This afternoon Campus Manager Lisa led a Yoga class focusing on Happiness.
There was a great turn of students and teachers wanting to participate and stretch together. Lisa created a detailed and personalised 60-minute sequence which she shared with us below, and had a lot of positive encouragement and feedback.
We encourage anyone interested in Yoga and Meditation practices to give it a try, there are a number of benefits to health and well-being as well as it being a a fun activity to do alone or with friends.
Who?
General Yoga class. Mixed ability level with most having some experience of yoga and familiarity with some postures.
Why?
Lisa: I want to focus on Happiness – I was inspired by a documentary I recently watched about Abba. Someone commented that the best thing about going to watch Mamma Mia wasn’t the storyline or even the songs but was watching how happy everyone was by the end of the show. They noted what a rare talent it was to be able to make people happy like that.
My sequence is the result of some online searches for yoga poses for happiness and also for those to counteract depression. I also drew some inspiration from a kapha balancing practice and the meditation at the end is something that was given to me by a friend.
What?
60-minute energising practice with viloma and breath of joy pranayama, a happiness meditation and asanas to work and stretch the whole body with a focus on the upper body and balances.
Examples of poses/sequence:
WARM UP
What: Seated breathing with 3-stage viloma on in-breath.
Why: Prepare for practice/Focus on the breath.
Modify: Possibly blankets/block/bolster under the seat (cross legged or virasana).
Breath: Notice breath, lengthen breath (focus on in breath, around 5 counts, ujjayi then breathe into chest then viloma.
What: Bananasana (supine)
Why: Stretch side of body helps deepen breath.
Breath: Relaxed – about 30 seconds each side.
What: Apanasana
Why: Loosen hips and hamstrings roll to side to sit up.
Breath: Breathe out to bring knees to chest. 5 slow breaths.
What: Cow to dog Bitlasana/Adho mukha svanasana
Why: Warm up hamstrings / transition to standing.
Modify: Blanket under knees if required/child’s pose instead of dog if preferred.
Breath: Breathe in for cow out for dog. 5 slow rounds.
Thank you to Lisa for leading this fantastic afternoon activity and for all of our energetic and willing participants!
See you there next month.
Learn English in Byron Bay. Lexis English students study General English, IELTS, FCE, CAE, and English plus Surfing in a friendly and professional school right in the heart of Byron Bay and only 15 minutes from the beach.
