I took a Vinyasa flow class with an instructor named Mary at the Bay Club. Vinyasa flow is a style of yoga that moves quickly and each move in connected to the inhale and exhale of the breath. The class begun in child’s pose and we were told to set an intention for our practice. The class was an hour long and consisted of many sun salutation variations. Throughout the class we were cues to keep our breath flowing and to move at our own pace. We ended class with the traditional Savasana position to seal our practice.
The instructor was very intention with her verbal cues, which taught me that each position looks different on each individual and that yoga is about finding “your” correct pose position. Mary explained that yoga is the physical practice of how we act and react on a daily basis, which was a new concept to me. She cued around mindfulness and noticing how often we fidget or engage in self talk throughout class. She taught me that yoga is much more than a workout, but that we are also training the brain and the breath. Her class helped me understand how by physically participating in a yoga class, our brains, bodies and breath should learn to work together. This concept is how yoga can help facilitate mental, emotional and physical health.
Yoga Class at Bay Club. (2019, June 22). Walnut Creek, CA. Field experience.
Mindfulness, Meditation & Yoga 