My breath centered yoga classes are designed to welcome any level practitioner, from first timers, to seasoned yogis. I create a warm, welcoming, loving environment where you are encouraged to be kind and good to yourself and those around you and leave feeling better than when you arrived.
Breath Centered Yoga
I am trained in a Hatha Vinyasa style yoga, most recently under J. Brown and primarily influenced by the T.K.V Desikachar tradition. That basically means a breath centered practice that is individualized to each person!
I lead students through a heart centered practice of listening closely to themselves as we move and breath, asking students to stay radically honest with themselves in the process. No two individuals are the same and so classes are structured to be easily modified for your needs so that everyone is able to move and breath with relative ease and/or increase tapas (heat/high energy) when appropriate. Classes include mantras and chanting, asana (postures), pranayama (breath techniques) and ample stillness is interwoven to restore and connect with your Self throughout.
The breath is the center of the practice and the movements adjust to the breath. Breath through movement helps to focus our jittery, active, busy, responsible minds so we may simply Be in the present moment. With respect to healing, I encourage listening to one’s Self (body and spirit) and reinforce moving mindfully through each pose to strengthen mind-body awareness and connection to Self as the pinnacle of practice. I believe yoga is for all bodies and encourage your own unique, safe expression in the practice. After years of pushing hard in practices which led to chronic injuries and which did not fast track my spiritual growth, I wish to share the wisdom of listening close to one’s body and learning how to mindfully grow in the most healthy way for You. I consider this practice an antidote to the “work hard play hard” mentality that is the Western approach to most things, and invite you to challenge yourself with a radically mindful and breath centered movement style. Then see what blossoms.
Chair Yoga
Through my own practice at times of injury and illness and through my observations as a teacher, I know that mainstream Vinyasa yoga requires a basic level of physical ability that makes the practice out of reach, intimidating or even impossible for some people to get started. People of all ages have a variety of physical and emotional abilities that don’t always fit into a marketable mainstream idea of yoga. Sometimes the mechanics of floor postures become a barrier for us and we need a different starting point to access breath, gentle movement and stillness.
Chair yoga incorporates all of the same principles that lead us to a breath centered practice of self inquiry and observation through movement and breath practices. Each individual and each group are different and depending on one’s abilities, chair yoga can be an outlet to work up to a practice on a floor mat or just be an avenue to quieting the mind and opening the body and discovering a new pathway of healing for people who otherwise would not have ever tried it. I love chair yoga and chair yoga classes have been some of the best yoga classes I’ve ever taught!
Private Yoga
Private one on one sessions are an amazing way to deepen your practice and gain a clearer sense of Self, truly at your own pace. Personalized attention and suggestions for practice, whether just beginning a yoga practice, or if you want help to engage and enhance your current practice. I will provide you with a solid foundation and confidence for more profound exploration. I will tailor the sessions to your needs, personalizing the practice for you as a whole individual.
From experience, I know that the way our practice can serve us changes over time and at different moments and stages of life. We will work together to determine a supportive yoga practice for your current path. That might be practices for an aging body, practices to support your sense of well being, practices to enhance your connection to your Self and Life or more..
75 minute sessions are $75, up to groups of 2, reach out to me if you’re interested in groups of 3+ . Please reach out if finances are a challenge but you feel drawn to work together and we can try and figure something out that works for both of us!
To set up your private session, please contact me! AlyRosaYoga@gmail.com