Hatha Yoga Shala
Shadow Yoga with Mark & Judy
Fall Greetings!
We have two new courses for both beginning and experienced students starting October 28, 2023, and taught at the Alembic in Berkeley, California. We look forward to supporting you in your yogic sadhana this Fall.
Our Offerings
​We teach Shadow Yoga and Nrtta Sadhana with a variety of offerings for both new and experienced students alike.
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Foundations of Shadow Yoga
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Shadow Yoga Prelude Forms
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Individual Asana
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Special Focus Yoga Courses and Workshops
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Nrtta Sadhana
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Asana Angahara
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Yoga Practitioner Training
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Private Yoga Consultation
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Yoga Teaching Mentorship and Apprenticeship
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Yoga Retreats
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In-person courses and workshops are taught at the Alembic in Berkeley, CA and other locations around the San Francisco Bay Area.
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We also offer on-line courses and workshops as a complement to our in-person teaching.
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Courses
Asana Angahara I
Enhancing the Synergy of Practice
with Mark Horner and Judy Yu
one Saturday and four Sunday mornings
7:00 to 8:30am
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Saturday Oct 28
Sundays Nov 5 & 12
Dec 10 & 17
In-person
at the Alembic in Berkeley, CA
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Balakrama
The first Shadow Yoga Prelude
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with Mark Horner and Judy Yu
one Saturday and four Sunday mornings
8:45 to 10:15am
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Saturday Oct 28
Sundays Nov 5 & 12
Dec 10 & 17
In-person
at the Alembic in Berkeley, CA
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Our Approach
Hatha Yoga Shala is a school of Shadow Yoga where we aim to provide a supportive setting and context, and a comprehensive yoga training program for the discerning student.
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The teaching of yoga is a process of transmission from guide to student. The understanding and embodiment born of years of personal practice within the guide is the power which ignites this process.
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Our focus is on quality, in-depth teaching that builds within the student a proper foundation coupled with discernment to allow the teaching to unfold organically from within.
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Shadow Yoga and Nrtta Sadhana are taught in a course-based, pre-registration format, so the teaching can be built up progressively from class to class. This requires a greater commitment on the part of both student and teacher, yet the reward is a more profound depth of learning and understanding.
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Mark Horner
Mark has been teaching Hatha Yoga since 1990 and is an acknowledged Shadow Yoga teacher. He has studied closely with Sundernath (Shandor Remete), the founder of Shadow Yoga since 1994, as well as Emma Balnaves. Mark's teaching is enhanced by 8 years of bodywork practice as a Certified Rolfer as well as many years of classical piano study, rock climbing, and the study of Ayurveda. ​
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Judy Yu
Judy is an acknowledged Shadow Yoga teacher since 2011 and a dedicated practitioner since 2006 when she met her teachers Sundernath (Shandor Remete) and Emma Balnaves. From her first introduction to Shadow Yoga, Judy was immediately drawn to the intelligence, depth, and effectiveness of the approach. She is one of the executive producers for the award winning film Agniyogana.
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About the Practice
What is Shadow Yoga?
Shadow Yoga is a hatha yoga system which utilizes prelude forms for training and places great importance on preparatory work as the foundation for meaningful progress. The Shadow Yoga prelude forms combine strong stance work with round, spiraling movements, rhythmic breathing, and bandha. The three Shadow Yoga prelude forms: ​ 1. BALAKRAMA: Stepping into Strength 2. CHAYA YODDHA SANCHALANAM: Churning of the Shadow Warrior 3. KARTTIKEYA MANDALA: Garland of Light Shadow Yoga was developed by yoga master Sundernath (Shandor Remete) to make use of the methods and practices common to classical Hatha Yoga and the self-cultivating arts (both martial and dance). This skillful, systematic preparation frees blockage in the Marma System (Vital Junctions), leading to the unobstructed circulation of the life force. This sets the stage for the inner work of asana, mudra, pranayama, and meditation.​​ See shadowyoga.com for more information
The teachings of Shadow Yoga are based upon the ancient Hatha Yogic texts which state that ‘all fixed forms should be designed to develop the practice of freestyle
What is Nrtta Sadhana?
Nrtta Sadhana is the pure dance of Shiva. The forms in the Nrtta Sadhana contain the karanas for self-cultivation and restoring the body’s natural energetic responsiveness. The four forms of Nrtta Sadhana: 1. ANANDA TANDAVA: Shiva’s dance of dissolvement 2. ASHTA MATRIKAS: Eight mother palms 3. LASYA: Kali’s creative dance (long form) 4. SHIVA TANDAVA: Wild dance of Shiva. The Shadow Yoga Preludes prepare the student for the smaller, more subtle and refined movements of the Nrtta Sadhana. See shadowyoga.com for more information
The Nrtta is that Sadhana (way of accomplishment) by which the sadhaka (aspirant) rediscovers the rhythmic life currents hidden within the body by means of unimposed natural positioning
Sequence of Learning
New Students
start with the Foundations of Shadow Yoga courses and then learn the three Shadow Yoga Prelude Forms. The preludes are training tools and a key component of the preparatory work. Once the preludes are established, students progress to the other courses and trainings.
Preparatory Work
involving fixed practice forms has been utilized in traditional systems of self-cultivation for centuries, yet despite its importance, it is little understood in today’s yoga. Shadow Yoga places great emphasis on preparatory work as the foundation for meaningful progress.
Free Style