The sacrum, often overlooked, plays a vital role in both spinal health and overall movement. It's not just a single bone but a fusion of five vertebrae that occurs as we age, usually completing the process in our 20s. Despite this fusion, the sacrum is part of a dynamic system that requires awareness and movement to stay healthy.
Yoga and creativity share a special connection. Both require us to move beyond the confines of the familiar, to explore the unknown, and to embrace the perspective of a beginner—a fresh lens through which we see the world. This convergence of yoga and creativity is a catalyst for inspiration, opening doors to new ideas, perspectives, and ways of being.
Yoga therapy is fundamentally about empowering you to take an active approach to self-care through the tailored application of yoga. Unlike general group classes, which aim to benefit a wide range of participants, yoga therapy offers a personalized and evolving practice that addresses specific health challenges and promotes overall well-being.
iRest Yoga Nidra can be perceived as resting, especially since rest is in the name, and we all are not people who rest. Resting can even be a bit scary. It is easy to wonder: Will everything be OK if I slow down and rest? What if I told you that iRest Yoga Nidra is active resting? You are doing something. You are actively listening to a voice, following the prompts, re-wiring your brain, and improving your health.
As I was putting away mats and chairs after Jacob’s Optimizing Your Movement Workshop, I noticed a new sensation in my left hip. The awareness of new muscle fatigue made me laugh. During the workshop we spent focused time experiencing slow body movements connected to how the spine moves. This awakened stabilizing muscles of my hips and brought more awareness of how I avoid specific positions of my hips.
As humans, we interact with the world through our senses. The information we “sense” cues us about the external environment. Thus, we communicate with our environment. We can communicate with plants with all our senses to experience a plant meditation. Any gardener or lover of the outdoors will agree that nature communicates to us through the senses, can have a calming impact on the body, mind, and heart, and allows us to enter into a state of simple presence. We can understand this as a yogic experience.
Yoga is a practice. You might be practicing your balance, flexibility, strength or perhaps it is mindfulness. Yoga is not a single practice. The more you practice yoga, the more you recognize the universality in life.
Harmonizing your mind, implies that you learn how you think. You explore how you interact with the world and yourself and how those interactions shape your emotions. In yoga terms, you cultivate Yama. Yama is narrowly translated as ethical guidelines or restraints. In reality, they are a set of universal practices that are fundamental habits of the mind. The 5 principles are a means to be aware of the instinctive patterns of the mind and to move them towards compassion.
Whether we know it or not, we interact with plants on a daily basis. From the food that we eat, to the air that we breathe, to the beautiful blooms along the road, plants permeate our lives and, if we are open to it, our hearts. We can work with plants to cultivate a connection with the natural world and improve our overall wellness in body, mind, heart, and spirit. In this class series, we will bridge the connection between yoga and herbal medicine, two healing modalities rooted in ancient wisdom.
The Feldenkrais Method is a system that uses a series of movements to guide the practitioner to use body sensation and perceptual feedback. In this method one gains a better awareness between comfort (favorable or easy) and unfavorable (painful or straining) positions. This focused practice teaches how movement patterns develop and how to retrain your movement patterns to avoid discomfort.
Dogwood Studios is excited to be able to offer a Feldenkrais Workshop April 30th with Guest Teacher Jacob Tyson (PT, DPT). The workshop will teach you about the method and how it can help you Optimize Your Yoga Practice.
Dogwood Studios is excited to announce that we are moving into our new home! We are joining the wonderful yoga collaborative at Yoga Shala to offer Dogwood’s Mindful Movement and Yoga classes Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 10am to 11:15am. Fridays we will also offer our hybrid Meditation Class at 11:30am to 12:30pm.
You are uniquely you. Just as no two apples look exactly the same, people (even twins) don’t have the exact same features. We are different on the outside, therefore we have to be different on the inside. We are not even completely symmetrical.
There isn’t a one size fit for yoga.
There isn’t one version of an asana that is the real or full pose. Each asana is a shape that has a specific target.
It is almost April. As you look outside, you can see all the new growth around. Maybe you find yourself in awe of the new blooms in your garden or welcome the sounds of new life as the birds sing in the morning. Nature is filled with rejuvenation. The energy of springtime growth affects us all. It is the perfect time of the year to start new habits. Let’s celebrate spring by springing into more yoga!
Spring is a time of growth and change. Nature is getting ready for summer. Rain and bright floral fragrances are becoming part of our lives again. You might notice a heaviness to your body in the morning as the body also readies itself to blossom. Practicing yoga is a great way to counteract the grounding energy of spring. Dogwood Studios is here to support you during this season of transition.
