Yoga For Lower Back HealthIn January, we spent time strengthening the entire back body. We did chest opening poses and backbends that contract the shoulder blades. We engaged in twists and movements that activated the middle back muscles. We also worked on core and balance movements that keep the hips and spinal muscles strong and supportive. In February, we are going to focus specifically on unlocking discomfort in the lower back, which often means exploring the hips in a big way. We're going to strengthen and stretch the front and back of the hips (the hip flexors and extensors) in poses like lunges, rolling bridges, chair pose, and flat-back forward folds. We will strengthen the outer hips and external rotators as well in poses like tree pose, goddess pose, and warrior 2. All these movements can be performed in a chair, on a mat, and everywhere in between, so get ready to have some fun! I'd love to finally get around to recording some video for those of you who can't make it to my in-person classes. If I do, you will hear me crowing about it in your email, on my website blog , and on my youtube channel . Don't forget social media as well, specifically Instagram and Facebook. See you there! Try Something New!"MEDITATION & MOVEMENT" - This class will run every Saturday morning at Riverside Wellness in Milford at 8:30 am. We will begin with mindfulness and breathing practices. We will then do simple and gentle stretches and movements to help settle the mind. The class will conclude with a long guided meditation practice and final relaxation, including scalp massages with lavender oil. Pre-registration requested but not required. $18 drop in, or less with a class package. This class is accessible to those who would rather practice seated in a chair. "BEGINNER/BASIC YOGA" - Wednesdays 9:30 to 10:30. This is one of my favorite kinds of yoga to teach. This style class is more like a workshop then a 'regular' yoga class. I'll ask what you are looking for in your practice, and we will do a lot of discussion and adjusting to figure out how to get a pose right for your body. Consider this a mostly private yoga training session where you set the itinerary, including preferring to practice in a chair! This class is currently only at Riverside Wellness and has the same pricing structure as the above mentioned meditation class. You can buy a class package and use that to join any of the yoga classes available at Riverside. Check out the Riverside website for full schedule details and pricing packages. "ACCESSIBLE YOGA" AT HCL - Tuesday 12:15 to 1:15 at Hunterdon County Main. My original intention was for this class to be just a mat yoga class. However, since there are no other props at the library, and since a chair is the ultimate yoga prop, this class will be a combination of chair and mat yoga as it suits the student. That means that some students will do a pose in a chair while others are doing the same pose seated on the mat, or on their hands and knees on the mat. It's a challenge for me as a teacher but I am really enjoying the pose variations that we can explore by having chairs handy. You MUST pre-register for this since the library classes are limited in size and are getting close to full. Go here to sign up the the coming week's class! Workshop Sneak PeekSo far, the newsletter covered what you are (or can be) doing in terms of yoga. But hey, I'm a student too! I'm taking a handful of really interesting training courses in the next few months, so that will likely affect the class offerings I have this spring. Here's a peek of what I'm doing.
Breath Coach Training - The ancient study of breathing practices (pranayama) combined with modern scientific research about breath, sleep, and the nervous system. The Science of Stretching - I haven't started this yet, but I think there will be a lot of stretching! Accessible Yoga Teacher Training - Making yoga available equally to all students, which I love! This course has special topics like wheelchair yoga, bed yoga, queer and trans yoga and lots and lots of chair yoga practices. Tantric Meditation Courses - I'm in three of these this year, so clearly that's my favorite. I love diving deeply into learning about yoga philosophy and practice. Once I've processed and embodied my new techniques, I plan to incorporate them into existing classes and add some new workshops as well. I also anticipate offering private breath and yoga training sessions via zoom and in person! As always, thanks for reading! Feel free to drop me a line or ask any questions about my classes or yoga in general by emailing me at groundedearthyoga@gmail.com.
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