What does “Chakra 5” mean?
The body is made up of different “chakras”, or circular energy fields. The 5th Chakra is called the “throat chakra” and represents a unique voice, creativity, community and sincerity, all qualities we strive to impart in our company brand and teaching style.
What exactly is yoga?
The word yoga means “union” in Sanskrit. Yoga is an integrated system that attempts to create a union of the mind, body and spirit. Many people think that yoga is “just a bunch of supervised stretching”. The physical exercise component (“Asana”) of yoga is just one of many facets of the practice. Other elements include: living with “right mind”, breath (“Pranayama”) and meditation.
Yoga is a regular practice that never stops growing and evolving over your lifetime.
What if we don’t have any space for classes?
Chakra 5 does yoga classes in all kinds of spaces and situations you might not expect, such as outdoors or right at your desk. Be sure to call us to discuss your special needs and we can talk about the options.
What’s the best day and time to have a yoga class? How long should class be?
We customize the way we work with each and every client. Some clients like morning classes, some prefer lunchtime, some right after work. You might find that 2 30 minute classes are best for you instead of 1 60 minute. Almost anything is possible.
We’ve got a tight budget. Is there any way to get a discount?
Yes! Two ways: 1) weekly recurring classes get an automatic 20% discount 2) If you’re flexible about the day and time you want your class, we can work around a teacher’s existing schedule/location and possibly offer further discounts
How do we pay or classes?
Chakra 5 bills you at the end of each month for any classes that were taught. You do not pay the instructor. You can pay us via a check (due 30 days from invoice date) or via credit card using Paypal (this will incur an additional 2.9% charge for credit card processing).
What if we don’t have mats?
Ask employees to bring their own, or if your space is carpeted, towels can work pretty well. You can also rent or buy mats and near wholesale prices through us.
I’m not flexible, so can I do yoga?
Not only is “flexibility” a relative term, every body is unique in terms of physical build and abilities. Yoga uses strength, balance, flexibility, your BRAIN, and most importantly, your breath! What makes yoga so endlessly fascinating is how different people respond to different poses. Even your own body will “behave” differently day to day with the same pose.
Chakra 5’s approach to yoga ensures that people of all abilities can participate safely and with confidence. Poses are explained in detail with caring, hands-on instruction, and options are always given to modify poses to be less or more challenging.
Why is yoga so good for us?
Yoga releases lactic acid buildup in muscles that causes stiffness, tension, pain, and fatigue. Yoga stretches all the muscles and soft tissues of the body. It helps the lymphatic system cleanse and detoxify the body. It increases flexibility and range of motion. Yoga can lower blood pressure, reduce stress, increase mental focus, improve posture, strengthen immunity. You can use yoga to calm yourself down and sleep better, or charge yourself up with energy when you need it.
Your experience with practicing yoga will be uniquely wonderful. There’s a reason why over 11 million people in the U.S. alone do it and after 5,000 years, it still hasn’t gotten “old”.
Can I get injured doing yoga? How do I prepare for my first class?
One of our primary concerns at Chakra 5 is to make sure that our yoga classes are safe yet effective. However, it’s still possible to strain a muscle or ligament in yoga if you don’t use common sense. Here are some tips for beginners:
- Feel free to contact us with any questions about classes or to let us know about special concerns, existing injuries you might have. Arrive early to classes to chat with the instructor about concerns you might have.
- Avoid a big meal within 2 hours of class. If you’re hungry, a light snack such as yogurt or an apple an hour before class is fine.
- Please turn off your cell phone!
- Hydrate well before, during and after class.
- Wear loose, comfortable clothes and bring a small hand towel and (ideally) your own mat.
- You’re the best judge of your limits! In any of our classes, you’re welcome to opt out of doing any pose. Be mindful of gently pushing yourself to your edge of challenge. Your experience with yoga is a profound and uniquely individual one; don’t look another student and think he/she is doing “better”. Pay close attention to the feedback your body gives you during your practice. “Body knowledge” is a wonderful thing that grows with your yoga practice.
- Consistency is key! That means doing yoga as often as you can. It’s always better to take a gentle approach that slowly builds up strength, flexibility and balance over time.
- Try taking a level of class lower than what you think you need, then give total focus and attention to your practice. Some of the poses that appear to be the simplest can be the most profound and transformative. Start simple and layer on the complexity and challenge.
Is yoga a good workout that will help me lose weight?
It depends. Everyone is unique. Lots of strength poses and movement are incorporated into our classes to burn calories, get the heart pumping and tone the body. What we’ve witnessed is that many people lose weight because a regular yoga practice encourages better stress management and a natural desire to eat healthier. And yoga helps give you a graceful, elongated posture and toned muscles, helping you look better. We all know the radiant look of a healthy yogini. Rather than setting a goal, like: “I want to lose 5 pounds by the end of this month”, we encourage our students to think about their yoga practice as a way to evolve physically, mentally and spiritually. This evolution never ends.
We encourage you to continue with all your fitness pursuits! Yoga can wonderfully compliment and improve your performance in all kinds of other workouts.
