FIRST ANNUAL...

RASA REVOLUTION

Fri-Sun, June 29-July 1

a celebration of movement, music and art

Featuring Max Strom, Donna De Lory, & Eric Shaw

And Natalie Stawsky, Vanessa Scott, Melissa Cooley,

Kristin Laak, Krista Holland, & Mona Therese Winston

Art by Cate Strom, Scott Lewis, Melissa Cooley, Krista Holland & Carlos Bracuto!

Hosted by Rasa Yoga Center, in community with Ashland Yoga Center & Om Sweet Om 

Concurrent sessions take place Friday through Sunday, special welcome & lecture with Max Friday night, concert with Donna Saturday night! Experience the rasa...

Don’t miss out on this first annual Rasa yoga festival!! Celebrate movement, music, art, and kinship that weaves it all together.

Click here for more details, or navigate to our Festival page on this website.

SELF REALIZATION AND FREEDOM

A Special Lecture with "Acharya", Dr. Shankaranarayana Jois

We are honored to host Dr. Shankaranarayana Jois for this very special evening lecture and discussion on Self Realization and Freedom. 

Beings who lack an understanding of their original condition and purpose are held in bondage. Freedom is the release from this kind of bondage. For this, we need to implement right thought and a right way of life. Only then will we attain true Liberation, real freedom.

About "Acharya", Dr. K.L. Shankaranarayana Jois

Known by his students as “Acharya”, Dr. K.L. Shankaranarayana Jois offers rare teachings and insight into the ancient Indian arts and sciences.  Dr. Jois holds a PhD in Yoga, an MA and Vidwan in Sanskrit, practiced Asana, Pranayama and Mudra for 6 years under the guidance of Sri Patabi Jois at the Maharaja’s Government Sanskrit College between 1968 to 1974, and is a hereditary Vedic Astrologer going back multiple generations. A retired Assistant Professor of Sanskrit, Acharya’s keen and nuanced understanding of this ancient language holds an important key to unlocking the secrets of Yoga.

This is a unique opportunity to come into contact with an authentic yogi. Acharya's teachings emerge from an experiential perspective embellished by an impressive mastery of the texts.

Suggested Donation:  $10-$25

YOGA FOR BACK PAIN

with NATALIE STAWSKY, ERYT

Back pain is one of the most common physical ailments affecting people of all ages today. Besides the discomfort, back pain can affect your overall health and cause many emotional and psychological disorders.

In this workshop we will present a series of exercises specifically designed for releasing muscle tension, improving posture and strengthening the spine, neck and shoulders, all key areas to relieve and prevent back pain.

With the use of props and careful modifications, yoga therapist Natalie Stawsky will teach safe and effective postures and movements to cultivate flexibility, relaxation and strength.

About Natalie

Natalie started her teaching career in Los Angeles, where she lived for almost 20 years.  Her wide range of trainings allows her to teach different yoga styles and levels. As a certified yoga therapist, she has a comprehensive knowledge of human anatomy, body structure, the mechanics of movement and the application of asanas for physical and emotional wellness. All this, plus her many years of experience as a yoga instructor, allows her to guide her students through a series of individual modifications to reach their maximum potential, using their bodies more efficiently, while avoiding the risk of injuries.

She is a graduate of the Yoga Therapy Program at Loyola Marymount University (Los Angeles, CA), and is a member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists and Yoga Alliance.

Cost:  $32 if paid by 7/18, otherwise $37

Click here to sign up online!

Jade Yoga ad in

Yoga Journal

SARA IVANHOE at RASA ASHLAND!!!

FRIDAY - SUNDAY, AUGUST 10-12th

Friday, 5:30-7:30pm

Yoga Nidra

You deserve a break! So much of the yoga we do heats the body as a method of
melting away tension. This is so important, but it is only half of the practice. We
need to take time to rest and rejuvenate, to allow the new energy, “prana” to flow
into the body. In this workshop we will do gentle vinyasas that slow the body
down, hip openers to release deeply held tension and restorative postures that
allow the fresh prana to flow into the body. We will practice pranayama as a way
of slowing the body down and meditation as a way to practice peace. Finally we
will practice yoga nidra, or yogic sleep, a guided relaxation that allows the
practitioner to enjoy an altered sense of reality, a relaxation that is deeper than
sleep, more replenishing than the REM state, a state of bliss. We all deserve a
rest, we all deserve peace. The more we practiCe, the more we can access that
peace with ease and spread it to others. Gentle restorative class for all levels.

Saturday, 9:30-11:30am

Dristi

“The eyes are the windows to the soul…”

                   -- William Shakespeare

So much of our yoga practice addresses our bodies through physical asana and
our minds through intellectual knowledge of anatomy, but the soul is often
forgotten or it remains mysterious as to how to access it. The gazing point of the
eyes is called “dristi” and it is directly responsible for the flow of our energy.
Where the eyes go, the energy flows, we can feel this in all we do. In this
workshop we will address how to use the dristi to help bring us into balance and
how the direction of the eyes either consciously or unconsciously is always
informing our yoga practice and our lives. Through the structure of a vinyasa
flow sequence, we will learn how to access the third eye, the eye of intuitive
wisdom and to learn how to direct our gaze and our attention inward. We will
learn about the different forms and layers of dristi as well as practicing “trataka”
or candle gazing as a method of purifying the eyes and cultivating divine sight.
Strong vinyasa class, but all are welcome.

Saturday, 2:00-4:00pm

Bhakti Vinyasa

Most of us started practicing yoga because we wanted to feel better. We wanted
to get out of our heads, off our “to-do” lists and into a deeper experience. But
somehow much of the yoga we do uses our intellectual mind to control and
micro-manage the body. Some of us have been practicing this kind of “thinking”
yoga for years and are wondering why we aren’t any happier. We ask, “How can
I be doing this much yoga and not feeling any better?” The answer is that we are
using our heads and bodies and haven’t moved into our hearts. “Bhakti” is a
devotional yoga practice, where we get out of “doing yoga postures” and step
into BEING A YOGI. This is an important transformation. In the Bhakti Vinyasa
Practice, we will use the simple structure of a vinyasa flow class, pranayama and
meditation to move past the outer layers of the body and connect with our
intuition. We connect with - yoke with - have a yoga-union with the deepest part
of ourselves. Bhakti Vinyasa is a way to seamlessly learn about Dristi, the
Gunas, Patanjali’s “Yoga Sutras” and the Chakra system. We will also address
the value of setting Sankalpa (intention) at the beginning of each practice and
touch on the meaning and significance of some of the deities in the Hindu
pantheon. The journey of yoga starts on the inside and moves outward. If you
are ready to take your practice to the next level, Bhakti Vinyasa is the practice for
you!

Sunday, 9:30-11:30am

Yin Yang Yoga

Most of us are looking for balance in our lives, but we don’t know how to get it, or
why we fell out of balance in the first place. The Taoists teach us about two
opposing energies called “yin” or in-flowing energy and “yang” out-flowing
energy. The “yang” energy is how we are out in the world, our power, how we get
things done. The “yin” energy is our internal world, our relationship to ourselves,
our ability to get quiet and receive. These energies need to be in an even flow for
us to feel energized and relaxed at the same time. In this two- hour practice, we
will divide our time evenly between these two forces. The first hour will be the
“yang” practice in which we will heat the body through sun salutations and
standing postures gracefully put together into a vinyasa flow sequence. This
time is designed to burn off impurities, to literally melt away the tension and
stress that resides in the pockets of the body. The second half of the practice will
take the open cleansed body through long hip openers, restorative postures,
pranayama and meditation. This process will rejuvenate the body leaving you
feeling peaceful, passionate and playful! The “Tao Te Ching”, teaches us that a
life in balance is possible for everyone. We just need to take a moment out of
our busy schedules to find what has always been ours.

“The greatest perfection seems imperfect,
yet its uselessness is endless.
The greatest fullness seems empty,
Yet its usefulness is inexhaustible.
Great straightness seems flexible.
Great skill looks clumsy.
Great eloquence sounds awkward.
Movement triumphs over cold.
Stillness triumphs over heat.
Clarity and tranquility set the
whole world in order.”
                                    Lao Tzu, “The Tao Te Ching”

About Sara

Sara Elizabeth Ivanhoe began teaching yoga in 1995 while receiving her BFA from New York University.  She holds a Yoga Philosophy degree from Loyola Marymount University as well as their Yoga and Ecology degree completed in accordance with the Green Yoga Association.  She has completed teacher trainings with Erich Schiffmann, Yoga Works and John Friend in the Anusara style.  Sara is the instructor for the “Yoga for Dummies” series, the “Crunch Yoga” series as well as the collaboration with Russell Simmons “Yoga Live” all together selling over 4.3 million units worldwide.  She is currently on Fit TV’s “All Star Workouts” and her self-produced “Yoga on the Edge” runs on Exercise TV.  Sara has been a regular on Vh1’s “Dr. Drew’s Celebrity Rehab” and has been featured as one of the “Titans of Yoga” in the new critically acclaimed documentary.

SUPPORTING YOUR LIFE FORCE:

PRAJNA YOGA with DJUNA MASCALL

We are excited to welcome Djuna Mascall for a weekend of diverse Prajna Yoga workshop offerings.  Prajna Yoga was created by master instructor Tias Little, who has spent the better part of his life exploring the healing arts of yoga and eastern philosophy. 

The word 'Prajna' in Sanskrit means Insight, Deep Understanding and Wisdom.  It suggests an embodied wisdom, a knowing that permeates the nerve endings, the connective tissues and the blood cells throughout the body. 

Djuna is a senior teacher of Prajna Yoga, and these workshops reflect Tias's teaching and curriculum, focusing on mindfulness in asana, anatomy, and wisdom training.  For more information on Tias and Prajna Yoga, you can visit his website by clicking here.   

THE SACRED SACRUM

Friday, Sept 14th, 5:30-7:30pm

The sacrum is the key bone of the pelvis and forms the foundation of the spine. Postural balance and centering occurs at the sacral level in the svadhisthana or second chakra and the sacrum initiates the strong centering movement of the tailbone, which is mulabandha. This class elucidates the structures that hold the sacrum in place and gives insight into the meaning of bandhas. The practice will foster ease and stability in the sacral region.

CULTIVATING A STEADY FLAME:  YOGIC PRACTICE FOR DIGESTION

Saturday, Sept 15th, 9:30am-12:00pm

Healthy digestion is essential for maintaining energy and balance. In the yogic system agni is the digestive fire located in the solar plexus, and supports our ability to metabolize food as well as experiences and emotion. A steady flame of agni is essential in supporting longevity and mental clarity. This workshop will include discussion and techniques to align your inner fire.

INVERSION IMMERSION

Saturday, Sept 15th, 1:30-4pm

Inversions are powerful medicine for the body and mind. 

This course explores headstand, shoulder stand and their variations, cultivating understanding of safe practice.  We will explore sequences to open the upper back, strengthen the shoulder girdle and release the neck. Our emphasis will be to open the thoracic cavity through inversions in preparation for the practice of pranayama. 

SUPPORTING THE LIFE FORCE:  YOGA FOR IMMUNITY

Sunday, Sept 16th, 9:30-11:30am

The immune system has been called the "floating brain"; it has memory, reactivity, and informs our being regarding where our boundaries lie. Thus, it is essential in sustaining our deepest life force. Maintaining a vibrant immune system is a central aim of the yogic practice. This session will illuminate the subtle channels in the body, or nadis, which house our vital fluids. We will focus on postures and practices to restore and enhance immunity and balance the subtle body.

Cost:  TBD

About Djuna Mascall

Djuna's primary inspiration comes from her on-going work with Tias and Surya Little and her teaching is a reflection of their focus on mindfulness in asana, anatomy, and wisdom training. She is a Prajna Yoga senior teacher, assists Tias nationwide, and teaches Prajna Yoga workshops nationally and internationally. Her additional influence in teaching comes from in depth study of Iyengar Yoga as well as her initial yogic inspiration in the Ashtanga system. Djuna co-owned a yoga studio on Orcas Island, WA for eight years and now lives and teaches in Marin.

The sea is a great teacher for Djuna and she experiences it through sailing and kayaking. In 2003 she and her husband sailed their 28’ engineless sailboat from Washington to Mexico, to Hawaii, and back to Washington. She also completed a 500-mile open coast kayaking expedition in 2008, circumnavigating the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska, becoming the first woman on record to complete the journey. She has published in Sea Kayaker Magazine on yoga for kayakers and appeared in the film, Pacific Horizons combining yoga and kayaking.

COMMUNITY CLASSES - $7

Tuesdays, Wake-Up Flow All Levels w/ Paige - 7am at Rasa Ashland

Tuesdays, Gentle class w/ Lynnea Forderer - 10:30am at Rasa Medford

Thursdays, Wake-Up Flow All Levels w/ Paige - 7am at Rasa Ashland

Thursdays, Gentle class w/ Lynnea Forderer - 10:30am at Rasa Medford

Fridays, R & R Yoga w/ Natalie - 3:45pm at Rasa Ashland

With a turbulent economy, it becomes clear what is most important in life.  Your yoga practice does not have to suffer in these financially difficult times.  Continue to find stress relief, peace of mind and heart, and retreat in these community classes.

If you have a Rasa multiple class pass, you may choose to pay a community class separately in order to take advantage of the discount. 

Community classes are included in the unlimited packages.

DONATION SUNDAYS

In an effort to do our part in this challenging economy, we offer Donation Sundays!  Once a month, on the first Sunday of the month, all classes are donation-based.  Which means, whatever you can afford! 

In order to cover our fixed overhead costs, the minimum donation is $5. However, you may donate from $5 to $12 (the regular drop-in), or use your pass. You must register and sign in with the front desk.

We hope to add more donation classes as long as attendance and donations are solid, so please help spread the word - more people doing yoga means a happier, healthier and more stable community!