April 2019

Happy April from Heart Tree Yoga!

Heart Tree Yoga has some great offerings this month.  Read on! 

• A benefit event in support of people with traumatic brain injury - come support this important cause!
• Yoga Nidra 
• and some thoughts about movement and slowing down . . .

Also, the Growing Resilience: Mindfulness and Body Awareness for People with Parkinson's program that begins this month is full. Please reach out if you'd like to be on the waitlist for future offerings of the program for future offerings of Heart Tree Yoga's THRIVE program for people with Parkinson's. Contact Carolyn for more information about either of these programs. 

 Mark your Calendars! 

SATURDAY APRIL 13
LOVE Your Brain Benefit All-Levels Yoga Practice
3:00-4:15 pm at Body Grace studio in Vienna 
Fee: Donation

LOVE Your Brain is an organization devoted to improving the lives of those affected by traumatic brain injury (TBI) —both survivors and their caregivers. It does this through programs designed to create community, foster resilience and help people understand the importance of loving your brain.  LOVE Your Brain helps make TBI friendly yoga classes available and accessible to both survivors of TBI and caregivers, and works to raise awareness about TBI through education and outreach.
  
Body Grace is hosting an all-levels donation-based benefit yoga class on Saturday, April 13th from 3:00-4:15 to support the LOVE Your Brain mission.  All proceeds will go to the LOVE Your Brain foundation.  
Please come support this important cause!


SUNDAY APRIL 28
Yoga Nidra and the Art of Conscious Relaxation
5:00-6:00 pm at Body Grace studio in Vienna (NOTE new time for this month)
Fee: $20 pre-registered: $25 drop-in

Yoga Nidra is an ancient practice that takes people into a state of deep relaxation through a guided meditative process and conscious visualization. Also known as yogic sleep, the practice gives rest to the mind, body and senses by drawing the practitioner into a state of conscious awareness—a brain state between full wakefulness and full sleep. This practice has been linked with reducing stress, tension and pain; improving circulation and immune functioning; lowering blood pressure and inflammation; and stabilizing mood. Yoga Nidra is generally practiced while lying down or in a seated position. For your comfort, please bring a pillow and wear comfortable clothing and arrive 15 minutes before class start. Mats and blankets are available at the studio or feel free to bring your own. Please RSVP to reserve a spot with Jan at bodygrace@verizon.net 


REMINDER:  MONDAY EVENINGS 6:45pm-8pm, Body Grace Fitness and Yoga

Yoga for "Core" and Connection

A truly stable core allows the body to respond naturally, without bracing and excessive tension, despite changes in how fast you are going, how much weight you are carrying, or if you are changing direction.  This unique class is for people seeking to strengthen and balance their internal structure—“core” stability—through improved movement.  Class will include a blend of mindful movement, breathing exercises, yoga poses and meditation to help practitioners experience how a supportive and responsive “core” emerges when you are moving and breathing well. Class suitable for all levels.


The Case for Taking it Slow

"Slowness of movement is the key to awareness, and awareness is the key to learning . . . Slower movement leads to more subtle observation and maps differentiation, so that more change is possible."
~ Norman Doidge

This past weekend I attended a 3-day training with LOVE Your Brain about meeting the needs of people who have experienced traumatic brain injury.  

One of the LYB core principles really hit home with me because I've found it to be true both with serving clients and working with therapeutic yoga practices generally. It is LYB's guidance to emphasize the importance of proprioception and interception over alignment.  

Here is what the LYB folks have to say:

"When students feel their bodies and the things that our bodies can do, this reflects the mind-body connection at its finest.  This requires slow and mindful movement so that people have the space for inner exploration . . .the pause and reflection is just as important as the movement."

Over and over with clients and students I have found this to be so true.  To really feel what's happening in our bodies we have to slow down. When we do we can learn so much more about ourselves.  So much more sensation comes into our field of awareness when we allow this slowing down to happen.  

Slowing down is the place where true discoveries are made about our bodies. We can discover linkages between our breath, our movement, and our emotions.  It will tell us a lot about how we hold stress in our bodies.  

Sometimes slowing down can be hard.  Moving slowly--particularly when we are used to a fast-paced society--doesn't always come easily or feel natural or comfortable.  It can even be unnerving to slow down.  Slowing down takes discipline and commitment.  And yet, it is truly the place of revelation. 

In April, I invite you to slow down and see what you discover. 

Care for Yourself and Be Well.

With light,

Carolyn
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