Lessons of the Student Teacher

Thursday, 12/10, started off nicely with a therapeutic learning session with Julie Snyder at Moving Mantra. Her restorative yoga class allowed me to unwind while listening and learning from her methodical teaching. My neck is chronically tight; Julie's class improved my alignment Afterward, we reviewed variations of Downward Dog and use of the chair as a prop for several of the poses. More delights for future classes.
The evening class at the Alexander YMCA contained a range of skills as one student suffered from severe fibromyalgia. Her breath awareness exercises helped her deal with chronic pain. Another interesting student was a dental hygienist who is recently new to yoga and new to signs of arthritis.
This is a near and dear issue as I had similar signs of arthritis in my neck. Keeping a neutral pelvis while twisted and seated is a major challenge. The class focused on reclining side bends, cat/cow poses and down dog variations. The 1/4 dog really opens up the side muscles. The finish with Warrior variations helped build strength and balance. Especially with the next class outside!