At Yoga Lab we see yoga and meditation as a brilliant holistic system. It gives us practices, tools and guidance for living a balanced, happy and healthy life. It offers the possibility for individual and social evolution and it is accessible to everyone.

Everyone can benefit from yoga’s potential for promoting individual wellness, healthy relationships and a more caring world.

Here are three different ways for you to take a deep dive into the practice of yoga and all the benefits it has to offer. There's something for everyone.

Yoga Lab 101 | Fundamentals

4 sessions, over 4 weeks

This is our foundational course. It is good for you if you are new to yoga or would like to strengthen your understanding of the fundamentals.

• Session 1 Movement | Sep 25
  Exploring yoga postures and movement, the language of alignment, with a touch of anatomy added in
  

• Session 2 Breath | Oct 2
  Discovering the untapped power of your breath, through breath awareness and breathing exercises
  

• Session 3 Mindfulness | Oct 9
  Learning weight lifting techniques for the mind, using your yoga practice to build mental strength and focus
  

• Session 4 Loving-Kindness | Oct 16
  Discussing philosophical touchstones to guide your yoga practice
  

The 4 session are held on Tuesday evenings from 7-8:30pm.

Yoga Lab 101 is led by Shawn Harrison, Creator and Steward of Yoga Lab and Cory Nakasue, Co-Developer of Educational Programming.

Cost: $80

If you would like to purchase a 1 month unlimited class card from Sep 25-Oct 25 2018 the cost is an additional $65. This is a special offer for Fundamentals students (1 month unlimited class card is usually $100). An unlimited class card gives you the opportunity to take as many of our regularly scheduled classes as you like and actively practice what you're learning in Yoga Lab 101. Use promotion code YOGALAB101 at checkout.

Yoga Lab 201 | Specialized Studies

10 sessions, over 10 months

This is our specialized course of study. If you are ready to move in a new direction, challenge what you think you know and deepen your understanding of yourself and the practice of yoga, this program is for you.

Yoga Lab 201 can be taken as a stand alone immersion or as the first 100 hours of our Teacher Training Course. For the teacher training track begin at any time and take all 10 weekend sessions, in any order, within two years. Then move on to the Yoga Lab 301 Apprenticeship to complete your training. Or, if your interest is in an immersive learning experience, join in any or all of the weekend sessions.

2019 Schedule

Yoga Lab 201 is led by Shawn Harrison, Creator and Steward of Yoga Lab and Cory Nakasue, Co-Developer of Educational Programming.

Weekend Session Cost: $180 per weekend

Session are held Saturdays and Sundays 1-4:30pm

10 Month Course Cost: For the complete 10 month course, we construct a plan with each person depending on their needs and their stage in life. The cost is a mutually agreed upon “market rate” and may include bartering.

Email shawn@muditayogalab.com or call 845.481.3108 to learn more

Yoga Lab 301 | Apprenticeship

This is our yoga teacher training course. It is a program born out of our desire to honor the ancient practice of yoga and your unique path. The apprenticeship program is geared toward your interests and needs. You will work one on one with Cory and Shawn to create an individualized and comprehensive program that will prepare you to teach and share your practice with others. Completion of Yoga Lab 201 or a 200 hour teacher training program is required before beginning Yoga Lab 301.

Yoga Lab 301 is offered by Shawn Harrison, Creator and Steward of Yoga Lab and Cory Nakasue, Co-Developer of Educational Programming.

Cost: We construct a plan with each person depending on their needs and their stage in life. The cost is a mutually agreed upon “market rate” and may include bartering.

Email shawn@muditayogalab.com or call 845.481.3108 to learn more

Research

The key elements of our classes are listed below. Some have links to interesting articles.
Use all of this to inform your understanding of yoga and enhance your in-class experience.

yoga

One way to define yoga is as a system of physical postures, breathing techniques, and meditation to promote bodily or mental control and well-being.

ARTICLE : Yoga Questions Answered

ARTICLE : The Meaning and Purpose of Yoga

Eight limbs of yoga

The 8 limbs of yoga are laid out in the Yoga Sutra (see above). These limbs offer a framework that helps us relate to understand the system of yoga. The 8 limbs are:

Yama
NiYama
Asana (yoga postures)
Pranayama (breathing exercises)
Pratyahara (withdraw of the senses)
Dharana (concentration)
Dhyana (meditation)
Samadhi (a state of unshakeable peace)

yoga sutra

The Yoga Sutra is an ancient philosophical text made up of 196 sutra. Each sutra is a short bit of wisdom (an aphorism) that requires contemplation and direct-experience to be fully understood. More than any other text, it guides and informs our modern yoga practice. That these teachings are relatable and relevant over a thousand years later speaks to their universal wisdom.

We include study of the Yoga Sutra in our Gentle and Open yoga classes. This study takes different shape on different days – sometimes sharing a reading in class, other times having a discussion, or we may engage in a specific exercise that helps to illuminate the teachings.

Creating space for this kind of self-inquiry and reflection gives everyone a chance to make contact with the ancient wisdom - turning the words into something meaningful, real and alive – bringing us closer to an honest and authentic yoga experience – making the practice bigger and more beneficial than simply focusing on yoga as exercise.

practice

By practice, we mean engaging in exercises and techniques that are part of the yoga system. The physical application is one aspect of practice i.e. yoga postures and breathing exercises. Another, equally important, part is the mental application i.e. mindfulness techniques and concentration exercises.

At first practice is something you do in class and then maybe at home for a few minutes or longer. Eventually it spills over into your whole life. Every interaction, every task, every challenge, every situation becomes an opportunity to practice yoga. Every moment an opportunity to experience balance and peace.

QUOTE : "Each of life’s activities is a Yoga when performed in a natural, harmonious way, attentively, to balance and unite the body, mind and spirit. Yoga is balance of the mind.”  -Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati

asana | yoga postures

A yoga posture, or asana in Sanskrit,  can be defined as a physical position that is designed to help us live well and live comfortably in our bodies.

ARTICLE : Slow Yoga Revolution

pranayama | breath control

Breath control, or pranayama in Sanskrit, is a key element of the ancient system of yoga. The quality of our breath affects every aspect of our being; our mental state, the health of our organs, nervous system and all the other systems of the body. By using different breathing techniques, we have an opportunity to improve both our mental and physical states.

ARTICLE : Breathing Lessons

vinyasa | Breath and movement

When we talk about vinyasa at MYLab, we mean the link between movement and breath. Bringing these two together to practice conscious motion and connection. Linking movement and breath is one of the main techniques we use to cultivate mindfulness. It requires a lot of mental strength to watch the breath AND coordinate it with movement, making it a great exercise to help increase focus and concentration.

ARTICLE: What is Vinyasa?

drishti | focused gaze

A focused gaze, or drishti in Sanskrit, can turn your practice into a moving meditation. Drishti is the place where your eyes rest, the place where you are looking at any moment. Usually where you are looking is where your attention is. Choosing a spot to focus your gaze helps to keep your attention in the room and slow down your mind.

ARTICLE : How to Practice Drishti

chanting

Chanting is another key element in the ancient system of yoga. Some call it the Science of Vibration. It is said to increase concentration and calm the mind. Come give it a try in class and see if that's true for you. You are always welcome to chant out loud in class or sit quietly and enjoy while others chant. Whatever works for you

We usually chant OM at the beginning of class and Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu at the end. There is no translation for OM, it is a sound vibration that stand on its own. The translation of Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu is may all beings everywhere be happy and free.

Click on the audio file below to hear this chant.

ARTICLE : Your Brain on Om

MINDFULNESS

Click on the audio file below to hear this chant. We like Jon Kabat-Zinn's definition of mindfulness,“Mindfulness is awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgementally...It’s about knowing what is on your mind.”

ARTICLE : What is Mindfulness?

stillness

At MYLab, we weave stillness into all of our classes. In the form of savasana (final relaxation) at the end of class and at other times throughout. Practicing pausing. Pausing physically. Pausing mentally. It takes practice to get good at pausing skillfully. Knowing when to move and when to be still. Knowing when to respond and when to observe. This is an awesome life skill that we don't have much opportunity to develop. Yoga class is your chance.

STANDING POSTURES

Standing postures build strength and set the foundation for a safe practice.

SEATED POSTURES

Seated postures-tone the belly, massage internal organs and balance back muscles.

savasana | final relaxation

At the end of every yoga class we rest. We get cozy with any props or blankets needed to be comfortable, then lay on the floor and be still. For some this is their favorite part of class, for others it's a challenge. This stillness balances out the movement. It also gives the body time to integrate the benefits of the yoga postures and exercises we just engaged in. And, maybe most importantly, it gives you a chance to be still with nothing to do and nowhere to go.

QUOTE : "We are used to engaging our muscles and our brains to achieve our goals, yet in Savasana, we must become equally skilled at letting all that activity go in order for the pose’s beneficial effects to arise. It’s hard to let go of the idea that everything important happens when you are moving and taking action. Yet a deeper part of yourself waits for those moments when you are completely relaxed to reveal its truth. A feeling of connection, clarity, all-knowingness, love, or joy may arise from this state of ease and relaxation—a taste of what meditation offers." -Yoga Journal

ARTICLE : The Subtle Struggle of Savasana

experiment . explore . discover

An attitude of openness, awareness and non-judgement that can be evolved through the practice of yoga.

movement . mindfulness . happiness

Using yoga to uncover and experience; presence, balance and joy.