Shakti Yoga
Yoga is a means of attaining proper balanced health of the body and the mind; the source of
true wealth in our lives.
Shakti Yoga is an emerging yoga style from Woodstock, NY created by Angie's teacher, Linda Lalita Winnick, owner of Shakti Yoga of Woodstock and Saugerties N.Y., and teacher at the Omega Institute, Rhinebeck, N.Y. Shakti is a Sanskrit word that commonly translates as "energy" or "power." It also refers to the spiritual /tantric tradition originated in India that worships the Divine Mother and feminine energy. How it is interpreted in the case of this style of Hatha Yoga is through cultivation of energy (Shakti) through creative asana ( postures) sequencing (vinyasa karma) , pranayama ( breathing) , ritual, and meditation. Shakti yoga is a form of Hatha yoga and draws from a variety of lineages, including Iyengar principles of Alignment, the fluid form of Vinyasa and Jivamukti, and the integrity and strength of Forrest Yoga. Shakti yoga also draws on Ayurvedic principles of sequencing. Ayurveda is an ancient Indian system of healing that heals according to one's constitutional type and adjusts a yoga practice according to the seasons, time of day, and individual needs of the practitioner.
Angie continues to study Shakti Yoga with Linda when she can travel out to New York. Angie also studies Kundalini Yoga, working with top teachers such as Gurmukh Kuar Khalsa, and Ravi Singh and Ana Brett. Angie also studies with local Upper Valley teachers: Iyengar with Jill Johnson and Jyoti Hansaa, Kripalu yoga with Sue Kirincich, and Forrest yoga with Michelle Deslandes. She fits in other styles such as Ashtanga and Bhava yoga (in Brattleboro, VT) in between making paper art and raising two beautiful daughters! Angie believes that there are as many styles of yoga as there are people practicing yoga, and each person brings new intuition and insight into the ancient practice of yoga. Angie finds that studying with such a wide range of teachers and yoga styles helps to deepen her understanding of today's yoga world and to fully integrate these styles into her creative sequencing.
Beginners and Seasoned students are welcome.
Classes in Claremont and Cornish are currently geared toward the beginner student, however, seasoned students will also enjoy this blending of traditions that will work the whole person. Classes are taught with demonstration of poses, clear verbal instruction, and gentle hands on adjustments. Basic standing yoga poses will be taught to encourage strength and stability, sun salutations to bring heat and fluid motion to the body, abdominal exercises to work our core, basic backbends to open the chest and expand the breath, twisting to strengthen our back muscles and digestive process, and arm strengthening poses for upper body strength and later level II arm balancing! We will focus on expanding the breath; finding proper alignment in poses that will transfer into our daily living; variations in poses for beginners and those with injuries, all while gaining core strength and flexibility and honoring your own body's abilities.
Experience the multitude of health benefits of yoga--whole body strengthening, flexibility, and endurance, to muscle definition, improved digestion and much more. With continued practice of yoga, many people find their various health ailments alleviating. However the greatest benefit of yoga is the peace of mind that is found when we learn to fully breathe and exist within the body. Then we can truly experience the union that is Yoga.