2 Hour Pranayama/Meditation/Vigorous Flow Class

Join instructor Ashley Davis to delve deeper into your practice. This class will focus on Pranayama (Breathing Techniques), Mediation (Guided and wonderful for people curious about Mediation or just starting out), and Asana (the physical practice) with a Hatha Flow.

Hatha is a Sanskrit term that is commonly used to describe a style of yoga that focuses on physical postures (asanas) and breath control (pranayama).

The word "hatha" is derived from two Sanskrit words: "ha" meaning "sun" and "tha" meaning "moon". This reflects the idea of balancing opposing forces, such as strength and flexibility, effort and ease, and masculine and feminine energies, that are said to exist within the body and mind.

Hatha yoga includes a wide range of practices, from gentle and restorative to vigorous and challenging, and often involves holding poses for several breaths and moving through a sequence of postures. In addition to the physical benefits, Hatha yoga is also said to help calm the mind, improve focus, and promote a sense of balance and well-being.

This Class is 2 Hours followed by an optional discussion to ask questions about any part of the practice.

1. Setting Intention, Mantra, & Pranayama (15 minutes): The class starts with some gentle breathing exercises to help calm the mind, connect with the breath, and prepare for the asana practice. Pranayama exercises may include deep belly breathing, nadi shodana or anuloma vuloma (alternate nostril breathing), Kabalabahti (shining skull breath) or ujjayi breathing.

2. Meditation (20 minutes): Following pranayama, the class moves into a guided meditation, allowing students to further focus and still their minds, bringing awareness to the present moment.

3. Vigorous Hatha Flow Asana Practice (60 minutes): The class then moves into a series of hatha flow asanas, linking breath and movement, and focusing on alignment and mindful movement. The sequence may include standing poses, twists, backbends, forward folds, and inversions, with variations to suit different levels. Ashley will offer physical assists for those wanting to explore their boundaries with the postures.

4. Savasana & Class Closing (15 minutes): After the asana practice, the class moves into savasana, also known as corpse pose, a relaxation pose where students lie on their backs, allowing their bodies to fully relax.

5. Small Break (10 minutes)

6. Optional Group Discussion (30 minutes): Finally, the class may end with an optional group discussion, where students can share their experiences and insights from the practice, or ask questions to the teacher or fellow students. This can help foster community and create a sense of connection within the class.