The most common question that I get as a yoga teacher is ‘What kind of yoga do you do?’ or ‘What are your classes like?’
I am focused on creating a safe and welcoming class experience. The postures we do are accessible, slow, guided, supported, and above all gentle. I’m the yoga teacher you are looking for after you have injured yourself in another practice, or are stressed and nervous about starting physical wellness, I am the teacher you come to when you want to deepen your experience with yourself and your own body, mind, and spirit.
“But what if I’m not flexible?!’
‘That is ok!’
When I started my yoga journey I was over 100 pounds heavier. I intimately understand that the hardest part of starting any journey is the first step. I have students from all shapes and sizes in my studio and I can tell you that we all learn and grow together. And, for what it’s worth, no one is looking at you, trust me, if you have ever taken a class before you know what I’m talking about- you are so dropped in and tuned into your own body and the sensations you don’t have time to worry about anyone else. And for the most part, that is exactly the point.
When someone is starting yoga, they arn’t really worried about seated, supine, or postures that don’t require standing when they think of the challenges they might face in yoga. I want to dissolve some of the mystery with my gentle sequences and talk a bit about some weightbaring and balancing postures you might see during my yoga classes
Crescent Lounges: Bring in blocks, use the thigh, move slowly and focus on the sensation that arises in the hip flexor. If the knee is uncomfortable to the point of pain, fold the mat under it, or release some pressure from the posture.
Twists: Use blocks to elongate the spine and find some more length and take pressure off of the lower back. Engage the core, this will help stabilize the back and keep you safe. Focus on your breathing here, in with the expanse, and out with the contraction or twist. If it’s too much on the cervical spine, you can always look down or keep the head at neutral.
Warrior 2 knee down: Don’t worry about popping up quickly here, take your time to feel the full expression with your knee down. Warrior two is doing a lot of different things in the body, the arms are reaching and pulling in opposite directions. The weight is in the front leg and you might feel warmth here as heat starts to build and the muscle is engaged. If this is too much, drop the arms and place them at your sides. Just breathe and experience the posture.
Forward Fold: This posture is so important because it’s part of our daily mobility. Bend deep into the knees, allow the weight of the torso to completely let go into the tops of the thigh. Use blocks to support the weight of the torso if this feels like too much for the low back.
Dancer: A true balancing posture we work at the wall for stability. A lot goes into the prompts for this posture from concentrating the eyes on a single point to allowing the body to lift from the arch of the foot. It’s one of the more challenging postures in my classes but very accessible when we use our props and guide the body slowly!
We do more postures than these in my gentle yoga classes.
I really want to drive home the point that everything is gentle, slow, and made for concentration of the body.
I know that some students love a fast paced class, and that’s amazing! There are tons of classes out there that will quench that power vinyasa craving!
I’ll be here for those days when you’re needing a recovery day, when life has gotten too much and you need to come to silence constructively. I will be here for you when your joints hurt from too much hiking, or you are going through something personal and need a safe space to just breathe among friends who need exactly the same thing.
My yoga classes are to help guide you on your wellness journey, I am the guide and you are walking your own path.
Classes are held at Yoga by the Lake, you can check out the full schedule updated monthly on my website and of course my facebook page. Thank you for watching and have a warm and peaceful rest of your day!