Integral Yoga Hatha classes are being offered at a beautiful new location, the ATMA℠ Studio Centre in the Barton Hills Neighborhood of Austin, TX 78704, which is the home and studio of Vimala Devi.
The class consists of asanas (Yoga poses), deep relaxation, pranayama (breathing practices), chanting, and meditation. The Integral Yoga approach is suitable for complete beginners as well as more advanced practioners. It is is taught in an easeful, highly meditative manner. The student is guided to a deep level of physical and mental well-being, vitality and relaxation—promoting flexibility, strength and health for the entire system.
Ongoing Classes
Mondays, Tuesday Wednesdays and Thursday evenings.
Vimala Devi will be teaching on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, Karuna, Karly and Vimala Devi will teach the Thursday night class on alternate weeks.
Cost of Hatha Classes:
The cost is $15 for walk-ins, $10/class by subscription (for 8 classes). You may pay by cash or check.
Thank you!
Logistics:
Please arrive a few minutes before the class starts. Try to come with a light or empty stomach. Park on Garner, Kinney or Collier and phone 512 797-0018 or e-m ail suryoko@aol.com for specific address, directions or to pre-register. Please remove shoes and enter the studio quietly, as a class may be in session.
Please bring a Yoga mat (or something to lay on). Wear comfortable clothing that does not restrict your movement.
Teacher Training:
The 200 Hour Integral Yoga® Teacher Training in Hatha Yoga Level I (certified by the Yoga Alliance®) will be offered beginning Friday, September 26, 2008 by Vimala Devi and Swami Ramananda, president of the Integral Yoga Institute of NY, with intensive and ongoing support. Contact Vimala Devi for details and to pre-register.
Integral Yoga Hatha Teacher Training is a comprehensive, month-long program that teaches you the skills necessary to instruct Integral Yoga Hatha Beginners I. This basic class, taught to thousands of students at Integral Yoga Institutes and around the world, is utilized by Dr. Dean Ornish in his groundbreaking work in reversing heart disease.
Instruction:
As taught by Sri Swami Satchidananda
Karuna Kreps
Instructor
Karuna
has a long history of teaching Yoga and is a member of the
Integral Yoga Teachers 
Association. She was privileged to
meet and study with Sri Swami Satchidananda in 1967, when
she was a teenager. He was one of the very first gurus to
come to the United States and is revered worldwide as a Yoga
Master in the tradition of his teacher, Swami Sivananda
of Rishikesh.
She was initiated into Yoga meditation, received the Yogic name "Karuna," (meaning compassion and mercy), and taught classes of all levels at the Integral Yoga Institute in New York from 1968–1982. Karuna was responsible for maintaining IYI teaching standards in the early 1970s. She has traveled with Swami Satchidananda, staffed Yoga retreats, lived in the Integral Yoga Institute, and visited the Satchidananda Ashram. In 1986, she was awarded the title of "Guru Tattwa Ratnam" or "Jewel of the Guru's Teachings" by Sri Satchidananda. She is certified by the Integral Yoga Institute to teach Intermediate and Advanced classes.
She is also known as Karen Kreps, the president of a Web development company, Net Ingenuity. She built the site www.swamisatchidananda.org, www.lotus.org, and www.LivingYogaMovie.org, and she helps to edit Integral Yoga Magazine and maintains iymagazine.org. You can reach her via email at karuna@netingenuity.com.
Registered
Yoga Teacher® 500
Sumi Komo was given the name Vimala Devi by Swami Satchidananda. She was a long-time disciple and senior student of Swami, has taught Integral Yoga for over 25 years. Vimala Devi is certified in Hatha I, II and III, and has assisted at teacher training at Satchidananda Ashram in Yogaville, VA, and in Mexico. You can reach her via email at suryoko@aol.com.
Karly began ehr study of yoga while at The University of Georgia, from where she graduated in 2005 with a M.S. in Psychology and a Graduate Certificate of Gerontology. She lived at Satchidananda Ashram - Yogaville in Virginia for 8 months in 2006 while part of a work-study program, studying and practicing Raja Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, and, of course, Hatha Yoga. While in Virginia, she also received training in the art of Thai Yoga through the Lotus Palm - School of Thai Yoga Massage. She received my teacher certification in August 2006 at the ashram's training academy in Virginia and began teaching regular classes at the ashram and in Georgia. She relocated to Austin, TX in January 2007 and has been teaching in South Austin ever since. You can reach her via email at karlybranch@gmail.com.
Classes:
Integral Yoga Hatha
Integral Yoga is a complete system for personal transformation – physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. The Integral Yoga Hatha class works with inner awareness and the breath, fostering an individual experience. This takes each student to his or her own limits, yielding maximum benefit and preventing injury. Thus, Integral Yoga can be practiced by anyone of any age or condition. Core poses tone every organ and system of the body, while optional poses challenge and strengthen. A unique sequence of poses, followed by deep relaxation, breathing practices and meditation, leads to the experience of one’s own true Self.
Each class includes asanas, deep relaxation, breathing techniques, chanting and meditation.
Yogic Breath of Life: Breathing, Chanting and Meditation
Breathing:
The yogic science of pranayama enables one to gain control over the breath and all the subtle energies that activate the body and mind. The breath is our constant companion, but little do we realize how powerful a tool it is for healing the body, calming the mind and realizing the Spirit. The breath both reflects what is happening within, and by controlling the breath, we can affect our physiological and psychological wellbeing. We can increase our vitality, optimize our health, manage pain and skillfully handle stressful situations. We can overcome and transform negative emotions. We can gain mastery over the mind and experience deep states of inner peace. This class introduces practice you can use for a lifetime to attain increased health by building a strong immune response, a balanced nervous system and a calm and peaceful mind. Four core pranayamas are taught plus a short version deep relaxation.
Chanting and Meditation:
The very words that holymen used to record sacred texts twenty-five thousand years ago have been passed in the form of Sanskrit mantram from teacher to student.Sanskrit was used to describe and explore the subtle and complex realms of metaphysics, cosmology, theology, the workings of the mind and soul. By applying ones breath in the repetition of Sanskrit chants you can create a meditative atmosphere and raise your understanding of the Self and the nature of the universe.
All of life's difficulties in today's fast-paced, hectic world can be overcome through the practice of meditation. Meditation techniques for stress reduction will be taught. The class will motivate and inspire you, especially if you're starting, or if your regular practice needs a tune-up.
What about Asanas?
This class does not include the physical poses that most people think are all Yoga involves. The poses, or asanas, are part of the practice of Hatha Yoga. Hatha Yoga is one facet of Raja Yoga (the Yoga of self discipline). So are breathing techniques and meditation. In addition to Raja Yoga, the other main branches of Yoga are Karma Yoga (Yoga of action and selfless service), Jnana Yoga (the Yoga of self-inquiry and scriptural study) and Bhakti Yoga (the Yoga of devotion, which encompasses all religions). Chanting is a practice of Bhakti Yoga.
More Integral Yoga
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Questions?