If you are new to yoga you may feel overwhelmed choosing a studio. Many choose a studio based on location, what is closest to you. Yoga ah is an Ashtanga studio. Many yogis interested in yoga ask what is the difference between hot and Ashtanga Yoga? In Ashtanga Yoga we are using our ujjai breath and our core to create internal heat, as practiced in India. In hot yoga the room is usually heated and you begin to feel an outside experience making you sweat. At Yoga ah we encourage all yogis to build heat from within as a powerful tool to taping into your inner teacher. Yoga ah also offers routines or sequences of yoga poses in all of our classes, in practicing this way you can create consistency to improve your practice. Yoga ah is also a training school, meaning we train yoga instructors, this makes us a learning center for yoga. 

Yoga ah is honored to announce that Amber Gean will be leading a Rocket Yoga Training to take place July 10th - July 15th 2015.

Rocket Yogis from all over the world will be coming together to study and practice Rocket yoga sequencing that was developed by Larry Schultz as means for beginners to experience advanced yoga poses. Amber Gean brings a mature voice to the Rocket. She studied with Larry for 10 years and the Rocket is the practice that sang to her heart. She is 100% committed to sharing these beautiful sequences with serious yoga students. It is through these teachings that Larry's Legacy continues

We get a lot of questions at Yoga ah, like what is the Bottle Rocket or what is The Rocket ? The most simple answer is The Rocket offers routines to "get you there faster" and Bottle Rocket is the most simple form of The Rocket to help you build your fondation for other Rocket practices. All the routines are based in the Ashtanga Yoga System as taught by Pattabi Jois. 

We found that many new to yoga feared jumping into full Rocket Yoga classes, so at Yoga ah we created a Rocket for beginners. It is called Bottle Rocket because it is smaller condensed version of a 75 minute routine, a Bottle Rocket can be practiced in 45 minutes. The Bottle Rocket focuses on the heart of any Rocket sequence, the standing poses and the famous "Rocket Splits". By practicing The Bottle Rocket you are able to build a foundation for the rest of your Rocket practice to grow. It creates opportunity for gaining strength and flexibility while not feeling taxed with a 75 minute practice. Over time you will get stronger and begin to practice poses you've only seen in pictures.

This is some history of 848 Folsom St. and Amber Gean's experience of practicing the Rocket and being with Larry. It is really just skimming the surface of some sweet cream and some sweet memories.

After her training in San Francisco, year 2000 under the guidance of Larry Schultz, Amber Gean found herself at It's Yoga Cincinnati assisting in one of the first yoga teacher trainings in Cincinnati if not the first. One year later she returned to see Larry in San Francisco while her partner at the time, Dion Savage was attending the famous one month intensive. While there she began sitting in the trainers circle and sharing her experience while observing Larry's training methods. At this time there began talk about a studio out of the US in Canada, Larry was in the process of opening It's Yoga Vancouver, the first It's Yoga out of the country.

This is Amber Gean's experience of "The Rocket" as taught by Larry Schultz

Rocket Yoga views yoga as an art ever changing, evolving and expanding to meet the needs of modern day yogis. We use Rocket Yoga as a means to stay connected to the ancient teachings of spiritual evolution and self realization where ever life may find us. Rocket Yoga from the outside looking in may appear to be a very physical practice, however from the inside looking out it is all about the healing work we all have to do when we look with in ourselves.This is a self empowering practice. Rocket Yoga shows us our strengths and our weaknesses, it serves as a vehicle for spiritual liberation.

As you learn to instruct Rocket Yoga classes you will practice and memorize specific sequences. Through your personal practice you will discover your voice and begin to create "your rocket". Every lead Rocket class should be based on your practice of the Rocket. While Rocket Yoga offers specific sequences , everyone is encouraged to explore variations of the poses, being creative and finding a way to practice in a healing therapeutic manor. By letting go of the "right" or "wrong" way to do the pose we give our self the freedom to explore, the freedom to soar and the power and strength of the rocket ship that carries us through the universe to our dreams and our goals ultimately freeing us from conditioned existence.

As you begin to lead Rocket classes you will want to be familiar with the It's Yoga/Yoga ah/Larry Schultz philosophy. It is in the philosophy that we learn to nurture each yogi that comes through the door. We learn to give them and opportunity to explore their bodies and there "self". You will learn key points and modifications for the poses your students can build a launching pad for their rocket ships. The philosophy teaches us less is more, its ok to fall and how most importantly how to keep everyone safe in your classes.