Powerhouse Education

Women In Transition – Esalen – Feb 10-12 2012

powerhed — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 18:01:47 +0000

Women in Transition – Climbing into your Authentic Self
Taught by Suze Allen & Jnana Gowan

Your house is on fire. Your boat is sinking. What do you want take with you? What are you willing to watch sink or go up in flames? Making these decisions can help you navigate change and rediscover your most authentic self.

Living in a culture of advanced technology, time-starvation, overwhelming career and family obligations along with economic and emotional uncertainty often prevents women from taking the time to address and acknowledge life’s vital transitions.

This workshop gives you the time, the space, and the tools to ride the wave of change. Turbulent times are a call to adventure. Embark on the mythic journey with a transformational blend of hatha yoga, purposeful writing, deep relaxation/guided meditation and ritual.

You’ll gain a deeper understanding of your life in transition and find strategies for dealing with intense change and daily discomfort. Research shows that expressive writing, guided imagery and hatha yoga have a profound healing and transformational affect on people undergoing significant upheaval. Forward bends deepen your journey into your core; standing poses help you to climb into your power, and restorative poses help you to hear the still and quiet yearnings of your real self. Purposeful and expressive writing brings you clarity and wisdom. Music, movement, and ritual bring you catharsis and joy.

This Women in Transition workshop helps you to approach your life with acceptance, intention and integrity, so you can grow stronger and more authentic. In this space of creativity, bodywork and ritual, you can choose what you desire rather than what you think you’re supposed to do and break free from what others want from you.

No experience necessary – both with the writing and the yoga. Open to seasoned practitioners/writers or the newest beginner. All welcome.

Here’s what former participants had to say about this weekend:
“Magical, transformative, soul releasing and cleansing.”

“Women in Transition was a tremendous experience with great and loving teachers – the yoga was wonderful and I intend to keep it up. The writing was a freeing experience and the group of women was inspiring. “

“Ohmigawd! Ohmigawd! Ohmigawd! I am beyond enlightened after this workshop. I have found more appreciation for my life, my friends and my family than ever before. “

“Thank you for the refreshing “time out” or rather “time for myself” Women in Transition workshop on Saturday. Having a quiet space (in both time and place) and knowledgeable, sensitive coaches to help me (and the other women in the class) to reflect on where I am at the moment, what my “call to adventure” is, what real or perceived obstacles prevent me from moving forward, opened my mind and body and better equipped me for my return to “real life” back home on the East Coast. I continue to think about what I learned from you both (and the other attendees) that afternoon whether I’m writing, doing yoga, or just being. Thank you again so very much for this gift that keeps on giving.”

Women in Transition Two-Day Retreat
Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California
February 10 thru 12 2012
To register:

http://www.esalen.org

call with any questions regarding the course – 510-734-4122

Aveda Meets Asana – Free/Pay What You Can Yoga & More

powerhed — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 21:49:50 +0000

Join us for a rejuvenating & restorative event to end your week and kick-start your weekend.

Jnana Gowan, Certified Yoga Instructor, and Sarah Greenwood, Aveda specialist, join their creative forces to create an experience to calm and restore the senses. We will integrate the healing powers of aromatherapy and hatha yoga to make you feel shiny from the
inside-out.

This is a free event, yet donations gladly accepted.
Who: You, your partner and friends
When: 6:00 – 7:30, Friday, November 11th
Where: 4th Street Yoga,
1809 4th St # C, Berkeley, 94710
RSVP – appreciated but not mandatory, drop-ins welcome
510-734-4122

Sarah Greenwood manages the Aveda Team at 4th Street in Berkeley. She has been working with essential oils and plant based beauty products for 10 years, as well as guiding her guests in holistic, self-care rituals.

Jnana Gowan is a writer, ceremonialist, and yoga instructor. She is the director of Powerhouse Education, a company dedicated to the health & well being of all individuals. She specializes in yoga for women in transitional times. Her teaching is influenced by her Iyengar studies, her determination to soften the edges of life and her earth-bound connection to the source. (www.powerhed.com)

The Last of Summer Girl Power – Saturday Sept. 3

powerhed — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 13:41:47 +0000

We had a great run of camp this summer and now on to the monthly gathering of great girls with fabulous ideas. As always the girls got it going on – I think the world would be a lot better place if we could just go upside-down, have a snack, then make a bit of art!!

The pitch:

Join us for an afternoon of creativity as we connect as powerful and spirited girls in the world. Each craft day we will explore how we can bring kindness and truth to ourselves and those we touch in the world. Creativity is one of the greatest gifts we have – to infuse the creative with ritual, helps us recognize our place in the world. Art helps us feel more grounded by self-expression. We add yoga to help us explore our inner terrain more deeply and infuse our bodies with serious girl power. The intention of the day is to have fun expressing our deepest-girl-selves.

Saturday September 3, 2011

12:30 – 3:30
$25.00
located in Albany, CA

Summer Girl Power July 9

powerhed — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 17:02:20 +0000

Girl power is back after a late Spring hiatus & break (literally – my C6/7 disk ruptured and I closed shop for healing time) but now I’m back with a sense of deep gratitude for my body, the earth and my wonderful community. I am looking forward to seeing the girls and moving – making art and hanging out. So sign your power-girl up July 9. As always the girls got it going on – I think the world would be a lot better place if we could just go upside-down, have a snack, then make a bit of art!!

The pitch:

Saturday July 9, 2011

12:30 – 3:30
$25.00
located in Albany, CA

One Date Change for Camp Bunny Head

powerhed — Sat, 21 May 2011 15:15:38 +0000

Camps are filling up – register your Bunny Head today!
Please note Girl Power is August 1-5 not August 8-12.

Girls & Boys camp July 25-29
Girl Power (girls only) August 1-5
$275 9:00- 3:30
(This year we will offer early bird drop-off and late bird pick up for an additional fee.)

At Camp Bunny Head we cultivate a reverence for the natural world and an appreciation for the wonders of our bodies.
We look deeper into “urban nature” to see that the natural world is with us at all times.
We integrate hatha yoga into our daily lives – with a smile on our faces!
Each day we:
-Practice 45 minutes of “Bunny Head” yoga, which is designed especially for children.
-Create inspiring crafts that have a connection to the natural world.
-Take time to enjoy “being”
-Have thrilling urban adventures
-do the infamous “WHIPPY MOUTH!!!”

At Camp Bunny Head –
Kindness is always the theme of the day:
Kindness to ourselves, to each other and to the earth.
Each day we embark on an adventure with these intentions in mind…knowing that this kindness can create a tiny ripple – and this ripple can change the world.

This camp is lead joyfully by Jnana Gowan, founder of Powerhouse Education – a wellspring of health and wellness workshops & yoga programs. She is the Director of the Bunny Head Yoga Program for Children. Jnana’s been teaching Bunny Head Yoga for seven years & teaching hatha yoga since 2000. References available. Feel free to call – 510-734-4122. More info/referrals upon request.

Free Yoga – Aveda Meets Asana

powerhed — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 18:19:03 +0000

Aveda Meets Asana

Join us for a rejuvenating & restorative event to end your week and kick-start your weekend.

This is a free event, yet donations gladly accepted.
Who: You, your partner and friends
When: 6:00 – 7:30, Friday, April 29
Where: 4th Street Yoga,
1809 4th St # C, Berkeley, 94710
RSVP – appreciated but not mandatory, drop-ins welcome
510-734-4122

Weekly Yoga For Hormonal Gals!

powerhed — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 00:56:45 +0000

Riding The Change – A Call to Calm the Nervous System

Do you find yourself up at 3:00 in the morning unable to fall back to sleep? Are you sometimes erratically moody when everything is seemingly fine? Is your moon cycle changing in some way? You may be experiencing the hormonal shifts that are associated with the perimenopausal years. This class is designed for women who are moving into “the change”. Though this class is geared for the woman that is in this changing time, we invite any woman that feels the need to deeply nourish her body and create a mindful way to balance hormones to join us. Premenstrual, perimenopausal or menopausal…we are always in change.

Monday evenings 7:30 – 9:00 pm
7th Heaven Yoga

2820 7th St
$14 per class
Berkeley, CA 94710-2703 – (510) 665-4300

Wed mornings 9:30- 11:00 am
4th Street Yoga

1809 4th St # C
PLEASE NOTE:
or $16-$20 per class
Berkeley, CA 94710-1950 – (510) 845-9642

Regarding the 4-hour workshop version of this class the participant said:
“I rode into this class with hot flashes that made me practically disrobe hourly and disturbed my sleep every night. Even though I’m not a regular yoga practitioner, the postures Jnana led us through were not too challenging and in fact felt really good to sink into. Unbelievably, from the next day on, no more hot flashes! I plan to return to keep my system ‘tuned’ up and power flowing – just not in surges!” – Laurie G.

April Showers Bring Girl Powers!

powerhed — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 00:33:57 +0000

When will we stop having so much fun??! How did I get so lucky – to meet and know all these amazing fire-ball gals…I just love it. The monthly craft keeps me on my toes, ever searching for groovy things to make, or adding things like a butter making dance to the snack time. Have you made butter lately? It is really fun and quite delicious. Spring dates are here. Camp Bunny Head is just around the corner too. (Boy/girl week – July 25-29…Girl Power August 8-12…register now to insure your Bunny Head’s place)

The pitch for Girl Power Craft Days:

Saturday:
April 23, 2011
May 14
12:30 – 3:30
$25.00
located in Albany, CA
510-734-4122

Celebrating Springs Arrival

powerhed — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 22:39:31 +0000

So lovely to have 12 women come to the evening of ritual and yoga last night at 7th Heaven.
I feel strongly about creating more ritual and ceremony into our current techno-obsessed culture.
It was literally a breath of fresh spring air to join together with intention and light conjuring ways.
Mondays class followed my 6 Bunny Head Yoga craft girls that were here Saturday as the rains pounded down outside.
We did yoga, had our own ritual of making “vision boards” and for yummy-fun – we made butter by dancing wildly with cream in a jar. That was quite a blast – and delicious to boot.

I think the grown women last night might’ve liked a little butter too! Maybe next time :-)

Free Hatha Yoga Class to Celebrate Spring’s Arrival

powerhed — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 02:39:18 +0000

Monday March 21
 A Celebration for women who want to emerge from winter’s slumber and awaken into spring with gusto using hatha yoga and a light-welcoming ritual.   
Come honor the Vernal Equinox at 7th Heaven Yoga,
Monday March 21st from 7:30-9:00.
Give your body a nice, yummy yoga class and twist the last of winter’s darkness right out of your kidneys. At the equinox, the day is nearly equal in darkness and light. Join us as we move toward the warmth and richness of the summer solstice and plant a nourishing garden inside our bones. This “women only” class is open to all gals that want to restore themselves from the inside out and spring forth with renewed vibrancy.
  For the seasoned practitioner and the student new to yoga.

Jnana specializes in classes for women in transitional times.