THE INSTRUCTOR
American instructor, Julia Frazier Cicéro has been teaching Vinyasa Yoga in Aix-en-Provence since 2008 and in Saint-Chamas since 2012. Her first brush with yoga in 1996 had her hooked. It brought her full circle from a childhood of dance, an adolescence of field hockey, swimming and soccer, and reminded her of the joy of the freedom of movement.
Her yoga practice became serious due to knee injuries from 15 years of playing soccer. It was through vinyasa yoga that she regained her strength and was inspired to go deeper. She practices yoga for the balance of the physical and the spiritual, the inner peace and the outward movement. Yoga is the ultimate compliment to the sports she currently practices, namely swimming and road biking.
Julia has completed 500 hours of training with Frog Lotus International accredited by Yoga Alliance International. She teaches a dynamic style of yoga and seeks to make her classes challenging for all levels.
WHAT IS VINYASA YOGA?
This style of yoga focuses on linking the breath to the movement, cultivating mindfulness, and developing strength, stability, and flexibility. Vinyasa yoga is a series of poses and counter poses, a path towards consciousness in movement. The inhale draws in the «prana», the vital life force, while the exhale releases the «apana », a purifying release of breath.
Attention is placed on the journey between the postures, not just the postures themselves. The purpose of vinyasa is to create heat in the body, which leads to the purification of the body through increased circulation and sweating. There are elements of vinyasa yoga in all of the classes.
It is a challenging workout that will leave you feeling at peace because there is a natural realignment of your body which creates a natural realignment of your perception of life and who you are.
CLASS DESCRIPTIONS
VINYASA I: A dynamic class, warm-up, flow series, balance, inversions, stretching, relaxation.
VINYASA II: A physical class, warm-up, dynamic flow series, balance, technical inversions, stretching, relaxation.
YOGA du DOS: Strengthening exercices for the back and abdomen while protecting the spinal column, stretching, relaxation.
ETIREMENTS/DETENTE: A flow of stretches vinyasa style (dynamic) and yin style (static), releasing stretches, relaxation.
PRANAYAMA, the discipline of breath work, is practiced in all of the class.
Yoga is not about competition. Do what you’re comfortable with and what is appropriate for you.
BENEFITS OF YOGA
“Yoga is an amazing, complete form of exercise. The physical benefits of yoga–widely reported in medical journals and mainstream press shows us that yoga cultivates cardiovascular health, and musculoskeletal strength and flexibility. It tunes and tones each organ system-respiratory, digestive, reproductive, endocrine, lymphatic and nervous. Practicing yoga reduces the negative effects of stress and ”dis”-ease and cultivates the body’s capacity to relax.
With a regular yoga practice, we feel better, we move better, we breathe better, we sleep better, we digest our food better. We may even begin to recover from chronic illness. These physical benefits of yoga–may be only the tip of the iceberg. Regular practitioners of yoga describe a whole host of subtle transformations in their lives. Many experience increased mental focus and clarity, heightened perception and intuitive powers.
Many practitioners experience an increase in energy levels, weight loss or regulation, and stamina. Many yogis describe feeling more emotionally “balanced.” “Others report a heightened feeling of connection to an “inner self, ecstatic states of bliss and profound well being.” from Stephen Cope Yoga and the Quest for the True Self
GENERAL ADVICE
- Please arrive 5 minutes prior to the beginning of class.
- For an optimal practice, do not eat 2-3 hours before the class.
- If you must eat something, take something light (melon, apple, banana, etc.)
- Drink water before and after the class.
- When a posture is difficult, BREATHE! The work you do on the inside is essential.
- Be aware of your limits. You are always free to choose a restful position at any moment during the class.
- Practice yoga with a lot of patience.
- If you have any sort of medical condition or you are pregnant, let the instructor know.