****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
"Relax into Yoga" is a distillation and development of the Therapeutic Yoga for Seniors program developed by Carol Krucoff and Kimberly Carson at Duke Integrative MEdicine in Raleigh NOrth Carolina. I took the program and was certified in 2009. This teacher training program is built on a mini geriatrics course to develop understanding of the enormous range of variability in physical capacity among adults over 50 - and to develop understanding as well, of the significant health and safety issues faced by many older adults. Perhaps the three most important lessons learned were first, "Do no harm;" second, yoga teachers of older yoga students need to be "guardians of safety;" and finally, in order to safely teach older students, classical poses may be deconstructed and modified to reflect the intention and function of the original poses.These concerns inform the four sequences offered in the DVD "Relax into Yoga:" `Bed Based Sequence,' (31 minutes); `Chair Sequence,' (29 minutes); `Seated and Standing Sequence,' (39 minutes); and `Up and Down Sequence,' (55 minutes - with mat, chair and standing poses). Each sequence begins w/ a body, heart and mind scan to come to self-awareness and into the moment. Then, Three-Part Breathing establishes the `dimensionality' of breath that opens the rib cage and establishes the rhythm that takes the class to the closing Savasana. Most of the sequences include well known shoulder stretches, hand and foot stretches and leg and thigh poses (the Warriors, leg extensions), floor supported leg-lifts and hamstring stretches, and very (very) gentle twists. Great care is taken in the Chair Pose and Chair Vinyasa to develop awareness of hinging forward from the hips with a straight back. The `Seated Sequence' introduces an Arm and Shoulder stretch that elegantly flexes and extends the spine, lifts the heart and stretches arms and shoulders. This was new to me and has delighted my students.The DVD includes three additional special sequences: for Relaxation (14 minutes); for Balance Building (18 minutes); and Core Strengthening (20 minutes). `Balance Building' and `Core Strengthening' build up to quite sophisticated poses. For example, after slowly performing several balance finding exercises, including Vrkasana, the Balance sequence introduces slow and steady stages to get to a standing Eagle Pose; the Core Strenthening sequence moves from a slow Cat/ Cow and Diagonal Stretch to a modified, but still quite challenging Side Plank (Vasisthasana). The simplest stage of these poses is beneficial; but the progression is slow, optional, and ultimately inviting."Inviting," characterizes the whole DVD. Krucoff and Carson, in turn, and in different sections, invite their students to move through these classes with lovely language. They are precise in their directions, and their words are kind and imbued with respect and optimism for their students. They invite, and so permit, their students to clarify their sensations, their feelings and thoughts about their practice. They invite "trust that everything is as it should be" and so make it possible to "just breathe and be," and to come away from the practice with gratitude and love of life. I highly recommend this DVD for practitioners at all levels, as well as for teachers.
