Special Workshops/Courses
Call 864-1114 to register.
Taught by Michael Plasha E-RYT 500(highest Yoga Alliance accreditation) unless otherwise noted. All programs will be held in the Yurt unless noted.

Since the positive review of my audiocassette tapes Raja Yoga for Beginners appeared in the December 2000 issue of Yoga Journal (now reproduced on CD), I have been invited to give workshops on Raja Yoga. If you would like to attend any of these, please e-mail me at rhadeya@plashayoga.com for more information.

Partner Yoga or Thai Yoga Massage for Couples with: Michael Plasha, E-RYT 500 and Allison Parr-Plasha, certified Life Coach 6:00 to 7:00pm Partner Yoga Jan. 15 followed by pot-luck dinner. At Bliss Cabin and Yurt 4508 Zuck Rd. $20 per couple. Special Valentine's Program for Couples in the Yurt Feb. 13 10:30am to 12:30pm Partner Yoga and Thi Yoga Massage $30 per couple. This filled quickly last year! See a description of Thai Yoga massage at the bottom of this page. Call 864-1114 to register.
TAMING THE TIGER…CALMING THE MONKEYS…BEING THE TORTOISE A PRANAYAMA AND PRATYAHARA IMMERSION 2010 date TBA COST: $50 FOR TEACHERS TO EARN YOGA ALLIANCE CEU’S $30 FOR SERIOUS STUDENTS PREREQUISITE: For teachers with a minimum of one year of teaching experience and for students with a minimum of six months of yoga practice. In addition, you will need to know your current doshic mixture.
Pranayama, the fourth limb of Raja Yoga, is recognized as the most powerful practice in Hatha Yoga and Pratyahara, the fifth limb of Raja, is sometimes described as the forgotten limb. Both can clear the mental field of thoughts to open you to an experience of your mystical Self. Both can increase prana or life force to promote healing but prana is also given great respect in classical yoga. “Just as lions, elephants and tigers are gradually controlled, so the prana is controlled through practice. Otherwise, the practitioner is destroyed.” -Hatha Yoga Pradipika (2:15). The suggested guideline given for these practices are to be well grounded in the Yamas and Niyamas and to have a body free of toxins through the practice of Tantric Hatha Yoga including “right” diet and the shatkarmas. Incorrect practices can elevate one’s dosha and prevent one from practicing the Yama’s and Niyama’s. According to Swami Satchidananda, if we have a tendency toward gossip, envy, impatience or anger, for example, this tendency will actually increase without thorough preparation. Which practices are right for us to practice and to teach students so we don’t destroy anyone including ourselves? How do we make these subtle practices accessible to students who might think they are not “doing” anything unless they work up a sweat in a posture or maybe have difficulty in concentrating? How do we practice asanas relative to the five pranas? How do we practice the five pranic breaths to promote health? What types of pratyahara can we include in classes and in our daily lives? We will study and practice classical pranayama and pratyahara practices informed by Ayurveda, the Vedas, Raja Yoga and the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Zen and Vipassana as a way to answer these questions. In addition, we will include the contemporary understanding and application of these wonderful limbs for healing from several sources. Be prepared to go on a deep journey of self-discovery to access the Self by learning effective strategies to develop concentration, calm the mind and heal the body. Michael Plasha, E-RYT 500 began is study and practice of Pranayama and Pratyahara in 1971. He studied directly with Swami Chidvilasananda, Swami Satchidananda, Roshi Phillip Kapleau, Roshi John Daido Lorri, the Venerable Henepola Gunaratana, Swami Dayananda, Dr. David Frawley and T.K.V. Desikachar.
Entering the new Yoga Studio at 4508 Zuck Road.	“Each breath is transforming me into thine image.” – Krishnamurti “When the senses withdraw themselves from the objects and imitate, as it were, the nature of the mind-stuff, this is pratyahara.” – Patanjali Sutra 2.54 “When like the tortoise which withdraws on all sides its limbs, he withdraws his senses from the sense-objects; then his wisdom becomes steady.” Bhagavad Gita 2.58 “In this regard, the means (for expansion of the center) are dissolution of thoughts, contraction and expansion of one’s power, cessation of the flow of the incoming and outgoing vital energy, awareness of the point at the beginning and the end and so on.” – Pratyabhijna-hrdayam Sutra 18

Yoga for Natural Pregnancy: Saturdays 10:30am to 12:30pm Call about 2010 dates $20 each Call 864-1114 to register Learn gentle postures, breathing and relaxation techniques to support having a natural pregnancy, labor and delivery. Prenatal Yoga can strengthen the uterus and pelvic muscles, improve circulation, aid in digestion, exercise the spine and increase overall comfort. Yoga may help ease the common aches and discomforts of pregnancy including nausea, constipation, varicose veins, swelling and back pain. Private Prenatal Yoga Lessons Available. Call 864-1114 for an appointment. $50 for a private. Michael Plasha took a 130-hour teacher training in 1998 from Integral Yoga to become certified and is still the only yoga teacher certified to teach prenatal yoga in Erie. There are over 300 yoga babies in Erie from his classes. Over 11 years of teaching experience and the life experience of raising 6 children inform these classes! Be careful with teachers who have learned from books and videos or have only taken a weekend training!	Family Yoga For moms and/or dads or family members. Bring your children ages 5 to 10 for a fun morning of yoga. $20 for one or both parents and child. Add $5 extra for additional child. Additional children are free! Please call ahead to register at 864-1114. Winter schedule TBA; call if interested
	The park like setting is a peaceful place to decompress
How to Meditate Program: Its Not What You Think Tuesday, March 9 6:00 to 8:00pm Cost: $20. Did you know a daily practice of meditation can decrease heart rate, respiratory rate, mental fatigue, lactic acid; and acid and pepsin in the stomach which helps to protect against ulcers? Blood pressure, cholesterol and carbon dioxide are also lowered. Natural pain killers like endorphins and enkephalins are increased as well as serotonin. The immune system is strengthened as well. A study at Temple University indicated that meditation even helps to reduce the incidence of tooth decay! And I might add, meditation is the key to realizing the Self. During the program I will cover how to prepare for meditation, how to deal with distractions, how breathing techniques are helpful and the relationship of meditation to daily life. We will also experience several ecumenical techniques so you can discover which one is best for you. Come and discover a timeless approach to reducing stress and healing the mind. "Meditation is a continuous flow of perception or thought, like the flow of water in a river." Swami Vishnu Devananda A good web site for meditation benches is www.meditationbench.com "It is easy in the world to live after the world's opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who, in the midst of the crowd, keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude." -Ralph Waldo Emerson Call 864-1114 to register To support your practice a weekly Thursday night group meets for meditation in the Bliss Cabin Meditation Cave. Call for details.	The labyrinth for walking meditation
	Advanced Meditation Program Saturday, Feb. 6 1:00 to 3:00 pm Cost: $20 Pre-requisite: completed my How to Meditate workshop or have been meditating regularly for six months. You also need to know what your current dosha state is. Go to www.niam.com/corp-web/questionnaire.html to take a thorough test. Learn specific Ayurvedic therapy strategies for taking your pranayama (breathing practices), pratyahara (managing sense impressions), dharana (concentration techniques) and dhyana (meditation) to the next level. Call 864-1114 to register Michael Plasha, E-RYT 500 has studied and practiced with the following yoga and meditation masters: Swami Chidvilasananda, Swami Satchidananda, Roshi Phillip Kapleau, Roshi John Daido Lorri, the Venerable Henepola Gunaratana, Swami Dayananda, Dr. David Frawley and T.K.V. Desikachar.
Ayurveda and Yoga for Your Body Type March 11 6:00 to 8:00pm Learn how to adapt yoga practices including asana, pranayama, pratyahara, mantra and meditation according to your individual constitution as defined by the doshas and gunas as well as environmental factors. Go to www.doshaquiz.chopra.com to take a simple dosha questionnaire or www.niam.com/corp-web/questionnaire.html for a thorough one to determine your current dosha(stress body type). *For experienced students.This is primarily lecture and demonstration. Bring a notebook.* Cost: $20 Call 864-1114 to register	Advanced Ayurveda and Yoga for Your Body Type March 20 1:00 to 3:00 pm Learn more about the doshas and sub doshas and the gunas and how they relate to your yoga and lifestyle practices. Pre-requisite: taken the above program or have read Yoga for Your Type and Yoga and Ayurveda by Dr. David Frawley and Ayurveda, the Science of Self-Healing by Dr. Vasant Lad. Cost: $20 Call 864-1114 to register
Restorative and Mindfulness Yoga Tuesdays 7:15 to 8:15 pm Starting Jan. 5 Cost: $10 each The yoga of non-doing, restorative uses props to allow the body to release deeply held tension while receiving great stretches. Perfect for people who are new to yoga or for anyone who wants to master the art of slowing down! Michael Plasha has been teaching restorative yoga since 1997 and has attended workshops on it from Integrative Yoga Therapy, Iyengar Yoga and Integral Yoga. His training in Mindfulness Meditation started in the 1970's at the Rochester Zen Center and continued at the Zen Mt. Monastery and the Bhavana Society. It is an excellent practice for stress reduction and chronic pain management and is popularized as Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction by Jon Kabatt-Zinn, Ph.d. Combined this class is deep bliss! Call 864-1114 to register.	Kirtan with World Music Recording Artist Wynne Paris Fall 2009 TBA Kirtan is the yoga of positive sound vibrations and includes call and response chanting as a way to calm the mind, open the heart and energize the body. Wynne plays the sarod (an East Indian guitar), drums and sings. You can listen or join in! He is one of the stars of American kirtan and I am delighted to bring him back due to popular demand. His web site is www.wynneparis.com for more details. Special multi-level Yoga class taught by Michael Plasha with live music by Wynne Paris TBA
Yoga for Golfers Spring 2010 TBA Cost: $20 includes a poster guide that illustrates and sequences the basic postures. This program provides instruction on increasing golf specific flexibility, range of motion and concentration on the course. You will look at the golf swing from a dynamic posture perspective taking into consideration golf anatomy and biomechanics. The postures are sequenced to target golfers needs and help improve strength, concentration, accuracy and balance as well as focusing on injury prevention and core conditioning. Instructor: Jeanne Peck, certified by Michael Plasha in Integral Yoga and by Kathryn Roberts in Yoga for Golfers. Roberts is the creator of Yoga for Golfers as seen on the Golf Channel and ESPN Golf Schools. Jeanne is the only certified Yoga teacher for Golfers in PA! "Asanas make one firm, free from maladies, and light of limb." Hatha Yoga Pradipika
Third Annual! Moving Onward and Forward: Living A Life of Fulfillment Michael Plasha E-RYT 500 & Allison Parr-Plasha, Certified Life Coach 2010 Date TBA Yogaville, VA Tuition: $185 plus two nights accommodations Call 1-800-858-9642 or email arc@iyiva.org We have been given this body to realize ourselves. We have an opportunity to reconnect with the source of all of our longings and aspirations. The supreme adventure is the journey within to reconnect with source then manifest our Self in the world. Learn timeless techniques from classical Yoga and life coaching that will inspire you to begin and/or deepen the journey of stepping in to your Full Potential. This workshop is designed for emotionally healthy individuals who are ready for and are capable of making changes. Be prepared to take risks, participate in group sharing and move out of your comfort zone. Remember, change takes time. Although miracles do happen, the intention of this workshop is to introduce you to tools and techniques that can support you on the journey of realizing your full potential. Questions explored through experiential exercises include: · What is my dream? · Who do I want to be? · What am I passionate about? · What stops me from living life to my fullest potential? · What is the purpose of my life? · Where am I going? · What might my life look like without fear based limitations? This program will include lectures, guided meditations, visualization and relaxation techniques and self-inquiry practices. Allison Parr-Plasha earned a B.A. in Psychology from Michigan State University, an M.S.S.A. from Case Western Reserve University, Postgraduate Training from the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland and Life Coach Training from the Coaches Training Institute. She is a Certified Life Coach and has practiced Yoga for 12 years. Go to www.allisonparr-plasha.com for details. Michael's bio is on the About page.
Thai Yoga Massage What is Thai Yoga Massage? I was trained in Thai Yoga massage from the Lotus Palm School. Thai Yoga Massage helps to relieve muscular tension and spasm, reduces stress, improves flexibility, increases lymph, synovial and cerebrospinal circulation and vascular flow, improves joint mobility, boosts the immune system and facilitates an overall sense of well-being by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system. It can help ease the discomfort or prevent spinal degeneration diseases like kyphosis, lordosis and scoliosis. It combines the benefits of massage and yoga! The client is fully clothed and receives the massage on a floor mat. Thai Yoga massage started 2,500 years ago with Jivaka Kumarbhaccha, an Ayurvedic doctor, surgeon and yogi who treated kings, princes and the Buddha! I am humbled and honored to be a part of this tradition. A private massage is 90 minutes long, possibly the best 90 minutes you have ever had! My rate is $75. Call me to schedule an appointment.