class descriptions

At Marigold Yoga, we don’t call our classes hatha or vinyasa or ashtanga or power or any mashup of the foregoing. For a beginning student, these class descriptions can be confusing, and even experienced students may have noticed that one studio’s “vin-yin” is another studio’s “slow flow.” We also don’t use Level 1, 2, and 3 because we try to keep students from feeling labeled. The following class descriptions are intended to tell you what actually happens when you are with us so that you can decide if the class is for you. Send us an email or text any time if you have questions about a class.

T(w)eens ages thirteen and older are welcome to attend any class with a parent.

In ALL of our classes, you can expect to be given clear verbal instructions by the teacher. The teacher might also demonstrate the shape of the pose or give you specific feedback on how to move your body in a way that they believe minimizes the risk of injury and/or maximizes the energetic effects of the posture. We practice trauma-informed yoga, which means that we follow TIY best practices for managing the class and interacting with students. One of the key aspects of leading trauma-informed yoga is respecting the student’s request to not receive a hands-on adjustment. Many of our teachers never touch students to adjust them, and some of them use a system (consent cards or verbal consent) that allows you to clearly communicate what you want. It is your right as a student to decline the offer of a hands-on adjustment. Even if it might feel weird to say no in the moment, we really encourage you to trust your instinct. Every teacher on our staff is totally fine with you saying, “No thanks,” even if five minutes before you said you would be OK with a hands-on adjustment. On the flip side, it is also the teacher’s right to not touch you even if you have asked to receive a hands-on adjustment. That’s the way consent works, in yoga as in life.

Let’s also talk about accessibility. Accessible yoga is a growing movement in the yoga world, and we think it is about time. Accessible yoga can be characterized as yoga classes designed for differently abled people, often those with physical challenges. We agree that is a big part of accessible yoga, and an important one, but it doesn’t stop there. To us, being accessible means:

Knowing how to adapt various aspects of yoga (postures, breathing, meditation) for students with a range of abilities, and integrating those adaptations into classes that are open for everyone to attend. Not every class is suitable for every person, but our intent is that at least a few classes are accessible for any given person and the stuff they bring to the mat

Having an accessible space. Our studio does not currently have ADA compliant restrooms, however we are located in a space that is at street level, with no stairs/barriers to the practice area

Offering a range of class prices, including Pay What You Can and Scholarship options

Ensuring that all classes follow trauma-informed best practices

Having a variety of props and knowing how to offer them to help students feel comfortable and/or appropriately challenged

ALL-LEVELS FLOW

This is an all-levels yoga class that focuses on flowing movement from pose to pose, coordinated with breath. We recommend that you are familiar with basic yoga poses so you don’t have to think too much about what’s coming next and you can shift your attention inside. If the teacher says, “Come to warrior two,” you should know how to get there without specific instructions on placing the legs, body, and arms. You should also be able to move with confidence and some amount of speed from standing to the floor and back again. We encourage each teacher to bring their unique perspective and style to the class, so some might be very spiritual, others very alignment-focused. We think you’ll enjoy the additional cardio benefits that a flowing practice brings.

GENTLE YOGA

This class is more active than Marigold Rx or Restorative Yoga and less active than Yoga Basics. Much of the class will take place on the floor – supine, seated, or maybe kneeling (all kneeling poses can be modified if your knees would protest). You might do standing postures in a given class, or you might not. The focus of the class is on stretching and breathing.

MARIGOLD PLUS

Yoga has an image problem. Everywhere you look, you see pictures of thin, bendy women in acrobatic poses, and it makes it seem like you MUST look like that to be serious about yoga. Well, you don’t. That’s why we offer Marigold Plus. This class is designed to nurture you, challenge you, and make you feel great. We offer lots of pose variations and give tons of encouragement to help you build a personal yoga practice that sings. Seriously. You should be able to get to the floor, even if you need support doing so, to get the most from this class. We have chairs and props to assist on the way up and down. And although Marigold Plus is branded as our plus-sized yoga class, every class we offer welcomes people with all body sizes and shapes. It’s up to you to choose the class that feels best for you that day.

MARIGOLD RX

This class format could have been called adaptive yoga or therapeutic yoga, but we like the idea of yoga being a prescription for health and wholeness. Bring your aches and pains, conditions and challenges, and emerge from class feeling refreshed, stable, and at ease within your body. Class will be gentle, with lots of somatic yoga movements and a liberal use of props. Much of the class will take place on the floor, but sometimes we will do standing poses with support from the wall or chair. If you have more going on than musculo-skeletal

issues, we’d love it if you sent us a note before coming in so we can best prepare to assist you during class. But if that is not possible, just come on in!

MOONRISE YOGA

Moonrise Yoga offers a combination of gentle stretching, postures based on the Yin yoga tradition, and meditation. All postures are done on the floor and can be adapted for the chair. There could also be extended breathing practices, called pranayama, that can help soothe the nervous system. We'll enjoy a long savasana (final relaxation pose) and guided meditation at the end of class every week.

MORNING YOGA

It’s yoga in the morning! The class is a bit like the Room of Requirement from the Harry Potter books in that we tailor the class to the energy level of the people who come. Some days it is more flowing and energetic, some days more static and strengthening, and some days will be more gentle and stretchy. You should be able to get to the floor — using a chair for support is fine.

QUEER/TRANS YOGA

The class supports our queer, trans, and gender-non-conforming community. Come as you are and move as you need in an affirming space. You don’t have to name your gender and you don’t have to name your body. Queer/Trans Yoga is intended as a safe space for trans and genderqueer students. You must be queer or trans or an invited ally to come to the Queer/Trans class. Invited ally means that a queer or trans student who is also coming to the class has invited you to attend with them. Class is on a Pay What You Can basis.

RESTORATIVE YOGA

Our Restorative Yoga class offers a combination of classic restorative postures with guided meditation at the end of class. Release muscular tension and allow the mind to quiet as you rest. Props will be abundantly used to support your body in the shape of each pose that best suits you as you rest and breathe for five minutes or so. All poses are done on the floor and can be modified to be done in a chair. There will also be long savasana (final relaxation posture) or guided meditation, which could take a number of different forms, including Yoga Nidra. Overall, this is a still and gentle yoga experience that works on body, breath, and mind.

SOMATIC YOGA

This class format integrates the work of Thomas Hanna’s Somatics with traditional yoga postures. Somatic Yoga seeks to release the body from the habitual movement and holding patterns that create imbalances and sometimes pain. This extremely therapeutic yoga class is appropriate for all students and can be done on the floor or in a chair.

YIN YOGA

The yin style of yoga is characterized by holding postures for a significant length of time–think 2-5 minutes. But it isn’t like restorative yoga or gentle yoga. Yin postures are active and seek to interact with the layers of fascia that cover our muscles. In restorative yoga, you are more likely to be supported by props and able to melt into the pose. In yin, you are supported but you are also making an effort to maintain the posture. It is appropriate for all healthy students and for some injuries, but not others. Most poses are done on the floor. Read more about yin yoga on our blog.

YOGA BASICS

This and Marigold Plus are the most common entry points into yoga for our students. Our instructors will give you lots of encouragement and personal attention as you become comfortable with body alignment, breath, and pose sequences. Classes usually have a combination of floor, seated, and standing poses, and will likely move among those categories several times during the class, though not as quickly or as often as in All-levels Flow. There may be some modified or full sun salutations as well, done at a pace and intensity that is appropriate for the people in the class. We have students who have taken Yoga Basics for years and keep finding it challenging and fun. We also have students that master the postures and sequences and then switch to the flow classes. You get to choose what’s right for you.

YOGA WITH A CHAIR

Pretty much any yoga pose you can do on a mat can be done either in a chair or using a chair as a prop. You should be able to stand about 10-15 minutes to get the most from the class. This class can provide you with improvements in posture, strength and flexibility. It's beneficial for older adults, people recovering from injury, people just starting out in yoga, or anyone with chronic conditions that may limit endurance or mobility.