Awaken core tone and enable poise, energy and ease
Scarborough, Yorkshire coast
“Thank you so much for sharing with us yesterday. The class has had an enormous impact on me. The asanas we did at the end of the session were a revelation! I felt so light and free. Particularly in down dog.” JH, Scarborough
Weaving together wisdom from the Alexander Technique, Scaravelli-influenced yoga and guidance from classic texts such as The Hatha Yoga Pradipika.
Bandha translates as ‘lock’, as in a lock in a canal where waterflow is guided and directed. Similarly our energy flow can be channelled and be contained within our bodies rather than leaking out. We can enjoy more vitality, contentment and clarity.
There are 5 main bandhas: the pelvic floor, the abdominal muscles, vocal diaphragm and in the hands and feet.
When we consciously enable tone our life force can more fully nourish our internal organs and our spine is long and free. We can thrive.
Asana practice becomes much easier and more meaningful as we learn to work with our bodies, rather than on them.
In the photo below, Faith (on the left) and Jan (on the right) are exploring tone in chair pose, utkatasana.
Faith’s head position is facilitating vagal and core tone. Jan is shortening the back of her neck so vagal and core tone cannot manifest. This leads to adrenalin surges of the fight or flight response in the body. Although her body shows a distinct spirit of gung ho there is less relaxed ease. This results in being overly tense in some muscles and correspondingly collapsed in others. Most adults live in this heightened state of stress and unease which leads to fatigue, despondency and disease.
It is easy to learn to be more aligned, toned and relaxed. Our mission in yoga is to cultivate relaxed alertness and effortless effort.
In the workshop we’ll explore the 3 key factors which need to be understood and embodied:
1 By working with the physiology of breathing, where the exhaltion initiates core tone in our body, so we can come to an intelligent understanding of being in our body.
2 By understanding the importance of vagal tone, so we can encourage our body to be relaxed and yet alert.
3 By locating the skull at ease point on the spine the muscles in the neck, shoulders and upper back relax. This enables the all-important hyoid bone to be accurately located. This in turn enables the relaxed ease of vagal tone and naturally activated core tone.
These keys enable us to live physically and therefore mentally/emotionally in alignment, relaxed and with ample energy.
Sunday, September 28, 11am to 4pm
Scarborough Yoga Space, 21Barrys Lane, Scarborough, YO12 4HA.
Limited to 8 participants to ensure more individual attention for assisting.
£60
email sonia@1body1soul.co.uk to book