8 Brocades Qi Gong (Ba Duan Jin) is a type of Qi Gong (one of the 5 branches of Traditional Chinese Medicine) consisting of eight forms of slow, gentle, mindful movements, meditation and breathing. Each movement emphasizes healing and facilitates energy flow to certain areas relating to the physical and energetic bodies. Some of the numerous benefits that come from regular Qi Gong practice include improved energy, vitality, strength, flexibility, balance and coordination. Qi Gong has been known to aid in reducing blood pressure, headaches, depression and anxiety, just to name a few things.
Our 8 Brocades series:
- Two Hands Hold Up The Heavens
- Drawing the Bow Left & Right as if to shoot the Eagle
- Separate Heaven & Earth
- Wise Owl Gazes Backwards
- Sway the Head and Shake the Tail
- Two Hands Hold the Feet
- Clench the Fists and Glare Fiercely
- Bouncing on the Toes 7 Times to Eliminate illness
Subscribe to Jade Tiger Health on Youtube for additional Qi Gong: https://www.youtube.com/@jadetigerhealth
Followed by Yoga Nidra guided meditation facilitated by Bob. The practice of Yoga Nidra, also known as Yogic Sleep, allows one to achieve a state of complete relaxation while remaining awake and fully aware of your surroundings. Peeling back the physical, energetic, mental, emotional, and spiritual layers within us, the body, mind, and spirit have the opportunity to synchronize with the rhythm of nature. Simply by Listening.
Shine on with Santosha’s Monthly Full Moon Chat & Meditation.
The Full Moon occurs when the moon is directly opposite the sun, allowing the whole face of the moon to be illuminated and appear as a full circle. With the full moon’s energy at its peak, we can connect with this mystical energy and release what is no longer serving us, supercharge our intentions and goals, and feel more in sync with the earth’s natural cycle.
We’ll begin by highlighting the aspects of this month’s moon, followed by Yoga Nidra (guided sleep-based meditation) to release, relax and reset with new intentions. We’ll end with a few moments of personal journaling with prompts to capture and reflect on your experience. All under the light of the full moon.
Moonstone and Quartz Crystal are always a great choice when working with the moon. Allow your intention to penetrate into the stone/crystals so that you can draw from it through the next lunar cycle. Have your journal & pen as well as any of your favorite items with you during the meditation.
Come illuminate full circle with us.
Join us at Santosha Yoga for I AM Yoga Therapy. We begin with gravity-supported warm-ups and then offer guidance on how you can use your props at home to support your body in longer-held poses. Some of the shapes we use are similar to a Yin practice, but I AM Yoga Therapy offers a unique, fully-guided, meditative experience. The guidance is designed to help you use your own breath and attention to free up blocked energy and allow it to flow.
We help you get set up in poses that allow you to access body zones such as legs, buttocks, hips, hamstrings, heart, back, and shoulders. Then, we use the breath to connect more fully with the body so you can relax as deeply as possible. As you relax, even in the midst of sensation, you may open up to deeper healing, support clarity of mind, and allow for the release of trapped emotions.
Recommended props: blocks, straps, blankets, bolsters, pillows, towels or whatever you have on hand at home. Access to a wall, couch, chair, or table to support your legs is suggested.
Experience deep relaxation and connection to your body and energy.
Relax your mind, restore your body, rejuvenate your spirit. Sometimes in this class we begin with Yoga Nidra (about 30 minutes of fully guided meditation in a reclined position). Other times, we begin with Gentle Yoga stretches and simple movements with breath, connecting to the body just as it is in that moment. We always tune in to the inner experience of the body and we always use the practice of Yoga Nidra to train the mind to focus and relax. Both of these aspects - gentle energy in the body and relaxation of the mind - help to activate the body's natural ability to heal and balance. This class is accessible to people of every shape & size and all levels of yoga experience.
We use this practice to remember that we are already whole, full, and complete in and of ourselves. We use the Tools that we always have available to us: Conscious Feeling, Breath, Micro-Movements, Deliberate Holding with Complementary Movement, and Third Eye Integration. These Tools help us to realize that we can relax, even in the midst of action, and help us to steady our focus, even in the midst of external distractions.
Join us for a meditative practice, moving your breath and your body, to help to make the week’s start more seamless. You'll leave this one-hour session centered for the week ahead.
Chair Yoga is perfect for you if you’re brand-new to yoga, if it’s challenging for you to get up and down from the floor, or if you want to try a yoga class that delivers the benefits of gentle stretching and breathing exercises. Many folks who have taken Janie’s Chair Yoga classes have reported how surprised they were that they got so much out of it – rejuvenation for mind, body, and spirit!
An introductory level of the Amrit Posture of Consciousness (Level 1) Sequence. Each session we will move through the majority of the sequence. Occasionally, Parvati introduces new poses to challenge students, and to have some fun. As much as is possible, Parvati will tailor the class to meet the needs of her students –whether they are in need of a more physically challenging class, a more relaxing class, or more breath-work.
Join Janie Ganga for perspective on how to practice yoga off the mat plus a full-length Yoga Nidra.
First, we take about a half-hour to dive into the Wisdom of the yogis - both the ancient ones and some modern wisdom. We start with a “fortune cookie” - a quote, a practice, or a nugget of wisdom - as Ganga offers a short teaching and then facilitates an interactive conversation that lets us all learn from one another about how we might apply yoga to help us with our experiences of life. In Sanskrit, they call this type of gathering “Satsang.” At Santosha, we sometimes call these conversations “giggles with Ganga” because there’s so much humor in: recognizing our humanness; how similar we all are; and how the teachings of all the traditions are so so simple, yet we often forget. That’s why we gather together - to “gather in truth” - Satsang.
Next, you get supremely comfortable for a full-length Yoga Nidra. Take advantage of the virtual format - being in your own space at home so that you can use all the props that you need plus no need to drive anywhere afterward! As you let the body relax as fully as possible, the mind can relax, too. Yoga Nidra allows for healing at the deepest levels - and all you do is rest back and follow the guidance. Unlike Meditation styles that require you to sit up, or leave you alone with your thoughts, Yoga Nidra gently trains the mind to let go of the past and future - by using a series of mindfulness techniques and then sinking even deeper into the present moment. You may know that you wish to practice being fully present, here and now. In Yoga Nidra, you can experience this with ease.
Take a break from your hectic schedule and join us in a guided meditation for deep relaxation and restoration. We’ll practice about 40 minutes of Amrit Yoga Nidra which is one of the easiest ways to meditate. You just invite your body to be still and follow the instructions as best as you can! Usually, we are in a reclined position, or it can be accommodated for seated. You don’t need special yoga clothes and you won’t get sweaty. Being an effortless practice, Yoga Nidra is the perfect way to infuse your day with meditation and carry on with the rest of the day feeling both relaxed and energized!
Join us for this special Let Your Yoga Dance Pop-Up that CELEBRATES:
- Juneteenth - the date in 1865 that the news of Liberation reached west Texas - aka the end of slavery in the United States, which became a federal holiday in 2021.
- Pride Month - commemorating the 1969 Stonewall Inn uprising that birthed LGBTQIA+ activism.
- Summer Solstice - the longest day of light in 2025 in the Northern Hemisphere.
The playlist will include African-American artists, a few songs from queer people/queer history, and we'll end with the Longtime Sun song and a poem by my dear friend the multi-disciplinary artist Deana Tavares. In honor of Juneteenth, Janie Ganga will be donating her teacher pay to The King Center. (See below for more info.)
What is Let Your Yoga Dance?
Let Your Yoga Dance is where Joy & Fun meet Deep & Sacred. Dance with new friends & familiar faces from the comfort of your own home! We can laugh, jump around, be silly, joyful, graceful, allowing space for sorrow, excitement, and best of all COMMUNITY! You have to try it out for yourself to understand how you can feel so connected to yourself and the folks on the screen while also supporting your Heart Health, Brain Health, Body Health, & Soul Health!
It’s a fun movement practice that flows through the 7 chakras. We start slow, build up to a faster pace, and finish with a meditation to integrate. Everyone is a dancer! Just bring yourself, a water bottle, and be ready to move (or dance seated).
Suggested:
- water or beverage on hand
- scarf or similar
- speakers to amplify your sound
- wearing something that feels festive
- invite a friend!
No previous dance or yoga experience needed.
All ages, all sizes, all genders are VERY WARMLY WELCOMED!
The King Center honors the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Among the Center's many projects, Janie Ganga is particularly drawn to their upcoming event on July 9th - BE LOVE Day, which features this invitation to pledge:
Starting today, I make a personal choice to BE LOVE.
I pledge to allow love to drive my thoughts, words, decisions, and actions,
and honor the humanity of every individual.
I pledge to speak the truth to power in love.
I pledge to focus on defeating injustice and not destroying the person.
I pledge to support leaders who demonstrate a love for humanity.
I pledge to promote unity and refuse to perpetuate or magnify division.
I pledge to demonstrate a life of courage, care, and compassion
as I boldly confront anything that stands in opposition to love.
By signing this pledge, I’m helping to create what
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. called
The Beloved Community
Join us live each week for interactive sessions! If the live times don't align perfectly with your schedule, rest assured that all sessions will be recorded and available for you to watch at your convenience, allowing you to participate fully on your own timeline.
A Sacred Journey Within
This 7-class program is your invitation to an immersive experience with your Sacred Energy Centers – the Chakras. Visualize these vital hubs as powerful, ancient landmarks on your personal inner map, each one brimming with distinct qualities, profound wisdom, and unique gifts waiting to be revealed.
While a physical pilgrimage to distant, sacred lands isn't always possible, we each possess the remarkable capacity for the most profound journey of all: an exploration within. It is here that you will discover balance and harmony in these energy centers, unlocking your full potential.
Your transformative inner exploration will be guided by:
- Insightful Teachings: Uncover the ancient wisdom and modern relevance of each chakra system.
- Engaging Discussions: Connect and share experiences within a supportive community.
- Powerful Guided Meditations: Experience direct energetic activation and integration for every center.
More than just a course, this is an invitation to forge a deeper connection to your authentic self, cultivate profound inner harmony, and truly awaken your inherent potential.
Unlock Your Energy Centers:
Root Chakra (Muladhara): Establish a strong foundation and sense of security.
Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana): Embrace creativity, pleasure, and emotional balance.
Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura): Cultivate personal power, confidence, and self-esteem.
Heart Chakra (Anahata): Foster love, compassion, and connection with others.
Throat Chakra (Vishuddha): Enhance communication, self-expression, and truth.
Third Eye Chakra (Ajna): Develop intuition, insight, and inner wisdom.
Crown Chakra (Sahasrara): Achieve and strengthen spiritual connection.
Join me for this transformative inner pilgrimage and unlock the deep wisdom residing within your own sacred energy landscape.
Remember, transformation unfolds moment by moment, and consistent practice is essential for experiencing lasting benefits. Integrate these healing elements into your daily routine for sustained well-being.
Sacred Centers Journey Through the Chakras: 7 Week Series
7 Thursdays at 10:45 – 11:45 am ET - live via Zoom & access to Recordings for 6 months
June 19 – July 31
$77
Heather Indu Arena
Heather Indu Arena is an experienced holistic health consultant, trainer, and writer with over two decades of expertise in Yoga Therapy, Breathwork, Meditation/Yoga Nidra, Ayurveda, and Energy Work. She is the curator and a senior teacher of an IAYT-accredited 800-hour Yoga Therapy program, emphasizing the therapeutic power of these holistic modalities for healing and transformation. Co-founding Santosha Yoga Studio combined with three years of immersive study and teaching at a yoga ashram, informs the heartfelt depth, precision, humor, and compassion she brings to her private practice and professional programs locally and internationally.