About Purna Yoga™

In the West, the word “yoga” implies a set of physical postures (asana) and breathing practices (pranayama) known collectively as hatha yoga.  However, yoga teachers and serious students understand that yoga is far vaster, deeper, and more subtle.  Purna Yoga™ serves as a bridge between ancient yoga and its contemporary expression.  It integrates the vast aspects of yoga into a set of tools that are invaluable to those seeking greater health and fulfillment.

Purna Yoga™ is based on the premise that, to live in true health, we must care for all aspects of our being: the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.  Hence, yoga teachers must receive the finest training in asana and pranayama, as well as a wide range of disciplines that address the totality of a student’s well-being.  The four components of Purna Yoga™ are: 

Asana and Pranayama  Purna Yoga™ asana and pranayama are based on Iyengar’s system of alignment and precision.  Yogic anatomy, therapeutic applications of the asanas, and the use of asana knowledge in daily life come from Iyengar’s teachings, and are incorporated into Purna Yoga™ through the personal experience and practice of Aadil and Mirra. 

Meditation   Called Transformative Spirituality, Purna Yoga™ meditation focuses on opening the heart chakra, the seat of the soul in the physical body and our access to the Divine.  Transformative Spirituality is an active and dynamic progression of self-discovery and personal evolution.  The spiritual foundation of Transformative Spirituality and Purna Yoga™ comes from the work of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother, and is clarified by the daily experience of Mirra and Aadil Palkhivala.  Sri Aurobindo realized that the Divine is an evolutionary being which is involved in and an integral part of the universe, not separate from creation.  The Mother worked to bring all aspects of the Divine into the physical world.  Together with the foundation of Transformative Spirituality, the works of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother supports Purna Yoga™ practitioners in bringing the whole of yoga into their day-to-day thoughts, words and actions, inspiring the evolution of consciousness. 

Applied Philosophy   The Vedas, Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, the writings of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother, and other texts are used in Purna Yoga™ to lay the foundation of yoga philosophy.  In Purna Yoga™ all philosophy is based on its application in life and never for its own sake.  The understanding of Purna Yoga™ is that knowledge in and of itself changes nothing; knowledge must be applied to make a difference.  To this end, Purna Yoga™ teachers hold themselves to the highest ethical standards and live their yoga rather than merely talk philosophy. 

Nutrition and Lifestyle   Purna Yoga™ encourages practitioners to align all aspects of their life.  While caring for our bodies with asana and pranayama, and our minds with philosophy and meditation, we cannot ignore the foods that we eat and the way we live. Since nutrition plays a critical role in health, Purna Yoga™ draws upon the wisdom of Ayurvedic nutrition, Chinese nutritional philosophy, and the best of Western nutrition, as well as incorporating tools that eliminate or offer protection from exposure to environmental toxins.  Purna Yoga™ encourages practitioners to balance, cleanse, and nourish their bodies on a very deep level. 

Rather than one more yoga, in a world where brand name yogas are constantly being created, Purna Yoga™ may be characterized as one less yoga!  It is a clarified synthesis of the great yogic truths.  Purna Yoga™ honors the essence of the teachings of all the great masters of truth and light.  Teachers of Purna Yoga™ embody a truly holistic approach to yoga teaching, and are able to teach not only asana, but true yoga.  They teach from the wisdom and light within their hearts. 

The College of Purna Yoga™ was established in 2004 and Jennifer Weinert graduated in the first class of 2006. For comparison, a graduate of The College of Purna Yoga™ is certified with 2000 hours of teacher training…RYT’s or CYT’s (registered or certified yoga teachers) are certified with only 200 or 500 hours. For more information about this most excellent school, please visit http://www.yogacenters.com/college_details.html

Private Instruction

Jennifer Weinert is a certified Purna Yoga instructor with more than 2000 hours of teacher training. She has studied extensively with Aadil Palkhivala, who holds an advanced teaching certificate from BKS Iyengar. Mr. Iyengar and Aadil Palkhivala have developed therapeutic applications for yoga postures that are prescribed to heal injuries, alleviate pain and generally improve overall health. Scheduling private yoga instruction is ideal for personalized attention and for learning specifically what poses may help you the most. You will learn proper alignment as well as the benefits for the poses that are suggested for your practice.

Private Instruction is available at Jennifer Weinert’s Home Studio which is equipped with props and wall ropes that can be used for therapeutic applications.

Rates

Public classes at Jennifer’s Home Studio are $12 single class, $48 for a six week series of six classes or $36 for any four classes taken within the six-week series. (Please contact Jennifer for yoga class series schedule).

Private yoga instruction is offered in Jennifer's home studio for $60.00 per hour.

Public classes at Balancing Monkey Yoga Center are $13 single class, $55 for 5 classes or $100 for 10 classes. Periodically there are ten- week series offered which are a good value. You may take 10 classes for $80 or 20 classes for $160.  For more information please visit www.balancingmonkey.com