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THEN & NOW: YOGA for GRIEF
4-week series co-lead by
Monica Welty & Rebecca Mendez
Next series is 4 Thursdays from
October 2nd to 23rd, 7-8:45pm
In person only at Sellwood Yoga
Registration opens later this summer. Please email us if you'd like to be alerted.
Grief is present in our lives in many ways and for many reasons. Certainly the loss of a loved one but also losing a job, a relationship, a dream. Finding opportunities to dive deeper into listening to our grief can be difficult. The practices incorporated in this series will allow our nervous system to slow and calm, to restore and balance. Using movement, rest, aromatherapy, breathing techniques and more, we will take the time to be present with whatever phase of grief we find ourselves in right now.
During this 4-week series you’ll open up to grief in several ways:
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Guided meditation and breath awareness
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Hatha and Restorative Yoga
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Poetry reading/sharing
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Journaling with prompts (notebooks and pens provided)
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Aroma Acutouch with essential oils — from Monica, a LMT.
Sitting meditation with breath awareness will set the tone, allowing our sensations and emotions to be calmed and centered. Moving our bodies while listening to poetry can help release what we are holding. We will pause at moments, using gentle movement to listen, process and integrate our full experience. Journaling with prompts will allow us to express our grief in yet another way – through the written word.
Monica will offer Aroma Acutouch: a gentle touch to head, hands or feet during the restorative portion of class. This practice synergizes the healing power of essential oils with acupressure's potent points. You can easily opt out of this treatment however if you are sensitive to certain plants or smells, this series may not be for you.
During our third week we will offer time for sharing briefly with the group. You are not obligated to. Sharing can be something as simple as saying a name, sharing a picture or momento, or even something you have written during journaling time.
We will be creating a circle of trust and request that each of us honor each other's privacy and any shared confidences.
Please note:
This class is for those wanting to process whatever grief they might be experiencing with these practices/tools of meditation, yoga, breathwork and gentle touch. This is not a therapy series or session and we encourage anyone needing individualized grief support to contact a professional therapist.​​​​
BEGINNERS YOGA 3-WEEK SERIES
​(next session tba)
Three week series for Beginners. In studio only.
Whatever your age, experience with exercise, or level of fitness, yoga has the power to calm the mind and strengthen the body. When you’re brand new to yoga it can feel intimidating and be difficult to know exactly where and how to get started. Anyone can do yoga and yoga is for everyone.
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Studies show that yoga can help by:
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Strengthening bones and improving balance
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Reducing stress and bolstering mood
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Boosting your immune system
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Cultivating a profound sense of well-being
Begin here, practice the basics, and soon you’ll feel confident to explore more styles of yoga and classes.
The best way to know if yoga is for you is to give it a try! ​​​
Yoga for Bone Health
Next Session: To be announced.
Perfect for all levels, this class integrates gentle weight-bearing exercises, mindful movement, and stretches that promote bone health and overall flexibility.
Yoga for Healthy Hands Workshop
Next session to be announced!
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Text much? Knit or Crochet? Artist at the easel? Do you chop veggies and open jars? Have aches or arthritis in your hands that make daily activities more challenging?
Wave goodbye to sore and stiff hands with some finger-fantastic yoga exercises. With so many repetitive motions in our daily routines it's essential to engage in exercises for hand health and flexibility. Let's keep your hands, fingers and wrists happy and healthy by strengthening the muscles that support the joints, keep ligaments and tendons flexible, help with circulation and ease stiffness and discomfort. Together we'll do exercises specifically targeted for fine motor skills, and practice a few hand mudras. We'll also learn how to adapt traditional yoga asanas for hand and wrist issues.
A printed handout with list of exercises will be provided (or emailed to live stream attendees). Strong and supple hands are a key to healthy aging! Bonus activity: bring your creative project (drawing, journaling, knitting, crocheting, etc) and stay after class to enjoy the benefits of your newly revitalized hands.