June 27, 2009
In a recent AARP Bulletin, yoga was praised for its many benefits and recent rise among older adults. AARP cites a recent study stating that 18.4 percent of practitioners are now over 55. What the article doesn’t state is how many are over 80. While it may seem preposterous to start yoga at the age of 80, it’s never too late to bring vitality back to the body, tranquility to the mind and compassion to the soul. I introduce several of my students to you who started yoga for the first time in their 80′s.
Ruth E. - Age 85
“It’s been a year now, and I’m doing things today that I was afraid to do back then-like balance on one foot, reach up high for something, or bend over to pick up an object that has fallen out of reach. I’m stronger and more limber than I’ve been in a long time, and I have more confidence too.”
Read the rest of this post…
June 15, 2009
“It is an inspiring and invigorating experience to meet on Wednesday mornings with a variety of people in Highlands Ranch to undertake a yoga class. The instructor is graceful, kind, and very practiced in the art of the discipline of yoga. The choice of venues is perfect and the support of this activity by the Metro District is awesome. I highly recommend this event to everyone.” Diane M.
Join Diane and others at the Free Yoga in the Park at Highlands Ranch Civic Green Park. Please share your experience of practicing outdoors in this beautiful venue.
June 11, 2009
The spine can move gently in six directions, side to side, lateral side bends and forward and back, known in yoga as the six movements of the spine. We have so many opportunities to create a practice that centers around these six movements, so don’t lose yourself or your clients interest in repetition and sameness.This week try using one-armed Vadrasana as the basis of your movements to sequence your class.
Start out in child’s pose.
Read the rest of this post…
June 7, 2009
Learning to create a chair yoga flow helps your clients learn to flow with life itself. From years of experiential personal practice working with seniors and clients in wheelchairs, a dynamic chair yoga flow helps to invite calmness, ease of movement and relaxation into the practice. And when you coordinate the movement of the flow with the breath you will ultimately engage your clients into a deeper sense of body awareness. Offered here is a chair yoga flow that opens up the entire body – try it out on your next class and let me know how it worked for you.
Seated Mountain
Today think about feeling the poses, the body
Scan the Body – Imagine a light coming in to the crown of the head and take it don’t through the body looking for tension or stress or perhaps a fatigued or tight muscle or joint
Opening centering and breath work
Read the rest of this post…
