Instructor: Devon Dederich (see the Schedule page for information on meeting days/times.)

Our general policy here at Clear Spring is of course that all beings should be happy. We offer this particular yoga class in homage to that outcome.

Some yoga classes aim toward developing more strength, flexibility or stability in the hips or shoulders, some aim at the learning of particular types of poses (standing poses, or back bends, for instance).

In this class we specifically treat happiness as the aim of the work. Using instruction given by Yogacharya BKS Iyengar and his senior teachers, the student moves through a series of quiet (and quieting) supported stretches and gentle inversions, meant to ease the nervous system, expand the chest and heart area, to even out the breathing, and to defuse and refocus the mind.

No one can claim any practice is a sure cure for anything, but the yogis showed us millennia ago that steady practice at cultivating happiness definitely leads toward happiness. BKS Iyengar has shown us how the splendid gift of asana can aid in the quest; he has made it clear how to cultivate ease and contentment in all the layers or sheathes of our Self, from the outer, anatomical and physiological layers, inward to the mind and spirit.

Even if you already think of yourself as happy, Yoga for Happiness is still a good way to start any week.

If you have injuries or medical conditions that might influence what you do in class, please ask your health care provider first, then speak with the instructor before your first class. Please come to class wearing shorts or leggings and a t-shirt. If you don't have or wear shorts or leggings, then wear pants that allow you to stretch without binding. If you come to class wearing work clothes, Clear Spring Studio has changing areas with hangers and racks to protect your clothes. Always take your shoes off immediately as you enter the front door of Clear Spring, and store them in the wooden rack just inside the front door of the studio. If your feet are dirty, please wash them before entering the studio or zendo areas. Do not eat for at least two hours before class. If you have low blood sugar, be sure to drink nutritious liquids that will pass out of your stomach by class time.