UW Yoga Month Recap

Posted on October 29, 2018 by Whole U. This entry was posted in Being Active and tagged Promotions, yoga, yoga month. Bookmark the permalink.

This October, more than 2,800 UW faculty, staff, and students joined The Whole U in celebrating Yoga Month. From practicing yoga and learning about its benefits to diving into the seven chakras and having access to over 50 free yoga classes in the greater Puget Sound region, Yoga Month 2018 was one for the books.

For the length of October, we partnered with Danny Arguetty, manager of UW Recreation’s Mindfulness Program, to learn important lessons about yoga. As we reflect back on our growth this past month, we gathered the resources we’ve built for mindful yoga practice, expanding yoga knowledge, and learning yoga poses below for you to carry forward into November and beyond.

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8 Physical Benefits of Yoga

In our first week, we focused on the many physical benefits of yoga. Danny wrote a guide explaining eight physical benefits that one can gain from continued yoga practice. Ranging from improving bodily movement to taking care of your internal body systems, these physical benefits help promote a stronger, longer life.

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Yoga for Mental Health

In our second week, we tuned into the ways yoga effects our brain and mental health.  Danny explored the science behind some of the mental health benefits that consistent yoga practice can provide.

Did you know: Continuous yoga practice can help regulate the parasympathetic nervous system in women to support premenstrual stress.

• Dopamine levels can rise after one deep relaxation session.
• Yoga has profound impacts on physical parts of our brain and body that, in turn, lead to reduced stress levels and increased relaxation levels.

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Exploring the Chakras: Part One

In our third week, Danny delved into the first four of seven chakras (foundation, fluidity, empowerment, and heart). We learned in depth about each chakra, and what yoga poses can help us to explore each chakra, as well as recalibrate each area in our life.

Special thanks to yoga pose models May Lim (Department of Electrical Engineering) and Nate Panelo (Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity).

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Exploring the Chakras: Part Two

During week four, we continued to examine the 7 chakras. Danny provided an in-depth description and yoga poses to access the remaining three chakras (expression, insight, and connection). Having knowledge about all seven chakras, and how to cultivate these areas in your life, can lead to a healthier, longer life.

Once again, special thanks to yoga pose models May Lim (Department of Electrical Engineering) and Nate Panelo (Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity).

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Yoga Dawg Pass

Everyone who signed up for Yoga Month received a Dawg Pass with over 50 free classes offered at 7 different yoga studios spanning from Tacoma to Bothell. Studios offered a variety of classes from aerial yoga to meditation, Iyengar Yoga, hot yoga, and more.

Yoga Month gave me the opportunity to try out Aerial Yoga for the first time! It was really fun and the instructor was amazing, I’ve always wanted to try! – Julia Worden, UW Student

Special thanks to The Center for Yoga of Seattle, Inside Out Yoga, MODO Yoga, Omculture Greenlake, Shefayoga, Leela Yoga Studio, and University Y at Tacoma for offering free classes to Yoga Month participants. 

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Whole U Resources for UW faculty, staff, and students

• If you’re interested in trying out more yoga poses beyond Yoga Month, try the Whole U’s 21-Day Yoga Pose Challenge. Let loose with a new yoga pose every day and learn the benefits each one produces!
• Throughout the year, the Whole U hosts Yoga Series and Yoga Classes. Stay up-to-date with our events page to see when series and classes are scheduled and register to join us.

Yoga Discounts

The Whole U discount network is full of yoga studios to expand your practice at a time and location that works for you. Consider visiting one of these studios this October:

• Aditi Yoga and Massage – 10% discount
• Balance Yoga Studio – $100/month membership (regularly $165)
• Bikram Yoga – U District – $10 off/month
• Breathe Yoga Studios – 20% discount
• Classical Hata Yoga – 15% discount
• Core Power Yoga – $109/month membership (regularly $135)
• Edgeworks Climbing (offers yoga) – 20% discount
• Exhale Pilates (offers yoga) – 15% discount
• Expand Yoga – 10% discount
• Fruition Yoga – 20-25% discount
• Highline Athletic Club (offers yoga) – 20-25% discount
• Jasyoga at Hec Ed – $3 discount per class
• Levitas Studio – 25% discount
• Tacoma Yoga – 10% discount
• Vertical World (offers yoga) – 10% discount
• YMCA (yoga classes) – Free enrollment
• Zum Fitness (yoga classes) – 20-25% discount

We have loved every minute of Yoga Month. From the photos that you shared with us, to meeting new faces at events across campus, thank you for joining us this month!

A special thanks to Danny for creating such thoughtful and informative content, to the yoga studios who partnered with us in offering free classes, as well as to our sponsors AT&T, BECU, and US Bank.

We can’t wait for next year and hope to have you join us!

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