NEPA Yoga Fest

Ahimsa in ActionNon-Harming as a Living Practice
Within the eightfold path outlined in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, the Yamas and Niyamas form the ethical foundation of yoga. They are not rules meant to restrict us, but guideposts that refine how we relate to ourselves and the world.
The very first Yama is Ahimsa.
Often translated simply as “non-harming,” Ahimsa invites something much deeper than avoiding violence. It asks us to examine the subtle ways we cause harm through thought, speech, and action and to consciously choose compassion instead.
In this class, we will explore how Ahimsa lives inside the physical practice of yoga.
What does non-harming look like on the mat?
It looks like:
• Listening when the body whispers before it has to scream
• Choosing steadiness over ego
• Backing off when something feels unstable
• Letting comparison dissolve
• Replacing self-criticism with curiosity
Rather than pushing into shapes to prove something, we soften into awareness. We practice honoring our edges without forcing beyond them. We learn to move from self-respect instead of self-judgment.
Ahimsa is self-love in motion.
As we move through mindful sequencing, you’ll be guided to tune into sensation, breath, and internal dialogue. The practice becomes less about performance and more about presence.
When we embody non-harming physically, something shifts off the mat as well. The patience we cultivate with our hamstrings becomes patience with our family. The compassion we offer our tight shoulders becomes compassion in conversation.
Yoga begins with how we treat ourselves.
Through breath, alignment, and conscious choice, this class becomes a living meditation on gentleness.
Not weak.
Not passive.
But powerful in its softness.
Move kindly.
Listen deeply.
Practice Ahimsa in your body and in your life.

As the grandfather to modern vinyasa style yoga, this class invites you to discover the series that started it all. The Ashtanga Yoga Primary Series is regarded as "Yoga Therapy" due to its healing nature of the mind, body, and spirit. In this class you will be introduced to the fundamentals and key concepts of Ashtanga Yoga and how we "work backwards" through the 8 limbs of Yoga as Westerners starting with Asana. Every student will be given the Opening Mantra, Primary Series Sequence Sheet, and recommended book list for attending.

Chakras are pivotal energy centers that guide us through our every day experiences, from grounding to connecting with our highest selves. Tapping into these centers through specific Yin postures, releases energy blockages and opens up these energy powerhouses to bring us back to our truth. Hands on Reiki during Yin brings an extra boost of energetic healing to the mind, body, and soul connection to leave you feeling your most authentic self. Learn what each Chakra represents, how you can incorporate this practice on your mat, and in your day to day experience. Students will also takeaway a small chakra focused, reiki-infused gift

Theme: Big Feelings, Brave Bodies


A playful, trauma-sensitive class that helps kids learn how to handle big emotions—like summer storms: powerful, but manageable. Through animal-inspired yoga, simple breath tools, mindful games, and kid-friendly relaxation, children practice noticing body signals, pausing before reacting, and using breath to reset.


Takeaway: Each child receives a “Brave Breath” card: Smell the flower, Blow out the candle plus a reflection question: “What helps me feel strong when I’m upset?” Class ends with a calming “Brave Heart Rest” visualization so kids leave grounded and empowered.

Nurture your body with this gentle all levels  yoga class focusing on rebalancing your nervous system and nurturing the body through gentle movement and supported poses. 
This class will also incorporate poses that stimulate your Vagus nerve, which is responsible for regulating digestion, heart rate and your immune system. 

This Mindfulness Meditation offering is rooted in the understanding of breath and presence in the Plum Village tradition, founded by Thich Nhat Hahn, and the spirit of engaged Buddhism creating a grounded, compassionate, and accessible space for practitioners of all levels.

Sangha building in the Plum Village tradition is the intentional cultivation of a mindful community that practices together in compassion, deep listening, and collective awakening, grounded in the spirit of engaged Buddhism.

My Sweet Lord: Vinyasa with George "I really wanna see you" (on your mat!)

It's been a long, cold, lonely winter....it seems like years since we've been here....here comes NEPA YOGAFEST 2026! Together we'll flow through a vinyasa-style practice that moves from grounding into a steady, breath-led sequence to cultivate a balanced practice of sthira and sukha (effort and ease.) Expect smooth transitions, a consistent rhythm, and an experience for all levels - from the beginner to the experienced practitioner - all set to the iconic, spiritually-inspired tunes of George Harrison's Beatles and solo songs. Haribol!

Sarah will begin the class with an introduction to a grounding breathwork technique to settle the mind and nervous system, followed by a guided meditation. From there, students will be led through a heart-opening slow-flow designed to cultivate awareness in the body, listening to what they body is asking for and delivering on what it needs in the moment. Sarah will leave students with a journaling prompt to write a love letter to themselves, describing their strengths, what they love about who they are, and offering compassion to themselves for anything they may be struggling with.

Stress-Relieving Slow Flow
Activating the Parasympathetic Nervous System
This class is a deliberate exhale.
Designed to calm the stress response and gently activate the parasympathetic nervous system, this slow flow invites the body out of fight-or-flight and into rest-and-restore. Through unhurried movement, extended exhales, and mindful transitions, we create the conditions for safety in the body.
When the breath slows, the heart follows.
When the pace softens, the mind steadies.
In this practice, you can expect:
• Slow, intentional sequencing
• Emphasis on lengthening the exhale
• Gentle spinal waves and grounded standing work
• Longer holds to encourage muscular release
• Simple breath ratios to stimulate vagal tone
The focus is not intensity. It is regulation.
By synchronizing breath and movement at a calm tempo, we signal to the nervous system that it is safe to downshift. Cortisol levels begin to lower. Muscular guarding eases. Digestion and immune function receive the green light to operate optimally.
This is the yoga of recalibration.
Perfect for anyone feeling overwhelmed, overstimulated, or simply in need of a nervous system reset, this class meets you exactly where you are. No pushing. No rushing. Just steady, grounded awareness.
You will leave feeling:
• Clearer
• More regulated
• Physically lighter
• Mentally quieter
Sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is slow down enough to let the body remember how to heal.
Come move gently.
Come breathe deeply.
Come restore.

This gentle, rejuvenating class is designed to support your body’s natural detoxification process by stimulating the lymphatic system through mindful movement and breath. Unlike the circulatory system, the lymphatic system relies on movement to flow — and this practice is intentionally crafted to encourage just that.


Expect slow, rhythmic sequences, light pulsing movements, dynamic stretches, and intentional breathwork to promote circulation, reduce stagnation, and support immune health. We’ll incorporate twists, inversions, and targeted mobility work to awaken areas where lymph can often become sluggish.

You've danced, stretched, opened, and received. Now we seal the medicine.
Join Mountain Flower— indigenous medicine woman and 4th-generation drum maker—for a grounding ceremony that transforms festival magic into lasting change. Through rhythm and ancestral guidance, we'll harvest your most powerful insights: the goddess wisdom that softens you and the warrior strength that focuses you.

Plan on weaving your revelations into your body, your breath, your bones. You'll leave with clear seeds planted and the knowing of how to tend them when you return to ordinary life.

As the grandfather to modern vinyasa style yoga, this class invites you to discover the series that started it all. The Ashtanga Yoga Primary Series is regarded as "Yoga Therapy" due to its healing nature of the mind, body, and spirit. In this class you will be introduced to the fundamentals and key concepts of Ashtanga Yoga and how we "work backwards" through the 8 limbs of Yoga as Westerners starting with Asana. Every student will be given the Opening Mantra, Primary Series Sequence Sheet, and recommended book list for attending.

Together we'll flow through a class themed "Find the Quiet Beneath the Chaos" as we explore movement and breath with a practice great for all levels, from the beginner to the experienced yogi. This practice invites you onto the mat to hit the "pause" button on your festival day for a much-needed deep stretch, as we allow the muscles to relax and lengthen. We will flow through asanas slowly to become more aware and mindful of our own bodies, to the soundtrack of a themed playlist focused on finding stillness. Options will be given to "make if your own" and tailor this experience to whatever your body is craving. Lean in, breathe deep, stretch it out.

✨Journey Into the Chakra System- A Discussion and Practice That Will Light Up Your Internal GPS System✨ If you’re like most of us, there are imbalances, blockages or behavioral patterns sabotaging your energy, confidence or grounding, which manifest as fatigue, confusion or fear. When this system is in BALANCE we are aligned.

This is not your average vinyasa class.
Rooted in traditional Vinyasa yoga, this challenging strength-based flow blends breath-to-movement sequencing with functional fitness principles inspired by my background in personal training. It’s where mindful yoga and intentional strength training collide.
Expect:

• Strong, purposeful flows
• Creative transitions
• Functional strength drills woven seamlessly into sequences
• Core integration in almost every phase
• Balance challenges that build stability and control
• Opportunities to slow down, power up, and level up

We’ll move through dynamic sun salutations, intelligent strength-building progressions, and mobility work designed to support real-life movement. You’ll build endurance, improve joint stability, and develop strength that translates beyond your mat — all while staying connected to breath and presence.
This class is for students who:

• Love to sweat
• Want to feel strong and empowered
• Enjoy being challenged physically and mentally
• Appreciate smart, intentional sequencing

Come ready to move with purpose, explore your edge, and leave feeling powerful, grounded, and accomplished.

Stress-Relieving Slow Flow
Activating the Parasympathetic Nervous System
This class is a deliberate exhale.
Designed to calm the stress response and gently activate the parasympathetic nervous system, this slow flow invites the body out of fight-or-flight and into rest-and-restore. Through unhurried movement, extended exhales, and mindful transitions, we create the conditions for safety in the body.
When the breath slows, the heart follows.
When the pace softens, the mind steadies.
In this practice, you can expect:
• Slow, intentional sequencing
• Emphasis on lengthening the exhale
• Gentle spinal waves and grounded standing work
• Longer holds to encourage muscular release
• Simple breath ratios to stimulate vagal tone
The focus is not intensity. It is regulation.
By synchronizing breath and movement at a calm tempo, we signal to the nervous system that it is safe to downshift. Cortisol levels begin to lower. Muscular guarding eases. Digestion and immune function receive the green light to operate optimally.
This is the yoga of recalibration.
Perfect for anyone feeling overwhelmed, overstimulated, or simply in need of a nervous system reset, this class meets you exactly where you are. No pushing. No rushing. Just steady, grounded awareness.
You will leave feeling:
• Clearer
• More regulated
• Physically lighter
• Mentally quieter
Sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is slow down enough to let the body remember how to heal.
Come move gently.
Come breathe deeply.
Come restore.

Sarah will begin the class with an introduction to a grounding breathwork technique to settle the mind and nervous system, followed by a guided meditation. From there, students will be led through a heart-opening slow-flow designed to cultivate awareness in the body, listening to what they body is asking for and delivering on what it needs in the moment. Sarah will leave students with a journaling prompt to write a love letter to themselves, describing their strengths, what they love about who they are, and offering compassion to themselves for anything they may be struggling with.

This vinyasa-to-yin practice blends mindful movement, deep stretch, and sound healing. Begin with a flowing vinyasa sequence to awaken the body and circulate energy, then transition into grounding Yin postures to release tension. The class concludes with a crystal bowl sound bath using vibration and frequency to support chakra alignment, relaxation, and energetic balance.