Mindfulness and Yoga Sessions
Mindfulness
I teach mindfulness meditation in person session as well as on the phone/Skype and to groups. Everyone can benefit from this simple practice from children to older adults, it works really well for stressed out young people and students. The best results would give one teaching session and at least one more to support your practice. Here below you can find a short version of the meditation the idea is to do it slowly for twenty minutes and to learn with someone. Mindfulness is about being aware of the present moment and noticing without judgement. Teachers who practice meditation know how to ground (hold space) for the meditation, with practice, meditators can do it on their own.
Sit comfortably in the chair, with feet on the floor and straight back. Take first three deep breaths close your eyes.
Bring your attention with breath to the top of your head, to your skin on the head including the face, to the forehead, eyes area, cheeks and nose, mouth and jaws. Bring the attention to the inside of the heard to the brain.
Bring your attention to your neck outside and inside the neck.
To your shoulders, arms, forearms and hands.
Bring attention awareness to the upper body, the chest, the inside the rib-cage, the heart and lungs. Upper back.
To the middle of the body to the abdomen, middle back and all the organs inside.
Bring attention to the lower abdomen, lower back and hips.
Bring attention to the upper legs, the thighs, the knees, the shins, the ankles and the top of the feet. To the small bones and joints and muscles in your feet, to the bottom of the feet.
Now after the body scan is done, take couple of deep breaths as if you could sweep from the top of the head through the bottom of the feet the stress the anger and everything that you can let go of the body at this time.
Stay for a breath or so, and then gently come back to the outside world, by moving the body gently; shifting, maybe stretching and opening your eyes.
Mindfulness Meditation is based on Buddhist meditation but it is not religious it can be practiced by everyone to release stress and feel better and it is approved in the hospitals in North America. It has been developed by Dr. Jon Kabat Zinn who has written many helpful books and can be freely watched on YouTube. Margaret offers private Yoga and Meditation sessions to help live life of balance and connection, with body, mind and spirit. Hatha Yoga and Yogic Philosophies strengthen and give flexibility to the body, mind and spirit. The breathing techniques and meditation give clarity to your thoughts, relax, rejuvenate, energize and help to find meaning in life.
Yoga
Margaret offers private Yoga and Meditation sessions to help live life of balance and connection, with body, mind and spirit. Hatha Yoga and Yogic Philosophies strengthen and give flexibility to the body, mind and spirit. The breathing techniques and meditation give clarity to your thoughts, relax, rejuvenate, energize and help to find meaning in life.
Classes:
Beginner/Gentle Yoga
This is an introduction to yoga practice and philosophy. This balanced class offers meditation, breath work and poses focusing on gentle stretching, that rejuvenates as well as strengthens our body and standing poses. This class is for adults and no previous experience is required.
Intermediate Yoga
Balanced class offers meditation, breath work and poses focusing on strengthening, standing poses and forward bends, introducing back bends. This class is for adults with previous yoga experience.
Yoga for Children
Margaret offers Yoga and Meditation Sessions specially designed for children where through play they learn breathing techniques and moving their bodies fully. Yoga benefits to their young bodies through stretching and relaxing of muscles, as well as by gaining strength and flexibility. With play, songs, games and fun creative yoga poses (asanas), children improve their posture, coordination and body awareness. These yoga classes improve their ability to focus and their confidence, and help them to rest and relax. Each session closes with relaxation that helps to ground their bodies, minds and spirits. Margaret offers individual and group sessions that are open to children with all abilities (including special needs children).
Children Yoga Training Courses
Margaret offers Yoga and Meditation training for child educators. The courses are designed to expand teachers’ skills in movement and physical programming, to help children relax, center and be more focused. At the end of the course the participants will be able to design and instruct a developmentally suitable, 30 min yoga classes for children ages 2-12 years.
Children learn through experience and example, therefore teachers need to create safe space and offer stimulation and enjoyment. This training gives a menu for choice of activities and exercises based on elements of yoga, to design physical activity program to help children center and relax. The objective is to give children most balanced experience of being in their bodies including laying down, sitting and standing, forward and back banding as well as to help them learn breathing and relaxation skills.