Yoga-Assisted Self-Discovery
Yoga Assisted Self-Discovery is a once per week, 2½ hour group combining mindful movement/yoga, relaxation, meditation and group processing. The group is designed around the concepts of wholeness and balance. Stress and tension are (unfortunately) part of our modern lifestyles. All too often we let stress knock us off balance, leaving us feeling bothered and unfocused.
Ongoing or unmanaged stress can often lead to an imbalance in our minds and bodies, with potentially devastating effects on one’s health and feeling of well-being. Relaxation and meditation techniques have been clinically shown to play a significant role in promoting health and relieving stress.
Doing yoga postures (called “asanas”) prepares the body for relaxation in two ways: concentrating on the postures clears the mind while focusing on the breath helps the body shift out of “fight-or-flight” mode. Then, once the body is more receptive to relaxation, we are able to reap the benefits of deep relaxation, meditation and guided imagery.
Yoga-Assisted Self-Discovery: What Happens in a Session?
Each group session begins with time to center, get settled, and move out of the busy mind into presence and intention. Then we do a brief check-in before a teaching is presented. Teachings can focus on any number of relevant mindfulness areas or topics such as:
- Learning to be truly present in the moment
- Awakening to connection
- Opening into vulnerability
- Allowing receptivity
- Facing the unknown
- Turning inward
- Changing perspective
- Moving toward balance
These teaching periods include a talk by the teacher, mindful movement, meditation instruction and meditation time. During the remainder of group time (about 90 minutes), participants process anything that came up for them during the practice time or anything that has come up since the last meeting. Processing and sharing thoughts and feelings in a group setting is a powerful, impactful and amazingly connecting experience.
