Overview of the Practice

INTRODUCTION

Zenyasa® is a "slow-flow" style of yoga that emphasizes mindfulness, skillfulness and goodwill toward oneself and others.  Each class includes a 15-minute breath-centered meditation, slow-paced but challenging warm-up sequences and a five-element class theme.  The five-element class themes collectively  strengthen and stretch every major muscle group and open the flow of qi/prana through all of the major meridian pathways.

Unique Characteristics

There are many styles of yoga today.  Below are a few aspects of Zenyasa® that make it relatively unique:

1. 5-Element Class Themes: there are five main class themes in Zenyasa®, which are named after the elements in the Taoist model of the five elements: i) Earth, ii) Metal, iii) Water, iv) Wood and v) Fire; the postures and exercises practiced in each element are inspired by the energetic nature of the element, as well as the location of the meridians associated with each element in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
   

2. A Systematic, Comprehensive Practice: each of the 5-Element class themes includes a well-rounded sequence of postures, but focuses more on strengthening and stretching specific muscle groups in the body; these five themes are rotated from one class to the next to ensure that all of the major pose groups and exercises are practiced on a regular basis, making Zenyasa® a systemic, comprehensive practice system
   

3. Shamatha Meditation:  we’ll typically practice a Buddhist form of meditation called “Shamatha” for about 10-15 minutes at the beginning of each class; this practice helps to cultivate concentration and mindfulness, and also sets the tone for the movement practice
   

4. Opening the Gates: this is a joint-warming series, wherein we slowly and systematically warm-up all of the joints in the body; each joint can be thought of as a gateway between one body part and another -- as we mobilize each joint we encourage the flow of synovial fluid and Qi through the gateway; synovial fluid lubricates the surfaces of the bones and increases the cushioning within the joint capsule (thereby increasing range of motion and decreasing likelihood of injury), while Qi is the vital energy in the body, which when circulating freely helps to promote overall health and vitality
   

5. Functional Strength & Conditioning Exercises: in addition to traditional yoga postures and sequences (which focus largely on developing active and passive flexibility), Zenyasa® classes include exercises meant to develop muscular strength, endurance and stability in the upper body, lower body and core
   

Pace, Intensity & Tone

1. The pace of each class is slow and steady, with an emphasis on mindfulness, alignment and sound technique during every exercise and/or posture
   

2. The intensity level varies, but classes generally start out with pretty mellow movements and exercises to warm up the body, then gradually incorporate more demanding strength/endurance exercises, and then start winding down at the end with relatively static stretching postures; for the more challenging postures, a progressive series of options is provided, and students are encouraged to rest when appropriate
   

3. The tone is quiet and meditative, and a spirit of non-competition is encouraged