As you begin to learn more about yoga, you’ll probably hear the term “ahimsa” used frequently, and you may think to yourself, “What the heck is that?” Simply put, ahimsa means “to do no harm”, but the implications of this tenant reach much further than one may initially think. Just remember, yoga is a lifelong process of learning – you don’t need to figure it all out at once!

In Sage Rountree’s newest online yoga class for athletes (and everyone), you’ll work towards discovering the appropriate edge of intensity, and how to apply the idea of ahimsa to yourself and your practice. Learn how to protect yourself from harm in poses by making wise choices. You’ll move through Sun Salutations and a fun core challenge before exploring the edge in IT band and groin stretches, finishing with backbends and relaxation.

We’ve already talked about the killer online yoga classes now available from last year’s Wanderlust Festival, but we only highlighted a few, so we thought we’d give you the lowdown on a few more…

We’ll start with another eye-opening practice with Schuyler Grant, filmed at Wanderlust Tahoe 2011. Explore uddiyana bandha, not as an isolated ‘kriya’ but as a compliment to the traditional blend of posture and breath, as the key to moving from flow to flight in the vinyasa practice. Inversions and arm balancing will make whole body sense when initiated from ‘the flying up’ lock. Twisting and backbending take on a new level of depth and support. Don’t expect traditional ab work, but do expect to feel muscles you never knew existed.

Or how about this workshop-style class taught by Anne Marie Kramer at Wanderlust Vermont 2011? Perfect for teachers and students looking to dive deeper into the mechanics and art of hand standing, you’ll flow through vinyasas to warm up and then experiment with tricky arm balances and inversions while grooving to inspiring tunes. Anne Marie Kramer takes you step-by-step through these uplifting poses, empowering you to explore them on your own. Take your practice to new heights. Everyone has the power to take flight on and off the mat!

Finally, if you’re feeling groovy, try Lauren Hanna’s Jala Namaskar class. Created by Shiva Rea, Jala Namaskar is a fluid practice of connecting to the undulating pulse of the water element. Filmed at Wanderlust Vermont 2011, the class focuses on Sahaja (free form movement) and pulsation within the asana. It will juice you up, unlock your creativity, and allow you to dive into the spontaneous dance of your fluid body. Yum!

If you don’t already follow YogaDork, you should! Yoga news, funnies, and miscellany fill the site – always an entertaining and interesting read – which is why we’re so jazzed to announce our new collaboration! (It’s not just the extra coffee I’ve had that’s making me use so many exclamation points, YD’s da bomb!)

We’ll be sharing one of our classes on YogaDork, rotating every couple of weeks, absolutely free. No strings. No sign-up. You’re incognito. You’re Batman.

To start things off, enjoy Cora Wen’s Janu Vira Cycle, a sequence of seated hip openers and twists. Perfect for beginning and winding down a practice of twists, hip openers, shoulder openers, and backbends. Enjoy!

I feel pretty confident I’m not just projecting my angst. I get to talk to a lot of yogis, and many of them express this inner conflict. Sure, there are those who happily dance from one style to another, but, from what I’ve seen, they’re the lucky few. So what to do when you find yourself in this place? Shake things up!

One of the awesome things about practicing from home is the ability to dabble. Attending a class in person can feel daunting, like there are too many opportunities for missteps. What if I don’t like the teacher? What if the style icks me out? What if I get lost and don’t even find the class? All this dissolves in the comfort of your home.

Today I invite you to release the pressure, play around with a style of yoga you’ve never tried before, break out of your box! Not sure where to start? Don’t worry – if you’re not into the first online yoga class you choose, you can always pop back and start a new one.

Give it a try and let me know how it goes!

As the Founder of Curvy Yoga, Anna writes and teaches about yoga and embodiment as the foundations of living well-lived (and body well-loved). She is also the co-teacher of 30 Days of CurvyYoga and editor of Curvy Voices, a forthcoming anthology sharing the personal stories of people who have improved their body image through yoga. In addition, she is the co-founder of Teachasana, the first site by and for yoga teachers. To learn more about Anna, please visit her website www.curvyyoga.com.

Anna’s first class, Body Love, Body Awareness, explores the first step toward a more loving relationship with your body – body awareness. In this online yoga class, you’ll draw your attention to your body through a slow flow standing sequence. Although this class is designed for beginners, it’s also great for folks who would love a gentle, full body stretch today, culminating in a curvy loving kindness meditation to send you on your way with gentleness.

Want to get your curvy flow on? If so, Anna’s second online yoga class, Curvy Flow, is for you! Flow through several different Sun Salutation options designed with people of all shapes and sizes in mind. This class is appropriate for beginners to more seasoned practitioners who are looking for an accessible, body positive experience.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

We’ve shared our love of Jennifer Pastiloff before – her infectious zest for life never ceases to amaze and inspire! That’s why we wanted to be sure to encourage our east coast friends to attend one (or all!) of her upcoming workshops.

On Wednesday, March 28, Jen will teach at Dhyana Yoga in Philadelphia, 6:30pm – 8:30pm : Register here

On Thursday, March 29, Jen will be at Yoga Vida NYC, 6:15pm – 8:15pm: Register here

And On Sunday, April 1 (no joke!), Jen will be at Pure Yoga NYC, 1:30pm – 3:30pm: Register here 

Want to really get away? How about Italy? Join Jen July 2 – July 9, 2012 for a yogic dream in Tuscany! Details here.

Yeah, I wouldn’t mind a week there at all!

Finally, lest we forget, take a peek at Jen’s appearance on Good Morning America – isn’t she great?!

Look for online yoga classes from Rod Stryker, Schuyler Grant, Dana Flynn, Rolf Gates, John Friend and loads of other amazing teachers. Wanderlust features many asana practices, but you’ll also find videos that will appeal to those of you looking to deepen your experience with workshop style and discussion oriented scenarios.

Attending Wanderlust is a yogi’s dream – great food, great music, great community, and, of course, great yoga! But if it’s not in the cards for you to make it, you can still participate in the energy and enthusiasm by experiencing a class from the comfort of your own home.

Here’s a sampling ~

Rod Stryker’s Yoga of Fulfillment and the Science of Destiny:

Schuyler Grant’s Kula Flow:

Dana Flynn’s Lotus Flow:

Rolf Gates’ Seventh Chakra/Vinyasa: Gratitude + Devotion:

John Friend’s Summer Solstice Practice:

Check out the full selection on YogaVibes!

Based in Boston, Ame Wren is a self-proclaimed “yoga mutt.” Her teaching is a hybrid of many styles of yoga and heavily influenced by her own practice and teachers. She’s known for lacing her classes with humor and wisdom while instilling the importance of proper alignment and smart transitioning to craft a long-term, safe asana practice. Continually humbled by the practice and its devotees, Ame hopes to aid students in finding their own quiet space on their mat. She is greatly indebted to all of her teachers past and present and is continually inspired by her NYC home away from home, Kula Yoga Project. Ame was recently named Best Yoga Instructor in the 2010 Boston Magazine ”Best of Boston” awards. Ame leads teacher trainings and retreats nationally and internationally and is a featured teacher at Wanderlust Festival.

In this online Vinyasa yoga class, you’ll begin with a slow flow warm-up focused on the side body and twisting, then move into variations of Surya Namaskar, followed by a standing sequence and floor sequence. You’ll work up to and then down from parsva bakasana, moving gracefully through lunges, core work and hip openers. We know you’ll love Ame as much as we do – enjoy!

Hala Khouri has been teaching movement arts for over 20 years. Her roots are in Ashtanga and Iyengar yoga, dance, somatic psychology, and the juicy mystery of life itself. Creative movement and honest self-exploration have always been a source of tremendous healing for Hala, and her calling to share this with others has been clear to her since she began teaching at the age of 16. Hala earned her B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Religion from Columbia University and has a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute. She wrote her thesis on using yoga and other complementary disciplines, such as eco-psychology and somatics for self-empowerment, to inspire a global shift towards peaceful and sustainable living.

Hala is also one of the creators of Off the Mat, Into the World, along with Seane Corn and Suzanne Sterling, a yoga and activism initiative that aims to get yogis to take their practice outside of the yoga studio and to touch the lives of others. Hala has taught yoga and the movement arts to a wide variety of people ranging from schizophrenics and at-risk youth to mommies and rock stars. Teaching is her absolute favorite thing to do! She currently lives in Venice, CA with her husband Paul and their two sons. To learn more about Hala, please visit her website at www.halakhouri.com.

Try Hala’s Fluid Heart Opening Flow today, and connect your body, breath and essence with compassion and love.

Jamie’s life-long study of movement and the human body has taken her from dance to pilates and ultimately, to yoga. Through eight years as a full-time yoga teacher, Jamie has grown her craft and developed a special style of teaching that focuses on safety, strength, and healing. Jamie’s experience includes six years full-time at Exhale: Center for Sacred Movement in Venice, CA, and continued workshops and trainings at exhale; involvement in Yoga Alliance Teacher Training; and development of nationally renowned workshop series How to Teach Beginners and Applied Anatomy of Yoga.

Jamie travels nationally to studios from Los Angeles to the Adirondacks, teaching workshops, classes and trainings. Jamie holds a BA from California Institute of the Arts, Pilates Teacher Certification from Long Beach Dance Conditioning, Yoga teacher training from Max Strom Yoga, and Walk Well Practitioner from Brourman Gait Therapy, and the designation of E-RYT 500 from Yoga Alliance. To learn more about Jamie, please visit her website www.firstrayyoga.wordpress.com.

Jamie has filmed four classes for YogaVibes, and we look forward to many more! To experience Jamie’s signature style of teaching, try her Breath-Infused Flow practice today!