Nourishing Yoga Moves
Online course with Sam Loe
Welcome!
I’m so glad that you are taking this opportunity to nourish yourself with this series of classes. The word ‘nourish’ is a verb that asks us to feed, sustain and maintain something, and in addition, it is also a call to nurture, foster, hold or keep an intention in one’s mind. In the context of Yoga, I see it as a vital ingredient to cherishing ourselves enough to keep committing to, enjoying and evolving our own practice.
Make an appointment with yourself and schedule this into your calendar as a weekly, or daily, 1 hour time slot. Also, I highly encourage you to gather your mat and 3 blankets and set up your practice space so you know you will have everything you need.
Make it your intention to commit to this over the next few weeks as a support and resource during what continue to be very challenging times.
All the videos can be accessed from this page. You can leave feedback or ask questions on any of the classes using the chat box at the bottom of this page.
If you are wanting more personal input to your practice book in for a personal session with me – please email me at samloe@mac.com.
Just a reminder that this course was originally delivered by Zoom to a live audience whom I am observing and sometimes referring to and therefore this is reflected in my way of presenting. Every now and again I refer to my dear colleague Karla Brodie who was my technical support person.
Week 1 – Ground of Ease
Physical focus: Lying down and Breathing
Inquiry: Noticing your experience in the moment, cultivating quietness and developing a ‘felt sense’. Gather at least 3 blankets and get ready to inhabit your connection with the earth.
Week 2 – Spinal Nourishment
My intention for today’s sequence is to offer nourishment to your spine which in the Yoga tradition is seen as a sacred channel through which energy and self-knowledge emerges. The class menu includes:
- A short lying down inquiry into the breath and the spine
- Exploring the directions and movement possibilities of the spine
- Working with a neutral spine
- Releasing any tension in the spine through rest
Week 3 – Are You Sitting Comfortably?
This video was cut a little at the beginning so before you press play do set yourself up sitting on your mat and ready to dive straight into the inquiry! The class explores movements that support us to sit with ease and steadiness including finding neutral pelvis and spine, hip movements and sensations, centering, squatting, rolling and meditation.
You will need a couple of blankets and a strap or belt.
Week 4 – Standing Upright
This week we take the relationship with the ground of ease that we’ve cultivated in the first 3 weeks of the course through lying down, rolling about and seated positions into standing upright.
We explore the principle of yielding by noticing the opposites of propping and collapsing and finding the place that’s in-between where it feels ‘just right‘.
Donna Farhi calls this point where we can both give and receive the upward and downward forces as yielding.
Week 5 – ‘Walking’ The Earth
Can you take the Yielding principle into movement and feel your breath arriving at your diaphragm?
When we yield our body weight and trust the Earth to support us there is an effortless rebounding action and our muscles come into a balanced tone. Explore how we embody this principle in the action of walking and moving bout in the world.
You’ll need a chair this week and also a couple of blocks or chunky books along with the usual 3 blankets.
Week 6 – Resting in Wholeness
In this week’s class, you will be guided into making some of your own choices and inquiries. As much as formal asana practices guide us to deeper insights, I have also found great solace, safety and healing moving and exploring outside of any ‘correct’ form.
It is from here that we can let go of any stories and negative self-talk but cultivate more non-judgmental awareness by just noticing with continual kindness and compassion.
Ultimately, I feel that the most nourishing practice is to simply meet ourselves where we are and that there is no need to do anything better or be more than we already are; honouring the moment, listening in and making choices from there.
Thank you for paying attention and taking this course with me.
I’d love to hear from you and encourage you to leave any comments below.