If
you teach yoga, we would love to meet you! Qualifications for associate membership are:
• Presently teaching or have taught yoga in the past
• Must be sponsored by a member
• Payment of annual dues ($20.00 per year, prorated)
Privileges Include:
• Access to the SYTA web site
• May borrow books and tapes from our library
• First preference to our workshops, featuring master teachers such
as Rodney Yee, Judith Lasater, Angela Farmer and Tias Little
After attending six out of twelve regular meetings and two workshops within
a twelve month period, you may qualify as a Registered Member, where you
will be able to vote, run for office, and purchase business cards with the
SYTA logo.
For more information and an application,
contact our membership chairperson, Julie Striegal yogawithsarita@yahoo.com or
the SYTA phone line at (727) 559-7653. You may also attend a monthly meeting
as a guest. We meet the second Saturday of each month, at 9:30AM, at Lifework
Yoga Studio, 1405A Cleveland Street in Clearwater.
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Ashtanga
Yoga
For those who want a serious workout, Ashtanga may be
the perfect yoga. Developed by K. Pattabhi Jois, Ashtanga is physically demanding.
Participants move through a series of flows, jumping from one posture to another
to build strength, flexibility and stamina. It's not for beginners or anyone who's
been taking a leisurely approach to fitness. The so-called Power Yoga is
based on Ashtanga. Bikram Yoga
Bikram
Choudhury's yoga is hot, hot, hot, so be prepared to sweat, sweat, sweat. In class,
they crank the thermostat up high, then perform a series of 26 asanas, sometimes
twice, that is designed to "scientifically" warm and stretch muscles, ligaments
and tendons in the order in which they should be stretched. The Founder of Bikram
yoga, Bikram Choudhury studied yoga with Bishnu Ghosh, brother of Paramahansa
Yogananda. Bikram yoga classes are very popular at the moment with people who
like to EXERT! Hatha Yoga
The most
widely practiced form of yoga in America. It is the branch of yoga which concentrates
on physical health and mental well-being. Hatha yoga uses bodily postures (asanas),
breathing techniques (pranayama), and meditation (dyana) with the goal of bringing
about a sound, healthy body and a clear, peaceful mind. There are nearly 200 hatha
yoga postures, with hundreds of variations, which work to make the spine supple
and to promote circulation in all the organs, glands, and tissues. Hatha yoga
postures also stretch and align the body, promoting balance and flexibility.
Integral Yoga
Developed
by Swami Satchidananda, the man who taught the crowds at the original Woodstock
to chant "Om," Integral classes put almost as much emphasis on pranayama and meditation
as they do on postures. Integral yoga is used by Dr. Dean Ornish in his groundbreaking
work on reversing heart disease. Iyengar Yoga
Ever
think standing was just a matter of keeping your body on top of your legs? It's
hard to appreciate how involved a simple thing like just standing can be, how
much concentration and how many subtle movements and adjustments it takes, until
you take an Iyengar yoga class. Of course, the point is that you're not just
standing. You're doing Tadasana, Mountain pose, and in yoga in the style
of B.K.S. Iyengar, Tadasana is an active pose. B.K.S. Iyengar is one of
the best-known yoga teachers and the creator of one of the most popular styles
of yoga in the world. His style of yoga is noted for great attention to detail
and the precise alignment of postures, as well as the use of props such as blocks
and belts. No doubt part of Iyengar's success is due to the quality of teachers,
who must complete a rigorous 2-5 year training program for certification. Kripalu
Called the
yoga of consciousness, Kripalu puts great emphasis on proper breath, alignment,
coordinating breath and movement, and "honoring the wisdom of the body" -- you
work according to the limits of your individual flexibility and strength. Alignment
follows awareness. Students learn to focus on the physical and psychological reactions
caused by various postures to develop their awareness of mind, body, emotion and
spirit. There are three stages in Kripalu yoga. Stage One focuses on learning
the postures and exploring your bodies abilities. Stage Two involves holding the
postures for an extended time, developing concentration and inner awareness. Stage
Three is like a meditation in motion in which the movement from one posture to
another arises unconsciously and spontaneously. Kundalini
Kundalini yoga in
the tradition of Yogi Bhajan, who brought the style to the West in 1969. Before
that time it was only taught in a master to student lineage and was known only
by dedicated deciples of the master. It focuses on the controlled release of Kundalini
energy. The practice involves classic poses, breath, coordination of breath and
movement, meditation. Toga classes in kundalini are for those who want to follow
a spiritual path in life and do a yoga that supports the spirit. Sivananda
Sivananda is one of
the world's largest schools of yoga. Developed by Vishnu-devananda and named for
his teacher, Sivananda yoga follows a set structure that includes pranayama, classic
asanas, and relaxation. Vishnu-devananda wrote one of the contemporary yoga classics,
The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga. First published in 1960, the book
is still one of the best introductions to yoga available. TriYoga
TriYoga
is a complete yoga method. The inspiration and guidance for the TriYoga Flows
comes from yogini Kali Ray's direct experience of kriyavati (kundalini manifesting
on the plane of hatha yoga). In the TriYoga Flows, breath and focus are united
with flowing and sustained postures in systematized series. Since the method is
systematic, students can progress from Basics to Level 1 and then to subsequent
levels as they increase their flexibility, strength, endurance and knowledge.
Through sustained awareness on all aspects of the practice, the inner flow naturally
emerges. This trinity practice is by the nature of its origin, deeply meditative
and transformative. Combined
and Original Styles Many
yoga teachers have learned to lead yoga classes based on postures from several
disciplines. Yoga classes in one style may incorporate some postures that vary
from classical styles. If you are a "Purist" be sure to ask your instructor
if they teach true to the Style in question, or have created their own unique
yoga classes. Bikram yoga and hatha yoga are taught as well as all of the other
disciplines in Florida. |
