The Yoga Shala - Orlando's Ashtanga Yoga School turns 2 this month!

Two Years and Lots of Memories

Two years ago Krista Shirley opened The Yoga Shala in Winter Park. For many it has become a place where one can spend time on themselves and get away from the chaos of everyday life.

Over the past 2 years it has grown to become an elite yoga studio with the main focus on the practice Mysore style Ashtanga, an authentic, traditional style of yoga handed down by K. Pattabhi Jois, or as we know him simply as Guruji. It has not always been a smooth ride down this path, but as a family grows and prospers through the thick and thin, so does The Shala and the family that it has become.

There was a time, not too long ago when I wanted to cut out the negative people in my life. At the same time, I didn’t want to hurt them by telling them that I was cutting them out of my life. I turned my focus to The Shala and to the people like me who were spending their time there, searching and finding peace in their lives. Within a matter of a few months, those negative people, whom I was hoping to cut ties, just moved away. This just wasn’t one person, but several people, who just decided to change their lives, far away from mine. So, without any hurt feelings or arguments, the negative people left and I was surrounded by positive people, wanting a better life, physically, spiritually and mentally. That is what The Shala helped me to be a part of.

When you enter The Shala, on a busy day or night or even on a slow one, a sense of relief comes over you and you know at that moment, everything is going to be alright. You just roll out your mat and see what happens, letting the world outside exist for a short while without you. During your practice you may laugh, you may cry, or you may be just going through the motions. Either way, it is always something that you are glad that you did for yourself and grateful that you have a place to do it.

Not everyone understands the emotional attachment we feel to The Shala. To many of us, it’s more than a yoga studio. It’s a place to see your friends regularly, it’s a place to find healing, it’s a place to feel safe, and a place to grow and change, no matter how difficult it may seem that day.

So today, I am grateful to have a place where I can grow and change. I am grateful to have a place where I can see my friends. I am grateful to be able to share what I know about Ashtanga yoga with anyone who comes in and wants to learn about it. But most of all I am grateful for Krista, who followed her dreams to make The Shala possible for anyone who wants to participate in this amazing community of people who make it such a wonderful place to be.

- Maureen Hanusek

Director of Evening Mysore Program at The Yoga Shala

Right Here, Right Now

Right Here, Right Now

by Maureen Hanusek

Chances are, if you’re sitting here, reading this, you are in no immediate danger. And if you are in fact, sitting here, reading this, life is pretty good. So, at this very moment, right here, right now, all is perfect. How miniscule the present moment can seem compared to a lifetime. How infinite the present moment can be at this very second.

I am reading the book The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle. A friend let me borrow it. And it’s really got me thinking about how to stay present in this moment. So far, it’s amazing. When I truly cut out the mind chatter and things past and future, life seems so beautiful.

But every moment can’t be beautiful, can it? I wish every moment could be beautiful, but things aren’t always beautiful, like our yoga practice, for example. Some days you feel as if you could float on your mat easily from posture to posture. While other days you feel like a lead brick, flopping around on the mat like a poor dying fish out of water. Thus the Power of Now begins.

Your yoga practice is the best place to start your attention to the present moment. This is where your day begins or ends and comes full circle, on your mat. There’s no hiding from it, it’s there, waiting for you to “check in.” It’s where you peel away the layers of your external self and actually have to be with who you really are. And it’s happening every moment you dedicate to your practice. Don’t like yourself so much one day; what’s your practice going to look like? Love yourself another day; how does your practice feel? What is every moment like being you?

Being fully alive in this present moment can be a daunting task when we first realize how much effort it may take, but noticing how wonderful life is, right here, right now can fill us with gratitude and compassion. With practice, living in the present moment becomes more natural and all the chatter and pains that we seem to live with go away, if only for a fleeting moment. Soon these fleeting moments become strung together and longer lapses of clarity exist in our lives.

Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? How do I get this clarity? Where do I begin? Begin on your mat. Whilst practicing asana, feel what the body is doing, feel the breath, the bandhas and refuse to listen to what the mind is telling you about the past or the future. Know that this very moment of your day will only exist for a very short time and that noticing it will not only make it a more enjoyable experience, but allow you to connect with a deeper inner self that may need acknowledgement. In these fleeting minutes, is where we can truly listen for that “Ah-ha” moment. It’s where breakthroughs occur and where those questions we keep asking become answered.

Now is an incredible time to be alive. Now is a powerful tool for self discovery. Now is the time to enjoy the life you have been given. Now is your opportunity to live you best life.

Brian Friedman Workshop at The Yoga Shala in Winter Park, Florida (just outside Orlando)

Boundaries and Knowledge Yoga Workshop

with Brian Friedman

Saturday, September 24th

2:00-4:00pm.

$35.00 early registration, $50.00 thereafter.

Join us for a powerful workshop facilitated by Brian Friedman on Saturday, September 24, 2011 where we’ll explore the ideas of boundaries and knowledge.

What are boundaries?

• Posture
• Breathing
• Gazing Spots
• Synchronized Movements
• Energy Locks

What is Knowledge?

• Understanding Astanga Vinyasa Yoga
• Knowledge of the Self

These ideas will help you establish good habits during every yoga practice and Brian will share with you the single most important idea of them all.

It’s time to take your yoga experience to the next level! Part discussion, part demonstration, and part led class, this personalized, highly interactive workshop will give you the tools you need to develop great yoga habits and to receive outstanding yoga results!

Beginner Yoga at The Yoga Shala in Winter Park, Florida (in the Orlando area)

Have you thought about trying yoga but never knew how to begin? At The Yoga Shala in Winter Park, Florida, we have beginner yoga courses just for you! Our beginner yoga course is meant for students brand new to Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga (and if you have never done ANY yoga before than this is perfect for you too :)

At the yoga shala we specialize in Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. To learn more about our yoga school please visit our website.

If you are interested in starting a yoga practice, read more below about our four week beginner yoga course. Our next four week course begins on September 13th. You need to pre-register for this program by either calling Krista at 407-506-4626 or email Shanna (Shanna (at) theyogashala.org)

Four Week Beginning Yoga Course

This four week beginner Yoga course is designed for students with little or no yoga experience. Students are introduced to Ashtanga yoga in a slow, safe and comprehensive manner. This beginner Yoga course is progressive, in order that each class will allow students to build from the previous. At the end this course, students will be equipped with the knowledge of the history of the Ashtanga Yoga method, a physical foundation of the sun salutations, standing postures and breath work required to advance in the Ashtanga practice, and the self-assurance to enter into the Mysore program. All classes are held at our Orlando Yoga Shala location. This course requires pre-registration, call 407-506-4626 for more information.

Please select the course you wish to enroll. You may come five days per week during the month beginner course (unless you register for the evening class, which is four nights per week); please keep in mind that it is most ideal to come four-five days per week but please be sure you can come at least three days per week in order to receive maximum benefit from the program.

Beginner Course Timings

6:30-7:30am

8:30-9:30am

9:30-10:30am

12:00-1:00pm

7:00-8:00pm

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Beginner Course Dates - You must call to register

September 13 - October 7

October 10 - November 4

November 7 - December 2

December 5 - December 30

Kaiden doing downdog in the kitchen ;)

I hope you enjoy this video! Kaiden is my son. He'll be 16 months on September 3rd and he's already a great little yogi. We took this video about a week ago in our kitchen one night. He know's down dog very well :) Since he was a tiny baby I've always done my yoga practice at home at least once per week so he can get some exposure to the peacefulness of the practice, and the joy I get from it in my life.

Open Your Heart

♥ Open Your Heart ♥

By Maureen Hanusek - Director of Evening Mysore program at The Yoga Shala in Winter Park, Florida

Back bends are probably the scariest yoga poses most yogis have ever had to accomplish. And it doesn't matter whether you are binding ankles or simple pushing through a bridge pose; at any stage of the back bend it can be a difficult challenge to move into.

Why do back bends seem like such a struggle? Well I believe that the art of back bending is directly correlated to the amount of love you have in your life. Now that is not to say that someone who can bind their ankles with their hands has more love in their life than someone just learning to push their head up off the floor. What I am saying is that your ability to open your heart and to push through the physical discomfort of breaking that protective barrier around the heart is directly correlated to the way we give and receive love.

Have you ever seen someone hunched over from the shoulders, head stretched forward? Now picture their face. What does it look like? Do they seem like that they have a lot of love in their life? Probably not, as they actively protect their heart.

Picture a couple on their wedding day; the groom standing at the altar, the bride walking up the isle. What do they look like? Shoulders back, chest lifting, crown of their heads reaching to the sky. This couple is full of love, and it's obvious.

Wouldn't we rather look like the couple on their wedding day, everyday? This is what back bends teach us, to open our hearts to people, living and new experiences. But life can be disheartening. Of course it can, this is why we repeat back bends in every yoga practice. Not to mention they help wake up the central nervous system.

Our many experiences with love in our lives may have led us to heartache, and it shows in our posture and our practice. So many reasons to protect the heart, love lost whether it was a child, sibling, parent, friend, spouse or grandparent. Maybe a loved one let us down in the past. As a result we still hold on to these pieces for whatever reason.

Back bending will teach you to let go of these pieces so that we can make space for MORE love in our lives. Being able to receive infinite amounts of love into our lives, and more importantly for us to be able to give infinitely more love to everyone, especially the people who really need it. Like that hunched over acquaintance that has very little room in their heart for love. Creating this space in our hearts though back bending is difficult, but so well worth it.

Isn't this what we all live for? Isn't this what we are meant to do? Isn't LOVE the reason we were all put here on this Earth together? To LOVE one another? So don't you want to do more back bending right now? I though so. ♥

Maureen Hanusek is a dedicated Ashtanga Yoga practitioner and teacher. She runs the evening mysore program at The Yoga Shala in Winter Park, Florida. For more information about classes with Maureen click here.

Life Bliss Meditation Workshop at The Yoga Shala in Winter Park, Florida (in the Orlando area)

Experience an Inner Transformation…

with Lourdes Cordero, RYT

Saturday, August 20, 2011

6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

The Yoga Shala

927 N. Pennsylvania Ave.

Winter Park, FL 32789

407-506-4626

www.TheYogaShala.Org

Learn to naturally overcome the barriers of every day challenges by becoming more attuned to your body’s intelligence and being established in the immovable Bliss within… Life Bliss Meditation is a simple, natural, effortless and easily learned technique practiced for 35 minutes. This meditation helps to release stress, reduces anxiety, creates inner peace, improves your relations, and reawakens your intuition.

Please bring a pillow and/or blanket. $10 Suggested Donation (100% Proceeds will benefit the American Diabetes Association). Please Bring a Dish to Share (Optional) for Satsang (Discussion, reflection and/or just enjoying each other’s company).