Welcome to Friday Round-up – a weekly class follow up e-mail that breaks down and explores in a more detail some of the concepts / alignment principles that we employ in class on the mat. Beyond that, it is my hope that Friday Round-ups will encourage and help you build your own personal home practice – yoga is that much more effective when practiced on a daily
basis.
First week of classes can often feel scrambled and overwhelming, especially if you are just starting with yoga classes. Here are some foundational pieces to help you get settled and feel more grounded in your next class.
In this week’s follow up:
- Instructions for a seated meditation practice – in this session we are starting most of the classes with a seated practice.
- Instructions
for Ujjayi – or sounding breath.
- Reasons behind end of class OM-ing.
You will find both sets of instructions attached to this e-mail. Here is a scoop behind OM-ing at the end of the class:
For many of us – be it a complete beginner student or experienced practitioner in an unfamiliar facility – belting out “OM” at the end of the class can feel, well, a little weird. I can’t change that. But as it turns out, there are
more reason’s than one to still join the chorus.
Scientists from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, discovered that humming and sound vibration could help to ventilate and open the sinuses, thus preventing sinus infections. Some researches go even as far as to say that vibration of chanting boosts our brain’s seratonin production – and who doesn’t love that?
Weird or not, seems that there are quite a few good reasons to OM – in a
group, and on your own.
Enjoy your weekend!
Julia