Evening Yoga

Yoga is a mind-body practice that involves meditation, movement and breathing techniques to promote health and wellbeing.

Yoga can help develop self-awareness while improving flexibility, balance and reducing stress. In these 60-minute yoga classes, you will be guided through a variety of postures and movements (standing, sitting, and lying) with options for utilising breath and sound techniques. Classes will be focused on alignment of body while developing and maintaining mindful attention. Although the entire class may be seen as a movement meditation, 5 minutes at the beginning and end of class will be dedicated to sitting/lying meditation and guided relaxation.

No prior knowledge of yoga is needed, and you are welcome to adjust any positions to suit your unique needs. 

Course Breakdown

Week 1: This week we will practise linking breath with movement, and how we can use the breath as a barometer to check in with our body and how we are feeling.

Week 2: In this lesson, we will further explore more standing poses, with an emphasis on grounding through the feet, and how we can create a sense of being more grounded through body awareness.

Week 3: In this session we will start to pay more attention to our core, and see how we can use this awareness to feel more centred and stable.

Week 4: This week we will explore the difference between movement and stillness, and how they relate to each other.  Through practising this awareness on the mat, we can bring a sense of greater calm to ourselves even in hectic times, or energise ourselves when we are feeling dull and stagnant. 

Week 5: In this session, we will focus more on balance, and how we can support ourselves to be more stable.  Through using the breath, awareness and core stability, we can become more stable even in challenging times.

Week 6: In this session we will focus more on back bending postures – in a way that feels safe for the group.  We will explore how these postures can lift our energy and help us to become more aware of our spine.

Week 7: This week, we will introduce stronger standing poses and feel into how all the work that we have done in previous weeks helps us to feel strong and stable in these more challenging postures. 

Week 8: This week we will consolidate all the movement patterns we have been working with, together with breath awareness, and also introduce more breathing techniques.  Through working with the breath in different ways, we can influence our own energy and awareness.

Week 9: This week we will further consolidate all the work that we’ve done in previous sessions, with more time for meditative awareness.  

Term Dates

Term 2 runs from Monday 29 April to Monday 24 June

Term 3 runs from Monday 22 July to Monday 16 September 

Term 4 runs from Monday 14 October to 9 December

Outcomes

At the end of the course, participants will have tools to connect with their own bodily awareness more deeply.  They will feel more flexible, stronger, and have tools to help them to feel grounded, centred and calm in daily life.  

Materials List

• Yoga Mat
• Blocks
• Blanket
• Bottle of water

Please note: Yoga mats and blocks are also available to borrow from the Centre, but please be sure to clean them after use.