When you come to stay at Highland Lake Inn-A Country Retreat, we want to give you every opportunity to relax, refresh, and renew your body and soul. We invite you to enjoy the 26 beautiful wooded acres, complete with wooded trails, a serene lake, a swimming pool, and lots of outdoor activities to help you exercise and breathe in lots of fresh, cool mountain air. In an effort to further enhance a supportive atmosphere for inner reflection, healing, and spiritual awakening, Highland Lake Inn offers a yoga program for all of our guests. The program is also open to local residents and visitors to the Hendersonville/Asheville NC area.

Fred Brown, the director and primary teacher at Highland Lake Yoga, has been practicing yoga for 35 years and teaching for 30 years. His style of teaching is derived primarily from the methods of B.K.S. Iyengar but is also influenced by other schools of yoga. The Iyengar style of hatha yoga is noted for moving all joints and muscles of the body through their maximum safe range of motion with great attention to precision of alignment, and for the use of various "props" to assist students in doing all poses without strain or pain. The props available at Highland Lake Yoga include back-bending bench, wall ropes, and a pelvic swing.

In the last two years, Fred's teaching methods have expanded to include many techniques from the "Universal Yoga" training system of Andrey Lappa, a modern-day yoga master from Kiev, Ukraine. After two intensive teacher training programs with Andrey, Fred began incorporating dynamic sequences including elements of the "Dance of Shiva" and other powerful practices not found in other traditions. (For an overview of Universal Yoga, please see http://www.universal-yoga.com ) Fred is one of the few teachers in the USA certified in the Universal Yoga style. At this writing (Feb. '06), he is the only one in the Southeastern USA. Workshops by Andrey and some of his leading teachers in the USA are periodically offered at Highland Lake Yoga.

Classes at Highland Lake Yoga are suitable for people of any age, from elite athletes to folks who consider themselves "out of shape". All classes on the schedule are multi-level, and on-going. That is, they are open to all students and one may start at any class. Private classes may be arranged for students of any level, for individuals with special needs or for groups, such as weddings and corporate events.

(Note: Classes are open to local residents as well as guests at the Inn.)

Schedule and Class Descriptions

Monday - Saturday 7:00 - 8:30 AM "Dawn Patrol" morning class

A typical early morning class consists of 3 segments:

The first 30 minutes involves "free-style yoga play". During this time, students are invited to utilize the wall ropes, pelvic swing, and other yoga equipment available, or practice poses they wish to work on. New students will be shown how to use the equipment in ways appropriate to their level of experience.

During the second 30 minutes, we do the "Five Tibetan Rites" or Sun Salutations. The "Five Rites" is a routine from Tibet that has helped many thousands of people to achieve new levels of energy and relief from many of the effects of stress and aging. Consisting of five dynamic exercises for health, energy, and personal empowerment, the routine requires only about 15 minutes once learned. The 15-minute practice is an excellent total body workout. Knowing this practice is very useful when travelling or on days when the time is not available for a lengthy training session. Weather permitting; this portion morning sessions are done outdoors on a deck overlooking the beautiful organic gardens and lake.

The final 30 minutes of the class is spent practicing asanas selected by the teacher and in a profound relaxation period.

Monday & Wednesday 9:15 - 10:15 AM "Good Morning Yoga"

In this class we will explore various groups of poses, depending on the needs and capabilities of the students. Some classes will emphasize backbends, inversions, or standing poses while other classes will consist of a flowing practice (portions of the Ashtanga First Series, the Dance of Shiva, etc.).

Monday & Friday 5:30 - 7:00 PM "Evening Yoga" Leave your stress at the door.

Begin and end your week by centering your mind, body and thoughts. This class will energize you while allowing your body to work out responses to stressful situations.

Thursday 5:30 - 7:00 PM "Kundalini Yoga"

This class is taught by Lori Raines, an experienced Kundalini practitioner and teacher. Kundalini Yoga is a unique style, introduced into the West by the famous master Yogi Bhajan.

Saturday & Sunday 10:00 - 11:30 AM "Weekend Yoga"

The weekend is here and you can now relax and unwind through these poses. We will explore various poses depending on the needs and capabilities of the students.

Fees:

1 class $10
10 class tickets $80 (good at any class)
Unlimited classes, 1 calendar month $65

Private classes for individuals or groups may be scheduled

Click here for the Highland Lake Inn Yoga Studio

Questions? Call Fred (828) 891-4313 or eMail: Fredbrown@highlandlakeyoga.com