Hello Friends of Yoga!!

Like a true friend, it’s there when you need it, ready to meet you where you are.  The summer session is on. View the current schedule. Remember you can use your classes anywhere on the regular schedule at your level of experience.

Here in the north we are looking forward to being warmer. That’s a positive way of saying, “Where is summer?”  (As in “I’m looking forward to being rested”, instead of “I’m tired”) At the North Woods Studio, when the sun shines at all the room is bathed in golden light, reflected off the beautiful wood floors. With a view of the bay from the front room, and a view of the setting sun out the back, we never lack for opportunities to reflect on natures stunning displays.

Notice a few new offerings on the schedule:

Mens Yoga:  Why a special class for men?  No great reason except I had many requests (usually from yoga students who wanted a class for their husbands) for a class that was strictly beginner and tailored to the needs of men who haven’t made a practice of stretching and are feeling it. We are finishing a session in Harbor the second week of June and the feedback was good. This one hour class has a 6 week session, June 18 to July 23rd, 6 weeks/$60 and is held Thursdays 4:15-5:15.  Please pre-register at 231-526-9093 or 5041. If a class is missed, it can be made up at the beginner level anywhere on the schedule until the end of the summer term.

Surya Namskar with Copland Rudolph Friday mornings through July 8:30 am (Farmers Market day!)

This class is really a group practice intended for current North Woods Students who would like to do an energizing aerobic form of yoga.  The asanas are linked in a series called Salute to the Sun, and are studded with all the standing poses.  There is a pause between ‘rounds’ and it is done at a stable breathable rate, and it’s fun!  If you are not healing an injury or illness, or on your period or pregnant, and are familiar with the standing poses, jump on in. Copland will show you how to tailor it to your ability if it seems too much.You can use a punch on your class card since this is the regular schedule, but it ends at the end of July.

Master Classes:  July 25th, August 15th

Saturday, July 25th

Morning 9-11:30 am:  Working the Back Body, Backbends in the Context of Larger Practice. 

This exhilarating group of poses is sometimes called the fountain of youth of yoga.  Find ways of practicing that bring you joy and you won’t leave these out. Building them into a balanced practice and discovering supported backbends will also be covered.

Afternoon 2:30-5 pm Restoratives and Pranayama.
Anice counterpoint to the morning we will focus on cooling and soothing asanas as a preparation for pranayama. A year of classes in Iyengar yoga is a pre-requisite, but it is not an advanced workshop.
Price for the workshop: $25 per class or $40 for the day.

Saturday, August 15th

Morning: 9-11:30 Balancing  A class dedicated to the art of bearing the weight on different parts of the body: head, shoulders, hands, forearms etc.  A playful and surprisingly mental aspect of yoga.  Pre-requisite: One year of Iyengar instruction.

Afternoon: 2:30-5 pm  Yoga for Recovering Energy, Restoratives
Round about this time in the summer the long days can take their toll.  Find ways to bring your nervous system and mind to a deeply peaceful state. No pre-requisite.
Price for the workshop: $25 per class or $40 for the day.

Summer Workshop in Frankfort, June 26-28, 2009

Northern Michigan is looking pretty lush and beautiful right now, and personally I have much more of a heart connection to Lake Michigan than any ocean.  That sparkle off the changeable blue-green spectrum….words fail.  I will be teaching a weekend workshop in Frankfort , a really great town on Lake Michigan’s west coast.  Come join us, there are many options for lodging and you can poke around Frankfort in between classes or just enjoy Lake Michigan.  See the details on the website at www.northwoodsyoga.com  or call host Audrie Brown at 231-651-0983  For lodging try:
Wayfarer Lodging, which is run by a nice sounding German woman.  It is in Elberta, just a couple miles around the bay from Frankfort.  It's online with interior views of each little cottage.  Chimney Corners, which is on Crystal Lake about 6 miles from Frankfort, has rooms in their Lodge with shared bathrooms and breakfast included.  This is a sweet craftsman style family resort from the 1930's, I believe, and can also be found online.  Both places run between $75 and $90/night for two beds in a room. Or to be right downtown try the Betsie Bay Inn at www.betsiebayinn.com.

Spring Retreat 2009

Since my last newsletter a group of North Woods Yoga students made the trip to Hara Mara yoga retreat in Sayulita, Mexico.  Built on a hillside overlooking the ocean,  all the lodgings had a view and were made out of local materials with rustic elegance. The food was healthy and delicious. The spaces for yoga had gorgeous views, and polished wood platforms under huge intricately woven thatched roofs.  It was spectacular, and really enhanced a yogic experience.