Monday Night Gentle Yoga

Tonight, June 1st, was the first evening in a month of Mondays where I am offering a Gentle Yoga class.  Including myself, there were 7 of us, and we all found lots of space in the Gallery to practice.  We practiced for almost an hour and 1/2.

I started by asking everyone to fill out the info form, so that I could have a general idea what some of the limitations might be for people.  But I already had a some idea, since I had spoken to everyone individually before we gathered as a group.

We then went around and told everyone our names and why we were there tonight--brief and simple.

I talked a little bit about the practice and history of Yoga, stressing that we would really only be touching on a sliver of the practice with our poses.  I talked about the breath, and how in Yoga we generally expand and open with an inhalation and contract with an exhalation, breathing through the nose.

With that, we went into Savasana, where I guided everyone in a deep relaxation.   I explained that it was important to support the neck with a small pillow if necessary, or to bend the knees if the lower back was uncomfortable.  I really wanted to present several options for deep relaxation.

I then introduced the 3 Part Breath Pranayama technique, beginning with feeling the breath in the belly, the middle of the torso, then to the upper chest.  I really wanted them to feel the 3 part breath, so we remained here for about 10 minutes, exploring the rib cage with our fingers and really being mindful of how the body moved with the breath.

I also encouraged everyone to notice the breath in the shoulders and back as well. Afterward, I asked everyone to note how their body felt.

Inhaled and stretched into the legs, arms and fingers, flexing feet and opening the arms out and up beside the ears, where we could feel the breath more deeply beneath the ribcage.

Exhaled arms down to side.

With their breath, I encouraged everyone to move at their own pace, simply breathing the arms up and down, noticing if they could get a ryhthm going with the breath and movement. A little like making snow angels without the legs.

I was very conscious of keeping an eye out, to see what sort of mobility people have.

On the final time the arms were up beside the ears, we interlaced fingers and brought the hands back behind the head.

We gently rotated our heads from side to side several times, then used our thumbs for a little massage of the neck and base of the skull.  

Brought the arms out to a T, stretched across the chest and took a breath.  

Inhaled arms back beside ears and brought knees up, feet on mat.  I wanted to do some alternating leg/arm lifts (Air Walk), but wasn't sure if would be too hard on some of the backs.  

We inhaled arms and legs to the ceiling, rotated ankles and wrists, then alternating legs and arms in Air Walk, repeating several reps.  Rather than bringing a straight leg down to the floor and up again, I had them bend the leg and bring the foot down to the floor.  A little gentler.

From here we went into Knees to Chest and rocked a bit.

Brought the arms and legs to the ceiling and with hands on knees, swayed the legs back and forth slowly, feeling that balance.

Knees to Chest, and did the same with the knees, being mindful of where the balance was enabling us to remain upright.

We then went through a series of Supine Spinal Twists, and finally really stretched by bringing each arm up and across the body, lying on our sides, then opening up again into the twist.  This took several steps of asking the body to go a little further each time.

I wasn't sure how that was going to go, but everyone seemed to be fine.  

Came back once again to Knees to Chest and rocked.

I directed everyone to lie on their right sides, then had them come to sit on their mats in Easy Pose.

We did a simple flow of Forward Bend with a straight back, releasing into a Sitting Cat, then inhaling up to Easy Pose.

We did a Sitting Half Twist on both sides, then a bit more of the Forward Bend and Roll Up, then came into the Rock.

I gave them several alternatives for the Rock, and when I noticed one person having trouble with the pose, we went back into a final Savasana.

The time went very fast, and I was acutely aware of how little I actually accomplished...or so I thought.  But I think it must have been just the right speed for an intro to Gentle Yoga.  Several of us are older, all of us have practiced and NOT enjoyed the earlier experience, some of us have real physical challenges.  So I was very much focused on keeping it very simple.

I handed out folders with info about Studio protocol, "Yoga 101" and general info about our group and my intention for it.  

I'm going to be giving them handouts each class, and they will have a folder to put everything into.

Afterward, everyone said they really liked the hour!  I certainly hope so.

I loved it!  But my oh my, what a responsibility, and what a gift to have their trust and faith that I will provide a yoga experience that is fulfilling and healthy!