OUT BACK YOGA AND
YOGA ON THE MOUNT
(818) 261-5298
Convenient online Zoom classes are still being offered. Plus, I'm now offering in person classes in Chatsworth and Lake Arrowhead as well as private sessions in both locations.
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As a lover of the human body, I have and continue to enjoy many different modalities of integrative work to empower each individual to be the best version of themselves. These two paradigms however, Gentle Somatic Yoga® and Viniyoga® remain at the forefront of my teaching here at Out Back Yoga. I'm hoping this page will help you to get a feeling for what these two modalities of teaching are along with information about other offerings and practitioners of high integrity that visit the studio from time to time.
If you have any questions about style, techniques or philosophy you’d like addressed on this page, please contact me. I love community exploration and welcome the chance to be clear.
What Is Gentle Somatic Yoga®? (GSY)
GSY is an innovative blend of Hatha Yoga, Hanna Somatic Education, Pranayama (breathing techniques) and healing meditations. It has been synthesized by Integrative Therapist and Yoga Teacher James Knight, E-RYT, CHSE. This progressive method is the synergy of mindful movement and meditation. It is inspired by the work of Eleanor Criswell, Thomas Hanna, Moshe Feldenkrais, and Lawrence Gold.
In Gentle Somatic Yoga® we do not intend to stretch muscles to achieve results. Instead we get to the root cause of all muscular pain – the brain – and reprogram old habit patterns of stress held deep within the body. Through Somatic Movement Flows®, you will learn how to heal your own body. The proven results include being free from chronic pain, increased flexibility, enhanced strength, and improved posture.
Gentle Somatic Yoga invites us to make generative choices that return us to alignment with our personal values. This makes it both a revolutionary act of self-discovery, and a radical act of self-love. Gentle Somatic Yoga
What Is Viniyoga?
Viniyoga is a form of Yoga Therapy based in science and the normal developmental patterns of movement. To allow repetitive movement into and out of particular postures, we modify them to the need of the individual. Each movement is linked to the breath to create inner awareness and feel from the inside how the body responds to movement.
Most people are unaware of their posture and daily patterns of movement. The practice of Viniyoga brings greater awareness to the spine and breath, improving functional movement patterns and core stability. As we learn to listen to the body, transformation occurs bringing greater strength, balance, and flexibility.
"The Viniyoga tradition also teaches us that we must be clear about the goals of our yoga practice. In general, the whole movement of asana practice should be one toward understanding more deeply the mechanisms that are responsible for our present condition. Achieving the understanding is more important than achieving proficiency in any particular asana or even all the asanas." Yoga For Wellness, 1999, Gary Kraftsow