Registration Process & FAQ
General Location of studio?
The sessions are held in a private studio on the far north side of the city of Chicago. The studio is approximately 8 blocks south of Evanston, a block and a half off the lake front and in easy walking distance to both the Sheridan Road bus lines and the Red Line train station platforms. The studio address is provided after a brief phone conversation.
What is required in the phone interview?
While we may ask personal questions regarding your overall health, medical history, physical history with injuries, etc., you will NOT be asked for pictures or other non-pertinent information. Any information you provide stays strictly confidential.
How many men come to sessions?
The class is limited to 8-10 men in any class. In order to attend a session, you must pre-register first. Preregistration means you have provided your full name and a contact phone number where you can be reached. You will be contacted or you can call the studio. We will help you to determine which session is a good fit based on your time, interests, and familiarity with the practices of the session you plan to attend.
Space is provided on a first come first served basis -- and priority is always afforded regular attendees before interested prospective students.
What do I need to bring? Do you provide mats?
Mats are included in the pricing fee for sessions and cleaned after each class.
Feel free to bring your own if you like, though.
A bottle of water or water bottle (purified water available at studio).
A sweat towel.
A hygienic attitude; cleanliness is important.
On teacher-student adjustments/touch
As part of the experience of yoga, many teachers assist students in maintaining a yoga pose through physical touch. We "support the body" towards a fuller energetic experience in poses by manipulating alignment in order to provide more stability. Because of the element of nudity, we recognize that the intentions of our touch must be clearly stated:
1) To provide safety in alignment;
2) To provide energetic support and relief; and
3) To support nurturing encouragement for this kind of work that might not
otherwise be found.
On student-student adjustments/touch
As a part of the experience of partnered yoga, or partnered energy work, the instructor may offer segments of pose work that include non-sexual intimate contact between students. A part of what makes Chicago Bare Essentials different than a regular yoga class is the opportunity to learn how to allow space for non-sexual physical contact in a supportive communal context. If you have issues around being touched or offering touch, please address them with your instructor prior to a session.
What about… you know…erections?
Okay guys, this one comes up in everybody's mind. Trust me, if you have had an erection before, the world didn't come to a crashing end! So it's not an issue for us. Furthermore it is our viewpoint that having an erection does not necessarily mean anything-other than the obvious-you have an erection. Erections are as natural for males of all ages as an inhalation following an exhalation. The truth of the matter is it takes blood flow to the penis to stimulate an erection ... and most of the blood will be moving through your extremities in the poses we're doing. In our opinion, this should be the least of your concerns, but if it happens, it happens. And if it does, in most cases you may be the only one to actually notice it. Should you get an erection, we would encourage you to simply watch the energy and be non-reactive to the best of your ability. Remember there are men who would be thankful to be blessed with the simplicity of your situation.
Class Cancellation Policy
We ask that you take serious your commitment to show up for yourself and the courtesy to let us know if you can't make a session as soon as possible. Keep in mind these sessions are not the same as a drop in yoga class in a health club or traditional yoga studio. If you cancel a session with less than 24 hours notice you will not receive a refund unless there are special circumstances. Please let the instructor of the session know when you call to cancel.
Payment on Line
Payments for classes can be scheduled on line through PayPal in advance. Once you complete the pre-registration interview an email will be sent to you. The email will contain an invoice for the session(s) you are planning to attend. You may book several sessions in advance through the online payment option if you choose and receive a discount.
Continuing students are responsible for holding their space in classes by registering for sessions in advance on line. On line registration will be the primary way we know you are planning to attend a particular session, without it you may not have a space reserved automatically.
Studio Attendance Policy
We reserve the right to not admit anyone deemed inappropriate to our sessions when necessary.
Fees
$20 for one session
Packages deals:
$110 for 10 classes Sky clad series
$200 for 20 classes Yogi raj series
$325 for unlimited yearly Samadhi series