Category Archives: breathwork

Panterrra Pre-Natal Yoga Workshop

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Dariel in empathy vest with Maureen (carolyn)

Saturday morning, I wondered what I was doing in a pre-natal yoga workshop; after all, I hadn’t had a pregnant woman in class for at least one year. Furthermore, my own pregnancies were more than 22 years ago! Something inside nagged me to attend the workshop though, and one thing I’ve learned from my years of practice is to listen to that voice, so I went. And how informative and fun, it was! I learned that I had A LOT of emotions that I’d been carrying with me through the years regarding my own birthing experiences as well as my experiences as a mother and my relationship with my own mother. There’s nothing like yoga to cause all the STUFF to rise to the surface! And what is the appropriate response? Be present; just be present and observe whatever happens, whatever you are feeling, or thinking, or dreaming. Accept the *stuff* as part of you and honor all of it. Let it go. Breathe and breathe another long slow breath, for all of us – you and your baby – and me and my fledglings.

The theme of the weekend, if there was one, was that pregnancy is a time of awakening intuition and pregnant women should be provided skills and opportunities to support the process of looking inward. This will support them as they enter motherhood as well.

Dariel in supported Hasta Padanghustasana

D. in wall chair pose with ball & bolster

The workshop was arranged with a mix of pre-natal information from an RN yogini, asana with Dariel and Maureen, and q & a with a practicing midwife yogini. We all had opportunity to wear the pregnancy vest that included enlarged breasts, belly, and baby weight sitting on the bladder. See Dariel’s photo on top above and below where she is demonstrating a great way for expectant moms to stretch their backs on a large physio ball placed on a chair. To the far left she is demonstrating a safe practice of hasta padangusthasana using chair, wall, and strap.

Maureen led us in a memorable wall sit. We each pressed an 8 inch physio ball between our knees, while keeping head and back on the wall. We attempted to keep it up for a full minute (thighs burning, I tell you). This would teach the pregnant woman how to breathe and focus even through pain. It was very effective and I will definitely use that in classes for everyone – students get ready! One of the great gifts of yoga and meditation is the ability to learn to stay present through turmoil and pain.

Lots of anecdotal birthing stories were shared among the participants throughout the weekend revealing the unique path each woman follows in the process of bringing forth a new life.

We enjoyed time on Saturday to walk in the gorge, or to walk along the street beside ripening vineyards, breathing in the intoxicating scent of grapes.

Panterra: Bell Creek Gorge Sept. 2008 (carolyn)

Sunday morning we covered deep relaxation, breath techniques, finding personal rhythm to assist the birthing process, several styles of vocal toning for Stage 3, and more asanas appropriate for supporting pregnancy.

By lunchtime Sunday, the weather turned rainy and we all wanted to chat and bond, or practice our own asana.

The grand finale of the weekend was Maureen’s gentle voice leading us through a pre-natal yoga class complete with guided centering and a final blissful savasana.

By the time I sat up, I almost wished I were pregnant again!

Dariel practicing birth preparation with ball on chair (carolyn)

For FURTHER STUDY see Brenda K. Plakens (Grounding thru the sitbones) article in Yoga Journal:Tools For Teaching Prenatal Yoga

carolyn in side-lying savasana (Dariel)

Waking Up

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malbork (poland) castle door (RKG)

What happens when you first open your eyes in the morning?

What are your first thoughts, and feelings?

How do you transition from sleep and dreaming to “reality” ?

There are a couple of different patterns of waking I have noticed:

  • Acting as if on autopilot, I head to the bathroom
  • Opening my eyes to grumbling-or curse- due to some noise or t’other that has waken me “before my time” –or the sunlight shining upon me little shut eyes
  • Slapping the alarm and jumping head first into the day’s ToDo list
  • Rolling over, keeping my eyes closed, trying to relax back into whatever delicious dream I’d been having–or I begin immediately analyzing the dream I’d just had
  • Acting as if on autopilot, asking my sweet partner if there was any coffee made
  • Savoring the between sleep and wakefulness stage, writing in my mind–listening to my voices
  • Upon realizing physical stiffness and perhaps soreness, I begin stretching in bed

The few moments when coming into conscious wakefulness are precious and there are several practices that can maximize our wakefulness, enabling us to establish a more mindful existence.

  1. Practice half-smiling even before you open your eyes.
  2. Allow the light and any noise you hear to remind you of your true nature.
  3. Observing which nostril is dominant. Observing nostril dominance can remind you of your state of awareness at any time of the day or night.
  4. Simply BE. Be aware of your awareness. Don’t think about it; feel it; be awareness pure and simple. Yoga nidra teaches us that this awareness is always available, always aware–even during sleep–if we are consciously awake during sleep.

Panterra entrance swing (Hardscrabble Rd, Westfield NY)

Living in a state of awareness is a practice. It’s a key to walking through the door of numbness into conscious awareness. Beginning our day “awakened” would benefit the rest of our life. The voices, creative and otherwise will still be there, but we’ll see them existing in this pure awareness of all beings. We’ll begin to know who “we” are.

Elder Yoga Class

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Welcome to Elder Yoga, where relaxation is held in high esteem. It’s a time for folks to laugh about whatever ails them, while gently stretching and strengthening their bodies. Seniors come to learn techniques to bolster the healing process. Every student learns to work with and respect the unique body-mind-spirit that is their abode and their gift while on earth.

The classes meet at the Fredonia Pomfret Office for the Aging, Cushing Street, Fredonia (716-672-2891) on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 10:00-11:00 a.m. There’s no need to bring anything, just be sure to wear loose clothing. We practice in bare feet.

Students can choose to use a folding chair or to lay down on folded blankets at the beginning of class. The teacher laughs and says this is NOT a “No pain, no gain” class. Listening to the body is stressed. If something hurts, students ask for an adjustment and/or come out of the pose. One of the primary rewards of learning yoga is listening to the body and inner promptings. Having spent an entire lifetime working against the body and inner voice, making time to practice this deep listening over and over again rewards the student in myriad ways.

Regarding the anxiety that often increases with age: yoga has given us a great gift, breath work! The elders begin every class by watching the breath. It’s a simple but profound practice. By learning to control the breath, energy in the body becomes balanced, including the wild energy of anxiety. Simple meditation techniques build upon the breath work to develop a fuller and richer life.

After becoming relaxed and energized from the breath work, gentle stretching, balance, and strength training is introduced. Surprising things often happen in class. For instance, when a 65 year old rises into a modified handstand for the first time in her life. The entire class cheers!


Savasana with lower legs on chair (barefoot photos)

The class then transitions into what most consider the best part of class: legs up the wall. This is a classic healing and rejuvenating yogic pose. The students lay down on the floor and slide their legs up the wall. If they are not comfortable in that position,there is always the option of laying on the floor, draping their lower legs across a chair seat. This improves lymph drainage, venous return, and gives the heart a rest. It’s great for helping to lower blood pressure and alleviate varicose veins.

Finally, everyone stretches into the yoga pose that seems the easiest, but is actually the hardest: corpse pose, savasana. The students stretch out on mats, with a bolsters beneath their knees and folded blankets supporting their heads. The use of the eye bag or a covering blanket is optional. In this final pose for the day, the teacher gently guides with verbal promptings suggesting ways of dropping into stillness and peace. No matter what is happening in the world, there is always this place of quiet available, should anyone wish to access it.

After savasana, everyone sits again, and, while resting another few moments in stillness, practices gratitude.

The scariest part of yoga class is taking the first step through the door. Once there, students often grow blissful as they learn to let go of whatever is toxic to them, and enjoy a fuller, richer existence.