Classes

Downtown Iowa City Yoga Classes

Classes are offered for all experience levels, ages, and fitness levels. Our studio is based on 10 week sessions, however walk-ins are always welcome in any class.

If you’ve never done yoga before, please enroll with our Brand New Beginners Series!

• Heartland teachers are skilled in offering modifications so all participants in the class can have a fulfilling practice. We believe you should listen to the wisdom of your own body and approach classes at the pace, and with the props, most appropriate for you.
• All of the classes currently offered are all levels classes, meaning they are appropriate for all students, not matter ability level or experience. Modifications are provided so both beginners and experienced yogis alike are able to have a deep and fulfilling practice.

Heartland Yoga Studio offers a variety of yoga styles, some of which are not available at other local studios.

We hope you join us for a class! Following yoga, sip tea and meet others to help build and support our yoga community in the heartland of Iowa City.

For accessibility, we have provided two free guided practices on relaxation, breath & movement below. Password “Namaste”.

Relaxation: https://vimeo.com/340708497

Breath & movement: https://vimeo.com/340708866

Cost is $49 for 4 classes. We recommend trying to take the classes 4 weeks in a row. However, if you miss one of the weeks, you can make up that class anytime during the next month.

Alignment Flow

Flow through poses at a slow to moderate pace with specific focus on alignment as a way to safely attain balance, strength, and flexibility.

Props may be used as a way to open and increase your body’s potential.  Each class tends to work with a theme and/or a focus on a specific aspect of the practice (such as hip openers, twists, inversions, backbends etc).

As you learn the basics of alignment, you can experience greater stability and comfort, not only in the body, but also the mind.

Kid/ Teen & Family Yoga

Para Yoga

ParaYoga is a holistic and authentic approach to modern yoga. Rooted in Tantra, Ayurveda and Classical Yoga, ParaYoga was founded by Yogarupa Rod Stryker.

In class, dynamic asana is woven with pranayama, chanting, visualization, bandhas, and meditation as a way to increase the flow of prana (vital life force), shift your mind state, and bring you more into balance.  The goal in each ParaYoga class is to cultivate energetic balance, illumination and inner brilliance, and a remembrance of your True Nature.

Fannie’s classes are physically challenging, but modifications are available for all levels.

Community Yoga

The class is donation based…pay what you can.

“Recovery is the bridge between who you were and who you are.”

There are multiple ways to check-out from the present moment (caffeine, sugar consumption, over/under eating, drugs and alcohol, Facebook, gambling, sex, shopping and/or continuous connection to your phone).  Checking-out causes a sense of separation from ourselves and others. Addiction is the ultimate form of disconnection and separation.

Yoga, on the other hand, is about connection. Through the exploration of breath, meditation, and movement this class will offer the opportunity to reconnect to yourself within a community of folks who desire the same.

This class is open to all body types, recovery paths, and abilities. Donation based. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.

Q-munity Yoga for LGBTQ Community

With Natalie Fixmer-Oraiz and Leah Allen.  Engage in community building and self-care while practicing all levels, life affirming yoga with other queer, radical, gender creative, and otherwise non-conforming folk. As an offering to/for our community, a sliding scale donation is requested of those who are able ($5-15 per class.)

Tai Chi

Tai Chi is a powerful and gentle form of moving meditation that incorporates breath-work and body awareness to increase a sense of calm and clarity. The class consists of a series of dynamic qigong warm-up exercises, a short meditation session, and instruction in Longevity Tree, a slow, compassionate movement form that can help practitioners feel more balanced, centered, expansive and free. Longevity Tree Tai Chi is beneficial to individuals of all fitness levels and everyone is welcome. No previous experience with Tai Chi is required; Tai Chi is a come-as-you-are practice that helps to cultivate internal awareness and appreciation for the precious gift of chi—our life force that connects us to ourselves and to others.

This class combines Restorative postures in a calming and rejuvenating practice. It is ideal for stress relief, provides an excellent balance with other forms of yoga and exercise, and is effective in preparing practitioners for meditation. It is appropriate for beginning and seasoned yogis alike, as all postures can easily be adapted to fit the individual.

Breath + Movement

Come in for a boost. Class will be a blend of gentle movement, flow, breath work (Pranayama), restorative poses and savasana.  Leave feeling rested and refreshed. All levels are welcomed.

Slow Flow & Restorative

This class—set to healing music—will flow through sun salutations, standing poses, seated poses, and end with a soothing restorative pose. You will work your entire body, clear and calm your mind, and leave feeling more balanced and refreshed for your day. This is the perfect fun noon activity to slip into your day! All levels of students are welcome.

Gentle Yoga & Restorative

Half gentle yoga and half restorative yoga. This is a great class if you need to learn how to slow down; or if you have fatigue, anxiety, insomnia, or an injury. It’s also just a FEEL GOOD yoga class to relax your body and mind. You will feel nourished and cared for from head to toe!

Sound Bath & Restorative Yoga

The stress-melting sound bath will include various instruments. After gentle and restorative yoga to help you settle, you will relax to the healing frequencies and vibrations of Tibetan Singing bowls and gong, frosted crystal bowls and tuning forks. This class will release deep layers of tension in your physical and energetic body, helping you to return to a calmer, clearer state.

Vinyasa Flow

The first half of class will be an inspiring vinyasa slow-flow that will build on traditional Sun/Moon Salutations. As always, modifications will be offered, and creating your own flow, at your own pace (i.e. skipping plank, cobra, etc. in favor of something more nurturing for your own body) will be encouraged. Class will flow to music and gentle adjustments will be offered.

This will prepare us for the second half of class, where we’ll settle into stillness, using supportive props for maximum relaxation. An eclectic mix of meditation, mudras, and breath work will also be included.

Who is this class for?

This class is well suited for anyone interested in a well-balanced, 75-minute retreat, with openness to a physical and mental challenge. This class will leave you feeling like you accomplished a sufficient physical practice, while also feeling rested, refreshed, and focused to smoothly transition into your week.

Guided Self- Practice

Guided Self-Practice is an approach to yoga where students work closely with the teacher so that each student develops at their own pace. Verbal as well as consensual hands-on assists provide instruction on techniques for movement, posture, breathing, concentration and stabilization. Guided Self-Practice Yoga is a way of practicing that seeks to restore normal
movement, unlock the breath, harness concentration and down regulate of the nervous system. The uniqueness of each posture and movement is an invitation to meet these conditions. To encourage this process, students work closely with the teacher so that each student develops at their own pace. Instruction is offered by way of verbal and consensual hands-on assists. As the conditions are met, the teacher provides instruction for new movements and postures and then the cycle begins again.

Prenatal & Postnatal

Lindsey’s approach to prenatal and postnatal yoga weaves together ancient wisdom and modern women. Her classes are designed to help mamas prepare for birth and beyond in body, mind and spirit.You can expect a practice focused on the breath with opportunities for meditation, pranayama, relaxation, alignment based movement and a sacred space to connect with other mamas. The season, weather, time of day and energy of the room are all integrated in Lindsey’s classes. Her passion for supporting women in pregnancy and postpartum comes from her own motherhood journey. She hopes to help mamas feel empowered to make the best decisions for their individual needs and families. Lindsey completed her RYT200 at Hothouse Yoga in Iowa City and has since studied at Prajna Yoga in Santa Fe and completed her level 1 RPYT with Hannah Muse at the Mount Madonna Institute in Santa Cruz.

Prenatal yoga is open to mamas at any stage of pregnancy. No experience necessary.

Postnatal yoga is suitable for mamas up to 2 years postpartum. Babes in arms up to full on crawling are welcome to join mama for practice.

Gentle Hatha

In this gentle class based on Classical Hatha Yoga theory and practice, we will take time to slow down. Pausing to center ourselves and practice with full awareness, we will build flexibility, strength and balance of not only body, but mind.

Classes will include pranayama (breathwork), joint opening stretches, asana (postures), relaxation and meditation. We will also explore how to apply yoga’s ancient wisdom to modern life. Appropriate for all levels.

Kundalini Yoga

Currently, our Kundalini teacher is not teaching weekly classes but will continue teaching workshops and playing gong baths at our special events.

Like other yoga classes, a Kundalini class challenges you in the studio to better enable you to face the challenges in your life off the mat, but a Kundalini class may include breath-work, mudras, mantras, and postures that you may never do in any other yoga class.

How is it different from other types of yoga?

It is known as the “Mother Yoga,” as it contains all aspects of yoga, including: postures, breath, mantra, meditation, and relaxation. In Kundalini Yoga all kriyas and meditations have been time tested by ancient yogis – the teacher is not making it up on their own! There are over 5,000 kriyas and over 8,000 meditations so you may never have the same class twice!

Why does my teacher wear white and cover their head?

White contains all colors and causes the aura or the energy body that surrounds us to expand by 8 feet, so in each class, you will notice your teacher typically wears white.  Kundalini yoga teachers also wear something on their head to protect the 7th chakra or energy center at the crown of the head.  Most of you know that by covering your head in the cold you trap the heat from escaping out of your head, and this is a similar concept.

What should I expect from a Kundalini yoga class?

Come prepared for a class of movement, chanting, breathing and meditation.  Classes can be anywhere from soothing and relaxing, to vigorous and energizing – you will never have the same class twice!

Do I have to be experienced to take a Kundalini class?

No previous yoga experience necessary, beginners are welcome in any class.