Class Descriptions
We welcome you to Ganges Yoga Studio where we offer a variety of expressions of Hatha Yoga, as well as other comprehensive disciplines, to assist you in achieving your health and fitness goals. Our focus is to serve our diverse community and we strive to balance the athletic with reflective sessions.
Hatha Yoga can be traced back to 11th Century India, where asana and pranayama were studied alongside diet, purification methods, meditation, sound vibration and energy gestures, with the aim to elevate awareness and consciousness.
The Yoga Teacher’s Training Immersion programme at Ganges Yoga Studio studies these aspects in more depth, whereas our daily, scheduled classes focus more on physical postures/asana, breath awareness/pranayama and meditation.
Yoga Series with Celeste
Mellow Series: Mellow Monday and Midweek Mellow are classes designed for you to get your mellow on.
Various practices of mellow movement and periods of stillness will leave you feeling de-stressed, refreshed, and mellow for the rest of your week. Class is open to anyone seeking relaxation.
~ led by Celeste
Hatha Yoga: All levels
This varied and accessible practice is for the bold and enthusiastic, and the novice stepping out to explore mindful movement, body awareness and simple breathing practices. Each session is unique to the moment, always fun and interesting and always leaves each individual participant feeling as if the class had been designed just for them!
~ led by Celeste
Yoga with a Chair
Chair Yoga, Easy Does It:
Chair Yoga, Easy Does It, is for folks who do best with a shorter session, concentrating slowly on specific movements for rehabilitation, pre or post surgery to the knees and hip joints, for shoulder injuries and gentle movements for strengthening the core and back muscles. Learning to regulate breathing patterns, and introducing skills to balance the nervous system is important, in order to adapt to the physical and emotional challenges which arise in our daily lives.
Chair Yoga for Level 1:
Folks spend more time on a variety of standing and seated postures. Range of motion in all the joints and strengthening the limbs, with focus on balance are explored here. Hand-eye/ coordination games add to the fun of this very popular session. Learning to regulate breathing patterns, and introducing skills to balance the nervous system is important, in order to adapt to the physical and emotional challenges which arise in our daily lives.
Chair Yoga for Level 2:
Similar poses explored in Level 1 are now challenged with longer holdings and deeper bends. Spinal twists are performed in a variety of ways; both seated and standing. Reclining relaxation is a benefit in this class for those who can get down and back up from the floor. Learning to regulate breathing patterns, and introducing skills to balance the nervous system is important, in order to adapt to the physical and emotional challenges which arise in our daily lives.
~ led by Celeste
Restorative Yoga
Using extra props like cushions, blankets, and sandbags assists in deep physical and mental rest. Paying attention to regulating the in and exhale and taking a pause from the busyness of our lives, Restorative Yoga can take one into deep states of stillness, peace and tranquility. We practice staying close to the floor, so practitioners must be able to get down to the floor and up again without assistance.
~ led by Celeste
Yoga Nidra
Is an ancient yogic practice which translated from Sanskrit means, Yoga Sleep. It can be practiced by any one either lying on the ground or seated in a secure chair. Either way it is essential that the body is comfortable and relaxed.
Yoga Nidra, the state between waking and sleeping, is essentially a guided practice which allows the practitioner to sense, feel and concentrate on breath and energy awareness. Setting an intention for transformation occurs through the practiced state of relaxed body and mind.
This guided practice is said to diminish insomnia, aid in creating new patterns of behaviour and unearthing hidden potential.
~ led by Celeste
Rise and Shine Yoga
This class is designed to get your life force flowing first thing in the morning, and set your day up right. Energizing and nourishing for the body, mind and spirit, we will start with a short meditation and breathing practice, followed by a balanced asana practice highlighting a series of standing poses and sun salutations. We will explore themes of focus, spaciousness, inner awareness, energetic alignment and flow.
Vijnana style practice. Intermediate level. Modifications will be offered.
~ led by Hanna
Hatha Yoga: All Levels
Beginner Yoga Series
The Beginner Yoga Series is for anyone new or returning to yoga and is the perfect first step to building confidence and developing a practice that you can enjoy at home, or in the studio.
Over the 6-week series, students will learn basic meditation, breathing techniques, and postures as well as posture modifications to build a practice that serves them.
The Beginner Yoga Series includes 6 weeks of classes for $99. Classes will be held on Wednesdays from 5-6 pm starting on January 6, 2023.
No mat? No problem! The studio has mats and props that are free to use.
Registration is required for this series. For more information and to register, email Deb at [email protected].
~ led by Deb
Yoga Flow
A vigorous vinyasa flow of traditional Hatha Yoga poses and sequences. “Vigorous” means strong, healthy, and full of energy and together we add some fun. Optional light weights may be added as additional challenges for those wanting to help tone the body and challenge the mind. The class is geared to intermediate to advanced students but all levels are welcome with options to make the class as challenging as you want it to be. Remember, the most important part of yoga is your outfit! Well, actually, it’s your attitude! So bring your outfits and your positive energy and let’s rock this class with some cool music added to help enliven the class!
All classes are by donation. Suggested donation is $20 or whatever you can afford. Class limited to 10. Please email to register for classes, [email protected].
~ led by Howie Baral
Creative Vinyasa
Themes are interwoven into a dancing slow flow practice. The teaching style focuses on fluid form, embodiment and moving meditation. The mandala sequences are creative and passionate; balancing powerful softness and supported gracefulness.
~ led by Li Mei
Yoga & Cacao Journey
As we settle deeper into the stillness of winter, let us join together over a cup of ceremonial cacao, followed by a yoga practice intended to inspire, ground and nourish.
$30 suggested donation
Please RSVP to Simone Artz by email: [email protected]
EveryBody Stretch
~ led by Catherine
Melt Performance
If you have ever experienced the pain and discomfort of plantar fasciitis, arthritis, neck and low back pain, hip and shoulder issues, or repetitive movement injuries, then you may have a connective tissue issue and Melt Performance can help. The MELT Method™ is a gentle self-care technique that enhances mobility, stability, and performance and is clinically proven to reduce chronic pain while restoring overall well-being.
Developed by manual therapist and exercise physiologist Sue Hitzmann, it uses specially designed hand and foot treatment balls and custom made soft rollers (along with your own body and breath) to calm the mind, tap into the autonomic nervous system to boost control, and restore the supportive qualities of the connective tissue system. In this all levels foundational class you will learn to hydrate fascia, release tension and compression which causes imbalance and poor posture, decrease the risk of injury, and get out of pain!
$20 per class
~ led by Jerome
Melt & Pilates
Hydrate connective tissue to alleviate chronic pain, increase neurological balance and prevent future injuries. Realign the joints and spine while strengthening deep core stabilizers to support ideal alignment and good posture. Increase endurance and dynamic balance using functional movement exercises.
$20 per class
~ led by Jerome
Salt Spring Insight Meditation
Salt Spring Insight Meditation Community is a community of new and experienced meditators dedicated to cultivating happiness and well-being through exploring and practicing the teachings of the Buddha, in both meditation and compassionate action.
We seek to live our lives with mindful awareness, opening our hearts to joy and to suffering, in order to live with the freedom of kindness, clarity and wisdom. We follow the tradition of Theravada Buddhism, as practiced in Burma, Thailand, and Sri Lanka, but also find support within the Zen and Tibetan traditions. Popular Theravadan teachers in North America include Jack Kornfield, Joseph Goldstein and Sharon Salzberg.
This is an open group. Everyone who attends is a valued member with a place in our community. People with all levels of meditation experience (or none) are invited to attend any of our offerings.
Email questions to David & Christine at [email protected]
Crystal Bowl/Harmonic Toning Sessions
The mood of each session is very relaxed leading to deep meditative states.
In each session, we begin with the intention of being present with the light and love that already exists in each of us. We become witness to a deep healing presence radiating into and extending out of our hearts. This healing presence becomes greatly magnified as we join our hearts in a group setting.
These sessions are non-denominational and all-inclusive which are especially open to those in need of physical, mental or emotional healing.
~ led by Adam Huber
Kirtan
Ananda Kirtan Band consists of Vikash Knox (dotar/vocals), Adam Huber (guitar/vocals), Johanna Sanjeevani (harmonium/vocals), and Damian Finegan (tabla).
Though we come from a range of different backgrounds and experiences, we share a love for Kirtan and devotional practices from the Yoga tradition.
We feel very grateful to be offering bi-weekly Kirtan evenings at the Ganges Yoga Studio where we aim to create an energy of deep peace, inner listening, and connection to the divine source of all through the mantra and chants that we share. Kirtan is traditionally experienced in a call and response format and in this way creates a beautiful back-and-forth dance that helps ground the body and the senses into the present moment.
A special devotional feeling is felt by many people who join the chanting.
By donation – no one turned away for lack of funds.
~ led by Ananda Kirtan Band
Vocal Freedom Singing Circle
Vocal Freedom Singing Circles are an excellent way to meet, uncover, exercise, develop, hone, strengthen, refine, and fall in love with your own personal voice!
With the power of music guiding the way, we enter into the collective field with simple musical warmups that are easy to follow and super activating, allowing us all to open up our voices as well as our hearts, as there is very little separation between the two.
As we open our hearts and soften our minds, our voices begin to emerge, letting go of old stories, old patterns, old feelings, old blockages, etc. that hold us back from becoming the full expression of the voice within. This work engages deeply with our trust faculties and asks of us to trust the inner guidance within (often called Spirit, Source, Higher Self, God/Goddess, Life). This is usually a point of major awakening and breakthrough for so many people, as we begin to recognize we don’t trust that inner spirit as much as we like to think we do! This is a major part of the practice!
As the evening progresses, we delve into beautiful and heart-centred songs, mantras, kirtans, rainbow chants, and songs of devotion that allow us to continue practicing these three awarenesses while practicing the power of positive affirmations within the lyrics.
$10-25 sliding scale (at the door)
If you have any questions, please message Blair: [email protected]
~ led by Blair
Improv Theatre Sports
Gain skills to increase personal confidence in all aspects of life through the gifts of humour, spontaneity, and play. Improv life skills will engage and enliven your body, your mind, and your speech. Individual and group theatre games with focus on improv principles are the foundational structures to these classes.
This class is best suited for people 16+ as sometimes adult content may be discussed.
All are welcome. $5-$10 per class
~ Improvisation Classes with Simone Cazabon