The willingness to start something new is actually all you need to get started.
Relaxation Yoga class is good for all levels, including beginners. Come to class about 10 minutes early in order to get settled.
If you want to sweat a little and you can do five push-ups, come to the Wednesday Moderate Level class.
If you prefer a slower pace, come to Monday or Tuesday classes.

• What do I bring to a yoga class?

Bring a beach towel (or a yoga mat if you happen to have one) to sit on. Bring water to drink. An empty stomach is recommended, so do your best to finish your meal 2 hours before class starts. This gives the body enough time to digest the food.
I do bring extra props for students to use during my classes, so you don't really have to worry about what to bring.

back to top

• What about a yoga mat?

Monday and Tuesday classes are not vigorous, you don't need a sticky yoga mat for them. Some people do fine bringing a plain old beach towel to class. Salem Street Studio has a couple of yoga mats for students to borrow.
If you come to the Wednesday Moderate level class, it's good to have a mat. And you can borrow one of the studio mats for your first class.

Unfortunately, most yoga mats that are available in stores are toxic. They are made from PVC which is not environmentally sound. I can't imagine that it's all that helpful to breathe in the fumes that come off of them, but I do use them in the studio. We all do the best that we can with what we've got... There are some "green" yoga mats available on-line and in specialty stores. In general they cost about twice as much, unfortunately.

If you already have a PVC sticky yoga mat, feel free to bring it to class. It is good to wash it in the tub with a tiny bit of dish soap and then let it dry. Washing it will reduce the chemical smell and also make it more sticky which is a very good thing for the more vigorous classes.

back to top

• What do I wear?

Comfortable gym clothes. Sweat pants, t-shirts, gym shorts, etc. are all fine. The key is to be able to move freely in whatever clothes you wear. Modesty can also be a consideration, so make sure clothing doesn't flap open in embarrassing ways...
Be prepared to take off your shoes and socks. It's best to have bare feet for standing poses.

back to top

• What should I expect to happen in class?

In my classes, we start with breathing. Breathing is the most basic stress reduction technique there is.
The heart of class is the yoga poses. I demonstrate with a number of variations for all levels of flexibility.
At the end of class we lie down for a "nap time" which is called shavasana.

back to top

• What kind of exercise is it?
-Will I lose weight?
-Will I get more toned?
-Will I get stronger?
My yoga classes are a meditative form of exercise with a lot of stretching. The focus is more on tuning into personal experience than on enhancing the body. AND it is also true that over the course of my years of yoga practice I have lost a significant amount of weight, I have become more toned, and I am stronger.
Your mileage may vary.

• Do I need to be flexible and in shape?

No, you don't.
Relaxation Yoga classes are gentle and can be modified to most levels. Feel free to contact me if you have specific health issues that you want to discuss.
You may see other yoga classes advertised as "Power Yoga," "Ashtanga Yoga" or "Yoga Fitness." For those kinds of classes a high level of fitness may be required.

In my teaching philosophy, yoga starts wherever you are, right now in this moment. Whatever amount of flexibility you have is the right place to start, whatever shape you are in right now is the right place to start. From the starting point of here and now, move forward at the pace that is right for you. My intention is for each yoga class to be a tool to support you in that forward movement.

That being said, I do offer a number of movement levels:
*SEATED IN A CHAIR
The Breath & Focus Class is a meditation class that does not include much movement. It can be suitable for people with MS or fibromyalgia flair ups BUT it is designed for everybody. Every person -especially athletes- can benefit from the breathing and concentration techniques covered in this class.
*GENTLE MOVEMENT
Both the Monday Relaxation Yoga and the Tuesday Lunch Yoga are gentle movement for most flexibility levels. If you have an average amount of stiffness, you'll be fine. These two "all levels" classes are where most new yoga students start.
*MODERATELY ACTIVE LEVEL
During the Moderate Level Wednesday Relaxation Yoga class, we do maybe 5 to 10 Sun Salutations. If you are not yet able to do about 5 push-ups, the Sun Salutations will be very hard. If you can do about 5 push-ups, (yes, "girlie" push-ups do count!) then you will probably be able to handle the Wednesday class.

back to top

• Does yoga hurt?

The short answer is that yoga should never hurt. In my yoga class, always feel free to stop, to relax, to do what you need to take care of yourself.

The long answer involves the concept of "The Edge." The Edge is a gray-area of experience a little past the comfort zone but before the Pain Zone. At The Edge sensation is really apparent. In a yoga class, there are a lot of opportunities to play with The Edge of sensation.

Approaching The Edge with some healthy curiosity is a pathway to personal expansion and growth. It is helpful to be a yoga-scientist who explores and asks questions about what is really being experienced. When you are ready to approach your Edge it will deepen your practice. In moments of high levels of sensation, experiment with these questions:

-Is this actually physical pain?
-What part is fear playing in my approach to this sensation?
-What happens when I pull back a little?
-What happens when I deepen the stretch a little?
-Can I accept how this feels just as it is without judgment?

My own experimentation in yoga with The Edge has carried over into other parts of my life helping me to be more open during moments of stress. I can be more clear and see my options better when I practice this playfulness in my yoga practice.

back to top

• What is the difference between Relaxation Yoga and Power Yoga?

Relaxation Yoga is meditative. It focuses on stress-reduction and self-knowledge.
Power Yoga is vigorous. It is a work out. Some Power Yoga teachers focus on self-knowledge during their classes, other teachers do not.

My classes are designed to help students develop self-knowledge. Much of the class can be done with closed eyes so that inner focus can be maintained.

I encourage students to take other types of classes in order to broaden their experience. Also, a vigorous workout is good for the heart. 8)

back to top

• What is the point of doing yoga?

The purpose of yoga is to accept yourself completely, "as-is," integrating all parts of the self.
The word "Yoga" means "union."
One self: body, mind, spirit, happiness, sadness, humanness, successes, hip pain, bad hair days, everything.

Every yoga technique is a tool for clearing inner pathways to that kind of wholesale self acceptance.
Yoga techniques include the body movements (asanas) that are pictured in magazines, as well as paying attention to sensation, controlled breathing, meditation, and thousands of other techniques. All of them are tools to use in personal development.

back to top

• What role does spirituality play in yoga?

There is no need to subscribe to any doctrine in order to take a yoga class, though it is good to know that yoga originated in India and has ties to Hinduism. The chants that are sometimes sung during yoga classes use Hindu names for god. Standard yoga practices like the Sun Salutation have been used as a form of prayer. Here in the United States, many yoga classes have become non-denominational yet still pay homage to the Indian traditions.
I encourage students to explore their own relationship with their own experience of truth in whatever form works best for them. My classes include traditional yoga practices and also self-healing techniques such as creative visualization.
Spirituality in yoga class, as with spirituality in anything, is what you bring to it and what you want out of it. Relaxation Yoga emphasizes self-care, compassion and happiness.

back to top

• I have heard that yoga is relaxing, tell me more.
Yoga is an opportunity to explore the mind-body connection. Yoga students can explore on a yoga mat to discover their reactions to experience. When a person trains herself to accept an experience of being in an inverted pose, she then has an example of what to do when her world feels "turned upside down."
A yoga practice is literally practice. Practice for living. In yoga class we practice how to relax and accept our lives.

back to top

• NEW TO YOGA? This is what you need to know...

WATER
Proper hydration supports all parts of the body. Water also assists in the release of toxins. Bring a water bottle to class and drink water especially after class to help the body retain the health benefits of your yoga practice. (Reduce caffeine consumption as much as possible on yoga-day because it interferes with relaxation.)
EATING
An empty stomach is recommended. Do your best to finish your meal 1½ - 2 hours before yoga class begins.
PAIN
If you experience pain in a yoga pose, immediately release the pose. Do not strain yourself. Make sure to listen to your body and adjust according to your needs. The yoga teacher is only a guide, you are in control of your own yoga practice.
INJURIES
Tell your yoga teacher about your health concerns. It is most important for her/him to know if you have uncontrolled high blood pressure, glaucoma, are pregnant, or had recent injuries to a joint.
SELF CARE
Throughout your yoga practice, consistently pay attention to your experience. Do what you need to take care of yourself. Accept any limitations you have, accept yourself as is. Yoga is a self exploration. There is no goal to reach.
BREATHING
Holding the breath is a stress response. In Relaxation Yoga classes, we consciously counteract stress by practicing deep breathing. Vocally sighing and/or yawning is also encouraged during class. Making those relaxing sounds helps the body to release tension. Sometimes new students find it strange to yawn loudly at first. With time, it seems perfectly natural.
POSTURE ADJUSTMENTS
A "posture adjustment" is when the yoga teacher either verbally instructs you or touches you in order to demonstrate the conventional way a pose is held. A posture adjustment doesn't mean that you were doing anything wrong. It just means that there is a way of doing the pose that is more standard, or perhaps better for your posture.
COMMUNICATION
This is your yoga class. Make sure to talk with you yoga teacher about what works for you and what doesn't work.
TIPS FOR RELAXATION
1 Breathe
2 Vocally sigh and yawn
3 Breathe
4 Drop your shoulders
5 Breathe
6 Accept yourself as you are, unconditionally
7 And breathe.

Basic class fees are listed here. Discounts are available if you pay ahead for a whole semester of classes. Click on the links for details.
• Relaxation Yoga in Medford cost $14 drop-in, click for the semester price.
• Breath and Focus class in Medford cost $7 drop-in, click for the semester price.
• Lunch Yoga in Boston costs $10. click for the semester price.
• The Saturday workshop costs $25, click for the semester price.
• For details of the 8 week INTENSIVE in Stress Reduction click here

Class cancellations will always be listed here.

You are welcome to join classes at the following locations:

• Salem Street Studio
  235 Salem St.
  Medford MA 02155
  genabean.com/salemstreet.html

• The NonProfit Center
  89 South St.
  Boston, MA 02111
  genabean.com/npc.html

• Your office!
  genabean.com/workplace.html

back to top