For those who study Yogic philosophy, the title of this post may seem a little silly. Isn't all Yoga inherently therapeutic? We considered several other titles, but despite its inherent redundancy, we landed on this one to attract the audience we seek. Those who arrive here intrigued, might be seeking clarity before registering for one of our classes, looking for a sense of security and gentility in the face of chronic illness or PTSD, stoking a need for body-positive practices, or searching for an expressly "not fitness" based practice, which is also modern in its application.
Welcome.
Yes, we believe Yoga, as a holistic philosophy, was intended to be therapeutic in nature. However, it often doesn't feel that way to the practitioner in an everyday Western "Yoga" class. Whether due to the colonization and hierarchy of Asana (the poses), catering to the gaze of those looking for "exotic" experiences by emphasizing form over function, or due to the inevitable commercialization of all things profitable, Yoga in America is often practiced at the surface level. In the most popular one-hour Yoga classes, the priorities seem to be externalization and keeping up appearances, whether that's with the prowess of the teacher, through the gymnastics of a particular pose, by the draw of a selfie or social-mediability, or by keeping attention outside the body, on the impeccably timed playlist.
Bodies in these classes may get a workout, a sense of relief or parasympathetic let down, and perhaps a sense of community, being in the presence with others "working on themselves." But do these classes serve those seeking relief from suffering, judgment, consumerism, imbalances, or other mind, body and spirit deficiencies? Does their Yoga feed their lives outside the studio? If not, maybe the Yoga we've come to know in the West needs some differentiation from the Yoga of the East, or at least some clarification. (And if fact the two have been contrasted by many, many others - we offer our perspective here.)
Thus, our use of the word "therapeutic" is intended to signal the difference in our perspective, like a sign before the approach of a bridge, between the two (arguably) different worlds of Yoga. We create our Yoga classes for the traditional intention of yoking mind, body and spirit, through implementing embodiment practices that both pre-date commercial interests AND have modern, medically-studied counterparts and benefits. With a trauma-informed mindset that prioritizes presence, self-empowerment, mindfulness and whole person vitality, we offer balance and sustainability to our practitioners, leaning toward Eastern philosophy in intention and scope, while also reaching for Western pragmatism and applicability in real-world, everyday living.
Whoa, that's a lot. Too much even.
We feel that way too sometimes. But then we remember that we developed our approach, specifically for this reason - to aid us in the face of fatigue, overwhelm, resistance, judgment and even despair. We have reliable and customizable embodiment practices that transcend fear and paralysis in the moment, and are accessible in our busy lives, whether we have only one minute to reset our nervous systems in a car or behind a desk, or when we find ourselves in need of an afternoon of mindful movement and walking meditations. Ease and choice are elevated above the expectations of others, our to-do lists and even over the "ideal."
Despite our belief that most modern Yoga classes often don't live up to the essence of the philosophy of Yoga, we don't encourage students "to do as we say," accept our perspective or dogmatically follow teachings of any particular teacher. In fact, we aim to deconstruct hierarchical teaching norms, and encourage students to consider their own personal values, interests, needs and desires when choosing which poses, modifications, breathwork, intentions and meditations they'll embody, regardless of what's being demonstrated. We lead from a place of "sharing" or "offering," rather than directing, in hopes that participants are cultivating a relationship with their own bodies, by observing and responding to somatic messaging with intuitive, mindful movement - or stillness.
So, if "Therapeutic Yoga" is a posted sign of sorts, marking the gateway to our classes, what exactly can our students expect from our platform (the "bridge" between Eastern and Western Yogas)?
Each class is designed for:
ease of access to Yogic practices and principles that we translate as personal and collective values (Yama + Niyama), mindful movement (Asana), breathwork (Pranayama), sense-withdrawal and bodyscanning (Pratyahara) and mindfulness or single-point focus meditations (Dharana);
care and comfort for bodies suffering from PTSD, chronic illness, grief, anxiety, hypersensitivity, stress and overwhelm;
whole-person vitality designed to address every area of mind, body and spirit; and
self-empowerment, contentment, acceptance and peace, on and off the mat.
When you walk into our space at CYANWOOD, you may notice right away that the setting is clear, soothing and filled with natural light. Like any Yoga space, we have blocks, blankets, bolsters and mats, as well as a place to leave your shoes by the door. We have a community board with flyers and notices, and we do offer a membership rate for those who want access to all our classes.
But where we differ is in the subtleties - in our intention to lead classes from a therapeutic perspective, and our commitment to a full spectrum of Yogic practices, not just the poses. Generally, our class flows look like this:
an arrival period, with intention setting around a theme or universal value;
a warm up period, connecting a breathwork technique to gentle movement that will prepare the body for Asana/poses;
a 30-minute flow of sequential poses designed to bring awareness to a particular area of the body, or mindful principle (Yang Class); or a 30-minute series of still poses designed to decongest fascia, stress connective tissue, improve range of motion and relieve tension (Yin Class);
a 5-minute period of restful, guided somatic meditation, like a body scan or more advanced breathwork practice, mantra, or mindfulness meditation; and
a 1-minute check-in after class - an opportunity to share or offer feedback.
We don't call our Yoga classes "gentle" because they aren't, per se. Although our Yoga can be gentle if that's what the participant needs, we don't limit the actions, movements and breathwork to "gentle" or "easy" movements, but offer options, varied expressions, alternatives and duration flexibility, so that the student designs the intensity of each practice, for himself.
Our Yoga classes are on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 8am. They're only 45 minutes in stead of an hour, designed to demonstrate that the benefits of embodiment practices are accessible in less time than one hour, to deemphasize Asana as the primary Yogic practice, and to encourage those with a busy schedule to come, move and center before the typical 9-5 workday. For this reason, we call the classes "no sweat" so you won't need a shower before you go to work. However, we invite folks to practice to a degree that serves them most, in that moment, on that day - so sweat is welcomed too!
For students who want one-on-one guidance to deepen their Yoga, in any limb of the philosophy, or to develop customized flows that reflect their own needs, we offer private sessions, too. If you want to explore and define your personal values, we can help you find clarity and implement practices that reflect those values. For those looking to perfect traditional alignment in a pose, or prepare the body to move into more challenging Yoga poses, we can help. To explore breathwork techniques for reducing anxiety or side-stepping panic attacks, we can walk you through the basics and offer resources for exploring more on your own, and with local practitioners. And for anyone wanting a private or small-group Yoga Nidra session, we enjoy creating just the right self-care ambiance, guiding folks into relaxing and restorative "Yogic sleep."
If we can help you navigate our schedule and options, or answer any questions, please reach out to Jen at info@cyanwoodlifestyles.org, and we would be happy to connect.
We'd also be happy to connect you with one of our many wonderful colleagues who offer other therapies, healing practices, personal self-empowerment guidance, and group facilitation.
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