Your one stop source for the masterful instructors and class descriptions for INTEND, the first of four Your Yoga Collective events happening January 20, 2018.
12:30-1:00 welcome
Honour your spirituality and the day with a traditional Puja ceremony taught by Pooja Tolani
Welcome movement, community, and self with this opening ceremony to kick off INTEND and your personal journey into 2018.
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Pooja Tolani was pursuing a career in Marketing and Advertising when she came across the Art of Living Foundation and life changed forever. Today she is teaches Yoga and also conducts meditation Teachers Training courses. A meditator herself for over 17 years, she has found that it addresses all aspects of mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being. Through the physical body, one is inevitably able to unlock their potential within, whilst discovering the unique abilities that allows them to live more integrated and satisfying lives. Pooja's teachings are inspired by the Art of Living Foundation.
1:00-2:30 arrive
An expansive and heart opening practice with Ally Bogard.
This dynamic class of flow, movement, and breath will focus on how to take your rightful place aligned with your own centre, and map yourself through the body to ease tension and increase presence. Suitable for all levels of practitioners.
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Ally Bogard is a New York City based yoga and meditation teacher with a private healing and counseling practice. Her teaching style is known to be detailed as well as exploratory in physical alignment and subtle body awareness, As teacher and co-founder of Gaiatri Yoga Training program she has taught 200 & 500 hour teacher training programs, alignment immersions, and teacher mentorship programs extensively, nationally and internationally, since 2003. Ally is also the co-creator of SoundMind Meditation which combines visualization and meditation with the science of sound therapy to aid in energetic healing.
2:30-3:30 break
3:30-4:45 deepen
A grounding and reflective practice with Christine Price Clark.
A slower-paced practice to warm your bones, soothe your soul and hone your most tender and honest attention. Expect hip openers, simple, soulful flows, and generous breathing. Suitable for all levels of practitioners.
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Christine is a mother of three girls, a mentor to many gifted teachers, and a passionate advocate for practices that keep us on the ground and in our hearts. She has been teaching for 13+ years; a journey that began in New York and landed her (back) in Vancouver in 2006. She was first certified in vinyasa yoga, and later went on to study extensively and to eventually certify with the school of Anusara Yoga. Her current teaching reflects an embrace of many influences, not the least of which are her children; any and all practices that keep us alive to what is and what can be; and the undeniable power that is moving the body with poise and play.
4:45-5:10 dive
A meditative yoga nidra practice into our centre with Tanis Fishman
Yoga Nidra is often referred to as conscious sleep. In this practice you will be led into a meditation and introduced to your “Sankalpa”, defined as a driving force which shapes and strengthens will in a positive and supportive way. The idea is that within us there is a fire that moves us into the direction that is most aligned with our individual path. By unlocking the Sankalpa, we unlock the internal support to move forward in our lives in the most authentic way. Suitable for all practitioners.
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Tanis Fishman is a modern day mystic and explorer of consciousness. Her fascination with the multidimensional attributes of human nature keeps her in dedicated study of the wisdom teachings and a committed practice of meditation.She enjoys journeying both outwardly and inwardly to receive direct knowledge and understanding of the riches and treasures of this life experience. Her desire is to continue sharing the teachings of yoga nidra and reprogramming core belief systems, until humanity (herself included) is liberated from the identification of the conditioned self.
She teaches yoga nidra trainings, meditation, and core belief workshops and series.
5:10-5:45 intend
Closing meditation and mantra.
This practice will include a meditation to draw all our days lessons to the surface, raising our voices together in blessing for the year ahead, and finally a connection and declaration (either aloud or in silence) of our truest intentions as we step into 2018.
replenish
A gentle and restorative option held alongside other classes with Lisa Whitford.
Some days the most effective practice is the one where we take time to rest and nurture our body. In choosing this option you will be supported through a long hold, gentle, restorative practice. This option is led in silence alongside the larger class and live music so that you are still included in the energy of the group.
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Lisa Whitford has been teaching yoga in the Calgary community for 17 years. She passes forward to her students the simple truths of Yoga practice, shifting attention away from force and towards the joy of the body in the present moment, as one would any creative endeavour. Lisa has long cherished the spirit of entrepreneurship, beginning in 2005 when she opened Mosaico Designs Inc., an interior design firm specializing in mosaic tile design and installations. In 2008, she co-opened Moksha Yoga Calgary, mentoring that studio to early commercial and financial success. For the past six years Lisa has refocused her energy on teaching, specializing in the leading and facilitating of Define Yoga teacher trainings. Lisa is also a certified Doula and she offers classes in natural birthing with Graceful Birth Inc.
embrace
Support for senior and limited-mobility students with Kristen Beaulieu.
Embrace is less a class and more a support system to ensure that you are able to practice at your level under the supervision of a skilled teacher in limited-mobility yoga. Practitioners who need that extra support for their practice will be connected with Kristen Beaulieu and offered options within the general class that meet their mobility needs.
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Kristen Beaulieu explores life on and off the mat with open arms and an unflinching, soft heart. Her deep respect and reverence for the wisdom of her elders led her to teaching yoga to older students. As one of Calgary’s leading Senior’s Yoga teachers, she finds great joy in the easy laughter and life experience that seniors bring.
Along with her devotion and love of Seniors Yoga she also teaches meditation, restorative yoga and yoga nidra.
listen
Live mantra music performed by Sundari.
Be embraced by the sonic soundscapes of Sundari's mantra music performed live alongside every class.
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Drawing from years of experience as a folk singer and and accomplished yoga teacher, Amy Thiessen presents Sundari, coalescing these worlds into a one-of-a-kind musical experience. Equipped with a guitar, keyboard, simple drum machine and loop pedal, Sundari features traditional and original mantras in Sanskrit and English combined with beats, tastefully synthesized atmospheres, organic piano and guitar, and pure authentic folk vocal. Each experience is unique as Sundari draws from the creative element in the space and improvises to the rhythm of movement and breath. For yoga devotees, it’s a luxurious way to practice, with music transporting them to new mental and spiritual states. For music fans accustomed to tearing it up on the dance floor, it’s a whole new way to move to music, a novel listening experience, and a beautiful break from the ordinary.
Sundari will not only be closing the day off with mantra, but also playing her soulful soundscapes during each class.
Hosted on January 20 at Prospect Place, INTEND is the first of four Your Yoga Collective events happening in Calgary in 2018.