Tag: yoga classes

Welcome Cosy Makes Studio

June 12, 2012
Posted by Sharon
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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.

Summer Yoga Deals

March 20, 2012
Posted by Sharon
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SUMMER DEALS

Summer tends to be a season of relaxed schedules, road trips, camping and special time spent outside—-walks in the evening after supper, playing out on the lawn late into the night because it is still light out and it is easy to fall out of the routine of your yoga practice.

This summer, we want to help you keep your commitment to your practice by offering awesome deals on unlimited yoga. Our studio is kept to a comfortable temperature with air conditioning and you will enjoy taking an hour out of the sun to refresh mind, body and spirit. Our discounted unlimited yoga packages are valid for ALL classes on the drop-in schedule as space permits. As space is limited in classes, we suggest that you enroll in classes online. This will also help you make and keep your commitment to yoga.

Please note that the schedule is not, in any way, guaranteed. Individual instructors will take vacation time and may miss one or more weeks of a class. Some classes currently on the schedule will not be held over the summer. The studio will be closed for holidays. It is important that, if you wish to take full advantage of these packages, you think that you will take a minimum of 10-classes over the summer and that you are somewhat flexible about which classes you take. If not, then even though this is a great deal, it may not be the deal for you. Absolutely NO REFUNDS and NO EXTENSIONS and packages are not transferable. There are no exceptions to this. No other discounts, coupons or offers apply to these special packages.

Unlimited Yoga from June 1 through August 2012

Purchased before April 1, 2012 $80
Purchased before May 1, 2012 $100
Purchased before June 1, 2012 $125

Purchase your SUMMER UNLIMITED package today HERE.

In addition, we also know that you may drift from your regular practice even if you take advantage of one of the great deals on unlimited yoga listed above. So, we’d like to offer a special unlimited package for September that you invest in now so you can return in September without breaking the bank.

Unlimited Yoga in September 2012

Purchased before April 1, 2012 $35
Purchased before May 1, 2012 $45
Purchased before June 1, 2012 $55
Purchased before July 1, 2012 $75

Spread the word to all your yogi and yogini friends! The more the merrier this summer at The Mat. If you are leaving Pittsburgh for the summer, then we’ll see you in September!

Purchase your BACK TO SCHOOL/UNLIMITED SEPTEMBER 2012 package HERE.

Why Restore?

September 26, 2011
Posted by Sharon
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This Sunday (October 2, 2011), Lisa Clark is going to be offering a Restorative Yoga workshop at Yoga Matrika, a most cozy and intimate community-based yoga studio in Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh.  The workshop is just two-hours long, but the effects will last a lifetime.

You might wonder what the benefits of restorative yoga are, especially if you are healthy, injury free, athletic and tend to prefer active yoga practices with an emphasis on physical challenges.  Or, you might know that you desperately need a restorative practice, but can’t seem to justify the investment of time or money.  Maybe you aren’t even sure what restorative yoga is, but anything that might give you some peace and quiet for two hours just can’t be a bad thing………..

So, for the curious, here are some of the unique benefits of restorative yoga practices:

  • Activate your parasympathetic nervous system to fight illness and support optimum fertility, hormone balance, immune system and clarity of mind.
  • Lowers blood pressure.  Yes, even the Food and Drug Administration suggests that restorative yoga is highly effective non-drug therapy for hypertension.
  • Helps relieve chronic tension that can cause pain such as headaches and digestive disorders such as Irritable Bowl Syndrome.
  • Active relaxation improves mood and supports creativity and action sourced from intuition and grace.
  • Lower cholesterol and improve circulation
  • Better resistance to injury
  • Improve range of motion
  • Remove toxins from the body and support optimum health for liver, kidneys and endocrine system
  • Relieve sciatica and low back pain
  • Supports high quality sleep and can help relieve insomnia

The reality is that, for an amount of financial investment equal to a doctor visit co-pay, you can receive these significant benefits.  Of course, a regular yoga practice over time is your best investment for optimum health, but you will be amazed at how fabulous you feel after just one restorative yoga session.  If you would like to support your health with regular restorative yoga practices, April Lechwar teaches a one hour and fifteen minute restorative yoga class every Sunday evening from 5:45 to 7:00pm.

Here are some excerpts from Judith Lasater’s seminal book, Relax and Renew: Relaxing Yoga for Stressful Times:

 Stress Can Make you Sick

Stress begins with a physiological response to what your body-mind perceives as life-threatening.…For modern-day humans, this may be living with the fear of losing a job in a sagging economy, or the health crisis of a family member.

 

Whatever the stressor, the mind alerts the body that danger is present. In response, the adrenal glands, located above the kidneys, secrete catecholamine hormones. These adrenaline and noradrenalin hormones act upon the autonomic nervous system, as the body prepares for fight or flight. Heart rate, blood pressure, mental alertness, and muscle tension are increased. The adrenal hormones cause metabolic changes that make energy stores available to each cell and the body begins to sweat. The body also shuts down systems that are not a priority in the immediacy of the moment, including digestion, elimination, growth, repair, and reproduction.

 

To his detriment, modern man is often unable to resolve his stress so directly, and lives chronically stressed as a result. Still responding to the fight or flight response, the adrenals continue to pump stress hormones. The body does not benefit from nutrition because the digestion and elimination systems are slowed down. Even sleep is disturbed by this agitated state.

 

In a chronically stressed state, quality of life, and perhaps life itself, is at risk. The body’s capacity to heal itself is compromised, either inhibiting recovery from an existing illness or injury, or creating a new one, including high blood pressure, ulcers, back pain, immune dysfunction, reproductive problems, and depression. These conditions add stress of their own and the cycle continues.

Restorative Yoga for Health & Well Being

By supporting the body with props, we alternately stimulate and relax the body to move toward balance. Some poses have an overall benefit. Others target an individual part, such as the lungs or heart. All create specific physiological responses which are beneficial to health and can reduce the effects of stress-related disease.

 

In general, restorative poses are for those times when you feel weak, fatigued, or stressed from your daily activities. They are especially beneficial for the times before, during, and after major life events: death of a loved one, change of job or residence, marriage, divorce, major holidays, and vacations. In addition, you can practice the poses when ill, or recovering from illness or injury.

 

This post was written by Sharon Fennimore Rudyk, the owner and director of programs for Yoga Matrika and Matrika Prenatal.  She hopes to see you soon and often at The Mat in Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Yoga for Seniors

October 22, 2010
Posted by Sharon
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Yoga Matrika will be offering a new 6-week series of yoga classes for seniors in Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh.  The series will cost $45 for credit card payments and $40 for payments by check.  The classes are on Monday afternoons from 1:30 to 2:30pm.  The next series starts on Monday, November 8 and will run through Monday, December 13th.  There are many benefits for starting a yoga practice and we will:

  • Decrease back, neck and shoulder pain
  • Relieve stress
  • Learn balance skills to prevent falls
  • Ease joint discomfort from arthritis
  • Improve quality of sleep
  • Increase strength and flexibility in the body
  • Improve heart health

No experience is required and everyone is welcome.

To pre-register by mail, please mail (or hand deliver if you are in the neighborhood!) a check for $40 made out to YOGA MATRIKA to: 6520 Wilkins Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15217.  Registration is also available online through the  Yoga Matrika website.  You can call Sharon with questions (412) 855-5692.

Yoga at Home for $2 a Month

December 21, 2009
Posted by Sharon
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There are a LOT of great reasons to practice yoga at home on your own:

1-You have work and/or family responsibilities that make it impossible to consistently get to a yoga class.  This may be especially true for new parents who are juggling jobs, childcare and EVERYTHING!

2-You travel often and wish you had a practice you could take with you on the road

3-It’s a great way to advance your practice and always do the poses and exercises that best support you in how you feel (if you’re calling the shots, then you don’t have to do any handstands if you don’t want to!).

4-If you are not feeling well, are injured or need a modified practice for any reason, you can learn how to do a practice that will help you feel better

5-You want to make yoga a part of everyday—a real part of your life and not just a class or workshop that you take every once in a while.

Many of my students ask me how to start a home practice and how to be consistent about practicing at home.  For them, and for you, I have designed a great home practice that can be done anywhere by anyone.  In just 10-minutes a day, you will feel a huge improvement in how you feel.  I am charging $24 for 12-months of home practice support.  Here are the details:

Yoga Matrika invites YOU to Make 2010 the Year
YOU Develop a Home Yoga Practice. 

We welcome everyone to become a part of this yoga-based resolution revolution!  You don’t have to live in Pittsburgh and we hope that EVERYONE will take advantage of this project that invites you to make yoga and meditation a part of EVERY day of your life in a gentle and flexible way.   This program is for yogis of all ages, experience levels and physical abilities. 

Here is how it works:

STEP 1:  Pay the fees for home practice or make a donation 

The cost for the basic home practice and one year of home yoga practice support is $24.  You can make a payment online at the bottom of this page.

 

STEP 2:  You will receive a BASIC HOME PRACTICE in the mail to the mailing address you provide when you make payment. 

This home practice will take most adults 10-15 minutes to complete.  Modifications for practice in a chair or lying down can be provided upon request. The home practice guide will include pictures and text that describe the poses and exercises.  If you ever have any questions, there will be support contact information provided in your WELCOME KIT.

 

STEP 3:  Every month, you will receive an e-mail newsletter that will provide an additional 5-10 minutes of practice ideas so that you can slowly expand the amount of time you are spending on your home practice through the 12-months of the program.

 

By the end of one year, you will have:

1-A basic home practice that you can do anytime and anywhere in 10-15 minutes.

2-Three different 1-hour long home practices that you can do:
    #1:  Home Practice for Low Back and Hips
    #2:  Home Practice for Stress Relief
    #3:  Home Practice to Relieve Tension in the Head, Neck and Shoulders

3-Home Yoga & Meditation practices for anywhere between 10-minutes and 1-hour so you will always have a plan for your home practice no matter how much or how little time you have. 

 

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER I SIGN-UP?

When you sign-up for home practice support, you will receive a Welcome Kit that will include the BASIC HOME PRACTICE.  The basic home practice is designed to take 10-15 minutes and includes some breathing practices, stretching and relaxation.  We suggest that you start by making a commitment to doing 10-minutes of yoga a day for 5-days per week.  It’s more important that you are consistent about practicing every day than the amount of time you spend every day. You will be amazed at how different you feel with just 10-minutes of practice! 

One month after you sign-up for the home practice support, you will begin to receive monthly e-mail newsletters that provide an additional 5-minutes to add on to your basic practice until you have an hour-long home practice with variations for low back and hip care, stress, and tension in head, neck and shoulders.  You will also receive yoga and meditation tips in every newsletter that will help inspire your practice and keep it fresh.  It is ALWAYS your choice how much or how little of the practice you do.  This practice is designed so that, no matter how much or how little time you have, you can always have a great plan for a 10-minute, 20-minute, 40-minute or hour long practice and everything in between.

You don’t need any special equipment or clothing to practice yoga at home.  It is suggested that you decide on a place for your practice and consistently use that place (it can be ANYWHERE that you have floor space—kitchen, hallway, ANYWHERE).  Many people find that it is helpful to have a yoga mat and to keep it within view so that you can just throw your mat down and practice when you have a few minutes. 

We also recommend that you take a minimum of 2-yoga classes a month with a qualified teacher at a studio in your area.  It’s a good idea to go to a class so that you can receive adjustments to your poses, be a part of a supportive yoga community and receive the benefits of an inspiring practice. You will learn new poses and new ideas and you can always incorporate what you like the most into your home practice.   Practicing on your own and practicing with a group is a very different experience.  It’s important to have both of these types of experiences in order to advance your practice AND to keep your home practice fresh and exciting.

Your 2010 home practice will also include reading the following two books:

1.  Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul
     by Deepak Chopra.  2009

2.  The Joy of Living: Unlocking the Secret and Science of 
    Happiness by Youngey Mingyur Rinpoche.  2007

Each monthly e-newsletter will include information from these texts to inspire your practice and to keep your practice engaged with yoga philosophy.

You don’t have to buy these books, but we think you’ll want to so you can read them again and again and again!—You can borrow them from the library, create a home practice group with friends and collectively own one set of the texts, etc.  If you do buy them and you have a local book shop, please order it through them or ask them to carry these titles.  If not, then the book titles are linked to information that will help you purchase them online.  If you live in or around the Pittsburgh Metro area, we recommend Joseph Beth Booksellers on the South Side.  They should have these books in stock for you or they can order them!

If you are interested, please go to  https://www.yogamatrika.com//practiceyoga-at-home/
for more details and to sign-up for home practice support.

Posted by Sharon Fennimore Rudyk
Owner and Director, Yoga Matrika

http://www.sharonrudykyoga.info
https://www.yogamatrika.com/
http://www.prenatalyogapittsburgh.com