With workshops and events at Big Shoulders Yoga you can go beyond your regular yoga practice or simply spend some more time with our community. Keep growing your practice by trying new things!
With workshops and events at Big Shoulders Yoga you can go beyond your regular yoga practice or simply spend some more time with our community. Keep growing your practice by trying new things!
Join us for a community Happy Hour following the 5:30pm class (6:45pm-ish) one Friday a month! We'll have snacks and drinks but feel free to bring something to share.
Upcoming Dates:
Friday, September 20th
Friday, October 18th
Yoga is for everybody and every body, but there are many valid reasons that certain groups can feel excluded from yoga as a movement practice. Community classes are an opportunity for folks to experience yoga in a new way, surrounded by people who have common identities or experiences! Each class is geared toward a particular affinity group that is underrepresented in yoga (ex. LGBTQ+, POC, etc.) and is completely beginner-friendly. Interactions with the teacher and fellow students and questions are encouraged! If you've ever been intimidated by yoga or struggled to find your belonging in a typical studio space, this class is for you! After class, we will have tea and snacks in our lobby and encourage folks to hang out for a bit to connect with community members :)
Upcoming Dates:
Saturday, July 13th, 1-2pm - Queer Community Yoga (FREE)
Saturday, July 27th, 1-2pm - BIPOC Community Yoga (FREE)
Saturday, August 10th, 1-2pm - Queer Community Yoga
Saturday, August 24th, 1-2pm - BIPOC Community Yoga
Please pre-register via the calendar on our schedule page. Explore pricing options, including sliding scale class packs on our prices page.
You are a living energy field. Your body is composed of energy-producing particles, each of which is in constant motion, vibrating at a unique frequency.
So, like everything and everyone else in the universe, you are matter, you are vibrating and you are creating + transforming energy. This intricate energy network needs care, rest, and attention. My hope is that through this unique experience, you walk away feeling lifted and cared for so that you can move more gently and kindly in this world.
Join me at Big Shoulders Yoga for a sound bath meant to help support this natural untangling and refining process. Rest, relax, and let the vibrations interact with your body and mind.
Bring a mat and pillow, limited supplies will be available.
Cost: $33
Planning a celebration, looking to deepen your personal practice or improve your teaching skills? Schedule a private class with one of our experienced instructors starting at $100/hr. We can accommodate your schedule and location choice, or host at our studio. Send us an email or fill out the form below.
Here are some examples of past requests:
·Birthday, baby shower, bachelor/bachelorette party, etc.
·Weekly private classes
·Work on your inversions or other specific areas of your practice
·Learn/practice hands-on adjustments & assists
·Professional coaching for yoga instructors
At BSY, most classes end with a brief inversion practice but there's only so much you can do in 5-10 minutes. This workshop is for anyone who wishes for more time "at the wall." We'll do an abbreviated class to warm us up for our inversion practice, and then spend the majority of the workshop focusing on the mechanics and fundamentals of Forearm Balance (Pincha Mayurasana), Handstand (Adho Mukha Vrksasana), and some fun variations.
This workshop will include options for a wide range of practitioners.
Think: using people as props. You'll team up with your partner to get more leverage in forward folds, lift in backbends, and stability in balancing poses. Plus, we'll work on a few simple adjustments that you can use to help each other in poses. This workshop is suitable for all levels. So grab a partner who’s in your bubble (significant other, friend, family member, roommate, etc.) and let’s have some fun! This workshop will be held online and in-studio. Cost: $20 per person.
REGISTERPAST EVENT: Join us Sunday evening, June 27th for an evening of Kirtan to raise money to help support India at this time.
We'll sing mantras, dance, open our hearts, and raise our vibration and consciousness to send out healing energy to all the suffering in India.
All donations received will be sent to a GoFundMe account through Sattva Yoga America, Inc. who is working with the Khushi Charitable Society to provide resources to the local community of Rishikesh in the form of medical supplies and care, food, clothing, etc. and will ensure these resources will support those with the greatest need.
View more info and send your donation to the GoFundMe account
On Sunday, September 19th at 10:30am, join Nicolette for a class focused on all things strength and balance! This class will be challenging—think spicy level—we'll break down alignment in some of our favorite arm balances and work on transitions linking them. This intensive is $20.
Think: using people as props. You'll team up with your partner to get more leverage in forward folds, lift in backbends, and stability in balancing poses. Plus, we'll work on a few simple adjustments that you can use to help each other in poses. This workshop is suitable for all levels. So grab a partner who’s in your bubble (significant other, friend, family member, roommate, etc.) and let’s have some fun! This workshop will be held online and in-studio. Cost: $20 per person.
REGISTERThis intensive will cover the essentials of what you need to know to successfully teach a restorative yoga class. Sequencing, flow, adjustments, prop usage, and modifications will be covered. The class will include practicing restorative poses, giving and receiving hands-on adjustments, lectures, Q&A, and opportunities to practice teaching. You'll receive lecture slides (printed), access to a PDF of restorative poses, and a few pre-written sequences. It’s geared towards anyone who wants to learn more about restorative yoga instructors and students alike! Cost: $150
REGISTERWe invite Palestinians, SWANA/BIPOC and allies to join us for a somatic/yoga class and sound bath meditation. Our intention is to bridge the work of embodiment and activism, knowing that our yoga is incomplete without prioritizing somatic tools and ethics for liberation, as well as holding space for the energetic body to find harmony and rest through sound, movement, and vibration.
This is a tenderly held space to support, relax, and honor our bodies and spirits to more holistically mobilize for the liberation of the Palestinian people.
Please bring a mat if you have one (limited supply available) and wear comfortable clothing to move in.
No yoga or meditation experience required—all levels welcome. This event is free and participants are encouraged to donate to the Palestine in Pain Campaign on behalf of this event.
Organized by:
@zalkalby - Zaineb Al-Kalby (200 E-RYT, 300 HR RYT & Somatic Coach) @yogawithamera - Amera Al-Ali (200 E-RYT, MSN, RN, BSN, Registered Nurse, Sound Meditation Facilitator)
@chicagoartistsagainstgenocide
@bigshouldersyoga
Endorsed by:
@chicagoartistsagainstgenocide
Come do Downward Dog with your DOG! Part yoga class for humans and part puppy playtime. We'll attempt to do a mild yoga practice while the pups mingle and maybe even incorporate them in a few poses. You are welcome to come if you don't have a dog but need some puppylove. All dogs must be up-to-date on their vaccines.
Led by Zaineb Al-Kalby and Amera Al-Ali
@zalkalby - Zaineb Al-Kalby (200 E-RYT, 300 HR RYT & Somatic Coach)
@yogawithamera - Amera Al-Ali (200 E-RYT, MSN, RN, BSN, Registered
Nurse, Sound Meditation Facilitator)
When:
Sun February 25 from 5-7 pm CT
We invite Palestinians, allies, community care & movement practitioners, and other emerging students of spiritual ethics and liberation to an intimate yoga and sound bath experience. This event will explore the significance of the intersections of spiritual liberation, science, anatomy, kundalini, energy, vibration, and collectivism through the theme and practice of cleansing and calibration.
The space is gender inclusive, all abilities/levels/backgrounds friendly with on site restrooms and changing rooms. Please bring your own mat and wear a mask, we have limited quantities available for rental.
No yoga, sound, music, or science background is required.
10% of ticket sales will go directly to support Palestine during this time.
Cost (Sliding Scale):
Pay it Forward - $40
Supporter - $30
Sustainer - $20
Ready to introduce the younger members of your family to yoga or looking for a way to connect as a family? Try Family Yoga with Janna on Saturday, March 9th, 12:30-1:30pm! Family Yoga will be similar to a Mild level class, with a little more playfulness and opportunities for some partner poses. This class is best for families with kids 5-12 (the age rage is flexible and depends child to child). $12 per person, sign up in our calendar! Note: create an account for each person attending (you can use a fake email address for the children you're registering). Email info@bigshouldersyoga.com if you have any questions.
REGISTER
Led by @ZALKALBY - Zaineb Al-Kalby (200 E-RYT, 300 HR RYT & Somatic Coach)
When: Sunday, March 10 from 5-6:30pm CT
Inviting Palestinians, SWANA/BIPOC folx, allies, solidarity organizers, community care & movement practitioners, and other emerging students of spiritual ethics and liberation to an all-levels hatha-alignment yoga practice. This event will take the time to use alignment yoga techniques to clear space in our shoulders, hips, and hearts as we continue to build capacity and community during this overwhelming time.
The space is gender inclusive, all abilities/levels/backgrounds friendly with on site restrooms and changing rooms. Please bring your own mat and wear a mask, we have limited quantities available for rental.
No yoga background is required.
10% of ticket sales will go directly to support Palestine during this time.
Cost (Sliding Scale):
Pay it Forward - $40
Supporter - $30
Sustainer - $20
Led by Amera Al-Ali, RYT-200, MSN, RN
When:
Sat April 20 from 6-7:30 pm CT
This unique experience is intended for those curious about sound, vibrations, frequencies, and the ways in which these various elements interact with our spirit and energy bodies as well as our physical bodies. This container is highly intended for those who hold unique identities, are practitioners of movement practices, or are simply deepening their understanding of themselves at the intersection of various interests including science, anatomy, spirituality, sound, vibration, and energetic fields.
Each interactive session will culminate in an intimate sound bath experience.
You need not attend all 3 sound sessions to benefit from the program, but are encouraged to attend monthly for maximum benefit from the content and experiences offered in each unique container. This is a gender inclusive space; we welcome all abilities, levels and backgrounds. No sound, music, or science experience required.
Please wear comfortable clothing, bring a notepad, mat, water, and any other materials you enjoy for relaxation. Bolsters and blankets provided in the space for those in need of physical support materials. The space is all abilities friendly with on-site restrooms, changing rooms, and filtered water stations. If you require any special accommodations, please reach out to the facilitator directly.
10% of all ticket sales will go directly to support Palestine at this time.
Cost (Sliding Scale):
Pay it Forward - $40
Supporter - $30
Sustainer - $20
Led by Kate Hardwick
When:
Saturday, May 11th at 12:30pm - 2:30pm
Curious about the chakras and their significance in your practice? Join BSY instructor, Kate Hardwick, for an immersive two-hour workshop delving into these energy centers within the body. Gain insights not only into your internal balance but also into how they shape your connections and interactions in the world.
The workshop will begin with the foundation and fundamentals, exploring the definitions, elements, and underlying philosophy of the main seven energy centers. Through a dynamic Asana practice, we’ll delve deeper into these concepts with centering mantras, elevating chants, and energizing bandhas to channel the energy upward and experience firsthand how sensation, emotion, and energy flow within your body. A guided meditation to provide a tranquil space for introspection and listening to the messages your body holds, will close the session.
The subtle body offers immense wisdom if we can train ourselves to quiet our minds and learn to listen. From relationships to creativity, personal power to spiritual evolution, the chakras intricately intertwine with every aspect of life. Leave equipped with tools and a newfound curiosity, ready to explore the depths of self-understanding. Join us to awaken your potential and embark on a transformative journey of empowerment and self-discovery!
Cost: $35
Inviting Palestinians, SWANA/BIPOC folx, solidarity organizers, community care practitioners, allies, and emerging students of spiritual ethics and liberation to a restorative yoga (low/no intensity) guided by brief reflections and writing prompts, and featuring poetry by Palestinian writers and models of resistance Mahmoud Darwish and Ghassan Kanafani.
Any form of resistance particularly through body reclamation practices is deeply political and inherently revolutionary as we take back and claim agency in all the ways we think, feel, and act in our lives. Join me in allowing space for restful processing and Palestinian poetry as we continue to build collective power and resilience towards a more liberated world.This is a low/no intensity class, open to all levels, no yoga experience required.
The space is gender inclusive, all abilities/levels/backgrounds friendly with on site restrooms and changing rooms.
A portion of ticket sales will go directly to displaced GZ families and charity/donation disclosures will be sent to registered attendees.
Led by Zaineb Al-Kalby, @zalkalby 500 HR RYT & Somatic Coach
Cost (Sliding Scale)
$20 - Sustainer
$30 - Supporter
$40 - Pay it Forward