New Led Primary Series Ashtanga Class

with Kathy Reisfeld

Tuesdays, 5:45-7:15pm at the Uptown Studio

Begins November 7th

The physical and spiritual benefits of the Ashtanga Yoga practice unfold with a committed and regular practice, so we thought it was time to offer an additional class to the regular weekly offerings. This new class, which will also be a Primary Series class, will be led by experience Ashtanga yoga practitioner and instructor, Kathy Reisfeld, and hosted at our Uptown studio at 57 Crown Street.

Those who are newer to the Ashtanga Yoga practice, please feel free to come to any of our now three(!) Ashtanga classes, but know that we will be offering another Intro to Asthanga Yoga Series in January. If you’re interested in finding out a little more about what the practice is, please read our blog post here.

Kathy Reisfeld has been practicing Ashtanga Yoga since the fall of 2001 when she was introduced to the Ashtanga primary series. In the summer of 2003 she had the privilege of studying with Nancy Gilgoff and Christine Hoar at a workshop in Burlington, Vermont, which opened her eyes to the true depths of Ashtanga Yoga.

While living in NYC she practiced at Ashtanga Yoga New York with Eddie Stern as her teacher from 2005 through 2010. She had the good fortune of meeting and practicing with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois in the fall of 2003 and again in 2005 and 2006. She traveled to Mysore, India in 2005 in order to study at the Ashanga Yoga Research Institute with Sharath Rangaswamy.

In 2010, while pregnant with her daughter, Ruthie, Kathy moved up to Woodstock with her husband, Scott. Kathy has been maintaining a home practice since her move up to Woodstock. She is grateful for the love, support, and wisdom of her teacher, Christine Hoar. Kathy hosts a Mysore style Ashtanga practice group at her home studio in Woodstock. Visit Ashtanga Yoga Woodstock for more info.

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RESTorative Yoga Workshop

with Mel Toth

A perfect yoga break in the midst of the holiday season….

Saturday, Dec. 9th, 2:30-5:30pm

at our Midtown Studio

$35 to prereg/$40 day-of

During RESTorative yoga, periods of deliberate stillness create a safe space to explore letting go. Often the greatest challenge of this practice is allowing that stillness. Acknowledging that reality, RESTorative first uses gentle movement to help release excess energy and physical tension. Props such as blankets, bolsters and blocks are then used to create a cradle of support into which the body can let go. While in supported poses, engaging the mind with conscious breath work and guided relaxation encourages deep physical and emotional release. Through discussion and practice, we will explore what RESTorative is, why it’s beneficial and how to incorporate supported postures into your home or teaching practice. Workshop includes a 90-minute RESTorative class. No experience necessary, just a desire to find greater ease in the body/mind.

Mel Toth

After many years of sporadic practice, Mel recommitted to yoga after moving to Saugerties in 2011 and discovering Shakti Yoga’s sanctuary classes. Two years later, she completed Shakti’s 200 hour teacher training and has been teaching yoga to students of all ages ever since. An educator since 1998, Mel has taught 4^th grade, co-authored a strategy book for teachers and served as a tutor and Director of Education for several NY learning centers. Mel’s varied educational experiences have taught her to remain flexible in the face of teaching and learning challenges and receptive to new ways of sharing and receiving information.

Her classes focus on understanding the fundamentals of asana (poses) through the use of props (blocks, blankets, straps, chairs, bolsters) and movement exploration, while emphasizing the discovery of personal alignment, balance and relaxation. After many years of chronic injuries and pain related to scoliosis (curvature of the spine), Mel has found great relief through the practice of gentle and restorative poses and is passionate about incorporating both into her classes. By encouraging students to respect their physical limitations while exploring what’s possible, Mel aims to help each individual learn how to serve the unique needs of the body. She is forever grateful to her first yoga teacher, Jill Gnassi, whose expert Iyengar instruction taught her how attending to small details could make a huge difference in life.