Jivamukti Yoga with Jessica Stickler

Podcast #48 - Intention

Sound is vibration. Thoughts are the subtle vibration of electricity through cells and synapses. Our thoughts affect our minds and bodies, our words, our actions, our habits. Every suggestion the mind makes, sends a direct message to the body. Change the thoughts, change the habit!

Podcast #47 - Fed Up

Podcast #50 - Fed Up

We're sitting in a yoga class because we're fed up with being unhappy. We've tried everything. The culture has told us what to read, eat, wear, buy; all with the promise that some combination of these things will make us happy. We've seen through the veil of the cycle of attachment and unhappiness, and now we're ready to try something else, something radical!

Podcast #46 - Time Management

We all have a limited time in this life, and none of us knows how much time we have. Awareness of the imminence of death can powerfully change how we use our time day to day. Death awareness can be a powerful way to ensure that we live as happily and compassionately as possible in our lives and without regret. The physical sequence in this class focuses on hips and shoulders, and leads up to standing marichasana. You can always skip this peak pose and just stay in your yoga squat (malasana)

Podcast #45 - Progressing Towards Kindness

The practice of yoga asks us to examine the prejudices and preferences of the mind, and the way that those prejudices play out in our relationships with others, including animals. As we "progress towards kindness," we are able to see others as the same, as KIN, which is the root of the word kindness. The physical practice itself is a hip focused class, with lots of fun arm balances. Please find me on Facebook: JessicaSticklerYoga and Twitter/Instagram: @yogastickler

Podcast #44 - Union of the Sun and the Moon

Hatha Yoga means the Union (Yoga) of the Sun (Ha) and the Moon (tha). The goal of the yogi is to become the balanced energies of the sun and the moon. Meaning that we realize the true Self (Sun) in all beings, and we become the perfect reflection (Moon) of the Self to all beings. The way that the moon perfectly and lovingly reflects the sun's light, we lovingly reflect each other's innate goodness. This is a pretty twisty, turny, snakey, squirrely sequence.... Do your best with the audio in...

Podcast #43 - Asana and Bhakti

What does Asana (the postures) have to do with seeing all as divine? What does seeing all as divine have to do with the physical postures? Sequence is organized through the chakras, a few challenging standing postures. Music by Priya Darshini: http://priyadarshini.com/

Podcast #42 - Krishna's Flute and Nada Yoga

We are fundamentally musical beings, and the practices of yoga are all directed towards becoming musical (being in harmony) with nature and with all that is. We are emptying ourselves of judgement, expectation, habit, anger, fear, assumptions -- in order to become an instrument! In order to allow the divine music to move through us!

Podcast #42 - Krishna’s Flute and Nada Yoga

We are fundamentally musical beings, and the practices of yoga are all directed towards becoming musical (being in harmony) with nature and with all that is. We are emptying ourselves of judgement, expectation, habit, anger, fear, assumptions -- in order to become an instrument! In order to allow the divine music to move through us!

Podcasts #41 - You are One with The Highest

Using the Mahavakya (great saying) "Tat Twam Asi" to recognize another's divinity, we in turn recognize everyone's ultimate nature including our own. Live Music by Max ZT of House of Waters houseofwaters.com

Podcast #40 - Backbending and Blessings

Backbending and Forgiveness.

Podcast #39 - Fire and Fear

Yoga Practice as a way to start the process of transforming fear, anxiety, worry -- the very emotions that get in the way of the experience of yoga, the oneness of being. Practice is a pretty intense backbending sequence. It would help to have a tiny bit of wall space, and a blanket or towel.

Podcast #38 - Disease and Disconnection

Avidya means thinking of yourself as separate from other beings. Raja (attachment) and Dvesha (aversion) bring us further into the feeling of being seperate, selfish and scared as we divide the world into beings we like and beings we don't. The goal of yoga is to overcome attachment and aversion in the mind and to feel our true selves as interconnected will the whole universe. Feeling ourselves as "other", leads to feelings of dis-ease, confusion, anger, sorrow. Healing can begin when we see ...

Podcast #37 - Martin Luther King Jr. Day

What stops us from taking action in the world? The ego. We think to ourselves "everything is okay," or "i'm no gandhi," or "i don't really care about the suffering of others." Those voices ARE the ego which is stopping us from moving into compassion, and from taking compassionate action.

Podcast #36 - Satsang/Spiritual Community

The story of the mysterious "little green cabin" in alaska, and how community can be sustained over time without even knowing each other! Do a little more for the communities you belong to, make every act a little offering towards the building of your satsang. Live Cello by Kirsten McCord: http://kirstenmccord.com/

Podcast #35 - Aparigraha and Veganism

Podcast #34 - Sacred Geometry

A very special class with my friend, Moto Fukushima playing bass live for class. His solo music is incredible, and you can find him playing with House of Waters in NYC (www.houseofwaters.com) This intermediate class has a twisting focus.

Podcast #33 - Expanding the Perspective

"Vitarka Badhane Pratipaksa Bhavanam" When disturbed by disturbing thoughts, think of the opposite.

Podcast #32 - Yoga and Sexuality

Introduction to the Focus of the Month, "yoga and sexuality." One take on the focus of the month, is that all of the experiences of life, and all of our current and past relationships can be viewed as necessary for our being right here, right now. That we can potentially use our past experiences as a vehicle for evolution, rather than just viewing past experiences as "all that nasty stuff that happened to me in the past." Changing the way we see the past, changes the way we see the present....

Gayatri Mantra -- Calling Earth, Space, Heavens!

Chanting Gayatri Mantra, Reading from Hazrat Inayat Khan, and Practicing Bird of Paradise!! Happiness!

Being At Ease With Mantra (Fixed)

Repetition of mantra can help us to overcome our habitual thinking by re-focusing our attention to a higher intention. Mantra also magically shifts our perception and uplifts our mundane way of seeing the world to an exalted way of seeing!

Its All About Vibration!

"If you wish to find the secrets of the universe, think of energy, frequency, and vibration" -Nikola Tesla

Kundalini and the OM Cycle

Special Hurricane Class

Stormy Weather in the Northeast, Emotional Storms inside. How do we keep our cool in the storm? Kirsten McCord plays Cello for this class.

Mother Earth as Teacher

The sanskrit word "Asana" literally means 'seat,' the atual physical thing you sit on. It also refers to our connection, physical and metaphysical, to the Earth. Our connection to the Earth, and therefore our connection to all of the beings with whom we share it. In other words, our Relationships. Through the Asana practice, we put ourselves into situations as a way to investigate where we are resisting the state of yoga, which is joy. We put ourselves into different relationships with the e...

Animal Stories

In many traditions, there are stories about animals as our first teachers. And they probably were! We likely learned many things about how to live from our animal friends, by watching them. Just imagine the people who made flight possible for humans.... who do you think inspired them? At this time in our history, we might start to think about what we can learn from the animals with whom we share this earth.

Nada Yoga - Music by Matthew Lombardo and Christian Montegut

Original class: March 4th, 2011 Sound is the ground of the universe. All is vibration, all is sound, all is music. We cultivate our ability to hear the vibratory nature of the universe, eventually hearing and realizing the resonance in our own hearts. Matthew and Christian wrote music for this class, to conceptually and auditorially enhance your class experience. They did an amazing job of weaving mantras and teachings into the sound itself.

Music and Activism

In Yoga, we make shapes with our body (our instrument) in order to move vibration, or sound. We also learn how to use our instrument, our body, to act and serve in the world. Michael Hewett plays guitar for this class. Challenging Asana Sequence.

"Nirmalananda" - Mia plays Celtic Harp

Swami Nirmalananda was a saint in India, and one of the gurus of our founding teachers Sharon and David. Nirmalananda lived in the hills of southern India and practiced social activism. He maintained silence for 11 years, in those years was an avid letter writer. He wrote to all manner of politician, activist, celebrity, artists. In this simple way, we can all become socially engaged. Sharon Gannon encourages us to write one letter a week. It is especially important to write letters praising...

Activism and Yoga

When we think of "Activism," many of us automatically think of picket signs and protests. Each of us has different talents and inclinations, and its up to each of us to find our way in....our way of creatively and positively engaging with our world.

Fire Ceremony

We offer up all of our limitations, including our mental afflictions, our unwillingness to learn, and our notions of ourselves that are holding us back. Offer it into the fire, swaha! Asana moves through the 4 birds which alchemical symbols for elements; crow=earth, phoenix/eagle=fire, crane/swan=water, and peacock=air.

Alchemy and Housekeeping

What does Cooking, Gardening, and Cleaning have to do with Alchemy? We are going to explore this month of January with a story about Sharon Gannon's Alchemy teacher, and her first lessons as a spiritual seeker.

Christmas Day Class - Garlands

Garlands are not simply things we put on trees, they too are an offering to the divine or a way to welcome a special guest. Spiritual Practice requires a continual investigation of habit and ritual, as practitioners we keep imbuing our practices with meaning to keep them sacred. Physical practice is a deep hip opening class, leading up to Malasana, Garland Pose.

Offerings - with Kirsten McCord on Live Cello, Dec 17, 2010

Turkey Girl, Live Cello with Kirsten McCord - Nov 20th, 2010

"Asteya Pratishtayam Sarva Ratnopastanam" To one who is established in non-stealing, abundance (material, spiritual, mental) arise. Or, literally JEWELS (ratna) are given. I chose a story from my childhood growing up in New Mexico, because to the girl who cares for the Turkeys, jewels literally appear from under the turkeys' wings.

Podcast #14 - Asteya and Veganism - November 13, 2010

"Asteya. Offering back everything that you've been given. It's the opposite of feeling entitled to things. It's the sense that nothing is yours. Everything is on loan--even your body, even your mind." Ruth Lauer-Manenti, "Sweeping the Dust"

Being Uncomfortable - October 25th, 2010

When the going gets tough, the tough go deeper into their practice. Sometimes the hardest thing to do when our practice reaches a plateau or seemingly stagnates is to stick with it. The way to get through the plateau is not to switch into a different pose, or a different practice, or a different job/relationship/apartment..... but to lean into the situation and breathe.

Compassion and Obstacles - October 16, 2010

What are the obstacles to our practice? What are the obstacles to compassionate action? When do I decide to take action or not? Extra Twisty Classy.

Intention and Mastery, September 27th 2010

The practice supports what you infuse it with. Yoga can support the ego or it can support egolessness. Intention leads to mastery. Twisting class.

Surya/Sun and Equanimity, September 14, 2010

Sun salutations are our opening practice. The sun rises and sets without tiring, regardless of the weather conditions. The yogi practices daily regardless of the conditions of the mind.

Living on the Edge, Live Cello w/ Kirsten - Sept 10, 2010

Yoga practice puts you in uncomfortable spaces. A daily yoga practice should be a little bit uncomfortable, whether its sacrificing time in your busy schedule, or challenging yourself to do things you never thought you'd do. Class is enhanced by the beautiful ambient cello sounds of Kirsten McCord. Physical practice leads up to compass pose.

"The Magic Ten" - Ten Minute practice for THOSE DAYS!

Refined by Sharon Gannon, co-founder of Jivamukti Yoga. This is a great practice for those days when you can't get to a class, or squeeze in a full practice! Ten postures, approximately ten minutes. Its called "magic" for a reason.....

LIVE MUSIC: Michael Hewett, Solo Guitar - August 27, 2010

Michael Hewett joins us for a very special live music class, and he leads a surprise "Tong Len" meditation at the end! Focus on "Secret Prayer" and the value of keeping your practices secret.

"The floor, it needs sweeping" - Daily Practice/Detachment

Daily practice is detaching from the attachments to the body and mind, which we identify as self. Instead of identifying with the apparent self, we learn to identify with the principle of change itself. Intense Hanumanasana sequence, you will need a wall to practice with.

Death and Inversions, August 24, 2010

This class is dedicated to my dear Chad. Confronting the reality of death can sharpen our priorities. What is important to do with this life? Contemplation of death heightens compassion. Everyone's in the same boat, and its going down! Focus on forearmstand, (with one partner excersize, can be practiced without.)

SPECIAL CLASS: From Wild Woodstock Ashram

A very special 2 hour long class, taught in the ashram of my teachers, Sharon and David. Hips and Hammys....leading to half kurmasana. Yikes! Blessings and Breathing.

Open Class, Raja Kapotasana (King Pigeon), August 8th, 2010

You can change other people, by changing yourself. Emptiness of other people. Planting the seeds of change in your mind through blessing meditation. Intermediate backbending series, ending in rajakapotasana.

Open Class, Live DJ Trent Wolbe, July30th, 2010

Open class enhanced by rockin' set list from DJ Trent!

Crushes have an energy and focus all their own.

The feeling of having a crush gives you huge energy! You skip down the street! Focus! Its all you can think about! Cultivate that energy and focus as a way to achieve the goal of yoga, divine union.

Open Class, Live Cello With Kirsten McCord - July 23, 2010

Karma and relationships, work the karma to find or keep the relationship you want. Deep forward bending class includes Kurmasana (Tortoise) and Titibhasana (Firefly). Live Cello by Kirsten McCord.