In this class, you'll begin with some writing prompts to help you hone in on some intentions for what you'd like to focus on during the Yin practice. Then you'll move through a series of poses and guided meditations that help you wring out and rinse away the past; nourish and open your heart, so you can more easily move in the direction of those things you love; and open up the channels of digestion, so you can learn the lessons from your past experiences, and let the rest go. Pose holds range from 1 minute in a more active pose (lizard), to 2-3 minutes in light-to-medium intensity poses (shoelace, reclined twists, and child's pose with side bends), to 5 minutes in very gentle, supported poses (supported reclined hero and a low, supported bridge).
Recommended props for this class - either two bricks or a couple stacks of books; either four folded blankets, or two folded blankets and one bolster; pen and paper.
Energetically, the best way to stimulate activity (Yang) is by taking rest and receptivity (Yin) to its extreme. After class, you'll find yourself not only calm and rejuvenated, but also alert and agile in mind and body, ready to take on not only the day, but the whole month ahead.
Course Curriculum
Rae Diamond
Rae Diamond is a Qigong, Yoga and meditation teacher, mentor, and artist, who works with the creative intelligence of nature. In private sessions and classes, Rae supports personal growth through compassionate awareness, innovative perspectives, and mind-body-spirit integration.
Rae teaches practices from various Qigong traditions, including Wild Goose, Eight Pieces of Brocade, Five Animal Frolics, Primordial, Bone Marrow Washing, and Yijing Medical Qigong. Her teaching style is gentle, contemplative, fun, at times zany, and yet also therapeutic, with strong emphasis on proper physical alignment, energy flow, and on mind-breath-body coordination.
Over twenty years of devoted practice and inquiry are at the heart of her work. Rae's training includes several years of study with Medical Qigong master, Dr. Bingkun Hu, a 200-hour Anusara Yoga Teacher Training, Yin Yoga training, four years of private apprenticeship with a shaman, and a Reiki mastership. Her work is also informed by over two decades of research and practice with the Chinese Medicine system, meditation, herbs, psychology, physiology, voice, breath, Yoga, and Buddhist and Taoist philosophies.