Classes
Download the schedule (PDF)
Ojas Yoga Center welcomes students of all ages, and regardless of experience or fitness levels. All of our classes are "All Levels" meaning our experienced instructors can offer modifications to simplify or variations to challenge. To read more about the various class styles, click here.
*Intro to Yoga Series – May Mondays
Intro to Yoga Series
3 Monday evenings, May 7-21 | 7:30-8:30 PM
Instructor: Carolyn Conner
For those just starting out on the yoga mat. Regardless of age or ability, yoga can be accessible to every body. Let our expert instructor show you how yoga can work for you; introducing you to basic movements, use of props, breathing, and awareness practices safely and thoughtfully. Also great for those wanting to brush up on the basics. (Must be taken as series – $30)
PLEASE PRE-REGISTER BY CLICKING HERE
*Yoga for the Peri-menopausal Years
Riding The Change – Navigation Tools For The Perimenopausal Years w/ Jnana Gowan
Sundays – April 22, 29 and May 6 11:00-1:00
Do you find yourself up at 3:00 in the morning unable to fall back to sleep? Are you sometimes erratically moody when everything is seemingly fine? Is your cycle changing in some way? You may be experiencing the hormonal shifts that are associated with the perimenopausal years.
Join us for a 3-week series to learn techniques necessary to assist you in the challenges of your 2nd puberty. In this insightful and honest class we will:
- Practice yoga postures, including restorative yoga poses, that help support the hormonal rollercoaster of “the change”.
- Experience mindfulness meditation and breath work as a way to connect to the present, keeping us grounded in what may feels like shaky times…not to mention using these techniques for the “3:00 a.m. Club.”
- Share “congenial commiseration” regarding our changing bods! Gone are community berry-picking days and quilting bees – we need a place to share our experiences of change and transformation – join in with the topic of the week or be a fly on the wall and observe the discussion with amusement.
Bring your energetic surfboard and Ride The Change as a way of staying sane as you enter into your “middle-ground” years with grace, strength and a good dose of humor.
P.S. You do not have to be perimenopausal to be experiencing high levels of stress and general discomfort about the fast lives we lead-any woman that feels the need to deeply nourish her body and create a mindful way to balance the hormones may join us.
Instructed by Jnana Gowan – night sweater and Certified Yoga Instructor, teaching since 1999.
$25 per class
for more info: www.powerhed.com or to speak with Jnana personally, call 510-734-4122.
Jnana Gowan is the founder and director of Powerhouse Education; a company dedicated to health & well being. A teacher since 2000 she enjoys students of all shapes, sizes & skill levels. As an instructor, she has the unique ability to make people feel at ease and encourages each student to explore their true essence. She finds it is highly gratifying to share her knowledge of yoga and celebrates the wonder and excitement of a body in balance. Her studies are Iyengar influenced but have softened with age, insight and injury. Another component of influence is her experiences as a shamanic practitioner and healer – her classes are infused with a connection to the earth and its wisdom plus an invitation to be open to the spirit realm that surrounds us. All this delivered without new-age woo-woo, but stated with direct intention and a bit of humor to boot. She has taught transformational workshops at Noetics Sciences, Esalen and the San Francisco Zen Center. She has written chapters for two books Executive Stamina and Mindful Motherhood lending her understanding of asana in the fields of motherhood and corporate America. In 2003 she developed the Bunny Head Yoga Program for kids – and it continues to grow with the monthly Girl Power Craft Days and Camp Bunny Head Yoga summer program. To her, the kids are the proverbial cherry on top! www.powerhed.com
*Afternoon Qigong begins April 4th
Wisdom Healing Qigong w/ Matthew Anziani
Wednesdays & Fridays 4:30-5:45 p.m. (starting April 4th)
(drop-ins welcome, or purchase a class card)
Qigong is a technology that applies ancient wisdom, modern science and the mind’s creative power to transform our lives from dis-ease to health and well-being. Using standing movements, breath awareness, creative visualization, and sounds, qigong harmonizes the flow of life energy in your body creating greater well-being.
Matthew Anziani transmits this practice with permission from his teacher, Master Mingtong Gu. Matthew is a sound/music therapist who used the power of his voice to heal from tetraplegia (paralysis affecting all four limbs). At the age of 23, after experiencing a traumatic fall, which shattered two of his neck vertebrae, Matthew used his knowledge of sound, music, and the healing power of the voice to completely recover from an injury that should have kept him wheelchair-bound for life. Matthew has a degree in Jazz/World music performance from San Francisco State University and is certified in Sound, Voice, and Music Healing from the California Institute of Integral Studies.
* March 26th | Pratyahara: A Multi-sensory Healing Event
Imagine, laying down your yoga mat, reclining over bolsters and blankets, closing your eyes and being serenaded by healing chants, and beautiful instruments like harmonium, acoustic guitar and crystal bowls. In the depth of bliss, a fragrant essential oil anointing takes you further into peace. As a moment of silence comes, it is so full of contentment, your mind is effortlessly peaceful. This is Pratyahara.
Pratyahara: Harmonizing the Senses
Mondays 7:30 – 9 p.m. | March 26, April 30 (attend one or both)
Instructors: Nicole Becker & Matthew Anziani
Step into a healing sanctuary for the senses. Rest comfortably while being ministered to with soothing vocals and instruments, anointed with pure plant essential oils, and guided into relaxation with healing imagery meditation. A unique offering from two devoted healers and teachers. Enjoy an individual class or take as a series.
Click here for full details and to pre-register.
(Space is limited so pre-registration is recommended since we cannot guarantee drop-in space on the day of.)
**Mon. Jan. 30th Yoga Nidra Class
On January 30th, Melinda Lewis will be teaching a special Yoga Nidra Meditation from 7:15-8:00 p.m. following her regularly scheduled 6-7:15 p.m. Hatha Yoga class. Cost: $10 – come for just the nidra class or take back-to-back with the 6:00 class.
Yoga Nidra is a specialized guided meditation practice. Practiced while laying down, the student is led through a series of relaxation and imagery practices to calm the mind, reduce stress, and heal the body. Yoga Nidra has been researched by major medical universities for it’s profound stress reduction and trauma recovery benefits.
**January: Pregnancy Movement & Labor Dance Series
Pregnancy Movement & Labor Dance Workshop
Sundays 1-2:30 p.m.
Jan. 15th-Feb. 5th
$18/class or $64 series. Recommended for women in their 2nd & 3rd trimesters
During pregnancy exercise benefits you and baby through increased energy, strength, and stamina. Specific movements encourage the baby into optimal positioning and help the cervix open more easily and labor progress smoothly. Baby and mama marinate in oxytocin while tuning inwards for the deep transformational dance of childbirth.
Topics in this class include:
* Connecting with your baby through specific practices/exercises
* Body mechanics and pregnancy posture
* Preparing the body and mind to work together (the mind-body connection)
* Relaxation, breathing, visualizations, & more
* Positions for labor & birth (optimal fetal positioning)
“pelvic motion is really important to many women if they want to give birth with a minimum of pain and discomfort… every pregnant woman should practice exploring the range of motion of their pelvis” (Ina May Gaskin).
Gingi Allen www.mamababyconnection.blogspot.com
ChildBirth Doula, WombWellness Educator, Mother
**January: Kid’s Yoga (ages 8-12) FREE INTRO SESSION
Girls and boys ages 9-12 can enjoy the physical and mental benefits of Yoga through a combination of practice and play. Students will have room to be themselves as they develop strength, coordination, flexibility and concentration and learn about the Yoga’s underlying philosophy of kindness and compassion.
Day/Time: Tuesdays 4:00-5:00 p.m.
Free Intro Session: Tuesday, January 10 | 4:00-5:00 p.m.
Winter dates: Jan. 17 – Feb. 14th
Cost: $15 drop-in, $50 full series
Instructor: Lisa Klein is a yogi, storyteller, theater artist, and educator. She’s been an artist/educator (pre-K – university) for 18 years, teaching yoga, movement, improvisation, poetry, creative writing, storytelling and theater arts. Lisa is a certified Yoga Ed instructor, (Yoga Ed Instructor Training, Pre-K – High School, August, 2009), and a certified Yoga Alliance instructor (200 Hour Yoga Teacher Certification, May, 2010.) www.dolphintalesyoga.com
“Lisa’s love for teaching, story telling and Yoga is obvious in her class for children. She mixes story telling and asanas to create an inviting environment for children to learn and explore yoga.”
New Class: Kundalini Yoga (CORRECTION: STARTS 6/15)
Join guest teacher, Sadhu Singh Atehortua for a special 10-week introduction to Kundalini Yoga. 
Correction! Wednesdays, 7:40-9:00 p.m. JUNE 15 June 22- August 17
Enjoy as complete introduction to the practices of Kundalini Yoga, or drop in as time or interest allows.
Regular class passes can apply, New student pass 3 for $30. Drop-in $18.
Kundalini Yoga, the Yoga of Awareness, consists of simple yogic techniques that can be enjoyed by everyone, no matter his or her age or physical ability. It is a complete science that includes breathing exercises (pranayam), yoga postures (asanas), sound, chanting (mantra) and meditation. It is designed to provide you with the experience of your highest consciousness.
Week 1: Breath and Relaxation
Week 2: Pranayam and Physical / Mental Balance
Week 3: Opening the Spine
Week 4: Moving Energy and Improving Circulation
Week 5: Mental Clarity
Week 6: Circulation and Aura
Week 7: Transforming Sexual Energy
Week 8: Digestion
Week 9: Strengthening the Naval
Week10: Preparation for Deep Meditation
“Sadhu Singh Atehortua is a certified Kundalini Yoga teacher who started practicing Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan PhD. at the age of 10. He has been teaching beginner/intermediate Kundalini Yoga in the Bay Area since 1995 and is currently working on developing rural and urban yoga centers in Ecuador, where he teaches courses once a year. Sadhu has explored various spiritual paths, martial arts, therapeutic massage, and other healing arts throughout his personal evolution, and applies this knowledge to his yoga classes to provide a wholesome exploration of personal growth, self care, and overall evolution of the self.”
Article: The Meaning Behind the Movement, by Nicole Becker
The Sanskrit word Vinyasa means “placing the body”. We often encounter it as the name of a style of Yoga class which focuses heavily on postures that flow together coordinating with the inhale and exhale. Vinyasa is also commonly used to refer to the Plank-Chaturanga-Upward Facing Dog-Down Dog series that is relied upon as the athletic “chorus” between the “verses” of the standing postures. Although you may know that this little series of poses is a small portion of the traditional Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar) series, most of us are never taught the meaning behind these ubiquitous postures.
The traditional Surya Namaskar series is made up of 12 postures that correspond with 12 aspects of the Sun. Being essential to Life, the Sun has a special place of honor in many traditions, Yoga being no exception. Each posture in the Sun Salutation is meant to be a meditation on a particular aspect of Light. When taking the postures of a Sun Salute, one is mindful of the corresponding chakra/area of the body and is repeating the mantra internally three times. For example, in Plank, which arrives with an exhalation, the focus is on the throat chakra, and the mantra is “Om Khagaya Namaha“. Khagaya refers to “The One Who Moves Through the Sky”, or “The All Pervading Light”, signifying the unending passage of time and eternal light that pervades it. As we repeat the mantra, we meditate on our own Life and the Light of Consciousness – our eternal nature and also our impermanence in this bodily form. It might occur to you that this could take awhile to contemplate! That is why the mantra is repeated three times (to slow the movements down), and the Sun Salutation series is usually repeated 12 times, or multiples of 12.
Although ever present in modern yoga classes, Chaturanga – that clever yoga push-up – is not part of the traditional Sun Salute series. Instead, Eight-Point Pose (Ashtangasana) follows Plank, still on the exhalation, offering toes-knees-chest-chin to the ground. With the attention to the Solar Plexus/Navel, this posture honors the “Giver of Strength and Nourishment”. Repeating silently “Om Pushne Namaha” we honor the aspect of the Sun “Pushne” which is the source of all our food and thus all our strength.
Inhaling into Upward Facing Dog (or sometimes Cobra), we turn our focus to the pelvic chakra and open the chest, looking upward, honoring “Hiranya Garbhaya“, the Golden Cosmic Self. Signifying the absorption of the individual into the universal Ocean of Light, our small movement becomes a bigger offering to shining interconnectedness. “Om Hiranya Garbhaya Namaha.”
With Downward Facing Dog we repeat inwardly, “Om Marichaye Namaha“. Fingers and toes spread wide, hips reaching to the sky, we shift our focus from pelvis to throat. Like rays of the sun beaming through parting clouds, our limbs mimic the brilliant rays of the Sun. We become “Marichi” – The Light.
Understanding the meaning behind the movements, the Vinyasa becomes much more than just a means to get buff yoga arms, or spice up the practice with extra heat. Each movement becomes an opportunity to connect with an aspect of your self and the Natural Order of Things.
Ultimately, the Sun Salutation is a practice that honors the Inner Light that radiates from our own Hearts. Now maybe that Chaturanga will be a little more enjoyable. Better yet, replace it every once and a while with Eight Point Pose.
(article by Nicole Becker. All rights reserved)
Join Nicole Saturday, June 18 from 3-5 p.m for “Mantras of the Sun” workshop at her SF Bay Area studio, Ojas Yoga Center. Click here for registration details.
OPEN HOUSE WEEKEND – Sat./Sun. 4/30-5/1 Free classes & Raffle
Ojas is celebrating it’s 6-month anniversary & the grand opening of 3 beautiful “wellness” rooms – which will be home to massage therapists, Ayurvedic specialists, and other holistic health care providers.
Join us Sat. & Sun. April 30th & May 1st from 1:00-5:00 each day for free classes, chair massage, and raffle prizes!
Open House schedule:
Saturday
1-1:45 – Jill Intro to Ayurveda
2-2:45 – Hatha Flow w/Tia Ukpe
3-3:45 – Yoga & Chanting w/ Shakthi
4-4:45 – Hatha Yoga w/ Leah Kenaga
5:00 – 5:30 Hatha Yoga w/ Carla Koopal
Sunday
1-1:30 – Qigong w/ Sanghi Choi
1:30 -2:00 – Mindfulness Meditation w/ Daniel Doane
2-2:45 – Hatha Yoga w/ Rhoda Rossman
3-3:45 – Feldenkrais w/Jennifer
4-4:45 – Intro to Aromatherapy w/ Nicole
5:00 - Raffle