As you probably already know, this fall I’m offering Yoga classes on Thursday evenings (7:30pm).
But I wanted to do something a little different this time.
I’m going to share the 12 different classes with you here, giving you a preview of what’s coming up…
Because Yoga isn’t just about being or becoming more flexible, and each class isn’t just about abstract postures.
To me Yoga is about learning to connect with your body as well as your mind.
In each class I have a theme that relates to an aspect of you, and it gives you the opportunity, for the hour we’re together, to really become aware of that part of yourself.
And we do this through movement, but also through savasana (the few minutes of relaxation/meditation at the end of class).
I thought that sharing these themes with you up front would give you and opportunity to check out a class that might be right for you.
So even if you can’t attend for a whole session, maybe you want to join us for the classes that resonate the most with you.
All that being said, here are the classes for this fall:
1. Letting go of what’s keeping you stuck – September 13th
When you’re stuck, whether physically or mentally, you need to get back into motion.
So this class on getting un-stuck will offer some gentle flowing vinyasas (i.e. going from one posture to another in a sequence, such as Sun Salutation), and it will focus on breathing through movement.
Breathing, which is arguably the most important focus of any Yoga class, is the ultimate tool for moving through any difficulty. Why? Because your breath is one thing you can count on that never stops flowing, whether you’re aware of it or not.
When you leave this class you’ll have a greater appreciation for your breathing, the way you can relate it to how you move, and how to use breathing and movement to keep yourself moving through any difficulty.
2. Freedom for your spine – September 20th
Back pain in a major issue for a lot of us these days. And the pain come can from a quick movement, or staying in one position for too long (i.e. sitting), or feelings of extreme stress.
In this class you’ll be moving your spine in all six planes through forward and back bends (gentle ones), side bends, and twists. Of course your breathing will figure into this too, because when you have pain, your tendency is to hold your breath.
After this class you should be able to move your spine a little further in all directions and discover further how your breathing can help keep your body fluid, even through pain.
3. Balance and focus – September 27th
You can’t have balance without focus, these two go hand-in-hand. And with all the distractions we’ve got these days, focus is becoming a lost art. But without focus, meaningful work can’t get done, living in the present isn’t possible, and balancing on one leg – well let’s just say it’s a good thing you’ve got two of them.
So, this class will offer several postures that will challenge your balance and therefore your focus. You may be surprised by your lack of balance at first, I know I was when I started practicing Yoga, but with a little focus and perseverance, you’ll find that you can improve quickly and soon feel strong and flexible as a Tree.
4. Open heart, beautiful posture – October 4th
As we get older, our head begins to droop and our shoulders then tend to hunch forward. But this doesn’t have to be.
In this practice of opening the heart, you’ll discover postures to strengthen your shoulders and upper back, and begin to counteract this curving of the spine. With regular practice, you can improve and retain a beautiful posture well into old age.
In addition, the practice of opening the heart teaches the power of vulnerability and confidence. An amazing benefit from a few simple postures.
5. Living with anxiety – October 11th
Anxiety is a normal emotion that we all experience from time, to varying degrees. The way anxiety affects us is usually amplified when we try to push it away – it’s like trying to keep a beach ball under water: It will keep popping up.
This Yoga class will be a calming practice that will help you face anxiety and then release the emotion. To do this you’ll be introduced to some simple sequences using the body and the breath. The idea behind these simple movements, in concert with the breath, is to bring the mind into the present, feel the emotion, and then allow it to move on through.
6. Relaxing tight hamstrings – October 18th
If you have trouble touching your toes or even just bending forward, it’s often due to tight or short hamstring muscles (those muscles at the back of your thighs). Also, these muscles are part of a chain of muscles at the back of your body, so if they’re not lengthening as they should they could be causing lower back pain as well.
In this class you’ll be practicing postures that will emphasize stretching those important muscles and maybe, just maybe, you’ll be touching your toes by the end of it.
7. Strong core, confident movement – October 25th
Your core – meaning the muscles that make up the girdle at the center of your body which include your abdominals and your lower back – is your anchor. You’re always using these muscles to keep you stable as you move, even if you don’t notice them. So, the stronger your core, the more powerfully you can move your arms and legs, and the better your balance will be.
In this class you’ll practice bringing awareness to the core muscles by consciously engaging them. The breathing will be significant here as engaging these muscles is a big part of exhaling.
8. Opening tight hips – November 1st
Most of our movement each day is within a very narrow range of motion. We’re usually sitting or walking, not much more than that. So as a result, our hips get stiff and stuck within this small range even though they’re made for so much more.
So today we’ll be freeing the hips, exploring a much larger range of motion which can allow you to lift your knees a little higher and
9. Courage to face fear – November 8th
Yoga is a practice of courage. It takes courage to focus on your inner self, and become aware – without judgment – of your body. And like I said, it’s a practice. Yoga is not about getting to a certain level, it’s just about practicing in getting better all the time.
In this class, you’ll be doing strong postures like the Warrior series which will challenge you to open up and center yourself firmly on your two feet. We’ll also try some more advanced postures as a way of facing a fear that we all know and love: the fear of failure.
10. Appreciate your Feet – November 15th
Your feet are pretty amazing. Although they’re not very big, they support your entire body and get you where you want to go. However, we have a tendency to mistreat our feet by pushing them into uncomfortable shoes or ignoring them when they’re in pain.
One of the things I love about Yoga is that it’s best practiced bare foot. I know not everyone appreciates this, and you’ve always got the choice to keep your socks on. However being bare foot gives you the opportunity to really feel the ground that supports them and allows you the feeling of connection with the Earth.
In this practice we’ll bring some awareness to the many ways your feet can move, while also keeping you grounded.
11. Stable knees, strong legs – November 22nd
Your knees are probably your most vulnerable joints, connecting the longest bones in your body. And many of us have had a knee injury of some sort.
This class is about strengthening your legs to give better support to your knees. You’ll be doing postures that will challenge the muscles in the upper and lower legs so that they can do their job and take the some of the heavy load off the knees themselves.
Practicing these postures will help you move with more confidence and less pain.
12. Practicing Peace for the holidays – November 29th
Yoga is a practice of peace. And peace, I believe, starts within you. Although you may be wishing for everyone and everything else to be peaceful, without cultivating peace within yourself, you’ll never ever have it.
This class will be calming practice for the body and mind. It will include elements of self compassion to counteract the sometimes less-than-peaceful relationship we sometimes have with ourselves.
Through this practice I hope to give you something you can use to get through the hustle and bustle that the holidays can bring.
I love practicing and teaching Yoga.
In my life, Yoga has helped me heal from running injuries, brought awareness to my breathing and made me realize how shallow my breathing was, improved my posture in amazing ways, and taught me the importance to stop and just be.
Come out and try a class, see what Yoga can do for you.
Namaste my friend,
Debbie
P.S. To find out more information about Thursday evening Yoga, or to sign up, please go to the Classes page on my website.