Happy New Year!
For many of us January feels like a clean slate, another fresh start at becoming a better version of ourselves. Myself absolutely, 100%-ly included! You should see all the books I have out to help me on my new quest!
Back in December ( I know, feels like a year ago!) I had an opportunity to sit down and chat with Kimberlee Baggio at Amplify Consulting about all things yoga. Here are some highlights from our conversation - I thought they might be helpful to aspiring yogis, new movers, and a fresh NY start!
Where does your passion for yoga come from?
It all started with back pain I couldn’t resolve no matter what I tried. Yoga was kind of a last ditch attempt and it worked! I can’t say that I was hooked from my very first time on the mat. It was more like slowly falling in love with it. And I still am! I’ve been teaching since 2006; I’m still constantly learning about human bodies and human minds, and I’m constantly amazed at how much wisdom yoga holds.
Do you have advice for those new to yoga?
The most important thing to know for any yoga beginner is that you just have to start. You don’t have to be in a particular shape, you don’t need to touch your toes. Some days I can’t touch my toes either, so what! It might help to research the teacher you are considering and ask them questions about their teaching style, especially if you have underlying issues. Some teachers focus on a more athletic style, some hold lots of stretches, some specialize working with people who had trauma, and
others work with folks who have persistent pain. Research your teacher to make sure their style matches your needs!
What are the essential must-haves for someone starting out?
This depends on the style of teaching. For some classes and some styles, sticky mat is a necessity. For how I teach, a rug will do. Some of my students like to practice on their bed - just because getting on and off the floor is a challenge. My classes use a lot of props - I like to think of props as tools that help us increase our mobility. So, we use chairs, and towels, and balls for massage. You can, of course, get specialized equipment but I usually suggest starting with just a few cheap,
found-at-home tools to begin with. If you like how it feels, you can always start growing your prop library slowly.
What is the goal when a student leaves Satori Yoga class?
That depends. Each student has their own goal for their practice. Sometimes it is the mind that needs to be settled; sometimes it is an ache here or there that needs to be addressed. My goal for every class and every student is to help each of them appreciate how much they can move already, to help them move with less pain and more ease, to reduce fear of movement, and to nurture a sense of hope.
What is your favourite go-to pose?
Shavasana, hands down! Shavasana is a relaxation pose where you just kind of get comfortable and breathe, but there’s so much you can do with the pose! Maybe more importantly, there is so much the pose can do for you!
P.S. Winter 2022 yoga session started this week. If you've missed session registrations with all the Christmas hullabaloo, you can
still do so here.
We would LOVE to have you join us!
Happy moving - see you on the mat!
With much love & gratitude,
