Moving without Pain - Weekend Workshop

May 2-3, 2020:   10:00 am-12:15 pm each day

The problems that you've always thought of as the symptoms of age -- stiffness, bad back, chronic pain, fatigue -- need never occur if you maintain conscious control of your nerves and muscles.

This workshop is designed to reduce the effects of Sensory Motor Amnesia (SMA) that normally occur by middle age. Sensory Motor Amnesia is like a "memory loss" of how to control certain muscle groups and how they feel. How does this happen? Throughout our lives, our nervous system continually responds automatically to daily stresses and traumas with specific muscular reflexes. Over time, these muscular contractions become so deeply involuntary and unconscious that we no longer "remember" how to move about freely.

Through slow, gentle and mindful movements, learn to release the muscles that are limiting you. This workshop is ideal for everyone and can be taken again and again to help reinforce proper movement patterns.

This workshop progresses gradually, focusing on the areas in the body where SMA occurs. Day 1 trains you in sensing and controlling the muscles in the middle of your body, at its centre of gravity (back muscles, abdominal muscles and obliques). Day 2 deals with the periphery of your body: namely your hips, legs, shoulders, arms and neck. These work more efficiently and feel looser when the middle of the body has been freed up first.

Here's one student's experience in this workshop:

For years I've been dealing with chronic neck and lower back pain. My first Somatics class focused on releasing the muscles in my lower back with a very small, gentle movement. The release I felt was huge! Since taking the classes, the pulling sensation in my neck is gone, I can sleep the entire night without shifting to alleviate the pain in my shoulders. Bending over no longer hurts my back and I can sit cross-legged easily. My overall flexibility and range of motion is noticeably improved. I would highly recommend Somatics! 

Workshop includes The Cat Stretch Daily Somatic Essentials exercise sheet (optional audio version for additional fee). Consistent and regular practice of Somatic exercises help maintain the beneficial effects of this workshop.

I will have copies of Thomas Hanna's book, Somatics, for sale at this workshop. Cost is $25. This workshop is based upon the contents of this book, where Dr. Hanna shows how the body can turn a habitual action into an involuntary, destructive pattern called sensory-motor amnesia.  Much of the physical decline associated with aging is not inevitable but avoidable, through a simple but effective method for conquering these habits with sensory-motor awareness.

Here is a sample of one of the movements we do, called Arch and Flatten, which helps to lengthen the muscles of the back and abdomen. In this movement you are relearning how to use your muscles. The key is to consciously contract a muscle, then consciously release it, but in a very slow way, so you can start to gain control of the muscle. This uses the cortex of your brain, which is necessary for relearning. Tight muscles are on auto-pilot (stored in the sub-cortex part of your brain where all the unconscious things happen), and we want to take them back into our voluntary control. When we are able to do that, the muscles lengthen.

Sample of Arch and Flatten. Lie on a blanket, rug/carpet, or yoga mat:

Cost: $100 + HST 

Early bird savings: only $90 + HST if you register by April 4!

Bonus discount: an additional 10% off if you have previously taken the Myth of Aging series

To register, contact Lenore at info@yogawithlenore.com or call 905-271-2505.

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FREE Clinical Somatics assessments!

Right now I am offering FREE assessments. If you're curious about hands-on Somatic sessions and what it can offer you, this is a great opportunity. Somatics is a unique way to reduce tight muscles that you may have been "stuck" with for what seems like forever. And once you learn the key to releasing these tight muscles, it makes so much sense!

The assessment includes a detailed intake, postural evaluation, and a treatment program for resolving your issues. It takes about 30 minutes, and normally there is a charge of $35 for the assessment.

Click here for more information on what to expect in a Clinical Somatics session.

Email info@yogawithlenore.com or text me at (905) 271-2505 to book your assessment!

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