Starseed: Rutherford Yoga

Starseed: Ancient Tools for Modern Living!

Visit Our New Fall Schedule 2008
a new, improved, streamlined class schdule!
9:30am, 6:30pm and 8:00 pm Monday-Friday.

Look for our creative new workshops on the weekends
in addition to our ongoing classes.

"Starseed invites you to take a look at Jyoti's blog by clicking here. Be sure to visit the photo galleries of the community in addition to view photos of the benefit!"

Cathy is a Registered Teacher with a 200 hour certification from Bright Spirit Yoga and a certified personal trainer with more than 15 years experience in the health and fitness industry.

Her main focus today is training using her knowledge of Yoga and Pilates. Cathy is a certified Pilates teacher receiving her certificate to teach for the apparatus through Power Pilates in New York in January 2000 and had previously obtained certification for Pilates mat through the Physicalmind Institute with Kelly Kane in 1996. Certification for Pilates includes the study of anatomy and handling special cases such as sports injuries, arthritis, etc. as well as the study of the exercises on all apparatus. Hundreds of hours are spent studying with senior teachers. Cathy has studied extensively with Phoebe Higgins, Peter Roel and David Brown.

Max, Cathy's canine companion, has been involved in yoga his whole life, and is exceptionally talented at updog, downdog and savasana. An enlightened master of DOGA, currently he is not teaching!

Cathy Konciak's Class Schedule:
Wednesday 8:00 -9:15 pm
Saturday 10:30 - 11:45 am

Begins 2nd week in September 9th 2008
Wednesday at 8-9:15pm

Yogi Raj Mani Finger initiated Carrie Parker Gastelu nto theISHTA (Integrated Science of Hatha, Tantra and Ayurveda) Yoga lineage after extensive training with Mani's son, Yogi Raj Alan Finger. She is a New York/New Jersey based Yoga Instructor and a registered 500-hour Yoga Alliance Teacher. She is Co-director of Bright Spirit Teacher Training with her partner Jillian Pransky. In addition, she has studied many other traditions as well as anatomy, physiology, movement and awareness practices to create an eclectic style all her own. Carrie specializes in prenatal yoga and teaches Prenatal Yoga Teacher's Training. Carrie is a guest teacher at the OMEGA Institute in Rhinebeck, NY and has taught at their NYC conferences for the past five years. She has been featured in Fit Magazine, the Yoga Zone Book and Video, Flexibility and Stress Release. She is known for her honest, non-dogmatic approach and encourages her students to find the teacher within.

Kripalu translated into English means "compassion." Through a meditative series of postures linked with deep breaths we journey inward and explore our bodies and minds with a compassionate witness consciousness. In Kripalu Yoga, we focus not only on the movement of the physical body and the breath, but also on the movement of energy in thoughts and emotions. Kripalu practitioners strive to stay present for whatever arises on and off the mat with a loving and centered awareness. What is the moderate class like? We warm up the body, sometimes through repetition of pratapana (warm-ups) and sometimes through a slow flow of poses. Next we practice holding postures (asana) for longer periods of time to build heat in the body, strengthen and increase energy (prana). Throughout the asana portion there is ample room for modifications based on your body's readiness and fitness level. Asana is followed by relaxation, pranayama (techniques for breathing), and meditation to seal in the effects of diving deep inside.

Prenatal Yoga - Designed to meet the needs of pregnant women. Strengthen and relax your body, ease your mind and connect with your baby in a safe and supportive environment. You'll feel inspired and nourished in a community of women sharing the experience of pregnancy and birth.

Carrie Parker Gastelu is a New York/New Jersey based, E-500 hour registered Yoga Instructor and Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator. Carrie is Co-director of Bright Spirit Teacher Training, a 500-hour Yoga Teacher Training program at Devotion Yoga in Hoboken, NJ. Carrie specializes in Prenatal Yoga and is Director of Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training for Yoga Works. In addition to weekly classes and teacher training, Carrie teaches Mindful Parenting workshops, incorporating yogic principals into everyday family life. Carrie is known for inspiring women to rely on inner strength, courage and intuition to have a peaceful and empowering birth experience and transition into motherhood. She is the mother of three children after yoga filled pregnancies and beautiful homebirths.

This is an engaging practice incorporating Sun Salutations and a series of flowing vinyasa sequences linking breath and movement. Class will move through a creative standing sequence to seated asanas and backbends. Students will have an opportunity to explore advanced asanas and modifications will be introduced thoughtout the class to accommodate multi levels. All levels are welcome.

Deb Williams was certified as a Yoga Instructor in June 2007. Deb started her yoga practice at a local YMCA in 2001 with a Power Yoga class; she was drawn to yoga initially for her physical fitness but started to realize the benefits both mentally as well as physically the more she practiced. She explored a variety of classes at Starseed Yoga in Montclair and it is there that she discovered Led Ashtanga classes and then moved to Mysore style Ashtanga which she currently practices. She continues to attend workshops and classes to broaden her spectrum of knowledge of Yoga and seeks out teachers to practice with wherever her travels take her. She is excited to share her energy and knowledge to students of Yoga.

Iwona has been practicing yoga for over 5 years. After receiving her certification in 2006 she began to teach Yoga among the Polish community in New York and New Jersey area. From her experience, the most important element of yoga practice, is meditation. The physical exercise is to prepare us for meditation.

Joga dla poczatkujacych.- Klasa 60 min. Zajecia skierowane sa do osob, ktore poszukuja sposobu na rozladowanie napiecia, a jednoczesnie zbudowania tezyzny fizycznej w tym samym czasie. Joga pomaga wyciszyc nerwy, skupic sie na sobie, uelastycznic cialo i stracic zbedne kilogramy. Zajecia wypelnione sa cwiczeniami fizycznymi i oddechowymi, poprzedzone medyctacja a zakonczone gleboka relaksacja w pozycji lezacej.

To learn more about Iwona and her work, please visit her website (in Polish) at http://iwonayoga.com/

Iyengar-Inspired Level I Yoga with Hala Ghanem
Fridays (Starts 7/25), 9:30-10:45am

Hala is certified in Yoga through Yoga Works and with the Center for Women's Fitness for pre and postnatal Pilates. Her strength in teaching comes from personal knowldge that Yoga is possibly the most powerful tool we can learn to make our lives more blissful. In a time where humanity stands divided. Yoga is bringing people together from all faiths & places. Hala encourages students to offer their hearts in their practice and develop a practice that is genuinely theirs. She teaches with a solid understanding of foundation from which one can later gain freedom to follow any yogic path. Yoga postures to her are part of a natural rhythm of the body that we can all tap into by breathing consciously & accepting where we are.

Hala used her training as psychotherapist to initaite programs using Yoga to ease the effects of PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) on site in conflict zones. She is the founder and previous director of Houna Holistic Center in Beirut, Lebanon. She now resides in Montclair with her husband and teaches at studios in New Jersey and New York.

Starts 9/2: Yogilates Mama:
Postnatal Yoga & Pilates: New Moms & Babies
with Hala

Tuesdays, 11:00am-12:00pm Begins 9/2
$130. 8-week series; pre-registration required

Hala's postnatal signature class is a fusion of Yoga and Pilates designed to get you back in shape while playfully bonding with your baby. We will focus on postpartum needs: restore integrity of the pelvic floor, develop your core strength, and regain general alignment. We will also strengthen key muscle groups and close the body after pregnancy and birthing. Babies are included throughout the class where they will enjoy age appropriate stimulation exercises, and benefit from spending more playing time with you. This will also be a great opportunity to revitalize, replenish and connect with other new moms! Babies age 5 weeks up to crawling are welcome.

Hala's teaching offers a combination of solid understanding of foundation with the openness and spirit to be creative. She obtained her teacher training through Yoga Works where Iyengar meets Ashtanga but she also loves bringing many different traditions to the mat. Hala has developed a passion for working with pre and post natal women. She is always working towards new ways to deepen the new mom's experience and maximize her benefit through practice. Hala is also certified in Pre and Postnatal Pilates through the Center for Women's Fitness. She is thankful to have come across many wonderful teachers and students who have nurtured her love for yoga. Her classes are fluid, uplifting, and playful with precise instruction in each posture to deepen the pose.

Starts October: Sunday Evening 2-Hour Yoga Class: Asana, Pranayama, Mantra & Meditation
with Shivadasi

Sundays at 5:00-7:00pm (Begins October 5th, 2008)
$85, 5-class pack; ($20 Drop in) - paid in advance good for 3 months

This class will include a 20 minute meditation, 20 minutes of mantra or kirtan, rigorous asana and closing with the restorative practice of yoga nidra. Shivadasi will be teaching every Sunday Night at Starseed in Rutherford. She taught for many years in NYC at Jivamukti Yoga School. This intenstive Yoga Class is very integrated into the essential wisdom of Classical Yoga.

It is highly recommended students take a beginners course prior. Felise (Shivadasi) Berman, E-RYT is an Advanced Certified Jivamukti Teacher, and certified at the Bihar Yoga School in India. She has thousands of hours dedicated to her E-RYT status and has been registered with Yoga Alliance since 2003.

To pre-register contact shivadasi@starseedyoga.com