Body in Mind Yoga

What is yoga? Ancient philosophy that began in India approximately 5000 years ago. Yoga means to “unite” or “yoke” The ultimate goal is to unite the mind, body and spirit. It is a system of tools. These tools include physical poses, breath work and meditation. How we bring these tools together is what makes each class unique.

Yoga as Exercise Postures performed with attention to alignment and breathing Non-impact exercise Body is actively stretched through eccentric muscular contraction (actively lengthening) Increases overall mobility and agility by increasing joint range of motion and muscle length or flexibility

Types of yoga Hatha Yoga-any type of yoga that teaches the physical postures. Bikram-developed by Bikram Choudhury. Classes are held in artificially heated rooms and involve 26 poses in the same sequence Ashtanga-popularized and brought to the west by Pattabhi Jois in the 1970’s. Series of specific postures performed in the same order linking movement to breath Vinyasa-meaning “flow”. These classes are fluid, and movement intensive. No two classes are the usually the same. Restorative-relaxing and soothing classes with passive poses so body can benefit without having to exert any effort.

Benefits of yoga Flexibility Strengthens muscle Improves bone density Improves posture Quiets the mind Focuses energy Encourages positive thoughts and self acceptance Relieves pain Balances metabolism and reduces weight Promotes cardiovascular, circulatory and digestive health Elicits relaxation response (activates parasympathetic nervous system) Prevents “dis-ease” keeping physical systems open and energized

terminology Namaste- “bow me you” or “I bow to you”. Often done both at the beginning and end of the class. A symbol of gratitude and respect by the teacher toward his/her students. Asanas-postures of poses strung together in a specific sequence or series. Asanas have both Sanskrit and English names and properties of being either steady (stihra) or soft (sukha). There are said to be 840,000 asanas for accessing the full potential of human movement Chakras-energy centers within the body.. There are 7 major chakras located along or just in front of the spine Sanskrit-the classical language of India. Today it is used mainly in Hindu religious rituals as a ceremonial language for hymns and mantras Prana-the life energy that sustains the body and earth. This energy is primarily absorbed by the breathing of air but also in the food we ea and the water we drink.

chakras

Yogafit training Founder is Beth Shaw “Yoga is for EVERY body and EVERYBODY” Part of the hatha yoga tradition Ha=sun, Tha=moon. Balance of opposites Vinyasa style sequences poses together to create strength, flexibility, endurance and balance

Body alignment in yoga (YOGAFIT’s 7 Principles of alignment (spa)) Establishing base and dynamic tension Creating core stability Aligning the spine Softening and aligning the knees Relaxing shoulders back and down Hinging at the hips Shortening lever length

Things to remember during yoga Stay in the present moment Listen to the body Let go of judgement Let go of competition Let go of expectations Breath Enjoy