Do you ever look at your life as though it were Google Map direction? Feel like we are all supposed to get from point a to point b as fast as possible? Or like our yoga practice needs to make only forward progress? This is linear, robotic thinking, but we aren't machines or computers. We are human beings and a part of nature. In this vinyasa class, students will move their breath and bodies in circles, cycles, and spirals - just like the planets and oceans move. We will explore well-rounded sequencing, with a slight emphasis on twists, as a way to remind ourselves of our own nature. We move in spirals is a chance to use the wisdom from places you've been before to inform where you are headed.

Shakira may not have been the first to say that Your Hips Don't Lie. Yogis have always looked at the legs and hips as the foundation of the body. It is understood that if your legs and hips, your first and second chakra, are in alignment, it is easier to bring the rest into alignment and also the opposite is true - if your hips are out of wack, it is all a bit trickier. Perhaps you have noticed this in a simpler way - when your low back hurts, perhaps you also notice your shoulders or neck start to feel wonky as well. In this low to the ground, gentle sequence, we will work the full dimension of the hips (inner, outer, front and back). Using side stretching to create a connection from the hips to the heart, we will explore what it means to slow down and listen to our hips. And maybe just take them out dancing after class. You never know....

As humans, we can be very forward thinking. We can spread ourselves way to thin. If you think about dogs, a well-behaved dog doesn't live out on the edge of its leash always pulling toward the next thing. A disciplined dog knows how to heel. Since we aren't dogs, by no means is this practice meant to treat you like one - however through the playful exploration of many of the dog poses AND anchoring ourselves here and now, we will work on the discipline it takes to heel. And through this heeling, we might activate your own healing. This vinyasa class is well-rounded, but with a slight emphasis on hamstring opening.

Practicing yoga begins with release. We exhale to unite our breath for an inhale. We work through tension - in the body and the spirit. And when we use the mind, we can also release ideas and patterns we have "bought" that we recognize we no longer want or need. To "sell the goat" is a practice of all this. With the help of our breath, we will move through this well-rounded sequence and find a greater sense of contentment for what we already have.

It has been said, "no mud, no lotus." In yoga (and in life), I think about "no rain, no rainbow." Our practice can serve as an opportunity to train ourselves to make it though the storm. The poses can be tricky or uncomfortable and our job is to find our best alignment and stay connected to our breath. Beyond weathering the storm (of a challenging pose, class, or life), we can also learn to see the rainbow - to train the mind to see the good even though the tough. In this class filled with side bends and heart openers, we will work on both the rain and the rainbow.

Drishti is the Sanskrit word for gazing point that is used during yoga classes. It is the spot, close in, where we focus our attention. To be able to do this is a skill for your mat and for your life. Via a well-rounded gentle practice, we will practice shifting our gaze up and out to back close and in. May we see what is right in front of us.

To practice staying soft when things get hard is one of the trickiest and most valuable skills a yogi practices. In this gentle vinyasa practice, we will do just that. We will fold, side bend, and twist our way into a softer more open heart.

The stress of life can accumulate within our body and just like dust accumulates in a blanket, sometimes all your really need is a good shake. In this vigorous, yet still all levels, class, be prepared to squat and lunge and jump and shake your issues through your tissues. You will sweat and laugh and feel and breathe and hopefully, by the end, clear your heart and prepare yourself for whatever comes next.

On our mats we train to feel sensation in the body (the good & the bad) and then to do something about it. We make informed decisions about our alignment. We respond to the quality of our breath. And we tap into the sacred space of the heart. In this vinyasa practice, we will do just that - feel our bodies, our breath, our heart and then take action based on what and how we feel. The more we do this on our mats, the more this skill can seem valuable in the world around us.

In this power yoga practice, yogis will use their breath to move their bodies. We will reconnect with the body and the heart while clearing the mind for a bit. As with all Christen Bakken classes, expect inspiration and a bit of perspiration.

Peak poses classes can be so inspiring, but they can also leave yogis feeling like they have come up short. In this power, vinyasa, peak pose practice, we will work the pieces one step at a time. When we concentrate on doing the next right thing, we make the important progress that matters today. And perhaps the next right thing isn't the peak pose, and instead, is what makes you happy right now...or both.

Metta is the Sanskrit word for loving-kindness. In a world with such a deep need for change, it can be hard to know where to start. This meditation practice invites us to send happiness, health, and freedom out into the world without needing to leave our home. It gives the mind a job as we sit in stillness and consider who in our world could benefit from some well wishes.

Our Electronic Music Sessions are a perfect union of yoga + music by some of the world's top dance music artists. The exclusive music mix was specially created to compliment the class and whisk you away to a faraway land, allowing you to get deep into your practice.

ABOUT THE CLASS
This vinyasa class is filled with plenty of opportunities to move with breath. In yoga, we call this "flow." To be in a state of flow is to be connected to the present moment no matter how dynamic or seemingly stuck. We will work on moving through transitions, staying present and balancing our give and take in each posture while getting a bit lost in the rhythm of it all.

ABOUT THE MUSIC
For this class we teamed up with progressive house powerhouse, Global Underground, inspired by their Electric Calm series, and engaged artist, Trafik, to create a unique music + yoga experience. For more information about their music visit:
Global Underground
Global Underground on Soundcloud

GET THE MIX - download the music mix from this class to soundtrack your yoga practice, run, medium-paced workout, or just to groove to!

If you can count to 5, you can do this class. Yoga helps us all self-regulate and in this fun, easy going format, young yogis will learn tools to calm their bodies and breath as well as shake their sillies out.

All or nothing is a trap that keeps us from trying. It keeps us from hopping a few times toward a handstand. It keeps us from writing our first blog post when we want to write a book. This practice is a reminder that what you can do on your mat matters. What you can remember in your practice, you can remember in your life.

This chatarunga-free, vinyasa class is a chance to practice for practice's sake. No agenda. No need to keep up. No need to give up. Do what you can. And there is always something that can be done.

Our bodies follow our minds. AND our minds follow our bodies. When we feel down or think discouraging thoughts, our posture follows suit. Sometimes it is tricky to change the mind, so our practice can redirect the mind. Change the body, change the mind and even our relationships, community, and the world.
This FREE simple flow with our heads up and our hearts strong/forward, will gently teach the mind that there is a lot to "look forward to."
No chatarungas, no complicated transitions. Just simple breath and movement with clear intention.

Can you imagine your life 5-10 years from now? Can you do it free of any limiting beliefs? Find a comfortable seat and take a mental, heartfelt journey into your own future. At the end of this meditation be prepared to journal and then to take action in small, thoughtful steps toward the life you imagined.

If we can trust in our strong legs and core, we can allow the heart to soften. The obvious movement to soften the heart space is a backbend, but side bends and twists expand the capacity and space in the rib cage and heart. We will visit many common poses without needing to do a single chaturanga and only two down dogs, so this is a wrist-friendly practice. This short but sweet flow will prepare you to live with a softer heart off the mat.

As yogis one possible outcome from our practice is we discover our own potential. We do this not via perfection and unwavering balance, but from shaking and falling and getting back up again. We will approach the practice from this level- the vinyasa will be close to the earth and will rely on the strength and flexibility of your legs and hips. When we rise to balance, we will from a rooted place. Prepare to breathe, flow, and stretch your branches.

What the poses look like is only skimming the surface of all that each shape and breath hold possible. The poses will naturally stretch the hamstrings, strengthen the core, and release tension from the shoulders and neck. Each of these outcomes are worth celebrating, but what happens to our mind, our nervous system, and our heart far out weighs the physical benefits and holds so much more potential. By practicing with eyes closed and drawing the attention inward, we will practice the potential of the heart and what is beneath the surface. The big backbend is not the goal, but a heart wide open may be the journey.

To allow ourselves to move a bit slower and to go a bit deeper is such a treat and often can be a missing component in the rest of our lives. In this hip-centric class, we will work the muscles of the low back, outer hip and front of the hip, to allow for our fullest expression with the least amount of effort. If slowing down and allowing yourself to let go is a rare treat, give yourself the gift of this class today. Shout outs will be given to the great gurus, Mother Nature, Kanye West, and Shakira.

The Yoga Sutras state that our practice should be steady and sweet. In our culture and day-to-day lives, we have come to value strength. We want to complete our to-do lists, climb the corporate ladder, and complete marathons. We are looking for firm abs, jiggle-free arms, and a firm (but full) booty. In this practice, we will explore the balance of cultivating strength where it is needed and allowing sweetness and softness where possible. The chaturanga (and even downdog and plank) have been taken out of this practice. It is deceivingly challenging while sending an energetic reminder that softness in the heart can be one of our greatest virtues. "May my foundation be firm and my heart be soft" is a mantra for moving and living.

If it is true that we breathe at 30% of our potential, do we also practice yoga at 30%? Live our lives at 30%? Understanding our own capacity to take a full breath invites the opportunity to explore our capacity to move in a full way and live in a full way. This simple, yet flow-filled class, will challenge the breath and the body. Through sun salutations and deeper pose work, we will explore where we are playing small and dive courageously into a fuller expression.

Whether we are celebrating a love filled holiday or simply looking for ways to increase our loving vibration, loving ourselves will always be one of our greatest tools. It is said that in order to find a "Healthy Self" we must "Heal Thy Self." Sometimes it can be challenging to love that which we have not begun to heal, so this practice is a deep practice of listening in, taking time to care for and soothe what aches, and then finding new ways to love ourselves exactly as we are. The practice will be a gentle flow with a few tricky transitions. We will keep our movements close to the ground and our breath the center of our actions. Practice will be heart-centered and devotion-filled. We can be sure that loving others and loving ourselves go hand in hand.

In ancient yoga writing yogis are encouraged to do their work and to release the fruits of their labor. Often this is all easily said and hardly done. When I received a fitness watch for Christmas, I realized it was an accountability device. By wearing this watch, I had a sense of discipline. It made me get up and walk/work. As we find our yoga mats for practice, we will do our work- while we won't be running laps around the mat, we will take our bodies to their edge. Through folds, twists, backbends and balance, we will work to not take for granted the incredible body we have been given. In this short, vigorous practice, we will make it count.

Do you always see the next problem coming or do you face challenge as it arises? It can be easy to constantly prepare for what "could" go wrong- anything from completely losing your balance in a pose to completely losing your balance in your life. Santosha (the fourth Niyama - contentment) is a practice to remember that all we need, we already have. It softens the edges of judgement and constant anxiety. Together we learn, practice, and remember to face challenge as it comes. We celebrate and remain present as often as we can. The physicality of this practice is vigorous vinyasa flow with an emphasis on open hearted poses and balance.

The ability to look at our own tendency to fall into autopilot or pattern is quite a gift and similar to a muscle, in that, the more you use it, the stronger it becomes. In this well-rounded sequence, we will move the body in all directions and explore the way we take variations and breaths from a place of intentionality. The pace of this class will be a bit slower than usual to allow for the sacred pause that gives us a choice in our response. We will honor the heart space with a healthy dose of backbends and then honor the work with a substantial cool down. If you have been operating from habit on your mat or in your life, this is the class for you.

Lakshmi: All That She Seeks Is Within. Lovely Lakshmi is often prayed to and called up when we are in need of material resources. She is known as the goddess of abundance. While calling out her name in times of need is not wrong, Lakshmi reminds us that we are so provided for. She reminds us in all the places we feel we lack value and worth, that this is just not the case. Lakshmi waits patiently for us to recognize that it is not in the next relationship, yoga pose, or wrinkle cream. She teaches that within us is an abundant source of joy, peace, beauty, and love. Where in your practice is the scarcity principle running the show? How can we let go of this mindset and open ourselves up to see our lives as full and rich?

Durga - Kindness that Protects Us. Durga is the ultimate archetype of protection. She was brought into being to support the men. She was given a tiger to ride on and the weapons of each and every male deity. While she has all the tools to fight, she is most known for using gentleness first, kindness first. Where in our practice do we go straight toward force? Is their a softer approach? Our lives often mirror our practice and in a world that seems more and more reactive, to slow down, bring all the tools, but pause, be gentle first could be a revolutionary act.

Kali: Be Unafraid of the Dark. Kali has been somewhat falsely named, The Dark One. She is known for her black tongue, a necklace of skulls, and her overall fierceness. What I find most interesting and inspiring about Kali is she comes in to clean up the dark. So many of us run away from what is dark or uncomfortable- whether that is a deep hip opener or a painful relationship in our lives. Kali does not run. She walks in, does what is necessary, and cleans it up. She literally laps up the darkness and clears the path. Can we embody this in our practice and in our lives? Would being bold, sailing in darkness, and clearing the path be a new strategy for facing our lives?