Welcome to my Stretch – Breathe – Relax yoga classes! For those that haven’t taken one of my classes before, they are gentle and slow paced……..poses may be held for longer periods of time in a gentle stretch……allowing your muscles to give and relax on their own, increasing your flexibility. We will let our breathing rate slow down.  As our breath slows, so does our heart rate, our bodies relax and so does the mind, reducing stress and making space for peace and calm. With certain modifications or alterations, yoga is suitable for EVERYBODY.  I often hear people say they can’t do yoga because they: -              Are not flexible -              Have bad knees / backs -              Can’t get up off the floor -              Can’t relax All these reasons are why you should be doing yoga! My classes have two options:  mat and chair versions. Mat classes are best for those that are comfortable making their way down and up from the mat.  Chair yoga is great if you may have knees you can’t rest on, balance issues or trouble getting up and down off the floor.  Or you may like to do a combination of both – taking parts of each lesson to make your own personalised class.  The choice is yours.  Be creative, have fun and if you have any questions or need any specific alterations please send me message – I would love to hear from you :) What you will need: Mats:  If you don’t have your own yoga mat, you can just do the class on any non-slip surface (eg. Carpet, a rug – you can even do the final relaxation session lying on your couch or bed) Blocks:  Blocks can be wonderful supports for us during a yoga practice.  If you don’t have any, alternatives might include a rolled up towel, a book or two (that have been bound shut together so they can’t open up), a piece of timber, or even a low stool.  Basically anything that will not slip on your mat / floor and give you some height. Chair: (or two):  Any sturdy chair will do as long as it does not have arms.  Make sure that the legs of your chair don’t slip on your floor surface / mat. Strap:  there are different types of straps available (I have examples of how to fasten them on the video).  If you don’t have a strap, a bathrobe tie would be one alternative…..see what you have lying around. Blankets and pillows:  Blankets are wonderful to keep you warm in the final relaxation section of the class.  Pillows allow you to rest your head, or even support your back, legs, etc during poses.  Rolled up towels can be great too. Eye pillow:  a lightly weighted eye pillow can enhance your relaxation at the end of class.  If you don’t have one, just a folded face washer would be suitable to block out the light. Clothing:  no need for specialised yoga clothes (unless you have them and love to wear them).  Any clothes that are easy to move around in are fine.  For example, tracksuit pants and a t-shirt, leggings and a singlet, maybe have an extra long-sleeved top nearby if you feel the cold – especially towards the end of class in our quieter, restorative poses. Working at your own level: Our focus is kept on our breathing through most of the class, and we will co-ordinate our breathing with our movements.  More open stretching out movements on the in-breath; bending over, closed movements on the outbreath.  We will let our breathing rate slow down.  As our breath slows, so does our heart-rate, our bodies relax and so does the mind, reducing stress and making space for peace and calm. If at any stage during the classes you feel my rate of breathing is too slow for you that is fine!  Just breathe at a rate that is comfortable for you, taking extra breaths if needed, and still try to do the particular movements on the in or out breath. If you need to take a break or have a rest - please do!  Make sure you listen to your body.  If you have any pain, just avoid those movements altogether, and if you are unsure check with your health professional as to what movements you need to avoid due to any health issues/injuries. Of course, if you have any question, please get in touch.  Enjoy :)