Here's what might be helpful:
Not all yoga is the same.
Not all yoga classes offer the same experience.
Not all yoga teachers teach in the same way.
Not all yoga styles may be supportive of us through all ages and stages of our lives.
Not all yoga is the same.
Not all yoga classes offer the same experience.
Not all yoga teachers teach in the same way.
Not all yoga styles may be supportive of us through all ages and stages of our lives.
If yoga is guided by a well-trained professional who understands how to adapt practices to the needs of patients and clients, then yoga practice can be safe and effective.
Slow, mindful yoga is for people who seek to improve their resilience - physical, mental, emotional, and even spiritual - so that they may more easily return to a state of balance after facing life challenges. Consider Yoga provides instruction and guidance to begin and develop this affirming, flexible, and supportive practice.
Slow, mindful yoga uses breath, movement, gentle poses, guided relaxation, and meditation to bring increased calm and focus to our mind and body. Starting with the bodies we have right now, we breathe and move in a safe and supported way that slowly builds our balance, flexibility, and inner awareness.
While this style of yoga can improve fitness, it differs from strong, physical "exercise yoga." It is a different practice with different goals - to build awareness, self-regulate our nervous system, and deepen self-understanding.
Slow, mindful yoga can help you:
- develop internal and external awareness of your body
- develop greater strength and balance so you lower your risk of falling
- learn how to "tend and befriend" your body, mind, and spirit
- manage your stress response
- improve your sleep
It can be adapted to your specific needs, helping you optimize your health without risking injury. "No pain, no pain" is the motto. There is something for everyone in slow, mindful yoga because it incorporates aspects of the health of our body, mind, and spirit in a compassionate, supportive way - meeting you where you are each time you practice and whatever form your practice takes each time.
Both mat-based and chair-based classes are based on the principles described here, so chair-based yoga can be just as effective and nourishing as mat-based yoga. While it's important to practice our skills of getting down to and up off the floor as we age, it's also important to choose a practice that works for us. For some of us, that's using a chair for support. Even in our chair-based practices, we do many (optional) standing moves and poses. It's important to do standing poses so we can maintain our skills of strength, flexibility, and balance.
When you decide to regularly practice slow, mindful yoga, you are doing something great for yourself that is based on research evidence and also has roots in ancient yoga teachings supporting health and well-being.
Every breathing human being can do yoga! Slow, mindful yoga is not about folding yourself into a pretzel or standing on your head. It's about using what you have, right now, to move your breath, body, mind, and spirit in a direction toward resilience, well-being, and healthy aging. And it's about savoring slow.
Want more information? Explore this website or email me with your questions.
Lori Taft Sours, PhD, RYT500 ~ Founder, Consider Yoga.
[email protected]