Explore Yoga Basics - Viniyoga style
For beginners, those returning to yoga practice, students with injuries or chronic conditions, or those who desire a gentler class. Level I introduces basic postures, movement aligned with breath, adaptation/modification principles and basics of sequencing. Students in this class are encouraged to take advantage of the package of six classes plus 1 one-hour private session to establish a good foundation unique to their needs.
Thursdays 7:15 – 8:45 p.m. (Maggie Kessell)
Tuesdays 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. (Liz Lacey-Gotz)
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This class is open to all levels. It offers an energy-raising mix of asana, simple but expanding breathing practices and time for reflection on a positive quality to begin your day. This is a one-hour class. Come see what a difference this start makes for the rest of your day.
Wednesdays 9:00 – 10:00 a.m.
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LEVEL II: PRACTICE & DEEPEN YOGA BASICS (Maggie Kessell)
Prerequisite: recent prior yoga experience or readiness to move on from Level I. Students are encouraged to develop a home practice that complements weekly group session. Level II Class includes more difficult asana practices and introduces basic pranayama practices. Students learn how to adapt poses to their specific needs and goals. To help establish a home practice, students are expected to schedule a private session with instructor within three months of joining this class. See special offer on private sessions.
Mondays 7:15 - 8:45 p.m.
Thursdays 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.
see the calendar for current pricing and dates
LEVEL III: CHALLENGE LIMITS & POTENTIAL (Maggie Kessell)
For students with more experience and the desire to work more deeply in asana, including static poses and balance, along with more complex pranayama practices. Level III Class challenges your ideas about your limits and potential. Prerequisite: prior work in pranayama and/or a pranayama workshop with instructor. If in doubt, talk to instructor.
Mondays 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.
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Go Yoga-Vinyasa Flow - Level I
(Ashleigh Penrod)
Have you ever wondered how to integrate yoga into your day-to-day life? This level one class gives you the tools to practice at home, whether for five minutes at a time or for an entire hour. A Vinyasa-based class, the movements flow from one to the next and are initiated with breath. Each class incorporates a different focus, zeroing in on everything from core strength to stress relief. Prior yoga experience is helpful but not necessary.
Sundays 5:00 – 6:15 p.m.
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Go Yoga-Vinyasa Flow - Level II
(Ashleigh Penrod)
This intermediate Vinyasa flow class introduces deeper variations on basic postures and includes expanded focus on Prayanama and active meditation. Each class incorporates a different focus, zeroing in on everything from core strength to stress relief. Students should have prior experience and an active yoga practice.
Thursdays 7:00 – 8:15 p.m.
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Vinyasa Yoga heals, detoxifies and exhilarates the body and mind with emphasis on movement, balance and intention. Vinyasa Yoga is a dynamic, challenging program that combines strength, flow and spirituality. Vinyasa Yoga is a practice that appeals to everyone. During class, time and space and the worries of the day disappear and the focus is solely on flow, movement, balance and intention. A Vinyasa Yoga is a style of yoga which focuses on core strength, balance and flow to build a solid practice based on strength and spirit. Accessible to beginners and advanced students, Vinyasa Yoga emphasizes breathing to connect the body and mind.
Fridays 9:00 - 10:00 a.m.
see the calendar for current dates and times
Donation Class
Some teachers at River Garden Yoga Studio have adopted the practice of Dana, the Pali word for the Practice of Generosity, as both a spiritual practice for the class community and a practical way to meet financial needs.
Read More
This class will involve 45 minutes of slow restorative yoga & stretching, followed by 15 minutes of progressive relaxation, and rest (shavasana).
This class is for all levels, primarily aimed at the beginner level.
The class size will be limited to 6. A reservation is required.
Thursdays 10:30 - 11:30 a.m.
see the calendar for current dates and times
Cost: $15 per class.
The class size will be limited to 6. A reservation is required.
Learn yoga sequences that will help you increase bone density, while you also improve balance, overall body strength and flexibility. In each class we will safely use light free weights on select poses to enhance the effect of our practice, and will also devote time to simple breath work and quiet personal reflection. Join us to discover how diet, stress, and lifestyle can all have an impact on bone health. Osteoporosis is a serious health issue in our culture and should be a concern for women of all ages. Come learn how to keep your bones strong!
Tuesdays 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
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Iyengar Yoga level 1 (Joy Laine)
Iyengar Yoga, named after its founding teacher B.K.S. Iyengar, is a system of yoga that seeks to integrate the practice of the yoga postures with the broader philosophical teachings of yoga. It is also a tradition that emphasizes individual instruction and correction in order to ensure a beneficial practice for participants of different levels and physical abilities. This class will focus on a range of basic postures and breathing techniques. Students with no prior experience of Iyengar Yoga are welcome, along with those seeking to develop their current practice in Iyengar Yoga.
For students new to Iyengar Yoga, Joy recommends beginning the first Saturday of the month.
Saturdays 11:15 - 12:45 p.m.
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Level II: Viniyoga for a Vital Life (Beth Cleary)
Students in Level II will develop deeper yogic connections among breath, awareness and movement, through more challenging asanas and pranayama practices. Each class, as always, will respond to the needs of students on a long-term and daily basis. Emphasis on skeletal alignment, muscle actions and antagonisms, and organ support will encourage deeper levels of students' knowledge about their bodies and their yoga practice. Practices such as chanting and mantra will be used occasionally to intensify and enrich students' experience of yoga.
Saturdays 9:00 – 10:30 a.m.
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Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan® combines meditation, mantra, physical exercises and breathing techniques; it is a Raj Yog, encompassing the eight limbs of yoga into a singular practice of excellence and ecstasy. “Kundalini” literally means “the curl of the lock of hair of the beloved.” Kundalini Yoga is also known as the Yoga of Awareness; its focus is on self-awareness and delivering an experience of your highest consciousness. The technology of Kundalini Yoga is a science of the mind and body, to elevate the spirit, which has no boundaries, no discrimination. Therefore it is for everyone, universal and nondenominational. The primary objective is to awaken the full potential of human awareness in each individual; that is, recognize our awareness, refine that awareness, and expand that awareness to our unlimited Self. Clear any inner duality, create the power to deeply listen, cultivate inner stillness, and prosper and deliver excellence in all that we do. In this tradition, meditation is not considered separate from asana or yoga; it is integral to the practice. The exercises in the kriya (set) bring the body and mind to a state where deep meditation is easily achieved. Our fundamental objective is to awaken the power of the individual to excel—to experience their Infinity and fulfill their personal destiny.
Fridays 5:30-7:00 pm, Sundays 10:00-11:30 am
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Aquarian Sadhana is a special practice in Kundalini Yoga and Meditation to boost self-discipline, gain physical and mental balance and to welcome the full potential and truth of our soul. We conduct this practice in the early morning hours when the world is still quiet and neutral, this is the space in which we can cultivate a conversation with our soul, our consciousness and our higher Self. This practice has numerous benefits from gaining deeper personal awareness and insight, to supporting your personal practice, to opening up to a group consciousness and building community. We begin Aquarian Sadhana by listening to and reciting the prayer JapJi Sahib, the Song of the Soul. This prayer and its sounds stimulate and balance the chakras, the mind and the spirit. We follow Japji with a set of Kundalini Yoga exercises and finally we chant seven mantras. This sequence of events gives us the awareness, fearlessness, compassion, kindness and the spirit to serve, teach and prosper no matter what happens within and around us.
Saturdays 5:00 - 7:15 a.m.
see the calendar for dates
Donation Class
Some teachers at River Garden Yoga Studio have adopted the practice of Dana, the Pali word for the Practice of Generosity, as both a spiritual practice for the class community and a practical way to meet financial needs.
Read More
Courses will include movements of Eight Brocades, Universal healing tao system, meridian Qi gong, swimming dragon, earth, animal, Kuan Yin Qi gong. Also studied will be the 5 elements-exploring how our physical & emotional body can break down into 5 elemental components.
Sundays 11 - Noon (lower studio)
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Hatha Yoga - Level I (Anne Dresen)
This class is designed for students who are curious about yoga, returning students, or those who have had an introduction and possess a desire to learn more. In this class, we explore the basic poses while incorporating breath and relaxation techniques. But don’t be fooled-This class is more than just breathing and postures-Hatha yoga is also about how we relate to one another and how we relate to ourselves. This series of classes will build a foundation for beginner yoga students who are interested in the physical as well as spiritual aspects of yoga. You will get individual attention and help with the postures, in a traditional approach to the practice of yoga.
This is a class that builds upon what is learned so the student can progress and grow at their individual pace. New students are encouraged to start at the beginning of an 8 week session.
Series start dates:
Oct. 12, 2011, Jan. 4, 2012, Feb. 29, April 18, June 13, Aug. 8, Oct. 2, 2012
In between sessions - all students welcome and special themed classes will be announced.
Drop-ins welcomed - No experience is necessary, only an open mind.
Wednesdays 7:00 - 8:15 pm
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Anne honors an “open heart” policy to teaching. Students will not be turned away due to financial hardship.
Hath/Restorative Yoga - All Levels (Anne Dresen)
Enjoy a rejuvenating yoga class paired with restorative postures to gradually build strength and flexibility while also promoting deep rest, healing, and wellness. Downgrade tension and achieve physical release through four or five gentle poses in each class. These poses are softly held for a longer period of time with the use of props to allow you to breathe more deeply and relax more fully. Perfect for those people who feel overwhelmed and need to spend time learning how to slow down, as well as those new beginners who are concerned that yoga may be too physically challenging.
With Anne’s gentle guidance, you will learn to modify the poses to fit the needs of your own body, so you can enjoy your yoga practice to the fullest. This soothing practice creates a fine balance between effort and grace, strength and surrender. All levels welcome.
Wednesdays 5:30 - 6:45 pm
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Explore the benefits of a Vinyasa practice (stamina, strength, breath awareness) and add the precision of Iyengar Yoga. What you will come away with is a blend that offers you detoxification and fluidity of movement with an understanding of how major muscle groups and certain alignment principles may actually support your Asana practice -- so as to safely receive the optimum benefit from it. This is an open level class but is a particularly good class for: those moving into an intermediate-level yoga practice, those at an intermediate-level and for more advanced practitioners who are able to take cues for modifying towards greater challenge. Some Yoga experience is preferred.
Wednesdays 5:45 - 6:45 p.m.
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Start the day with sun salutations and a smile, and lots of personalized attention in this complete practice. Get up and moving can help increase circulation, help you find balance both mentally and physically, and you may just find your early morning practice energizes you more than that first cup of coffee. Beginners welcome.
Tuesdays & Thursdays 6 - 7:15 am
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Donation Class
Some teachers at River Garden Yoga Studio have adopted the practice of Dana, the Pali word for the Practice of Generosity, as both a spiritual practice for the class community and a practical way to meet financial needs.
Read More
A perfect midday yoga break. Invigorating, joyful, and inspiring; leave feeling supercharged and ready to embrace the afternoon. Vinyasa class of dynamic poses that develop core strength, flexibility, balance, proper breathing and deep relaxation. Beginners welcome.
Tuesdays & Thursdays 12:15 - 1:15 pm
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Recovery Yoga - 12 Steps on the Mat (Amanda Whisner)
Learn to embody your recovery through yoga. Addictions, co-dependency, and disordered eating can rob us of our creativity, our freedom, and our loved ones. Yoga can help us reclaim our bodies and our lives. By helping us cultivate greater self-awareness and compassion for ourselves and others, yoga can help us heal.
Recovery Yoga classes will incorporate an hour of gently flowing hatha yoga including pranayama (breath work) and a series of asanas (poses) to build strength, flexibility and awareness. Each class will focus on a theme or topic based in the 12 Steps and may include readings, partner work, chanting and discussion. Finally, Recovery Yoga classes will end with a half an hour of calming the mind and relaxing the body with restorative yoga and meditation. Come prepared to open your mind and open your heart as we explore the twelve steps on the mat and learn to take our yoga practice and recovery into our every day lives.
Sundays 5:30 - 7 p.m.
see the calendar for the most current information
Donation Class
Some teachers at River Garden Yoga Studio have adopted the practice of Dana, the Pali word for the Practice of Generosity, as both a spiritual practice for the class community and a practical way to meet financial needs.
Read More
In a world that is increasingly high speed, Yoga with Ted will slow you down and open you up. Instead of just replicating images and following instructions, cultivate openness from the inside out, and learn to interpret instructions for the equation that is your body, your moment, and your ability. Roseen will lead you slowly through a series of poses that will open you up and relax you more profoundly than you can when moving more quickly. His poses are plucked from the traditions of Iyengar and Ashtanga yoga, and combined with his knowledge of the body, as a marathoner, triathlete, and rock climber. He will create class around you, not him.
One of Ted’s golden rules is that yoga should be fun, tapping in to your inner playground. Yes, you should be sincere in your practice, but there is no need to be so serious. So, come enjoy, and see what you find.
Tuesday 5:30 - 6:45 p.m. lower studio
Wednesday 12:30 - 1:15 p.m.
see the calendar for current pricing and dates
Ashtanga Yoga for Beginners (Ellie Kaufman)
The Primary Series of Ashtanga is designed to purify the body and create a state of equanimity and wellness through a sequence of standing poses, seated forward bends and hip openers. In this hour-long class, we will break down the principles of Ashtanga to make it accessible to all levels. We will focus on correct breath-synchronized movement to create stability in the body and mind, building a strong foundation for any yoga practice.
This class is on hiatus while Ellie Kaufman continues her studies in India.
see also Ashtanga Yoga Levels 1-2
The Primary Series of Ashtanga is designed to purify the body and create a state of equanimity and wellness through a sequence of standing poses, seated forward bends and hip openers. In this hour-long class, we will break down the principles of Ashtanga to make it accessible to all levels. We will focus on correct breath-synchronized movement to create stability in the body and mind, building a strong foundation for any yoga practice.
This class is designed to build on the Friday Ashtanga for Beginners class, but having attended a Friday class is not strictly a pre-requisite. In 75 minutes, we will go a bit farther into the forward folds and hip openers of the Primary Series and finish with the full closing sequence.
This class is on hiatus while Ellie Kaufman continues her studies in India.
see also Ashtanga Yoga
Kiva Moon Vinyasa Yoga (Paula Coyne)
A unique yoga practice for fall and winter.
When we live in synchrony with the cycles of nature our health, vitality and growth are enhanced. During the months of cold, animals go to their caves, into the stillness.
People have done that across time, as well; deepening their dreamtime, restoring, nesting with the seeds of potential within them that will be planted for the next cycle of growth in the spring. Though we are in motion and action in the winter, our yoga practice can help us to find and deepen the stillness in the center of that movement.
Vinyasa class is for all levels. Vinyasa Yoga = Movement with Breath.
Mats, blankets provided, or bring your own. Dress in comfortable clothes that are easy to move in.
Tuesday 8:30 - 9:30 a.m.
see the calendar for current pricing and dates
Yoga for Addiction Recovery (Colleen Dooley)
Leaning into yoga as a way to enhance addiction recovery, Colleen will guide you in learning to embrace yogic strategies of asana (physical postures), pranayama (breathing practices) and meditation to support participants growing emotional stability, physical vibrancy and mental insight.
While ridding ourselves of the substance or addictive behavior is the first step, we are often left struggling with the question of how do we get the most out of our experiences and learn to enjoy the richness and emotional vibrancy, uncertainty, and change that life has to offer. As recovering addicts, we don’t want to miss a moment of it.
To assist us on our path of growth, along with basic yoga postures , we will look closely at how to:
⋅ Broaden our tolerance for uneasiness.
⋅ Recognize no feeling is final.
⋅ Feel more connected to our world.
Each month we will focus a particular theme and set of practices to deepen our understanding of what it means to be in recovery. The class is intended to be a positive addition to the participant’s recovery program.
Tuesdays 9:00 - 10:00 a.m.
see the calendar for current pricing and dates
Kundalini Yoga (Joyce Paxton, Wes Cutter, Diane Harder)
Kundalini yoga is for everyone who wants the skills to cope successfully with the challenges of living in this day and age. The practice of Kundalini yoga balances the glandular system, strengthens the nervous system and enables us to harness the energy of the mind and the emotions, so we can be in control of ourselves, rather than being controlled by our thoughts and feelings. Classes includes physical postures and movements, breath work, meditation, relaxation and chanting and is largely practiced with the eyes closed.
These classes present Kundalini yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan. Each class will include a warm-up, a kriya (set of exercises), relaxation and meditation. Exercises can be modified for varying fitness levels and no previous experience required. To help with your comfort during meditation and with some postures please bring a mat, blanket and/or pillow.
In the spirit of collaboration, teaching responsibilities for this Wednesday class are shared by three IKYTA certified teachers Joyce Paxton, Diane and Wes Cutter.
Wes Cutter (Amarbir) has studied spiritual disciplines and a variety of yoga off and on since the late 60’s. He started practicing Kundalini yoga in 2005 and completed the KRI level-one teacher training in March of 2008. Currently he teaches yoga for patients and staff at Regents Hospital and the St. Paul YWCA. Wes has a wide variety of interest, tap dancing, bonsai trees and cooking, his careers are also varied from international business, engineering new inventions and patient research. Wes is a nationally certified clock and watch maker and runs his own business, Cutter Edge.
Diane Harder (Sahej Gyan) took her first Kundalini Yoga class in 2004. She started with one class a week, then two, then three… Eventually, she took Teacher Training and was certified as a Kundalini Yoga teacher in 2010. She also has experience with Iyengar Yoga, Tai Chi, and Body Mind Centering. Diane is an artist, a Reiki Master, and a retired health economist.
Wednesday 7:00 - 8:15 p.m.
see the calendar for current pricing and dates
Kundalini yoga classes typically include held postures, energetic movement exercises, mantra (chanting), pranayam (breath work), meditation and relaxation. These classes can bring a greater sense of well being, energize, heal the body, bring stress relief, help to maintain healthy weight and improve flexibility. Kundalini Yoga is much more than just a system of physical exercise it is also a dynamic, powerful, tool for expanding awareness. Classes are designed to challenge each student at their own level and are do-able by everyone!
Thursday 7:00 - 8:15 p.m. (begins Jan. 5)
Saturday 9:00 - 10:30 p.m. (begins Jan. 7)
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Dana - the Pali word for the Practice of Generosity
Some teachers at River Garden Yoga Studio have adopted the practice of Dana as both a spiritual practice for the class community and a practical way to meet financial needs. Generosity invites us to explore the effects of giving and receiving freely. Each member of the class is asked to reflect both on the joy of receiving the gift of these teachings and this class and also on the joy of supporting the class, the teacher(s) and the community. Please give according to your ability.
Every person's situation will be different and may vary from week to week. Some people may want to leave a contribution after each visit while others may find it more appropriate to come up with a weekly, monthly, quarterly or yearly schedule. You may leave donations in the bowl in the entranceway of River Garden Yoga Studio or let your teacher know if you have time and skills that you would like to contribute.
Your donations go to rent of the space, including use of props and supplies, utilities, a livelihood for the teacher, guest teacher stipends, promotional materials and outreach into the community.
Please feel free to ask questions and give feedback. Dana is meant to be a source of joy and connection, and is an essential step in awakening the heart to freedom. This is a creative process and we expect that our understanding of generosity will deepen as we continue to practice and talk together.