Venue update: at our studio from September at 25 Ewing Rd, Riverside, Whangārei 0112 (this class used to be at the Old Library).

A general hatha yoga class with just a bit of a difference! As always in our hatha yoga classes, traditional yoga poses (āsana) are practiced with breath awareness. In addition to this, in the Wednesday 9.30am class there are specific breathing techniques (prānāyāma) also included in each session. There are 60 minutes, or so, of āsana and prānāyāma, then 15 minutes of relaxation (yoga nidrā) to make up the 75-minute session. It's in our Events on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/share/17X9T1UfVL/

Students work at their own pace and level on the poses and breathing techniques. Therefore, diverse ability levels are catered for within all of our hatha yoga classes.

There is always the option to work more gently/softly if necessary, to adjust/adapt poses or substitute a different pose altogether... and also to relax more.

Experienced practitioners can extend - in any feasible way - in whichever poses that they choose to work more strongly in.

Everyone is welcome!

Rishi Iyer is the instructor. He has a BMus (Hons) in classical singing as well as an RYT-200 Yoga Teacher qualification. He plans to add on another 300-hour qualification in teaching yoga.

His approach to teaching yoga is gentle and intuitive, with a predominantly Satyananda hatha yoga style. Hence, there are poses from the Pawanmuktasana series (1, 2 and 3) - designed for joints, gastrointestinal system and removal of energy blockages but with a multitude of other benefits too - as well as other classical asanas.

You can buy some types of tickets here or choose from all of our options through us. Although the full casual casual price is $20, or $15 with SGC or CSC, it is always a 3-class pass for $30 to try out your first three classes (àny combination of 75-min sessions with us. Then it can remain at that rate on an 11-class concession card, with no expiry date ... and sharing with friend/s or whānau is fine. Other options are available, and if a payment plan by instalments is required, that can be arranged by direct messaging us.

Rishi welcomes enquiries on 027 7104 347.

Please note that Rishi begins and finishes his classes by chanting 3 Oms out loud. The sound of Om (A-U-M) was the original sound of the universe and covers all, from the finite to the infinite. It is considered to be the universal mantra, or Sanskrit sound. The vibration of Om , whether out loud or whispered or silent, has positive effects for body, mind and spirit. Hence the 3 Oms are done for this reason so there is no religious connotation when Om is used for opening and closing Rishi's yoga classes. Other yoga schools may also often use this mantra. Note that students do not need to join in with the 3 Oms unless they want to and they only take a minute at the beginning and end of class. The rest of the 75 minutes comprise yoga poses, breathing techniques and the short deep relaxation.

For more info on this and our other classes see the Events on our Facebook pages.

https://www.facebook.com/shraddhayogaandmeditation or https://www.facebook.com/WhangareiCityYOGA