gottadoyoga.com
Yoga in Sacramento with Bill Counter
Ashtanga for all levels: breathwork, vinyasa flow, meditation and fun!
Yoga Sacramento -- classes for all levels. Bill Counter teaches Classical Hatha, Power Yoga and Ashtanga.

 

Yoga builds strength, enhances balance, improves mental focus and promotes an overall feeling of well-being. It's been around for thousands of years because it works!

 

Fun and challenges await at yoga in Sacramento. There's lots to choose from in terms of intensity and style.

 

UNLOCK YOUR POTENTIAL!

If you already do yoga you know how wonderful it can make you feel. If you're new to the practice or just haven't found a style you like, come experience the Sacramento yoga classes I teach.

You'll come out of class feeling taller, stronger and happier about everything in your life.

Yoga cultivates your inner strengths, promotes greater flexibility, and calms the mind. An ongoing practice enhances those mental resources which will provide you with reserves of balance, tranquility and contentment. It'll make you better prepared for all the challenges of your life.

Ashtanga Yoga in Sacramento: Here's Kathy Dominic having a great time in Yoga Dandasana from the Ashtanga Fourth Series.

I try to keep the classes both fun and challenging. There should always be at least a few things in class that you can't do so that you'll be inspired to keep your practice growing.

The sacramento yoga classes page has some information about the Ashtanga Yoga style of practice I teach as well as some photos showing the work we do in my classes.

For current times and class location data, head to the schedule page on my Absolutely Ashtanga website.

All of the classes are open to students of all levels. I'm always offering lots of basic instruction and suggestions about ways to make the practice easier.

If you're experienced and looking for more challenges, Ashtanga classes offer an extraordinary opportunity to systematically deepen your practice.


Yoga Sacramento: Here's Bill working with a yoga class on Parsvottanasana -- rom the Ashtanga opening sequence.All the classes are offered on a drop-in basis. Just pick a class and show up. We begin by doing whatever is comfortable for you right now.

You'll be challenged but also encouraged to do only what is currently right for your practice. There's always a range of different intensity options for everything we do.

Class by class you'll notice a transformation of your body and the way you experience your life.

If If you're new to yoga, check out our Tips for Yoga Beginners for a bit of advice on what to expect from your first class.

If the meditative aspects of the tradition are of interest, our Meditation page will get you started on your journey with links to sites discussing Indian philosophy, classic texts and specific meditation techniques.

If you're trying to make sense of all the different types of yoga, your explorations could start with Sacramento Yoga: A Guide to Practice Styles where there's information to help you sort out the differences between Bikram yoga, Iyengar, Power Yoga, Ashtanga,Yin Yoga and the many other class styles currently offered in local studios.

Please contact me if there are any questions about your Sacramento yoga options. I hope to see you in class soon!

Namaste!

Bill Counter
(916)441-4914

bill@gottadoyoga.com



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Sacramento yoga options include classes for all levels. Here's Bill Counter teaching a mixed levels Power Yoga class.

 

 

 


Classes are ongoing
-- start any week!

YOGA FAQs

Why do yoga?  On a physical level, yoga practice can help you stretch and massage shortened muscles, build strength and bone density, improve balance, massage your internal organs and give you a cardiovascular workout.

Is it meditative?  Classically, the physical practices have just been the beginning. The core of the tradition is meditation. We focus on the breath while doing the poses and end each class with a final relaxation and meditation. You'll find that the practice of yoga cultivates mental focus and clarity, promotes relaxation and tends to make you happier about the rest of your life. And it's fun.

How can I do yoga? I can't even touch my toes. You don't have to be strong or flexible to begin. You can work on preparatory versions of the harder poses, skip a few things, come out of poses early if you need to and just have a good time with the practice. The strength, flexibility and balance will develop over time. The easy things you can do now, the impossible ones just take a little longer.

Yoga Sacramento: The classes are offered in a variety of formats and intensity levels. Here's Bill in Sayanasana from the Ashtanga Yoga fourth series.

Can I really get a serious workout from yoga?   Guaranteed. Come to an Ashtanga class if you want to work. Many newcomers to the practice are amazed at the variety of poses we do and the intensity level of the classes. It's not just lie around and stretch. You'll find muscles you didn't know existed. But I want you to take it easy at first. There will be lots of opportunities to take rests and modify the poses.

Where does yoga come from?
This is an ancient practice from India. The roots of yoga can be traced back thousands of years to civilizations of the Indus Valley. In Indian thought, yoga is considered one of six major branches of inquiry (shat darshana) or ways of viewing the world.

Is yoga a religion?    No, it's a philosophical system with both physical and meditative practice components. The techniques of the system have been used by atheistic as well as religious groups (Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain among others) because the work has been proven to be of lasting value for producing health and happiness. In our present culture we're happily obsessed with the fitness benefits that yoga provides. 

What does the word yoga mean?    It's a Sanskrit word meaning "yoke" or "union". In the traditional sense, yoga is concerned with linking the individual with the rest of the cosmos in a meditative state. Yoga is both the system of physical and meditative techniques involved on the journey and a description of the goal.

Here's Bill with a yoga class resting after backbends.

What sorts of results can I expect?    It depends on the nature of your practice. In the classic text Patanjali's Yoga Sutra (from about 200 b.c.) the advice for a successful yoga practice includes vairagya (detachment from goals) and abhyasa (a long-term dedicated practice). There is a correlation between progress and frequency of practice. Moderation and consistency will pay off.

Where should I start?
If you're just beginning your explorations, come to one of my classes and see how wonderful yoga can make you feel. Just check the schedule, pick a class time that's convenient and show up!

I'll see you in class soon!

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Yoga Sacramento, California -- Gotta Do Yoga!