September 2025 Newsletter
Greetings from The Yoga Shala Seattle! Summer is wrapping up, which means it’s time to think about programming and class schedules for the upcoming year. Our winter/spring programming survey is live, and we want to know what YOU want to see more of at the Shala! Fill out the survey here!
Community Classes and FREE Yoga in the Park
Starting September 13th, you can find our newest cohort of teacher trainees offering Ashtanga Fundamentals classes on Saturdays at 10:30 AM. These classes are donation-based and part of our ongoing fundraising efforts to support the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network’s Fair Fight Bond Fund. We have raised a significant amount of money for this important cause, and we so appreciate your continued support. These classes are beginner-friendly, so feel free to bring friends and family along!
We are also excited to be partnering with the U District to offer a series of free yoga classes in the U District’s Station Park. Join the Yoga Shala founder, Brendan Smullen, and members of the Shala’s teaching team on select weekends for an empowering 60-minute yoga and breathwork practice. Participants will practice and refine with the guidance of a skilled teacher.
Week 1: 10am-11am: Sunday, September 7th: Introduction to Yoga
Week 2: 10am-11am: Sunday, September 14th: Intermediate Vinyasa
Week 2: 10am-11am: Sunday, September 21st: Ashtanga Fundamentals
Week 4: 10am-11am: Sunday, September 28th: Introduction to Yoga
Start Your Practice: Fall Edition
Summer is ending, which means the fall edition of our Start Your Practice Series is right around the corner!
Join Yoga Shala co-founder Brendan Smullen on October 5th at 10 AM for a 3-hour workshop exploring the fundamental postures of the Ashtanga Primary series—a challenging but accessible approach to classical yoga. Students will be guided through the foundational and standing postures of the Primary series and learn the principles of the Ashtanga tradition to enter into a daily practice routine.
Enrollment in the workshop includes a one-month membership to the Shala, giving students unlimited access to guided and Mysore-style classes where they will receive personalized care and attention to body-specific details to make the yoga work for everyone. This is the perfect opportunity for new students to learn the basics or for seasoned practitioners looking to recommit to their practice!
Intro to Handstands Round Three!
The August AND September editions of our Intro to Handstand workshop sold out so fast that we opened a third slot! Join us on October 12th for our next all-levels handstand workshop focusing on entry-level movements and drills requisite for a handstand practice.
This workshop will involve partner drills and principles of safely bailing from inverted shapes, building comfort upside-down for spatial orientation, and the appropriate use of handstands in an asana-based context.
This is the final introductory workshop that serves as a prerequisite for theNovember 16th Intermediate Handstands Workshop, so make sure to sign up soon!
Tropical Getaway?! Last Call for Bali Practice Intensive
Are you dreaming of a tropical getaway?? You're in luck, because Brendan and Christiane have TWO spots open for their upcoming Bali Practice Intensive, October 22-November 25!
Here is all you need to know:
Week 1: Oct 22-29
Week 2: Oct 29-Nov 5
The experience includes:
Lodging at Shala Bali with gorgeous views of rice terraces (7 OR 14 nights)
Two vegan/vegetarian meals per day
One weekly excursion to temples, rice terraces, and more
Local transportation from Denpasar Airport to lodging (select shuttle times)
ALL Yoga sessions (Daily Mysore and guided classes, specialty workshops -such as backbends, inversions, support practice, daily pranayama and meditation, select lectures)
There is ONE single room left for the first week of the intensive (Oct 22-29) and ONE spot in a double room for both weeks of practice!
For more information, visit our website or reach out to us directly with questions!
Community Recap: Conference, Handstands, and Thai Massage
August was a busy month at the Shala as we spent time in community at our summer conference and explored new things with our Thai Massage and Intro to Handstands workshops.
We have been thrilled to welcome Cat to the Shala and are so grateful to her for sharing her knowledge of Thai massage with us. We learned a lot and can't wait to have her back again soon! (P.S. Don't forget to catch Cat for her last few Yin classes on Tuesdays at 7:30!)
We also had a great time at the first edition of our Intro to Handstands workshop, learning about getting upside down in an asana-based context and facing our fear of falling. Missed out on this workshop? Sign up for the October iteration!
The Eight Limbs: Samadhi
The eighth and final limb of Ashtanga Yoga is samadhi, a state of complete absorption. In dharana, the practitioner begins to focus the mind on one specific object. In dhyana, the focus becomes more complete, establishing a connection between the practitioner and the object of contemplation. In samadhi, the practitioner merges with the object of contemplation, letting go of personal identity and becoming one with the object of meditation.
Once the practitioner has established this merging with the object of concentration, they enter a state called samyama, which involves a complete, unmitigated understanding of the object. Consistent practice of samadhiresults in kaivalya, existing in a constant state of samadhi, representing complete freedom from external forces of the world.
Other Resources
Did you know Moon Days are listed on our website? Super convenient.
Newsletters are now archived on our website.
We can't wait to practice with you!
