Stress/Anxiety
These practices have been specifically created and sequenced for watching online on Movement for Modern Life to reduce stress and anxiety you may feel in your life.
Within our anti-stress and anxiety series, we have a range of practices which include:
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20:00
Beginners 4: Twist to unwind
Twists help you feel yourself again. So whether you’re stiff, stressed-out, sluggish, or plain out of sorts, Clare’s simple twist practice will leave you feeling grounded and re-energised. Perfect for morning or evening. The class ends on a savasana, so feel free to lay down and soak up the practice for as long as you need.
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45:25
Prenatal Pilates - Full Body Glow (for all levels, up until second trimester)
This Prenatal Pilates class for all levels, up until second trimester). It is also just a wonderful Pilates class for all round strength, for any body. This class integrates a variety of safe Pilates exercises to engage the full body to maintain optimal mobility and stability through the joints. Enjoy different abdominal strengthening exercises in a variety of position, to target all the core muscles without uncomfortable crunches. Also activate hamstrings and build up strength in the glutes with side laying leg patterns focusing on internal and external rotation in your hip joints. This is a complete and balanced Prenatal Pilates practice to practice a couple of times a week to uplift your mood and maintain wellbeing during pregnancy, but also for all of us at any time the body needs to be given a full body glow! If practicing pregnant please contact your healthcare provider to check the suitability of this class.
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15:13
Gentle Somatic Movement: Release Back Pain
If you've been feeling like your back is tight or you're suffering from back pain, this class is great, It is also a great class if you're recovering from illness and injury, or have energy challenges, because the class is entirely on the back and movements are simply sliding your body on the floor ,so no need for a yoga mat. Get curious about how your body moves and how your breath moves through your body. Feel release throughout the back and pelvis through this very nurturing, kind and gentle class which will make you feel human again with your nervous system restored and recovered. Find a comfortable place to lie down and let your body feel nurtured and nourished by this gentle somatic movement.
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11:50
Meditation to Settle and Calm
A short meditation, easy to do when you're on the go or you need settling, in the middle of a busy day, or to calm before bed. Beginning with a listening meditation practice, be guided to feel the earth as a way of settling the body and quieting some of the activity of the mind. This practice is a good one to do any time of day, but may be particularly helpful before bed.
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14:28
Gentle Somatic Movement: Easy Neck Release Lying Down
If you've been feeling stressed or full of anxiety and overwhelm, this class is perfect. It is also a great class if you're recovering from illness and injury, or have energy challenges, because the class is entirely on the back and movements in the neck and head are very subtle. Get curious about how your body moves and how your breath moves through your body. Feel release in the neck, jaw and head through this very nurturing, kind and gentle class which will make you feel human again with your nervous system restored and recovered. Find a comfortable place to lie down and let your body feel nurtured and nourished by this gentle somatic movement.
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35:43
Stress Relief: Stretches and Breathwork
Embrace a peaceful, slowed down hatha class practice of breathwork and gentle seated hatha yoga to release muscular tension and flood your body with feel good hormones. Through Golden Thread Breathing, you are invited to slow down your exhalation, fostering a deep sense of relaxation. A sequence of seated and floor-based stretches targeting the neck, shoulders, back, pelvic floor and hips will then help you relieve muscular discomfort and feel more centred and relaxed. Suggested props: 2 bricks and 1 strap. Perfect for pregnant bodies in all trimesters, and all of us who have busy lives and would benefit from soothing the nervous system with stretching. If practicing pregnant please contact your healthcare provider to check the suitability of this class.
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36:09
Yoga to Calm and Ground
This hatha class is great for when we're feeling tired or overwhelmed, to calm the nervous system and ground the body. Class begins with lying on the ground with a short body scan. Then we have a wonderful antidote to overwhelm and anxiety with supported forward folds, to clear the brain. After a foot massage, practice rooting standing and balancing poses. Feel the ground as a way of letting go of anxiety and find stability within. You may need 2 blocks (or books) and a blanket.
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39:50
Building Focus
A perfect way to start your day leaving you feeling gently energised, stronger and a sense of clarity and focus. This Kundalini yoga class uses the Surya Kriya. This gentle yoga class practice starts with right nostril sun breathing. Mostly gentle and accessible postures (if you need something quite gentle, just give the frog sequence a miss) are done with a beautiful backdrop of music, mantra and drumming. There’s some drumming, chanting and it ends in 1 minute silent mediation.
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17:11
Sofa Yoga
A beautifully calming yoga class, which is to be done with the help of a sofa. A perfect class for a sunday morning, or anytime you need to really chill, breathe deeply and take it easy. With the favourite pose of inversion over the back of the sofa. What's not to love. A great class to relax, for all abilities and mobilities.
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01:04:12
Bedtime Wind Down Yoga - Replay of Live Class
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01:29:04
Christmas Yin Yoga - Replay of Live Class
This is an extra special yin class, the perfect time of year for hibernating at home in our pyjamas and all our props. This class includes, breath work, a yin sequence to cultivate kidney energy during the winter season, soothing of the nervous system with warmth and relaxing meditation. You will need: Any props you have a home or things to use as props! A Bolster and blocks Hot water bottle ready to add warmth!
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31:02
Yoga for Menopause Anger: Fierce Power
Anger and rage are common during menopause. This may surprise to you and those around you. We've been taught to believe that anger is a negative emotion that shouldn't be expressed so we bottle it up until it explodes or mask it and this can cause us internal conflict. In this menopause yoga class we learn to work with anger as a positive force for healing, empowerment and healthy communication. Using the power of breath, sound, somatic enquiry and movement we will give space to our anger and allow it to be felt, moved, and released. The class will take place seated and standing, the first part of the class takes place entirely seated. You can also lie down for this part. The second part has us adopt yoga poses accessible to most bodies. Transform your anger into fierce power!
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37:48
Gentle stretching to cool and unwind
This gentle, all-levels hatha yoga class works with forward bends and pranayama (breath work) to cool the body and calm the busy mind. A perfect class to take as a middle of the day work-break, if the day is feeling overwhelming, or to gently calm at the end of the day. Gentle stretching is a wonderful way to destress and enhance feelings of safety in the body. Stretching triggers a host of physiological reactions including increased blood flow and oxygen to the muscles, hydrating surrounding connective tissue, releasing feel good chemicals such as endorphins and activating the parasympathetic nervous system - the rest and digest mode. Props needed: yoga mat, chair, blanket
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21:05
Vagus Nerve Practices for Anxiety Relief
Anxiety is nervous system’s way of keeping us safe and out of danger. Due to the hormonal fluctuations in peri-menopause and menopause, women often begin to experience anxiety for the first time impacting the ability to cope with everyday life. This class is mostly seated and also includes a restorative yoga pose. The class encourages us to lean into our anxiety from a place of curiosity and compassion to listen and learn how and why it’s trying to protect us. The first part of the class is seated, and we use touch based somatic exercises to soothe our nervous system. In the second part of the class we simply lie on our backs with legs over a chair or sofa, to down regulate your nervous system and shift into a sense of feeling at ease and safe in your body. Props needed: Chair, yoga mat and blanket.
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56:19
Love Your Body: Affirmations, Breath and Flow
Connect to your body, gain more confidence with your body. In this class we work with the power of affirmations, breathwork and a gentle slow flow vinyasa yoga to learn to appreciate all the amazing things our bodies can do. Our bodies go through a lot of change during our lives and especially during menopause - so much so that you feel your body has let us down or betrayed. Yoga teaches us that our bodies are “sukrta” or well-made just the way they are. You might need a Journal, pen, yoga mat and bolster/cushion
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10:00
Journaling: Rewrite your Menopause Story
It can be helpful to write down your menopause experience, in order to consciously re-write your menopause story. This is a journalling exercise in which you're guided through a series of journaling prompts to reimagine and rewrite your menopause story. Journaling freely and expressively in this way has the added benefit of being a wonderful relaxation tool, and a soothing way to deal with the stressors of daily life. Get curious - what are some of the narratives about menopause that you have internalised and how are they shaping your menopause experience? Journaling helps bring clarity to our experiences by writing down your thoughts and feelings, essentially decluttering your mind, breaking them down into pieces that are easier for you to process emotionally. In this class, Props needed: Yoga mat, journal and pen
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07:12
Gratitude Visualisation
Anhedonia or ‘loss of joy’ is a menopause symptom caused by low oestrogen. But we can reframe our thoughts to help change our feelings. Join Petra in this Gratitude guided visualisation to help you focus on what you feel grateful for and set an intention on something that brings you joy, everyday of your life.
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26:23
Calming Anxiety and Overwhelm
Low oestrogen affects ability to produce the hormones that make us feel happy and calm, and causes low brain energy that affect our mental focus, memory and make us feel overwhelm. Join Petra for this simple class to calm anxiety and overwhelm. It includes gentle movement to improve vagal nerve tone, Ocean breath with sound to soothe your nervous system, a restorative Supported Child’s pose with the option to ‘retreat from the world,’ and two breathing and meditation practices: Mind Meets The Breath and Ladder Breath.