What to expect in a yoga session with Naomi

Asana (Postures)

Yoga is for everyBODY. You do not have to look a certain way or have certain abilities to practice yoga. Naomi strives to make yoga accessible to everyone, so props are used as needed to make the yoga postures work for you. Props could include using a wall, a chair, pillows, blankets, bolsters, blocks, straps, and any additional supports as needed. If you can breathe, you can do yoga.

Pranayama (Breath work)

Why is breathwork such a big part of yoga practice? The breath is directly linked to the state of our nervous system.

Many of us are conditioned to be in fight, flight, or freeze mode (sympathetic nervous system) most of the time. Learning to switch into rest and digest mode (parasympathetic nervous system) takes practice.

The breath regulates our heartbeat and our nervous system depending on whether we are breathing fast and shallow, holding our breath, or breathing long and slow.

There is nothing wrong with our sympathetic nervous system. It keeps us alive and we are very grateful for that! But we are usually switched into high gear when we do not need to be.

Practicing yoga offers an opportunity to tune into the breath and use it as a tool when you are feeling overwhelmed, anxious, scared, angry, etc.

We do not want to avoid our negative feelings or the reasons why we are feeling them, but we can use the breath to regulate ourselves so we can have a more measured response.

Here is how the breath and the nervous system are related:

When we inhale, our heart rate is elevated slightly. When we exhale, the heart rate slows down slightly. In this way, our breath is constantly regulating our heart rate. When we hold our breath or breathe fast and shallow, it signals our brain to go into fight, flight, or freeze mode. We are unconsciously telling our bodies to get ready for something. All hands on deck!

Most of us hold our breath a lot of the day and this exhausts our nervous system.

It is very beneficial to take moments throughout the day to just sit and breathe and to reset our nervous system.

This is a difficult task for survivors of trauma because this pattern is a survival mechanism that has worked very well and it is very difficult to turn that off.

Healing is a slow, lifelong process. Breathing gives us a chance to take each piece little by little in manageable chunks.

Meditation

Meditation is challenging for everyone. Turning off the mind is no small task. So that is why we do not focus on turning off the mind. Instead, we practice mindfulness. We notice what is happening, how it is happening, when it is happening, and why it is happening. Through yoga, we use our asana (postures) and pranayama (breath work) to cultivate mindfulness.

What is inclusive and accessible yoga?

Have you ever gone to a yoga class and thought, “I don’t belong here”? Have you avoided going to yoga classes because you feel like you will not be able to do the poses right? Do you feel like you are not flexible enough? That you are not the right shape or size? Do you have physical limitations due to injuries or surgeries and are worried that you will not be able to do all the poses?

Many people avoid yoga because the industry of yoga has painted a picture that you must look a certain way and have certain physical abilities to practice yoga.

This message is wrong. 

Everybody can practice yoga.

No matter your age, race, size, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical ability, or experience with yoga, YOU ARE ALLOWED TO PRACTICE YOGA and Naomi will be happy to work with you at your own pace.