Bloom and grow.
Vinyasa Yoga
Physical fitness provides the foundation for mental and emotional wellness. From beginner levels through advanced; join me in an asana practice informed by graceful fluidity-of-movement, flexibility, strength and most importantly full body-control. My teaching style follows a traditional ashtanga vinyasa flow, while blending some elements of classical ballet.
While this is a practice focused on enhancing our physical health, I also want to emphasize that I teach with a holistic approach in mind. I encourage my students to view their practice as an integration of mind, body and spirit. This does not mean that you have to adhere to any specific religious or spiritual doctrine to practice yoga with me. Your connection to spirit (or to a higher power of any variety) can represent anything that you deem appropriate for yourself and your life. Sometimes nature can represent this relationship. Make your practice your own. Find a north star, and steer yourself towards it.
Yin Yoga
Yin yoga is a practice that targets joint health. While this is a slow and meditative practice, it differs from restorative styles of yoga by specifically increasing joint stability and range of motion. This practice is ideal for mixed martial artists and athletes wishing to protect joint health; elderly students wishing to bolster longevity; or students recovering from an injury.
Yin yoga refreshes the synovial fluid within the joint capsules by focusing on challenging poses that “choke” out the joint for 3-10 minutes. Upon releasing a yin pose, the plastic tissue in our joints receive an influx of fresh nutrients and are encouraged to repair in an accelerated way. For this reason, yin yoga can be an incredibly helpful compliment to a physical therapy strategy, and can prevent and heal stubborn joint injuries. (Please always consult your doctor before trying yin yoga if you have a serious injury that may require surgery.)
Yoga Nidra
This practice goes far beyond a typical guided meditation. Join me in exploring the deepest levels of healing known in the yogic tradition. This is the practice for you if you are looking to accelerate a deeper level of healing, physically and emotionally.
The US military uses a patented form of Yoga Nidra as a proven approach to address severe cases of post-traumatic stress in veterans. This is because Nidra specifically encourages the brain to enter slower brain wave lengths while simultaneously training the mind to stay consciously alert. The result is that your central nervous system achieves theta, and sometimes delta wavelengths, while you continue to stay awake for up to an hour or more.
The affects of going into theta and delta wavelengths (while awake) are nothing short of miraculous. Some students say afterwards that they feel as though they have rested for a full eight hours after a 45-60 minute practice.
Meditation : Pratyahara
It is my firm belief that being able to meditate is your birthright. Join me in building a consistent practice that will leave you feeling confident in your ability to still the mind and access your highest potential in all areas of life.
Meditation is a noun, not a verb. In our society, we have lost this understanding, and begun to equate meditation with action. The only action in your meditation practice is something called “pratyahara,” which in sanskrit is translated as “sense withdrawal”. Pratyahara is essentially the action of returning the focus to the breath. Over time, this work eventually culminates in the experience of meditation, which is something that happens to you, not by you.
A meditative experience will find you once you are ready, and it will be worth every second of the time you spend investing in your practice. Anyone can do this, even the most busy-minded, stressed among us. If it feels tricky in the beginning, then you are doing it right. You WILL get there. It is my promise.
I am here to hold your hand throughout the entire practice. We will start slowly, and build your confidence week after week, eventually building a strong foundation of mindfulness that I can almost guarantee will surprise you.
Restorative Yoga
In today’s society, we are rarely encouraged to invest time in rest. However, our bodies and minds require far more rest than many of us provide for ourselves. Sometimes we need help cultivating this habit, which is where restorative yoga comes in.
Restorative yoga classes include a sequence of deeply relaxing poses that are held for ten to twenty minutes—sometimes longer. It involves using props and blankets to create a nest of safety and comfort, within which you will nestle yourself in. Sometimes a pose will involve some gentle stretching, but for the most part the practice is focused on deep rest.
Join me in an extremely relaxing practice that will nourish your energy and replenish you—so that you can go back to your busy life feeling completely recharged.