ashtanga yoga/ open vinyasa flow
dive into the flow! these classes are based on the dynamic ashtanga vinyasa yoga system's primary and second series. each class is a meditation in motion linking breath with movement. some yoga experience is recommended but beginners in good physical condition are welcome to join and do what they can do.

75 minute classes: sun salutations, standing postures and seated poses from primary or second series followed by the finishing sequence and relaxation. occasionally the instructor will break down challenging postures to help deepen your understanding of the pose or element of the practice such as breath and bandhas.

90 minute classes: full practice! led primary series, second series or an ashtanga improvisation that includes elements of both.

more about ashtanga vinyasa yoga

ashtanga vinyasa yoga is a meditative experience that challenges the body and mind. based on several set sequences of poses discovered by krishnamacharya in the early 20th century each posture is dynamically linked to your in-breath and out-breath in a smooth flowing sequence. the emphasis of the practice is on concentration of three elements (tristana)- with the rhythmic breathing and internal energy locks, and steady gaze (drishti) heat is created to burn toxins and purify the body while also enhancing concentration, stamina and strength. as you begin, there is less emphasis on how the postures look on the outside, it is the steadiness of the breath and mind that form the practice. incorporating the idea of "ahimsa" or “nonviolence”, we do not force the body to “get” the pose, rather the benefit comes from regulating the breath and approaching poses mindfully, with modifications and slowly with intelligence, moving beyond the bodies blockages (granthis).

FYI: there may be hands-on adjustments/assists by the instructor so let us know ahead of time if you have any injuries or do not want any assists. traditionally the practice is not performed during full moon and new moon. women are advised not to do a vigorous practice during the heaviest day of their menstrual cycle.

open vinyasa flow
vinyasa yoga is a linking of the breath with movement in a flowing sequence of postures. "vinyasa" is a sanskrit word which some texts translate to mean "to place with awareness". this class combines poses from the ashtanga vinyasa sequences and power vinyasa yoga as well as other traditions linked with breath. a great class for students in good health with some yoga experience - beginners may try this class if they are in good health with no physical limitations. prepare to sweat and challenge your body. each class will vary in sequence and challenge. the flow may be interrupted to give the opportunity to work on a particular posture.

 

ashtanga/vinyasa basics 12 week series
the basics are taught in a 12 week consecutive course. walk-ins as well as advanced students are welcome anytime.

“less is more” is our philosophy in the beginning of the ashtanga practice. this dynamic practice challenges you on many levels. learn the basics of the breath, the sun salutations, a standing sequence and a closing sequence which provide you with a foundation to begin a personal practice or join a group class. you build on this foundation as you increase your stamina, concentration, and learn to regulate your breath. slowly we will learn the full primary series, a 90 minute practice.

ashtanga fundamentals
in this hour long class you will explore some of the basic postures of the ashtanga vinyasa yoga practice while tina adds a refreshing bit of humor to keep it light! Take your time and learn to breath your way into and out of poses.

this style of yoga revolves around a set sequence of postures that you can learn and practice on your own or with a teacher. we will move slowly, allowing you to learn the basic elements of the sun salutations, the standing sequence and the closing sequence of postures while connecting each movement to an inbreath or an outbreath.

this class is appropriate for those with yoga experience or novices who are already physically fit.

just plain yoga - intense vinyasa flow
50 minutes of a continuous, unbroken stream of yoga postures to challenge your body and mind as well as increase flexibility and strength. this class includes the opportunity to try various advanced postures such as handstands, headstand variations and various arm balances from the ashtanga vinyasa third series. followed by 10 minutes of rest. this class will build flexibility, strength and internal body heat simultaneously. yoga experience recommended. physically fit beginners may attend with the understanding that there will not be detailed posture instruction. you will have to follow along as best you can. advanced yogis will be guided to pay attention to the breath to increase internal heat and improve mental focus.

boomer yoga
this class offers a dynamic sequence of yoga postures designed to keep you balanced and strong. this is an opportunity to experience an energetic yet doable approach to asana practice that will both rejuvenate and detoxify your system.  those who are new to yoga as well as lifelong practitioners will find this method a wonderful tool for staying healthy and fit.  you will also discover ways to practice off the mat to keep your heart joyful and your mind steady in daily life.  although this series was developed for the “baby boomer” generation, it can be enjoyed by practitioners of all ages.
lori learned this practice through intensive study with yoga pioneer beryl bender birch, author of power yoga, beyond power yoga, and the newly released boomer yoga.

classical yoga
this yoga class will help you find stillness through movement. we will warm up first (expect to sweat) and then move through standing, seated, and lying yoga postures. we will learn breathing techniques and meditation practices to reduce stress and clear the mind. expect to gain more energy, increased flexibility, and better concentration. there are many options for all levels within the class.

corporate workshops and classes
the instructors design corporate classes and seminars to suit the needs of the business and its employees.

hatha yoga (various levels & approaches)
a great starting point for your yoga experience. hatha yoga actually includes all the physical styles of yoga; it is a branch of the yoga tree, not a style. we offer this as a class to introduce new students to various breathing exercises and postures that begin to open the body and generate energy, focus and balance within the body's systems.

just plain yoga- easy hatha - this is a great class for beginners or people who just want to take an hour to slow down and calm down! there will be easy to follow instructions through a gentle flow yoga poses that vary slightly from week to week (joint opening warm-ups, basic standing poses, gentle balance poses, seated forward bends and twists). practice includes a guided relaxation to calm the body and mind. It has been reported that this practice causes you to sleep well!!!

hatha 1 & 1-2 - these classes offer an eclectic blend of yoga postures including standing poses, balance postures, seated poses, twists and some inversions as well as light pranayama (breathing exercises) and a relaxation period. with different instructors our hatha classes offer you an opportunity to experience various approaches and styles within the same form. classes will challenge you physically while directing your focus to mindfulness, breath, and fully experiencing each asana. proper form and alignment are touched upon, as they are essential to getting the most benefit from your practice. as you practice, your strength and stamina will improve, confidence will increase, and you will learn to challenge yourself to your own level of ability. beginners are supported to move at their own pace. no pressure, just enjoy the learning process!

"be present" hatha 1 & 1- 2 : “yesterday is dead. tomorrow isn’t born. we can only live in the present.” – Yogi Amrit Desai. come nurture your body and soul! through a Kripalu-inspired class that melds body and breath awareness and slow posture flows, you will be encouraged to experience the sensations, emotions and thoughts that result. breathe. relax. feel. watch. allow. appropriate for all levels of practitioners, you will learn the classic postures of yoga and see steady gains in strength, balance and flexibility. you don’t have to be perfect; you just need to be present!

hatha flow 1-2 -this hatha class is similar to the others: you will stretch into classic yoga postures, sweat a little bit and breathe deeply. you will experience all of that and a flow. classes are designed to balance the body and emotions through energizing and calming sequences. you do not need to over-strive, just breathe and be present to the pulse of inner joy. beginners are supported and welcome.

hatha - beginner and intermediate - this 75 minute class offers a series of postures that accomodate beginners yet challenges those who have done yoga before.  the class is built around yoga postures and flows but also contains pranayama exercises, guided relaxation, and meditation.  with continuous practice, hatha yoga develops one’s strength, flexibility, and balance.  though you might find yourself sweating a little bit, the main focus of the class is following the breath as we do the postures.  hatha yoga can help reduce back and other body pains, relax your nervous system, and calm your mind. Come experience living in the present.

introduction to yoga
get some clarity on the practice of yoga! where does it come from? how has it evolved? is yoga a form of exercise or is it a transformative practice? is it both? does it matter? which class should you take? why does every teacher teach it differently? why might you want to do yoga in the first place? if you have been practicing yoga for a time learn how what you have already been doing fits into the world of yoga and get a brief, easy experience of the differences between styles. if you are new to yoga get some perspective on the practice and find a class and teacher that will work for you before you begin.

this once a month class will combine teaching, discussion and simple physical practice to illustrate the power of yoga, the variety of practices, and why you will connect, or not, with different styles and teachers. it will help you find the yoga practice that is right for you or will help explain why you already love the practice you are currently doing.

individual instruction / private sessions
individual instruction is the way yoga was originally taught. For the beginner or someone with specific injuries or health concerns it is very beneficial to have the one on one attention and guidance. after practicing for awhile it is beneficial to do and occasional private to refine your practice; it gives you an opportunity to ask questions and learn how to deepen into poses that have been troublesome or challenging. you may choose to do one or a series of individual classes. For more details please call or email. 717-975-9642 or info@justplainyoga.com.

iyengar yoga
iyengar yoga is based on the teachings of living yoga master B.K.S. iyengar, author of the classic yoga treatise Light on Yoga.  his daughter, geeta, and son, prashant, are also accomplished teachers and authors of yoga texts.  the iyengar family’s teachings are deeply grounded in the yoga sutras of patanjali, an ancient summation of the path of yoga considered to be at least 2400 years old.  B.K.S. iyengar’s intense practice and over 65 years of teaching have produced significant innovations in the teaching of this art, among the most noteworthy are:
a complete approach to physical, mental, emotional and spiritual transformation, bringing the practitioner to physical health and vitality, mental clarity and wisdom, and emotional serenity and poise.
emphasis on standing poses to develop strength, stamina, concentration and body alignment.
a safe, orderly, systematic progression of poses to develop the student’s ability both within a class and from class to class.
use of props, such as blankets, blocks and straps, to facilitate learning and adjust poses to an individual’s needs.
highly developed teaching methodology including the precise use of language, demonstration and teaching of specific point of action in a pose, individual correction and adjustment of students.
ways to use yoga to ease various ailments and stress.
complete integration of the yoga philosophy with the practice asana.

just plain meditation

what is meditation? why might we want to do it?  is meditation about stress reduction and relaxation or is there something more? is it about stopping the mind or is it about using the mind in mindful awareness? is it about being present in the somewhat mysterious now or is it about getting to a future now that is more to our liking?  is it about letting go of our minds or taking control of them? is it a mental discipline or a spiritual practice? is it about sitting on a cushion or dancing with abandon? which meditative technique should we use? which meditative tradition, if any, should we follow? the subject often seems overwhelming or impossible to approach.

while the act of meditation itself is simple, understanding how to do it properly is often not so simple. it is possible, however, to experience and understand meditation in a way that strips out the complexity, cultural and religious artifacts, and gets to the single common thread that is contained in all forms of meditation.

how do we do that? some of us just want to experience meditation for ourselves with the guidance of someone who understands the practice. others want to comprehend meditation in a new and simple way so we can have an understanding of what we are doing and why we are doing it as we begin the process of meditating for ourselves.

these are the two approaches we take in the class offerings at just plain yoga. just plain meditation - the experience of meditation is for those who want to spend 75 minutes a week for six weeks actually doing various kinds of meditation in an environment that is open, non-dogmatic and clear.  

just plain meditation - understanding meditation is for those who would like to spend the same amount of time using a very simple meditative technique as the basis for learning about meditative practice in a way that makes sense of all meditation.

the experience and understanding classes are almost always offered in sequence for those who are interested enough to join us for twelve consecutive weeks.

just plain meditation - the weekend workshop is a combination of both. meditation and learning about the practice in a two day experience.

just plain meditation - comprehensive is a twelve week session for commited students who are willing to practice a minimum of twenty minutes every day for the duration of the course. the experience of meditation happens during daily practice. class time is used for exploration of the experiences you will have while meditating and for laying the framework of understanding that makes meditative practice clear.

a final note: while great respect and honor are held for all meditative traditions and paths, these classes are taught free of jargon and in plain language. all meditators using any practice are welcome to join us. 

 

just plain meditation -- the experience of meditation
a 6 week training

FOR BOTH COMPLETE BEGINNERS AND EXPERIENCED MEDITATORS

during a six week period we will use short individual and guided meditations to give you a powerful meditative experience and prepare you to practice on your own.

you will experience many of the benefits of meditation – including relaxation and increased focus -- in the very first class. you can think of these six weeks as an experiential exploration of meditative forms and styles. you can also know that slowly and gently, over the duration of the class, it will become clear to you that while each meditation is seemingly different, each meditation is actually doing the same thing using the same core elements of your mind.

experiencing many different meditations for yourself in a safe atmosphere with an experienced teacher will allow you to see how your own perfectly unique and individual mind responds to each meditation. hearing the experience of others during class discussion will allow you to see just how unique all of us really are! open discussion between meditations will provide the opportunity for questions and assistance but the emphasis in this class is on simply doing meditation and allowing you to have your own experience. we all bring different skills and abilities to the practice and you will find, by the end of six weeks, which meditative form takes you where you want to go. 

just plain meditation is taught in plain language without unnecessary cultural or religious content. great respect, however, is held for all of the meditative traditions. completing the course will enable you to understand what it is possible to achieve through meditation and how to get there yourself.

just plain meditation -- understanding meditation
a 6 week training

FOR BOTH COMPLETE BEGINNERS AND EXPERIENCED MEDITATORS 

during a 6 week period we will learn about meditation by working with a very simple meditative technique and then use that experience as the basis for learning a new way to think about what meditation is and how it works. understanding the structure of meditative practice, how your mind works while it is meditating, how seemingly different meditations all come from the same place, and what you might actually experience when you are practicing greatly speeds your success. most importantly, it keeps you meditating when you encounter things that might otherwise be unexpected.

the concepts taught in this class are original and very often challenging to people who think they already understand meditation. students new to meditation almost always follow the ideas immediately. if you learn best by having an overview and understanding of a subject you will find this class invaluable. if you have been meditating for a time and would like to better understand your practice or learn how to actually get the results that meditation promises, you will find your answers here.

just plain meditation is taught in plain language and without unnecessary cultural or religious content. great respect, however, is held for all of the meditative traditions. completing the course will enable you to have an understanding of what it is possible to achieve through meditation and how to get there yourself.

 

just plain meditation -- workshop 
a two day training

HAVE A DEEP MEDITATIVE EXPERIENCE AND LEARN ABOUT MEDITATION IN ONE WEEKEND

for both complete beginners and experienced meditators: the synergy of all of you feeds each of you 

why a meditation workshop? because part of the power of working with meditation continuously over two consecutive days is that you are able to have a deep, and sometimes memorable, experience of meditation very quickly. the layers of your daily reality slowly peel away as we go into meditation for short periods with each meditation building on the last. in between  we rest our minds as we learn about meditation. completing the workshop will allow you to access to parts of yourself that are usually unavailable during a once a week training.

in this workshop you will experience meditation. you will learn how to meditate. you will learn about meditation.  you will learn what kind of meditation works best for you. the workshop is taught in plain english and without unnecessary cultural or religious content. great respect, however, is held for all of the meditative traditions. completing the course will enable you to have an understanding of what it is possible to achieve through meditation and how to get there yourself.

just plain meditation -- comprehensive
a 12 week training

AN IN-DEPTH EXPERIENTIAL EXPLORATION OF MEDITATIVE PRACTICE

the act of meditating is so very simple. yet over the past 4000 years there have been millions of pages written in attempts to explain its effects and point us towards the “correct” way to meditate.  each separate meditative system disagrees with the other. is it possible to sort it all out?  to find the core truths in all meditative practices and separate out the things that work from those that don't? yes it is.
each week for 12 weeks we will explore a particular aspect of meditation in class as we build on the experiences of the week before. by the end of the series you will have a comprehensive overview, and the experience to make it real, of what is possible in meditation, how it actually works, and what things you will, or may already have, encountered along the way.
this class is for those of you who are willing or able to silently sit in meditation for 20 minutes and are willing to commit to a daily meditation practice for the duration of the session. the experiences you have during the week at home will be critical in generating understanding. beginners are welcome and they will not be lost – these concepts are straightforward and are organized in a way that anyone can understand -- but they must be prepared for a fairly rigorous practice.

kundalini yoga
the yoga of experience. kundalini yoga as taught by the master yogi bhajan is a dynamic blend of posture, movement, breath, sound, meditation and relaxation. explore your dimensions, depth, nature, and potential as a human being. we will use the wisdom of the breath and the power of mantra to shape consciousness. through meditation you can calm the mind and become aware of what is real and important to you. this practice promotes greater physical and mental health by

• balancing  and stimulating the glandular system
• strengthening  the nervous system
• using powerful, effective techniques to focus and energize
• using meditation to release worry and anxiety, and be in the moment
• improving lung capacity
• increasing strength, flexibility and endurance

fusion
fusion is a mind/body class that has been developed
to reduce inches, tighten, tone, lengthen, and strengthen
your physique.this class targets all the major muscle
groups in a unique combination of yoga and core
conditioning.it is an energetic, fast-paced practice
created to tone your entire body yet leave you with a
calm mind.this workout creates a sculpted physique,
with long, lean, muscles as well as improving flexibility. it
will also improve bone density and give you a lifetime of
improved health and conditioning. 

yoga for the core
this is a power yoga class for all levels designed to energize and build core, arm and leg strength, while increasing flexibility and overall fitness. the aerobic flow of the class will work to increase lung capacity and build internal and external heat maximizing strength, concentration and flexibility, helping to lengthen and re-balance tight muscles to prevent injury. this class will provide a personalized, safe, and challenging yoga program infused with plyometrics and strength training that will allow anyone to progress at their own pace.