Yoga Samadhi

Information may not be reliable

Our beautiful, spacious yoga studio in Seattle is located on Capitol Hill at the corner of 12th Ave. and E. Pike St. The entrance is on E. Pike St. and we are on the first floor. We are on the #11 busline and if driving, be sure to come at least 10 minutes early. Parking is a challenge with all the new construction in the area.

At Samadhi Yoga our aim is to share the magic of yoga to help students attain the essential state of joy or Samadhi. Our center promotes the practice of yoga in a supportive environment with the ultimate goal of helping to build a world of peace and unity.
Samadhi literally translated means transcendental bliss. Yoga means yoke or union. (We yoke our individual mind to the Divine or higher mind.)
Samadhi is the 8th stage or branch on the "tree" of Ashtanga yoga first written down by Patanjali more than 2,000 years ago. Yama and Niyama are the rules and observances for living, Asana are the yogic postures, Pranayama are breathing practices, Pratyahara is withdrawing the senses to facilitate Dharana (concentration or focus) and Dhyana (meditation). By integrating these tools into our daily lives, we are likely to realize the great peace that lies within. Through yoga we may realize our timeless connection to Spirit and to each other, in community. One needn't subscribe to any particular beliefs to receive the immense benefits of yoga. It is a time-tested recipe for manifesting the highest state of being.

Samadhi Yoga combines vigorous, athletic yoga with slow, sustained stretches, refinement of alignment in held poses, as well as emphasis on the breath and focus of the mind. In short it is a practice of moving meditation. Samadhi yoga is a method evolved from Hunt's own research and experience in yoga and dance.
Just as metal can be reshaped by application of heat, the body can be transformed by blending the "fire of prana"-the vital life force in all living things with sequential asanas or yogic postures.
Classes include traditional yoga chanting in Sanskrit and deep meditation intended to carry us further in our journey towards Samadhi.

An evening of sacred chants/mantra and songs from several traditions that allow the mind to rest and the heart to bloom! Come as you are, participate as you like: sing, dance, or rest back and soak in the powerful bhakti vibrations that sing through you. Remember your innocence. Gina has been chanting mantra and kirtan for 35 years, and is joined by Geoff Johns (tabla, mbira, vox), and other wonderful guests. Suggested donation $15 www.GinaSala.com

The intention is for this to be a workshop in which each class builds upon movements learned in the prior class. Commit to all three classes if your schedule permits. Saturday,Nov. 6th 9-11am & 2-4pm Sunday, Nov. 7th 9-11am Entire Workshop: $75 Per Class: $30 Lita has taught yoga full time since 2001, and focused her studies and practice on Shadow Yoga with Zhander Remete since 2003. She has completed a 3 year training and traveled extensively working with him. Lita has taught a Shadow Yoga program at the Yoga Shala of Portland since 2006, and offers workshops, retreats, and private classes. http://www.litayoga.com

Part 1 of a 4 part series: The Sister Sciences of Yoga and Ayurveda; Saturday, Nov. 20th 2-4pm $35 before Nov. 10th, $45 after Yoga and Ayurveda are sister sciences that have been practiced for thousands of years to bring harmony to the body, mind, and consciousness. In this workshop you will learn more about how Ayurveda is a practice of living in balance with your constitution, your environment and the seasons. You will learn how to evaluate your prakruti (original constitution), and vikruti (present constitutional imbalance) and how to create a physical yoga practice that will nourish you and enhance your well being. Part 2: Winter Yoga & Ayurveda; Saturday, Feb. 19th, 2-4pm Winter is the Kapha season. Kapha dosha is governed by the earth & water elements. At this time of year it is common to feel fatigued, heavy & sluggish. Tami will share yoga practices, dietary recommendations, cleansing techniques, & daily routines that will build up immunity & decrease Kapha from the system. This workshop will be invigorating. The practice will be active & warming. You will leave feeling restored & fully vitalized. Part 3: Summer Yoga & Ayurveda; Saturday, June 11th, 2-4pm Summer is the season of Pitta, the elements of fire and water. This season connects us to solar energy. When out of balance, pitta manifests as extra heat in the system which can cause irritability & intensity. Yoga practice during this time of year should be cooling, calming and slow. Tami will share insights on how to stay relaxed during this season through yoga, dietary recommendations, cleansing techniques & daily routine. This practice will be slow & meditative including gentle flow, pranayama & some restorative postures. The intention will be to connect deeply within and be guided by intuition. Part 4: Autumn Yoga & Ayurveda; Saturday, Sept. 24th 2-4pm Ayurvedic practices teach us to harmonize ourselves with natures rhythmic cycles. Autumn is the season in which Vata dosha, the elements of air & space are very active. During this time of year it is common to feel cold, dry & ungrounded. Tami will share yoga practices, dietary recommendations, cleansing techniques, & daily routines that decrease vata from the system. This practice will be soothing & nourishing and will include warming flow, restorative postures & yin poses. You will leave feeling peaceful, centered & focused. This course is open to all levels of experience in Yoga & Ayurveda. The intention is to create a nurturing environment for you to move deeply into new & familiar practices.

YOGA TEACHER BIOGRAPHIES
Kathleen Hunt Kathleen Hunt danced her way through childhood; studying ballet from age four, performing and creating dance pieces throughout her formative years, such as performing the 'Clover Fairy Frolic' in Iowa cemeteries, among various other recitals and song/dance extravaganzas. Hunt trained extensively in body awareness and movement modalities, earning a BA in Dance at the University of Washington. She studied under Joan Skinner (Skinner Releasing method) and Peggy Hackney (Labanotation/Bartenieff fundamentals) as well as ballet with Ruthanna Boris and anatomy/physiology. Post college, she was involved in dance production - direction, choreography and performance - receiving numerous grants and commissions for her work in collaboration with musicians, visual and literary artists. Hunt studied yoga primarily with Marie Svoboda, Felicity Green (Iyengar), Dharma Mitra, Swami Shankarananda ('Sivananda'), Sri K. Patabhi Jois and Aadil Palkhivala. She taught dance and movement classes beginning in 1983 and began teaching yoga in 1986, teaching at the Jivamukti Yoga Center in NYC, for eleven years at Physical Culture and at the Downtown YMCA in Seattle. In 1995 she founded the 'Samadhi Yoginis', a yoga dance troupe that has performed in Seattle theatres, restaurants, nightclubs, senior centers, benefit productions such as Positive Yoga, elementary schools, weddings and in the NW Yoga Festival. In 1998 Hunt began the Samadhi Yoga Teacher Training program, which has run for eight consecutive years, with over 100 graduates. Kathleen and her partner, Steve Davis, opened the current Samadhi Yoga Center in 1999. In 2006 Hunt and Davis teamed up with Patti Hammerle to lead the first 'Samadhi Yoga Pilgrimage to India'. Kathleens' extensive experience in dance, yoga and spiritual traditions have all helped to shape her innovative, vinyasa technique and teaching methods.
Steve Davis The path of yoga began to open for me shortly after resigning my commission as a US Naval Intelligence officer in 1990. Bitter and disenchanted with the US Global agenda under Regan and Bush, I began several years of travel, climbing expeditions, self inquiry, and fasting. Initial forays into meditation and asana were short lived until one fateful asana class with Kathleen Hunt in 1993. Suddenly, yoga became the focus of my life. It was as if I knew this was what I was supposed to do without knowing anything about it. The physical and mental changes I experienced over the next few years were profound and greatly impacted my work (design) and my relationships. I came to realize that everything I perceived was a reflection of my inner state, and that the most important thing I could do in this lifetime was to understand myself. My greatest inspiration has always been the brilliance and beauty of Mother Nature. Samadhi Yoga Center began as a gift to my guru, Sri K. P. Hunt, so that she could continue to teach the transformational science of yoga in a sacred space dedicated to spiritual awakening and self knowledge. My style incorporates vinyasa and Kundalini with an emphasis on pranayama and meditation. I continue to study yoga, physics, neuropsychology, and shamanism as a means for deepening my knowledge of the body, mind, and spirit realms.
Eiric Ovrid It took a bicycle accident and a severe blow to the head to bring me to my first yoga class in 1994. I knew in the first five minutes that I would be on this path the rest of my life. I was finally home. God works in mysterious ways! I began teaching in 1998, completing the teacher training program at Samadhi Yoga under the guidance of my first teacher, Kathleen Hunt, in 1999. I would like to give special recognition to the following teachers for their inspiration and guidance in my teaching style, Atha(NOW)Yoga*: Anna Forrest, Kittie Whittkower, Richard Schactel, Doug Swenson and Kathleen Hunt. *Atha Yoga - a Vinyasa/Iyengar style practice, infused with spirituality and an emphasis in being present in the moment, NOW!
Douglas Ridings A graduate of the Samadhi Yoga Teacher-Training program, Douglas has been teaching yoga to people of all ages since 1999. Drawing from his background in Butoh (a meditative form of contemporary Japanese dance) and Odissi (a kind of classical Indian dance with its roots in Tantric Yoga), his teaching emphasizes cooperation with the breath, the cultivation of stability and comfort in the body, mental focus and challenging coordination practices. His classes are therefore dynamic meditations adapted to the needs of individuals.
Yvonne Croteau Yvonne's teaching emphasizes interiority through a focus on energetic alignment via the five main vayus and bandhas, the breath, and the dynamic interplay of integration and expansion. Whoa! What did I just say? Come and find out! Be prepared to play hard, seek stillness, and hear poetry all for the purpose of knowing yourself better. My first teachers were Kathleen, Celeste and Eiric right here at Samadhi where I also did my first teacher training. Since then, I have studied and trained under a number of other teachers in a variety of methods, most notably, Denise Benitez, under whom I trained in the Anusara technique. I have a bachelor's degree (magna cum laude) in English Literature from the University of Washington and am also a dancer.
Veronica D'Orazio Veronica D'Orazio has practiced yoga since 1993 and has seen this practice continue to change both her own life and the lives of her students. She daily experiences and witnesses the subtle yet powerful benefits of yoga: increased vitality and mental clarity, physical flexibility, strength and balance, as well as a deepened respect and compassion for not only oneself, but for all beings everywhere. Her classes are varied: she teaches traditional hatha courses, vinyasa flow and restorative yoga, providing a quiet, safe and challenging space for her students to grow. Veronica has been teaching for over 7 years, having graduated from Samadhi's 2001 Teacher Training. She has studied with master teachers rooted in a variety of disciplines: Iyengar, Anusara, Sivananda and Ashtanga. She also works as a florist and writer, both of which nourish and require her abiding commitment to her yoga practice. She is grateful to be a part of the unique integrity and community of Samadhi yoga's teachers, staff and students.
Karen Lindenberg Decades after her mother first introduced her to yoga through Raquel Welch's video workout series, Karen continues to enjoy sharing with others the peace she finds through her practice. As a lifelong musician, Karen appreciates and enjoys sharing the physical and energetic potency of chanting and mantra as tools for meditation. She completed the Samadhi Teacher Training program in 2003 and now teaches at various local studios throughout the Seattle area. She is also a co-owner and instructor for Phyzz Yoga -- a mobile yoga studio. Karen holds a B.A. in Geological Sciences from Princeton University.
KT Shores "The body is a field, Arjuna; he who knows it is called the knower of the field." The deep truth of these words from the Bhagavad Gita resonated within me the first time I heard them. The ways we experience life reflects the state of this constantly changing field : the world around us, the body, and the ultimate field of forces - the mind (both our closest ally and greatest obstacle to enlightenment), can be trained to make concious use of all experiences to remove undesirable traits and habits. We are unburdened, and by practice and detachment repeat these illuminations until they, rather than ordinary conditioned awareness, become our constant state! The Buddha tells us a trained mind brings health and happiness, and lofty as unity may seem, it is this practice of yoga in each moment that helps us unfold into living as the fullest expression of our Self. Roots in dance and martial arts influence the focuses in class of energetic awareness of the body, mental alignment, and clarity of breath. With over a decade of teaching experience, my joy is to foster a personal healing energy infused with functional knowledge and compassionate awareness empowering you and your practice through all of life's movements. Elements of philosophy, Ayurveda, nutrition, anatomy and mythology are woven into fun informative classes that work with the needs of individual students - from powerful vinyasa flows to tailored restorative stretches the focus is on individual needs, safety and health. I have been lucky to travel the world for performance and study, recently on pilgrimage in India and give thanks in all of these opportunities to all of life's teachers - especially my family, Kathleen and all those at Samadhi as well as Lee Su-Feh, David McIntosh and sat guru. JAI!
Jenny Ingwersen I teach vinyasa-based classes with an emphasis on alignment and breath awareness. I attend to alignment by focusing on three basic principles; one is to create a strong foundation/connection to the earth. The second is to become aware of and strengthen the core- I continue to ask students to return to their center by creating subtle internal support free of rigidity. The third is a gentle lifting/opening of the heart, without compromising one's sense of grounding and center. My hope is that by employing theses three principles students will be able to move safely with ease, grace and joy. I also invite students to consider the psychological, physical and environmental effects these principles might offer. Throughout my classes there is a thread of attention to breath, using the breath as a meditative tool. I encourage practitioners to view the breath as a means of drawing one's attention inward, towards union with the divine/towards yoga. I have been practicing yoga since 2001, and have completed two teacher trainings. The first was at Yoga Union, taught by Alison West, in New York City. The most recent was at Samadhi Yoga Center, under the tutelage of Kathleen Hunt and other gifted teachers, in Seattle. I graduated from The Evergreen State College in 2000. I was born in British Columbia, raised in Maine and have lived in Seattle since 1998.

Tami Hafzalla Tami has been practicing yoga since 1993. She has studied extensively with master teachers in India, Australia and the US. Her style is eclectic but she draws most from her classical training in Ashtanga Vinyasa, Iyengar, and Viniyoga. Tami is deeply influenced by spiritual teachings from around the world. She has spent the majority of the past decade traveling, exploring numerous cultures, their traditions, and her own soul. Her experiences have shaped who she is and are expressed through her teaching as she shares her truth and discoveries. She aims to empower her students, and with compassion, she challenges them to safely find their edge and expand themselves both physically and spiritually. She teaches group classes, private sessions, and local and international retreats. Tami can also be consulted for Thai Massage, and serves as a Birth Doula. Her passions include fine art, Ayurveda, the outdoors, and living an active, inspired, creative and adventurous life. "I honor the place in you in which the entire Universe dwells, I honor the place in you which is of Love, of Truth, of Light and of Peace, When you are in that place in you, and I am in that place in me, we are One."
Liz Valauri Liz came to yoga after many years of teaching, performing,choreographing and studying dance. She has found yoga to be an effective guide for maintaining inner and outer balance and appreciation of the moment. Her classes are designed to help students find ease, strength, focus, and integration in their practice. She finds it very rewarding to share her knowledge with her students. Liz is a graduate of the teacher training program at Samadhi Yoga Center. She is also certified to teach Universal Yoga Level 1 by Andrey Lappa, and is a Certified Laban/Bartenieff Movement Analyst. Her passion is to enhance the practices of students who have different needs and experiences.