Movement Explorations vs Yoga Asanas

Our life is full of structures in which we feel save and happy. Or less. Or not at all!

It’s ok if you like a well-defined structure in your Yoga practice too, mainly being driven by well known body postures and movements (asanas).

Your body offers uncountable possibilities on what you can explore while moving and resting along your current range of motion limited by joints, tendons, ligaments and other tissue. So why not break out of structure and find experiences in movements, resting on edges, breathing and letting go?

Our brain builds new neuronal connections (called neuroplasticity) while we perform movements. It allows the brain to adapt as a reaction to new experiences and learning. There is plenty of documentation on this topic. Here just a few of them.

• Neuroplasticity: How Experience Changes the Brain (verywellmind.com)

• How our brain controls movement and makes new connections when parts are damaged (theconversation.com)

• Arber__Costa_2018_PDFA.pdf (unibas.ch)

The classes I usually teach start with a warmup in which students begin with slow and conscious movements made up by themselves. The aim is to release tightened fascia and other tissue, to let the body tell a story and to closely recognize what signals are sent to their brains for perception. To further emphasize the importance of breathing, it is suggested that people move along the sounds of their ujjayi breathing. And not just ‘try to breathe while you move’...

Then follows a breathing and small meditation part which not only consists of well-known yoga pranayama techniques. There are so many more techniques available from other sources.

A specific topic driven part follows upon, e.g. focusing on lower back, core strength, shoulder/chest openers, spinal flexibility etc. etc. Again, here in this part we explore the body with playful movement findings, resting in poses, repetitions with various speeds, movement developments from small to big, direction changes, rotations, circling, short flows with a well-defined start and endpoint and room for joyful, spontaneous improvisations, building awareness of vertical levels where movements are done and how it can be moved thru. And so on.
As a small example, think of an ‘odd dog pose’ where your hands and feet are all else than aligned and you start finding movement possibilities, e.g. enhancing the range of motion by lifting an arm or leg.
This part is instructed with varying intensity. Exercises may and stay slow but can also become challenging, with the intention to strengthen muscle and other tissue.

The final part may consist of a personal favourite, calming pose. People may choose if they want to stay there or lay down for shavasana. From time to time a meditation is also offered.

Find rest in your restless mind... is the general goal of these classes. Next to releasing tensions, limitations in bodies, enhancing movement possibilities and strengthening muscles in an ‘acceptable smooth’ way.