Archive for Classes
Spring Meditation Series with Bhante Pema
Believe it or not, Bhante Pema’s Spring Meditation Series at Yoga Matrika is almost full already and it is not even February! This is a very special opportunity for all adults who are interested in meditation in Pittsburgh to gather in this intimate space and learn from this most wonderful teacher. If you are interested in practicing with Bhante Pema on Monday nights, please register soon to save your place in this series. If space is available, we will open the class to drop-in students, but please do not count on this. Pregnant students are welcome to attend as meditation is a beautiful and supportive practice while you are expecting. Chairs are provided for anyone who would be more comfortable sitting in a more supported way during class.
Spring Series:
Monday Nights from 7:30 to 8:45 pm
March 12 through May 28th
12-classes in the series for $130
REGISTER HERE
Join Bhante Pema, the current Abbot of the Pittsburgh Buddhist Center, for this 12-week mediation course. The cost for the series of 12-classes is $130. Everyone is welcome—from absolute beginners to more experienced practitioners—to this course that will cover a variety of meditation techniques, how to find your seat, movement, breath and ways to face common challenges in meditation. Although the instructor is a Buddhist monk, the meditation techniques that will be taught are secular and are appropriate for all adults regardless of your other beliefs or religious affiliations. Please note that there are no make-up classes, refunds or tuition transfers. If you know you will miss multiple classes in the series, please know that a portion of your tuition is donated to the Pittsburgh Buddhist Center to help maintain their efforts to share the healing power of meditation in Pittsburgh. We ask that you bring your own meditation cushion, bolster, pillow or blanket to sit on for your comfort. We are happy to provide folding chairs to students who are not able to sit on the floor.
Finding Comfort in Commitment
Yoga Matrika drop-in classes require pre-registration. Just like we can’t force you to eat Kale, we can’t make you do it. If you decide that you are not able to enroll online for any reason, as space is available, we will still warmly welcome you. In addition, if you have a printed deal or a GROUPON, you will not be able to register online for your first class. But, we would like to hope that most students will use our online system to pay for their class tuition and enroll in classes.
Yes, we are aware that, for most studios in Pittsburgh, you just “drop-in” and that is the way that they work. Yoga Matrika is not like “most studios.” We are an intimate space and try to keep our classes small with maximum class sizes of 10-13 students. This keeps our classes safe and allows your instructor to get to know you and you to get to know your instructor.
When you pay your tuition online, your account is automatically updated to reflect your purchase. When you pay for classes at the studio, we do not have any way to make change and appreciate checks or cash in the exact amount. Additionally, it can take up to 10-days for your purchase to be manually entered into our system and you may have trouble enrolling in classes online.
When you enroll in classes online, we know to expect you! This way, if there is a weather related cancellation or an instructor emergency, we can contact you to inform you of the class change. If you are running a few minutes late, if we see your name on the attendance sheet, we’ll wait a few minutes to see if you arrive. When student enroll in classes online, instructors can prepare appropriately to meet the needs of his or her students and plan a class unique to that group.
You may not want to enroll in classes online because you wonder what the penalty is if you do not actually show up for class. We check our online attendance sheets against the sign-in sheets for classes. If you do not actually take class, your enrollment is cancelled and that class is automatically returned to your package. There is no penalty for enrolling online even if you do not take that class. In other words, you have nothing to lose by enrolling in classes online. We do ask that, if at all possible, you cancel your online enrollment if you know you can’t make it to class. This will free up the space for someone else. There are some classes that are over-booked and we hate to turn people away if there really is space in a class. If you can’t cancel your enrollment, we understand.
In this day and age of Facebook, Twitter and a constant stream of ideas and activities and communications from friends, it might feel better if you don’t tie yourself down. What if you register for a Saturday afternoon workshop and, come Saturday morning your friends all message you that they are planning an afternoon outing you would like to attend? I would like to suggest that making a commitment to your practice is actually a part of the practice. It means that you set aside time for your practice and keep your commitment. You might have to say no to something else, but every yes to something or someone is a no to something else. We may have multiple social networks, but we only have one body. Take your body with you to brunch and you can’t also get to class. Take your body to class and you might have to miss brunch. Either way, something is gained and something is lost.
When you buy a four or an eight class package, we encourage you to enroll in all the classes on that packages at that time. Just sit with your calendar and sign-up for your classes. If you end up changing your mind or something comes up, you can always change your registration. But, if you set your intention and schedule all your classes, it is less likely that your package will expire before you take all of your classes. Our online system will allow you to print out your yoga schedule for the week or you can view it on your smart phone or an iPad. So, if you schedule all of your classes, you can more easily keep track of your yoga commitments.
Finally, learn to find comfort in your commitments. Allow your yoga classes to become a rhythm that you can come to count on and let others count on you. Become a “regular.” There’s nothing wrong with being regular.
We hope to see you soon and often at The Mat!
Enroll in Drop-in Classes Here
Check the Status of your Account Here
Add or update your phone number or e-mail address Here
Forget what classes you enrolled in? Check your schedule Here
Do you need assistance with our online system? Please do not hesitate to call Sharon for help (412) 855-5692. Once you get the hang of it, we hope you’ll find it convenient and comforting to use.
This post was written by Sharon Rudyk, Director of The Mat and Matrika Prenatal programs. She’s always delighted to know that she’ll see you in class!
Cardio Yoga
I am absolutely delighted to announce that Aleta Howard will be joining the Yoga Community and offering her unique YBB (Yoga Booty Ballet) classes starting February 2nd and through the spring. What is YBB? On the schedule, we are calling it Cardio Yoga. If you think that “yoga” means traditional asana, then you might feel that YBB is more of an exercise class and wonder what it is doing on a yoga studio schedule.
Well, first of all, YBB combines some elements of Hatha yoga that will be recognizable to yogis who do have experience with more traditional yoga classes that are based on asana. Second, YBB includes yoga kriya from the Kundalini tradition and the creation and support of a personal intention is an important part of each and every class. Third, what is yoga? While this is a deeper issue that would require both a lifetime of examination and certainly a much more respectful examination than I can offer here, I would like to suggest that expressing the body with joy, opening and strengthening the heart and learning to hold an intention through an activity are most certainly yoga. It may not be what you have come to expect, but it might be just what you need!
Here is the official description of Yoga Booty Ballet from the creators of this style:
Yoga Booty Ballet is a fun, sexy and spirited workout that will leave you feeling refreshed and inspired. Work your body, engage your mind and lighten your spirit as you practice this East-meets-West amalgam of meditation, cardiovascular dance, ballet, Kundalini and hatha yoga.The results are immediate and long term. Students consistently complete class feeling better about themselves than when they arrive.
The meditation element serves to focus busy minds as well as awaken dull ones. The dance portion improves cardiovascular endurance, promoting weight loss and improved body composition. The ballet section increases strength and agility, building muscle and bone density. The yoga sections promote flexibility, balance and inner wellness. Classes are fun and easy to follow, designed to draw out individual self-expression in a comfortable, non-competitive environment.Various dance styles explored include jazz, hip hop, burlesque, Latin, Bollywood, go-go, and more.
Really, try one of these classes, at least once. For those readers who know me, you know that I am both directionally challenged and learning patterns of body movements is difficult for me. The first time I tried Aleta’s class, I was really nervous because I was truly afraid that I would get lost and not be able to fully participate. About 10-minutes into class I was having the time of my life. I was smiling and moving and sweating and truly enjoying the music and the joyful movements. Was I going right sometimes while everyone else went left? Yes, but, the truth is that it just didn’t matter. Aleta does not even suggest that there is a right or wrong way to do anything and she provides enthusiastic support for participating in this class in whatever way you are able. Once I released the pressure I was putting on myself through my own ego, this is when I started having fun.
Yoga Matrika provides a non-competitive and intimate environment where you can feel safe trying something new. If I didn’t think that Aleta was wonderful or that these classes weren’t a fabulous addition to our current offerings, then I wouldn’t be putting them on the schedule. Especially if you are looking for a class that will help with weight loss or weight management or you need to combine your yoga with your cardio workouts, then you are going to love this class.
When can you try our new Cardio Yoga classes with Aleta?
Friday Night Yoga Dance Parties
Friday, January 27
7:00-8:15 pm
Friday, February 24
7:00-8:15 pm
Friday, March 23
7:00-8:15 pm
Thursday nights, Starting February 2, 2012
5:30 to 6:45 pm
Saturday afternoons, Starting March 3, 2012
12:00 to 1:15 pm
Classes are $15 to drop-in or you can use your current class package. Packages are 4-classes for $50 or 8-classes for $80. We also offer a discounted student package of 5-classes for $35. Please enroll online to save your space. These special classes are going to be very popular and you don’t want to miss out!
Posted by Sharon Rudyk, Director of Yoga Matrika, an intimate space for yoga and healing work in Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh, PA. Come join us!
Stress Free Stress Reduction
At the Duke University Center for Integrative Medicine, an 8-week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Program costs $454. At Yoga Matrika, Kirsi Jansa is offering a beautiful meditation-based stress reduction program called Healing Relaxation in the Tara Rokpa Style and the 6-week tuition is $150. [ Flyer] While I recognize that even $150 is a singificant investment for most of us “normal” people and, even more challenging may be finding 2-hours free on a Saturday afternoon to make it happen, the reality is that this is an investment of $150 that can change your life. This program is priced competitively in comparison with other programs of similar quality and is open to everyone—-absolutely no experience is required. This is not a religious practice and we are very respectful of all religious and spiritual practices and orientations. If anything, a program like this is likely to deepen your commitment to your current spiritual practice.
How do yoga and meditation help reduce stress? There are a lot of different answers to this question, but one of the most basic ways that these types of practices help you reduce stress is that they teach you how to BE in the present moment. Stress is generally a condition of trying to hold your mind in the future and the past while also participating in the present moment. Concerns about the future,worries, to do lists, goals, obligations and responsibilities, strategies for projects that will unfold in the future, unknown considerations and all the trappings of a better or worse future moment create stress in our bodies.
What kind of skills do you learn in this type of stress reduction course? You learn how to use the tools of your body and senses to keep yourself in the present moment. This slows the central nervous system and the mind down giving your adrenal glands, nervous system and circulatory system a considerable break. The more you practice these skills and learn to use your body as a tool for healing, the greater healing you will feel. Specific skills include:
Breathing Awareness: learning to become aware of the process of breathing. This sounds simple, but really, there are infinite ways of looking at and feeling the breath. And, since you are always breathing, learning this skill gives you something you can do to reduce stress at any time in any place.
Body Scan: learn to feel your body using all of your senses and actively relax all the parts of your body. Can you relax your little toe? Sure you can! You will be amazed at what you discover about your body when you take the time to experience it in a non-judgemental way.
Loving Kindness: use your awareness to extend compassion to yourself and others.
Exploring the mind: without a specific focus for awareness, learn to watch the movements of the mind and do so without becoming attached
Pleae take advantage of this amazing opportunity to change your relationship to time, your body, mind and spirit. Release stress and tension and learn new skills for maintaining equinimity and balance. See the flyer for more details. You can REGISTR ONLINE HERE. The course start on January 28th and runs on six consecutive Saturdays from 4:00-6:00pm.
Posted by Sharon Fennimore Rudyk, Director of Yoga Matrika and Matrika Prenatal. If you are not local to Pittsburgh and looking for a Healing Relaxation Course or more information about Tara Rokpa, you can find more information here.
Yoga Dance Party
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Online Enrollment
The short answer is “no.” Classes that are on the weekly drop-in schedule do not require pre-registration. You can simply arrive at the studio 15-minutes before your class is scheduled to start and, space permitting, you can take class.
Enrolling online is highly recommended for the following reasons:
A Sutra is for Saying
In order to understand Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, we can’t just read them. We must chant them and chant them together so that we absorb the vibration of meaning on the deepest level possible.
You are welcome to a Satsang this Friday night at Yoga Matrika, 1406 S. Negley Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15217 for an interactive and festive lecture/discussion on Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras and their significance for our practice and our lives.
Read more and register here ($15 pre-register/$20 at the door).
A Chakra is not A Rash
A Chakra is not a rash, a medication for indigestion or a travel destination. Unless you’ve been under a rock for the last twenty years, you’ve heard this term hundreds of times as even daytime talk show hosts like Ellen throw the word around casually like everyone must know what she means. But, do you really KNOW?
Come explore the lower chakras with Kendell Romanelli at Yoga Matrika in Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh on Sunday, October 23 from 2:00-4:00 pm.
Ashtanga Yoga at Matrika
Introduction to Ashtanga Yoga
Facilitated by Lynn Rescigno
Sundays from 4:00-5:15 pm
Series Cost $40* [REGISTER ONLINE HERE]
Dates: October 30, November 6, 13, 20
Location: Yoga Matrika, 1406 S. Negley Avenue, Squirrel Hill
*Drop-in students admitted as space permits. Drop-in tuition is available here.
[Thank you to Annie Grover Pace for this informative article. This text is taken directly from her original.]
Ashtanga Yoga, practiced in its correct sequential order, gradually leads the practitioner to rediscovering his or her fullest potential on all levels of human consciousness—physical, psychological, and spiritual. Through this practice of correct breathing (Ujjayi Pranayama), postures (asanas), and gazing point (driste), we gain control of the senses and a deep awareness of our selves. By maintaining this discipline with regularity and devotion, one acquires steadiness of body and mind. “Ashtanga” literally means eight limbs. They are described by Patanjali as: Yama (abstinences), Niyama (observances), Asana (postures), Pranayama (breath control), Pratyahara (sense withdrawal), Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation), and Samadhi (contemplation). These branches support each other. Asana practice must be established for proper practice of pranayama and is a key to the development of the yamas and niyamas. Once these four externally oriented limbs are firmly rooted, the last four internally oriented limbs will spontaneously evolve over time. “Vinyasa” means breath-synchronized movement. The breath is the heart of this discipline and links asana to asana in a precise order. By synchronizing movement with breathing and practicing Mula and Uddiyana Bandhas (locks), an intense internal heat is produced. This heat purifies muscles and organs, expelling unwanted toxins as well as releasing beneficial hormones and minerals, which can nourish the body when the sweat is massaged back into the skin. The breath regulates the vinyasa and ensures efficient circulation of blood. The result is a light, strong body.
Toddler Yoga
Looking for a yoga class for toddlers in Pittsburgh?
Sharon Rudyk will teach a Toddler Yoga series starting on Friday, October 28 and continuing through December 9, 2011. These classes are held from 11:15 am to noon. Toddlers should be accompanied by an adult who will participate in the class and help to facilitate the toddler’s experience in the class. Yoga experience is not required. Please bring a yoga mat if you have one, but it is not absolutely required.
These are fun classes that include stories, songs and yoga poses and concepts that have been modified to be age-appropriate for one to three year old children. Just the right combination of action and relaxation, you will be amazed at how much your toddler delights in yoga. Adults will learn tricks for using yoga during the day and in the evening with their toddler for help in communication, eating/digestion and sleep habits.
We ask that you not take out snacks or toys for your child during class so that they can focus on the class and participate fully. Of course, favorite comfort items are welcome. You may want to bring snacks or a favorite toy so that, if your child needs a break, you can provide what they need to feel better and return to the group.
Cost: $10 to drop-in or $50 for a package of 6-classes
[Please use Mom and Baby class package for payment. Please note that the package is only valid for 3-months and there are only six classes scheduled. There will be no refunds for classes missed if you purchase a package of six classes and use less during the valid period. ]