First Christian Church Offers Local Yoga Classes
60-70% of Americans live with some form of chronic back pain. Are you one of them? How about that lingering tension in your shoulders that just won’t go away? Maybe you’re a care-giver struggling with compassion fatigue? Have you noticed that your balance isn’t what it used to be? Or perhaps you struggle with repetitive or negative thinking patterns? Yoga can help.
Since the winter of 2015, local residents have gathered one night a week at First Christian Church in Paris to enjoy gentle movement and stretching, guided relaxation, and camaraderie. The class meets in the Fellowship Hall at 911 High Street on Thursday evenings from 6:45 -8:00. Cost is $5 a person and all members of the Paris-Bourbon County community are welcome to attend.
Contemporary media images of yoga have emphasized the importance of its physical postures, but you DO NOT have to be able to “touch your toes” in order to practice yoga!
Classes at First Christian Church consist of gentle physical movement accessible to all levels of students, with an emphasis on relaxing muscular tension and maintaining range of motion in the joints (please note: this is not a fitness class!). Students also explore breath practices that help to calm the mind and the nervous system and spend some time each class in guided meditation. No prior yoga experience is necessary in order to participate, and the instructor will try to accommodate injuries and chronic conditions on a person by person basis. (If you have an ongoing medical condition, its best to talk with your doctor before undertaking any new activity and to communicate the guidelines you receive to your teacher.) Classes are taught by Jennie Lee, a yoga teacher with over 1000 hours of teaching experience and 500+ hours of training credentials. She comments: “It’s been such a privilege to work with the yoga community at First Christian. The willingness of the church to sponsor and subsidize this kind of outreach program provides an amazing opportunity for local people. It’s a practice that provides benefits for almost everyone, and the fact that it’s available here, in Paris, at such a reasonable price, is remarkable!”
Following last week’s practice, participants reflected on their experiences in class. “It’s really helped my balance,” one student commented. “It’s so calming,” replied another: “I always feel so much better at the end of class! I think it’s because you’re able to really slow down and focus on your breathing.” Another student commented, “It really works out all the little glitches that get stored up in your body.”
Most folks seem to agree that yoga feels good, but medical research is beginning to support long-established anecdotal evidence that a regular yoga practice has measurable physiological benefits as well. Published studies have found that a regular yoga practice can have a positive impact on everything from diabetes to depression. Medical researchers have demonstrated that a regular yoga practice can improve cardiac health and lower blood pressure levels; it can lower perceptions of physical and emotional pain; it can decrease blood levels of stress hormones; and improve sleep and digestive habits. Instructor Jennie Lee explains: “At its most fundamental level, yoga is about self-care, about helping your body to feel its best, while also filling your emotional bank account. The pace and quality of our lives these days requires that we consistently over-draw from those emotional reserves, and as a result, it can be difficult to consistently be your ‘best self.’ But with a little bit of time in the week set aside to restore those energies, you can really show up – for your family, for your job, and for yourself.”
Bring your own yoga mat if you have one, but the church has a supply of mats and other props available on a first come, first serve basis. You’ll want to wear soft, comfortable clothes, but nothing too bulky or drape-y, as the excess fabric will limit your ability to move comfortably. Also, it’s best to do yoga on a fairly empty stomach, so you might plan on eating an early supper 2 hours before class (around 5:00), or having a snack before class, and a light supper afterward. If you have any questions about yoga at First Christian, please call the church office at 987-3940 or Jennie at (859)707-1385.
Almost 80 million Americans currently practice yoga as a way to reduce stress, increase flexibility, improve balance, and promote wellness. Don’t miss this opportunity to try a safe and gentle yoga practice, close to home, and in a welcoming setting.