What is Yoga?
Yoga: yo·ga 
: From the Sanskrit word yogah - union or joining. Yoga enables one to have a greater connection between the body, mind, and spirit. Although yoga comes from another culture which has different religious principles, yoga itself is not a religion. It is a philosophy that combines various techniques to help people deal with the challenges of daily life. Yoga helps to remove the obstacles that hinder the joy of living.
Hatha Yoga stresses physical control and postures, and it is widely practiced in the west. With Hatha yoga we deal with the obstacles that prevent the body from functioning at peak performance. Major obstacles to the body are stress, stiff joints, tight/weak muscles and improper breathing, as well as poor circulation and digestion.
Hatha yoga is unique because it takes the body through a full range of motion which creates greater flexibility in the joints as well as increased strength and muscle tone. The rhythmic breathing provides a greater supply of oxygen for the body which both improves circulation and calms the mind. The postures provide a gentle massage to the internal organs, improving digestion. Most importantly, hatha yoga has a significant impact on one's level of stress. When the body is released of muscular and emotional tension life energy is freed up allowing for a sense of ease and well-being.
Some people associate hatha yoga with "easy yoga", however this is not a correct definition. Hatha yoga is really an umbrella term for any class that focuses on postures and movement. The style of instruction is determined by the teacher's training and the origins of that training.
Currently the most popular styles of hatha yoga taught in America are: Bikram, Iyengar, Ashtanga, Jivamukti, and Integral. Then there are individuals who have become so popular their name alone defines the style of class, i.e. Shiva Rea, Erich Schiffman, Ana Forrest, Rodney Yee and Angela Farmer. Further styles have develeoped resulting in classes called Power yoga, Flow yoga, Vinyasa, Chair yoga, Soft yoga, Slow flow, Core Flow, etc.
A hatha yoga class can be extremely gentle where students never get up off the floor or remain in a chair or resting on cushions; or the class can be strenuous enough for students to break into a sweat, reducing calories and building significant muscle strength. The versatility of hatha yoga allows one to find a class that suits his/her personal and physical needs.
At laughing bodies the instruction for beginners focuses on proper alignment of the body. Beginner classes are ideal for the new student, older student, or student recovering from an injury. As students become more skilled in their postures, Level 2 classes offer more challenging postures as well as flowing postures together in a "vinyasa" style of yoga. Flow classes are offered for those either with a yoga background or for a beginner who likes a good workout and is injury free.
Rebecca's background is an eclectic mix of some of the finest systems and teachers of hatha yoga in the west and India. Her style of instrutction is largely influenced by her students' needs and continues to evolve.