Styles of Yoga
Mindful Vinyasa | Hatha | Gentle | Restorative | Therapeutic
My diverse personal and professional experiences in yoga and holistic health provide me with a rich blend of tools which inform my unique teaching style. My yoga classes are adaptive and intuitive. My specialty is in creating a class that is tailored specifically to my students' needs. I draw on the strong alignment and rehabilitative principles of Iyengar yoga to set a tone for self care and injury prevention. A typical class includes time for quiet meditation and centering, flowing sequences (aka vinyasa) and longer holds to focus on optimum alignment.
While you will find elements of several styles of yoga within a each of my classes, the descriptions below will help guide you to an appropriate class that suits your usual preferences or particular mood of the day.
Mindful Vinyasa
This energizing and vigorous style of yoga consists of a continuous series of flowing postures linked together with breath. This class integrates meditation and mindfulness practice with classical yoga asana, encouraging heightened awareness of breath and body in order to guide one's attention to the present moment. An emphasis is placed on self knowledge and self care, as students are guided to listen and respond skillfully to the wisdom of their own body. Mindful vinyasa blends the strong alignment traditions of BKS Iyengar, attention to the present moment, with a graceful heart opening attitude and the flowing sequences of Vinyasa yoga.
Hatha
Hatha Yoga is the classic traditional form of yoga which uses various postures (asanas) and conscious breathing to promote strength, flexibility and balance. It also helps to concentrate the mind, bringing you into the present moment and grounded in your body.
Gentle
This class is for when you need to take it slow. Gentle yoga helps release muscle and tendon tension, which can improve joint function and range of motion. It is especially good for those recovering from injuries or surgery who need to explore postures slowly and carefully. But it is good for everyone when you need to chill, breathe and just be.
Restorative
This deeply relaxing style uses yoga props to support the body during long, blissful reclining postitions. In addition to stress relief, benefits also include lower blood pressure and blood sugar, improved digestion, and a reduction of muscle tension throughout the body.
Therapeutic Yoga
Particularly effective for those recovering from, or living with, injury or illness. Therapeutic Yoga blends restorative yoga (supported postures), gentle yoga, breathwork, hands-on healing, and guided meditation techniques combined in such a way that it is an excellent choice for those who need something gentle yet effective for bringing the body into balance and reducing stress. Therapeutic Yoga is a deeply meditative experience - it provides the opportunity to step away from the busy-ness of the outside world and access the deeper wisdom that resides within us.
I also offer private therapeutic yoga sessions! Contact me to schedule.
"Over the years, I have practiced with many different teachers, and that is how I know that Anna is an exceptionally skilled and sensitive teacher. One of Anna's strongest talents is her consistent ability to tune each class to the levels of skill, energy, and physical capability of those present, while still producing excellent sequencing and flow in our asanas. Because of her expertise in offering variations and modifications, the same class can be restorative for one student and very vigorous for another. Her ability to explain movements and asanas in careful but concise detail, with patience, kindness, and good humor, and even to provide hands-on adjustments, allows her students to fully engage with their practice in her classes, no matter how new or how experienced they are." Read more... ~ Chris B., December 2014
More testimonials here...
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