Yoga Classes & Workshops with Crys Rivers
» Crys Waxes Philosophical
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» Printable Forms, Workshop & Class Descriptions
I have reserved this space to welcome new students to the practice of yoga and to wax philosophical on the subject. Many thoughts have been flooding my mind following a recent silent retreat in Ibiza, Spain. Mostly, the thoughts involve an intense feeling of gratitude.
Like so many people who seek out yoga, I came to my first practice in the throes of a life crisis. Yoga was an outlet and little more. Lately, I look at that moment when I chose to try this thing called "yoga" more than a decade ago and I see two alternate paths. One led to extremes - in thought and emotional patterns, in tolerance and perceptions - and the other led to moderation. For those who have felt the danger lurking behind the extremes of which the human psyche is capable, you understand my gratitude.
I am of the firm belief that our greatest teachers are the ones who were born fully human - not great by birth, nature or nurture. Stephanie Keach was the director for my teacher training back in 2003 and uttered words whose wisdom I did not grasp until many years later: "Your injuries are a gift, for they are your greatest teacher. Only through them will you become empathetic." We must remember that the majority of people that we meet in life have psychic injuries as well as physical. Our gift to the world - our karma yoga - can begin with treading lightly on the psyches of others.
Please take a look at the Calendar to see ongoing classes taught by Crys Rivers.
Crys' yoga classes are open to all levels unless otherwise noted. Anyone at any age and with any body type can practice yoga. She believes in using props and modifications to help you to experience postures as gently or deeply as you need. Please contact her directly via the Contact page to discuss your individual situation or if you have any questions.
Our classes are attentive to Iyengar-style alignment while also allowing for fluid and explorative movement. They blend vinyasa flow, alignment work and moving into the subtle body. Practicing with a sense of humor, joy and introspection, students connect with the best within themselves.
Private Classes
Crys Rivers is located in the Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA and is available for private individual and group yoga classes when not traveling on retreats. You can expect customized yoga sessions tailored to your abilities and intentions.
In addition to private classes, Crys is available for corporate yoga and workshops. Together, you can frame a program to suit the needs of your employees. You may want to take a look at her De-Stress with Groovy Yoga class, available for download.
Groovy Yogi now offers yoga to businesses in the Raleigh-Durham area! Many claims filed by employees are stress-related. Offer your employees a six-week session of De-Stress with Groovy Yoga and watch their productivity and general sense of well-being increase.We have additional classes for advancing employees along in their yoga practice and general coping skills.
Take a look at our Groovy Corporate Yoga Brochure, New Student Information Form (and liability waiver), and Flyer for Corporate De-Stress with Groovy Yoga.
If you are interested in offering Groovy Corporate Yoga to your employees and would like to meet with us, discuss terms or sample a class, please Contact us.
Sample Class Offering for Your Employees:
De-Stress with Groovy Yoga
De-Stress with Groovy Yoga is a 60-minute dynamic & organic hatha yoga practice that introduces weekly themes, inspiring stories, and yogic wisdom to guide the way to clarity and peace at a time when our life's currents can be swift and overwhelming. Don't push against the river; let it take you to new places.
We create a safe and open environment where laughter and acceptance is encouraged, and students feel comfortable exploring new postures. Combining asana practice, pranayama (breathing) and meditation, each class is uniquely structured to meet the needs of the students. Skillful instruction and thoughtful assistance gently guide each student towards reaching the next level in their personal practice.
Real World Groovy Yoga
Real World Groovy Yoga is a 60-minute yoga practice that is the natural next step to De-Stress with Groovy Yoga. In this class we will explore all that yoga has to offer you in coping and succeeding in your personal, corporate, public and authentic lives. Every style of yoga provides its own wisdom and we will take on many of them in this eclectic, flowing class.
We live in a complex world and yoga offers tools that will keep you grounded, always clear-minded, emotionally more intelligent. You will become physically stronger as we explore our strength and stamina, taking on poses and flows that prove to you without a doubt that at your core you are a warrior! Think of this class as a continuation of zen with humor, mixed with a little self-actualized barbarian.
Yin and Yang Yoga
Taoist Wisdom explains the difference between Yin and Yang with rain showers.
Yang: A storm will briefly pass.
Yin: A gentle shower can last all day.
Most yoga is yang in nature, as much as any trip to the gym. Think big muscles, weight and repetition. A yin yoga practice, on the other hand, is one of patience, finding your edge with respect, working the joints and connective tissues of the body. It is a challenging practice because of the length of time you hold the poses and the mindset required in the practice.
In this class, we'll explore both the yin and the yang forms of movement. In the yin we will peacefully settle ourselves into the moment. In the yang we shall discover movement as a source of meditation. This practice will open our hearts, helping us to savor the present moment rather than dwelling in past conflicts and hurt. Athletes will uncover their hidden range of motion, and we hope that everyone will find this an enjoyable way to stay in shape, relieve stress, alleviate depression and age with grace.
Brown Bag and Breathe!!
Take a little time to breathe! We tend to use lunch hour to run around with errands, returning to work more frazzled than we left. Instead, spend 30 minutes with Groovy Yogi once a week learning to relax!
Have you ever had a stressful experience and realized that you had suddenly forgotten to breathe? Or could not get control of your breath? Has your body ever turned on the sweat glands when nervous? We have all experienced the physiological symptoms of nerves and an unsound mind (though Groovy Yogi assures you that you are not crazy). Do you have to live like that? No, you just need to learn techniques to keep yourself cool under pressure.
In this class, you will learn how to breathe, breath techniques, mudras (hand positioning for meditation), ways to make your body comfortable when sitting for a long time and different visualizations that can get you through stressful situations.
Please take a look at the Calendar to find out where and when Crys is holding workshops. If you are thinking of inviting Crys to hold a workshop at the studio, you can contact her direct through the Contact page and also download her list of workshops that she offers.
Some workshops Crys offers are listed below, as well as available for download. If you are a student and have ideas for a workshop that you do not see listed, please contact Crys with your suggestions through the Contact page.
Finding Your Truth
2.5 – 3 hours, held after dark
In this workshop, we will explore where breath, yoga, dance and truth meet. At this juncture, you discover much about your relationship with your body, mind and spirit. The workshop begins with flow yoga, eventually moving to a contact dance format. Contact dance follows no rules except that you feel the music and allow it to work its way through your body and soul. Contact dance prepares the body-mind for satsang. Satsang is a Sanskrit word meaning 'meeting in truth'. Satsang starts with a silent meditation, followed by an opportunity to ask questions about yourself or life in general. As a community, participants in this workshop will engage in the practice of satsang – the only requirement being that each person is fully present in the discussion to follow.
Groovy Yoga Training Intensive: So You Think You Want to Teach Yoga
One Day Intensive
You’ve been practicing yoga for a while now, and it has become so much a part of your wellbeing that you think it may be time to share it with others. Before you invest in an expensive yoga teacher training program, though, you want to know what to expect. You would even like a chance to teach in a nurturing environment, with gentle critique. Here is your chance: join us for this ”what to expect” intensive!
How to Have a Daily Yoga Practice
3 hours
This workshop is for beginners and intermediate students. We all want to have a daily practice, but sometimes the mind goes blank as soon as we get on the mat at home. In this workshop, we will work on various yoga poses (standing poses, forward bends, backbends, twists, balancing and inversions) in a sequential manner. We will discuss which poses shift naturally into others and why. This intensive workshop consists of a short yoga practice followed by a discussion of the essential issues in developing a home practice.
They include:
• setting an intention
• clarifying goals
• examining practical considerations
• identifying obstacles
Yin Yoga & Meditation
2 hour special class or workshop
Each season has its own personality, mood, and energy; together we will explore the energies of autumn. We'll begin by a quiet exploration of our bodies and minds with Yin Yoga, which encourages the body to open as each pose is held passively for several minutes. Yin Yoga targets the deep connective tissues that run throughout our bodies and activates the movement of prana. Settling ourselves peacefully into the present moment, we'll explore practices such as sitting, walking, and interacting with the external environment mindfully. This quiet practice will open our hearts, helping us to savor the present moment rather than dwelling in past conflicts and hurt.
How to Stay Young . . . While Growing Older: A Laughter Workshop
2.5- 3 hours
Release your inner child, and learn how to laugh for no reason at all. Take the old proverb “laughter is the best medicine” to heart and get a healthy dose in this 2-hour workshop. We will explore humor and spirituality, the advantages of growing older, and simply not taking ourselves too seriously as we have lots of fun practicing yoga. It’s not about being funny, but rather living with light-heartedness and maintaining our sense of humor in an often humorless world.
Printable Forms, Class & Workshop Descriptions
We have posted some of most requested forms and fliers in this section. You will find our new student information form & liability waiver, workshop list, and De-Stress with Groovy Yoga flyer.
You will need Adobe Reader in order to open these files. If you do not have Reader installed on your machine and wish to install it, click here to go to the Adobe Reader download page.
- Corporate De-Stress with Groovy Yoga Class Flyer - excellent class for corporate clients
- De-Stress with Groovy Yoga Community Class Flyer - excellent class for community centers & neighborhood homeowners' associations
- Groovy Corporate Yoga Brochure - description of all Groovy Corporate Yoga classes
- List of Groovy Yoga Workshops - available for yoga studios, corporate clients and private groups
- New Student Information Form - used for private clients, corporate, community and private groups. NOT used for ongoing classes at studios, since the studios have their own new student forms.
“You are the teacher I’ve been looking for! I feel so inspired right now!!” – C.N., Cary, NC