Stretching & Meditation
Stretching is a form of physical and mental exercise in which a specific muscle or tendon (or muscle group) is deliberately lengthened internal tension release in order to improve muscle's elasticity and achieve comfortable muscle tone. The result is a feeling of increased muscle control, flexibility, and range of motion. Stretching is also used therapeutically to alleviate cramps.
Do you want to jump higher, run faster, and be able to move without pain? If you’re active and exercising regularly, the reason you may not be reaching your goals isn’t for lack of activity, but rather lack of mobility.
Flexibility is the ability of your joints to move through their full range of motion without pain or stiffness. It also refers to the pliability of the muscles, tendons and ligaments that support the joints. Flexible muscles and tendons, and relaxed ligaments, allow for greater range of motion during activities and result in greater mobility as well as great overall health.
There are many exercises you can do to improve your flexibility, including stretching. Static stretching, or holding one position for an extended period, might be your preferred method of cooling down after a workout while dynamic stretching may be a good way to warm up before a workout.
It is essential to use relaxed breathing while stretching, allowing the muscles and tendons absorb more oxygen thus become more elastic. It is extremely important to let and allow the stretch to happen, not to force the stretch, which could result in pain or muscle tearing.
This class is more than just stretching. We'll be learning to understand the messages our body communicates and experience first hand the feeling of being in tuned with it. We'll also do a little intention setting, then a light warm up exercises, then we'll go over the most needed stretches and and go over various stretching techniques, body alignment postures and joint mobilization exercises. Make sure to wear loose and comfortable (warm or cooling) clothing. You can bring a yoga mat, if you wish
Mediation can be defined as a practice where an individual uses a technique, such as focusing their awareness on the breath or particular parts of the body at first, to achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm state.
It has been practiced for centuries in numerous religious traditions and beliefs. Since the 19th century, it has spread from its origins to other cultures where it is commonly practiced in private and business life.
Meditation may be used with the aim to reduce stress, anxiety, depression, pain, and increase sense of peace, perception of relaxation and well-being. It is under research to define its possible health (psychological, neurological, and cardiovascular) and other effects.
There are many different types of meditation. To list a few;
Focused attention. This form of meditation is fairly straightforward because it uses the object of our breath to focus attention, to anchor the mind and maintain awareness. Notice your mind starting to wander? Simply return to the breath.
Body scan. Often, our body is doing one thing while our mind is elsewhere. This technique is designed to sync body and mind by performing a mental scan, from the top of the head to the end of your toes.
Noting. Whether you are focusing on the breath or simply sitting in quiet, this technique involves specifically “noting” what’s distracting the mind, to the extent that we are so caught up in a thought or emotion that we’ve lost our awareness of the breath (or whatever the object of focus is). We “note” the thought or feeling to restore awareness, create a bit of space, as a way of letting go.
Visualization. This type of meditation invites you to picture something or someone in your mind — we are essentially replacing the breath with a mental image as the object of focus. By conjuring a specific visualization, we not only get to observe the mind, but we also get to focus on any physical sensations.
Observation. In this meditation practice we don't try to do anything specific other than stay aware of all that's happening or not happening within the body, and in the mind. We use active listening and turn into an observer of ourselves.
In this class we'll learn about and practice mindfulness, awareness, breath control and explore various meditating techniques. Make sure to wear loose and comfortable (warm or cooling) clothing. You can bring a yoga mat or a meditation pillow, if you wish.