Yoga recognizes the intimate relationship between the body, breath, mind, emotions, and nervous system. When we experience sudden life events or prolonged stress, we feel the effects throughout our whole being. Our breathing, energy, sleep, and concentration can be deeply affected.
Schedule: Thursdays 7.30 pm - 8.30 pm PT,
November 5, 12, 19 (Naomi) and December 3, 10, 17 (Ruchi)
Non-member $185 | Members 15% off at checkout
Drops in allowed.
All levels are welcome. No prior experience is needed.
Course Description
Yoga for Stress, Anxiety, Grief, Trauma & Calming the Mind
How do we practice yoga when we are faced with stress, illness, grief, trauma, or circumstances that leave the body and mind unsettled?
Yoga recognizes the intimate relationship between the body, breath, mind, emotions, and nervous system. When we experience sudden life events or prolonged stress, we feel the effects throughout our whole being. Our breathing, energy, sleep, and concentration can be deeply affected.
Naomi and Ruchi are teaming up to teach this series where we will explore how Iyengar Yoga can support the nervous system and help calm an unsettled mind. Drawing from B.K.S. Iyengar's teachings and sequences for fatigue, illness, shock, and emotional distress, students will learn how to adapt their yoga practice according to their physical, mental, and emotional condition.
The practice will include active and passive asana, inversions and alternatives, and attention to the breath. Students will observe how different poses affect the body and mind, moving from passive to active poses and back again while developing greater awareness of the relationship between asana, breathing, and mental states.
What You Will Learn
How to observe your body's responses and modify your yoga practice according to your needs
How yoga poses and breathing can help quiet the mind and support relaxation
Greater awareness of where you hold stress and physical tension
Ways to use body and breath awareness when thoughts and emotions feel overwhelming
Yoga practices appropriate for stress, anxiety, grief, trauma, and emotional overwhelm
Iyengar Yoga approaches for fatigue and nervous system support
The series will include Viparita Dandasana with a chair, Viparita Karani, supported Sirsasana and Salamba Sarvangasana, with variations and modifications as appropriate.
Who This Series Is For
This series is for students who want to explore how yoga can support their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. It may be particularly helpful for people experiencing:
Stress, anxiety, or a general sense of unease
Grief, trauma, shock, or a sudden life event
Mental agitation or difficulty quieting the mind
Physical, mental or emotional fatigue
Headaches or migraines
Digestive conditions such as IBS
High blood pressure or hypertension
Physical tension associated with chronic stress
A desire to develop greater emotional resilience and overall well-being
It is also appropriate for yoga teachers interested in learning how an Iyengar Yoga practice can be adapted during periods of physical or emotional difficulty.
Six months of yoga experience is recommended. Modifications will be provided for students who cannot or should not practice particular inversions.
Thursday, November 5, 12, 19 (Naomi) and December 3, 10, 17 (Ruchi)
Non-member $185 | Members 15% off at checkout
Drops in allowed.
This series is in person only.
Single Day sign up is available for this course.
To register for a single day, please go to the schedule page on the day you’d like to attend, and register there.
Bios: Naomi Hiller-Reynolds is co-owner of California Yoga Center, a Level 3 Certified Iyengar Yoga Instructor, and Certified Yoga Therapist. Practicing since 1988 and teaching since 1993, she specializes in therapeutic and adaptive yoga, with a focus on supporting people with neurological conditions, limited mobility, illness, and injury. She has trained extensively in Iyengar Yoga and Yoga Therapy and has worked nationally with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, co-authoring Yoga for MS and leading adaptive yoga trainings.
Ruchi Murlidhar is co-owner of California Yoga Center, a Certified Iyengar Yoga Instructor (Level 2), and Certified Yoga Therapist. A graduate of the Advanced Studies Teacher Training Program at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco, she began practicing yoga in India and has studied with the Iyengar family at RIMYI in Pune. Her teaching combines precision, insight, and therapeutics, helping students improve their health and well-being while fostering a welcoming, supportive community.