That is quite a mouthful isn't it? As yoga has gained popularity in the West, many different styles have cropped up. We find it necessary to label these different styles so that in a few words we can somehow convey all of the philosophies and practices of a certain school of thought. This makes sense because when someone asks you, "What kind of yoga do you teach?" they probably don't want you to spend the next half-hour describing the subtle nuances of your particular approach.
Unfortunately, "Classical Eclectic Hatha Yoga" doesn't really convey my philosophy very well. To people who are new to yoga, that phrase probably means very little. To those who are familiar with yoga that mouthful ends up begin a very generic term that could be applied to almost any yoga teacher. Most of the time when people ask me what style I teach, I reply "just yoga".
What can you expect from Rebecca's yoga classes?
My classes will focus on asana and pranayama. Asana are the traditional physical yoga poses. Pranayama is concerned with the movement of energy through the body and is usually associated with deep breathing. The practice of asana and pranayama together is what usually makes up a hatha yoga class. I also will try to incorporate some easy forms of meditation into some of the classes.
A usual class will start with some warm up exercises to prepare the body for the standing poses. These poses will help to strengthen the body. Then we will come to the floor for some seated postures that will focus more on the lengthening of muscles. Then we come to the resting postures to help calm the mind before a final 5 - 10 minute relaxation session.
I like to keep my students interested and engaged in the class. I will usually ask for requests before the class starts so that I can help address the specific needs of my students. Some classes will have a theme. For example, I might dedicate the whole class to restorative postures (we will lay around on blankets and pillows for an hour), or I might decide to focus only on postures that will help relive the problems that people face if they sit at a computer all day.
You can also expect to laugh at least once in class (unless I'm not funny that day). Life is a wonderful experience! As much as we like to think of yoga as serious business, there is something inherently funny about sticking your bum up in the air and rolling around on your back. Laugh! Enjoy what you are doing.
What are the benefits?
Immediately after a lesson most students describe a sense of calm energy. The mind is relaxed but the body feels revived. Holding a posture is as much of a mental exercise as it is a physical one. I list off a number of things that students need to think about as they hold an asana. I feel that if the mind is busy scanning through the body making sure everything is properly engaged and continuing the slow rhythmic breathing, it is impossible to think about how bad your day was, or that jerk who cut you off in traffic this morning. It is the attention to alignment in asana that can help bring the mind to a peaceful state. Physically, the beginning warm up is sometimes challenging to students, but this exertion is balanced by the relaxation session at the end. Unlike a traditional aerobic or weightlifting session, most students leave a yoga class feeling more energy than when they came in.
Within a few months of regular yoga practice, students feel more flexible, more strength, and can sometimes find that sense of calm during stressful situations. Many students have told me that they use breathing techniques to help relieve stress in their daily lives. Regular yoga practice, like any regular exercise, can help increase the metabolism and give us more energy through the day.
Long term benefits of yoga are much like those I stated above, but there are some subtle benefits as well. Body awareness is one such benefit. A student might slouch in her chair at work. Yoga will allow her to realize when she is slouching and give her the core strength to maintain proper posture for longer. Proper posture can help relieve back pain, neck pain, and headaches. The mental control students find in deep asana practice is also very beneficial in stress reduction.
What does Classical Eclectic Hatha Yoga mean to you?
"Classical" This refers to the past. With all the interest in yoga, some schools have lost the original intent of yoga in an attempt to be different enough to market themselves. When I teach I always try to be mindful of the reasons for practicing yoga, and make sure my students are receiving the benefits.
"Eclectic" Something that is composed of elements from various sources is the most common meaning of the word. Modern yoga has fragmented. I study books and writings of both ancient and modern yogis so I can help bring their wisdom to my students. Also, like most ancient philosophies, there needs to be some adjustment to be able to connect with the western mind. As much as we might like to give up our busy lives and live in a cave for years on end - that simply isn't feasible. I hope that though my studies of various philosophies, I can help guide my students towards a path that embraces the original intent of yoga while maintaining an ability to fit with a modern western life.
"Hatha" There are many different forms of yoga. Some are dedicated to chanting, some to performing acts of kindness, some to mediation. Hatha is a generic term that refers to the physical practice of yoga, namely asana and pranayama. The word means more than that though. Ha refers to the sun. Tha (pronounced tuh-Ha) means the moon. So the word hatha means "sun - moon" and brings to mind a sense of opposites and opposition, much like the concept of yin and yang.
Note on pronunciation: Many of us will read the word Hatha and pronounce the soft 'th' sound as you would in 'thumb'. There is no soft 'th' sound in Sanskrit. Hatha was originally pronounced "Ha tuh-Ha". Unfortunately, if I tell people I teach Ha tuh Ha yoga, they might not understand what I am talking about, so I am resigned to pronouncing it "ha-tha"
"Yoga" Many of us think of hatha yoga when we think of the word yoga, but as stated above, there are many different kinds of yoga. The Sanskrit word means "to unite or to yolk (harness)". To me hatha yoga is to unite and harness the opposing forces within ourselves. This definition can simply refer to the way we stretch and strengthen our bodies as we perform asana, where we twist different part of our bodies in opposite directions to complete a pose. This definition can move much more deeply into the philosophy of yoga: uniting the mind and body, gaining control over individual muscles as well as thoughts and feelings, so that we can use all of our resources in union to better ourselves.
So when you put all of those words and definitions together the easiest way for me to express what I teach is "Just yoga".
