Hot
The room is heated to approximately 40ºC
Fusing heat and principles of alignment with the remembrance of intention and self awareness. We hope to inspire the student to give of their best in order to discover what they already know, becoming more of who they already are.
The heat facilitates safer, deeper stretching, a detoxifying sweat and a healthy glow.
This is a well rounded series that incorporates breathing exercises and static postures to balance strength and flexibility, physically and mentally. You will see and feel immediate results and build a solid foundation to navigate from in all aspects of your life.
Systematically you will work the entire body, concentrating on restoring the health of every organ, bone, joint, muscle, ligament, tendon, blood vessel, nerve and gland.
Regular practice promises prevention of dis-ease and countless benefits to those suffering from sport related injury, stress, back/knee pain, scoliosis, insomnia, skin disorders and poor digestion.
This class is ideal for beginners and suitable for all levels of student over the age of 12 years. Not recommended for pregnant women or for children who have not yet developed their sweat glands.

Sweat is an ancient form of self healing, it burns karma, purifying body and soul.
Sweat is holy water, prayer beads, pearls of liquid that release our past, anointing all your parts in a baptism by fire.
~ Gabrielle Roth

Why is the room kept at 40ºC ?

•  Tapas is the internal fire that we create as practitioners to burn out impurities from our body. While we embrace tapas on a literal level through the use of heat for detoxification, tapas also has a secondary philosophical meaning of “accepting intensity for the sake of purification.” In this way, tapas is not simply about temperature, but about the practitioner’s capacity to sit in the fire of spiritual, mental, and emotional transformation as to a vehicle to truly be able to sit with themselves.
  

• Svadyaya / Self-Study is the process we undertake to lead an examined spiritual life by honestly and compassionately confronting our deepest truths. In order to truly make peace in the world we have to make peace with ourselves first. We use the mirrors as one of the tools to bring practitioners into direct connection with themselves. The mirror is not for self-improvement, it is for self-acceptance. 
  

• Isvara Pranidhanani is an invitation to surrender with devotion to your Higher Power.
  

• Enhances vasodilatation so that more blood is delivered to the muscles. This means that the capillaries that weave around the muscles respond to the heat by dilation. This brings more oxygen to the muscles and helps in the removal of waste products such as carbon dioxide and lactic acid.
  
• Allows oxygen in the blood to detach from the hemoglobin more easily. When blood passes through warm muscles, oxygen releases more easily from the hemoglobin. Blood passing through cold muscles releases less oxygen.
  
• Speeds up the breakdown of glucose and fatty acids.

• Improves coordination.
  
• Reduces heart irregularities associated with sudden exercise
  
• Burns fat more easily. Warmed muscles burn fat more easily than cold ones. Fat is released during stress. The stress of intense exercise causes a deluge of fatty acids into the blood stream. If you exercise with cold muscles, they cannot use the fatty acids, and they end up in places they are not wanted, such as in the lining of your arteries.
  

• Sweating is one of the three methods for removing waste from the body (the others are from elimination (pooping and peeing) and breathing.
  
• Increased blood flow to means more efficient flow of oxygen and nutrients to the body.
  
• Warm muscles are more elastic and are less susceptible to injury. Warmer temperatures produce a more fluid stretch, allowing for a greater range of motion. Cold muscles don’t absorb shock and impact as well and do not stretch as easily so cold muscles get injured more readily.
  
• Tourniquet effect, a squeeze and release process where blood flow is restricted temporarily. This restriction of circulation causes the heart to pump more blood in reaction to the shortage and new oxygenated blood is able to rejuvenate the arteries, organs and joints that were being compressed clearing stagnation, breaking down scar tissue and flushing joints with synovial fluid. Many of the postures massage the lymphatic system and aid in lymphatic drainage, assisting to eliminate infection, bacteria, and toxins.
  
• Higher temperatures improve the function of the nervous system, meaning that messages are carried more rapidly to and from the brain or SPINAL CORD.
  
  

Power
The room is heated to approximately 32ºC.
This is a perfect class for all levels who enjoy doing yoga in a moderately heated room and are interested in expanding their yoga repertoire of both flow and static postures. Class will include basic sun salutations, standing & balancing postures, yoga-core specific postures, introduction to arm balances, hip and spinal awakening postures.
The sequence will be challenging, yet accessible for all levels.

Flow
Integrating breath and movement, awareness and alignment, strength and flexibility.
A vigorous all levels class flowing through a series of energizing, dynamic and fun postures that liberate the flow of prana (life force) in your body. Everything that flows in your body (breath, blood, cerebral spinal fluid, lymph, emotions etc.) is a form of prana (life force). Emphasis on breath as the key, and relaxation in action the way, to be in the flow.
Vinyasa Flow is the dance of opposites ha (sun or yang) / tha (moon or yin), brahmana (expansion) / longhana (contraction), sthira (stability) / sukha (freedom).
Asanas (postures) are the rafts/vehicles, alignment is the map, pranayama (breath) the wind, consciousness your guide for smooth sailing.

Yin Restorative 
Long-held, passive stretching to enhance flexibility in the connective tissue that forms our joints. We use props to support the your body in this deep release.
Focusing primarily on the less flexible areas of the body such as lower back, hips, shoulders and sacrum.
A highly restorative class to compliment the other yang styles of yoga we offer and your active lifestyle.
Well suited for Pre & Post Natal students, all ages, levels of fitness and flexibility.

Yin | Yang Vinyasa
The perfect balance of strength and flexibility to instill a sense of energy and peace. This class begins with a Yang practice (a Vinyasa Flow) to invigorate and strengthen the body and finishes with slow, deep long stretching (Yin postures).
All levels welcome.

Prenatal
Take some time to nurture yourself, move and breathe, relax and prepare your mind and body for your sacred rite of passage into motherhood while connecting with your blossoming babe. All levels welcome.
The sessions will consist of:
Yoga/Movement, breathing, relaxation and simple guided meditation techniques.

Core
Core conditioning is a dynamic workout that increases your core strength, coordination and stability. Through a non-impact, repetitive movement, this class targets muscle groups that stabilize the trunk and major joints, balancing upper and lower body strength. Using your own body weight and blocks as resistance, it stretches and strengthens the entire body.
All levels welcome, but not recommended for women who are pregnant.

Carbon credits are purchased here, www.thecarbonfarmer.ca to reduce my carbon footprint for all of the commuting I do.