NOVEMBER EVENT

Saturday, 11/10/2012

2:00 - 4:00 pm   

as always, free to members!  

"Yoga and Post Traumatic Stress"     

Everyone has trauma in their lives, some experiences being more profound than others.  How do we, as yoga teachers, help our students process this trauma that is held in the physical body? 

Trauma and neurological changes in our body and brains can limit the ability to regulate reactions. Yet the brain can be retrained and the body can release the trauma through mindfulness. 

The scientific reasons for such behavioral changes include diminished pre-frontal cortex activity.   The exciting news is that yoga has been shown to help re-establish pre-frontal cortex activity. Because the body stores trauma in the central nervous system, post traumatic stress therapists have found that post-traumatic stress (PTS) therapy-based yoga is a significant compliment to talk therapy.

Trauma-sensitive yoga provides an opportunity to learn to use the body as a resource to self-regulate and an opportunity to heal.  

Trauma-sensitive yoga is an evidence-based, mind-body approach. In recent years, Hatha Yoga, along with breathing exercises and other body-centered methods, has been scientifically shown to reduce the symptoms of PTSD, even at the neurological level.

Presenter :  John Madden     

"I see teaching as one of the higher gifts of yoga. Providing personalized, responsible instruction to help my students restore and maintain their strength and well-being has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life."

During John's certification from the Denver-based Axis Yoga Trainings, a personal experiment led him to Trauma Sensitive Yoga. Following his certification, John continued his yoga trainings with Bessel Van Der Kolk and David Emerson to further understand the neurology of trauma, post traumatic stress, and the benefits that yoga offers as an adjunctive to conventional therapy, addressing the physiological effects of trauma and post traumatic stress (PTS).

Part of the training included a Veteran's presentation from Operation Iraqi Freedom who has been dealing with PTS.  She expressed how yoga helped her work with her combat-related trauma. This inspired John to train with Warriors at Ease to gain cultural awareness of the military community and teaching yoga and meditation for active duty soldiers as well as veterans.

You can find our more about John at www.jomayoga.com  or you can contact him at 720.393.0835  

Location

  

iThrive Yoga Studio 

10233 S. Parker Road, Suite 107 

Parker, CO  80134 (map)

South of Lincoln, North of Plaza in the High Pointe Office Complex
next to Max Muscle and Heidi's Deli in Parker 

About our hosting studio 

 

 

 

"To Restore Balance in Ourselves, Our Families, and Our Communities"

  

 

We invite you to experience iThrive, an exclusive, independent studio with breathtaking panoramic views where you can grow in your personal practice and achieve transformational mind/body benefits.

    

 

http://www.ithriveyoga.com  

303-840-5454

 

 

Yoga is my Home

We met on Saturdays on a dusty rooftop in Bangladesh. The sounds of the city attempted to enter as we closed our eyes and sought to go within.  

Slowly and patiently, we united with our breath. The tool that we always have with us has taught me a lot through these years away from home. Breathing connected and calmed us, carried us to that sweet place that was always available when we practiced here.

Outside smells permeated from the dirty city streets but the breath was our survival tool in a world so different, so destitute. Smiling boldly I rode my bicycle to class each Saturday, thankful for the chance to escape and reflect. Living in Dhaka was a challenge. On my way to class I biked through a chaotic mix of rickshaws, people, cars, goats, dogs, potholes, dust, and beggars.  

I was constantly reminded to appreciate my life, my path, and the things that have been afforded to me. You see, when you live in a developing country the inequities of life slap you in the face every day. You can feel disheartened by it all or you can do something about it. I chose the latter.

My yoga classes were by donation and mostly supported a local orphanage that my middle school students sponsored. In Bangladesh there was always a need. I gave money to charities that spoke to me and along with my fellow yogi's we were able to raise thousands of dollars for education, women's organizations, human rights, clean water, and the chance for some to remain alive and hopeful.    

For me, yoga has helped me through some difficult times living overseas but the real reason I teach is the gifts it can give to others.

I have to admit, finding my home hasn't always been easy and in the past eight years I have found yoga in some pretty unique places. While traveling in India I shared my practice with my mom in a dark and dingy basement where our headstand was perfected. In New Zealand I found the meaning of karma yoga and worked to understand my thoughts while I gave acts of service.  

While traveling for the past fourteen months with my husband and two kids all over the world, yoga became my home on mountaintops, in grassy fields, beside our tent, and on edges of the ocean.

Yoga continues to be my home. It is always with you. Wherever I live, yoga helps me find the familiar. It helps me connect to the human spirit and those that are also on this spiritual journey. Yoga helps me find union, to my self and to those around me. Yoga is my traveling community.

For those of you that practice, make yoga your home and find it wherever you go. For those of you that teach, why not offer a class for charity, a cause, or a goal. The more we spread the light, the more we all unite.

About the author: Amy Friedman is an international middle school counselor living in Denmark.   Growing up with yoga in her life has helped her spread these gifts as she has traveled for the past eight years exploring all parts of the world.  Her goal is to share the positive yoga benefits with the students and teachers in her school and members of the community, while raising money for non-profit charities through donation based yoga classes.  

 She is also the daughter of YTOC Board member Cindy Stohlberg.   

 PRESIDENT'S CORNER

Writing this month didn't come easy for me. I was very tempted to just skip writing this month all together. I shed so many tears this week. My face actually hurt from crying. The loss of my 13-year-old Golden Retriever, Abby, last week hit very hard. She was my baby girl. My best friend. "The best dog in the whole world", as I told her often after kissing her head and saying goodnight. I miss her so very, very much.  

Living a Life of Grace