<body>Welcome to Yoga in Seattle at 8 LIMBS YOGA CENTERS - four neighborhood yoga centers in Seattle, Washington
8 Limbs Yoga Centers
Your Om in the City
CAPITOL HILL
500 East Pike Street
Seattle, WA 98122
206.325.1511
WEDGWOOD
7345 35th Avenue NE
Seattle, WA 98115
206.523.9722
Our mission at 8 Limbs Yoga Centers is to create a supportive and non-competitive atmosphere in which yoga practitioners can learn and grow.
8 Limbs' knowledgeable, friendly teachers recognize that each individual is unique and approaches life in a different way. Yoga should challenge and complement us, while enriching our experience of life.
We offer group classes for all levels, special workshops, and private sessions. To welcome beginners to yoga, we now have many Intro Series sessions to choose from. Continuing students can choose from several Basics and Hatha classes per day as well as many classes for the Advanced practitioner. We hope to foster a yoga center that meets the needs of the community.
Welcome to 8 Limbs Yoga Centers. Welcome to yoga. Welcome to you.
Capitol Hill Studio
Glowing with light from two walls of windows, the main Capitol Hill studio was our first. Hardwood floors and numerous plants create a comfortable atmosphere for your practice. You'll find yourself mat to mat with artists, moms who've just dropped their kids at school, Seattle University students, and doctors from Pill Hill, just blocks away. Our new second studio behind the Boutique is an intimate space for smaller classes and special workshops. We share the space with The Art of Wellness (put a link to the Art of Wellness page that we will design, maybe for now, just a link to their website), offering classes in nutrition, Ayurveda, parenting and other lifestyle enhancing topics.
Wedgwood Studio
Step off 35th Ave NE into the beautiful serenity of our second studio. Located in a wonderful neighborhood, the Wedgwood studio has a community feel to it. Friends meet at class and have lunch at Grateful Bread down the street; kids and teens take classes where their parents attend. From the UW grad student to the expecting mother, all can feel at home.
There is no typical 8 Limbs class. All of our classes will challenge you, teach you something new, or allow you to go deeper with what is familiar. We encourage you to try different classes and teachers to find what is right for you. See our Teachers page to learn more about their different philosophies.
CLASS LEVEL RATINGS
ALL - Students of all levels can enjoy this class.
LEVEL I - Suitable for beginning students. Emphasis on alignment, breath and the principles of yoga practice.
LEVEL II - For intermediate students. Classes are best enjoyed with a solid foundation in sun salutations and basic standing postures. At least 6 months of practice recommended.
LEVEL III - For the intermediate to advanced practitioner. At least one year of consistent practice recommended.
ASHTANGA
The original Vinyasa Yoga. Ride the wave of your breath and bandhas with grace and strength through this traditional sequence of yoga postures. The practice is presented in an accessible style with gentle, precise adjustments and modifications available for all levels. ASHTANGA FULL PRIMARY class will include the entire Primary Series with traditional pacing.
BASICS
Explore the basic postures, breath practices, and theory of yoga. We recommend taking at least one Intro Series before joining our Basics classes.
HATHA
Deepen your experience of asana as a "seat" held with both strength and sweetness. Emphasis is placed on the cultivation of core strength, balance, breath control, and flexibility through focus and concentration. Please consult the Teacher Bio section to find the teacher/class that is right for you.
HATHA FLOW
Let your mind surrender to the movement of the body with a meditative, flowing practice. This class will challenge your muscles and your mind by combining sun salutations and breath-directed movement with held asanas. Style will vary with each teacher. *Vinyasa denotes a faster paced class.
HATHA FLOW INTRO
Take the next step after INTRO TO HATHA. This class is a bridge to step across before entering level II & III Hatha Flow Classes. Breath, core, comfort and stability within the challenging style of vinyasa flow will be presented, broken down, and built upon through the series. Students will learn to experience "innerstanding" (stability from the inside out) while flowing through breath directed yoga poses. See below for start dates
HIV/AIDS
This class is open to those living with HIV/AIDS and their partners. We will use yoga postures, breath-work, and meditation to reduce stress, strengthen the body, and develop a deeper awareness of your self and your healing process. Free or donation.
KIDS YOGA
Make way for the next generation! Through yoga, children learn how to relax and interact in a nurturing and non-competitive environment. Yoga practice also increases flexibility, strength and muscle tone and helps children to develop space orientation, body awareness, balance and a sense of harmony. Playful kids yoga classes mix games and songs with the physical postures. YOGA CAMP this summer! Check back soon for dates.
KIRTAN
Sing, chant, and practice mantra with others on the path of yoga. Free/donation.
MOM & BABY YOGA
In a supportive environment with others moms (dads also welcome), work gently to regain abdominal tone and body strength while addressing pain in the shoulders, back and pelvis. Dads also welcome!
MOM & CHILD YOGA
Continuation of Mom & Baby Yoga for parents of babies and toddlers (up to 4 years).
$92 for 8 class card/$15 drop-in. No preregistration necessary.
PARENT/CHILD
These classes for 2 - 4 year olds are aimed at engaging young children through playful yoga, games and singing. Parents or caregivers attend and may also practice yoga but the focus is on the kids. $12 per child.
PILATES for YOGIS
Take your yoga practice to a new level and learn to enhance your "centering" abilities. Each 6 week series is designed to refine your alignment, strengthen your core, and increase movement awareness. $75/session. Start dates: April 22, June 3, July 15, & August 26. Call 206.523.9722 ext. 2 to register.
POWER YOGA
Take a midday break to strengthen your body and focus your mind. This intermediate level class is influenced by the Ashtanga systemand will include sun salutations, standing poses, challenge postures and inversions within creative sequencing.
PRENATAL YOGA
Practice the art of relaxation through breath awareness, reduce physical tension, and safely prepare for labor. $96 for an 8 classes session, plus a $10 registration fee. Pre-registration required. Sessions are ongoing and may be started at any time.
PRENATAL PARTNER YOGA
Offered bi-monthly. Check Workshops and Events page for dates and locations.
Prenatal students should eat something light one hour before class and bring a snack.
TEEN
Designed for ages 11 to 18, this class provides teenagers with an alternative way to direct their powerful energy. The rigor of the practice offers teens a healthy and challenging way to experiment, to push boundaries and encounter one's own edge, as well as gain a sense of achievement. $11/class or $50 for 5 classes.
YIN
Historically based in a Taoist practice, Yin yoga explores the connective tissue and joints of the body. Postures are passive and held for a length of time to increase awareness and prana flow to suggsted areas. Friday class includes Pranayama practice. Pregnant women welcome.
YOGA FOR MENOPAUSE
Help regulate the body's hormone levels by focusing on the endocrine and nervous systems through yoga postures, breath-work and relaxation practices. April 14 -May 10. Future sessions TBA. $108 for 6-week session.
WORKSHOPS
Enrich your practice. We encourage 8 Limbs Teachers to offer workshops into the subjects that most interest them, giving them a chance to deepen their own teaching and share the wealth of information each of them holds from years of study. 8 Limbs also hosts several nationally known master teachers throughout the year.
RETREATS
Come away with us! 8 Limbs Yoga retreats provide a lot in a short period of time: focused yoga practice, unparalleled relaxation, delightful company, delicious food and dreamy lodging. Several scenic locations have been chosen to allow us to focus our minds and hearts on our practice. We find inspiration in our surroundings, our companions, and ourselves. Take a retreat each season to recharge your batteries. Please inquire at 206. 325. 8221 for brochures or to register.
ADVANCED TRAINING
8 Limbs provides training opportunities for teachers and teachers-to-be. Our Basics Teacher Training begins in September and Advanced Training (for teachers and advanced practitioners) begins in early 2005. We are pleased to host numerous out-of-town guest teachers throughout the year, whose teachings add to the dynamic offerings of 8 Limbs staff and colleagues. To receive a Teacher Training 2004/2005 brochure, email us or call 206.325.8221.
Yoga's benefits affect each person in a different way. Many find thatit helps them to relax; others find themselves feeling healthier and more energetic. All the systems in the body--from the lymphatic to the digestive to the cardiovascular--benefit from yoga. Yoga benefits every aspect of our bodies, inside and out.
On the inside, yoga enables relaxation. Many practitioners find that yoga helps them to focus and feel relaxed in both work and play. In 2003, scientists studied both long-time yogis and beginners; they found that the stress hormone cortisol had decreased, even after just one session of yoga. Yoga has also been found to increase alpha and theta waves in the brain, meaning that yoga can relax the brain and increase access to the subconscious and emotions. And by simply increasing the feel-good brain chemicals like endorphins, enkephalins, and serotonin, yoga practitioners just feel better.
On the outside, yogis look terrific. This is probably from improvements on the inside! Since yoga balances the metabolism and provides exercise, many find yoga brings their body into balance. Physical yoga strengthens and tones the muscles while improving balance and posture. And yoga is a great way to cross-train for other sports; it can ease strains from injuries and increase strength and flexibility.
When all the body's systems are balanced, yoga practitioners feel healthier and find they want to make other healthy choices in their life.</body>