Workshops & Retreats
Annual Winter Sound Immersion and Yoga Retreat at Doe Bay!
with Joel Benjamin
Thursday, February 12th to Sunday, February 15th
Doe Bay Resort on Orcas Island, Washington
ONLY 2 SPOTS LEFT!
“The human voice is the organ of the soul.”
-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Chanting, toning, singing, and music have formed the very basis of all religious and spiritual practices throughout time. From the black and white world view of the conservative fundamentalist to the all embracing ecstasy of the hedonistic pagan and every soul seeker in between, all use sound to connect to their god.
Yoga, which can be traced back as the foundation for all spiritual practices, is essentially a practice rooted in the technology of sound. Looking back at the ancient texts, yoga is not described in terms of postures or breathing techniques or even meditation, but as a practice of mantra and sound.
This deep rooted relationship between sound and consciousness is the basis for all forms of yoga. All authentic yoga practices begin and end with sound: Namaste, Om, Shanti Shanti. Indeed it is through sound that the transformation of consciousness occurs, which remember, is the very purpose of yoga.
So join us for an immersion into the Yoga of Sound, sonic yogis! Over the course of four days we will chant, tone, move, breath, eat great food, and chant some more, as we explore how to better harmonize with ourselves, each other, and the planet and universe we call home. This special retreat will raise your personal vibration and reverberate in the mind and body long after our time together at beautiful Doe Bay.
Retreat Fee: $225 per participant before December, 1st, $250 after.
For this special event Doe Bay is offering four nights of accommodations for the price of three (the retreat price does not include the cost of lodging).
Yoga Sound Bath
With Megan Carroll and Daniella White
First Wednesday of each month (except 2/11). 7:15-8:45pm
Join yoga therapist Megan Carroll and sound healer Daniella White on a cosmic journey through inner space. To facilitate this experience, Megan will lead you through an all-levels yoga practice accompanied by Daniella’s crystal bowl playing.
Each class in this series will be an opportunity to align yourself with a certain planetary energy, and in doing so allow for more healing and harmony in your body, mind and spirit.
These workshops will assist you in letting go of energies, mental states and patterns that are no longer serving you, and clarify your alignment with the basic energetic forces of the Universe.
Take a class individually, or sign up for all seven for the complete experience:
The Sun: 10/1 Aligning with and healing the yang, masculine force. (This class is a fundraiser to help cover medical expenses for Megan!)
The Moon: 11/5 Aligning with and healing the yin, feminine force
Mercury: 12/3 Embracing our capacity for fluid communication
Mars: 1/7 Discovering, honoring and healing the warrior within
Venus: 2/11Walking the beauty way
Jupiter: 3/4 Remembering our infinitude and embracing expansiveness
Saturn: 4/1 Transforming our greatest challenge into our greatest blessing
Monthly Vijnana Practice with Kathryn Payne
Offered Thursday, January 22nd, and Thursday, February 26th.
9:30-11:30am
$20 with 5 days advance registration, $25 thereafter.
Vijnana yoga is a practice of traditional yoga postures in sequences that are well defined, allowing the student to creatively explore the use of vital principles and the intrinsic intelligence of the body. Without an overuse of anatomical terms, students have a focus of “listening from the inside” in an elegant, yet precise approach to the asana.
To register contact Kathryn Payne at kp@islandyogacenter.com
Chandra Cycles- A Seasonal Practice for Women with Alex Baker
Offered on a Sunday once every 3 months. The next gathering TBA.
12-2:30pm
Exchange is $25
Join us once a season and dive deeper into your yoga and meditation practice surrounded by the support and fellowship of other women on a similar path. Each practice includes 90 minutes of Yoga, Pranayama, and Meditation, followed with snacks and time to connect with each other.
To register contact Joel Benjamin: joelb@yogasmithseattle.com
Sound Bath Experience
with Daniella White at Yogasmith
Offered on the third Sunday of every month
7:30 – 8:30 pm
Exchange for Sound Bath: $20
A sound bath is an improvised concert played with the intent of releasing energy that is no longer serving you, and shifting to a more positive and relaxed state of being. Participants usually lie in a comfortable position on the floor (in savasana). Daniella plays the crystal bowls and a Paiste plantary gong, adding vocal toning as well. During the savasana you will be bathed in healing vibrations that will help you achieve deeper states of mediation. It is in these states of relaxation that healing can take place. The combination of sound and savasana will assist you in releasing any energies, thoughts, and patterns that are no longer serving you, and will help bring healing energy into your body and mind. You will leave feeling “re-tuned”, with a sense of restored balance in your mind, body and spirit.
Please wear comfortable clothing, and bring anything that you need to feel comfortable lying on the floor
To sign up or for more information please contact Joel Benjamin at
The Art of Self Massage
with Stephanie Levine
Offered on the final Sunday of every month
$25/early bird, $30/at the door
Whether we sit long hours at a computer, are training for a marathon, or care for small children: our bodies develop areas of tension. This everyday tension can restrict our movement and cause pain and discomfort.
In this class you will learn to release and ease these restrictions as well as supporting your body to recover from workouts. We’ll use a variety of tools including foam rollers, tennis balls, and golf balls–and of course our own hands. We will adapt principles from myofascial release, trigger point thereapy and deep tissue massage and discover self care stagetegies that are therapuetic and relaxing. You will also learn techniques to improve energy flow and increase body awareness. These classes can be taken individually to learn the basic concepts, or attend each month to gain a greater understanding of the variations and modalities for specific body areas.
If you have a 6” foam roller please bring it with you. If not there will be rollers available for your use and purchase at the class.
To register contact Stephanie at slevine@q.com or email Joel Benjamin at joelb@yogasmithseattle.com
Monthly Restorative Yoga
With Alex Baker
First Sunday of every month
12:30–2pm
Exchange: $20 per person
Start your month off right! Join Alex the first Sunday of each month for a deeply nourishing Restorative Yoga practice.
Restorative Yoga is for those interested in slowing down and reducing both physical and mental stress and tension. While practicing Restorative Yoga you will utilize props to help support you in specific postures, minimizing strenuous activity and allowing you to gently open those tight areas in your body as you deepen your connection to your breath. Restorative Yoga allows you to balance your active practice and lifestyle, leaving you feeling very relaxed coupled with enhanced mental clarity.
These classes are appropriate for all levels of experience. After each class you will be purring like a kitten.
To register contact Joel Benjamin: joelb@yogasmithseattle.com
Movement and Voice Workshop
Sunday, March 22nd
9am-Noon, 1:30-4:30pm
Exchange: $90
Refunds: 80% refund given up to 7 days prior to workshop
Kate and Rebekka are excited to present a day-long workshop, exploring the relationship between body and voice. During this 6-hour workshop, students will be guided in yoga-based movement and improvisation-based vocalization.
Kate will lead students in gentle, awareness-building movements to help prepare the “instrument” of our body. The focus will be on breath, opening up the rib cage, diaphragm and shoulders; freeing up the spine; accessing core stabilization; and grounding through the legs and feet to help anchor us for the voice work.
Rebekka will guide students through a series of easy-to-step-into voice exercises to open the voice and explore individual and collective sound. What does it feel like to connect deeply and freely with our own voices? To make music that integrates the experience, skill and spirit born in this moment? At times silly, heartfelt, joyous, sacred, healing – singing is a whole body experience.
This workshop is open to ALL levels of movers and singers. This workshop is created for those who:
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- *are curious about exploring voice
- *enjoy singing
- *are terrified of singing!
- *are curious about how the body relates to voice
- *have interest in movement-based awareness practice connected to sound
No prior yoga experience necessary! No prior voice lessons necessary! All are welcome to come and explore the connection between body and voice.
To register, please email kate@uprightrolfing.com or call 206.618.6449
The Writer's Table- A monthly writer's salon
Offered on the First Friday of each month.
6:30-9pm
$10-15 suggested donation
The Writers’ Table and Georgetown’s Yogasmith community are collaborating to host monthly Writers’ Table Salons. These salons will take us out of the coffee shops and into Yogasmith’s beautiful studio for casual evenings of writing, reading (voluntarily & without critique), insightful conversation, and hang time.
The Writers’ Table Salons take place the 1st Friday of every month from 6:30-9pm. Dates for 2015:
Feb 6, March 6, April 3, May 1, June 5, July 3, Aug 7, Sept 4,
Oct 2, Nov 6, Dec 4
The Writers’ Table is an open and informal writing community in Seattle, WA. This is not a formally led or instructed group. We meet at various times in various coffee shops to write and talk writing.
Accountability and conversation is what The Writers’ Table is all about – an hour to be accountable to our writing and an hour to be in conversation with other writers. There is no common intention around the writing we’re working on and there is no guidance or instruction taking place, and yet we seem to have incredibly rich and insightful conversation. It’s all about what we each bring to the table. HA!
Thinking about writing, but not sure where to start? The paths are many and we have a pretty diverse crew. Show up and we’ll help you find your way!
Check out Writers’ Table dates, times, and locations at http://thewriterstable.tumblr.com.