Hatha-Yoga for Strength, Vitality and Energy.
If you are looking for a yoga class that can help you gain strength, vitality, and energy, then look no further than Hatha-Yoga. Initially a 90-minute special class, it has now been extended to a 2-hour or 2.5-hour session to cater to different needs since 2012 in Germany. This class schema is a manual for those who want to work out to acquire these features. It is “the base of all my experiences, made for all of you to experience.”
The concept is a mix of Sukshma Vyayama and Classic Hatha-Yoga, which focuses on breath regulation in each posture and posture transition. This increases the energy produced during the asana performance, taking you to the level of using energy for concentration, meditation, and visualization.
Pranayama is a must in all my classes, at least the more basic ones, and any class will always start with Adham Pranayama or Yogic breath, which is easy to do even for beginners. It can be done in a sitting or standing position, and it comes with a 100% benefits warranty for both beginners and advanced practitioners.
If you wonder how to apply those Yogic techniques in daily life, we just need to observe that the breath is within us all the time. The Pranayama is the easiest and fastest to apply in daily life. Therefore, as much as you can, remember you are breathing, do it mindfully, do it aware and awakened, do it consciously, and better it’s qualities. We just need to do it!
In the more elaborated Pranayama Workshop, we do introduce participants to more pranayama techniques like Anuloma-viloma, Agnisarakriya, Kaphalabhati, and many others. But for now, we continue with just that one.
We use that breathing technique during the entire class and experience the presence in space, time, and activity, entirely aware. We expand our version of a few rounds of Surya Namaskar, including modifications and different Asana variations. Pranayama is introduced at the beginning of the session, and standing postures are most recommended to squeeze Mulabandha and when possible also Uddhyanabandha.
To get better benefits of the postures, we will hold for long periods of time while regulating the breath. We will practice from the basics to a wide variety of postures and transitions. Inversions are part of this compendium, like long relaxation in between, abdominal as last hard work, and Yoga Nidra.
A combination of work, contraction, and relaxation or expansion is a key point to use in this class framework as a method for self-development. Here we are working to put things in balance. Sides, hemispheres, extremes, organs, glands, elements, and energies are going to get into balance, which is our work, motivation, and dedication of time. The more this kind of practice or schema is used, the more balance can be produced, experienced, and enjoyed.
After a bit of small abs challenge, we go into deeper relaxation in Yoga Nidra, where again, the breath will mark important presence as a tool to be used to be present as the breath is, and train our ability to visualize. We travel from the bottom to the lower parts of the body, starting with the toes, going into the legs, abs, and organs, head, and face, relaxing each detail and letting go with the out-breath which is non-deserved and unnecessary.
We close it with a short session of breathing meditation, followed by a time and space for gratitude. Let it go and say goodbye!
I will be happy to see you there.