 Yoga
Yoga, which developed in India, is an ancient tradition for integrating the
physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of our nature. The practice
of yoga need not be affiliated with any one particular religion and is actually
a complementary practice for any belief system or religious affiliation. Today
yoga is practiced around the world and embraced by millions of people from different
cultures as a profound tool for greater wellness and exceptional living.
Yoga is a practice that invites us to live in our bodies in a healthy and refreshing
way, while learning to pay attention to and improve our mental health. The physical
aspect of a yoga practice strings together sequences of postures that are sometimes
active (standing poses, for example) and at other times receptive (forward bends
on the floor), stimulating the circulation of our vital energy. Putting ourselves
in specific poses allows us an opportunity to fully inhabit every part of our
body in both conscious and caring ways. During a typical yoga practice, gentle
but precise postures and movements are synchronized with deep abdominal breathing
and mental concentration. This body-oriented practice breeds a fresh quality
of attention and awareness that remains directly connected with the changing
sensations in our bodies.
Meditation is a diverse mind training that develops a healthy and radiant mind.
It is a practice that leads to a quality of consciousness that is capable of
both sustained calmness and potent alertness. Mindfulness is a particular kind
of meditation training that cultivates an attitude in which we let go of all
motivations to manipulate the moment. It develops the capacity to observe both
pleasant and unpleasant sensations, feelings, thoughts and sounds without willful
interference. Mindfulness is a simple yet profound practice that breeds a capacity
to be with whatever conditions are arising, triggering deeper insights about
ourselves which are often hidden by our habitual assumptions and perceptual
preferences or prejudices.
The outcome of a skillful yoga and meditation practice yields physical, emotional
and mental benefits if practiced regularly. The postural activity stimulates
an essential rejuvenation of our natural vitality by improving our respiration
and blood circulation, strengthening our digestive and eliminative functions,
while also balancing and boosting the hormonal, endocrine, lymphatic and nervous
systems. It also directly improves the functioning of our muscles, joints and
bones, while increasing our natural ranges of motion and overall physical coordination
and inhabitation.
 As our body begins to function better, we become more comfortable in our own
skin, opening the possibility for improving our attitude toward our body,and
ourselves in general. A yoga practice teaches us how to care for ourselves more
appropriately, deepening our self-respect and loving-kindness. Yoga also improves
our mental health by stimulating a greater supply of oxygen to the brain while
improving concentration and awareness skills.
Extensive research shows that practicing body/mind centered relaxation techniques
such as yoga and meditation can be very beneficial for stress management, the
healing of trauma, and overall emotional and mental well-being. Yoga (when practiced
safely and appropriately) and combined with a proper diet, has been shown to
significantly benefit people who suffer from common problems such as chronic
pain, insomnia, digestive disorders, and heart disease, as well as anxiety,
mild to major depression, lethargy and restlessness.
In addition, meditation has been shown to positively affect people who suffer
from stress related disorders by lowering blood pressure and reducing emotional
reactivity. Meditation gives us the opportunity to see the ways in which unconscious
thoughts, feelings, and behaviors can undermine our intrinsic capacity for body/mind
ease and balance. Through combining the body-centered practice of yoga poses
with the mind-centered practice of meditation, we can cultivate tools for well-being
and wholeness that have repercussions in all aspects of our lives.
Yoga Classes on Metta Journeys Trips
Each trip will include at least two highly trained yoga teachers.
On most days of each trip we will offer separate morning and evening classes
for both beginners and continuing students.
Beginning Students
 If you are new to yoga, this will be an opportunity to learn the foundations
of a healthy yoga practice to support you in living a more balanced, conscious,
and fulfilling life. Each class will include simple centering practices and
basic instruction in both active and receptive yoga postures, conscious breathing
and simple meditative tools. The teachers will focus on appropriate sequencing
in a supportive and inspiring atmosphere that leads you toward greater ease
in your body and a more contemplative mood for self-reflection. Introducing
you to Mindfulness meditation and allowing you brief opportunities to practice
it will be added at the end of each yoga class. Mindfulness is a practice that
strengthens your mind’s ability to be both alert and relaxed in a myriad
of circumstances, while diminishing your negative habits of reactivity and distraction.
Our seasoned yoga teachers will share how these ancient practices apply to
our contemporary lives and how you can begin to integrate them in practical
ways upon your return home. Due to the intimate nature of these retreats, there
will be ample opportunity to learn how to tailor practices to your individual
needs. Each retreat will offer not only group classes introducing you to these
disciplines, but also allow for a private session with one of our yoga teachers
to better address personal issues and concerns in a one-on-one setting.
Experienced
Practitioners
Those already familiar with or devoted to yoga will have the opportunity to
deepen their practice through creative sequencing in a slow, alignment based
flow style. You will also learn to further appreciate longer held floor poses
that nourish the subtle body and organs, while developing your meditative awareness.
Each class will also incorporate more refined aspects of balancing the energy
body through pranayama, visualizations and longer Mindfulness meditation sessions.
Whether you are brand new to yoga or practice a particular style already, we
invite you to join us in developing or deepening your yoga and meditation practices
with our dedicated and skilled yoga teachers. We feel a regular yoga practice
is essential for encouraging and sustaining balance within our individual system.
When we are more in balance, we are better able to live our lives more harmoniously,
laying the foundation to support others in authentic and wholesome ways.
Our Senior Yoga Teachers
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