An uplifting yoga class expertly facilitated with a gentle approach by Rishi in the LOUNGE at St. John's Church Centre, 145-149 Kamo Rd, Kensington.
This class on Wednesdays is from 5.30 until 6.45pm. It is a 75-minute weekly general hatha yoga class - asana (postures/exercises), pranayama (specialized breathing techniques), yoga nidra (deep relaxation). Suitable for beginners to advanced, as students work at their own level and pace.
Move, breathe and relax for flexibility, strength and balance.
Your first class with us can be done for $10 (cash or internet banking), without any obligation to continue after that.
Come along during any part of our 4-term year (from immediately after Waitangi Day to just prior to Xmas, with breaks as for school holidays).
INSTRUCTOR: Rishi Iyer
Rishi has a BMus(Hons), specializing in classical singing. He has worked with NZ Opera in the chorus of various productions and is often in local shows with Opera North.
Growing up in a yoga teaching environment, he decided to do his yoga teacher training in 2022. Rishi attended a series of week long sessions, with follow up study and practice required after each one, to obtain a RYT 200 Yoga teaching qualification from Prema-Heart Yoga School at Ritual Yoga on Waiheke Island, Hauraki Gulf.
When he can fit them in, Rishi likes to be a part of other yoga retreats and workshops regularly each year to continue learning through yoga. He had also attended classes with yoga teachers when studying at Waikato University. Over the past 8 years, he has worked with Swami Anandaradha Saraswati (Radhe) in the Northland classes and workshops, teaching all of the 6 classes run per week by Shraddha Yoga and Meditation in 2024.
Having a father who is Brahmin from India, it seems that Rishi may have genetically inherited an ability with pronunciation of Sanskrit! Admittedly, this is probably also helped by becoming proficient in singing in other languages in his classical singing pursuits. He also has a particular interest in chanting and/or singing Sanskrit mantra and kirtan.
OUR TYPE OF YOGA
✨Both Rishi and Radhe are trustees of Shraddha Yoga and Meditation, a registered charitable trust.
✨60 minutes of hatha yoga, a classical style of yoga including asana (postures) and sometimes a few minutes of pranayama (specialized breathing techniques), makes up the main part of Shraddha Yoga and Meditation's 75 minute sessions.
✨Although our approach to asana practice is gentle, anyone can always go a little 'easier' or 'harder' in any asana to better suit a personal need - choose to reduce/extend practice of an asana or substitute with variations of an asana or perhaps do another asana altogether, possibly a less/more challenging alternative or perhaps just something that you know you want/need to do, whether just on that occasion or whenever practice of that particular asana occurs in a class.
✨We give a short yoga nidra (deep relaxation) of 10-15 minutes at the end of each class, this practice also being known as 'psychic sleep' and adapted by Swami Satyananda from earlier teachings for use in more modern times.
✨Our classes are largely Satyananda-focused, with practices from the Bihar School of Yoga forming the foundation. Some asana are repeated, a few are within flows and there are in some classes a few others held for some time (a number of breaths).
✨A book that is very useful for learning more about this style of yoga is 'Asana, Pranayama, Mudra and Bandha' by Swami Satyananda Saraswati.
✨We like to keep up-to-date with Satyananda-based teachings, attending the Satyananda Yoga Lifestyle Immersion weekend with Swami Ratnashakti from Monghyr, India held at Aio Wira Retreat, 10-12 January, 2025.
WHAT YOGA CAN DO FOR YOU
Yoga is a science that can have huge benefits for body, mind and emotions (all benefits are interconnected - hence experienced in no specific order - and sometimes can be noticed in a very obvious way and other times the effects are more subtle). Some of the benefits may be:
🌿 strengthening and toning of muscles (note that stronger abdominal muscles also help the back ... and the back muscles need yogic strengthening, which is a totally different feeling to just having tight back muscles from our normal stresses!);
🌿stretching to reduce over-tight muscles and rotations/bending/stretching movements to increase flexibility in joints (very important for all joints, including the spinal vertebrae);
🌿balance improvement in standing poses, both still and moving (this also transfers to improvement in day-to-day activities, such as walking and turning) and overall enhancement of physical coordination and posture;
🌿energizing and releasing energy blockages;
🌿improved function of the body's systems (skeletal, muscular, nervous, endocrine, cardiovascular, lymphatic, respiratory, digestive, urinary, and reproductive);
🌿balance and harmony of mind and emotions;
🌿clearer, better focused, aware/knowing and more peaceful state of mind;
🌿stress release and relaxation;
🌿assisting recovery from injuries/improving healing from illnesses;
🌿enhancing the spiritual aspect of existence, or wairua, improving both self-esteem and sense of belongingness
…
OUR STUDENTS AND HOW TO PRACTICE
We have people from a range of ages, genders, cultures in our lovely, small classes.
All students work at their own levels, which will often be different not only for each individual but also for each asana - usually this relates to both what the asana/pose is as well as to ranges in levels of flexibility, strength, balance and yogic experience - to appropriately and safely suit their current individual capabilities and needs.
Some asana are definitely more difficult/challenging than others and so those who have been coming to yoga for years still abide by the adage of "work at your own level and at your own pace". After all, the yoga that you do is for you, not for the teacher or anyone else in the room.
Note that different body types and varying past experiences (including old or current injuries/illnesses) definitely also contribute to shaping what we can, or cannot, do. There's always an alternative, including relaxing with breath awareness, if an asana is not appropriate at the time.😊
Some students come to more than one class a week but most do just the one class. Eventually a student may also start a small daily practice, or sadhana, at home too. Even doing just 10 or 15 minutes each day, e.g. a couple of specific asana you find beneficial for you and some breath awareness relaxation, can be helpful.
Whether a complete beginner or someone who has experience in home yoga practice/different yoga classes, you are always very welcome to come along.
There is no need to go further than what is manageable for you. You are free to stop/omit any asana whenever you need to. Of course, you are also free to do more difficult variations for longer, too.
Sometimes we repeat an asana, sometimes we do them as a part of a flow and sometimes we hold them (after either doing once or doing some repetitions).
If not already proficient, you will notice gradual improvement and benefits, becoming more competent and capable over time.
DATES OF OUR CLASSES
You may have noticed from our Term 1 dates of 10 Feb -10 April that we fairly closely follow school terms (our 2 week holiday breaks after Terms 1, 2 and 3 are the same as for the schools), with a 4-term year.
Term 2 is from 28 April until 26 June.
Shraddha Yoga and Meditation is offering an 9-week term for Term 2 on Wednesdays.
FEE OPTIONS
🍀Term fee
$81 is the fee if you want to commit to coming to all/most sessions of Wednesday evening classes. This means paying for the term up front - it is the cheapest option per class ($9) and hence is only valid for Term 2. No transfer is available to a later term but you can transfer a class, or classes, to another person within the current term, e.g. if you've booked for the term and there is a Wednesday evening when you cannot come, you can sell/gift your spot to a friend/whanau for that session (they are welcome to attend either when you're away or with you when you're back)
OR come to another class yourself at any of our other venues.
🍀Concession cards
There is NO EXPIRY on any of our concession cards, so keep using them at any venue in any term (of any year!) until completed.
You can even use these with a partner/whanau/friend/friends.
The concession card options are:
🍁$70 for a 5-class concession card ($14 per class).
🪷🪷🪷IF YOU ARE NEW TO OUR CLASSES, this is reduced to $55 for a 5-class concession card ($11 per class) for the purchase of your first 5-class card. Of course, you may instead choose the term fee or a card option that gives a cheaper class rate (11-class or 22-class).
🍁 $110 for an 11-class concession card ($10 per class). The 11-class card still remains the most popular option.
🍁$210 for 22 classes - 2 x 11-class cards (~$9.50 per class).
🍀Casual/drop-in
🪷🪷🪷$10 cash or internet banking is fine for your first time at one of our classes.
Note that the standard casual/drop-in fee is actually $20, which is reduced to $15 with a Community Services Card or Super Gold Card. However, a repeated casual fee is not generally used by anyone as concession cards reduce the price per class by a lot more.
🍀Please always feel welcome to contact us privately if you need to make a special arrangement to be able to manage to come.
WHAT TO BRING
Bring your own yoga mat (or ask us if you need to borrow one), water bottle and a blanket (or cotton/light throw in the summer) for covering yourself during the relaxation.
For any queries re the classes, or to request bank account details for fee payment, please contact us.
CONTACT DETAILS
You can message via Facebook or by email:
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For calls or texting:
Rishi 027 7104 347
You can also attend via Zoom:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81935407762...
Meeting ID: 819 3540 7762
Passcode: 574898
Om 🕉️
Note to those who attend evening classes: there is also another evening yoga class at the same venue (but in the hall, not the lounge) on Tuesdays at 5.15pm. You are welcome to come to both or whichever one suits you best each week.
Of course, we also have Maungatapere, Poroti and Tamaterau evening classes too. You can come for just a little country drive into these areas to try one of these if you live in the city. We'd love to have you!😊
🕉️DONATIONS
Note that as Shraddha Yoga and Meditation is a registered charitable trust, any donations are tax deductible. Save receipts for all donations that are over $5 made to us or any other approved organizations. 1/3 of the total value of donations, up to the level of your taxable income, are tax deductible.
https://www.ird.govt.nz/.../individu.../donation-tax-credits)
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