YOGA FOR BACK HEALTH AND SCIATICA
This is an all levels yoga class designed to support spinal health, relieve back/neck pain and sciatica, calm the nervous system and relax the mind. This class will improve flexibility of the hips and shoulders, which will decrease demands on the back and allow the spine to rotate properly, as well as strengthen the muscle groups that support the spine. The stretching postures will help to increase blood flow to the tissues that support the spine, improving the health of the intervertebral discs and muscles along the spine. This class will also help to improve posture and proper alignment of the vertebrae, reducing undue stress on the back. Modifications will be provided throughout the practice, making this class suitable for students of all levels.

GENTLE YOGA FOR BACK HEALTH
This class consists of both restorative and gentle yoga postures, which will provide healing for both body and mind, soothe the nervous system, eliminate fatigue and stress, and increase flexibility. Restorative postures will be achieved and supported through the use of blankets/props, and are held for a short time, allowing the body and mind to relax. This class is suitable for students of every age and body type.

THERAPEUTIC CHAIR YOGA
This practice will consist of a series of gentle movements done in a chair, designed to improve flexibility, strength and range of motion, maintain or regain joint mobility, relieve joint pain and stiffness, improve circulation, and balance the flow of energy within the body. This class will help to ease the pain associated with fibromyalgia and arthritis, aid in the healing of injuries, accommodate physical limitations and quiet the mind.

GENTLE YOGA FOR BALANCE AND FLEXIBILITY (CHAIR/STANDING ONLY)
This is a gentle class consisting of chair yoga and standing postures, designed to improve strength, flexibility and balance. This class will help to improve energy, reduce stress and muscular tension, revitalize the body and quiet the mind. This class is suitable for individuals with limited flexibility or minor limitations, and those unable to be on their knees. The entire practice will be done from a chair and standing position – we will not be on the floor.

YOGA TO RELEASE TRAUMA (Private Session – by appointment)
Trauma does not need to be a horrific event to create a lasting effect on our bodies and minds. Most of us have experienced some form of emotional trauma, directly or indirectly, at some point in our lives. If a trauma is not released, it remains trapped in the nervous system. Our bodies, sometimes more than our minds, hold the memory of the trauma. Often times, holding onto the memory of a trauma leads to an imbalance in the body’s energy centers (chakras). This holding can then manifest as chronic physical pain, or intense unresolved emotion. In this class, we will practice yoga postures and breathing techniques, designed to rebalance the body’s energy centers (chakras), calm the nervous system, promote physical and emotional healing, and bring us into the present moment. As we connect with our physical body through the practice of these postures, we quiet the processing and organizing left side of the brain, and allow the right side of the brain, responsible for consciousness and present-moment awareness, to awaken. Through conscious movement and breath, we can unlock the emotional body, and begin to release intense emotions and past traumas from the nervous system, no matter how subtle or complex they may be. As we become more aware and more mindful, we learn to stay with the body and the breath. We begin to recognize triggers, and are able to release habitual patterns of responding.  In addition to her yoga teacher certification, Sheila is certified through the Boston Trauma Center as a trauma sensitive yoga instructor. It is from surviving a traumatic experience, and resolving her own issues with PTSD through the practice of yoga, that she was led to become a Yoga Instructor.

YIN YOGA AND MEDITATION (all levels)
Yin Yoga is a style of yoga which focuses on the passive holding of postures for longer periods (approximately 3 to 5 minutes) for the benefit of releasing the connective tissues (ligaments, bones, and even joints) of the hips, pelvis and lower spine. No experience is necessary.

YOGA NIDRA
Yoga Nidra translates to yogic sleep. Guided by a teacher’s voice, you will identify sensations in your body and focus on your breath, while remaining in a state of relaxed awareness. This will allow you to release deeply held muscular, emotional and mental tensions, some of which you may not even be aware. Yoga Nidra has been shown to strengthen the immune system; lower high blood pressure and cholesterol levels; increase helper cells that defend against infectious disease; balance the autonomic nervous system; relieve pain; balance the mind and emotions; and improve overall health and well-being. Some conditions addressed by Yoga Nidra include…stress (the cause of most illness today), anxiety and depression, insomnia, high blood pressure, addiction, aggression, ADD, ADHD, PTSD, digestive conditions, ulcers, heart disease, asthma, eczema, diabetes, chronic pain, multiple sclerosis and cancer.