New Student Information
Important: New Student Form (PDF)
Please fill out and print this PDF and send with payment before class or give it to your instructor at your first Sweet Peace class.
Sweet Peace Pricing
- Drop in on any regular schedule class $15.00
- Eight class card good for 6:00 a.m. classes only $84.00
- Eight class card good for any eight classes. The card is good for sixty days from time of purchase. $110.00
Content
- Yoga Basics Information
- The Power of Yoga
- Tips and Precautions
- The Philosophy of Yoga
- Hatha Yoga
- Class Level Description
- Book Recommendations
Yoga Basics
Welcome to yoga basics and congratulations for taking the next step in your quest for healthy living. In the next few weeks my goal is to stimulate your interest to the point that you will be motivated to delve deeper into Your Yoga Practice. The phrase, ‘Your Yoga Practice’ means you, your physical capabilities and your limitations. Although we practice as a group each of you are encouraged to not compete with anyone in the room or more importantly pushing yourself. People get hurt being competitive in the practice of yoga, for example, the October 4, 2007 issue of Time magazine cited 13,000 emergency room and doctor’s office visits for Yoga-related injuries, as recorded by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
The Power of Yoga
Yoga is much more than exercise. Yoga is not only a powerful tool for increasing strength, flexibility and balance, techniques learned in Yoga can also reduce stress and bring energy into the body. Study and application of the simple concepts contained within The Yoga Sutra can help anyone of us live peaceful, happy, healthy productive lives within the limits of our human experience. We look forward to working with you over the next few weeks.
Thank You.
Emmet Schmelig, E-RYT, LMT, CPT
Tips and Precautions
FOOD: Always practice on an empty stomach. It is generally recommended to not eat at least three to four hours before practice, depending on the nature of the meal. Rice and veggies are digested fairly quickly and easily. If you feel that you need something before starting, you may want a bit of banana, apple or energy bar.
COMMITMENT: Wellness and balance of the mind and body will not come about just because you signed up for this class. You need to be motivated to work on yourself and develop the discipline to practice on a regular basis. I encourage you to bring the same spirit to your yoga practice that you do to your other training. Using Yoga as part of patient therapy at The University of Massachusetts Stress Clinic, clinic director John Kabat-Zinn, tells his patients, “you don’t have to like it; you just have to do it. When the eight weeks are over, you can tell us whether it was of any use or not. For now just keep practicing” I encouraged you to practice a minimum of fifteen or twenty minutes, four or five days a week.
WOMEN’S CONDITIONS: In her book Power Yoga, Beryl Bender Birch says, “From my own experience I can tell you that, for me, doing strong asana practice before, during, and after menstruation is extremely beneficial and reduces cramping and symptoms of premenstrual syndrome. Regular strong practice, barring any medical problems, should eliminate cramps altogether. I do find that the rate of flow does increase for the first day or so, but the duration of the menses is decreased. The bleeding is quite heavy for two days and then it is over, which in my opinion is natural, healthy, and preferable to dragging out the whole ordeal for seven or eight days.” She continues, “However what works for me may not work for you. Listen to your own body, and if it says take a few days off during menstruation, then that should be your final word.”
Full inversions are NOT recommended during menstruation.
If you are pregnant consult your physician before doing yoga.
The Philosophy of Yoga
Yoga is a unique blend of theoretical knowledge and practical application. For this reason alone it is worth studying. Yoga deals with the most profound of mysteries, the essential nature of the human being in relation to the universe. The meaning of Yoga is union or yoking, from the Sanskrit root yuj, to unite. In the context of Yoga philosophy, the union is between the individual soul and the universal soul. The individual has to search for the divine within, and Yoga provides the systematic steps to achieve this, ensuring that progress can be measured. Yoga philosophy has appealed to great thinkers over the centuries and its practice has been extolled for its benefits. In modern times Yoga has spread to all corners of the world and has helped countless people. For all these reasons, the teachings of Yoga should be approached with an open mind. As with any new subject, the concepts may at first seem difficult to grasp, but once they are understood they give a profound insight into human existence.
Hatha Yoga
Hatha Yoga aims to attain liberation through the grace of the divine power which lies dormant in each individual. This power is aroused by means of various practices that clear the paths and centers of energy in the body. These include asanas; the physical poses, pranayama; channeling and maintaining the flow of energy in the body using the breath and closing actions (bandhas), preventing loss of energy.
Class level description
Level 1-2 For those with a practice of one or two times per week for 6 months or more and have taken yoga basics class. ideal for those ready to deepen their practice and move from Yoga Basics into a more moderately paced class.
Level 2-3 Definitely not for first time students. This level is for those who have a regular practice and have an understanding of the basic poses, standing poses, inversions, backbends and sun salutation. You will find this level challenging and stimulating.
Book Recommendations
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Light on Yoga by B.K.S. Iyengar - The Joy of Living by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, Daniel Goleman, Eric Swanson
- Yoga the Iyengar Way by Silva, Mira and Shyam Mehta
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