Elemental Sound healing with Juju Desta

Dates/Times:
Friday, February 21, 6-7:15p
Friday, March 7, 6-7:15p

Sound healing is an ancient practice that uses sound to relax the body and mind through allowing the vibrations of the various instruments to put one into a “yogic sleep.” In yogic sleep, the individual is neither fully asleep nor fully awake. In Aboriginal culture, it is referred to as the “Dream Time” state. The sounds vibrate with every cell of a living organism which in turn activates a natural healing process working through any physical, mental, or emotional blockages within the body. 

Julian J. Desta is 200hr certified yoga instructor residing in Richmond, VA. Always having a passion for the creative arts, he was introduced to the practice of Sound Healing and Therapy when given his first singing bowl as a birthday present from a friend. Julian began researching the depths of sound and it’s powerful healing techniques. After a few years practicing Julian received his Sound Healing Certification from Mentor and friend Mark Toregson in 2019.

Specializing in a variety of instruments from the didgeridoo, to flutes, singing bowls, and drums, Julian has created a unique Sound Healing Experience called Elemental Sound Healing. Discovering relationship between sound healing and nature, he calls on the 4 elements of Air, Wind, Water, and Fire to channel through each practice to bring balance to the human system or what he likes to refer to as homeostasis.

Investment: $30.  Link to sign up HERE. Be sure to bring what you need to rest comfortably on the ground - a blanket or two and pillow are recommended.


Body love : A Somatic Experience with Molly Bienstock, Monday, February 24, 7:15-8:45p

Together we'll explore what it means to be in a body through the lens of somatic experience, parts work, and the importance of slowing down. Come enjoy an evening of yoga, movement, and dance as a ritual for forgiveness, belonging, and collective care.

Investment: $30. Register HERE. Additional sessions are scheduled for 3/17 and 4/28, and available for booking using the same link.

Molly Bienstock (they/them) is a nonbinary, queer somatic therapist and educator whose passions lie in helping people find safety in their bodies so they can experience their most playful, authentic selves. After a traumatic accident in 2014, Molly became a scholar of somatic and spiritual methodologies as a channel to better understand the body's survival responses as well as how it can thrive. Molly now offers a unique combination of tools in their private practice Magic With Molly that stems from the wisdom of yoga, breathwork, somatic experience, movement and dance therapy, traditional talk therapy, and parts work. Molly's focus is on helping people feel their most expansive, human selves by honoring our reflections in Nature and integrating contradictory aspects of the self to support the feeling of Wholeness. Molly works with clients of all ages and backgrounds in both 1-on-1 settings and groups.


Rewilding Training with Tara Eschenroeder, February 28-March 2

This program is for you if you are in the midst of change, need support in gaining clarity, or perhaps just simply curious about what it takes to embody transformation and this journey of being human from a place of self trust, instinct, and intuition with a supportive group of like minded souls.

Re-Wilding Training is for all humans longing for a reconnection with their own inner wild and knowing; a journey back to the deep wisdom within. You are invited to join for an experience of holding space for the sacred remembering of our internal compass; our instinct and intuition.

Throughout this program, we will explore tools that can be utilized in everyday life that will provide manageable and breathable ways to occupy and live a life of alignment and integrity. These tools will include (and will not be limited to) journaling prompts and discussion, exploring the felt sense, connecting with the outdoors, meditation, visualization, integration between sessions, breath and asana.

We will meet on the following dates and times as we hold space for the remembering of the knowing of our bones.

Friday, February 28, 5-9p
Saturday, March 1, 12-7p
Sunday, March 2, 10-5p

Whether you are a yoga teacher, training to become a yoga teacher, or simply a practitioner and student of life, all of you is welcome.  

The answers lie within, and the path is made by walking it.  Keep going….

This course is approved for 20 lead trainer hours in our Modular 300-hour Advanced Yoga Teacher Training (18 contact hours, 2 non-contact hours).

Investment: $250 earlybird rate until 1/31, $300 after. Register HERE.


Community Acupuncture with Sarah Coghlan + Elizabeth Mastropierro, Sunday, March 9, 12-3p

Community Acupuncture is designed as a way of offering Chinese medicine in an accessible format. It's a means of giving back to our hardworking, overstressed community in a way that is affordable to all. It's ideal for both first time and seasoned acupuncture clients.

Community (or group) acupuncture is offered in a room with several zero-gravity chairs, where individuals can join each other in holding a healing space. Please wear loose-fitting clothing to your session, as most points will be from the elbows and knees down. There will be a short intake form and you will speak with our practitioner for a few minutes, have your pulse taken, and after points are inserted, your will be able to rest for about 30 minutes. People seek acupuncture for a variety of reasons, including (but not limited to) physical injury, acute and chronic pain, colds flu and immune support, reproductive health, allergies and respiratory issues, digestive health concerns, mental and emotional wellness, auto-immune conditions, insomnia, and more.

We will hold healing sessions once a month at The Yoga Dojo with Dr. Sarah Coghlan and Elizabeth Mastropierro. Relax and receive a 45-minute treatment for a sliding scale amount of $20-50 sliding scale. Pre-registration is required, either by emailing hello@theyogadojorva.com or through our online booking system. Our next events are also available for booking on 4/27, 5/25, and 6/22.

Reserve your space HERE.


Abdominal Self Care Class with lili simons, sunday, march 9, 4:15-5:15p

In this class we will learn and explore our abdominal area, and how to take care of the belly with self massage techniques.  Through this work, you can learn to open the flow of energy and blood circulation in the abdominal organs, as well as to relieve stress and negative emotions stored in the belly.

Abdominal massage is a great tool for staying healthy physically, emotionally and spiritually. The abdomen is our vitality center, also called Hara.  When it is healthy, the rest of the body will follow.

Please bring a yoga mat and pillow.

Investment: $30. Sign up HERE.


MMMM… Melty, Myofascial Meridian Monday with Lauren Nottingham, Monday, March 10, 7:15-9p

Join Lauren in the warm glow of candlelight for an extended MeridiYin + myofascial release practice. Bring your fuzzy socks and cozy layers, and expect tennis balls and props galore. We’ll begin with a meridian activation tapping technique followed by some gentle movements and self acupressure. Then, we will settle in for restorative yin holds incorporating props and tennis balls to aid in fascial release, ending with a yoga nidra send off into an extended savasana with warm aromatherapy towels. MMMM, right?!

$30. Sign up HERE.


True Nature: Self-Discovery through Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras with Izzy Shurte, April 4-6

Please join Izzy Shurte LPC, E-RYT 500 for True Nature: Self Discovery through Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. In this course, all curious yogis are welcome to explore Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, a foundational classical yoga text. While PYS is 2000 years old the text is relevant for anyone interested in practicing yoga asana, developing a meditation practice and / or working with the challenges presented by the human mind. 

Join with other yogis to create a community for exploration that includes dharma talks explaining key sutras and vocabulary, time for introspection through journal and contemplation, guided meditation, moving with the wisdom of the sutras with daily asana, supportive group discussion and Kirtan (chanting accompanied by harmonium).

Schedule:
Friday: 5:30-9:30p
Saturday: 9:30a-7:30p
Sunday: 11:30a-5p

This course is approved for 22 lead trainer core hours (20 contact hours, 2 non-contact hours) for our modular 300-hour Advanced Yoga Teacher Training program.

Investment: $300. Register HERE.


Forearm Stand 101 with Lauren Nottingham, April 12, 12:30-2:30p

Learn the foundations of forearm stand (Sanskrit : Pincha Mayurasana) in this two hour workshop.  We will begin by exploring foundational postures to build the strength and flexibility necessary to support forearm stand in your practice.

We will go over the ins-and-outs of proper set up and alignment, as well as tips and tricks to help you access the posture. Expect "activities" (AKA drills) for both strengthening and stretching, partner work, and focused time on and off the wall... But we will NOT be flinging ourselves up!  Learn how control is the name of the game, and why force is not our friend. 

We will also dedicate time to learning how to safely exit the posture, because learning to be confident in falling is one of the keys in learning to fly! 

We will also explore different shapes like L/split leg, stag, tuck, and straddle, because sometimes changing up the shape can help access more balance in your body.  For those that feel ready (and time permitting), we will introduce other shapes like pike/7, scorpion, and hollowback, as well as other entrances like hop and press.

The workshop will end with Q&A and a bit of myofascial release to support your hard work.  Expect to leave with knowledge to support your inversion journey!

Prerequisites: If you feel OK holding Dolphin pose (down dog, but on the forearms) for 30 seconds, this is for you!  This workshop is designed for the advanced beginner student that is looking to build an inversion practice, to the intermediate student that wants to get some hot tips to build strength and confidence that will help them take their inversions to the next level.

Investment: $40. Sign up HERE.


Chair Yoga Teacher Training with Jess Geevarghese, April 19-20

Chair Yoga is an accessible practice for students, clients or patients who need the support of a chair for a number of reasons, including age, weight, temperament, ability or situation. The 14-hour Chair Yoga Teacher Training is an opportunity for yoga teachers and those in allied professions to build skills related to teaching students of varying abilities in three settings:

• Yoga Studio (more mobile seniors/individuals)
• Nursing Home/Retirement Facility, and
• Corporate/Workplace Settings.
The training is accompanied by a 100+ page printed manual.

What you will learn:
1) Students will learn to teach chair yoga in a trauma-informed and accessible manner.
2) Students will understand the considerations for teaching a variety of students, including in an active yoga studio setting, corporate environment and retirement facility.
3) Students will learn the basics of injury and condition management.
4) Students will become competent to teach resistance training and use props in their practice.

The training is broken up into Discussions, Posture Labs, Anatomy & Physiology, Practice and Practice Teaching.

*Discussions include Creating a Safe and Inclusive Environment, Balance/Proprioception and Considerations for Workplace Yoga.
*Posture Labs cover seated and standing sun salutations, back bends, forward bends, hip openers, low-impact movements, lateral flexion, and savasana.

 Please bring a yoga mat and a set of light-weight dumbbells (1-3 lbs).  We will provide chairs and blocks.

Schedule:
Saturday, 4/19: 12-7p
Sunday, 4/20: 11:30-4:30p

This training is approved for 14 lead trainer core hours (12 contact, 2 non-contact) for our modular 300-hour Advanced Yoga Teacher Training program.

Investment: $400.  Register HERE.


Creative Coping: Shaping Grief with Yoga, Meditation, & Clay with Holly Zajur, April 26, 12:30-2:30p

Grief is an emotional response to any loss—whether it’s the absence of a loved one, the shifting of a dream, or a change that reshapes our lives. Rather than something to “get over,” grief is something we can learn to move with and build a relationship with.

In this two-hour workshop, we will come together in the fullness of grief to explore new ways of moving through it. We will engage with grief through movement, mindfulness, and making, honoring what we carry and creating space for healing and connection.

Our time together will include:

Yoga & Breathwork – Movement and breath techniques to regulate the nervous system and support emotional release.

Meditation & Meridians – Grounding practices and acupressure points related to grief

Journaling & Reflection – Thoughtfully guided reflections to name, explore, and transform your relationship with grief, as well as shared moments for connection in community.

Clay Play – Hand-building a grief vessel—a small ceramic form to symbolize what we are holding, releasing, or honoring. This vessel may become a space for written reflections, a place to hold treasures from loved ones lost, or simply a tangible reminder of your ongoing relationship with love and loss.

You are welcome to bring a small object, photo, or symbol of your grief to press into the clay, embedding its presence in the form you create.

Creativity allows us to express what words cannot. As we shape clay with our hands, we shape our understanding of grief—not as something to be overcome, but as something to integrate.

No prior experience with yoga or clay is needed—just an open heart and hands ready to create. You are welcome to bring a small object or photo that holds meaning for you.

Who is this for? Anyone navigating grief in any form, looking for a supportive space to move, create, and connect.

Investment: 
$65 early bird/accessibility rate until 4/1. Please email hello@theyogadojorva.com if after 4/1 earlybird cut off but the accessibilty rate will help support your attendance.
$75 after 4/1. 
$85 supporter rate (for those who can contribute more to help others attend).

Register HERE.


Mallorca Retreat with Adrian McCavitt and Lauren Nottingham, May 10-17

We didn’t even get to make an official announcement for our Mallorca retreat before it sold out! But drop us an email if you want us to put you on the waitlist, or want to be included for our next round!


ROCKET VINYASA INTENSIVE WITH STEVE PYKA, LAUREN NOTTINGHAM + ADRIAN MCCAVITT, JULY 23-27

WHAT IT IS:

The 5-Day Practice Immersion is designed for any person at any level in their practice who is interested in learning more about Rocket Vinyasa Yoga. Through daily practice and group discussions, your existing concepts of what yoga is and what it is for will be challenged and expanded. Live a life in the week of a Rocket Yogi. See how a simple, gentle, systematic and powerful approach to yoga can transform how you relate to yourself and the world around you.

Schedule:
Wednesday (evening practice only): 6-7:30p
Thursday: 9a-7p
Friday: 9a-7p
Saturday: 9a-7p
Sunday: 11:30a-7p 

WHO SHOULD TAKE IT:

Anyone! Of course, it is helpful to already have a consistent yoga practice, but it is not essential. The immersion might light a fire for you! Students and teachers are welcome, but this program does not confer any authority to teach yoga generally or Rocket Yoga specifically. The authority to teach yoga comes from your own experience, dedication and enthusiasm to share what you practice.

WHY YOU SHOULD TAKE IT:

We take a common-sense approach to the practice and the philosophy. Yoga need not be complicated. In fact, it's very natural- it's moving and breathing with awareness. Forget about what you can do, have or become through yoga. Yoga is most useful in demonstrating that you have what you seek. Having an enjoyable and familiar yoga routine that you can do anywhere and at anytime will inspire you to develop the consistency and dedication which bring forth the gifts of the practice.

YOUR INSTRUCTORS:

Steve Pyka, a direct student of Larry Schultz, the creator of Rocket Yoga, opened AstaYoga with Rene Henley in 2009 as a place where people could find a genuine sense of strength, peace and community. Steve has been teaching for nearly two decades and has trained hundreds of people (including Adrian, Lauren, and other Dojo instructors!) who are practicing and sharing the Rocket all over the world.

Lauren Nottingham + Adrian McCavitt, co-founders of The Yoga Dojo, will be co-facilitating this training.

WHAT IT COSTS AND HOW YOU CAN SIGN UP:

The training costs $995. You can reserve a space in the training with a $300 deposit, with the balance due before training commences.  Or feel free to pay in full upon registering.  You may register HERE.

Returning students who have previously completed a Rocket training with Asta / The Yoga Dojo can take $420 off the training price and enroll at a discounted rate of $575- the Larry Schultz Special - and can sign up by emailing hello@theyogadojorva.com.

This training is approved for 45 lead trainer core hours (40 contact, 5 non-contact) for our modular 300-hour Advanced Yoga Teacher Training program.  This course is also approved for 45 YA CEUs (40 contact, 5 non-contact) if you are registered with Yoga Alliance and NOT enrolled in our 300-hour program.


Winter 2026 Retreat to Nosara with Adrian McCavitt and Lauren Nottingham, January 17-24, 2026

Details coming soon, but mark your calendars!!! Drop us an email at retreats@theyogadojorva.com if you want to be the first to know info!