About Scott

Scott Willis, M. Ed. is the Director of the Yoga Center at Solar Hill in Brattleboro, Vermont. Since 1989 Scott has been teaching yoga and related mindbody classes and workshops throughout the Northeast and since 1992 at The Yoga Center at Solar Hill.

Known for his friendly, compassionate style of teaching, his primary influences are Anusara, Kripalu, Iyengar Style, Viniyoga and Insight Meditation. He uses techniques from all of them in his yoga curriculum.

His intention is to create an oasis for students where they can truly enjoy exploring the art and science of yoga.

Yoga with Scott Willis

It’s Your Body • It’s Your Time • It’s Your Class

It’s Your Body

1. My yoga curriculum is for folks of all shapes, sizes and degrees of strength and flexibility.
   I encourage a student to go to the steady, comfortable edge of the stretch that’s appropriate for her/his unique body.
   Good alignment is very important for maximum enjoyment and safety in the pose.
2. When working with students in a yoga pose, I present them with variations of the pose and substitute poses, and I heartily encourage the use of yoga props, so that together we can create good alignment in the pose.

It’s Your Time

1. I invite students to honor what they need in each class. I encourage them to fully feel each warm-up and pose, and to do each one either gently, moderately or vigorously, regardless of what other students are doing.
2. I remind folks that the class is for them. It is an oasis of time for them, with no one else to be responsible for, and nothing to prove to anyone.

It’s Your Class

1. Students enjoy themselves in class.
   They often feel a balance of being invigorated and calm.
   They feel supported to explore yoga in a non-competitive atmosphere of focused, compassionate people with good senses of humor.
2. Over 125 students register in full each semester. Currently ages range from mid-teens to the early eighties, with the median age at 52.

Class Descriptions

"The regular practice of yoga can change your life in very profound ways. Do not underestimate the value of being balanced, centered, and coordinated, of being strong and light, of being more flexible, without pain, experiencing the subsequent feelings of invisibility or transparency, and of being more sensitive."
                                                                         —Erich Schiffmann

Beginning

Includes postures which often are quite comfortable for folks who have little or no experience with yoga. We progress through the semester, befriending the postures by revisiting them week to week as well as slowly introducing new ones. We will learn postures such as bridge, tree, downward facing dog, triangle, warriors I and II, dancer, sun salutation, half shoulderstand and many others.
A typical 1 1/4 hour class consists of warm-ups, postures, some easy going breathwork and a 10 minute relaxation. You will also learn simple meditation techniques. Scott's Beginning Yoga CD's and audiotapes will be available to sign out or buy to help you to begin to develop a practice at home.

Beginning/Intermediate

Features postures best suited for students with a year of yoga experience. However, most folks with little or no experience are comfortable beginning with this class. We will explore postures such as frog, eagle, bow, revolved triangle (with props), and many more, including yin postures (easy/moderate postures held for a period of time). Breathwork will expand to include calming, balancing and invigorating breathing techniques. Every two or three weeks we will end with a 10 minute meditation, focusing on breath and sensations. Audio and videotapes by various yoga teachers will be available to sign out for home practice.

Intermediate

In the third year we spend a little more time practicing and learning each new posture, exploring balancing sequences, twists, upward facing bow, supported shoulderstand, plow, pigeon variations, half moon, revolved side angle and many more. You will often use props to create just the right variation of a posture for your unique body. We will also have fun with a variety of full-bodied yoga sequences (vinyasa), as well as continue our exploration of breathing and meditation techniques.

In addition to his three year curriculum Scott also offers:

Yoga for Golfers

It was just a matter of time before I put two of my passions together.  Want to improve your game and your enjoyment of it? Now in its fourth year, this class is a big hit!

You will have fun learning:

We will use techniques and background info from:

Saturday Morning Yoga Workout 
A fun, full body yoga flow to get your Saturday off to a rousing start.

Yoga Flow- Meditation in Motion
A beginning/intermediate level yoga posture flow in a relaxed meditative setting.  Students in this class come into silence when they enter the Yoga Center and remain in silence until they leave the center.
Scott’s instructions are sparsely presented throughout the class in a background of silence or, occasionally, soft music.
Students interested in this class should have at least a year of experience in a yoga class. 

Yoga Flow “Plus”
Similar to Yoga Flow-Meditation in Motion except that in this class we end with
10 minutes of relaxation and/or breathwork, followed by a 10 minute sitting or lying-down meditation.

Friday Evening Yoga

$12 per class drop in 8 class series - $80.
In this class, Scott uses a "meditation in motion" style, guiding you through a full-bodied flow of beginning/intermediate level postures, using meditation techniques of focusing on the breath and body sensations, to foster concentration and encourage the letting go of tension. The class ends with a 10-15 minute relaxation period. You will leave wonderfully refreshed and relaxed, and in time to catch an early movie downtown.

Private Yoga Instruction
Using variations and props that provide true alignment and maximum steadiness and comfort for your unique body. An individualized yoga program can be highly beneficial for folks who want to develop a personalized routine for home practice or are new to yoga or who have been away from yoga for a while, and want to explore in a private setting how it feels for them, and get a sense of my teaching approach before taking their first class.

Scott’s Fall/Winter Semester 
September 2, 2008 to February 21, 2009

Monday		3:45-5:00 PM 5:30-6:45 PM 7:15-8:30 PM	Beginning/Intermediate Beginning Yoga Flow-Meditation in Motion “Plus”
Tuesday		9:15-10:30 AM 3:45-5:00 PM 7:30-8:45 PM	Beginning/Intermediate Yoga Flow-Meditation in Motion Intermediate
Wednesday		3:45-5:00 PM 5:30-6:45 PM 7:15-8:30 PM	Intermediate Intermediate Beginning/Intermediate
Thursday		9:15-10:30 AM 3:45-5:00 PM	Beginning/Intermediate Yoga Flow-Meditation in Motion
Friday		5:30-6:45 PM	Friday Evening Yoga
Saturday		8:00-9:15 AM 9:45-11:00 AM 11:30- 12:45PM	Yoga Workout Yoga for Golfers (Beginning/Intermediate) Jan. 10 - March 28, 2009   $110. Yoga for Golfers (Beginning) Jan. 10 - March 28, 2009   $110.

                                                            Fees
Classes      All classes will meet 23 times:
                        $207 ($9 per class) if paid by August 9, 2008
                        $230 ($10 per class) if paid by September 6, 2008
                                 ($12 per class) Drop-ins if space is available

Windham Southeast teachers   $184 ($8 per class)
Brattleboro Memorial Hospital Wellness members   $161 ($7 per class)
Your wellness committee will contribute the rest.

Make-ups   You are welcomed to make up any missed classes at no charge
                   at any of the following classes throughout the semester:
Monday     7:15-8:30 PM    Yoga Flow-Meditation in Motion “Plus”
Thursday   3:45-5:00 PM    Yoga Flow-Meditation in Motion
Friday        5:30-6:45 PM     Friday Evening Yoga          
Saturday    8:00-9:15 AM    Yoga Workout

Private Instruction    $60 for a 1 1/4 hour session   $90 for a 2-student 1 1/4 hour session

For more specific information about any of the classes and private instruction, and/or to register, please feel free to Scott at (802) 257-1926.