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Ellen Saltonstall : Anusara Yoga and Kinetic Awareness

Welcome to my website! I teach Anusara Yoga and Kinetic Awareness at my New York City studio and in other locations.

NEWS UPDATE

My next workshop series will be Kinetic Awareness, the great ballwork. These classes will introduce students to the powerful practice of using rubber balls of various sizes to release tension and facilitate breath, movement and self-expression. The method includes more than 40 techniques for all parts of the body, from head to toes.

Three Sundays: June 14, July 19, August 9 1-5 pm $65 each

Two Thursdays: June 25, July 23 6:30 - 9 pm $40 each

Discounts apply for attending multiple sessions; ask me.

In the fall of 2009 and winter of 2010 I will offer Anatomy and Therapeutics II , a course on the physiology of the body: each organ system, how it works, and how yoga can help conditions of each system. There is no prerequisite for this course other than your keen interest ! Details TBA.

My book Yoga for Arthritis, co-authored with Dr. Loren Fishman and published by WW Norton is now available in bookstores and Amazon.com and has received favorable reviews. Watch for the publication of Yoga for Osteoporosis in spring 2010. Both of these books contain detailed medical information about the respective conditions, explanations about how yoga can help these conditions, and specific suggested postures with instructions which reflect our backgrounds in both Iyengar Yoga and Anusara Yoga. There are more than 200 pictures and anatomical diagrams in each book as well.
Here's what senior Anusara Yoga teach Betsey Downing said about the arthritis book: "This well-researched book uses the lens of science to reveal how yoga can alleviate the suffering of arthritis. It puts into the reader's hands a powerful tool for healing."

I am working on an anatomy book for Anusara students, co-authored with Martin and Jordan Kirk, two other Anusara certified teachers who live in Arizona. This will serve as a basic anatomy curriculum for Anusara immersions and teacher trainings.

Please call this number to check on current schedule since interruptions do occur when I am out of town: 212 727 7288.

AT 17 E 16TH ST STUDIO
212 727 7288

12 - 2 pm Therapeutics including Kinetic Awareness ballwork

Asana class prices: single $18.
4 classes in one month: $68
10 class card good for 4 months: $160.

What is Anusara yoga?

Anusara Yoga is an integrated approach to Hatha Yoga in which the expression of the human spirit is interwoven with attention to precise principles of physical alignment and action.

As we perform the asanas, we open to our own greatness, we deepen our knowledge of body, mind and spirit, and we playfully celebrate the flow of life.

The practice of Anusara Yoga is vigorous and dynamic, yet there is always an emphasis on balancing the effort with sensitivity and receptivity.

Using a concise set of principles of physical alignment that apply to all poses and to everyday activities, Anusara Yoga is very effective as therapy for injuries or chronic body problems, and also as a way to maintain a state of health that is both strong and joyfully expansive.

What is Kinetic Awareness?

Kinetic Awareness is a bodywork system that can benefit people of any age or physical condition. KA techniques release chronically tight areas of the body, enhance awareness and breath, and facilitate greater range of motion. The unique feature of KA is the use of rubber balls (of varying sizes and textures) to support, massage and stretch localized areas. The result is a wonderful feeling of lightness in the body and alert quietness in the mind.

I practice 15 minutes or so of Kinetic Awareness before I start my yoga practice, and it helps loosen stiff areas and refines my awareness so that the yoga practice is more enjoyable.

What special classes are available?

I teach a therapeutics class in which we use Kinetic Awareness and Anusara Yoga to address the concerns of students in the class. The class is slower paced than a regular class, with plenty of time for questions and working with the fundamental principles that support healing. Common problems which can be addressed with this program are muscle spasms, chronic or acute pain in the lower back, knees, neck and shoulders, as well as repetitive strain injury and recovery from illness or surgery.
Students have found that this program is a helpful supplement to other treatments they may be getting and that it is adaptable to any level of injury or dysfunction. I recommend that those with more acute conditions call me first to discuss their situation.
I offer periodic weekend workshops on therapeutic topics such as knees, hips, lower back, shoulders, fertility and menopause. If you are interested in those workshops please email me.

Here's my story:

I began teaching yoga and Kinetic Awareness in the early 1980's after ten years as a dancer and massage therapist. I worked closely with Elaine Summers, the originator of Kinetic Awareness, and became certified by her in 1985. I wrote and published the first book on Kinetic Awareness in 1988; its title is Kinetic Awareness, Discovering Your Bodymind. I run training programs for people in the bodywork field who want to add ballwork to their work with clients.

In 1992 I met John Friend, the originator of Anusara Yoga, and have been studying with him consistently since then. I was certified in Anusara in 2000, and have taught in Anusara teacher training programs in New York since 2001.

In addition to teaching at my own studio and other yoga studios, I have taught at various colleges and hospitals, such as Sarah Lawrence, Bard, Columbia, Cornell, and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

I have a special interest in therapeutics, and over the past ten years I have developed yoga programs for fertility, menopause, and repetitive strain injury. I am a member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists, and have presented at two yoga therapy conferences in 2009.