Welcome to Expand Connect Yoga Series
Expand is about taking up space. Expanding boundaries and confidence, and expanding capacity for self, relationships and work. Expand is the inhale.
As we focus this month on expansion, we will work in sync with what the body needs and cool down when necessary. With hot temps and sunny days, early summer is a time of excitement, and learning to flow. Most of us are ready to try something new and get moving.
The yoga will focus on specific poses, and pose-sets. I will make sure to include more instruction to make sure no-one is left behind.
Connect is about getting steady and quiet, connecting to your body, your place and the earth. It is about feeling centered and focused, grounded and rooted.
Connect is the exhale.
Summer is busy. Summer is hot. Summer is a whirlwind of joy.
The classes in July are dedicated to taking it down a notch, and truly carving out time for yourself, for your body and to connect to the moment.
Expect the yoga classes to be fluid and quiet, each one with dedicated rest at the end of class. There will still be a little intensity - as most people need to engage with intensity in order to properly rest, modifications will be given for anyone who needs to keep it calm throughout. Think Slower-flow, with restorative poses for the last portion of class.
The intention is that you will leave class grounded, calm and more connected to yourself.
Week 1: Expand LOVE, Backbends
Backbends can be scary, intimidating and sometimes uncomfortable in people’s bodies. They can also be invigorating, empowering, and EXPANSIVE when done intentionally, and safely. My intention is for you to feel expansive, flowing energy that occurs when opening up the spine and creating more space. The goal of this week is not to nail a ‘big backbend’. Instead, I ask you to approach Backbends with thoughtful, careful movements to create more space.
Whether you are new or have been practicing for a while: this month is about establishing relationship to a “push-pull” in each pose. Depth comes from understanding your relationship to your body in any moment. Here's what I mean:
Push a little further into something that seems safe, reasonable and intriguing. This is where the confidence comes in, do you feel ready to try something new? Do you know your body well enough to know whether it is safe or not?
Pull means using that same confidence to know when it is time for you to pull back. Are you too hot (or are your hands sweaty)? Are you tired today? Have you had a stressful day and any extra push may be aggravating? These are all good reasons to rest and reset.
This back-bend class moves your body towards wheel pose, with sun salutations and deep stretches. 2 blocks and wall space recommended.
Physical Focus: Chest and thigh stretching.
Intensity: Balanced.
Week 2: Expand Creativity, Hips
This week is a balance between fluid creativity and intentional space. The hips and thighs hold some of our deepest emotions. Releasing energy in this region helps free up energy so that we can feel more at peace.
It is hard to feel creative and attuned to the self when there are layers of stagnant energy weighing us down. This energy comes from relationships, work, conversations and communal stress. It is not bad, but when it takes root in the body, it can make us feel uneasy and agitated. That is why we want to move the hips, and often!
The approach we are taking this week is one of attention and flow. Please revisit my note about “Push-Pull” in the week one notes. This remains important when working with any expansive poses.
This class is loose flowy and fun. The movements center around the hips and allow for creativity to spiral throughout the body.
Physical Focus: Hips and Side Body
Intensity: Energizing
Week 3: Expand Resilience, arm balances
Resilience is about long-term stability. And to be strong over time, we need to be flexible and adaptable. Forcing our way through a pose or situation often means you face resistance. Instead we are looking for persistence and the ability to adapt. This is how we become more resilient.
There’s a myth out there that we are lacking strength and to do the things we want, we need to get stronger. Our bodies are brilliant and capable, and we simply need to figure out how to move in harmony with the body as whole.
For example, if your wrists hurt in Down dog, or plank, you might benefit from strengthening the wrists. However, with intelligent activation of strength in your arms, shoulders, core, back and legs, you might stay in the pose without pain in your wrists.
Awareness is key in being attentive to your boundaries and your body. Arm-balances are about confidence. Not confidence in whether you can do the pose to its fullest, rather confidence in your capable body. Confidence in your relationship to your movement, your flexibility, and your strength.
There is nothing wrong with never landing an arm-balance, or not straightening your leg all the way over your head. Instead, let’s be flexible and fluid and have FUN while doing it.
This class recruits the whole body to build resilience through mobility and softness paired with heat and fire. The class focuses on arm mobility and core strength while moving towards an arm balance.
Physical Focus: Whole Body
Intensity: Energizing
Week 4: Expand Possibility, handstand
In this final week of June, we focus on uplifting energy, freeing up space and getting playful.
Often in a challenging pose or situation we try to rush to the outcome, rather than learn from the process and allow for a few tumbles.
Whether you are seeking a new job, a solution to a relationship dynamic or something else, we can benefit from being softer along the process. The truth is we don’t know what that outcome will be, but we can revel in each moment along the way.
This flowing, fun practice will bring you closer to handstand. Whether you lift your feet off the ground or not, this playful yoga class will help you feel lighter, more open and ready for anything.
Physical Focus: Whole Body
Intensity: Energizing
Props: 2 blocks (optional) and wall space if you want to hop up.
Week 5: Connect Inward - Meditative
This week is about freeing your mind with movement and rest. Our minds are so clever that even when we ask them to quiet down, they can still find a way to solve problems, make plans, remember and anticipate.
Meditative movement is one of my personal best solutions for quieting my mind. When the body is steadily moving, the mind has something to latch onto, rather than trying to ‘work.’ We will put this into practice this week.
I find simple, repetitive movement the best remedy for a busy day, a busy month, or a busy mind. Encourage your mind to anchor on your breath and your movement to help let go of the strings of distraction that pull you away from the present.
This fluid, balanced flow will help you drop out of the mind and into the body. We touch on all parts and give special attention to the neck and shoulders. You will leave this class feeling softer and more clear.
Physical Focus: Shoulders
Intensity: Balanced
Week 6: Connect Down - Ground
This week we focus on getting grounded and connecting to the earth. This helps us connect to the moment and the place we are in. Summer can be busy, the pace can pull us away from our center, and make us feel anxious or aggravated.
The practice of grounding is an important technique to stay centered, calm and ready for whatever comes next. Good news! You practice grounding every time you step onto your yoga mat! Simply focusing on your feet in yoga poses (or anytime) is an excellent way to get grounded.
The yoga this week will focus on standing poses, leading into restorative poses close to the ground. My hope is that you leave each practice calm, clear and connected to the moment.
This class starts with an accessible salutation flow to move the body and ends with 20 minutes of restorative stretch to let the nervous system reset.
Physical Focus: Whole body
Intensity: Relaxing
Props: 1 Bolster, more props as desired.
This week we focus on heart energy and allowing the body and mind time to process the energy of the day.
As humans, we are processors of energy, emotions and information. And we’re good at it! That means that we need time throughout each day to slow down and reduce input, and give ourselves time to process. This is one of the many reasons a daily meditation practice can be helpful.
Similarly, I find yin and restorative yoga to be a great way to digest our own energy and the input of emotions and information from others.
To do this, be with your body and simply feel whatever comes up. Notice what happens when you stay.
This yin practice will help soften the physical space around your heart. The quiet will help soften your energetic layers. Grab your props, settle in and find out what happens when you stay.
Physical Focus: Chest and torso.
Intensity: Relaxing.
Props: Bolster, 2 blocks, blanket or towel (improvise as needed!)