Mindful Somatic Yoga with Lisa
Hi there!
Allow me to introduce myself. If you don’t know me, I’m a long time teacher at 889 Community.
I have practiced and taught yoga for over 20 years now and have a mindfulness meditation practice. I am also a somatic counsellor. Creating conditions in which healing can unfold is a mission of mine. I teach and share what has been extraordinarily helpful in my own life.
I’m delighted to be teaching Somatic Yoga on Fridays mornings from 10-11 am. Perhaps this class has piqued your interest however you’re not quite sure what to expect. Read on to get a glimpse of how I see Somatic Yoga and how I go about teaching this class.
Somatics, first of all, is a broad and intertwined field. Underneath the umbrella of Somatics you will find practices like dance, tai chi, pilates, the Alexander technique, pilates, Chi Qigong and other mind-body pursuits. In my somatic yoga class I guide people to become more aware of bodily sensations, breath, emotions, thoughts, energies and impulses. In this class, we practice both interception, awareness of your body’s internal senses and signals and proprioception, awareness of your body in space. As I teach, I am incorporating Polyvagal Theory which emphasizes the role of the autonomic nervous system in regulating health and behavior.
Principles that inform my teaching include:
• Going slowly - the body has a different pace
• Your body is intelligent
• Honoring one’s unique experience - you are your own best teacher
• Noticing one’s experience with interest and curiosity
• Exploring, inquiring and sensing instead of performing
• Exercising choice
The class format often consists of:
• An embodied check in
• Breath work
• Slow mindful movement
• A restorative pose
• A short meditation
My goal for this class is to inspire “full human beingness”. People who are experiencing stress, pain, recovering from trauma and who want to cultivate a deeper relationship with themselves may be particularly interested in Somatic Yoga. By regularly taking this class you can expect to increase bodily awareness, enhance self regulation, improve presence and practice self care.
Consider this your invitation to join me on Friday mornings! I would absolutely love to share this practice with you.
Did you know I also love teaching private yoga sessions. I especially love teaching gentle and restorative yoga and meditation - practices that bring about homeostasis.
If you are interested in booking a private yoga session, please contact 889 at happiness@889community.com
To learn more about me, please visit www.lisamitchellhealing.ca
I leave you with this quote by the poet Mary Oliver:
“To pay attention. This is our endless and proper work."