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Photo: Bob Luckey Jr. / Hearst Connecticut Media

Kaia Yoga owner Gina Norman practices yoga at her business in Old Greenwich, Conn., Thursday, May 18, 2017.

Kaia Yoga owner Gina Norman practices yoga at her business in Old Greenwich, Conn., Thursday, May 18, 2017.

Kaia Yoga owner Gina Norman practices yoga at her business in Old Greenwich, Conn., Thursday, May 18, 2017.

Kaia Yoga owner Gina Norman practices yoga at her business in Old Greenwich, Conn., Thursday, May 18, 2017.

Ashley Mossberg of Kaia Yoga speaks about yoga training at Kaia Yoga in Old Greenwich, Conn., Thursday, May 18, 2017.

Ashley Mossberg of Kaia Yoga speaks about yoga training at Kaia Yoga in Old Greenwich, Conn., Thursday, May 18, 2017.

Kaia Yoga owner Gina Norman speaks about meditation at her yoga business in Old Greenwich, Conn., Thursday, May 18, 2017.

Kaia Yoga owner Gina Norman speaks about meditation at her yoga business in Old Greenwich, Conn., Thursday, May 18, 2017.

Yoga training program information can be seen on the wall at Kaia Yoga in Old Greenwich, Conn., Thursday, May 18, 2017.

Yoga training program information can be seen on the wall at Kaia Yoga in Old Greenwich, Conn., Thursday, May 18, 2017.

Kaia Yoga expands meditation course offerings

Local studio Kaia Yoga will soon host new meditation teaching classes in response to a booming demand nationally for meditation and mindfulness training. The industry passed the $1 billion revenue mark in 2015, according to industry research group IBISWorld, with much of that coming from the corporate sector.

More than 20 percent of companies had adopted mindfulness training programs as of a 2016 study by the National Business Group on Health and Fidelity Investments. An additional 21 percent planned to introduce programs this year, the study found.

Kaia Yoga, which has two locations in Greenwich as well as in Darien and Westport, has witnessed increasing demand from businesses and local schools asking them to lead wellness days and people wanting to learn how to teach the practices, said Kaia co-owner Gina Norman.

Since Norman and her husband, fellow yoga instructor Stan Woodman, opened their first yoga studio in Greenwich in 2006, their brand has grown to four locations employing roughly 70 instructors. Lately, theyre focused on increasing their educational elements as they need more teachers and people look to learn the details of meditation.

Meditations popularity has grown dramatically in the last few years, Norman said. People are finally seeped in yoga enough that theyre looking for the next step, she said. And, theres science behind it now. There are lots of studies showing how it changes the brain.

In response to the trend, Kaia Yoga plans to introduce a new meditation teaching program that builds on other classes it has long hosted and will begin the first weekend in July. Kaias new yoga 100 hour meditation program begins by introducing students to the basics and developing their own practice, which includes studying mindfulness as a component. Its geared toward yoga students and teachers as well as other professionals who can use it in their work such as social workers, teachers and therapists, Norman said.

The full program takes place over four intense weekends spread out over several months that include full 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. days over a Friday and Saturday and costs $1,700. The program also includes required reading, some papers and weekly study groups. With most peoples schedules, it typically takes six to seven months to complete, Norman said.

To earn the resulting mediation teaching certification, students are then required to complete a written and oral exam. The 100-hours program also includes a second track, where students can choose to focus on Buddhist studies instead of meditation instructing.

The interest has been growing a lot in meditation, so weve been working on developing our education pieces to expand and strengthen peoples knowledge. ...We want to build a community, Norman said.

There are many types of meditation, she added, and the one being taught through the upcoming courses she calls the brushing teeth meditation, because it keeps you in a healthy place. We teach pure mindfulness meditation, which teaches you how to be awake so you know how to be present, she said.

There are a number of misconceptions about meditation, she said, and one of them is that all types are about keeping you zen all the time.

Were not necessarily trying to shut thoughts down (through meditation), but distinguish between thoughts and being present.

Contact the writer at mbennett@greenwichtime.com

Excerpt from:

Kaia Yoga expands meditation course offerings - Greenwich Time