We begin this gentle yoga practice with back and spine care and a short awareness meditation using gentle guided breath.

This is a great practice to do at the bookends of the day: when you first wake up or when you are preparing for sleep. 

In this class, we’re looking to bring awareness and attention to a concept we’ll explore later in this series: Pratyahara, or inner awareness. Pratyahara is one of the 8 limbs of yoga, and a key concept that not only helps you come into present moment, reduce stress, and cultivate the body awareness that is so important for us, as humans with human bodies, to know what is happening in the space of our organs, digestion, and muscular tension. 

From a scientific perspective, the term is Interoception. Interoception is the perception of sensations from inside the body and includes the perception of physical sensations related to internal organ function such as heartbeat, respiration, satiety, as well as the autonomic nervous system activity related to emotions 

Short version: Pratyahara = Interoception. It’s both yoga theory and it’s science.

Prepare for a gentle class. Maybe add a layer of clothing. And have a wonderful class, yogi!