Dogwood Studio has been focusing classes on different yoga archetypes. If you are not familiar with what this means, an archetype is “the original pattern or model of which all things of the same type are representations or copies (Merriam-Webster). An archetypal approach to yoga is where yoga poses or movements are categorized based on their target during use. Poses and movements can fall under more than one archetype. An archetype has a primary target of certain myofascial groups and skeletal segments. Paul and Suzee Grilley (link HERE) pioneered this approach to yoga. Yoga poses and movements are meant to target certain areas, and archetype poses connect intention to the pose. This approach does not focus on the look of the pose but the function or target, and therefore accommodates many differences between each of us in our skeleton and in out fascia. At Dogwood Studio, we expand the archetypes to overlap with the major groups of fascial planes in the body.

Many of us still feel uncertain about how celebrating the holidays will be during a pandemic, when you will get a vaccine, when everything will be safe enough to fully reopen, and we can return to our previous routines. An article in The New York Times “Pandemic-Proof Your Habits” notes that routines help us to feel safe. When we follow a routine, however small, we are telling ourselves that there is no danger present and we can relax. Because we cannot know when or if things will return to the way they were pre-pandemic, we need to stop waiting for normal and our old routines. Instead, we need to take charge of ourselves and create new routines.

Yoga has been steadily increasing in popularity, even before the pandemic. During the pandemic, the need to stay safe at home but remain active has been a challenge for many. Yoga is an activity that can be done at home. Dogwood Studio offers classes live over the internet or On Demand when and where you want. Yoga can be for any body, young or old, fit or new to exercise, arthritic or post-surgery. Many have not yet tried yoga because of a lack of understanding what it is. Here are some common myths about yoga debunked.

Many people are intimidated by yoga if they have never tried it before, largely due to the increase in fitness style yoga and the inundation of images of thin people practicing “perfect pose” yoga. Fitness yoga is a valid choice for some, but yoga is also so much more. Yoga can be for anyBODY regardless of body type, age, or medical history.

We have written about tensegrity in past blogs, including Tensegrity and Yoga and Tensegrity and Mobility Changes. As a recap, we are primarily a system of soft tissues, the muscles and fascia, with secondary support from the bones. The key to tensegrity is realizing that instead of the bones holding everything together, the balance of tension across our bodies is the main support. We are able to move more freely through supporting the fascia. Moving one area or putting additional pressure on one area is distributed over the whole fascia.

Months into the pandemic, and we are still uncertain where the light at the end of the tunnel may be. Does this thought send chills up your spine more than the haunting decorations for the approaching Halloween holiday? If so, you are not alone. Pandemic stress, as it is being called, affects all of us, but in different ways. How can you know if you are experiencing it?

Stress is a part of all people’s lives. During the pandemic, stress has increased for many due to concerns about illness, isolation, financial insecurity, or lack of contact such as hugging loved ones. Stress if viewed negatively, where we react to stress through mind and body harmfully, is linked to many health conditions, including heart disease, cancer, stroke, and many chronic illnesses. It is important to manage stress’ impact on your for both physical and mental health and for improved quality of life during both good or difficult times. While experiencing stress negatively, it can seem like an impossible task. We just want stress to go away, but we need to realize that we DO have control of our bodies and our minds and how we respond to stress.