Class descriptions
Download 'Improve Your Walking Technique' and 'Better Balance'
Download 'Individual Feldenkrais lessons with Usha'
Below are some general guidelines, they are not necessarily rules. You are always free to discuss with Usha (or your teacher) which class you would like to join. You are also free to try different classes and feel for yourself which level or style suits you the best. We may even suggest classes to you.
New students:
1. Everyone’s body and personality are different and there are always exceptions but generally; if you are new to yoga, nervous about attending yoga or have had unsatisfactory yoga experiences in the past then you would start classes as close to the beginning of the term as is possible.
2. You would also attend at least three weeks in a row. Yoga is a cumulative experience.
3. Having said that, new students are welcome at any time up until the last two weeks of a term. This is not only for your own sense of comfort but also for those students who have been building their skills and awareness over the term. The last two weeks are often an opportunity to explore variations on what has been practiced in the previous weeks.
1. Hatha yoga and the Feldenkrais Method: Characteristically, these classes feature ‘linked’ yoga poses, done as a series with one pose following another. Classes combine stretching, breathing, strengthening, balancing, meditation and mind-body awareness resulting in heightened well being, improved posture, strength and flexibility.
Beginner/General: Suitable for everyone including beginners (little or no yoga and/or meditation experience). In these classes participants are taught basic poses which are linked through a series of connecting movements leading to greater agility, less pain and/or tension and deep relaxation. (Jen’s Saturday class will not include Feldenkrais but is still Hatha yoga taught in the ‘linked’ style described above).
Open: These classes are for those who have some yoga experience and feel that they would like to challenge themselves more. Classes build on the sequences and poses learned in the Beginner/General classes.
2. Hatha Open levels 1 and 2: The primary characteristics of these classes include a focus on postural alignment and precision; holding poses for an extended period of time; and healing/therapeutic applications. Props are also used more readily in class (e.g. belts, blocks and bolsters) to encourage good alignment, as well as providing extra support for those who are injured. All students are welcome to the Hatha Open classes including beginners however those with little or no yoga experience will find attending the Hatha Open 1 classes lay the foundations for Hatha Open 2.
3. Awareness through Movement (Feldenkrais Method): We all have movement and posture ‘signatures’ or habits that are so recognisable that others can identify us from a distance simply by watching the way we move. Some of our habits are helpful; others may cause pain, injury, poor posture and/or be an unnecessary drain on our energies. The Feldenkrais Method is a way of exploring our unique movement and postural habits and discovering ways to change and improve them. In these classes, we become clearer about where we have movement and/or stability and where we don’t. At the same time, we learn new ways to move and/or balance with increased ease, efficiency and grace. We then apply this knowledge to improve our standing, sitting, walking, bending, stretching and playing in daily life. After all - daily life is where we spend most of our time! All levels of experience are welcome. The summer term of classes will explore improving balance and walking technique. More details in Downloads above.
4. One-to-one Feldenkrais lessons (Functional Integration) with Usha: Each of us has postural and movement habits which govern the way we move and act in the world. Some of these habits serve us well, others can be problematic. In Awareness through Movement classes, a practitioner primarily uses words to guide participants toward new or improved ways of moving. In an individual Functional Integration lesson, the practitioner uses precise touch and gentle movements to highlight current habits and suggest new experiences of ease, posture and movement efficiency. Clients are clothed and most lessons will occur lying or sitting on a low table. An individual F.I. can assist in the healing process of orthopaedic injuries e.g. back or neck conditions (especially chronic or recurrent problems), develop body awareness and improve everyday activities like sitting, walking, lifting etc. and/or be an experience of nurturing yourself with a session of meditative bodywork.
Cost: Individual lessons with Usha are $75 for 1 hour except first lesson which is 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Bookings: Please phone (9486 7740) or email (usha@yogamoves.net.au) Usha to make an appointment. All lessons are given at the Yoga Moves studio.
Pregnancy Yoga with Annette: Classes for expectant Yummy Mummies and women in conception phase focused on breathing, relaxation and strength; the intention is a healthy pregnancy, birth and mummy hood. www.yummymummyyoga.net