I found a wonderful yoga studio less than five minutes walking distance from my hotel in old town Philadelphia. It was a wonderful experience... I love google maps it has been so helpful in finding close yoga studios. I just put in my location and the word yoga and all these yoga studios pop up. I looked it up and in less than 45 minutes I was sitting on my yoga mat at Dhyana yoga studio. Dhyana yoga studio is in old city 68 N 2nd street. The Web address http://www.dhyana-yoga.com/index.html. I went to the Vinyasa 101 class instructed by Jason. I loved the studio layout, which was a narrow and long room. It has heated bamboo flooring and a very welcoming environment. I met a girl who was originally from Dallas and had just moved in an apartment upstairs. She was so incredibly friendly and it was her first time practicing yoga there. I thought how cool would be to live right above a yoga studio. She forgot her water and she ran upstairs and was back in two minutes. How cool is that?!
This Vinyasa 101 class was a great class for me and it was so refreshing to focus on the basics. The beginning and the end involved chanting. It was a new experience for me and I truly enjoyed it. I didn't fully participate to begin with because I was listening to the others, but it was very moving to me. Its interesting what the vibration does in the throat. I have never felt that before. I looked up the purpose of chanting and learned that originally chanting was intended as creating sound linking the heart to God. In a sense its praying. It was a great experience and hope to do it again in the future.
Jason did a exceedingly wonderful job by correcting and coaching individuals including myself in our various poses. He was diligent with getting down to the basics, which started with the fundamentals of breathing and went on to plank, cobra, upward dog, and downward dog. Then we went on to sun salutations and of course ending in corpse pose. It was such a wonderful experience with great people and a great instructor. I felt the energy in the room was so energizing. I would go back there in a heart beat and I most certainly hope I go to Philly again soon.
