Course objectives: 

• To develop awareness of how we function as a whole being – physically, mind and emotionally, our ability to learn and reflect to find inspiration and joy.
• To learn re-regulation skills to calm the Autonomic Nervous System, to make the mind less vigilant, thereby turning the volume down on pain.
• To learn some gentle, mindful movement, integrating awareness, (e.g. coordination of movement with breath) and regulation to remain calm, feel safe and comfortable in movement.
• To develop a kind, nurturing approach to all practices, promoting independence, autonomy and confidence. 

Course text: “The Pain-Free Mindset”, written by Dr Deepak Ravindran – a chronic pain specialist at the Royal Berks Hospital – he also runs the chronic pain clinic there. A great resource to better understand how the body works, particularly the role of the Autonomic Nervous System, our stress response, and the impact of stress on pain. There is also some useful information regarding exercise, a healthy diet, and sleep hygiene which all positively contributes to good health. I hope it might encourage some interesting discussions in class! 

We will also be dipping into two other texts, “Atlas Of The Heart” by Brene Brown and “Yoga Sutras Of Patanjali” interpreted by Mukunda Stiles. They are wonderful sources for some new perspectives, opportunities to reflect on life in order for us to question our habitual beliefs and attitudes about life. If open, Brene Brown helps us to interpret how we feel, providing language for our emotions, crucial to mind-body connection, expression and functioning as a whole. Mukunda Stiles provides a very concise translation of Patanjali’s Sutras which provides a path for awakening and transformation. 

What to bring? Just a few things to have close by to increase comfort and support – please have a couple of blankets, one to lie on, to place on top of your yoga mat if practicing on a hard floor. We often cool down when relaxing at the end and so a blanket to place over you to keep you warm can be useful. A chair to sit on if not comfortable on the floor. A couple of small cushions and a pillow, and finally a tennis ball for some footwork. I think that’s it :-))

Looking after the whole person: yoga has a holistic approach to health and wellbeing. To be healthy we have to work on the whole person rather than separate parts. As human beings we are multi-layered and miraculous! There is so much going on beneath the surface. Our layers are interwoven and do not function as individual parts – our mind health is really important to our physical health, our thoughts and emotions can really shape our world!

Handouts and home practice provided.