How yoga helps
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Movement matters...Your body evolved to express itself with a wide range of motion, and the more you tap into those natural patterns, the more the aches and pains of sedentary life fade. People are often surprised to learn that lower back pain is often a result of tight hip flexors, that neck pain can be due to locked-up shoulders, and that your hamstrings can trigger dozens of aches in the body. When you’re stiff, it feels like you’re trapped in your own body. Maybe you can relate to that stuck feeling you can get during the physical activities you love, or just trying to sit down on and get up from the floor.
Why are we so stiff?Most new students I work with feel frustrated because they've lost their basic range of motion ~ the ability to bend forward at the hips, squat down deeply or clasp their hands behind their back. By the time most people reach adulthood, not only have they stopped moving freely like a child, they’ve lost the functional flexibility required to squat to lift a box or a child from the floor, cross their legs while sitting on the floor, or move freely in their favourite activities. The good news is you can regain your lost freedom of movement (and often much, much more). And the benefits you’ll experience go far beyond the yoga mat.
My storyMy name is Fran Keeley. I’m a secular yoga teacher with an interest in neurology ~ the branch of science that investigates the form and functions of our nervous system. As cultural approaches to yoga practice in the West evolve and change, my role could better be described now as a Mindbody Movement Coach. Still 'Yoga Teacher' is easier!
I'm a qualified Yoga Alliance Registered Teacher, Breathing Coach and Teacher in the Lifelong Learning Sector. I established Lotus Leaf 7 years ago, as a community yoga practice in Milton Keynes. With Covid, I took our practice online. I'm a teacher to the bone. I love sharing practice. I love supporting others with their own practice in our small friendly group. So we can keep it moving, support one another, shine on. |
I'd love to help you to...
Challenge ideas about agingCan you get up and down from the floor without using your hands? Can you sit cross-legged comfortably? Can you interlace your hands behind your back with straight arms? How does your body look when you’re tying your shoes?
Mind-body movement practice can help you regain the mobility of someone 10 years younger. So you can enjoy your freedom of movement and self expression. When your body moves freely, everything feels better. Movement becomes a real pleasure. |
Reduce stressWe all understand the experience of physical discomfort and pain. But did you know that mental and emotional stress can also get trapped in your shoulders, hips, and lower back? The body remembers.
Stress changes your body language, and when stress is chronic, we form holding patterns that both reflect and perpetuate it. Releasing tension in these areas can help release emotional response patterns reflected there. |
Relieve aches and painsWhen muscle groups grow tight, your body adopts work-arounds that get you into trouble. People with tight hips and hamstrings often externally rotate their hips when they walk or run. People with tight psoas muscles often sway their back and stick out their bottom. People with tight shoulders are often in a constant hunch. These imbalances lead to lower back, neck, and knee injuries, and other hassles.
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Improve your postureIf you look at modern bodies in profile, you’ll often see a forward tilted pelvis, sway back, hunched shoulders, or a texter's neck. Postural imbalances often begin in teenage years and become problematic by middle age. A misaligned body moves inefficiently and is much more prone to injury. Happily, many of these conditions can be resolved with regular mind~body work.
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Improve your circulationCardiovascular strength isn't the only factor affecting circulation. Stiffness is often systemic and indicates you may have impaired circulation. Flexibility training unblocks stuck areas and helps to naturally improve whole body circulation.
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Sleep wellTensions that accumulate with the challenges of each day can be greatly reduced with breathing and stretching practices. Just 20 minutes on your mat before you go to bed can help you fall asleep and sleep well.
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