Yoga Sutras - Clear, Calm Tranquil Mind So Can Achieve Life's Purpose

This Fall, we will be practicing yoga informed by the wisdom text of the tradition called the Yoga Sutras by Patanjali.  Here is a great video of my Teacher, Panditji who will be coming to Viroqua in the next 6 months or so.  I will be posting several links to support our undertanding of this great work that guides us to greater freedom living in this world.

Fall 2013 Class Schedule: September 14 - December 22, 2013 (Summer Schedule in Effect through 9/13)

Time to come out for fun Fall Yoga Classes!

Summer 2013 Class Schedule -- See $5 Classes!

Spring 2013 Schedule

Agni Sara

Attention Students of Deeper Practices -- Agni Sara is one pose we do in most of my classes because it is so good for our digestive systems and the clarity of our third chakra.  We should all do this 5-10 minutes a day -- personally I have done this 3 minutes every morning and now plan to make it 5 min a day (starting tomorrow morning).  I have worked up to this -- set your timer and join me bringing this premium practice to your everyday.  This video is demo'd by Sandy Anderson of the Himalayan Institute.  She is probably one of the great female yoga masters of our time.  The commentary is just as good as the demo to refine your understanding and the subtleties of your practice!  http://www.himalayaninstitute.org/yoga-international-magazine/asana-articles/agni-sara-video-practice/

No Classes 2/26 through 3/3 - Teacher Travel

No Classes 2/26 through 3/3 - Teacher Travel - I will be studying in Minneapolis with my teacher, Rod Stryker.  I will be back with lots of great material for awesome classes!

Winter 2013 Yoga Session

As my oldest child turns 12, I am reminded that I have been practicing Yoga for a long time having started in Pregnancy Yoga back in 2000.  Throughout these years, yoga classes and my personal practice have been a steady anchor for me as a "get away" from family life - just a break for 2 hours to come back refreshed and a better version of me.  Lately, people have been asking me if yoga is a good "workout".  Hmmmmm.  Well, I suppose it can be.  It definitely is if you do it in a 95 degree room with 65% humidity, but we don't have rooms like that in Viroqua in January. 

I always feel like I have worked in yoga class -- yoga isn't easy, especially if you have been taught how to engage your body for a stretch in any given pose.  It can be even more demanding to work on a more subtle level with the breath trying to keep it smooth and steady over the course of a class -- huffing and puffing is really not the goal of yoga -- a long smooth breath triggers the parasympathetic nervous system and allows you to put your mind out of business so you can relax and recalibrate. 

I think we lose something if the goal of yoga is a "workout".  I feel like yoga class is an investment in mastering an ancient science.  If my goal as a teacher is "to kick your butt" and make you sweat, I miss the opportunity to teach you the deeper elements of the poses, the tradition,  and the practices.  That said, I love a very challenging yoga class and I aim to challenge you.  Part of what helps me challenge students is if they have a strong foundation in the poses and have been trained to engage their bodies and move energy in a pose.  You get this in classes where there's plenty of "lab time" to explore and master the bio-mechanics of the postures.

I am currently taking an online class called, "Asana Junkies Webinar" where we practice a set advanced sequence for up to two hours a day holding each pose for 1 minute.  It is a major trip around the body to practice like that for two hours, but there's no huffing or puffing involved.  I am leading anyone who wants to join me in this in my Intermediate Led Practice class on Thursday afternoons from 12:45-2:45 and on Sundays from 7-9:30 am.  If you want a yoga challenge that will kick your butt, that's my best recommendation.   Also, my Flow class on Thursday mornings from 8:30-9:45 is a Power Yoga class without the heat. 

My Tuesday and Saturday Morning classes at 8:30 and 8 am are very challenging and are moving toward Level 2 classes with an emphasis on Handstand and Wheel Poses -- I am teaching these as All Level classes with "bus stops" to get off at so you can practice wisely.  My Gentle class, Tuesdays at 10:30 is my favorite class of the week with many seniors and people recovering from injuries -- absolutely sweet and restorative. 

I am offering a Yoga Nidra relaxation class for $5 donation on Thursdays from 11:30-12:30 that anyone who can lie down and close their eyes can enjoy -- an antidote for modern life.  Finally, beginners should come to my Thursday night at 6:15 class or Saturday mornings from 10:15-11:45 am (Sat Beginners through February only).

Maybe Yoga will feel like a workout, but its purpose is much deeper and more meaningful.  I feel like it is my duty as a teacher to do justice to the tradition and offer more than a fitness teacher would in a health club.  As your local yoga teacher, it is my job to teach you yoga -- to offer more than you can get on a yoga video.  I welcome you -- come let me share this ancient science and magnificent tradition with you.  It is a practice for life that can lead you  deeper into the meaning of your life and to a greater sense of your true nature.  And, you'll feel better in your body and be nicer to your kids :-).

Preparing for Fall and Summer Yoga Classes

Happily, it now feels like summer in Wisconsin and not summer in Arizona!  My goodness, it was hot as Phoenix here in July -- Mercy!  NOW, I have the energy to imagine teaching some yoga at Tapestry, so I have put a few classes on the calendar to get me and you back into the swing of studio practice.  Check out www.kathyorourkeyoga.com/schedule and you'll get the latest update. 

In September, look out for a big launch or a new schedule to encourage you to come out to yoga 2-3 times a week.  We'll be offering class most mornings and many evenings.  There are also going to be some nice new offerings on the schedule from some fresh faces!

Inner Light

There is an everlasting, bright light of knowing awareness that dwells within us -- its home is the heart. Sometimes, we feel the light more than other times, but the truth is, according to the Vedas (the ancient yogic teachings) and especially the Bhagavad Gita, that it is always there -- shining bright. So, why do we not always feel that light -- why does it feel like it is so impossible to access (and why does it seem to get even harder in the winter in Wisconsin when the days get grayer and we need the inner light more than ever?). I got a great answer to this question a couple of weekends ago from Devidas Karina Ayn Mirsky (www.sanghayoga.com) who said it is the pathways to the heart that get blocked and that's why we have trouble accessing it. All we have to do is keep the inner space open and free of obstacles and we'll be able to access the intrinsic light.

Yep, "all we have to do" is keep the inner space open. How? Practice.
Thank goodness for practice.

Brene Brown: The power of vulnerability | Video on TED.com

Brene Brown: The power of vulnerability | Video on TED.com

Now Offering Private Coaching Related to The Four Desires by Rod Stryker

Spring Class Session: April 23-July 2, 2011

The 10-Week Spring Session at the Tapestry Yoga Center starts tomorrow, April 23rd through July 2nd. We have some fresh things on the schedule and offerings in Yoga, Belly Dance and NIA.

Monday Mix
Meg Newlin is offering a radical new class called the Monday Mix Yoga from 8:30-9:30 am for just $4 cash. It is a fresh format that stands on its own on our schedule -- you just show up with four bucks cash, roll out your mat before 8:30 and the music and flow begins. Promptly an hour later, your practice is complete and you are ready to begin your week. This is a popular way to practice in urban areas and promises to be a lot of fun. There is minimum instruction spoken in clear common english that will make sense to even new practitioners. Come out and check it out!

Class Offerings - Weekly Classes are $10 each for Enrolled Students. Make-Ups in any class (except Monday Mix)
Kathy's evening Yoga I & Meditation class is now on Wednesday nights from 6:30-8:15 pm. This is a great class for new students or continuing practitioners focused on the whole yoga tradition. Kathy is also teaching a Yoga 1-2 (Mixed Levels) class on Tuesday and Saturday mornings -- healthy beginners are welcome to join these advanced beginner classes. All classes will included asana, pranayama (breathing), mantra and guided meditation linked into ancient wisdom.
Meg's Expanding Wednesday Yoga Level 1-2-3 (Mixed Levels: Adv Beg - Intermediate) will be a challenging and clearly taught class by a masterful teacher that will focus on deepening your asana practice. This challenging mixed level class is geared toward practitioners eager to expand their practice.
Belly Dance with Jess Leinberger is now on Thursday evenings from 4:30-5:45 and is a very fun time for beginners and experienced belly dancers. If you're a little shy, Jess will put you right at ease and have you dancing straight away.
Nia is still on Wednesdays from 4:30-5:30 -- this popular movement class is led by seasoned instructor Gayle Nielsen with great music and energy.

Find Your Life Purpose 3 Day Residential Retreat with Kathy O'Rourke: June 4-5-6, 2011. Take a step out of your daily routine and reflect on the meaning of life for a whole weekend. Not just on the meaning of life, in general, but specifically, the Meaning of YOUR Life. Happiness is directly related to a sense of purpose, connectedness, and deeper meaning, but all of this can get buried under the demands of daily life. We'll be nearby in LaCrosse at the Franciscan Spirituality Center where all of our meals and sleeping accommodations will be easily and economically taken care of. There are just 10 spaces available on this retreat and it will be based on the work of Kathy's spiritual teacher, Yogarupa Rod Stryker who she has been assisting in national workshops over the last 3 years. His book, The Four Desires will be published in July and we'll be using material based on this groundbreaking work. Rooted in the ancient wisdom of the yogic tradition, we will do some yoga asana, meditate, journal, do written reflections and spaciously contemplate our unique purpose and offering into the world. You will leave the retreat with a clear statement of purpose, a resolution for the next 6-18 months and greater insight into what has been holding you back and a clarity of how to bring the future in clearer alignment with your essence Self. More information will be published in May -- mark your calendars!

First Class Free for New Students from 4/23-5/13. To encourage new students to try a class at our studio, we offer your first class free during the first 3 weeks of our session. New students are defined as anyone (who lives locally) who is taking a class from a teacher for the first time.

Call me with any questions. Our brochure is available at the Co-op, the Driftless and the studio AND it is attached here, too. Please Join Us!

Fall Session Begins! September 27-December 19, 2010

An exciting 12-week session of classes begins at the Tapestry Yoga Center starting Monday, September 27th through Sunday, December 19th.  Our beautiful, bright and spacious studio is ready to welcome you with 11 classes to choose from in Yoga, Nia and Tai Chi.  

Much of the schedule from last year is the same -- Kathy and Meg's yoga classes are mostly the same; Monte's Tuesday night Tai Chi class is returning and Gayle's fun Nia (Joyful Movement/Dance) class is back on Wednesday nights.  There are two great new classes on the schedule for this Fall --  Beginners should jump at the chance to take Intro to Yoga with Meg on Monday mornings at 8:30 am.  This is the first time in 2 years that she's offering a foundations class and this is an EXCELLENT opportunity to take a class that will serve you for years as you progress in yoga with a solid understanding of the Universal Principles of Alignment in the cohesive Anusara yoga style.  For practitioners ready to take their yoga up a notch, Friday mornings there's now a  second Intermediate Led Yoga class with Meg that's coming on the schedule.  We have a wide-range of classes for all bodies and all levels.  See the complete schedule listed below.

This 12-week series is an opportunity to establish and support a regular practice of self-care.  Classes will run with a minimum of 6 enrolled students, so come out early in the session and sign up for a class for just $9 per week ($108 for 12 classes).  For the first three weeks (9/27-10/17), NEW LOCAL STUDENTS can take a FREE CLASS. New students are anyone who has not taken a class with a teacher before -- so if you've taken my yoga class in the past, but want to try Gayle's Nia class, come out and take one of her classes by 10/17.  You can do this with all the teachers that are 'new to you'  in the first 3 weeks.  We encourage you to check out what we're offering and welcome you to join us -- bring a friend along! 

Here is the Fall Tapestry Yoga Center Line-Up (It is also listed to the right on the blog).

Mondays 8:30-10 am Intro to Yoga Meg Abene Newlin

Tuesdays 8:30-10 am Yoga 1-2 (Advanced Beginners) Kathy O'Rourke

Tuesdays 6:30-7:30 pm Tai Chi Monte McPheron

Wednesdays  8:30-10 am Intermediate Yoga Meg Abene Newlin

Wednesdays 4:30-5:30 pm Nia (Joyful Movement) Gayle Nielsen

Thursdays 4:45-6:15 pm Gentle Yoga Kathy O'Rourke

Thursdays 6:30-8:00 pm Yoga I & Yoga Nidra Kathy O'Rourke

Fridays 7-8:45 am Intermediate Led Yoga Practice Meg Abene Newlin

Saturdays 7-7:45 am Meditation Kathy O'Rourke

Saturdays  8-9:30 am  Yoga 1-2 (Advanced Beginners) Kathy O'Rourke

Sundays* 7-9 am Intermediate Yoga Practice Meg Abene Newlin

 *No Led Practice on 10/3, 10/17, 11/7 or 11/28

Classes start Monday, September 27th so mark your calendars and come sign up! Please call mw with any questions at 608-637-6950 or email kathy@tapestryyogacenter.com.

Blessings,

Kathy

Summer Time at Tapestry Yoga Center

Thank you to everyone for a fabulous first year of the Tapestry Yoga Center!  We had three 12-week sessions beginning in September and appreciate the extraordinary quality of studentship throughout the year.   Summer is a big time for travel and other pursuits among Viroquans, so instead of teaching very small classes, all of us teachers decided to take a good vacation and restore, too. 

Our Summer Session ended on July 11th and we have a very limited schedule this summer. Meg Abene Newlin will continue her Intermediate Led Classes on these dates: 7/24, 8/8, 8/15, 8/22, 8/29, 9/5.  There's a possibility that the 8/29 date will be canceled, so check the schedule for updates.  

This summer, instead of teaching, I am deeply studying and preparing to take an advanced certification exam to become a Certified Level I Para Yoga Teacher in mid-September.  I am also traveling out to the Colorado Rockies for a week at the end of August to study with my Teacher, Yogarupa Rod Stryker at a wonderful training called:  Koshas -- Unleashing the Power of the Soul.  Can't wait to do THAT!

So, keep up your home practices (or start one) and come back in September.  We will kick off the Fall Session with a very similar schedule to this past year on September 26th.  Classes will run for 12-weeks through December 18th.  There will be no "Free Class Week" this coming year now that we're established, but everyone who is "new to a teacher" is welcome to take their first week free (i.e. if you've never taken Gayle's NIA class, come out and try it that first week for free).  

Thank you again for an awesome first year and we'll see you in September!

Blessings,

Kathy

Free Class Week April 11-17th

Please come out to Free Class Week at the Tapestry Yoga Center April 11-17th.  Try out a new class and bring a friend along!

The Spring Class Session schedule is very similar to the Winter Session.  Belly Dancing is moving to an earlier time: 10-11:30 am on Saturday and there are no classes on Fridays this session.  Other than that, you can count on your favorite classes running as scheduled. 

We have some great workshops coming up:  Dodie Whitaker will offer her popular singing workshops once a month on April 25th, May 16th, and June 13th; Monte McPheron will teach a Tai Chi/Silk Reeling Meditation Benefit Workshop (for PRWS) on May 2nd; and I am teaching a 3-Hour Complete Practice Workshop on May 23rd with time for sublime meditation at the end. 

Altogether, a great line up!   

Two More Weeks of Winter Session through April 3rd

Where has the winter gone??!  Halleluiah, Spring is here in Wisconsin of all places.  This is my 3rd Spring and honestly it is the very first one I can remember being Spring-like.  Real honest to goodness warm sunny days with green grass -- I love it!

And this means that the 12 week winter class session at TYC is nearly over.  Right now we are in the midst of week 10.  If you have any make-up classes, squeeze them in before April 3rd, the last day of classes.  The studio will be dark the week of April 4-10 for the PRWS Spring Break.  Then, we will begin another week of Free Classes on April 11 (through April 17th).  Mark your calendars, spread the word and plan to come out to try something new that week.  And then sign up for our Spring Class Session which is for 12 weeks from April 18-July 10th.  The schedule is very similar to the Winter calendar -- the Belly Dance class starts at 10 am on Saturdays, but that's the only real change.  It's nice to have found a nice groove and keep it going.

Thanks to everyone for all your support.  Tapestry Yoga Center is thriving and there is a lot of enthusiasm for everything that's happening in our space.  So fun!

Here is a wonderful quote I just saw on my friend and colleague, Rhonda Mills' e-cast.  I just love it and what it says about San Kulpa (Resolve):

A quote from W. H. Murray, The Scottish Himalaya Expedition: 

Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness.  Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans:  That the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too.  All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred.  A whole stream of events issue from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforseen  incidents, meetings, and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.

Join "40 Days of Yoga in Viroqua"

Not to be missed!  Meg Abene Newlin, Anusara-Inspired teacher extraordinaire and TYC teacher, has initiated a really super idea -- 40 Days of Yoga starting yesterday.  It is time to jump on board the yoga train that is leaving the station.  The idea is this:  She is posting a practice every evening for us to do the next day at home.  If you need props, she's has some to lend you and she has created a blog to join and interact with.  Please go to her blog and check it out:  http://40daysofyogainviroqua.blogspot.com/

I am eager to participate and encourage everyone to jump on board and build the heat of tapas through your practice and energize your determination and willpower.  Step into connection with your Self and your community through 40 Days of Yoga in Viroqua!

Dear Tapestry Students:

I will be out of town beginning early Thursday morning (1/28) through the weekend and have these instructor changes to announce about my (Kathy O’Rourke’s) regularly scheduled classes.  All other classes are running as scheduled.

Thursday 1/28 Yoga I;  8:30 - 10 am  --  Carol Anne Kemen will substitute this class IN HER STUDIO with some of her students downstairs in the Landmark Center (her studio is on the first floor of this building towards Jefferson St past the Kindergarten through the door to the mailboxes – it is along a corridor beyond the main hallway all the way towards the exterior entrance to Jefferson St.).  If you are here to take class at 8:30 Thursday morning, please head downstairs to her studio, BE ON TIME (or close to it), tell her you are in a Tapestry class  (I'll compensate her directly if you are enrolled in the winter session for any Tapestry class) and enjoy a great Yoga I class.

Thursday 1/28 Gentle Yoga; 4:45 - 6:15 pm - Kumari Sky will substitute at the Tapestry Yoga Center.

Thursday 1/28 Yoga I; 6:30-8:15 pm - Ashley Patton will substitute at the Tapestry Yoga Center. 

Friday Meditation is Cancelled this Week Due to Low Enrollment.

Saturday Meditation is Cancelled this week – no substitute available.

Saturday, 1/30 Yoga 1-2; 8-9:30 am Ashley Patton will substitute at the Tapestry Yoga Center.

Saturday Belly Dance is running as scheduled with Jessica Leinberger.

Thank you for your understanding regarding these necessary changes to accommodate a very special family travel opportunity to celebrate my son’s 9^th birthday J.  Ann Altland is acting as a point of contact in my absence and has a key to the room – her number is 1-928-380-6825 (she’s local).

Namaste,

Kathy

Free Class Session January 3-9, 2010

Today is the first day of 2010 and it is time to step fresh into the New Year!  Come join us for a week of free classes starting this Sunday, January 3rd through Saturday, January 9th.  We have an exciting Winter Class Session lined up for 12 weeks of classes in Yoga, Belly Dance, Nia and Tai Chi.  There are some new things on the schedule to try and a couple of adjustments to the schedule.  (See our schedule below or go to www.tapestryyogacenter.com).

This winter you'll see more classes by the masterful yogini, Meg Abene Newlin, who is an excellent asana teacher and is teaching 3 classes as her youngest marks his first year.  Jess Jerman is traveling in warmer climates this session, but will undoubtedly be back in future sessions -- Meg is offering a flow class on Monday evenings that replaces Jess' flow class.  Also, Meg often emphasizes abdominal work, so if you are missing Jess' Yoga & Abs class, you'll like Meg's classes (and I'll be sure to do some post-holiday core work, too).

Also, new to the schedule is an early Friday morning Silk Reeling and Meditation class by Monte McPheron, our Tai Chi teacher and I've moved my Tantric Meditation class to Saturday mornings at 7 am.  I encourage you to explore meditation as it truly is the gateway to a more courageous and joyous life.  Meditation is something you can learn -- nearly everyone finds it challenging at first, but there are many powerful techniques that are worth learning.  Both of these meditation classes are just $3 per class for enrolled students (or $5 if it's your only Tapestry class).  

Belly Dance with Jess Leinberger has moved to Saturday afternoons and I've moved Gentle Yoga class on Thursday evenings to a 4:45 start time and changed my 6:30 pm class to a Yoga I class.  Gentle Yoga is for special conditions or injuries that are aggravated by a general Yoga I class and Yoga I is a great way to get established in the basics of yoga.  All of my classes include breathing and meditation for a complete yoga practice.  

This is a great line-up for the winter in Wisconsin and it is all FREE January 3-9th, so come on out.  See www.tapestryyogacenter.com for a complete line up.  Everyone who signs up for the 12-week winter session by the end of the first week of regular classes gets a $5 discount.  And remember, we have a flexible make-up policy -- if you miss a class, you can take any other class on our schedule that goes through April 3rd.  Please email me at kathy@tapestryyogacenter.com or call me at 608-637-6950 if you have any questions.

Our ad in the latest Kickapoo Free Press has one key word missing which is SATURDAY regarding the last three classes on the list, so make a mental note of that, too.  See you next week, I hope.

Here's the schedule in a nutshell:

Sunday

7:00 – 8:45 am     Int Led Yoga Practice     Meg Abene Newlin

Monday

12 Noon – 1 pm    Nia – Joyful Movement       Gayle Nielsen

4:30 – 5:45 pm    Yoga 1-2 (Adv Beg): Focus on Flow    Meg Abene Newlin

Tuesday

8:30 – 10:00 am   Yoga 1-2 (Adv Beg)     Kathy O’Rourke

6:30 – 7:30 pm    Tai Chi          Monte McPheron

Wednesday

8:30 – 10:00 am     Yoga 1-2 (Adv Beg): Focus on Form   Meg Abene Newlin

4:30 – 5:30 pm    Nia - Joyful Movement    Gayle Nielsen

Thursday

8:30 – 10:00 am       Yoga 1     Kathy O’Rourke

4:45 – 6:15 pm   Gentle Yoga   Kathy O’Rourke

6:30 – 8:15 pm    Yoga I & Yoga Nidra   Kathy O’Rourke

Friday

7:00 – 7:30 am    Silk Reeling and Meditation   Monte McPheron

Saturday

7:00 – 7:50 am    Meditation   Kathy O’Rourke

8:00 – 9:30 am    Yoga 1-2 (Adv Beg)   Kathy O’Rourke

1:00 – 2:30 pm   Belly Dance   Jessica Leinberger

Happy New Year!

Blessings,

Kathy