DailyOM: What inspired you to create this course? Who is it for?
Edward Vilga: I created this course actually wishing I could give it to myself, specifically me two decades ago, before I had a regular yoga practice! It certainly would have saved me a lot of time on this path. I also created it with so many of the private students I've taught in mind, the ones who came to yoga later in life, who began either after an injury, an illness, or even their doctor insisting they finally learn to stretch and to de-stress.
For them and for me, yoga felt like it might be a very good thing, but I didn't have a way in that felt comfortable and accessible. I just didn't know where to start. I knew I needed something to increase my flexibility, but I also didn't want to audition for Cirque du Soleil either! This course, therefore, is for anyone who's curious, willing, and open-hearted, even if they cannot yet touch their toes.
DailyOM: Why is doing yoga so important?
EV: Especially as we get older, it's vital we maintain our flexibility. Losing flexibility can result in countless problems, ranging from back aches to shoulder pain to simply having everyday activities become harder and harder to execute with ease. Unless we do something proactive, we will become increasingly stiff, increasingly brittle. Our range of motion will narrow and maintaining any kind of active lifestyle will become more and more difficult.
Yoga is the perfect way to counteract this, since we're releasing accumulated tension, lengthening our spines, and strengthening our muscles. At the same time, we're deepening our mind-body connection and calming our overstressed nervous system. There are just so many well-documented benefits to a yoga practice, particularly when combined with breath awareness and mindfulness. And because yoga is so flexible (pun unavoidable), we can adapt and modify its practices to serve us for the rest of our lives.
DailyOM: Tell us some feedback you've received from new students who were initially reluctant. What surprised you and them?
EV: What surprises students most is that I can always find an accessible entry point for them. Many have seen social media yogis in all sorts of complex, aspirational poses that feel a lifetime away. So students are always surprised by how quickly they can experience the benefits of yoga (meaning a real shift in mind, body, and spirit) even after just a few simple poses done with conscious breathing. What's surprised me most personally is how many people, even professional athletes, are disconnected from their bodies in some way. I once taught a few poses and breath practices to a former NFL player on a TV talk show and he was blown away by their effect.
During his career, he must have done only the most minimal stretching and certainly never with breath awareness or positive affirmations. He was very experienced telling his body what to do, treating it as more or less just a machine that did his bidding until something broke down. The concept of going deeper into body awareness, of actually listening to what his body wanted to say to him, rather than having just a one-way conversation, opened his eyes to new possibilities. I'm always thrilled when students have this kind of aha experience, knowing they've taken a new hugely beneficial step on a lifetime path of wellness and self-discovery.
DailyOM: How does this course unfold? Tell us about the journey students will experience.
EV: I've designed the course so that every day you will learn one to three new poses leading up to three complete routines of 10-12 minutes each. On days one through six, I share poses that can be done seated, leading up to the first full routine on day seven. This seated routine is something you can easily do at the office or while working from home. The second week follows the same pattern, except the focus in on standing poses. Standing poses are more energizing shapes and are terrific hip and heart openers.
On day 14, I share a standing routine that involves dynamic movement coordinated with breath. The third week, we'll explore shapes that take us into deep, soothing stretches and relaxation, leading to day 21's grounded routine. All of these poses will be done while lying on the ground. The three routines (seated, standing, and grounded) can definitely be combined into one longer session, but I've designed them so they are all self-contained. Finally, at the end of the course, the student will have learned and explored 45 shapes, perfectly preparing them to attend almost any public yoga class if they desire.
DailyOM: What are the biggest takeaways you hope students will learn from this course?
EV: First, I want them to experience that yoga really will work for them, that they can find a way to approach the practice that keeps them flexible and healthy. Second, my goal is for them to have a greater connection to their body and breath. As I say, even though I was very athletic, until I encountered yoga, I missed out on all the communication my body was offering. I love sharing how we can all explore this invaluable inner resource.
Third, I want them to continue with yoga, realizing that the key to a successful yoga practice, to anything really, is consistency. It's so much better to do a few simple stretches every day than it is to attempt a marathon workout once a month. That's why I made this course so accessible and efficient, so that doing a little yoga every day will become as simple and steady a practice as brushing your teeth! Approached this way, yoga can truly become a lifelong practice for everyone. | | |
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