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A gently facilitated hatha yoga class suitable for all age groups and levels of experience and ability, with Rishi in the hall at St John's Church Centre (the Golden Church).This class on Tuesdays is from 10.00 until 11.15am. It is a 75-minute weekly general (for all) class of traditional hatha yoga āsana (postures/exercises) with breath awareness, sometimes a little pranayama (specialized breathing techniques), and a short yoga nidra (deep relaxation).
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 and the Whangārei Choral Society.
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 RYT200 yoga teaching qualification from Prema-Heart Yoga School at Ritual Yoga on Waiheke Island, Hauraki Gulf. He intends to follow up with a 300-hour course there in 2026.
Rishi had also attended classes with yoga teachers when studying at Waikato University. Over the past 10 years, he has worked with Swami Ānandarādhā Saraswati (Rādhe) in the Northland classes and workshops, teaching all classes run by Shraddha Yoga and Meditation in 2024, and most of them in 2025 also. He attends other yoga retreats and workshops regularly each year to continue learning through yoga. Registered with Yoga NZ, the national registration body for yoga teachers in Aotearoa, Rishi is also a member of REP (registered exercise professionals) so attended their conference in 2025.
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 enhanced by proficiency singing in other languages. However, he has a particular interest in chanting and/or singing Sanskrit mantra and kirtan. He usually chants the short universal mantra Om (A-U-M) 3 times to both open and close a yoga session.
OUR TYPE OF YOGA
✨Both Rishi and Rādhe are trustees of Shraddha Yoga and Meditation, a registered charitable trust in NZ.
✨60 minutes of hatha yoga, a classical style of yoga including āsana (postures) practiced with breath awareness – 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 work in a way that feels 'stronger' or 'softer' in their practice of any āsana, to better suit ability/need, e.g. choosing to extend/shorten practice of an āsana or substitute a variation of that āsana ... or perhaps do another āsana altogether, possibly a more/less challenging alternative āsana ... or perhaps just something else that you know you want/need to do.
✨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. 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):
🌿 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 and bending/stretching movements to increase flexibility in joints (very important for all joints, including the spinal vertebrae);
🌿awareness of caring for the fascia, the protective tissue that provides support and structure to organs, bones and muscles, as well as the blood vessels, and even to more subtle levels including the nerves. Yoga stretches, often with optional holding of poses, which can be strong but always done with softness and gentle awareness to an individually comfortable level (restorative use of aids, such as bolster or cushion/s can be used), and some controlled dynamic poses can be utilized too.
🌿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 belongingness
…
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 relating to body type, any past or current injuries, age and experience.
🍀Casual fee
$10 for anyone the first time.
The standard casual/drop-in fee is $20.
This is reduced to $15 with a Community Services Card or Super Gold Card, if students holding a CSC or SGC want to continue casually after the first time.
The $20 fee is based on a rate of $15 per hour for classes and courses (our classes are one-and-a-quarter hours).
🍀Concession cards
A repeated casual fee is very rarely used, as concession cards reduce the price per class by such a lot,
e.g. a concession card can keep the cost for a class at $10 if purchasing an 11-class card and ~$9.50 if getting 22 classes - definitely good value as $10 is an excellent deal for a 75-minute yoga session.
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.
🍁 $78 for a 6-class concession card ($13 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).
🍀Please always feel welcome to contact us privately if you need to make a special payment arrangement to be able to manage to come.
WHAT TO BRING
Wear comfortable clothing. 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.
If you have props, e.g. bolsters/cushions or blocks, that you like to use, please also bring those.
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 🕉️
Other city day classes are at this same venue on Thursday at 10am or at the Old Library in the Bowie Room on Wednesday at 9am.
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