Bio & Teaching Style
Sara has been a certified yoga instructor since 1981 and is a certified Somatic Coach through the Strozzi Institute, Petaluma, CA.
Somatic coaching involves seeing the client as a whole person, more than their intellect, more than their capabilities … working with who they are as a whole, vital, interactive, living being; acknowledging we have been shaped over time, from birth (maybe before) onwards.
She began her yoga teaching while living in a spiritual community, Nityananda Institute, in Cambridge, MA and was introduced to yoga as a means of preparation for meditation and spiritual growth.
Influence and inspiration for her yoga practice come from a variety of Eastern and Western traditions and lineages including Swami Chetanananda, Sivananda, Desikachar, Todd Jackson, Somatic Therapy, Ayurveda, Systems Theory and Trika Yoga — thus her own teaching style is highly eclectic and adaptive to the individual, and grounded in our fundamental tools of BREATH/pranayama, MIND/awareness and BODY/asana.
Our overarching and guiding principle is that Health IS. In our yoga practice, we simply and persistently practice removing, dissolving and releasing physical, mental and emotional blocks and restrictions, thus allowing our innate Health/Energy to freely FLOW within us, through us, and around us, in the classroom and in our lives.
Until Spring of 2020, Sara taught yoga at The Movement Center in Portland, OR and also at the Columbia Grange #267 in Corbett, OR.
Sara has also worked professionally as an organizational development consultant, trainer and facilitator since 1985, providing organization change and project-based management, coaching, formal training and event facilitation services to a variety of corporate, public agency and health care clients. In 1995, Sara founded HEALTHY SYSTEMS located in Portland, Oregon. HEALTHY SYSTEMS provides consulting and customized training for organizational effectiveness, and focuses specifically on how to create and sustain the health and vitality of an organization in its meetings, projects, processes, direction-setting, organization culture and interpersonal relationships.
For more information on Sara and Healthy Systems, click here.
Current Classes
Mondays and Fridays, remotely via Zoom
No EventsNew Students / Prerequisites/Zoom Prep
For students who are new to my classes, I’d like to spend some time with you one-on-one via Zoom before having you join a group class. This allows you to have an introduction to my style and allows me to hear about any health concerns you have, see how your body moves, and work out any issues to our successfully practicing together remotely. Our time together should enable you to transition comfortably into a group class. Contact me at sara@healthysystems.net to set up an appointment. All students are required to fill out an intake form in order to join my class. Before coming to class, please download and complete this intake and liability waiver form and email it to me.
I teach my online classes via the Zoom application. Before class, go to zoom.us and download and install the app on your device. For the best experience you will want to join from a device that has a video camera and microphone. This way, I can see and hear you.
A few Class Protocols – How to get the most out of your Online class
Yoga remotely isn’t the same as face-to-face — for the instructor or for the student. The pace of class may be different; there may be more demonstration by the instructor; it may be harder to see or harder to hear instructions or questions from students; it may be more difficult for the instructor to easily observe and give feedback or adjustment instructions to students.
On the other hand, what better way to develop your home practice and set up your practice space! And once you’ve become accustomed to the technology, a new kind of connection develops with your instructor and fellow practitioners…and no masks are required!
About Zoom
If you would like for me to see you during class as you practice, keep your video camera on. If you would like to practice privately then you can turn your video camera off.
Regarding your Microphone, I will Mute everyone when class begins to avoid background noise. However, if you have a question at anytime during class, feel free to UnMute your screen.
What remains the same however are the principles.
We are each individuals with unique bodies, minds and emotions, so your yoga practice is your yoga practice that you are sharing with others. We will not all look alike, breathe alike or have the same sensations during our practice. Our work is our work, guided by an instructor.
We share the same goals – To release tension and allow our creative energy to flow. Our aim is to become more deeply familiar with our own bodies, our own energy and ultimately to feel the energy and consciousness that connects us all and all of us to the universe. Everything is one thing, Pure Consciousness. So our yoga practice is about physical health, mental well-being and spiritual freedom — Flow at all levels.
Take some time before your class starts to consider your space, props, and camera….
Time: Please be connected 5-10 minutes prior to the start of class time, to have a moment to work out any issues with video or sound.
Space: Make sure you have a space to put out your mat and can move around easily. If possible, try to set up near a wall. If a wall is not available, please set up near a countertop, bookcase, or your couch.
Props: Common props we use are a mat, a strap, blocks, blankets, and a chair. If you don’t have these ‘yoga’ props, there are lots of substitutes you can use. A strap can be a scarf, belt, or tie; blankets can be regular blankets, towels or cushions; a chair can be any sturdy chair from your home.
Camera: It really is nice if I can see you and interact with you, but I also understand that sometimes you don’t want to be on camera and that’s ok too. But if you are wiling to be on camera, take a couple minutes beforehand to test out the view. You can turn on the camera on your device and see how you look in different positions. Play around with it and step back to see what you see… that’s what I will see.
Payment Information
- Class cost is $7.00. If this is not doable for you, please contact me and we’ll find a solution.
- You can pay for classes by check or online HERE.
- Because I do not want to focus heavily on $ accounting, please keep up with your classes and pay accordingly. Feel free to pay occasionally either before or after taking classes. I do NOT have to receive payment before you attend your first class.
- Unless we work out a mutually agreeable solution, there will be no refunds.
- If you don’t want to use the order form linked above, send check payments to Sara Grigsby PO Box 146 Corbett OR 97019.
- THANK YOU!