rubber soul
is a 100% carbon-neutral
yoga studio located near downtown Athens, Georgia.  All classes are by donation, $5 suggested.

Rubber Soul Yoga Revolution intends to provide community-based yoga at a price affordable to all.  We define "yoga" broadly, to include many disciplines including meditation, healthy lifestyle, and the performing arts.

The core of yoga is the breath--that is, connecting the breath to movement, seeing each pose as a container for the breath. The type of breath we practice in Hatha Yoga is specific: Ujjayi Pranayama (ocean breathing or victorious breath). It sounds rather like ocean waves surging in one's throat... or like the sound Darth Vader makes when breathing under his helmet. I know that isn't a very yogic association, what with Darth Vader zapping entire planets, but it's true! He's got that hissing in the throat. Try it now, if you like: use the same muscle you use to whisper to create a valve in your throat. Then slow down and deepen the breath.

Secondly (although of equal importance), yoga is about feeling good, right now, in the present. In other words, it is not about straining to fit into the Asana postures... not about feeling inadequate if one can't touch one's toes without bending one's knees... not striving to be perfectly fit with perfect posture and perfect concentration... It is simply the connecting of the mind to the being-present-in-the-body. The goal of our yoga classes is to practice that yoking of mind and body while moving through various poses.

To read a more extended discussion of this second point, I recommend the essays of J. Brown, who teaches some of the best yoga classes in New York City. The essay, "Notes from a Concerned Practitioner/Teacher," is excellent in discussing the importance of the mental state that we cultivate in yoga: a state of contented enjoyment and not that of frustrated self-depreciation.

JANUARY 8-31	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY
7:00-8:00	Yoga (Jill)	Yoga (Elizabeth) 7:30-8:45	Yoga (Jill)	Yoga (Elizabeth) 7:30-8:45	Yoga (Jill)	...	...
10:00-11:30	Yoga (John)	Gentle Yoga (Emily)	Yoga (John)	Yoga (Kathy)	Yoga (John)	Yoga (Cal)	Athens Zen Group 8:30
3:30-5:00	...	...	Gentle Yoga (Kat)	Yoga (Charles)	Yoga (Whitney)	...	Gentle Yoga (Jill)
5:30-6:45	Yoga (Kate)	Gentle Yoga (Sarah)	Yoga (Cal)	Yoga (Ginny)	Flow Yoga (John)	...	Yoga (Meg)
7:00-8:30	Yoga (Michael)	Yoga (Ginny)	Yoga (Nick)	Yoga (Cal)	Gentle Yoga (Katelyn)	...	Yoga (Lindsey)

For a print version, click here. 

FEBRUARY	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY
7:00-8:00	Yoga (Jill)	Yoga (Elizabeth) 7:30-8:45	Yoga (Jill)	Yoga (Elizabeth) 7:30-8:45	Yoga (Jill)	...	...
10:00-11:30	Yoga (John)	Yoga (Meg)	Yoga (John)	Yoga (Kathy)	Yoga (John)	Yoga (Cal)	Athens Zen Group 8:30
3:30-5:00	Yoga (Meg)	...	...	...	Yoga (Whitney)	Teacher Training Module One (Cal)	Gentle Yoga (Jill)
5:30-6:45	Yoga (Kate)	Gentle Yoga (Sarah)	Yoga (Cal)	Yoga (Ginny)	Flow Yoga (John)	Guided Meditation (Cal)	Yoga (Meg)
7:00-8:30	Yoga (Michael)	Yoga (Ginny)	Yoga (Nick)	Yoga (Cal)	Gentle Yoga (Katelyn)	...	Yoga (Lindsey)

For a print version, click here.

If the class is listed as "Yoga," then it is a Hatha yoga class that anyone of any experience level may attend. The exact style of the class may vary based on who is teaching it and what they love about yoga (and life). See the teacher biographies.

ATHENS ZEN GROUP: On Sunday mornings there is meditation with the Athens Zen Group. At 10:00 a.m. there is a Dharma talk. This is a presentation of thoughts concerning Zen Buddhism. Newcomers orientation is 11:00 on Sunday mornings except on a first sunday of a month. Look at their website for more information.

Yoga classes at Rubber Soul are available for a donation. The suggested donation is $5. If you'd like to donate less, that is OK too.

The suggested monthly donation is somewhere between $20 to $100, depending on your budget and (generally) what makes you happy.  

Feel free to come to class as often as you like. Yoga has a cumulative effect--one that accumulates best when practiced daily. Note that you can stay on for a second class (the "DOUBLE-HEADER")--no need to donate twice.

We love the gift economy.  Here's an article about an interesting restaurant that works purely by "karma." The video on the page does a wonderful job of explaining the spirit that we have been cultivating at Rubber Soul.

Cal Clements says it is normal to do yoga at least once a day--twice a day to begin a revolution. Cal is certified in Ashtanga Yoga from Downward Dog in Toronto. He has four university degrees, including a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature and a Masters of Library Science. He tries to lead a life of generosity and kindess, including a deep commitment to animal rights and environmental awareness. Cal is a raw foodist, joyful vegan, and imaginative atheist. He started a blog to answer all your questions about his marvelous ways.  As owner and manager of Rubber Soul, he has been teaching yoga most days of the week for the last 6 years.

While enduring a 10-day Vipassana retreat during the summer of 2008, Jill Noble realized the importance of the mind-body connection. As a world-traveling Religious Studies major and self-help junkie, the ego-crushing inablility to "sit" comfortably motivated her to incorporate yoga into her less-than-active lifestyle. Jill is thrilled to be back in Athens and attending Rubber Soul Adventure Club. She is dedicated to overcome mental and physical ailments through yoga practice -- centering on patience, discipline, and letting go of the desire for perfection and control. She hopes to share her joy, excitement, and discomfort as a first-time yoga instructor with new students and seasoned yogis alike, and to always keep in mind the Winston Churchill quote that "Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."

John Rogers is a yoga junkie. When Sivananda yoga moved into Athens like a summertime circus, he bought his ticket and found himself a certified teacher of the Sivananda tradition, with absolutely no inkling to teach whatsoever. Yoga was his personal journey and besides, he wasn't ready to teach, for crying out loud. But the universe had other plans for John. He found himself teaching a few classes a week at Rubber Soul. Whilst teaching his first ever class, John felt the welling up of an overwhelming joy and exuberance. This feeling exponentially increased with every pose until he became a being of pure light. When Adventure Club came along the following winter, John's heart skipped a beat, and adventure he did, among other things. He fearlessly took to the unicycle, founding the infamous, though short-lived, Palani Brothers Unicycle Gang. He learned how to cook gypsy rice and beans to beat the band. And his capacity for love and compassion knows no bounds. And his yoga is uplifting. Skip work today, and go to John's class. You'll be recognized as an incredible individual, lead through a series of ever-changing poses, and guided safely and compassionately, oh, and playfully, through the yoga that John finds so much joy in.

Kate Morrissey has been practicing yoga and meditation since 2000. She began with a home practice in Wisconsin before practicing Vajra yoga at Shambhala Mountain Center, a residential meditation center near Ft. Collins, Colorado. Vajra yoga, founded by Jill Satterfield in New York, combines Buddhist mindfulness, meditation, and visualization practices with Hatha yoga. Kate went on to study with Bikram yoga teachers in Pennsylvania at Yoga in State College, working her way through Yoga Alliances's now defunct "independent track" for yoga teachers in 2004 before moving to Georgia and continuing her practice here in 2005. She has been involved with the Rubber Soul Revolution since its inception and a teacher since 2007. She received
certification from Atlanta's Peachtree Yoga specializing in a mixed style of Iyengar and Vinyasa yoga in 2009. She has helped with a Shivananda teacher training and Rubber Soul's Yoga Adventure Club, and
continues to find fresh delight in doing yoga and practicing with the Zen group. She also is a licensed master of social work, and offers mind-body counseling at Rubber Soul.

Lindsey Lush's yoga history traces all the way back to being a six year old in ballet class where she first developed a love for music, expression and movement. She studied ballet, jazz, lyrical and modern dance through college when she began moving towards a regular yoga practice. Even now her yoga style resembles her dance experience with a vinyasa flow style. After practicing independently at home and in classes at Rubber Soul for several years, she joined the fall Adventure Club in 2010 and trained under Mr. Magical and Eternal himself. In real life she is an elementary school teacher who loves her "kids" and enjoys sharing with them the love and freedom that yoga is teaching her. Whether she is in school or at the studio, her favorite thing about teaching is the learning experience that occurs for everyone.

Since his first Ashtanga class in 2003, Nicholas Rynearson's yoga practice has grown with teachers from diverse traditions, including Iyengar, Anusara, Sivananda and Jivamukti Yoga. His classes feature sanskrit chanting, challenging asana sequences and attention to alignment. He feels strongly that the principle of non-violence (ahimsa) is the foundation of all yoga practice and invites students to explore their capacity for compassion toward themselves, other living beings, and mother earth.  Nicholas completed yoga teacher training through the Vastu School of Yoga in 2010.  He bows to the lotus feet of Shivakami and Lalji, his Sivananda teachers, of Emily, the guru who first opened his heart to the spiritual dimension of yoga, and of Jen, whose friendship and devotion are a constant inspiration.

Maya Angelou said she doesn’t trust any revolution where love is not allowed. Luckily for Maya, love is abundant at Rubber Soul Yoga Revolution! Sarah Whitaker was impelled, compelled, and propelled to make her home in Athens, in large part due to the community and warmth she felt as an out-of-town visitor to Rubber Soul. She strives to make her classes joyful and accessible in the hopes of cultivating even more of that spirit in the world. Her relationship with yoga has been seasoned with the wisdom of her many beloved teachers but especially Gérald Disse and Linda Munro in Paris and Cal, Lorrie, and Lal here in Athens. On the mat, her yoga practice centers on the themes of lightheartedness and mindfulness. Off the mat, her yoga practice centers on bringing a yoga-mind to her Ph.D. program in Educational Psychology, collecting hobbies, and volunteering at Daily Co-op. The newest yoga posture she is trying to master is to smile widely when startled out of her skin by loud noises--like the train whistle out back.

Whitney Horne began practicing yoga after college in 2009 when her mentor and primary yoga influence, DeeDee Gaines, encouraged her to attend a class she was doing with Clarke County’s firefighters. She found that yoga was more of a workout than she expected! However, gained an overwhelming cleansing of the mind and a peaceful disposition afterward. Consequently, she found herself falling in love with yoga and the balance it provided with her mind and body. She is certified with YogaFit, Inc. and is half way to getting to her 200-hr RYT with her Level 1, Level 2, Anatomy & Alignment, and Kids yoga certifications. Her hatha and vinyasa flowing style encourages proper alignment and is for everybody and every body. She is new to teaching but feels that Rubber Soul Yoga is the perfect place for her to grow as an instructor. She graduated from UGA with a Bachelor’s in Health Promotion and Behavior and is also a certified Personal Trainer. Off the mat, she can be found reading, cooking, tending to her flower, herb, and vegetable gardens, and taking care of her 4 dogs! She also is active in weight training, trail running, and biking, as she trains for upcoming races and future goals.

1. We're pretty easy-going, but we do request that you arrive 10 minutes early, take off your shoes when entering the studio, turn off the ringer on your phone, and avoid wearing strong perfumes or deodorants, begin a giant purification process with 100% commitment, and become aware of each present moment now and forever in infinite detail.

2. When you enter the practice space, settle in and possibly sit in stillness.

3. Wear exercise clothing. Form-fitting shirts are best so that during forward bends or inversions your top won't fall around your face. We practice barefoot (in general--that is--you can wear socks if you like).

4. Bring your yoga mat. If you forget or don't have one, you can rent one for a dollar. If you ride a bike or walk and therefore you'd like to store a mat at Rubber Soul, we have a shelf for that (under the rental mats).  (Note: Having you own mat is most hygenic and therefore recommended. What kind to get? Harmony Rubber Mat.)

5. When returning the blankets, stack them neatly--the fringe side to the wall. This is very important. Otherwise the wall becomes unstable. If you unfold the blanket, here's the folding order: First long, then short, then short again. Seriously!

Rubber Soul Yoga Revolution is located in the Leathers Building at 675 Pulaski Street (in Athens, Georgia). Pulaski runs alongside Phoenix Health Foods, the 40 Watt Club, Snow Tire, and Athens Blueprint. Then it crosses Prince Avenue and ducks into a neighborhood. The Leathers Building is about three blocks into this neighborhood, just before the railroad tracks. We are about halfway down the building, in suite number 1200. Come in through the back door (near the railroad tracks). here's a MAP.

The building looks like this:

Walk around the right side of the building, along the railroad tracks. As a rule, we place a wooden sign on the railing right in front of our door that says, "YOGA."

The interior of Rubber Soul looks like:

We lock the doors once class begins so plan to come early.

All students must sign a waiver. We have these at the desk. If you are under 18, you need to have a guardian sign it. If your guardian isn't coming to the first class, then print the waiver out and bring it along.

I'm new to yoga; what level class should I take?

Try any of the classes listed as "Yoga." You are welcome to join in. The first few classes may feel a bit awkward, but soon you'll have a good sense of how it is done. Why not give it a try and see how you like it? At any time you can modify poses or rest. Also the Gentle Yoga class is an excellent choice.

How does the library work?

Our library is entirely straight-forward. You deposit $20 (there is a cute little envelope to put it in) and check out one book at a time. You can keep it for 30 days. If it is still not back in 90 days, you lose your deposit. Otherwise, you may have your deposit back whenever you are ready to stop reading, move towns, or pay your rent. We keep the check-out cards in a rather odd glass case with a strange fabric animal housed at the base.

Is Yoga a religion?

Not exactly--you can practice it alongside your religion (or atheism) without conflict. You don't need to "believe in" anything. And yet there are certain concepts and practices in yoga that are... spiritual.... with metaphysical implications... Yoga Journal has an interesting article on this topic.

Does Yoga have ethical imperatives?

How is Rubber Soul 100% carbon-neutral?

Has the studio been reviewed in the press?

Not so much lately. We try to remain as secret as possible--other than having this absolutely public, accessible, and friendly website.

What music do you recommend for deep relaxation?

Snatam Kaur's music is absolutely soothing. The recording called Prem is really wonderful.

I think I'm ready to get a mat... what sort of mat ought I to buy?

I'm most in favor of the Jade/Harmony Rubber Mat because the grip is excellent, the materials are natural, and the price isn't too steep.  I myself (this is Cal talking here) use the Manduka BlackMat which is quite sturdy and ought to last *forever* but it is really heavy so if you are on a bike or walking I wouldn't buy that one.

What books are you reading in Adventure Club?

These are some of the ones we are reading or have read... highly recommended, of course.  (You can click on the image to get the book.)

You may contact Rubber Soul by writing to calclements(at)gmail(dot)com. Our address is Rubber Soul Yoga Revolution, 675 Pulaski St., Suite 1200, Athens, GA 30601.