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An uplifting yoga class expertly facilitated by Rishi in the beautiful hall at St. John's Church Centre, 145-149 Kamo Rd, Kensington.This class on Tuesdays is from 10 until 11.15am. It is a 75-minute weekly general hatha yoga class - āsana (postures/exercises), sometimes a little 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) - which is half the full adult casual price - without any obligation to continue after that. Keep it at the $10 rate on a non-expiring concession card (see FEE OPTIONS below).
Come along during any part of our 4-term year to try it out.
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
.
He had also attended classes with yoga teachers when studying at Waikato University. Over the past 9 years, he has worked with Swami Ānandaradha Saraswati (Rādhe) in the Northland classes and workshops, teaching all of the 6 classes run per week by Shraddha Yoga and Meditation in 2024.
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. Being a member of Yoga NZ, the governing body for yoga teachers in Aotearoa, Rishi is also a member of REP (Registered Exercise Professionals), so will attend their conference this year.
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 singing in other languages. However, he 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 āsana (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 āsana practice is gentle, anyone can always go a little 'easier' or 'harder' in any āsana to better suit a personal need/capability - choose to reduce/extend practice of an āsana or substitute with a variations of an āsana ... or perhaps do another āsana 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), e.g. a balance pose.
✨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 belonging/purpose
…
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 āsana - 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 āsana 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 āsana 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 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 āsana, 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
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).
There will be 2 weeks off during the school holidays after Term 3 before an 11-week Term 4 from October.
FEE OPTIONS
🍀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/whānau/friend/friends.
🍁$70 for a 5-class concession card ($14 per 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 regular standard casual/drop-in fee is actually $20, which is reduced to $15 with a Community Services Card or Super Gold Card. Our casual rate of $20 is calculated from a base hourly rate for classes and courses of $15 per hour (weekly classes are all one hour-and-a-quarter).
A repeated casual fee is not generally used by anyone as concession cards reduce the price per class by a large amount.
🍀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:
[email protected]
For calls or texting:
Rishi 027 7104 347
Om
There is also another morning yoga class at the same venue on Thursdays at 10am. You are welcome to come to both or whichever one suits you best each week. We also have a Wednesday 9am class at Paradise Rizing Studios, 79 Walton St.
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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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
145 Kamo Rd, Kensington, Whangarei 0112, New Zealand, 145 Kamo Rd, Kensington, Whangarei 0112, New Zealand, Whangarei
