Practice Yoga for Improved Focus and Health
Yoga is a low impact workout that links breath with movement (or a breath - centric practice) for physical, emotional and spiritual benefits. While yoga is rooted in Hindu and other Eastern traditions, it has evolved over thousands of years to reflect a variety of styles and disciplines. The word “yoga” comes from the Sanskrit root “yuj”, which means to yoke the spirit and physical body together. At Rick's Yoga Therapy in Kerrville, we modify all yoga classes for various bodies, ages and athletic abilities.
According to yogic tradition, there are six “branches” of yoga. Westerners are most familiar with hatha yoga, which is what is taught at Rick's Yoga Therapy. The yoga of postures (known as asanas) as well as breathing techniques (pranayama) together are designed to enhance your physical, emotional and spiritual health. With regular practice, yoga offers many important health benefits, including lower blood pressure, better stress management, increased strength and flexibility and even weight loss, thanks to a slow and steady calorie burn.
Veterans Yoga Project, Mindful Resilience Yoga
This class is designed for Veterans ONLY and focuses on healing PTSD and / or Trauma. It is a very gentle/adaptive yoga class where we teach the Veterans Yoga Project protocol of Mindful Resilience. This includes teaching the five tools so we may empower you to heal yourself. They are: 1. Gentle, adaptive yoga poses (we also sit in chairs for those who have difficulties getting up and down from the floor). 2. Breathing, many different breathing techniques to help calm the nervous system and change our physical states of high blood pressure, anxiety or stress. 3. Mindful meditation, where we work on awareness of the body,mind and breath, 4. Guided rest or yoga nidra, where we lie down and rest with the aid of comfortable props, and once relaxed we take you on a guided relaxation journey. 5. Gratitude, where we give thanks and gratitude for each day and to those who have helped us on this journey. For more information go to the Veterans tab where you will find all the resources and my research paper on Yoga Therapy for Veterans with PTSD and / or Trauma.
Vinyasa Flow Yoga
One of the more challenging classes at Rick's Yoga Therapy, the Vinyasa - style flow class, is a vigorous fitness based yoga class where movements are linked to the breath, and poses are held longer, sometimes moving faster, so knowledge of the poses is beneficial. Come prepared for a well balanced work out.
Classic Yoga
One of our more popular classes is Classic yoga class.The definition of Classic is; "of the highest rank or in accordance of established principles and methods". Proper alignment of yoga postures is important for classic yoga. To prepare for a yoga class, wear clothes that are comfortable but not too baggy, so both you and your yoga instructor will be able to monitor your body’s alignment and ensure you are not inadvertently doing anything harmful to yourself.
Classic yoga is a series of standing and seated postures that are purposefully sequenced to not only stretch the muscles, but also to invigorate the body while relaxing the mind. In addition to the physical practice of yoga, our classic yoga classes include meditation and breathing exercises, known as pranayama. The breath and the nervous system are directly connected and the breathing exercises are important for calming the mind while bringing awareness to the body.One of our certified instructors at Rick's Yoga Therapy will guide you through the breathing exercises, aiding you with proper execution and alignments of the poses,and making sure that you are always comfortable and relaxed throughout the session.
While many individuals enjoy practicing yoga at our studio, yoga can also be practiced from home to supplement your classes. Even a short, daily practice will help stretch the body’s muscles and build strength and flexibility, while reducing stress and anxiety.
Gentle Classic Yoga
This class is exactly like the Classic Yoga classes but toned down a bit. We take our time, moving with gentle awareness and modifying when needed by using props to access the poses more comfortably.
Chair Yoga
This is a wonderful class for anyone. It was designed for those who have difficulties getting up and down from the floor, but still want to access the many benefits of a yoga practice. We work on all the same principles of strengthening, stretching, balancing and breathing techniques, in a safe and gentle manner with the use of a chair for support and stability, thus reducing the fear of falling. This class is great for all levels.
Introduction to Yoga Series
This is not only a great class for beginners but also for anyone who would like to review their practice. In this series we slowly guide you through all the poses, step by step, and teach you the basics of yoga, including breathing and meditation relaxation.