305 Yoga with Terri Cooper

July 01, 2013

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305 Yoga[/caption] This past Saturday morning I had the pleasure of taking yoga class at 305 Yoga with yogi Terri Cooper. I have known Terri Copper for a couple of years, but Saturday was the first time I had taken her yoga class. For Years everyone has been telling me that I would identify with the way yogi Terri leads a yoga class. I have to say they were right. I love Terri’s teaching style. She teaches a sequence that is accessible to all levels while remaining very challenging for the experienced yoga practitioner. Terri does not distract her students from the moment with flowery philosophy. Almost all of Terri Cooper’s language is directed towards guiding the yoga student deeper into the Self. She reminds us how to properly align the bones and how to study the transfer of energy through the field of the body. This is true Hatha Yoga teaching. Talk of philosophy during Asana and Pranayama practice will only serve to distract the mind from the Self. Terri is a qualified guide into the depths of Pratyahara. The only time Terri helped us drift away from the present was during pigeon pose. This is a good time for a yoga teacher to expand on the more than physical points of Hatha Yoga, because this pose can be painful and also inspire suppressed emotions to come to the surface. Thank you Terri for soothing us during this challenging yoga posture. 305 Yoga is a very cool Yoga studio but not so cool that I couldn’t sweat. I sweat about one gallon, and I really needed it. I felt completely relaxed and content after Terri’s 305 Yoga Sequence. The Sequence was very rooted, really working on freeing up the energy in the base chakras. I appreciated that the sequence did not endanger anyone’s neck with potentially risky yoga postures. Terri understands Yoga principals and asana sequencing. My own experience has taught me that it is not always wise to just throw a whole mixed group into headstands. Not only does Terri Cooper lead a great yoga class, but also she is passionate about bringing yoga to under privilege people through her charity organization Yoga Gangsters. “Yoga Gangsters is a Miami-based non-profit organization that empowers youth who are at-risk or in-crisis through the science and practice of yoga by addressing the symptoms of trauma and poverty such as limited education, addiction, violence, incarceration, teen pregnancy, HIV and more. Yoga Gangsters also assists youth with career training and job placement by providing selected applicants with full scholarships to the Urban Guru Program, a 200-hour yoga teacher certification, so they may return to their communities as strong, inspirational leaders. We offer classes at many inner city locations working within the juvenile justice system, schools, youth centers and other non-profit organizations.” YOGiiZA is a proud sponsor of Yoga Gangsters. We are looking forward towards participating in their next event, the Yoga Gangsters Challenge. The 108 Sun Salutation challenge will be held on 8/14/13 in Las Vegas and on 9/22/13 in Miami Beach. Last year over 700 yogis attended. We all came together as a community to help raise funds and awareness for the Yoga Gangsters. I am planning on taking more yoga classes at 305 Yoga with yogi Terri Cooper. Terri is a true inspirational leader with a gift for helping to change people’s lives for the better. For more info about goto: http://www.305yoga.com or stop by the studio : 7300 Biscayne Blvd. suite 400, 4^th floor, Miami, FL. The secret door code is *0073. You can also call Terri at 305-917-5886. Namaste….