Gentle Yoga

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What is Gentle Yoga?

By Rudy Peirce, M.A., ERYT – 500

Senior Kripalu Yoga Teacher Trainer

Krishnamacharya is considered to be one of the greatest yogis of the modern era. His teachings have become well known around the world through the work of B.K.S. Iyengar, Pattabhi Jois, and Indra Devi.  In The Heart of Yoga, Developing A Personal Practice, his son, T.K.V. Desikachar, states that his father taught, “The key to right teaching is in the adaptation of yoga to the individual, not the individual to yoga…the whole spectrum of yoga practice must be carefully adapted to the individual’s situation. Nothing can be forced.”

In this era of the rapidly growing popularity of yoga, classes are springing up everywhere. As one shops around for a satisfying yoga class, the class names and descriptions may offer little help to the novice who really wants to know whether they are going to fit in or be okay in a given class.  Words that are intended to be descriptive can still be broad and vague.

Gentle Yoga is one term used by many to mean many things. Gentle Yoga can refer to a variety of types of yoga classes taught by teachers from various styles of yoga.

Generally speaking, gentle-style yoga classes attempt to serve a variety of distinct needs: people with movement limitations, or profound stiffness due to lack of activity; relief from disabilities and chronic conditions e.g., arthritis, back pain and other musculo-skeletal issues; recovery from surgery, illness or injury; for seniors, new practitioners, women who are pregnant and those seeking stress-reduction or weight management. A gentle yoga approach has even been found to be an important compliment in programs to reverse heart disease or provide relief from the challenging conditions of fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, as well as mood disorders.

Gentle yoga classes are typically described as appropriate for those who want a softer, nurturing, slow-paced, well-supported and relaxing practice. The approach hopefully includes carefully orchestrated movements, controlled pressure, and well-measured stretches, including range of motion exercises. Postures may be approached in gradual steps, with plenty of time to focus on breathing and repetition so that the practice is simple to do and easy to remember. A gentle yoga style encourages a highly individualized approach to practice with on-going encouragement to make moment-to-moment adjustments.

Gentle Yoga is often considered easier, less intense, non-strenuous, minimalistic, quiet, meditative, or restorative.

I came up in the Kripalu tradition of yoga in the seventies and eighties, certified in 1983, long before yoga hit the mainstream. Since the late 1980s, as a teacher trainer, I helped pioneer a shift at Kripalu Center from simply offering beginner and intermediate classes to offering three levels, based on the intensity of the class rather than length of experience alone. Since about 1991, the three levels of classes at Kripalu have been called gentle, moderate and vigorous.

The practice of yoga in America has evolved dramatically over the last twenty years. There has simultaneously been an increase in yoga classes specifically called Gentle Yoga. Though this distinction is somewhat broadly defined, there are even Gentle Yoga Teacher Trainings and Gentle Yoga training modules now being offered in 500-hour advanced curriculums.

These classes intend to be inclusive rather than exclusive, an approach that has birthed the term accessible yoga. This is a style for people who don’t have the flexibility, coordination and strength which photos of yoga poses typically portray.

In fact, many people find the so-called beginning practices of yoga way too advanced for them.

In response, accessible yoga classes attempt to meet yoga students “where they are.”

An effective Gentle Yoga class then, provides a compassionate, non-competitive environment that is welcoming to all.

Come to the March 10, 2012 workshop in Rye, NY to learn the other essential elements of a Gentle Yoga class or sign up for Rudy’s email list to be notified of other training opportunities with Rudy.