Welcome to Yoga Live

Shoulders Strong & Front Body Long — If you’ve been sitting a lot, or even if you have not, this Wednesday Bendsday class is exactly what you need to strengthen and open your shoulders, and lengthen your front body. Begin seated in Virasana (Heroes Pose) for centering, mobilize your shoulders with the wall, strengthen them with a resistance band, then progressively practice more belly-down backbend variations than you thought was possible. Shalabasana (Locust Pose), Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose), Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward Facing Dog) are featured, with progressive stages, specific instructions, key actions, creative use of props, and variations for all levels of heart opening yogis. Props: mat, wall, resistance band, blanket, sliders. Read more

Slow-Cook Your Shoulders & Core — This Tensile Strength Tuesday class will heat up your shoulders and slow-cook your core with a delicious sequence of strengthening drills and poses. Begin seated for deep core activation and centering, mobilize and activate your shoulders with the wall and a resistance band, progress your Plank Pose with your hands on a wobble/balance board and one arm variations, then practice supine Sun Salutations variations with Navasana (Boat Pose) as the “new” Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose). Props: mat, wall, resistance band, wobble/balance board. Read more

Fierce Forward Folds — Join Noah for this FUNdamentals Monday class with an emphasis on stretching the hamstrings as we journey to(wards) Uttanasana (Intense Stretch Pose, aka Standing Forward Fold). Begin seated for meditative centering, mobilize and strengthen your shoulders with the wall and a resistance band, slowly flow in sun salutation variations with many plank poses, then fold forward in a focused and fiercely sustained progression of standing forward folds. Finally, counterpose with Setu Bandha (Bridge Pose) and rest in Shavasana (Corpse Pose). *Note: the internet live-stream dropped around 35 minutes in, Noah completed the class when it came back online, and we stitched the two videos together. Props: mat, wall, resistance band, 2 blankets or sliders, 8 foot strap, 2 blocks. Read more

Happiness Dwells Within — This Thankful Thursday practice invites you to turn within, through meditative practice and supported forward folds, to the source of happiness (contentment, fulfillment etc.) that dwells inside YOU. Practice this class anytime you need to slow down, invest in your self-care and self-love. Begin with seated meditation (use props and build your throne), lie supine to isometrically activate your shoulders, fold forward in supported versions of Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog), Parsvottanasana (Pyramid Pose), Balasana (Child’s Pose), then either lay down and rest in Savasana (Corpse Pose), or sit for meditation. Props: mat, doorway and two straps (optional), 4 blankets, bolster. Read more

At the Confluence of Hip-Openers & Backbends — Join Noah for this potent and joyful hips n’ backbend-y Wednesday Bendsday exploration. Begin seated in Virasana (Heroes Pose) for centering, lay down to open your shoulders and expand your breath, activate and strengthen your shoulders, and progressively open your hips and spine extensions into variations of Eka Pada Rajakopotasana I. Props: mat, blanket(s), resistance band, chair. Read more

Shoulders n’ Core + a Side of Inversions — Join Noah and assemble your yoga props for this Tensile Strength Tuesday and fire your core, increase your shoulder strength, and cultivate the motor skills that will turn you upside-down. Begin seated for meditative centering, awaken your shoulders with mobility and stability progressions and apply your strength into Sirsasana (Headstand) and Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand) variations. Props: mat(s), wall, resistance band, sliders, blankets, 2 chairs or inversion bench, yoga wheel. Read more

Back Body Strong & Shoulder Love — Join Noah and Oliver in this FUNdamentals class to strengthen your back body and tune-up your shoulders. Begin seated for meditative centering, mobilize and strengthen your shoulders (rotator cuff and scapular stabilizers), and practice many variations of Shalabasana (Locust Pose) to strengthen your posterior chain muscles (erector spinae, gluteus maximus, hamstrings). This is not a “fancy pose” practice; it is a “hard work in basic poses” investment into yourself and your functional movement and strength. Props: mat, wall, blanket, resistance band. Read more

Yoga of Play & Challenge — Join Noah and Oliver for this interactive playful family friendly practice. Framed as a series of yoga “challenges,” we cultivate mental focus, strength, and diverse motor skills. Begin sitting still for the “meditation challenge,” open your shoulders then proceed into the “plank challenge” and side plank, wake up your feet for the “toe blanket lift & tug of war challenge,” squat for the “malasana challenge,” balance in the “tree challenge,” wake up your hamstrings in the “slippery bridge blanket pull challenge,” then rest deeply in the “relaxation challenge.” Prop list: mat, wall, blanket, inner & outer child, playful attitude, sense of adventure. Read more

Shoulder Love + Some Upside-Down — This Thankful Thursday practice invites you to slow down and cultivate an attitude of gratitude for the gift of YOUR embodiment. Begin seated to get centered, then eat your dessert first by lying down for relaxation and pranayama (breath), give your shoulders some love with stretches and strengtheners, go upside down in three inverted poses, and end with seated meditation. Props: mat, wall, 4 blankets, resistance band, wobble board, yoga chair, extra mat, optional inversion swing. Read more

Appetizer of Shoulder Love  + a Backbend Entree — Join Noah for this Wednesday Bendsday practice of shoulder tune-up/rehab and delicious supported backbends. We begin with seated centering, stand for shoulder range of motion and stabilization work, and progress into supine backbends with props, culminating in a version of Eka Pada Viparita Dandasana (One Leg Inverted Staff Pose) with a chair. Gather your props and there will be stages and options for everyone. Prop List: mat, wall, resistance band, 2 straps, 2 blocks, yoga chair, travel mat, blanket, optional hand weights. Read more

Shoulder Love & Spine Twists — The shoulder love continues in this slow and steady class (more tortoise, less hare), as we layer in core & hips + legs and twist twist twist. Begin with seated centering, then explore shoulder range of motion, strengthen your shoulder stabilizers (Noah’s shoulder rehab), then add in legs and core and journey the twisting turning road to Parivritta Trikonasana (Revolved Triangle Pose). Props: mat, wall, resistance band or strap, sliders. Read more

Shoulder Love & Leg Strength — Join Noah for this moderately paced FUNdamentals practice that will strengthen your shoulders (Noah’s shoulder rehab routine) and invigorate your legs. Begin seated for meditative centering, then stand and use the wall to explore your shoulder range of motion, and create your own resistance for rotator cuff (shoulder stabilizing muscles) strengthening. Load your shoulders in quadruped, move your spine in cat/cow pose, stretch in Balasana (Child’s Pose) and Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose), then try the 3 minute Plank Challenge (you got this!). Take a wide stance for Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide Leg Forward Fold), align your Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II Pose) and Virabhadrasana I on the sticky mat, then get out your sliders for fun “Slippery Warrior” drills, then cool down and rest in Savasana (Corpse Pose). Props: mat, wall, strap or resistance band, sliders. Read more

Effort, Accomplishment & Grit — Visvamitrasana (Visvamitra’s Pose) is the project for this Fearless Friday class. Dedicated to the sage Visvamitra, whose name means “Friend of the Universe” - which is ironic because he is an irascible task master of great yogic ardor (tapas) and his namesake pose is FIERCE (especially when not holding the top foot). This class will awaken your imagination with yoga story time about this fascinating archetype, and stoke your fire of yogic tapas as you build strength and mobility your legs and hips, and core to accomplish this arm-balance/hip-opener/twist/side-bend-y pose. Props needed: mat, blanket, block, wall, grit. Read more

Mellow Mood — This Thankful Thursday practice invites you to slow down, chill out, and ease into a mellow mood. Let the busyness of the world recede and take refuge in the sanctuary of meditation, breath, and restorative yoga. Begin seated (on props) for meditation, lie supine for a gentle heart opening pose, fold forward in supported Balasana (Child’s Pose) and Uttanasana (Standing Forward Fold), backbend and invert in supported Setubandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose), and conclude with seated meditation. In the lyrics of Bob Marley — “Mellow mood has got me, So let the music rock me, ‘Cause I’ve got love darlin’, Love sweet love darlin’” — Props: mat, 4 blankets, bolster, strap. Read more

Plague of Locusts — Join Noah for this Wednesday Bendsday backbendy practice to mobilize your shoulders and spine AND strengthen your shoulders, back and hip muscles. Begin with seated centering, lie down for a few supported supine backbends, alternate between passive and active range of motion in Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose), and strengthen your shoulders in a quadruped position. As promised, you will practice many variations, a plague if you will (or a swarm if you prefer), of Shalabasana (Locust Pose). Props: mat, 2 blocks, bolster, 2 (or more) blankets. Read more

Bent Strength — Ashtavakrasana (Eight Bends Pose) is our project for this Tensile Strength Tuesday class. Named after the Vedic sage Ashtavakra, we begin with some storytime and supine pranayama, then strengthen core and shoulders in a progressive sequence leading to Ashtavakrasana. Come ready for lots of planks and Chaturanga Dandasana (Four Limb Staff Pose), Navasana (Boat Pose) variations, inner thigh strengthening with a chair, and more fun stuff! Props: mat, 2 blankets, block, chair. Read more

Twisted Yogis —Calling all twisted yogis for this FUNdamentals Monday practice forward folds and twists. Begin seated for meditative centering, stretch your legs and back in standing forward folds, then twist and twist some more it in a progression of chair twists, standing twists, to seated twists. Your spine (and whole being) will be nourished in the wringing and rinsing effects of these poses and actions. Props: mat, chair, block, strap, bolster, blanket. Read more

Fearless Handstands — Calling all courageous handstanders for this skills n’ drills practice of core strengthening, shoulder strengthening, and leg/hip strengthening that will fortify your entire being. Begin with meditative centering, then lie down for core drills, progress into plank variations and handstand drills (with a few headstand and forearm balance drills along the way) and work towards split leg handstand press. Bring your props for this one: mat, wall, chair, exercise ball or sliders, blocks, courageous adventurous spirit. Read more

Relaxation Response — Sometimes relaxation is easier said than done, as we live in a stressful world, in stressful times. Relaxation is another form of engagement, of yoga, and is something we can consciously practice on the mat, and this practice can empower our ability to respond calmly to situations in our lives rather than react to them from a place of stress. Join Noah for this slower-paced meditative practice of supine pranayama breathing, forward folds, twists, and hip opening poses. Props: mat, bolster, 2 or 3 blankets, (optional) 2 straps, and a doorway or yoga rope wall. Read more

Backbend Buffet — If you are sitting much of the day, like we often are in the Mazé household, backbending poses and movements are all the more essential to cultivate and maintain our overall range of motion in the body, to stimulate the mind and nervous system, and to stay supple and open in heart. Join Noah for this interactive Wednesday Bendsday journey to(wards) dropping back from Tadasana (Mountain Pose) to Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Bow Pose). Begin in a meditative centering in Virasana (Hero’s Pose), open your shoulders and thoracic/heart with the support of props, lengthen your hip flexors and strengthen your hip extensors as you progress from chair backbends, to kneeling backbends, to standing backbends. Learn creative prop strategies and pose variations designed to empower YOU to optimize your poses and make progress on your backbend journey. Props: mat, blanket, 2 blocks, strap, sliders, yoga chair, wall, high heels. Read more

Jump n’ Slide Yoga — If you’re working on jump-backs and jump-throughs in your yoga practice, this class is for you! Come ready to work and play hard in a dynamic mix of core, shoulder, and arm strengthening and creative use of props. Begin with a meditative seated centering, warm up with sun salutations, progress into jumping back and forward over a blanket hurdle, and get out your sliders for slippery Surya Namaskar. Slow it down for a few ankle and foot stretches and forward folds, then rev it back up with Lolasana (Earring Pose) pickups, practice slide through to sitting, sliding back to plank, and if/when you are ready exchange the slide-throughs for jump-throughs. Props: mat, blanket, sliders/socks, 2 blocks, strap. Read more

Self Generated Heat — Wear layers so that you stay warm for the supine pranayama breathing at the beginning, then shed layers as you generate heat in successive repetitions and variations of Utkatasana (Fierce Pose, aka Chair Pose) and Virabhadrasana I (Warrior 1 Pose), culminating in Surya Namaskara B. Come ready for plenty of strong leg work, as well as shoulder, back and core strengthening, creative use of props, and breath awareness. Props: mat, 2 blankets, chair. Read more

YogaPlay — Join Noah and Madeleine for a playful family yoga class with a dynamic mix of strengthening, mobilizing, balancing, and laughing. Begin seated for meditative centering and hip openers, mobilize your spine with Cat Cow, stabilize your core with leg and arm movements from quadruped, and move through sun salutation variations with plenty of hamstring stretches. Stand up for hip-focused balancing poses, then back to the floor for more hip work, twists, and a few seated-entry arm balances, then rest with your legs up the wall. This class is sure to make you smile and bring some play into your yoga practice. Props: mat, blanket, wall, kids (optional), child-like spirit. Read more

Handstand is the New Down-Dog — GET STRONG in this fun and challenging Fearless Friday flow with many handstand opportunities. Begin seated for centering and breath awareness, and practice Abhaya Mudra (Gesture of Fearlessness) and Varada Mudra (Gesture of Gift Giving). Warm up with a few rounds of Surya Namaskara A and B, balance in Vrkshasana (Tree Pose), then incorporate more standing poses into the flow with Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose) as the transition and recovery pose. After a brief rest and transition time to move to the wall, swap out Down Dog for Adho Mukha Vrkshasana (Downward Facing Tree Pose, aka Handstand): Practice the same sequence of standing poses again, this time entering each standing pose from Handstand, then exit each standing pose into Handstand (or swap in Down Dog at any point). Please challenge yourself appropriately, rest, stay hydrated, and modify poses whenever you need to. This practice will strengthen you physically, bolster you mentally, and fortify your spirit so that you may courageously navigate the challenges and obstacles on your path. Props: mat, wall, towel. Read more