Introduction to Yoga & Vedanta
From The Mountain
Lead by Rachel Kinback, Mountain Staff & Certified Yoga Teacher 500 hr
A Four Week Online Offering
Meets on Monday Evenings at 6:30pm, starting 8/17
Have you ever wanted to learn about Yoga?
Perhaps about the postures and movements, yes, but what about the rich philosophical concepts from which the movements of Yoga were developed?
As with any practice, a strong foundation is key. This offering is for anyone who has interest in learning about the science of Yoga from the ground up. Excellent for first time yoga students or for those who seek a refresher or more philosophical context to inform an existing practice, or for those who would just like to plug into a community of people practicing together.
Meet Your Instructor:

Rachel Kinback
Yoga is a remedy for the disembodied. Our modern culture lures the mind and body further away from what it truly craves – liberation from the noise of it all. Rachel’s classes are a sanctuary. Here, students will explore movement of breath and body to promote peace from within. The propose of the asanas (yoga postures) is to prepare the body to sit comfortably, so that we may feel completely comfortable in our own skin; in-turn allowing us to experience meditation. Rachel received her 200hr training in 2017 and 500hr training in 2019, both with Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Ashram in the Bahamas. She believes in the ‘Yoga of Synthesis’ and draws inspiration from spiritual and movement practices across cultures. Rachel lives year round in Scaly Mountain, NC. When not practicing at Yoga Highlands she can be found at The Mountain Retreat and Learning Center.
What we will cover:
Each class will begin with a short discourse explaining some of the key principles of Yoga and its origins. This wisdom comes directly from the Vedas, ancient scriptures which have been orally transmitted since the 2nd millennium BCE and that stem from one of the six schools of Hindu philosophy. These teachings contain ancient, rich and influential concepts that remain applicable even in our modern times. Together we will unpack some essential Sanskrit terminology:
Prana - life force energy
Samsara - the cycles of birth and death
Karma - action
Dharma - universal law
Moksha - liberation
Atman - soul
After 15 or so minutes of dialogue the class segway to exploring functional movement through the lense of traditional yoga postures. The movement practice will last 1 hour followed by a short rest and/or meditation and an interactive closing circle.
What You Get:
Access to the live stream Monday Evening class(es) AND a recording of the class emailed to you for you to download and enjoy at any time.
When
This 4 week online course meets on Monday evenings:
8/17 6:30-8pm
8/24 6:30-8pm
8/31 6:30-8pm
9/7 6:30-8pm
Who
The movement practice will be all levels, though the ability to sit down on the floor and get back up again without strain is recommended.
How
once purchased, a link to the Zoom room will be emailed to you.
If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to Rachel directly at rachel.kinback@themountainrlc.org
Investment:
$50 for all 4 weeks or $20 for an individual class.
This is a per household rate. You are welcome to have multiple people share your screen with you from home to join the class.