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SAMADHI YOGA — Seattle

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Change and growth take place when a person has risked himself and dares to become involved with experimenting with his own life.

Herbert Otto

NEXT 3 CLASSES

INDEPENDENCE DAY HOLIDAY SCHEDULE JULY 3 - JULY 6! NORMAL RESUMES MONDAY 7/7

LOCATION

1205 East Pike Street, Seattle, WA 98122.
206-329-4070
Our beautiful, spacious yoga studio in Seattle is located on Capitol Hill at the corner of 12th Ave. and E. Pike St. The entrance is on E. Pike St. and we are on the first floor. We are on the #11 busline and if driving, be sure to come at least 10 minutes early.  Parking is a challenge with all the new construction in the area.

the CENTER

At Samadhi Yoga our aim is to share the magic of yoga to help students attain the essential state of joy or Samadhi. Our center promotes the practice of yoga in a supportive environment with the ultimate goal of helping to build a world of peace and unity.

Samadhi literally translated means transcendental bliss. Yoga means yoke or union. (We yoke our individual mind to the Divine or higher mind.)

Samadhi is the 8th stage or branch on the "tree" of Ashtanga yoga first written down by Patanjali more than 2,000 years ago. Yama and Niyama are the rules and observances for living, Asana are the yogic postures, Pranayama are breathing practices, Pratyahara is withdrawing the senses to facilitate Dharana (concentration or focus) and Dhyana (meditation). By integrating these tools into our daily lives, we are likely to realize the great peace that lies within. Through yoga we may realize our timeless connection to Spirit and to each other, in community. One needn't subscribe to any particular beliefs to receive the immense benefits of yoga. It is a time-tested recipe for manifesting the highest state of being.

the PRACTICE

Samadhi Yoga combines vigorous, athletic yoga with slow, sustained stretches, refinement of alignment in held poses, as well as emphasis on the breath and focus of the mind. In short it is a practice of moving meditation. Samadhi yoga is a method evolved from Hunt's own research and experience in yoga and dance.

Just as metal can be reshaped by application of heat, the body can be transformed by blending the "fire of prana"-the vital life force in all living things with sequential asanas or yogic postures.

Classes include traditional yoga chanting in Sanskrit and deep meditation intended to carry us further in our journey towards Samadhi.

We are reminded to listen to our bodies and enjoy the evolution of becoming fully present in the here and now.

EVENTS

Shimshai in Concert














Kirtan, reggae, world music with Shimsahi Friday, July 11 8PM $15 adv $20 day of Whether singing the ancient Sanskrit mantras of India, the traditional folklore songs of South America, or performing his original works of divine inspiration, Shimshai’s music invokes a sentiment of ancestral devotion and a dedication to higher consciousness. A self-proclaimed seeker of truth, described by many as possessing the voice of an angel, Shimshai is gifted with the innate ability to deliver his message flawlessly in several languages; most profoundly the universal language of Love and Oneness www.shimshai.com Call 206.329.4070 for more information

Shimshai

Evening Enlightenment - Take Time for the Timeless! An introduction to unique meditations
What is Meditation? Meditation has three essentials elements: Relaxation, Watching and a Non-Judgmental Attitude. Through these, slowly, slowly a great silence descends over you. You will learn a variety of ancient and modern methods that help you enter into this state of meditation. Each method starts with movements or specially designed activities to first release mind/body stress and anxiety. This creates a space to sit silently and move into stillness. These unique meditation techniques are easy to learn, enjoyable and can be used in daily activities. The instructor, Shanti Schenker-Skye has been meditating for over thirty years. She has lived, in India and Japan- invibing the teachings of the East. Shanti has facilitated meditation classes, workshops and events in Asia, Europe and the United States. She is co-director of The World of Meditation. Date: (6 Wednesdays) July 9th thru Aug. 13th Time: (1.5 hours) 7:00pm to 8:30pm Cost: $90.00 for 9 hours of instruction & practice Pre-registration required Meditation is the key to unlock the door of the mystery of Existence--Osho
Unique Meditations

Dr. Robert Svoboda and Scott Blossom Guru Purnima Yoga Workshop: A celebration of Gurus, Ganesha, and Mulabandha
Join Dr, Robert Svoboda and Scott Blossom for a day of celebrating the Guru within and without through chanting, satsanga, and vinyasa yoga. From the Tantrika perspective the Guru occupies a central position in the disciple’s spiritual evolution. Just as a planted seed must establish its tap root before it can aspire toward fruiting or flowering, so too the yogin must become rooted in the Self before spiritual awareness can blossom. In this regard the Guru can be likened to a spiritual gardener who benevolently tends the field of the aspirants’ body-mind to promote fertile conditions for spiritual growth and maturity. “Guru” in Sanskrit literally means “heavy,” and it is the task of the guru to promote that quality of “weightiness” that will allow awareness of the Self to “take root” in the disciple’s awareness. We take the first step in this process of building a sound foundation for spiritual life by propitiating the elephant-headed god Ganesha, who resides in the muladhara (“root foundation”) chakra, seat of the earth element. SUNDAY, July 20th 2 sessions 9-12pm and 2-4:30pm $100 before 7/1 $125 after
Dr. Svoboda

Singing Satsang (Chanting) with Gina Sala and the Drishdis

8pm Friday July 18th, 2008 $15-20 requested donation. All welcome regardless Come as you are, participate as you like!. All are welcome as we offer up devotional songs, chant, and mantra. Bhakti Yoga, Naada Yoga, Japa Yoga (in the form of chant and mantra) bring us an awareness of union with that which we adore, open our hearts, and more! Jai! Gina Sala began chanting over 3 decades ago with Swami Sivananda Radha and has continued ever since. She leads trips to India with a focus on chanting and mantra as a path of awakening. She was lead singer for Cirque du Soleil's "O" and leads workshops and offers private sessions to help us experience vocal freedom and the awareness of Who we are. www.ginasala.com Call 206.329.4070 for more information

Healing Song Circle with Morgan Brent








This is an act-ivating meditation, inspired by a variety of traditions, including Taoist movement arts,Amazonian plant-based healing, and anthroposophy. Seated in a circle with eyes closed, we breath, tone, 'sone' (the liminal whirled between toning and singing), pray, and sing our way thru a story of Creation. Thru the imagery of Gaian evolution, and teachings of the songs, we awaken our Creation-body, and cultivate a Garden within. This resonance with our ancestral heritage passes to us impulses of transformation, which culminates in a self-transcendence that 'flowers' us beneath the Sunlight of our opening heart. Those who don’t think they can sing are encouraged to come and claim the birthright of a singing species! Morgan Brent, PhD, is an educator and ceremonialist who specializes in the spiritual ecology of medicinal plants. His work allies with the planet's efforts to not only 'save' the humans in these times of escalating crises, but to artfully initiate us into our Divine destiny as co-creators of Heaven as Earth. For more information go to www.tribesofcreation.com Friday, July 25th, 7-9:30pm by donation

Shakti Spirit AcroYoga Intensive with certified AcroYoga instructors Jasmine Zimmerman and Lila Donnolo
Saturday, August 9th 6-9pm You are invited on an exploration with Jasmine and Lila of deepinging your fluid grace and releasing your divine shakti. Through expanding our channels of receptivity we will tap into the sacred force within all of us and open our hearts in synergy. With exercises that apply fluidity to stability and sensitivity to strength, new forms of communication and relation will unflold. We will support one another and be supported in deep theraputic postrues, syncronized breathing, flying massage, and Thai bodywork. The experience will include circle cermony, chanting, breathing exercises, meditation, collaborative asana, and divine interactive play. No partner necessary. All levels welcome. AcroYoga Description: AcroYoga blends the spiritual wisdom of Yoga, the loving kindness of Thai massage, and the dynamic power of acrobatics. The practice cultivates trust, connection and playfulness, transforming our individual hatha pracitice into a comunity experience. From a foundation of mutual support, we empower others to fly and learn to fly ourselves. Pre-reg: $35/$40 day of
Shakti Spirit Acroyoga Intensive

Kirtan with Shantala and Jamie Sieber


Click on Shantala if you want hear a sample Saturday, August 8th 8pm $18 adv / $22 day of
online tickets

PRICES & MEMBERSHIP

FIRST TIME MEMBERS:

2 Months Unlimited Classes only $99

2 Months Unlimited Classes plus yoga mat - only $125

SINGLE CLASSES

$15. Single Class

CLASS CARDS

  • $70. Five Class Card (good for 60 days)
  • $125. Ten Class Card (good for 90 days)
  • $140. Ten Class Card (good for 1 year)

UNLIMITED CARDS

  • $115. One Month Unlimited
  • $275. Three months Unlimited (2 installments-$160)
  • $450 Six Month Unlimited (4 installments-$125))
  • $850 annual (with 10 monthly installments-$95)

AcroYoga Classes

  • $15. drop-in, $7 for unlimited members
Monthly in-depth Asana Workshops
  • $20. drop-in, $10 for unlimited members

YOGA TEACHER BIOGRAPHIES

Kathleen Hunt

Kathleen HuntKathleen Hunt danced her way through childhood; studying ballet from age four, performing and creating dance pieces throughout her formative years, such as performing the 'Clover Fairy Frolic' in Iowa cemeteries, among various other recitals and song/dance extravaganzas. Hunt trained extensively in body awareness and movement modalities, earning a BA in Dance at the University of Washington. She studied under Joan Skinner (Skinner Releasing method) and Peggy Hackney (Labanotation/Bartenieff fundamentals) as well as ballet with Ruthanna Boris and anatomy/physiology. Post college, she was involved in dance production - direction, choreography and performance - receiving numerous grants and commissions for her work in collaboration with musicians, visual and literary artists. Hunt studied yoga primarily with Marie Svoboda, Felicity Green (Iyengar), Dharma Mitra, Swami Shankarananda ('Sivananda'), Sri K. Patabhi Jois and Aadil Palkhivala. She taught dance and movement classes beginning in 1983 and began teaching yoga in 1986, teaching at the Jivamukti Yoga Center in NYC, for eleven years at Physical Culture and at the Downtown YMCA in Seattle. In 1995 she founded the 'Samadhi Yoginis', a yoga dance troupe that has performed in Seattle theatres, restaurants, nightclubs, senior centers, benefit productions such as Positive Yoga, elementary schools, weddings and in the NW Yoga Festival. In 1998 Hunt began the Samadhi Yoga Teacher Training program, which has run for eight consecutive years, with over 100 graduates. Kathleen and her partner, Steve Davis, opened the current Samadhi Yoga Center in 1999. In 2006 Hunt and Davis teamed up with Patti Hammerle to lead the first 'Samadhi Yoga Pilgrimage to India'. Kathleens' extensive experience in dance, yoga and spiritual traditions have all helped to shape her innovative, vinyasa technique and teaching methods.

Steve Davis

Steve DavisThe path of yoga began to open for Steve shortly after resigning his commission as a US Naval Intelligence officer in 1990. Somewhat bitter and disenchanted with humanity, he began several years of travel, climbing expeditions, self inquiry, and dietary experimentation. Initial forays into meditation and asana were short lived until one fateful asana class with Kathleen Hunt in 1993. Suddenly, yoga became the focus of his life: Atha Yoganusasanam. "It was as if I knew this was what I was supposed to do without knowing anything about it. The physical and mental changes I experienced over the next few years were profound and completely changed my perspective in every aspect of my life. I realized that everything I perceived was merely a reflection of my inner state, and that the most important thing I could do in this lifetime was to understand this relationship." Samadhi Yoga Center was a gift to my wife and guru Sri K. P. Hunt, so that we could continue to practice and share the transformational science of yoga in a sacred space dedicated to spiritual awakening. Samadhi, Jivamukti, and Ashtanga styles have shaped Steve's teaching. Combined with his studies of sacred geometry, physics, geology, and psychology, his classes use asana, pranayama, and chanting as tools for purifying and realigning the temple of the soul.

Eiric Ovrid

Eiric OvridIt took a bicycle accident and a severe blow to the head to bring me to my first yoga class in 1994. I knew in the first five minutes that I would be on this path the rest of my life. I was finally home. God works in mysterious ways! I began teaching in 1998, completing the teacher training program at Samadhi Yoga under the guidance of my first teacher, Kathleen Hunt, in 1999. I would like to give special recognition to the following teachers for their inspiration and guidance in my teaching style, Atha(NOW)Yoga*: Anna Forrest, Kittie Whittkower, Richard Schactel, Doug Swenson and Kathleen Hunt. *Atha Yoga - a Vinyasa/Iyengar style practice, infused with spirituality and an emphasis in being present in the moment, NOW!

Douglas Ridings

Douglas RidingsDouglas began the practice of Yoga in 1993 as part of his training with dance group Dappin' Butoh. Through director Joan Laage he was introduced not only to Yoga but also to the movement analysis of Laban and Bartinieff. He is a graduate of the 2000 Samadhi Teacher Training. Though drawing freely from a variety of styles and traditions, his classes consistently emphasize a natural awareness of the breath and the opportunity to utilize the body as a means to deepen concentration. Both the Japanese modern dance form Butoh and a trip to India with Pattie Hammerle in 2001 (with studies in Sanskrit, Mantra, traditional dance and music), continue to exert a powerful influence on his personal practice and teaching. He performs locally with P.A.N., the Samadhi Yoginis, Urvasi, and internationally with Butoh master Katsura Kan.

Yvonne Croteau

Yvonne CroteauYvonne's teaching emphasizes interiority through a focus on energetic alignment via the five main vayus and bandhas, the breath, and the dynamic interplay of integration and expansion. Whoa! What did I just say? Come and find out! Be prepared to play hard, seek stillness, and hear poetry all for the purpose of knowing yourself better. My first teachers were Kathleen, Celeste and Eiric right here at Samadhi where I also did my first teacher training. Since then, I have studied and trained under a number of other teachers in a variety of methods, most notably, Denise Benitez, under whom I trained in the Anusara technique. I have a bachelor's degree (magna cum laude) in English Literature from the University of Washington and am also a dancer.

Veronica D'Orazio

Veronica D'OrazioVeronica D'Orazio has practiced yoga since 1993 and has seen this practice continue to change both her own life and the lives of her students. She daily experiences and witnesses the subtle yet powerful benefits of yoga: increased vitality and mental clarity, physical flexibility, strength and balance, as well as a deepened respect and compassion for not only oneself, but for all beings everywhere. Her classes are varied: she teaches traditional hatha courses, vinyasa flow and restorative yoga, providing a quiet, safe and challenging space for her students to grow. Veronica has been teaching for over 7 years, having graduated from Samadhi's 2001 Teacher Training. She has studied with master teachers rooted in a variety of disciplines: Iyengar, Anusara, Sivananda and Ashtanga. She also works as a florist and writer, both of which nourish and require her abiding commitment to her yoga practice. She is grateful to be a part of the unique integrity and community of Samadhi yoga's teachers, staff and students.

Karen Lindenberg

Karen LindenbergDecades after her mother introduced her to yoga through Raquel Welch's home yoga workout, Karen continues to enjoy sharing with others the peace she finds through her practice. Her classes emphasize alignment in asana, ardent attention in pranayama, and exploration of the chakras. As a lifelong musician, Karen appreciates and shares the physical and energetic potency of chanting and mantra as tools for meditation. She completed the Samadhi Teacher Training program in 2003 and now teaches at various local studios throughout the Seattle area. She also operates Yogateam -- a cooperative mobile yoga studio. Karen holds a B.A. in Geological Sciences from Princeton University and works as a technology and marketing consultant for Microsoft.

Tami Hafzalla

Tami HafzallaTami has been practicing yoga since 1993. She has studied extensively with master teachers in India, Australia and the US. Her style is eclectic but she draws most from her classical training in Ashtanga Vinyasa, Iyengar, and Viniyoga. Tami is deeply influenced by spiritual teachings from around the world. She has spent the majority of the past decade traveling, exploring numerous cultures, their traditions, and her own soul. Her experiences have shaped who she is and are expressed through her teaching as she shares her truth and discoveries. She aims to empower her students, and with compassion, she challenges them to safely find their edge and expand themselves both physically and spiritually. She teaches group classes, private sessions, and local and international retreats. Tami can also be consulted for Thai Massage, and serves as a Birth Doula. Her passions include fine art, Ayurveda, the outdoors, and living an active, inspired, creative and adventurous life. "I honor the place in you in which the entire Universe dwells, I honor the place in you which is of Love, of Truth, of Light and of Peace, When you are in that place in you, and I am in that place in me, we are One."

Liz Valauri

Liz ValauriLiz came to yoga after many years of teaching, performing,choreographing and studying dance. She has found yoga to be an effective guide for maintaining inner and outer balance and appreciation of the moment. Her classes are designed to help students find ease, strength, focus, and integration in their practice. She finds it very rewarding to share her knowledge with her students. Liz is a graduate of the teacher training program at Samadhi Yoga Center. She is also certified to teach Universal Yoga Level 1 by Andrey Lappa, and is a Certified Laban/Bartenieff Movement Analyst. Her passion is to enhance the practices of students who have different needs and experiences.

Jenny Ingwerson

Jenny IngwersonI teach vinyasa-based classes with an emphasis on alignment and breath awareness. I attend to alignment by focusing on three basic principles; one is to create a strong foundation/connection to the earth. The second is to become aware of and strengthen the core- I continue to ask students to return to their center by creating subtle internal support free of rigidity. The third is a gentle lifting/opening of the heart, without compromising one's sense of grounding and center. My hope is that by employing theses three principles students will be able to move safely with ease, grace and joy. I also invite students to consider the psychological, physical and environmental effects these principles might offer. Throughout my classes there is a thread of attention to breath, using the breath as a meditative tool. I encourage practitioners to view the breath as a means of drawing one's attention inward, towards union with the divine/towards yoga. I have been practicing yoga since 2001, and have completed two teacher trainings. The first was at Yoga Union, taught by Alison West, in New York City. The most recent was at Samadhi Yoga Center, under the tutelage of Kathleen Hunt and other gifted teachers, in Seattle. I graduated from The Evergreen State College in 2000. I was born in British Columbia, raised in Maine and have lived in Seattle since 1998.

Jennifer A. Isaacson

Jennifer A. IsaacsonStaying after dance class in 1997 was my first experience with yoga and the happiest accident of my life. I discovered the flow of Vinyasa with Kim King-Zamoff of Exhale Yoga, and received a teaching certificate in 2002. Sharing discoveries from my own practice with others had been a huge part of my life ever since. I continue my studies at Samadhi Yoga Center with Kathleen Hunt and earned the RYT 200 hour certification in 2006. I also practice with Shiva Rea; under her instruction, I'm working toward becoming a Registered Yoga Teacher at the 500 hour level. JAI!

Shaina Traisman

Shaina TraismanShaina's classes are based on the premise that we all have the ability to heal our bodies and our minds once we make the choice to step on a path of self discovery. Her teaching style is influenced greatly by her training as a certified bodyworker, specializing in deep tissue reintegration. Through the combination of breath awareness, physical endurance and meditation, a class with Shaina will challenge the body and mind, as well as offer a safe opportunity for releasing stress and tension. Shaina completed her training as a yoga instructor at Samadhi Yoga Center in 2003 and is forever grateful to Kathleen Hunt for passing down the ancient teachings of yoga. Shaina believes that yoga has the ability to offer a vehicle for social change by infusing the teachings of yoga into the collective consciousness of society. She puts this into practice by teaching yoga at the King County Jail. She also hopes to extend this program to youth at risk ,as well as minorities, who wouldn't otherwise have access to yoga.

Tim Seiwerath

Tim Seiwerath
There are things We live among 'and to see them is to know ourselves.' - George Oppen To see a World in a grain of sand And a Heaven in a wild flower, Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand, And Eternity in an hour... - William Blake This world of dew Is a world of dew, and yet... And yet... - Basho Thank you to my teachers, from whom I've learned everything I think I know: Kathleen Hunt, Steve Davis, all the other teachers at Samadhi, Dharma Mittra, my family, George Oppen, J.R.R. Tolkien, Loren Barr, Kendrick Brown, Jess Klein, all the musicians in Jamaica between 1960-1970, all the yogis and yoginis who've contributed to this tradition, pain, joy, heartbreak, amendation and freedom. I bow to the true teacher in everyone and everything-- Om Bolo Sad-Guru Maharaj ji ki-- jai!

Colin Patterson

Colin PattersonIn 1996 while living in Portland I received the calling to start practicing Yoga. I was really searching for an activity using my body that would energetically ground me and spiritually enrich my life. My first teacher Diane Wilson, was an amazing yogi. She had been teaching for over 25 years and practicing since she was a teenager. I practiced heavily during the year I lived in Portland; her presence and teaching's resonated deeply and made me a firm believer in the art. After years of practicing many different styles I was asked to start teaching classes at Crystal Mtn. in the mornings before skiing. During the off season I also taught in a community center in Enumclaw. In 2003 I moved to the big Island where I started practicing astanga yoga with one of Guru G's former students and taught a class at the local yoga studio. A year later I moved to Kauai where I continued to teach and practice ashtanga. In the fall of 2005 I moved back to Seattle to take Samadhi's teacher training. I was drawn to Samadhi because of its dedication to all the aspects of yoga and because Kathleen was one of the most amazing teacher's I had ever met. This year I have had the pleasure of studying with Shiva Rea, Katerina Wen, and Andrea Lappa. These new influences have greatly enhanced my knowledge and teaching of yoga.

I am very open about the flow of my classes depending on the people in the room and the energy of the day. I generally like to incorporate pranayama, meditation and sometimes mantra into the flow of the class. I really like a flowing type class that challenges the students while keeping them in touch with the subtleties of the poses. I have been truly blessed to have amazing teachers and look forward to giving back to my fellow yogi/teacher/students.

KT Shores

KT Shores"The body is a field, Arjuna; he who knows it is called the knower of the field." The deep truth of these words from the Bhagavad Gita resonated within me the first time I heard them. The ways we experience life reflects the state of this constantly changing field : the world around us, the body, and the ultimate field of forces - the mind (both our closest ally and greatest obstacle to enlightenment), can be trained to make concious use of all experiences to remove undesirable traits and habits. We are unburdened, and by practice and detachment repeat these illuminations until they, rather than ordinary conditioned awareness, become our constant state! The Buddha tells us a trained mind brings health and happiness, and lofty as unity may seem, it is this practice of yoga in each moment that helps us unfold into living as the fullest expression of our Self. Roots in dance and martial arts influence the focuses in class of energetic awareness of the body, mental alignment, and clarity of breath. With over a decade of teaching experience, my joy is to foster a personal healing energy infused with functional knowledge and compassionate awareness empowering you and your practice through all of life's movements. Elements of philosophy, Ayurveda, nutrition, anatomy and mythology are woven into fun informative classes that work with the needs of individual students - from powerful vinyasa flows to tailored restorative stretches the focus is on individual needs, safety and health. I have been lucky to travel the world for performance and study, recently on pilgrimage in India and give thanks in all of these opportunities to all of life's teachers - especially my family, Kathleen and all those at Samadhi as well as Lee Su-Feh, David McIntosh and sat guru. JAI!