Spiral Flight touts itself as Georgetown's first yoga and healing arts center; "yoga from within." It's hard to believe that it took Georgetown until 1997 to get a yoga center, but they're lucky to have one that, albeit young, seems to be imbued with a passion for the centuries old tradition of yoga. Their schedule of 5 to 7 classes a day, with prenatal and children's classes, and their extensive online descriptions of the various styles of yoga and their benefits, are clues that this studio has more than exercise in mind.
Their offerings include four styles of yoga, Feldenkrais, Pilates, meditation, massage, accupuncture, Reiki, Trager, hotstone therapy, and workshops in the healing arts. There are six 'therapists' listed on Spiral Flight's website, and twenty-nine(!) teachers, all "hand-picked, spiritual, open-minded and intelligent people." And I don't doubt. I've been to two classes so far and both were taught by incredibly knowledgable and dedicated teachers. In a field where you often run into people who fall in love with yoga and decide to get certified and teach over a span of 1 or 2 years, it's heartening to encounter people who have been practicing and teaching for decades, and who understand how powerful and transformative the practice can be.
Jane Fryer taught a class the day after thanksgiving, and it was packed. It was her Friday "Anusara for Women" class. John Friend is there in her teaching, but her knowledge preceeds him and comes from an old-school tradition, where yoga can liberate and empower and ground the spirit, and the practice is not merely physical and energetic, with spirals and grace and energy, but also has a deep psychic openness to it that should be recognized and honored. "We are half heaven and half earth; cosmic centaurs" is a far cry from John's "Take it to the mat!"
The class had little vinyasa to it, but we covered a lot of ground. Our focus was gratitude, and we twisted to cleanse and we opened our shoulders and hearts to receive. Most importantly, we concentrated for 90 minutes on being in the present and how powerful that can be. Jane sent us off feeling inspired and open, and that is the best thing that can come a class.
Jane told us that Penelope Taylor would sub for her the following Friday, and while her yoga was less intense, she was not. Jane practices "Energy medicine" and her knowledge of the body was obvious. She used lavender to increase flexibility and pressure points to open our bodies. She demonstrated the life force of a pure lavender oil versus a commercial one. She stretched and reached us to a state of mindful relaxation.
It will take a while to get around to all of the teachers at Spiral Flight, but something tells me it's worth it.
Spiral Flight, 1826 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Georgetown, 202.965.1645, www.spiralflightyoga.com
This article was really interesting! I'm a reiki teacher so I'm more into that, but I think I have to check out Yoga sometime! Keep up the good work / Elsa
Posted by: Reiki symbols | September 14, 2008 at 10:44 AM
Hello, I just wanted to say that I find your blog very inspiring. I hope you do well in the future and keep on the good work. / Elsa
Posted by: Reiki chakra | September 16, 2008 at 02:44 PM