Cosy Makes Studio Events
Read about all these events in detail
Tuesday Mornings starting July 24, 2012
Sit and Knit: Open Knitting Group
10:00 to 12:00 noon
No charge. Babies and children warmly welcome.
Sunday, September 16th
Cosy Makes Studio
GRAND OPENING EVENT
Sunday, September 30th
Open Studio
4:00 to 8:00 pm
Suggested Donation $5-$10 (all cash donations in any amount accepted)
In Pittsburgh, we have many options for taking yoga classes with beautiful places to practice, great teachers and dedicated studio owners that work really hard (emphasis on REALLY) to provide our communities with high quality practice opportunities. In addition, we have some specialized independent studios and teachers who offer more therapeutic and individualized instruction in their home studios, living rooms and at a variety of locations around the city. Basically, we’ve got options!
Five years ago, I added Yoga Matrika to the list of options and have tried a number of different methods for managing the schedule, instructors, payments and the studio in general. For those of you who have been with me for this entire wild ride, you’ve experienced it all—–from index cards in a little box to an online web-based service to sign-in notebooks and sheets and…..well, you get the idea.
Almost one year ago, my family’s dear Josephine was born through us and her presence in our lives influenced me and my entire family to make some changes. In the process of considering how to keep the studio alive while also honoring the required changes to my lifestyle and ability to be present for the studio, I took some time to really think about what I loved about Yoga Matrika and what I didn’t like about Yoga Matrika. Once I got the list of what I loved, I started to think of ways to emphasize the love and diminish the non-loveable aspects.
What do I LOVE? I love teaching. I love spending time in this warm and friendly space with people that I admire and care about. I love practicing yoga, studying and learning through my interactions and experiences with students, other teachers and everyone who offers teachings in our space. I love the wonderful and talented teachers that find their way to Yoga Matrika and share everything they know and love about yoga, healing and meditation with me and with the entire community.
What am I not in love with? I am not in love with arguing about class card expiration dates with students, doing data entry and wrestling with the consumer culture that has developed around yoga. I am frustrated by teachers who send me e-mails three-hours before their class is supposed to start telling me that they can’t make it to teach—and I am not in-love with having to beg for forgiveness from students who are left out in the cold (sometimes quite literally) when this happens.
So, after much consideration, I have decided, with the support of my team, to stop offering drop-in classes starting in the fall. Instead, we will offer classes in a series for a semester that require pre-registration. Prenatal yoga and yoga for moms and babies and children together will be offered as six-week series. Meditation and yoga classes for adults will be offered in twelve-week series. Instructors are making a commitment to their series and we are leaving a minimum of 1-week at the end of each series for instructors to offer a make-up class if, during the series, the instructor needs to cancel at any time. We will have a maximum of 8-students in each series (some instructors have smaller maximums). If you miss a class in your series, you will be able to purchase a make-up class for the difference between your tuition and the full price of a class and then you can sign-up, as space is available, to take any other class on the schedule to make up for it. If you do not choose to take this option, then missed classes are just “lost.”
What you lose in “freedom” that you may feel with a drop-in class package, you will gain in quality and consistency of experience. You will no longer have to worry if your package is going to expire or remembering to sign-in for class online or if you are getting the best deal or not. Yoga Matrika will no longer participate in GROUPON or LIVING SOCIAL voucher deals and there will never be a special deal, coupon code or any other offers made. You can feel confident when you enroll in a series that:
1-You are making an investment in your practice that reflects the true costs of your experience (instructor, environment, equipment, etc.). You love your teacher! It will make you feel warm and fuzzy inside knowing that they are getting compensated for their time, knowlege and expertise. Good karma all around!
2-You get a small-group class where you can have your unique needs met and the instructor can provide individualized attention to you. This makes practice safer.
3-You will have a consistent student-group and be able to build a sense of community and a deep relationship with your teacher. The student-teacher relationship is very powerful and potentially therapeutic when nourished in this way.
4-You will never be squished, crowded or lacking in the tools and equipment you need for a comfortable and safe practice.
5-You are making a commitment and that commitment will be met by your instructor who will be there each and every week in that series. No more worries about cancelled classes, substitute teachers…..for at least the length of your series, you are guaranteed the class you signed up for with the teacher you signed up for it with.
How much is a series:
12-Weeks $160 ($13 per class)
6-Weeks $75 ($12.50 per class)
Drop-In $20 (drop-in will be permitted as space permits)
Make-Up Class $7
Yes, you can take less expensive yoga classes elsewhere. What I would like you to consider is that the cheapest yoga class isn’t necessarily the best value. When you decide how much you have to invest in your yoga practice, please consider all the benefits that you receive from yoga and the value of the experience you have at Yoga Matrika specifically. Absolutely no student will be turned away due to an inability to pay full tuition. If you are not able to pay the full tuition, Sharon is truly delighted to make alternative payment arrangements with you. Please do not be shy! Send an e-mail to: sharon@yogamatrika.com and we’ll work something out—sliding scale, payment plan, student rate, work-study/exchange—-there are lots of options.
Offering inexpensive packages, deals and tuition that is lower than our actual cost of doing business hurts everyone and it is not in line with the principle of “Satya” (truth) and puts students in a situation in which they are literally stealing from their teachers without even realizing it. It is my most sincere desire that offering small-group classes by registration will help us all stay in love!
Starting later this summer, you will notice some changes in the studio space at Yoga Matrika as we welcome Cosy Makes Studio to share our little space at 1406 S. Negley Avenue. We know that change can be hard and be stressful, even when that change means wonderful things. So, I want to share with you what this change means for you so you can prepare.
The biggest change is that, starting in the fall, Yoga Matrika will no longer offer “drop-in” classes. All of our classes will require registration for a series of classes for a “semester”. Classes that do not meet a minimum pre-registration will be cancelled and all classes will have strict maximum attendance so that we can make sure that all students are comfortable and safe when they come to practice at Yoga Matrika. For years, this has been our specialty—–small, intimate classes where students receive the highest quality instruction. There are so many benefits to making a commitment to a series of classes and practicing in this way that it would be hard to even name them all, but I’ll name a few just to ease any upset that you may be having at the idea of not having drop-in classes anymore:
#1: If you make a commitment and pay up-front, you are more likely to actually attend class. If you know you can’t beg for more time on your class package and that you must show up for a specific class at a specific time, you are likely to put that class on your calendar and actually attend. No excuses!
#2: In a class that runs in a series, the instructor can plan a curriculum for that class and add new skills each week knowing what you did the previous week. This makes it a higher quality class because the instructor can prepare in a more specific way. As a student, you will also see progress in your practice and be able to learn new skills in a valuable way.
#3: You will get to know your teacher and fellow students and this makes practice more intimate and safe. Relieve yourself of the constant flow of new faces and needs and special requests………your instructor will be able to tailor each practice to the group that has registered and you will have the support and space required to truly relax into your practice without distractions. The student-teacher relationship is very important in yoga and by making a commitment to a particular class and with a particular teacher, you allow this relationship to prosper.
#4: I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty tired of trying to keep track of class packages, special deals, cancellations, substitutes, etc. This registration policy liberates us all from these concerns. Register and attend. There will not be another GROUPON, LIVING SOCIAL, coupon code, discount rate, unlimited……nothing. The series are all scheduled so that there is a minimum of one week at the end so that, if the instructor has to cancel a class, there will be a make-up class added. If YOU miss a class, you can purchase a make-up class package and take any other class on the schedule that has room to make up for it during that semester. Or, well, you just missed a class. It will be OK!
The other big change is that we will be sharing the space with a fiber artist. Trust me, this is WONDERFUL news. And, not just ANY fiber artist—-it’s our very own Cosy! Cosy could teach my fish how to knit and if you are a knitter, hooker or just fiber curious, Cosy is going to offer at least three classes a week for a variety of levels that will be perfect for you. Also, the front reception area will become a retail outlet for Cosy’s patterns, hand-dyed wool, kits and much, much more. You can purchase yarns, patterns and kits before or after classes or when Cosy has events and groups or by appointment. Cosy does private lessons too!
So, here is the least you need to know:
#1: You can continue to take fabulous, small-group yoga and meditation classes at Yoga Matrika with your favorite instructors this fall.
#2: You will be able to learn to knit, learn new knitting skills and purchase unique and hand-made yarns and patterns at Yoga Matrika starting this fall when Cosy Makes Studio opens at 1406 S. Negley Avenue.
So….Bhante Pema is traveling in Asia and we are missing the Monday night meditation classes at Yoga Matrika. Please note that Bhante Pema’s fall meditation class series is filling fast and not only is there a $40 discount when you register for the series before July 1st, 2012, but registering for the series now is the only way to guarantee yourself a space in this amazing class series. Yoga Matrika offers intimate meditation classes with Bhante Pema for $175 (early bird registration before 7/1/12 makes tuition just $135) for the 12-week series. There is no other meditation class in Pittsburgh like these. The environment is calm and supportive and the small-group class series allows you to receive personal attention and build your skills over time.
If you need some guidance and inspiration for your practice this summer, why not try an online course? An online course in meditation will allow you to enjoy the sun, go out and play, and study and practice meditation at your convenience. It’s hard to come inside and focus when all you really want to do is run through the sprinkler, garden and enjoy time outdoors with your friends, family and loved ones. So rise early and study or take some time for yourself in the evening when the day of play is done. This online meditation course is 12-weeks, just like our class series—-so you’ll be all set and ready for class when September 10th comes. While it may seem now that the summer lies before you as a great expanse, you know that fall will be here in the blink of an eye.
Just in case you are curious about some of the benefits of meditation, please check out the amazing benefits of meditation here. Do you ever feel like a victim of your genes? Read here about how meditation can change genetic expression.
Posted by Sharon Fennimore Rudyk, owner and director of programs at Yoga Matrika, a boutique yoga center in Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh, PA 15217. Small group classes, private sessions, teacher training programs, workshops for all levels and more!
Yoga Matrika now offers two very unique classes that are not traditional yoga or, at least, different from what you might expect from a yoga class. In my discussions with some students in the community recently I have heard comments that reflect some fear of trying these different classes and the fear seems to be based entirely on the names of the classes. These classes both have some dance terms in their names and it seems as though the idea of dance is terrifying for many adults. It seems to me that it might be helpful to think about what yoga is and put these “dance” classes within the context of traditional yoga philosophy.
At first glance, or perhaps even after some deeper consideration, classes with names like “Yoga Dance” and “Yoga Booty Ballet” may not seem like real yoga classes. Yoga is sitting around on the floor chanting Om or doing downward facing dog or back bends or sun salutations—-right? So, what is the relationship between dance and movment that is not asana-based and yoga? I invite you to consider the definition of yoga provided by Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras:
1.2
yogash chitta vritti nirodhah
Yoga is the control (nirodhah, regulation, channeling, mastery, integration, coordination,
stilling, quieting, setting aside) of the modifications (gross and subtle thought patterns) of the mind field
yoga = of yoga, union; literally, to yoke, from the root yuj, which means to join; same as the absorption in samadhi
chitta = of the consciousness of the mind-field
vritti = operations, activities, fluctuations, modifications, changes, or various forms of the mind-field
nirodhah = control, regulation, channeling, mastery, integration, coordination,understanding, stilling, quieting, setting aside of
If yoga is the control of the modifications (movement) of the mind away from the constant distraction of the hamster wheel of your mind activity (you know, what happens when you sit down to meditate and you are immediately flooded with memories, your to do list, picking your toes, plans for the future—all at the same time!), then these classes that require focus on creative movement, sensation in the body and intention are most definitely yoga. While we may have come to equate the practice of asana (physical postures) with the defnition of yoga, the truth is that many different things can, by Patanjali’s definition be yoga.
Dance is the loss of inhibition—-it is letting go, in this moment, of concerns about how you look and allowing your body to respond to the rhythm of the music and to the pleasures of the movement itself. Dance is an invitation for breath to move not only in and out of the body, but through every cell of the body as you enliven your limbs and the extensions of your spine. Dance is not some tortured experience of your memory of some fall social gathering in a church basement. That memory is exactly the mind-stuff that holds you back from the liberation that you are likely to experience in a yoga-based movement or dance class. This is not about uncomfortable shoes, clammy hands or a date with two left feet and a bad attitude. This is not about you feeling uncoordinated—-this is about allowing yourself to explore pleasure through movement.
All of the fears that you have about trying a new type of class or about dancing are sourced in the movements of the mind—–and these mental gymnastics are what keep you from living fully. If you have these mental movements in response to the idea of taking a movement-based yoga class, I encourage you to see them as just that—-mental movements. Do not allow them to control your decision—–try the Yoga Dance class you are so curious about! Try the Yoga Booty Ballet class! What is the worst thing that can happen? What is likely to happen is that you will be nervous and for the first few minutes of class, you may question how you got yourself into this ridiculous situation. While you learn the movements and try to find your ground in the first few minutes of class, you may feel clumsy or like you don’t know what you are doing. Then, you will begin to focus on what is happening in the moment as you become immersed in the activity. Slowly, slowly you will release your commitment to the movements of the mind and engage with the movement of your body, the sounds of the music, the feeling of breath and—–all of a sudden, you are doing it and it is yoga. After class, you will feel centered, open and liberated—–not just because of the joyful nature of the class, but because you did not allow the movements of your mind to stop you from giving the class a try. You tried it and you survived and nothing bad happened—–as a matter of fact, you think you’re going to come back next week!
I really hope you give our two movement-based yoga classes a try. They are a wonderful and fun way to improve the health of your body, heart and mind. These classes will also help you expand your definition of yoga as you strengthen and tone the body. When can you take these wonderful classes this summer?
Monday Evenings
7:30-8:45 pm
Yoga Booty Ballet (YBB) with Aleta Howard
Tuesday Evenings
7:30-8:45 pm
Yoga Dance with Alexis Shaw
Written by Sharon Rudyk, owner of Yoga Matrika. If she can do it, so can you!
Has all this graduation energy got you feeling, well, OLD?
Flexibility is youth—-strong, long and lean muscles and bodies in alignment radiate youth. It’s not to be found in a bottle, tube or powder…….practice yoga daily for a month and you will find yourself looking younger and feeling younger the following month. Not only that, but without denying yourself one May night ice cream cone, your clothing will fit better.
All yoga classes at Yoga Matrika are now $10 each for the whole summer. Want to test my flexibility is youth hypothesis? Try unlimited yoga for 25-days for $40 and try to prove me wrong. I’m not, but go ahead and try—it will make you feel better.
Yoga Studies with SharonSharon Fennimore Rudyk, MA, E-RYT, R-PYT
Inquiries
Please send an e-mail to Sharon at: sharon@yogamatrika.com if you have any questions, wish to discuss the program or need information before you sign up. You can also call Sharon at 412-855-5692.
Tuition
This 6-month Yoga Studies program (September 10, 2012 through March 2013) is $1,200. Tuition is paid in monthly $100 payments for 12-months starting with the date of registration. Tuition is non-refundable and non-transferable and payments must be made regardless of your actual participation in scheduled classes and workshops.
Register Here
This is an intimate program with a maximum of ten participants for each cohort. The program starts in September of each year, but you are encouraged to register and save your space as soon as you decide to make a commitment to the 6-month program of yoga studies. Register by signing a program contract HERE.
Classes
Up to two-classes per week with Sharon Rudyk. Options include:
Tuesday night 5:45 to 7:00 pm
Saturday morning: 9:00 to 10:15 am
Workshops
One two-hour special topics class per month with Sharon Rudyk per month. Each month, Sharon will offer at least two options, one evening and one weekend for a special topics workshop. Topics include: yoga philosophy, energy, pranayama, different yoga traditions, asana alignment and practice techniques and more. All the juicy stuff you don’t have time to explore in drop-in classes! One per month is included in your tuition, but you can always sign-up for more and pay for them a la carte.
In 6-months of Yoga Studies with Sharon, you can expect to learn:
Tuition Details
The Yoga Studies program requires a contract of agreement for 12-payments of $100 that will be automatically charged to your credit card once per month. You are obligated to maintain these payments regardless of your actual class attendance or participation in workshops and training sessions. There are no refunds for any reason and this program tuition is not transferable.
If you wish to complete this program as a teacher training program, then you must complete, in addition to the Yoga Studies course:
A suggested reading list will be posted in July 2012 for the September 2012 cohort. Please note that if you are taking this Yoga Studies course for teacher training, you will be required to complete the readings and writing assignments as outlined in the online course.
Guided relaxtion recordings are a wonderful way to incorporate meditation into your daily life at your convenience. You can listen during your lunch hour on headphones and take your relaxtion with you on the go—–airports, hotels…..just not for in the car while you are driving! These meditations will bring you all the benefits of meditation and you can enjoy the convenience of being able to practice anywhere at any time.
Summer Schedule 2012 June through August
If classes do not meet minimum enrollment during the summer, they are likely to be cancelled. Please make sure we know of your intention to attend class. There is no penalty if you sign-up online and then do not make it to class.
Summer Schedule 2012 June through August
Monday
6:00pm Matrika Flow w/Heather Open Level
7:30 pm Yoga Booty Ballet w/Aleta Open Level
Tuesday
5:45 pm Matrika Flow Plus w/Sharon Open Level
7:30 pm Yoga Dance w/Alexis Open Level
Wednesday
10:45 am Mom & Baby Yoga w/Rachel Gentle
6:00 pm Prenatal Yoga w/April Gentle
7:30 pm Matrika Flow w/Marilyn Open Level
Thursday
10:00 am Yoga I w/Heather Beginner/Open
5:30 pm Yoga for Balance w/Alexis Gentle/Open
Friday
10:00 am Prenatal Yoga w/April Gentle
Saturday
9:00 am Matrika Flow w/Marilyn Open Level
10:30 am Calm Flow w/Sharon Open Level