Hatha Yoga for Everyone!

, WEdnEsdaYs, 5:45pm to 7:00pm

This gently flowing yoga class focuses on proper alignment of the body in space, breath awareness and its relationship to movement, and mindfulness throughout the practice and in our lives. It is designed for everyone, including brand new beginners, continuing beginners, and those with a more established practice. Each class will include a gentle warm up of the spine and major muscle groups, followed by a series of standing poses. After the standing poses, we will focus on either seated forward folds and twists, backbends, and/or hip opening poses. Well always incorporate breath awareness throughout the practice, and well finish up with a nice long savasana (resting posture).

Slow Flow Vinyasa for All Levels, THursdaYs, 5:45pm to 7:00pm

Vinyasa is a form of hatha yoga which emphasizes the linking of breath, movement, and intention (mindfully choosing to place our attention somewhere). Moving slowly enough to maintain proper body alignment, but vigorously enough to build some heat in our bodies, we will explore a variety of creative flowing posture sequences which will usually change from week to week, helping us to keep our practice fresh, fun, and a little challenging. Well always incorporate breath awareness throughout the practice, and well finish up with a nice long savasana (resting posture). Suitable for all levels of practitioners in good health. This is NOT a power yoga class, so please dont be intimidated by the word vinyasa. It just means that well link up our breath with our movement and keep moving for most of the class.

Ive been studying yoga since 1999, and Im so grateful for the opportunity to share this healing, fun, and powerful practice that has improved my life so much with others. I completed my 230-hour Yoga Alliance-registered teacher training at Open Heart Yoga School in lovely Carrboro, NC, with Allison Dennis, a brilliant teacher who changed my whole conception of yoga. I used to think it was a great way to stretch my body and loved that there were more and more poses for me to master. Allison taught me that the point of yoga is not to master the poses, but to have an experience of my body moving through space in this moment to the rhythm of my breath, no matter what that looks like on the outside. Yoga really is for every body. Ive studied with a variety of other great teachers over the years (including Lorraine Treger, Mona DeFrawi, John Friend, Sharon Gannon, Ray Long, Kim Manfredi, Stephanie Keach, and Ti Harmony), and Im currently enrolled in Asheville Yoga Centers 500hour Advanced Studies Yoga Teacher Training. Ive completed additional coursework in Anatomic Yoga with Ray Long, MD, and LifeForce Yoga for depression and anxiety disorders with Amy Weintraub. Having experienced depression and anxiety in my own life, I really enjoy helping others use yoga to work with theirs. I enjoy teaching yoga to children, too, and created a class called Lil Asana incorporating time for sharing, yoga poses, art, and poetry for ages 4-10 before moving to Asheville. My classes are non-competitive, playful, and informal. To me, this means if youd rather do a different pose than I am leading, do it! This also means you are welcome to call me over or speak up with a question at any time. I will occasionally talk a bit about yoga philosophy, drawing from the ancient texts of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and The Bhagavad Gita, and exploring how these ideas (e.g., contentment, non-harming, and mindfulness) can be relevant and incorporated into our lives every day. Please email me if you have any questions about my classes, teaching style, philosophy, or anything else: nicolelilyoga@gmail.com. I can also be reached by phone at (919) 699-3111 or you can check out my website at www. nicolelily.com. This is YOUR yoga practice, and I want to help you make it work for your body and your life. I am, of course, still a student of yoga in addition to being a teacher, so I will be honest with you if I dont know something, but I will always help you find the appropriate resource. I wish you deep peace, abundance, and blessings.

About Nicole...

Nicole Lillian Mark

Twitter @nicolelil

(919) 699-3111

www.nicolelily.com