Yoga in Orleans, MA- Life Center for Health Review
This week I’m on the Cape for a workshop/vacation in Orleans, MA on Cape Cod. While in town the other day I noticed the Life Center for Health offering chiropractic services, tai chi, acupuncture and yoga. I was so excited. We walked across the street to check it out and grab a schedule. I was able to take a class on Tuesday night at 5:45pm with Tricia of Every Bodies Yoga.
I have never taken a class at this center before and I didn’t know what to expect. So I let go of my expectations and allowed myself to just enjoy the class.
I walked down the long hall towards the yoga space signed in and followed the crowd into the practice space. It was a moderate size room with large wood panel floors, soft lighting, basic walls, a couple of windows and a small mirror in the front. The room was simple and without distractions. I sensed a peacefulness about the space. I took an open spot up front and settled in for the next hour and a half.
The room quickly filled up - mat to mat - it was sold out!
We started with gentle stretching, nothing too out of the ordinary - neck stretches, gentle twisting, the usual. Then she had us do something I’d never done before. While sitting in a simple cross legged position, we took our right hand, crossed to the left and slapped the floor. That same hand came back up and slapped our back (where our kidneys are). Repeat other side. Along with an intense breathing technique we went side to side several times. I started to think “What kind of yoga did I get myself into!”. Again, letting go of expectations I saw it as an opportunity to experience something new.
The warm up ended with a chant (that I didn’t know and felt a little bit out of place) and an OM (that I knew). Then practice. I started to wonder what would be next.
What was next - a lot of work around activating the core and legs - the power center of all yoga postures. We did some rocking movements, sitting and standing WITHOUT using hands (really hard!), then we moved into downward facing dog into plank pose to work upper body and core strength. 1 hour and 45 minutes later (was supposed to be 1.5 hours!) we finished.
While none of the postures we practiced were really foreign to me, they were presented differently. I spoke to the instructor briefly after class - thanked her and told her it was different than what I was used to and I loved it. I learned that class was a combination of 3 yoga styles - Kripalu, viniyoga and Iyengar yoga. During my practice of yoga over the last 4 years I have taken 1 Iyengar class and have no experience with the other two styles. I’ve read about them but never practiced them.
I left with a great appreciation of all that I still have to learn in yoga - both as a student and an instructor. I didn’t tell her I was an instructor. My husband asked me why and my answer was “Tonight I was a student”. And I learned a lot.
Tricia was a great instructor. She provided a lot of instruction (due to the varied levels of students in class. She told me that during the summer she keeps classes basic and instructional because there are so many newbies), the mood was light and there was a lot of laughter. She also knows you by name. Her bio is on her website - she has many years of training, personal practice and has studied with various yogis along the way.
Now, I say she told me that she keeps the class basic - no flow or sun salutations - and yet I found a lot of what we did quite challenging! However it got me very connected to the fact that I don’t often engage the muscles I should use during my physical practice.
I don’t have time to get to another class this week and I’m happy I had the opportunity to experience something so different. I plan to search out similar classes when I get home.
If you are vacationing on Cape Cod (or live) in the Orleans area and are interested in yoga, make a visit to the Life Center for Health or give Tricia a call (she runs the program there). There are a variety of class styles, times and instructors (click here for August schedule). Each instructor charges a different rate. The class I took was $12 for a drop in. I think they had other class pass options if you are here frequently.
The Life Center for Health is located at 47 Main St, Orleans, MA.
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