What is Yoga?
Hatha Yoga
is a form of exercise originally taught as a way to relax the body and focus the mind. in preparation for seated meditation.
It is derived from a Hindu prayer practice, but most people in the West know it as a nondenominational way to gain mastery
of one's distracting thoughts, using the body as a focal point. The net result, known as "enlightenment" in
the East, for the Jew is "kavanah," spiritual focus. In a nutshell, it teaches us how to open our hearts in prayer.
Gentle Yoga?
Gentle
or Restorative Yoga is an approach more focused on the mental than the physical aspects of the work. It uses passive, reclining poses that are accessible to absolutely
anyone, from yoga
beginners to seniors and those returning to exercise. It incorporates breathwork, visualization, and
long, gentle holds that invite us to trust that we are safe to relax deeply, and can experience real change.
Jewish Yoga? Judaism offers thousands of years' worth of spiritual content, more than can be mastered
in a lifetime of study. Yet so many Jews today are much more familiar with meditation and yoga than with their own faith's
spiritual riches. Through Gentle
Jewish Yoga, Rabbi Avivah offers a way to bridge this gap, melding yoga-based movement with Jewish teachings and meditative
techniques. After one lesson, many students say that they can now experience any yoga class through the prism of their Jewish
soul, inviting the light of Hashem to resonate in their bodies, and in their lives.
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