The joy of teaching at Women’s Hope

September 4, 2008 on 6:37 pm | In yogaHOPE Boston | No Comments

I am so blessed to teach at WH and share the message of yoga and healing. As I was teaching today it came to mind the number of women that have stepped foot into a yoga class for the very first time. Women seeking peace and a sense of well being. I’ve witnessed and met many women that have opened their hearts through yoga to assist in their recovery. 

Class begins with an introduction and proceeds into gentle body opening. Emphasis is placed on being mindful to how the body is feeling today and moving in and out of asana with compassion. The flow proceeds from seated shoulder openers to spinal movement, and lots of breathing. I’ve observed over time how much the women love to exhale with sound. Exhaling all that is held within and releasing. Today I heard loud sighs in combination with laughter during lion’s breath. Class continues with hip openers, bridge and a long guided meditation followed by savasana. The comment’s after class we’re “I really needed this class. I feel so much better” and one women stated her headache was gone. By the time the women have started yoga class they’ve had a busy morning with AA meetings, group meetings or counseling sessions. Thus, the mood of the ladies entering yoga class may fluctuate due to what’s happening in the house that morning. It’s such a gift to see the ladies smile, feel good about themselves and return to class a few days later or the following week. That in itself shows the impact of yoga.

Thank you Beth for your assists, spirit and continued presence you share with the women at WH.

Namaste- Kat Larsen, RYT