Date: Sunday’s, March 18-April 29, 2012
Time: 2:30 AM-3:45 PM
Classic yoga poses are explored to give you the ability to practice yoga safely and mindfully. You will learn the fundamentals of breathing, form, and alignment as well as the effective use of props to help grow open your poses. Appropriate for beginner level students, as well as continuing students who wish to deepen and refine their core practice. Each class in the session is, in essence, a mini- workshop exploring the foundational elements of poses. Gaining mastery in the poses will help you shift your focus from outside to within yourself.

Week 1 – The breath and standing poses
Week 2 – Standing poses and forward bends
Week 3 – Standing poses and twists
Week 4 – Backbends
Week 5 – Inversions & arm balances
Week 6 – The elements of vinyasa

Yoga Foundations I is a special 6-week series with pre-registration strongly encouraged. NEXT SESSION: 3/18, 3/25, 4/1, *4/15, 4/22, 4/29; all classes are 75 minutes and are held on Sundays from 2:30 – 3:45 * Note that there will be no class on 4/8.

Date: Sunday’s, March 18 – April 29, 2012
Time: 4:00-5:15 PMTaking up where Foundational Elements I leaves off, we continue to explore classic yoga poses in a workshop-like format. We’ll revisit some of the poses learned and concepts explored in FE I while discovering many new poses. Designed for students who have completed FE I, this class is also appropriate for those newer to practicing yoga, as well as continuing students who wish to deepen and refine their core practice. Each class in the session is, in essence, a mini-workshop exploring the foundational elements of poses. Gaining mastery in the poses will help you shift your focus from outside to within yourself.

Week 1 – Standing poses
Week 2 – Standing poses and forward bends
Week 3 – Building core strength
Week 4 – Backbends
Week 5 – Inversions & arm balances
Week 6 – Custom-designed to address students’ challenges & questions

Yoga Foundations II is a special 6-week series with pre-registration strongly encouraged. NEXT SESSION: 3/18, 3/25, 4/1, *4/15, 4/22, 4/29; all classes are 75 minutes and are held on Sundays from 4:00 – 5:15 * Note that there will be no class on 4/8

Date: Friday, March 30-April 1, 2012
Time: 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
SPRING CLEANSE: March 30th, 31st & April 1st. All inclusive: daily Ayurveda and yoga classes organic, Ayurvedic vegetarian meals $395 for one retreat or $735 for both retreats $50 early bird discount when paid in full on or before February 1st To register, call (408)885-1000 or online registration at Downtown Yoga Shala. Camp Double Bear is a private camp just minutes away from downtown Los Gatos. Situated on 100 acres in the rugged Santa Cruz Mountains, the land extends from lovely Bear Creek up the hill to the campsite forested with madrones, firs, oaks, bays, and redwoods. It is very quiet and peaceful, and feels miles away from the hustle and bustle; the perfect escape. During the Spring Cleanse retreat you will learn how to create a safe and effective 4 days cleanse at home. You will also learn about the yogic diet. We will practice purifying yoga and eat wholesome, healthy and detoxifying foods prepared with love by chef Treasure throughout the weekend. During the Summer Rejuvenation retreat you will learn how to implement a daily Ayurvedic rejuvenation practices or Rasayana to nourish the body and mind. We will practice Restorative and Yin yoga as well as eat wholesome, nourishing foods prepared with love by chef Treasure throughout the weekend. Retreat starts 5pm Friday evening till mid-afternoon Sunday. MORE DETAILS, INCLUDING DRIVING DIRECTIONS WILL BE PROVIDED UPON REGISTRATION. Please register early to reserve your spot.

Date: Sunday 4/1/2012
Time: 10:30 AM -3:30 PM” Both workshops are 2 hours each, all levels, and will include asana practice. Cost: $50/workshop or $90 for both. WORKSHOP 1: LEARN TO BREATHE, HEAL YOURSELF AND YOUR RELATIONSHIPS (10:30am-12:30pm) How does the way we breathe affect our stress level, quality of sleep, depression, and even our relationships? Breath penetrates, breath invigorates, and breath heals. The class begins with a lecture and then moves into simple but profound breathing exercises, and gentle movement. The effect of these done in sequence can lead to profound release and calm. Other benefits may include increased energy and mental clarity. Once people have experienced the power of their own breath, they understand why it is called Life force. Class will include a lecture, breathing exercises; very gentle breath-initiated movement, and meditation. Appropriate for all levels. Helpful reminders: · Do not eat at least two hours before practice and eat lightly. · Dress in loose fitting clothing. · Arrive a few minutes early and leave your cell-phone in your car. · Before class, inform Max of any injury or special condition. · Breathing workshop is not advisable if pregnant. WORKSHOP2: STRENGTH, GRACE AND HEALING (1:30-3:30pm) The intent of yoga is not only to increase our strength and flexibility, but also to promote health and vitality. The next layer is to transform our behavior from coarse to gracious, and to transform even our very thoughts, from chaos to beauty. Experience Max Strom’s unique prana-flow class, with emphasis on emotional transformation. Class will include a short talk, vinyasa-flow, non-dogmatic philosophy, breathing, and meditation.

Date: Friday, July 6-8, 2012
Time: 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
SUMMER REJUVENATION: July 6, 7 & 8. All inclusive: daily Ayurveda and yoga classes organic, Ayurvedic vegetarian meals $395 for one retreat or $735 for both retreats $50 early bird discount when paid in full on or before February 1st To register, call (408)885-1000 or online registration at Downtown Yoga Shala. Camp Double Bear is a private camp just minutes away from downtown Los Gatos. Situated on 100 acres in the rugged Santa Cruz Mountains, the land extends from lovely Bear Creek up the hill to the campsite forested with madrones, firs, oaks, bays, and redwoods. It is very quiet and peaceful, and feels miles away from the hustle and bustle; the perfect escape. During the Spring Cleanse retreat you will learn how to create a safe and effective 4 days cleanse at home. You will also learn about the yogic diet. We will practice purifying yoga and eat wholesome, healthy and detoxifying foods prepared with love by chef Treasure throughout the weekend. During the Summer Rejuvenation retreat you will learn how to implement a daily Ayurvedic rejuvenation practices or Rasayana to nourish the body and mind. We will practice Restorative and Yin yoga as well as eat wholesome, nourishing foods prepared with love by chef Treasure throughout the weekend. Retreat starts 5pm Friday evening till mid-afternoon Sunday. MORE DETAILS, INCLUDING DRIVING DIRECTIONS WILL BE PROVIDED UPON REGISTRATION. Please register early to reserve your spot.

Date: Friday, April 29, 2012
Time: 1:00 PM-3:30 PM
An hour of gentle and all levels yoga will precede the revolutionary Trauma Releasing Exercises facilitated by Maria Alfaro. TRE was developed by David Berceli, a bioenergetic therapist, who has used it successfully all over the world for almost two decades, working with soldiers, fire fighters, police officers and survivors of war, earthquakes and other traumatic circumstances to help alleviate the many symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. What is TRE (Trauma Releasing Exercises)? TRE is a gentle, simple and profound technique that facilitates the lengthening and relaxation of the Psoas muscle. This relaxation provides a very effective release of physical and emotional tension and stress. The Psoas muscle is a very thick, deep and stubborn muscle that acts as a guardian of our lower belly. In its role of protector of our organs it contracts and tightens, becoming shorter, in response to life small and big traumatic experiences. A tight Psoas can cause many problems, including sciatica and lower back pain, just to mention a few. The TRE exercises work the legs, tiring them and creating a trembling response which begins in the legs and often spreads throughout the body. This gentle shaking is actually the nervous system way of discharging long held tension or unconscious muscle contraction to order to restore the body to wholeness. Some benefits that you may expect from TRE *Release of deep chronic tension and increase of overall energy and stamina * Shake loose unconscious involuntary muscular contraction * Discharge of buried emotional and physical trauma * Promotes deep relaxation and improves circulation * Improved mood and decrease of aches and pains * Increase of the body sensitivity to pleasure * Improved sense of being grounded * The healing of sciatica * Increased flexibility. Cost: $40 in advance, $45 day of event.