Description
Description: Through the practice of Hatha Yoga instruction, I will encourage you to gently listen to your own body while working through asanas (postures). At the end of each class, I will finish with Relaxation instruction which will help your body to assimilate all your efforts during the session.
Requirements: Yoga mat, towel or light blanket, water bottle, and an open mind. Please Note: Anyone who has had recent surgery or uncontrolled HBP needs to make sure they have checked with their GP if they are well enough to participate in yoga. I am a qualified teacher and a teacher of yoga.
Tutor: Suzie Leadabrand
Duration: 16 weeks (Subject to Covid restrictions.)
Start Date: 1st August, 2022
Day & Time: Monday 9.00 – 10.30 am
bpasottiҘ –
As a new member to the Learning Centre, I was excited and enthusiastic to start my chosen course, yoga with Suzie.
I feel we have use of one of the best spaces in the Centre, the Mirda-Yoont (orange) Room, with its large doors that open to a large space that feels cozy and relaxing and with expansive windows overlooking the stunning Jorgensen Park…the perfect room for yoga.
When I asked one member what she loves about yoga she replied, “I love tree pose – where while we are in the pose, standing on one leg balancing like a tree we get the privilege to look out to the trees and bush, to soak up nature and have that peace reflecting back to us”.
After I have dropped the kids at school I head straight to the Learning Centre where it’s now my time. The school run can be stressful and I find Mondays overwhelming as it’s the start of a new week and I have a long list of jobs and chores that need to be completed. This class allows me to carve out space for me to refresh, relax and refocus. Once the class is over my priorities seem a lot clearer.
Our class is a great mix of relaxation and movement. The movement helps us to be in tune with our bodies and see where our muscles are tight and have tension, allowing us to stretch our bodies and release tension that we may not have been aware of. Another member when asked what they liked about yoga replied with, “It is a place to move muscles in ways I don’t normally get to in my daily routine. It’s a time to mentally reset.”
Our instructor Suzie has been teaching yoga since 2009 and her experience and knowledge helps guide us through the exercises, which have a natural gentle flow. We start the class lying down taking time to clear our minds from distractions and focusing on the present. Suzie guides us through a body scan allowing every inch of our bodies to release and relax.
Whilst in relaxation with our eyes closed, Suzie asks if we have any concerns or injuries in different area of our bodies, including shoulders, knees, neck, back and whether any class members might be pregnant, and we can covertly respond so Suzie can adjust the class as needed. We then move onto yoga poses where Suzie will demonstrate and then vocally guide us through the different poses providing basic, moderate and more difficult variations allowing everyone to move at their own comfort and ability.
Throughout the yoga sequences or poses I often pick up some valuable life lessons, like moving to our abilities and to not push ourselves, that we wake up differently every day and every day we have different energy levels, mobility, flexibility and that is okay. We only do what we can during the asanas each day and we don’t need to push ourselves. And the tension we experience is symbolic of the tension that we feel in life. As we hold our poses, we experience the tension and then relax into it by using mental stamina and breath. To add another layer to this complex task, Suzie then says “now smile”, which brings about a few chuckles from us all.
Mel (2022 – semester 1)