Yoga for Any Body - FAQ
What is Yoga?
Yoga means something different to every person who practices it. We will be practicing gentle, flow yoga with slow movements and breath consciousness. The results are stress relief, improved flexibility, and relaxation. To me, yoga is a discipline for achieving a healthier body, mind, and spirit. It is not a religion.
What is the purpose of this class?
There are three primary goals:
Do I need to be strong?
No, but you will find yourself becoming stronger as you perform the movements over a period of time.
Do I have to meditate?
No, but you may find yourself interested in learning something about meditating. We will do a 15-minute relaxation response period to end each session.
What do I have to do?
You will gain the most from the course by attending regular sessions and by practicing daily. Just three to five minutes each day will help; 20 minutes is recommended. It is most useful to form the habit of regular purposeful movement for relaxation and flexibility, and this is accomplished by daily practice.
Will yoga help aerobically?
This class will not. We will do each movement very slowly and deliberately, not fast, and we will concentrate on stretching and relaxing to obtain flexibility and peacefulness.
What if I can’t do the movements?
That’s OK. None of us can do new things perfectly on the first try. The important point is to try unless there is a physical problem that prevents you from attempting the posture. By introducing your muscles and joints to new slow and easy movements, they will become more flexible and gradually adapt to your suggestions. There are many yoga postures that we will not attempt in this class because they are only useful after you have become comfortable with basic, easy ones.
Will I ever be able to do those extreme postures?
That’s up to you. After more than 40 years of frequent practice and many years of daily practice, I still often use the same basic routine that I will teach you – only with more flexibility than when I started. The benefits are there for you regardless of whether you can perform the movements “perfectly.”
What will we learn?
We will begin with stretching moves and balance postures while standing. Once we are comfortable with this process, we will move on to some that are a bit more complicated and involve movements on the floor on your back, then face down, kneeling, and sitting. We will end with a 15-minute basic relaxation process while lying on our backs on the mats.
Asanas – Postures
In my yoga classes and workshops I include movement of as many body parts as possible from the top of our heads to the bottom of our feet, including eyes, mouth, and even the skin of the face. To enjoy good health each part of our bodies and minds must be used or its ability is lessened. Yoga can remind us of needs overlooked in other disciplines.
This list includes a few asanas beginners will not be ready to attempt. It is a reference list of postures practiced or demonstrated during classes. All students are encouraged to try modified versions of each asana introduced by the instructor to gain as much benefit as the body is ready to absorb. Students are most knowledgeable of their own limitations and should always adapt when needed to be safe. If you begin to feel unusual strain or tension, stop where you are and slowly back off to a comfortable stage. DO NOT MOVE QUICKLY. Injuries most often occur from rapid, jerking, or bouncing movements in an attempt to force the body into a position for which it is not ready. Each of us has a unique body that will respond over time to gentle encouragement. You are not in competition with any other student. You are learning to love and care for your own individual body without regard to what other students might be able to do. Rejoice in your own improved breathing, flexibility and peacefulness.
Seated in a Chair
Laughing Lion
Sun Salutation
Eye Circles
Head Turns
Shoulder Rolls – Deep Breathing
Turtle
Standing
Mountain Pose (Centering)
Side Bends
Twists
Tree Pose (balance)
Eagle (balance)
Forward Bend
Sun Salutation
Warrior I
Pyramid
Warrior II
Triangle
Wide-leg Standing Forward Bend
On the Mat – On the Back
Full Body Stretch
Knee Twists
Leg Twists (with strap)
Reclined Cobbler
Bridge
Knees to chest
Knee twists
Leg extensions
On the Mat – Face Down
Modified Cobra
Cobra
Locust
On the Mat – Kneeling
Table
Cat
Cat – Balance
Child’s Pose
Camel
Downward Facing Dog
On the Mat – Seated
Staff Pose
Forward Bends
Simple Crossed-Legs Poses
Twist
Forward Bend
Split Leg Bends
Smiling Twisted Sage
On the Mat – On Back
Total Relaxation Period - Savasana
INTENTION
Yoga for Any Body is appropriate for all ages and body types. Movements are very slow and free from pain. We always stop short of pushing ourselves too far. The goal is not perfect form, but frequent practice. You will find yourself not tired, but energized following yoga sessions.
We don’t DO yoga, we PRACTICE yoga.
Accepting this philosophy means that anyone can enjoy the discipline. Yoga is not a religion. It is a discipline that helps you to enjoy your body more, live life more fully, and develop a more healthy body, mind, and spirit.
What is Yoga?
Yoga means something different to every person who practices it. We will be practicing gentle, flow yoga with slow movements and breath consciousness. The results are stress relief, improved flexibility, and relaxation. To me, yoga is a discipline for achieving a healthier body, mind, and spirit. It is not a religion.
What is the purpose of this class?
There are three primary goals:
- to learn to accept and love your own body just as it is,
- to learn movements that will increase your flexibility,
- to learn to breathe deeply and increase your lung capacity.
Do I need to be strong?
No, but you will find yourself becoming stronger as you perform the movements over a period of time.
Do I have to meditate?
No, but you may find yourself interested in learning something about meditating. We will do a 15-minute relaxation response period to end each session.
What do I have to do?
You will gain the most from the course by attending regular sessions and by practicing daily. Just three to five minutes each day will help; 20 minutes is recommended. It is most useful to form the habit of regular purposeful movement for relaxation and flexibility, and this is accomplished by daily practice.
Will yoga help aerobically?
This class will not. We will do each movement very slowly and deliberately, not fast, and we will concentrate on stretching and relaxing to obtain flexibility and peacefulness.
What if I can’t do the movements?
That’s OK. None of us can do new things perfectly on the first try. The important point is to try unless there is a physical problem that prevents you from attempting the posture. By introducing your muscles and joints to new slow and easy movements, they will become more flexible and gradually adapt to your suggestions. There are many yoga postures that we will not attempt in this class because they are only useful after you have become comfortable with basic, easy ones.
Will I ever be able to do those extreme postures?
That’s up to you. After more than 40 years of frequent practice and many years of daily practice, I still often use the same basic routine that I will teach you – only with more flexibility than when I started. The benefits are there for you regardless of whether you can perform the movements “perfectly.”
What will we learn?
We will begin with stretching moves and balance postures while standing. Once we are comfortable with this process, we will move on to some that are a bit more complicated and involve movements on the floor on your back, then face down, kneeling, and sitting. We will end with a 15-minute basic relaxation process while lying on our backs on the mats.
Asanas – Postures
In my yoga classes and workshops I include movement of as many body parts as possible from the top of our heads to the bottom of our feet, including eyes, mouth, and even the skin of the face. To enjoy good health each part of our bodies and minds must be used or its ability is lessened. Yoga can remind us of needs overlooked in other disciplines.
This list includes a few asanas beginners will not be ready to attempt. It is a reference list of postures practiced or demonstrated during classes. All students are encouraged to try modified versions of each asana introduced by the instructor to gain as much benefit as the body is ready to absorb. Students are most knowledgeable of their own limitations and should always adapt when needed to be safe. If you begin to feel unusual strain or tension, stop where you are and slowly back off to a comfortable stage. DO NOT MOVE QUICKLY. Injuries most often occur from rapid, jerking, or bouncing movements in an attempt to force the body into a position for which it is not ready. Each of us has a unique body that will respond over time to gentle encouragement. You are not in competition with any other student. You are learning to love and care for your own individual body without regard to what other students might be able to do. Rejoice in your own improved breathing, flexibility and peacefulness.
Seated in a Chair
Laughing Lion
Sun Salutation
Eye Circles
Head Turns
Shoulder Rolls – Deep Breathing
Turtle
Standing
Mountain Pose (Centering)
Side Bends
Twists
Tree Pose (balance)
Eagle (balance)
Forward Bend
Sun Salutation
Warrior I
Pyramid
Warrior II
Triangle
Wide-leg Standing Forward Bend
On the Mat – On the Back
Full Body Stretch
Knee Twists
Leg Twists (with strap)
Reclined Cobbler
Bridge
Knees to chest
Knee twists
Leg extensions
On the Mat – Face Down
Modified Cobra
Cobra
Locust
On the Mat – Kneeling
Table
Cat
Cat – Balance
Child’s Pose
Camel
Downward Facing Dog
On the Mat – Seated
Staff Pose
Forward Bends
Simple Crossed-Legs Poses
Twist
Forward Bend
Split Leg Bends
Smiling Twisted Sage
On the Mat – On Back
Total Relaxation Period - Savasana
INTENTION
Yoga for Any Body is appropriate for all ages and body types. Movements are very slow and free from pain. We always stop short of pushing ourselves too far. The goal is not perfect form, but frequent practice. You will find yourself not tired, but energized following yoga sessions.
We don’t DO yoga, we PRACTICE yoga.
Accepting this philosophy means that anyone can enjoy the discipline. Yoga is not a religion. It is a discipline that helps you to enjoy your body more, live life more fully, and develop a more healthy body, mind, and spirit.
