Yesu Yoga

Living Tree Launch

2009-06-08T09:18:00.000-07:00

Living Tree Yoga is celebrating our opening this Saturday, June 13!

Please see the new blog at livingtreeyoga.blogspot.com for details on our launch party and classes.

Transformation

2009-05-27T12:38:00.000-07:00

Living Tree Yoga is slowly and happily being transformed! We've been blessed with tremendous help, which has painted (very!) purple walls green, refinished the floors a dark espresso, and stripped away lots of unnecessary stuff.

Living Tree Yoga will be located at 1345 East 22nd Avenue in Denver's City Park West neighborhood. The studio is expected to open June 13, with classes beginning the following week. Pricing, class schedule, and other details will be available online in the next week. In the meantime, please contact joy @ livingtreeyoga.com with any questions.

Expansion

2009-04-13T14:53:00.000-07:00

One of the key principles of a yoga practice is expansion, the process of becoming more flexible, of learning to encompass more life than before. With every breath, we take in this life, literally growing larger.

It is with great happiness that I announce another sort of expansion: Yesu Yoga is expanding into a studio, in the form of Living Tree Yoga.

Living Tree Yoga will feature Yesu Yoga, classical vinyasa classes, and yoga for children (age 3-7) in the City Park West neighborhood. This small studio is expected to open in mid-May 2009, where we'll first offer several classes per week, then see where it grows.

My deepest gratitude to students of Yesu Yoga, who have been the greatest, most inspiring teachers! Check back for regular updates, or send an email to yesuyoga at yahoo dot com with questions.

Bhakti Yoga

2009-04-08T15:14:00.000-07:00

Bhakti yoga--the yoga of devotion--is what followers of Jesus practice when our focus is worship. In the Hindu tradition, it takes nine forms: hearing/singing, glorifying, remembering (meditation), physical service, worship (offerings to dieties), prayer offerings, service to please God (like preaching), friendship with God, and surrender. For followers of Christ, any worshipful, intentional practice can be considered bhakti.

I recently had the opportunity to see the band Aradhna in concert. Using traditional Indian spirituals, Hindi lyrics, and instruments like sitar and Hindustani violin, Aradhna creates Christ-centered bhajans that are simply beautiful. And for those of us familiar with kirtan or bhajan, they are both refreshing and deeply moving.

You can look forward to their music in my classes, or purchase their CDs here.

New Series Begins Thursday!

2007-04-10T21:22:00.000-07:00

Starting this Thursday, April 12, join us for another series of Yoga at Pathways. Class begins at 6:00 p.m.

Questions? Email yesuyoga@yahoo.com
And for more detailed information on Yoga at Pathways, click here.

Transition

2007-03-01T11:58:00.000-08:00

We often pay lots of attention to endings and beginnings, but what about the in-between time?

Our class is based on Vinyasa yoga, which means, "flow." As we flow from pose to pose, it's easy to forget that the transitions are meaningful as well. Tonight we'll focus on moving from one place to another, and on finding meaning in the pauses.

Appropriately, this is the last class in this series, which will take a hiatus through March and resume after Easter. I hope you'll be part of the next series! Check the blog for updates.

Hip Check

2007-02-20T08:20:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately, our hips are often a repository for all sorts of stress, tension, and imbalance in the body. This hub of movement is generally quite strong, but not very flexible. Fortunately, stretching and releasing this crucial area can lead to suppleness in other postures, and in daily life.

This week's class will focus on alignment and opening of the hips, and the muscles surrounding the area. Come clenched. Leave softened.

INVERSION MINI WORKSHOP

Ever wanted to try headstand? Shoulderstand? These inversions can calm the nervous system while strengthening the body.

Stay after class this week for a 15-minute session on inversions. Learn the basics of supported shoulderstand (Salamba Sarvangasana), supported headstand (Salamba Sirsasana), and plow (Halasana), ask questions, and try the initial steps of each posture.

Class Cancelled Tonight

2007-02-01T13:55:00.000-08:00

No yoga this evening, as a result of the approaching snow.

I expect we'll have class next week (barring any unforseen blizzards), so practice your downward dogs, and I'll see you then.

Questions? Send an email to yesuyoga@yahoo.com

Grace and peace,

Joy

Class Info

2007-01-05T09:05:00.000-08:00

If you're new to yoga, or haven't attended at Pathways, the following info may be helpful:

What to Bring:

$2 per class for location maintenance and supplies.

A yoga mat. We currently have several available on a first-come basis, and are purchasing additional mats, but it's nice to have your own. Please avoid using a camping mat, blanket, or towel, as these can slide and potentially cause injury. If you are without a yoga mat, it's best to practice on the TEC hardwood floor, which will give your hands and feet the stability they need.

Water. While drinking during your practice isn't recommended, you may want it before or after class. It's also best not to eat 2-3 hours prior to class, as a full belly can interrupt movement. If you must have something, a banana or other easily-digestible fruit is ideal.

A turned off cell phone. Pagers and phones are welcome, but please silence them before class.

What to Wear:

Comfortable clothing. Garb specifically for yoga isn't necessary, but it's important that your clothes allow you to move and stretch. A big t-shirt and loose shorts may seem great, but you'll be tucking them in and worrying about gaps during your first downward dog. Long, fitted pants and tops that give slightly are ideal.

Bare feet. Your feet are the foundation of your asanas (postures), and need to flex and contract just like the rest of the body. Shoes impede movement, and socks will cause you to slip and slide.

Tie back loose hair, and avoid dangling jewelery.

Yoga "Manners"

Stagger your mat slightly so those behind you have a clearer view of the mirror

If class is large, it's fine to be close. Just try to allow for a full arms' length between you and your neighbor to avoid collisions.

Laughing, audible breathing, and yawning are welcome during class. Please avoid talking, as it can be disruptive.

Don't worry about your poses looking like the instructor's or the person next to you. Your practice is lovely as is, and it's likely your neighbor is too focused on their own postures to pay attention to anyone else's!

Classes are held Thursdays, 6:00-7:15 p.m. at the Temple Event Center, under the sanctuary. Check back regularly for information on possible snow/holiday cancellations and upcoming classes.

Questions? Ask in the Comments section, or send email to yesuyoga@yahoo.com

About the Instructor

2006-12-26T12:52:00.000-08:00

Joy Tienzo began meditating at the age of 5. Nearly 20 years later, she became enthralled by yoga and has delighted in it ever since. In 2005, she was certified in the first ever Teacher Training at the Samadhi Center for Yoga in Denver. Her practice is dedicated to the principles of Divine grace (anugraha), joy (ananda), devotion (bhakti), and an abiding wonder at the love of Christ.

Joy has relished her adventures all over the world, from the rural villages of Haiti, to the lush hills of Thailand, to the orphanage in India where she served alongside the man who would become her husband. She is deeply grateful to her teachers for their commitment to the study and practice of yoga. Joy has an M.A. in Intercultural Studies from Fuller Theological Seminary, and is currently writing her first cookbook.

What is Yesu Yoga?

2006-12-26T11:58:00.000-08:00

Yesu (pronounced "Yeshu") Yoga is yoga practice devoted to Jesus. A typical yoga class at Pathways follows the simple acronym: I-AM, and generally looks like this:

Invocation: As a community, we ask for the Holy Spirit’s presence and draw attention to it's physical representation: the breath. A brief word about the focus of the day’s practice is given.

Asana: This is the physical aspect of yoga, which allows practitioners to experience the truths of God in a tangible way. Here, we emulate elements of creation (trees, animals, and so on) to better understand who we are created to be.

Meditation: In this sacred space, we respond to God through silence, singing, or contemplation. This is a time of relaxation, in which students allow the practice to sink into their bodies, spirits, and hearts. The class ends in savasana, or corpse pose, a reminder of our eventual death and resurrection with Christ.

Physically, yoga at Pathways can be both intensely challenging and ultimately relaxing. If you are a beginner, have previous injuries, or simply want a less rigorous class, modifications will be given that prevent additional stress on the body. The emphasis is always on awareness of the body, rather than accomplishing a particular pose, so there's no competition here.

For information on conventional yoga, this Yoga Journal FAQ may be helpful.