Frequently Asked Questions

  1. If I have never taken a yoga class which class should I start with?
  2. What should I wear to a yoga class?
  3. Do I need a yoga mat?
  4. Do you heat the room up?
  5. Can I lose weight doing yoga?
  6. Do I need to come early to sign up?
  7. How large are the classes?
  8. Can I watch a class before I take it?
  9. Should I eat before I come to class?
  10. What are the differences between the Gentle Hatha, Hatha, Iyengar and Ashtanga yoga classes?
  11. Which classes are Ashtanga classes?
  12. What is a vinyasa?
  13. How does Pilates help my yoga practice?
  14. Is there a bathroom there I can change my clothes in?
  15. How much does it cost?
  16. Are all the different classes included in the monthly programs?
  17. Do Monthly students receive a discount on Lightbody Energy work?
  18. Do I have to pay full price if I do two classes back to back?

  1. Q: If I have never taken a yoga class which class should I start with?

    A: It depends on how athletic you are and what you want out of a yoga class. There are many different types of yoga because there are many different types of people! If you want a gentle stretching class, start with the Hatha yoga classes. If you are focused on the details of each pose and the alignment consider the Iyengar classes. Both of these classes start at the most basic levels. If you want a more athletic type of yoga start with the Ashtanga "Intro to First Series (A)" class. If you have taken Ashtanga before and are rusty or if you are in good physical shape you may prefer to start with the more difficult "Intro to First Series (B)" class. The Intro A/B Improv is another place to start.

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  2. Q: What should I wear to a yoga class?

    A: Wear something that is easy to bend and stretch in. Don’t wear anything that binds! If you are taking an Ashtanga class you may want to dress in layers as it gets hot after you’ve been practicing for a while! Sweats may be good for the Hatha classes but will be too hot for the duration of the Ashtanga classes. You might also want to bring a towel to an Ashtanga class!

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  3. Q: Do I need a yoga mat?

    A: No, there are loaners at the studio.

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  4. Q: Do you heat the room up?

    A: The room temperature is set at 75 degrees F. Any additional room heating comes from the students hard work!

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  5. Q: Can I lose weight doing yoga?

    A: Absolutely, especially with the Ashtanga yoga! The idea behind Ashtanga yoga is that you work out hard enough (lifting your own body weight) to generate a sweat. When you are sweating because you are working out rather than because the room is already hot, you are burning calories. Also the more you work at it the more muscle mass you develop. And the more muscle mass you have the more calories you burn to maintain it! Also, the more regularly you do the practice the more calories you burn in a week.

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  6. Q: Do I need to come early to sign up?

    A: No, just come about 5 minutes before class time and be ready to go!

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  7. Q: How large are the classes?

    A: A typical class at Blue Raven ranges from about 4-10 people. Sometimes they are a little larger and sometimes a little smaller. Since there is a lot of caring, hands on attention in each class, with this ratio of students to teacher, there are fewer injuries and the students progress much faster. Also the smaller more intimate classes foster a sense of belonging, camaraderie and community among the students.

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  8. Q: Can I watch a class before I take it?

    A: We prefer you don’t because it makes the students in the class feel self-conscious. It is kind of like swimming: at some point you just have to jump in the pool and give it a try!

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  9. Q: Should I eat before I come to class?

    A: The rule of thumb is not to eat at for least two hours before class so that you have a chance to digest your food. Also if you eat something heavy before class like pizza or a big burrito you will feel very sluggish during class. It is best to eat lightly before class.

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  10. Q: What are the differences between the Hatha, Iyengar and Ashtanga Yoga classes?

    A: All these types of yoga use the same poses just in different ways and to different degrees. Gentle Hatha is a soothing, relaxing class that provides movement in a gentle and loving way. Hatha is a litle more energetic and rigourous. It encorporates some of the basic poses from Ashtanga, Viniyoga and Indra Devi yoga but without sun salutations and vinyasas. It is therefore much easier on the wrists and shoulders and requires a lower level of physical endurance than Ashtanga. Ashtanga yoga takes a series of specific poses (i.e. First Series or Second Series) and links them together with vinyasas so there is a sense of flow to the practice. It is an energetic practice that generates lots of heat! Iyengar yoga comes from the same lineage as Ashtanga, Indra Devi and Viniyoga, so many of the poses are the same. Mr. Iyengar puts an emphasis on proper alignment, making his class style more structurally detailed and slower paced. All yoga practices are based on the idea that through discipline of the mind, by focusing on a physical practice, a student can achieve ultimate spiritual awareness. Since there are many types of people out there, there are many approaches to yoga. Choose the one that fits your needs most!

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  11. Q: Which classes are Ashtanga classes?

    A:  Intro A, Intro B, Improv and First Series.

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  12. Q: What is a vinyasa?

    A: A vinyasa is a truncated version of the Ashtanga Yoga sun salutation; it is done between asanas to keep the practitioner strong balanced and limber. Since it links one pose to the next it has the effect of making the practice seem fluid or dance like. It also helps keep the body heat level up so that more toxins are "burned" from the body and resets the body to neutral for the upcoming pose.

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  13. Q: How does Pilates help my yoga practice?

    A: Pilates is a series of exercises designed to increase our core strength. Many of us use our shoulders to initiate movement in the spine. This causes excessive stress in the shoulders, neck and lower back and often causes injury. Learning how to move from the core is the basis for the bandah (spinal lock) use in yoga. By using the bondhas and strengthening the core muscles we avoid injury. Core strength is crucial for jump throughs, jump backs, arm balances, etc. It also firms up a saggy belly and thighs!

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  14. Q: Is there a bathroom there I can change my clothes in?

    A: Yes!

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  15. Q: How much does it cost?

    A: To walk in to a class costs $15/class or for students and seniors (over 60) $12. There are two monthly programs. You can buy eight classes for $100 or do an unlimited number of classes for $150 ($120 for students and seniors). Each one begins at the beginning of a given month and ends at the end of that month regardless of how much you used it! No refunds and no transferring classes to someone else! You can also buy a package of 10 classes for $130 to be used within 4 months of purchase. This package can be purchased at any time during the month, while the monthly programs should be purchased within the first week of the month for maximum value. Finally, if you should choose to do two classes back to back the price for the two is $20 instead of $30.The Prenatal and Mommy and Me classes are exempt from the Monthly programs. They are 6/$72 or $15 walk-in.

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  16. Q: Are all the different classes included in the monthly programs?

    A: Yes, except the Mommy and Me and Prenatal classes!

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  17. Q: Do Monthly students receive a discount on Lightbody Energy work?

    A: Yes,Unlimited Monthly students can receive Lightbody work for $20 less per session in the month they are Unlimited. And yes, they can do as many sessions in that month for the discounted price as they'd like!

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  18. Q: Do I have to pay full price if I do two classes back to back?

    A: No! You can take two classes, back to back, for $20 rather than $30.

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