![Mindful Yoga](https://blogs.flinders.edu.au/student-health-and-well-being/wp-content/uploads/sites/71/2017/09/mindfulyoga.jpg)
Overview: Mindful Yoga is a gentle movement focused meditation. It’s back now that the Oasis Centre is open. Bookings essential as class sizes are capped. Tuesdays at midday at Oasis Centre. In the post learn more about Mindful Yoga and how to get involved. Reading time ~ 4 minutes.
The last time I did Yoga, I was mostly mindful of not being able to force my body into the positions the instructor was showing me.
However according to Maureen Germein who runs Mindful Yoga Sessions at OASIS at Flinders, that is not what Mindful Yoga is all about.
Mindful Yoga is a gentle style of movement meditation. It focuses on soothing the nervous system through gentle movements coordinated with the breath. Think of it as a form of innercise, rather than exercise.
Being gentle and focused on soothing, it is suitable for people of all ages, physical abilities and fitness levels.
Think of it as more like this…….
And less like this….
What are the benefits?
So before you go dismissing yoga as simply an activity for attractive and limber people, you should know that the health and well-being benefits of yoga are increasingly being realised. Just a sample….
“Promising evidence of yoga on improving cardio-metabolic health” [1]
“Strong evidence for short-term effectiveness and moderate evidence for long-term effectiveness of yoga for chronic low back pain” [2]
“Compared with usual care, yoga resulted in significant improvements in exercise capacity and a mean improvement in health related quality of life” [3]
“yoga practice leads to better regulation of the sympathetic nervous system and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system, as well as a decrease in depressive and anxious symptoms in a range of populations” [4]
“The evidence for the effectiveness of yoga as a treatment of hypertension is encouraging” [5]
“yoga training has a positive effect on improving lung function and exercise capacity and could be used as an adjunct pulmonary rehabilitation program in COPD patients” [6]
“The findings of this systematic review suggest that yoga might be a feasible and safe adjunctive treatment for people with IBS” [7]
“yoga can be preliminarily considered a safe and effective intervention to reduce body mass index in overweight or obese individuals” [8]
“Yoga showed greater reductions in depressive symptoms than waitlist, treatment as usual and attention control” [9]
When are the sessions?
Mindful Yoga Classes are run every Tuesday from 12-1 during term times. Bookings essential via Eventbrite.
Where are the sessions?
OASIS – downstairs in the OCE building, opposite car park 5.
To register your interest
In this COVID era, you will need to register when you wish to attend. You can do this via Eventbrite.
Otherwise you can email the team at oasis@flinders.edu.au if you want more information, or read Maureen’s excellent intro to the class.
What do I need to bring?
Some clothes that are comfortable to move in, a yoga mat, a towel and a bunch of worries that you’d like to shake loose during the session.
About your teacher
Maureen is one of the counsellors with Health, Counselling and Disability services here at Flinders. She is a qualified yoga teacher, (accredited level 2 teacher with Yoga Australia) and Social Worker, and has done a range of mindfulness trainings. She’s lovely and qualified to help you ease yourself into the most relaxed position ever. She’s also the author of our Yoga Mega Guide which outlines yoga routines for lowering stress, increasing alertness and improving sleep.