If you’ve ever considered trying yoga, but felt awkward, overwhelmed, confused or uncomfortable walking into a room full of people who seem far more flexible than you, this might be the series you’re looking for.
At its core, yoga is about developing self-awareness and self-mastery: learning to pay attention to your body, your breath and your mind. There are some practical benefits as well, like stretching tight muscles, releasing physical tension, improving mobility and developing tools for stress management.
The aim of this series is simple: introduce men to the benefits of a yoga practice, give them some practical tools for use both on and off the mat, and work on three basic yoga skills:
Awareness of the body
Awareness of the breath
Awareness of your thoughts
The classes will be deliberately simple and approachable: a blend of yin (lying or sitting on the floor while holding stretches between 2 and 5 minutes) and some gentle movement. We'll pay particular attention to the areas where many men tend to carry tension or experience limited mobility, including the hips, hamstrings, shoulders and back. Variations will be offered for those with injuries and mobility limitations.
The goal isn’t to worry about doing every posture correctly. Instead, you’ll learn to pay attention to what’s happening in your body while experiencing some very tangible benefits of the practice: less tension, improved mobility and, hopefully, feeling better than when you walked in.
You don’t need to be flexible, or to have had any previous yoga experience. You just need to be a guy who’s willing to give yoga a try. And if you decide that yoga isn't for you, that’s okay, too.
Wear loose, comfortable clothing. Yoga mats, blocks, blankets, straps, and bolsters are available for your use at the studio.
Facilitator: Matt Healey
Location: Main Studio & Online
Cost: $60 for series
Can’t make it? Sign up and receive the ZOOM recording within 24hr with access for 3 days.