Yoga Class for a Healthy Neck with Mark Uridel

Yoga for a Healthy Neck: Asana, Bandha, Pranayama and Mantra

Yoga Sanga is pleased to invite you to a workshop in Round Rock with Mark Uridel.

When: Saturday January 23, 2010
Where: Allen R. Baca Center Room 1. Located at 301 Bagdad St. Suite 250, Round Rock TX 78664.
Time: 9:30 – 11:15 AM
Cost: Sign in before January 6th and pay $30.00. After January 7th, $40.00
What to bring: Mat, blanket and a strap.

Please send a check to Yoga Sanga to: PO Box 5717. Round Rock, TX 78683

Class description.
The latest medical research reports that most people with neck pain respond positively to specifically designed exercises. Join Mark Uridel, for an integrative and holistic yoga class designed for the health of your neck.
We will explore 5 ways Yoga can help to keep your neck healthy:
1. Relaxes your muscle tension.
2. Improves your posture and body awareness.
3. Strengthens the muscles that support your neck.
4. Reduces stress and mental tension.
5. Engages your whole body, mind and breath.

Space is limited, sign in early to reserve your place!

About Mark Uridel.

Mark, MSPT, RMT, ERYT has 20 years of training and experience in Yoga. A member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists, he integrates his Physical Therapy expertise into his Yoga classes to provide an educational, healing and transformational experience. Mark teaches Anatomy of Movement for Yoga and Yoga Therapeutics nationally and provides Physical Therapy consultation and personalized Yoga programs for his patients. Mark has appeared in the Yoga Journal and presented at the Body-Mind-Spirit Educational Conference in Santa Clara, California, at the Southwest Yoga Conference and at the Texas Yoga Retreat.

Class with Robert Boustany

The 3 hours class I attended at the Texas Yoga Retreat had a long title " Moving deeper into hips & legs, a technically deeper approach toward forward & back-bends." The teacher was Robert Boustany.

Boustany's 40 years of yoga practice has taken form in his own style called Pralaya Yoga. I will explore this concept further in the January issue of Yoga Sanga.

Robert has studied very closely not only the anatomy of the human body but how different muscles that apparently have nothing in common can be used to strengthen and release two different areas.

With a background in Physics, he gives special attention to alignment and lengthening of the spine, not for the sake of it but as a way to increase energy and strength. He told us "strength and flexibility come together, therefore working with the spine is a must"

Boustany asked us to explore having the arm lifted and inclining the head away from that arm to notice how the head and arm can work to release the neck.
He also showed us how to do an abdominal work and then feel how the quadriceps are connected with them . "Strengthening the abs lengthens the quadriceps" he added.

"What is a stretch? Proper relaxation and contraction of the muscles" Robert told us.

He recommends to be present not only when we practice yoga but at all times, living in the past or the future can make an impression in the way our bodies move.
"If we learn to align the spine, if the spine is long, a surge of vitality will be reflected in all our organs" Boustany commented

"Alignment is uniform pressure in the joints. Yoga gives temporary relief from the insanity of the mind." Robert recommends to be mindful of our bodies, "muscles doesn't know how old you are, but the mind can freak you out!" he mentioned.

Being mindful of your body will help to avoid injuries. "The pose is over when the muscle cannot support itself" he added at the end of the class.

When we finished that class we had a feeling of a deep stretch in the hips, abs and quadriceps plus very interesting reflections to think about.

Shanti,

Rocio