Yoga
Jun 9th, 2010 by Laura Washington
In my hatha yoga classes I endeavor to create an environment where you can experience yourself deeply. Time is spent at the beginning of class quietly connecting to breath and body. We then begin moving slowly and simply, taking that conscious focus into our practice of postures. The classes are gentle, accessible, and breath-focused. if you are curious to try yoga, but timid and unsure – watch the video!
Laura Washington’s current yoga teaching schedule:
Monday & Wednesday 9 AM at Yoga Pearl
Tuesday 5:45 PM at The Movement Center
Additional Classes
Friday February 10, 2012 Noon at Yoga Pearl
Special Classes in February at the Japanese Garden
Tuesdays Feb 7, 14 & 21 2012
On these three Tuesday mornings in Portland’s beautiful Japanese Garden class will explore the breath as it connects you to yourself and to the world around you. The class will be paced slowly enough to encourage attentiveness to detail as you move through gentle and accessible yoga postures designed to liberate you from patterns of restriction and limitation. Follow this link for full details and registration information http://www.yogapearl.com/workshops-events/yoga-in-the-japanese-garden/.
Studying yoga with Laura is one important way that I help myself stay healthy. Her classes are gentle and breath focused, and she fosters a very positive atmosphere. The asanas and stretches that she teaches are targeted and effective, and by the end of class I’m always less ‘stuck’ and ready for the rest of the day.
You will come to crave Laura’s classes. I was fortunate to have many years of lunchtime yoga during a work day. My job is stressful, and I came to the mat in a ball of tension. She would guide us to let go of our day, and what it took to get us to that moment, then it was pure release for the rest of the class. It was the glue that held me together, kept me sane and healthy. That ‘ahhhh’ feeling at the end of class held me all the day and longer. A work-day that was a yoga-day was so looked forward to. I grew strong and flexible and amazed that it was with ease and joy…not sweat and work! So, yoga is my habit now for 16 years, Laura’s a huge part of that. It’s so great to be in better shape at 55 than I was 35!
What a lovely and simple display of your approach to yoga! There are so many various forms of yoga, and unfortunately I think many people feel intimidated by them—believing they are too unfit, inflexible or not the right “shape” to do yoga. Thank you for showing us that yoga can be simple, uncomplicated and approachable… and you make it look very graceful and peaceful as well!
I was hoping to catch you in person to tell you how much your class saved me today— it was nothing short of amazing and so are you! Every stretch felt like it was gently coaxing my body and particularly those back muscles to release. I thought maybe the pain would come back before the end of the day, but 12 hours later and I am still fine.
I am sure there is a great Sanskrit phrase to say this properly but thank you thank you thank you!
Laura is a skilled and compassionate teacher, and her love of yoga is inspiring. If I am tired when I arrive, I leave her class feeling energized. If I arrive feeling stressed, I leave calm. Although I’ve practiced with Laura for many years, I still learn something new from her each class. Laura provides imaginative and accessible cues to poses and demonstrates that laughter and asana go hand in hand. She instills in her students an appreciation of our breath and how we can use it to experience depth and expansiveness in our practice. I highly recommend Laura’s classes to yoga students at every level!
Laura, you know whenever I come to Portland, I make sure to find out when you are giving yoga classes, so that I specifically attend yours– because you are in my opinion a WONDERFUL yoga teacher/instructor. As you already know I also teach/instruct on the east coast, and it is very important to me to continue my own studies and practice as well as a student, even though I teach yoga. So it is a wonderful experience to practice with the direction of another, who is not only in the FLOW of living a yogic lifestyle, but who also understands the importance of not only the body postures (asanas), but as well the importance in connecting with each student to bring about the most in each one’s asana experience, and Flow of Energy within the experience of practicing yoga. I LOVE attending your yoga classes, your ease of working each person into asana, and your soothing voice & attitude always makes for a JOYful and completely relaxing time on so many levels for me. I can just allow myself to Flow in the trust of knowing I am in very competent hands when I attend your yoga classes.