TAHOE/TRUCKEE, Calif. and#8212; When you think of yoga, do you think of it as exercise? Or poses to help you be stronger and more flexible? While this is true, yoga is primarily a practice to help you develop a peaceful mind to feel more relaxed and focus on the positive. When you can calm your mind and bring awareness and attention away from the outside world and into your body, you will discover you feel better. This will improve performance in athletics, work or school and relationships. In this teen yoga program, learn how to bring mind, spirit and body into harmony.

Teen Yoga classes are every Tuesday, 4-5:15 p.m., Lake Tahoe Wellness Center, 695 Wolf St., Kings Beach. Classes are free to teens with the option of a $5 donation per class. For more information and to sign up, please call Lake Tahoe Wellness Center at 530-546-8201 or Sierra Agape Center at 530-414-1885.

Practice the eight limbs of yoga and be amazed at what 10 or 15 minutes a day can do.

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1. The Yamas, moral precepts or ways of being in the world. These are the Sanskrit words with their English translations and meanings: Ahimsa, non-violence toward self and others. Satya, truthfulness, learning about how to stand in honesty toward ourselves and others. Asteya, non-stealing, learning about how we take what isnand#8217;t really ours, like taking other peopleand#8217;s time by being late, or stealing from ourselves by denying ourselves time to rest or eat properly. Bramacharya, learning about making choices to abstain or to moderate consumption of everything (food, shopping, alcohol, drugs, relationships). Aparigraha, non-possessiveness, learning about how we get attached to stuff we donand#8217;t really need or how we avoid taking responsibility for our lives.

2. The Niyamas, personal observances. Saucha, purity, learning to understand the body as a sacred vessel for the soul. Santosha, contentment, learning to let go of outcomes, or worrying about the past or the future and#8230; being peaceful with and#8220;what is.and#8221; Tapas, austerity or refraining, learning to focus your energy and to give your attention to what really matters. Svadhyaya, spiritual study or spending time learning about your spiritual self. Ishvara Pranidana, devotion to God (In Hindu culture, God is Krishna). Some cultures think of god as nature. The most important thing to remember is devotion does not have to be about a religion.

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3. Asana, the yoga postures

4. Pranayama, control of life force or the breath

5. Pratyahara, withdrawal of the senses or learning to quiet the mind

6. Dharana, concentration

7. Dhyana, meditation, learning to use stillness and awareness of the breath to quiet the mind

8. Samadhi, absorption or learning to be still and peaceful regardless of the chaos around you.

Sierra Yoga for Teens includes the eight limbs of yoga in a fun, creative and safe environment. Deep Yoga practice will make a huge difference in so many ways. Learn to be peaceful and calm even in the most challenging times. Learn to focus your energy and attention where it is most important. Learn to be more compassionate with yourself and others. Learn how not to worry about things you have no control over and#8212; let go of outcomes.

Become stronger and more flexible which will greatly enhance athletic performance.

Kimball C. Pier, LMFT is a licensed marriage and family therapist in Truckee and a graduate of DYSHA (Deep Yoga School of Healing Arts) in San Diego. She offers couples, family and individual therapy incorporating Deep Yoga and principles of Ayurveda into her practice. She is currently working toward her Ph.D. in Depth Psychology at Pacifica Graduate institute in Carpinteria, Calif.

Jon L. Weedn, CYT is also a graduate of DYSHA and he brings more than 10 years of experience as a meditation trainer and group facilitator. Jon has also received certification in Hatha Yoga. Jonand#8217;s primary focus is in teaching mindfulness and awareness through meditation. Meditation is an effective practice for focusing attention, learning to decrease anxiety by working with the breath and learning to transmute negative energy to positive, loving energy by changing negative mind-states. Meditation benefits families through the development of a ritual for a daily practice to decrease habitual negative communication patterns, find stillness and peace after busy days, and develop attitudes that cultivate compassion and love for each other no matter how difficult circumstances may be. Students benefit from learning about meditation and how to develop a practice because it improves ability to calm the mind, bring relaxation to the body and focus attention. Present moment awareness allows students and athletes to participate fully in whatever activity is before them, to give themselves completely in the moment and to let go of worrying about outcomes.

For more information visit http://www.sierraagape.org

Contact Kimball at kcpier@sierraagape.org or call 530-414-1885

Contact Jon at jweedn@sierraagape.org or call him at 530-318-6149.