Cody with mom at studio - always peaceful after yoga

Mommy & Me Yoga

Adhomukha svanasana

(downward facing dog)

This posture brings a good overall body stretch.  It is invigorating and energizing, calms the brain, and helps to relieve stress and mild depression.  This posture stretches shoulders, hamstrings, calves, arches and hands; while strengthening the arms and legs.  It can also improve digestion, prevent osteoporosis, and relieve headaches, insomnia, back pain, and fatigue.  This posture is therapeutic for high blood pressure, asthma, flat feet, sciatica and sinusitus.

Begin on all fours with knees directly under hips and palms slightly in front of shoulders.  Knees should be hip width apart and hands shoulder width apart.  Spread the palms and fingers wide with fingers facing foward, thumbs turning towards each other.  Press the palms firmly into the mat as you tuck your toes underneath.  On an exhalation, lift your knees away from your mat - keeping your knees bent and heels away from floor, continue to press hands into floor to straighten arms and lengthen spine.  Lengthen your tailbone away from the back of your pelvis and lift the sit bones towards the ceiling.  With your next exhalation, press into the balls of your feet and straighten your legs by moving the tops of the thighs back and then stretch heels towards the floor (they do not have to touch the floor and won’t if you have tight hamstrings).

Firm your outer thighs and roll the upper thighs slightly inward.  Firm the outer arms and press the base of your palms and fingertips firmly into your mat.  Draw the shoulder blades onto your back.  Keep the back of your neck relaxed.

Modifications:  posture can be done with knees on the floor - keeping your hips lifted directly above the knees, work the same actions in the arms and hands to lengthen spine. 

You  can also support your heels on the edge of a block or a rolled blanket.  And if you have a headache or high blood pressure, use a block to support the head.

**Be cautious in the pose if you are in late term pregnancy, have diarrhea, or carpal tunnel syndrome.

Savasana (corpse pose)

Savasana - one of the most important, but often overlooked asanas (postures) in our practice.  This deeply relaxing pose offers rest to the body and mind; helping to reduce tension, stress, and anxiety. Savasana is a surrender of the physical body and sense organs, moving from a state of doing to just being and for many the most difficult pose to practice.  It is a learning to let go - of tension that is chronically held in the body, our desires of how things should be, and our thoughts and our judgements.

During savasana, the breath should move freely and naturally as the body comes into stillness. It is said that when the fluctuations of the mind are quieted, our true nature is revealed.  We find the connection between ourselves and others and ultimately inner peace.

To practice savasana, the body must be comfortable and warm.  Begin by lying on your back with the knees bent. Cover your eyes with a cloth or eye pillow - minimizing any light allows the brain to relax.  Stretch the legs out with your feet together and then relax the legs completely, allowing the feet to roll out.  If this is not comfortable, begin to move the legs apart from each other -equidistant from the mid-line of the body until it is comfortable.  Extend the arms away from the torso, rolling the shoulders out and slightly tucking the shoulder blades down the back.  The palms and elbows should face up toward the ceiling, allowing the chest to remain open. Draw the arms far away enough from torso that when the hands are relaxed, the knuckles are lightly touching the floor.

Moving your awareness into your body, begin to systematically bring relaxation to every part.  Release the back of your head into the floor and allow the eyes to drop back into their sockets.  Soften the entire face and relax the lower jaw.  Let your limbs grow heavy and release into the floor, while softening all the muscles and tissues in the body.  Connect with your breath - observing each inhalation and exhalation as the sense organs draw inward.  Practice savasana for at least 5 minutes up to 20 minutes daily.

Modifications:

• if you suffer low back pain, keep the knees bent or support the back of the knees with a bolster or rolled up towel or blanket.

• if you are in the later parts of your pregnancy - practice savasana lying on your side with a bolster or blanket between the legs or recline back on a bolster that is elevated by a block or two to alleviate the weight of the uterus.

Namaste,

Laura McKinnon

Seaside Yoga Sanctuary

Yoga for Kids!

with Natalie Lott

4 Week Series

Wednesdays, 4:00-4:45pm

Through games and stories kids begin to explore yoga poses and breath work. In this four-week session kids learn various yoga poses, how to bring awareness to their breath and, most importantly, how to relax. This class is for kids 5 to 10 years old and is intended for kids without their parents. The intention is to give kids their own time to play with yoga and decompress from their hectic day!

Series Dates: June 4^th, June 11^th, June 18^th, and June 25th

Cost: $45 for series per child, $10 off each additional child.

Payment due in full by first session

Natalie Lott has been practicing yoga for seven years and completed 120 hours of teacher training with Mark Stephens in Santa Cruz. Her experience as an elementary school teacher has made her aware of the need to expose children to yoga at a young age. Kids face many challenges in school and our society to fit into a certain standard. Yoga gives them the opportunity to express themselves and release some of the stress placed upon them in today’s world. Natalie has taught yoga to kids in schools, and at various studios in the area. She believes that through yoga kids can learn compassion and self-respect.

  Toddler and Me Yoga

 Sundays 10:00-10:45 am

(beginning June 1^st)

Yoga for children, walking age up to age 5, and their parents. A fun class aimed at getting young children active in a way that stimulates creativity and imagination, and gets the whole family moving and stretching together. A good way to introduce healthy activity to small children,and allow parents to explore yoga in a fun, whimsical and noncompetitive manner.

Cost: $14 per child/parent, 5 classes/$55 or 10 classes/$100. Each additional child is $5 per class.

“Children come into this world very pure. It is up to the adults to help them stay bright, strong and healthy.”- H. H. Sri Swami Satchidananda

Oh Baby!

6 weeks, Begins May 13th

Cost is $85 for the 6 week session

Pregnancy is a transitional time in the life of your family, both physically and mentally. At no other time in your life are there so many opportunities for you to grow along with the change. Women harbor an innate wisdom about this process both within their bodies and within their families. By learning to listen to your body and follow your breath through the practice of yoga, you can learn to become more fully present to your experience of pregnancy, labor, birth and life. With commitment and consistency you will:

Have you always wondered what that yoga thing was all about?  Are you looking to decrease stress/anxiety or gain strength and flexibility? Find out what yoga has to offer the mind, body, and spirit through our next beginner series!

Yoga can improve posture and maintain a healthy spine, improve circulation through proper breathing and stretching, build balance and stamina, reduce fatigue and improve sleep and diet, boost your immunity, ease chronic pain, calm the mind and build inner peace, and so much more!

Our next beginner series starts soon!  Call the studio at 899.YOGA or email at seasideyoga@sbcglobal.net to register or for more information. We’d love for you to join us!

The Foundations of a Yoga Practice

For the brand new and continuing beginners to yoga. This course is a progressive series of classes to learn the foundations of yoga. You will be introduced to the yoga postures (asanas), postural alignment, breath awareness, and the health benefits of yoga. Each class will offer insight into the history and tradition of yoga. Reconnect your body with your mind and spirit to bring balance to your life. Please note: attendance to each session is required, as each class will build upon the previous.

Total cost of series $65. Payment due in full by first session.

Wednesday Evenings, 5:30-6:30 pm

Class Dates 2008

June 4

June 11

June 18

June 25

July 2

July 9

Welcome to Seaside Yoga Sanctuary! I would first like to acknowledge and thank the yoga community for supporting our studio. It would not have happened without the inspirations of so many. Thank you to my teachers for their guidance and expertise of intruction. You inspired me to share the beautiful gift of yoga with others. Thank you to my students who through their journey and practice teach me the most and continually inspire me to grow.

I am honored and blessed to bring this beautiful space to the community for the study and practice of yoga. Our studio is dedicated to providing support for seasoned yoga practicioners and encouraging those new to yoga to come and explore the journey. By strengthing our lives as individuals through yoga, we will grow as a source of strength for our community. Please continue to visit our website for announcements of new classes, workshops/trainings, and listings of props and accessories for all of your yoga needs.

Please feel free to share and post any comments!

Namaste,
Laura McKinnon, RYT