharya, narrowly defined as celibacy, broadly understood as the controlling of the senses – meaning the practice of containing one’s emotional, physical and spiritual energy. You may relate to this feeling as the need to decompress and spend time alone after a long week or an emotionally charged experience. This is our inuitive selves inviting us to recharge and restore by tapping into and finding comfort in the energy within. If allowed the space and time to reflect, a quiet strength will emerge and provide a sense of clarity, confidence and purpose.
Unfortunately, these opportunities of solitute are harder to come by in modern times where access to people and information are available at the push of a button. The information superhighway and handheld computers have blurred the line between personal and public space and it seems more and more there is confusion as to where the boundary lays, creating a false sense of control, unrealistic expectations. and entitlement not only in regards to accessing individuals but also information and intellectual property. Everything is so easy to attain and become an authority on these days, enslaving the mind to the senses potentially limiting the ethical and moral compass of the human being due to the absence of discretion related to instant gratification. The mind gets used to wanting something or someone and getting it with the flick of a finger regardless of the trespass- be it energetic or physical.
Relating to brahmacharya, this trend creates an extremely challenging environment in which to conserve and appropriately share our energy and maintain a sense of boundaries. Its important to understand and respect the energetic, intellectual as well as physical property of things and people so as to not deplete our own reserves and the reserves of those around us. Be patient with the process and allow time for awareness, integration and assimilation.
<3
Alana
Ive been practicing yoga in NYC for 13 years. My first class was at Crunch gym on Lafayette street just a few blocks away from my NYU dorm room. Over the years I have experimented with many different styles and studios but as I look back I always gravitated towards the classes that offered the simple but straightforward sequencing of what I came to learn was Ashtanga Yoga.
I had a moment yesterday as I was heading to Balthazar with a friend to enjoy some post-practice ginger citrus tea when I began reflecting on why I love this style so much. I often get asked this question by the students who practice Ashtanga with me at the studio. They are curious as to what makes this type of yoga different than others.
I suppose there is no right answer and the reasons vary with each practitioner. Simply stated, Ashtanga Yoga is a set series of poses in which to practice a breathing system which cleanses and purifies the body and mind. Like any long term monogomous love, its important to keep the spark alive, and for me my love affair stays fresh with each day that I come back to the mat. Inherently, the practice encourages me to hold my own space, take responsibility for my own choices and reactions, and learn about myself through myself at my own pace. The beauty of having a structure that remains the same is in the freedom to experience it differently everytime.
In the beginning, there may be attachment to the posture or the physical benefits and satisfaction of engaging in such an intense form of activity but the repetition naturally softens the the mind around what the body is doing. There is no choice as some days are weaker than others. Some days the practice reveals something painful and a part of me wants to avoid and escape the feeling. These days can be challenging and brings up emotions my regular day to day activities don’t allow me access to. I am the most grateful for these times…. If the structure were to change day to day, I would miss these opportunities to refine, realign and remain present for the subtle physical, mental and emotional shifts and transformations a disciplined consistent practice offers.
I love Ashtanga why?
For all these reasons…
and for giving me a voice in which to share yoga with you
<3,
Alana
To book your consultation, email at least 24 hours in advance: alana@sanghayoganyc.com or call (718) 384-2097
Alana Kessler MS, RD, CDN, CYT and certified Ayurvedic consultant provides individuals with the practical tools they need to live more balanced and meaningful lives. She couples her clinical experience treating multiple disease states with her extensive and intuitive understanding of the human body and mind, providing her clients with a uniquely progressive, integrated, and proactive approach to health.
This workshop is dedicated to singers and people who want to improve their
voice through Yoga.
Students will work with Asanas (postures) aimed at improving posture, breath control, and cultivating an awareness as to what the vocal apparatus requires to function naturally and without obstacles. Attention will be given individually as every person is different and presents different patterns.
A major emphasis will be given to breath and to practicing Asanas that free the throat and breathing channels. Pranayama, the regulation of the breath,will be introduced as a way to relax, open and warm up the voice. We will conclude with a routine of asana and pranayama the performer can employ as a means to prepare the body and mind before performing.
“The singer must have some knowledge of his or her anatomical structure, particularly the structure of the throat, mouth and face, with its resonant cavities, which are so necessary for the right production of the voice. Besides that, the lungs and diaphragm and the whole breathing apparatus must be understood, because the foundation of singing is breathing and breath control.” Luisa Tetrazzini, Soprano.
About the Instructor: Aude started practicing Iyengar Yoga in Rishikesh, India, in 2001. Since then she has continued to deepen her practice in France with S.F Biria, and in the US with Kevin Gardiner, Genny Kapuler, Carrie Owerko and Joan White – eventually choosing to complete a 3 year training where she obtained her Iyengar Yoga teacher certification. Audeʼs interest for Iyengar Yoga was instantaneous. Her mind was able to focus and her physical awareness increased, helping her tremendously with her opera singing. She later graduated from Manhattan School of Music where she studied voice. Aude practices both Yoga and singing and enjoys exploring the link between them when teaching Yoga as they are both vibrational arts, echoing one another. Aude’s classes refelct a focused, calm yet energetic environment. Aude is grateful to share Yoga, a vehicle that keeps her going more gracefully through life, an endless path of wonderful discoveries. “Yoga releases the creative potential in life.” BKS Iyengar.
As a teacher, the hardest classes to teach are the foundational ones… the classes that encourage investigation of seemingly simple postures, shapes and breath. At Sangha, we believe a safe, lifelong practice begins with a constant commitment to learn and consistently refine the fundamentals.
Our basics classes are inspired by the Ashtanga and Iyengar traditions and will offer comprehensive and easy to understand introductions to both systems individually, with the intention to support an informed and evolving practice.
Both Alana and Aude are disciplined practioners and devoted teachers in their respective lineages for years. Aude Cardona, is a certified Iyengar Yoga instructor and Alana Kessler is dedicated to a daily Ashtanga Yoga practice at Ashtanga Yoga New York with Eddie Stern.
Our basics classes introduce and guide the student through the breath system of Ashtanga as well as the precision of alignment found in Iyengar to inspire and support each and every practitioner.
The Chocolate of Awakening.
Buddha Chocolate is an artisan un-heated Raw chocolate made from the finest quality Peruvian cacao beans and sweetened with raw, humane honey from Vermont. Honey delivers the body essential enzymes for healing & restoring the body, and essential taste for rejuvenating the soul!
Buddha Chocolate was founded in Brooklyn NY by yoga teachers Laura O’Hara & Cayce Pia who share a long-time passion for creating delicious, savory raw treats. And their passions go far beyond the taste buds. They have experienced first-hand the amazing benefits of healthy, balanced living and are committed to sharing this bliss with the world.
Classic, Crystal Salt and Super Food for sale at Sangha!
We’ve sampled… it is amazing! <3 Sangha
more info here: www.buddhachocolate.com
Yoga never demands the sacrifice of our reason. It only bids us: use it a thousand times more. Yoga does not require us to give up our active lives. It says simply: act, but know how to act. Yoga does not by any means wish us to push our understanding aside. It only tells us: discriminate correctly and act fearlessly. Yoga does not expect us to flee from the world and to retire into the Himalayas. It assures us: the refuge you seek, you will never find in the outside world. It is within you. Leave the stormy world of the senses behind you, raise your consciousness to the central point of your being and realize that here alone is the force, here alone is the peace and here alone the refuge you are seeking. Yoga teaches us: do not condemn the world. Deify the world with your deeds, purify the world with your utterances and ennoble the world by your presence. -Selvarajan Yesudian
What’s your meaning?