Yoga for Optimal Wellbeing – November 11th, 1 - 5 pm $50

This workshop is designed to teach you how to modify your yoga practice to optimize longterm wellbeing through a focus on biomechanics, mindfulness, and joy. True wellbeing requires physical, mental, and emotional health. Better biomechanics improves your physical health because it reduces iinjury rates and compels you to use the parts of your body you have been diligently ignoring. Mindfulness improves cognitive functioning, and a focus on joy supports emotional wellbeing. 

Biomechanics: 

We all know that physical movement is critically important for our longterm wellbeing. However, there is a growing body of evidence indicating that how we move, not just how much we move, can have a dramatic effect on our wellbeing. 

In this workshop you will begin to discover that our habitual movements are often problematic in terms of efficiency, balance, safety, and wellbeing. You will learn how to notice ingrained detrimental habits 

(neck tension, for example) and then learn specific techniques to disrupt those detrimental patterns. 

The techniques you will learn all unfold from a simple, universally applicable theory of alignment and movement that we will explore in this workshop. Learning this deceptively simple theory of movement will allow you create better alignment and better biomechanics in any movement, on or off the mat, without the need for an exhaustive understanding of anatomy or biomechanics, and without the need to memorize dozens of specific alignment cues. 

Mindfulness: 

The physical benefits from better movement are significant. However, better movement requires and thus also increases your mindfulness, and that has equally profound benefits for your wellbeing. The act of modifying your alignment, based on what you are feeling in the moment, is by definition an act of mindfulness. These acts of mindfulness exercise your brain and strengthen weakened synapses, increasing the interconnectivity between mind and body and improving your wellbeing. 

Joy: 

Lastly, focusing on better biomechanics and mindfulness also makes your yoga practice dramatically more enjoyable. This is primarily because you are disrupting patterns of stress and striving, and because you are learning to prioritize your breath. Disrupting stress and learning to enjoy your breath directly contribute to your wellbeing. However, they also increase the likelihood that you will continue to practice regularly because your practice is becoming ever more pleasurable. 

The workshop includes an illustrated practice guide that describes all the techniques covered in the course. 

Note: You may choose to bring a snack and a drink to have during the break.

Hope to see you on the mat, Gernot