Jai Yoga is a yoga studio in the heart of Haverford. Jai offers Yoga, Restorative Yoga, Jai Power Fusion (a combination of yoga, Pilates and strength), Yin Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga, TRX, and a variety of different types of massage, and Reiki.
My Introduction to Jai
I have heard good things about Jai for years. Of course, I was also anti-yoga (‘yoga is too new age for me’) for many years, so I never looked into this studio.
Before I was even considering tryinganykind of yoga, I received an email this summer from Nathalie Wetzel, the owner of Jai, offering me a one month free membership. A good friend of mine had been taking classes at Jai and Nathalie had asked her if her friends might want to come in. My foot was still quite broken at the time, so I declined the offer, but I was struck by the kindness of this woman. When I met Nathalie (months later), Cheap Oakley Oil Rigs I found her to be incredibly genuine, intellectually curious, and Oakley Sunglasses Australia surprisingly open to feedback from her students. She introduced me to her mother (who was taking the same class that I took) within minutes of meeting her. Nathalie celebrates the individuality of her students and her instructors. She works to maintain a culture of authenticity and connection at Jai.
The atmosphere at Jai is intimate and nurturing. From the moment I entered the studio, I felt like I had found a secret world in the middle of the Main Line. In some ways, Jai feels like what I imagine a studio in Soho feels like. It’s small, it’s filled with very intelligent, interesting participants, and you can hear the din of traffic from Lancaster Avenue. There are no mirrors in the studio, and this helps participants to focus on their own practice and their internal experience.
I took a variety of classes at Jai, all of which I loved. I started with a Meditation class. I was incredibly nervous to try this class as I tend to be quite avoidant of things that I (erroneously) deem to be ‘hippie nonsense.’ The class was intimate (4 participants, including myself) and it was powerful. I struggled to relax initially. Once again, I found myself thinking excessively about ‘The Real Housewives’ and whether or not they are as awful in real life as they seem to be on television. I’ve learned that I tend to escape into ‘Bravo’ shows in my head in order to avoid letting my guard down. Toward the end of the Meditation class, however, I was able to relax and enjoy the regressive pull of the class. Much to my surprise, I felt that it was a powerfully moving class.
I have also taken Slow Flow and Gentle Stretch at Jai. I fell inlovewith the Gentle Stretch class. After I took it once, I raved about it and brought a friend with me to the second class. This class guides you through a series Oakley Sunglasses Wholesale Mens of stretching exercises that felt like heaven for my muscles. Left to my own devices, I tend to rush through stretching so it felt indulgent to spend an hour stretching each body part. I enjoyed Slow Flow as well, and it was a nice way to practice different yoga poses in a relaxed atmosphere.
Curious to Check it Out? Here’s What You Need to Know
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About Jai Yoga
385 West Lancaster Avenue
Haverford, PA 19041
610-642-2000
Lauren Napolitano, Psy.D.
Licensed Psychologist
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