So you’ve landed here and looked at the classes available and you have a dim idea of what to expect? This is the article for you.
Private Lessons
What do you do during a private lesson?
We have private sessions for kundalini yoga, yin yoga, stretch class, flexibility training, restorative yoga, chanting, meditation, talk about the spiritual journey and for a safe space to allow the full expression of your current self to BE. Without judgement and without the need to fix or problem solve, unless you request we work on that.
Private sessions are just that—within my skill set, you and I will design a class that fits your current desire.
So when you book a private, have a text session or telephone call to describe to me what your vision is for outcomes.
Stretch, Flex and Restore Class
Is this class all three or what?
Stretch class
I have, as part of my skillset, knowledge about the Science of Stretching. Stretching all parts of the body, from your toes to your neck, is done honoring the four tenets of stretching as taught by Lucas Rockwood of YogaBody.
Come in to the stretch using appropriate props to a level 7/10 intensity
Hold for time: 3-5 minutes under pressure
“Wet noodle” the body, bringing conscious awareness to where the tension lies
Breathing techniques designed to help the body relax into the stretch.
Generally, 3-6 stretches per class is recommended. The rest of the time is savasana, or lying down and completely relaxing.
Flexibility training
I’ve taken four 30-day challenges, again from YogaBody, to learn how to open the hips and how to strengthen the back. Lucas teaches how to increase your flexibility in as little as 20 minutes a day. I’ll teach you what I know and you do the practice at home and come back ready to do more! I can offer PDFs showing the flexibility postures we did and teach you how to gain the most from every set.
Restorative yoga
This is an Iyengar practice, and I am not certified to teach Iyengar. I am working with Julia Visconti, who is certified to teach this form of yoga, and I am comfortable with 4 postures, each which can be held for up to 20 minutes. The use of appropriate props and posture cues is essential for a successful restorative practice. This class is done in silence, with a silent Shavasana for 15-20 minutes. The postures are designed to allow for deep relaxation and deep restoration of the alignment of muscles and bones.
We can do a combination of these postures, or focus on your choice of therapy. If you’ve recently graduated from physical therapy, we can do your exercises here; I have straps, balls, weights and resistance bands. I have a personal trainer myself I see weekly, and am always learning new exercises to share with you.
Presently I’m helping 86-year-old William, a student since 2016, remain flexible and strong; and we meditate as well, once per week, as we’ve done since we reopened in 2021.
Guided Meditation with Gong Immersion
This class is taught by Mike and Andrea; she chooses a guided meditation, which lasts about 20 minutes, and then you lie down and go deeper with a mini gong immersion by Mike, for 20 minutes.
All props are available here. We blow up a bed for you unless you prefer the floor.
Tea and a snack for grounding. Lasts one hour.
Go home, and sleep like a baby. Effortless meditation.
This class was held on
Wednesdays at 6 pm but is suspended until Fall 2023.
Gong Immersion
90 minute and 3.5 hour classes available
Mike and Andrea design a sound/vibratory landscape where you lie down and absorb the gentle ebb and flow of low, soothing frequencies. This is effortless meditation. And each session is different, as the energies in the room and in the players ebb and flow, surge and recede, yin and yang. Find out a bit about what you are by watching your mind and its response to doing nothing while surrounded by essential sound.
Is this practice for you? You won’t know unless you try it. And it’s different every time. Like a night of dreaming, you never know what insights you’ll get.
We blow up beds or you may choose to lie on a 4” thick mat or on a yoga mat on the carpet.
We have lights on the ceiling and usually candles going for ambience.
We have both gongs and bowls. Eye shields, pillows, blankets are all provided and are single-use or freshly laundered.
This is an hour long practice followed by tea and a snack for fellowship and grounding.
Come alone, with a significant other, or bring your tribe. Up to six beds are available. Gongs are played with gentleness, reverence, and as sacredly as we treat your ears, eyes and nose in this beautiful vaulted-ceiling space.
If you have sensitivities, please let us know. Incense, candles and other aromatherapy can all be suspended.
Kundalini yoga
(Sundays advanced kundalini yoga assumes you know the 5 parts of this form of yoga; tune in, some pranayama, kriya, meditation, ending practices)
Kundalini yoga in the United States has evolved since it was dominated by the culture of Yogi Bhajan, who introduced a unique and yet timeless form of movement, breath work, mantra and meditation to the West in L.A., California in the late 60s and early 70s. He died in 2004.
I will mention it's been revealed that he shifted into a non-yogic personality rather quickly after becoming rich and famous, and has lost my respect as a personality. But his teachings have withstood the test of time for me and for thousands of his followers, and they can be transmitted from a form not so dedicated to egoic elevation, with great results, in my opinion. My teachers have been a mix of personalities, but none of them have suffered from a mental disorder, as far as I know. I continue to transmit these kriyas (yogic postures or asana practice) as long as they are keeping me healthy, elevated and relaxed. (H.E.R.)
Here’s how it looks, most of the time, up here in my studio:
We arrange ourselves for space and comfort, and gather props; we sit and breath long and deep; we learn simple yogic/conscious breathing.
We come into Easy Pose, learn neck lock and root lock, and learn the first pranayama (breath control) —long slow deep breathing using suspension.
We chant the Adi Mantra three or more times, which is:
ONG NAMO GURU DEV NAMO
We might do another pranayama, such as alternate nostril breathing, or I may teach Breath of Fire, etc. depending on the chosen kriya for the class.
We do the postures in a kriya — a predetermined set of postures, often seated exercises with coordinated breath and continuous motion. There may be as few as three or as many as 23 postures. The are performed for 30 seconds, one minute, three minutes, or sometimes longer. Again, they are usually dynamic, not static, although there are more yin-like kriyas.
A meditation may be "done" before or after Shavasana. Meditations in Kundalini Yoga are active. Alternatively, we may chant for 11 minutes or so.
Frequent rests between elements, for self-awareness, and unification of body, mind and spirit.
Curated playlists to inspire the mind to quiet, to follow the rhythm, to get into a flow state. Always uplifting and graceful. Unless I need you to energize quickly, and then I may use pop, world, or jazz.
After the workout, we lay down for Shavasana. Sometimes it’s silent, sometimes it’s with gongs or bowls, or both.
We come up with guided stretches usually.
We end the class with three long Sat Naams, or singing a version of the “Long Time Sun” song (i’ve got a dozen of them) together.
I say a blessing and we bow to seal the practice.
Then we have tea.
The whole process is 90 to 120 minutes.
Mantra Yoga/Chant/Kirtan class
Learn the mantras unique to kundalini yoga, or if you choose we can do a Sanskrit mantra you're familiar with, or chant OM. Pronunciation instruction and word sheets are available, along with some mudra instruction and practicing easy pose. We also have floor chairs and larger chairs for your comfort. We have a crystal grid to sit around as well to give the eyes a focus. One hour, sing your heart out, open your throat chakra. Ends with tea and cookies. Because of course it does.
I hope this has brought a greater understanding of our offerings here at Kundalini Yoga in Detroit.
Sat Nam, and thanks for watching.
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