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general faq
We're here to help! If you can't find the answer to your question, please email us at info@gracetreestudio.com.
new students
I'm new to yoga. What should I do/bring/expect?
Wear comfortable clothes that allow for unrestricted movement. Also, yoga is practiced without socks and shoes (for safety), so be prepared to free your feet! While yoga mats are available at the studio (and frequently cleaned), it is best to bring your own. All other props are provided.
Please plan to arrive ten minutes early to complete the registration form and get settled in. Yoga is a systematic practice so try to be there for the whole class to experience the whole benefit. If you are running late (it happens sometimes!), please be courteous and quiet when entering the room.
Sometimes embarrassing things happen as we twist, bend and invert. It happens to us all so bring your sense of humor and gentleness with self and others as you try new things.
Yoga class includes a lot of breathing through the nostrils so please be considerate of your fellow yogis noses when preparing for class (i.e. don’t bathe in perfume or essential oils right before class).
While yoga classes tend to be introspective and quiet, making connections through talking, laughing and asking questions is encouraged. Use that good ‘ol internal wisdom to discern the appropriate times.
Not sure which class to attend? Gentle yoga classes, while great for all levels of experience, are a great place for beginners to start out. This type of class has a slower pace and builds basic the groundwork for more challenging postures. If have questions or are looking for guidance on the classes, please do not hesitate to contact us!
I'm new to yoga. Which class should I start with?
Answer...
personal yoga + wellness guide
I'd like to put together a personal program including wellness services and/or yoga classes. Can you help me?
Yes! Grace Tree provides a personal, holistic and integrative approach to yoga classes and wellness services by connecting you with a personal Guide to help you establish a road map to meet your goals. Contact us to get started!
What are some ways a Guide can help?
Often times clients/students come to us with a specific goal in mind. The Guide can help them decide which wellness services and/or yoga classes will help them meet their needs. They can assist in deciding whether a wellness pass would be beneficial and if so, how to use it with the point system. They can provide personal support along the way as needs/goals change based on progress. They can suggest ways to get involved with the community at Grace Tree as well.
Some examples:
-Physical conditions (injury, chronic, general improvement)
-Issues with the mental state
-Personal performance goals/roadblocks
-Desire to deepen a yoga practice
-General improvement of wellbeing
donations & donation-based classes/offerings
I see that you have donation-based classes. Where does my donation go?
Donations & Seva
Let your heart, experience and financial situation be your guide for giving. We offer donation-based classes, drop-ins, events and workshops to make yoga accessible to all who seek it.
Donate based on the suggested price or give what you can. Call it the principal of abundance or just good old fashioned taking care of each other– what is needed is always provided.
Donations can be made with cash, check, credit card or in trade. These are the ways donations are used:
• Directly to the teacher or Gurudakshina: Guru meaning “remover of darkness” (or to bring light to the truest form of Self) and dakshina meaning “giving of what one is capable of”; put it together and it’s an ancient tradition of “giving out of respect,” a “love offering” of appreciation by the student to teacher.
• Grace Tree Seva Fund: Seva is a sanskrit word which translates to selfless or sacred service. Love offerings (donations) to the Grace Tree Seva Fund create opportunities for those with need to participate in classes and wellness offerings as well as funding community-based gatherings and projects like the organic learning garden. The Grace Tree Seva Fund is our first step toward the development of a non-profit endeavor. If you would like to find out more about how the Grace Tree Seva Fund can assist you or someone you know, please contact us at info@gracetreestudio.com.
• Sustainable Community Project for the preservation and betterment of our inner and outer environment and the earth. This project includes the Grace Tree Organic Learning Gardens with the produce going to a local food pantry.
Karma Yoga and volunteering opportunities available! Just ask!
Please note: Donations to Grace Tree offerings and projects are not tax-deductible.
Community Projects
Grace Tree Sustainable Community featuring Organic Learning Gardens and Permaculture principals
Our vision for this project started with the organic garden as a place for all people of the Grace Tree community and beyond to gather with a common means (the gardens) for many different goals through volunteer opportunities, educational offerings, and yoga and growth classes with a nature theme. Our intention is to foster community connections through joyful stewardship of the earth, using principals of organic gardening and permaculture, while providing a nutritious contribution for those with need. The vision is growing! Watch for more info to be published in the coming months.
miscellaneous
What does that word mean? Some common words used in yoga class:
The language of Yoga is Sanskrit. Here are some common Sanskrit words you will hear in class:
Namasté: The light in me honors the light in you, we are one.
Used as a salutation recognizing unity.
Om: (AUM) The sound or vibration which most closely reflects the highest form of Divinity. Chanted verbally or mentally as a tuning fork, so to speak, to invite Divinity into our practice on and off the mat and raise collective consciousness. It is also used to invite awareness and presence into your practice.
Shanti: Peace, or more expansively, an expression used to invoke peace in all of one’s being in order to effect peace in others.
Mantra: Translated from sanskrit to “an instrument of thought.”
It is a word or string of words repeated mentally or verbally to reflect intention and help the aspirant reach a higher level of spiritual awareness. “Om” is one such mantra.
Asana- The physical postures of yoga.
Mudra- Hand postures or gestures used in yoga facilitating specific energetic flow.
Pranayama- Breathing exercises which control prana, or life-force energy, in specific ways for health and wellness.
