Thank you for your interest in our yoga program. From our modest beginning in a church basement in 1975 to our first studio in Wallingford in 1980 to our present situation with studios in Ravenna and Phinney, our passion has remained the same: to provide our community with comprehensive instruction in The Art of Yoga. To that end, we have designed a highly structured program of courses that ensures safe, step-by-step development in yoga for students of all levels.

Today with the ever-increasing popularity of yoga, when choosing a yoga class, it is important to consider the level of expertise, safety and quality of instruction that is offered by a professional yoga studio as opposed to a class at a gym, community center or YMCA. The Center for Yoga of Seattle has an outstanding 25-year-plus reputation in the Seattle area as an institution of quality instruction. Many of our area's yoga teachers were trained at The Center, and many continue to study in our program today. The Center for Yoga of Seattle is well-known in the community for its high standards, standards that new yoga schools seek to achieve.

At the Center for Yoga of Seattle, we teach the most influential yoga method in the United States today – the BKS Iyengar System of Yoga. The Iyengar system is unique among the various styles of yoga for many reasons. Iyengar yoga instructors are required to have a high level of training in order to teach. The Iyengar style emphasizes precision and alignment when doing yoga poses and has an individualized approach: the instructors teach specifically to you — your particular body type and special needs — which, with the skillful use of yoga props, makes yoga accessible to almost anyone. The methodical way the student is led through the poses encourages students to truly learn the Art of Yoga.

The Center offers a wide variety of courses from the most basic beginner class to the more complex classes for advanced students. In addition, we offer Weekend Drop-In classes, topical 2- to 4-hour Workshops, Weekend Workshops with guest instructors from all over the U.S., 5-Day Practice Intensives and Teacher Training programs with attendees from around the U.S., Canada and abroad.

Here's an overview of how our program works

All of our classes, except for Weekend Drop-Ins on Saturdays and Sundays, are structured as "reserved space" courses. These reserved space yoga courses are highly structured, commitment-type courses that allow students over time to gain a deep understanding and form a firm foundation of Iyengar yoga, from which they can build a solid yoga practice.

Descriptions of our different length class series are described below.

WEEKLY COURSES
If you are a beginner to yoga or new to the Iyengar method of Hatha Yoga, or if you are wanting to get back into yoga after time away, we have Level-1 courses that meet Once a Week, one that meets Twice a Week and even some that meet 4 days a week for 4 weeks (called Early-Morning and Afternoon Intensives). Most Once-Weekly courses for beginners meet for 4-8 weeks to ensure that you get a good start in yoga. The Twice-Weekly courses meet during a calendar month, and the Early-Morning and Afternoon Intensives meet for 4 weeks. If you are experienced in Iyengar System yoga, we offer continuing and intermediate courses starting approximately every 4 weeks, at the start of each month.

INTENSIVES
Our Early-Morning and Afternoon Intensives, are the "Mercedes" of our program and are geared for those who want to accelerate their progress in yoga. These courses meet 4 days a week for 4 weeks. Every month we offer at least one course for beginners and one course for experienced students. These are the most powerful courses in our program. We offer 3 distinct levels of Intensives.

REGISTRATION
Full pre-payment is necessary in order to reserve a definite space in a particular course (except Weekend Drop-In classes). We have four convenient ways to pre-register:

1. On our website's secure server, on the Class Schedule and Registration web page. We accept VISA and MasterCard.
2. Phone in your registration by calling our office at (206) 526-9642. If the office is not open when you call, you may leave the following information on the answering machine:
   
   • Your name (spell out if uncommon)
     
   • Your daytime and evening phone numbers
     
   • The full account number and expiration date of your credit card
     
   • The billing address for your credit card
     
   • Which course/workshop you are registering for, including the start date
     
   • An alternate course/workshop you would could attend if your first choice is full, including the start date
3. Mail us the same information shown above in #2, including credit card information or a personal check or money order. The address is:
      The Center For Yoga of Seattle
      2261 NE 65th St.
      Seattle, WA 98115-7066
   
4. Drop by the Ravenna studio with your sealed registration information and payment (as in #3 above), and place it in the mail slot to the left of our front door at The Center For Yoga of Seattle in Ravenna at 2261 NE 65th St.

We will contact you as soon as possible if a course you requested is full. If you would like us to call or e-mail you to confirm your registration, please mention this on your registration information or in your phone message.

MAKE-UPS
We have a liberal make-up policy for reserved space courses. The numerous opportunities to make-up a missed class are explained on the Make-Ups, Refunds and Cancellations page of our website, and in our printed quarterly schedule.

DROP-INS
Drop-In Classes are offered on weekends. They may be attended without pre-registration.
Earned Drop-In Privileges may be granted to students who have completed a course in our program. This allows you to drop in on a Once a Week, or Twice a Week course of the same level as your completed course, by paying a higher drop-in fee. No reservation is needed. Details of our policies for Earned Drop-In Privileges are found on the inside of our quarterly printed schedule. Earned Drop-In Privileges do not extend to our Early-Morning or Afternoon Intensives,

DIRECTIONS
For directions to our studios in the Ravenna and Phinney Ridge neighborhoods of Seattle, please see the inside of our quarterly schedule, or visit the Directions page on our website.

MORE QUESTIONS?
We can best answer your questions if you call us at (206) 526-9642. The office is staffed Monday – Thursday, 9:00am – 2:00pm. Or you may send us e-mail at info@yogaseattle.com.

Thank you for your interest in our program. We hope you join us and experience for yourself the many benefits that the practice of yoga has to offer.

Sincerely,

Richard Schachtel, Director