We did the morning workshop with Gabriel Halpern at Kalitrea in Crystal Lake, IL. Our weekly yoga teacher Kate Halma recommended his workshops, and I was having some hip issues, so we went.
It was crowded and warm – 25 people in the space. Very slippery floors. We sat and did different poses for 5 minute periods while he discussed his philosophies on yoga and allopathic medicine.
Here is what the class syllabus included:
One startling discovery is that pain in the knees is often referred there from the hips. Consistent yoga practice confers two benefits: looser hips and flexible knees. Stiffness and immobility can become a thing of the past. For students with special needs, yoga has ways of helping injuries recover from trauma and heal more quickly. Yogis claim that increasing circulation and oxygenation to any body part renew its life. By days’ end you’ll come away with: A) a working knowledge of your own anatomy, B) instruction in a series of sequences to build strength and balance, C) relaxation exercises for tension in the pelvis and lower extremities, D) personal corrections to improve your poses.
He asked for people with issues with knees and hips. Hey, that’s me!
He brought me up to the front of the class and showed how my posture is bad. Then I tried my lunge and the class winced as I did. He showed how I could lunge backwards, using a chair to stabilize me. That works great.
It was a good course, and I feel like I got more out of it by being called to the front of the class. Embarrassment pays off. Get over it.
Yoga Circle with Gabriel Halpern
Kalitrea Yoga Studio 4410 Rt. 176 #5 Crystal Lake, IL 60012