I decided to return to yoga after long hiatus which includes my dabbling in pilates, hip hop and belly dancing. At first, I did yoga in the same studio as my other classes then a friend mentioned Sunstone yoga's introductory program.
Initially, I didn't know what to think about SY since I was more used to the free-style yoga classes where you never know what comes next. I wasn't sure that following a fixed routine would be mentally challenging enough.
However, it soon became apparent to me that the sequence of poses were carefully designed such that each pose is followed by an opposing pose (where you stretch one set of muscles and then the opposing muscles -- I'm sure there is a technical term for this). Then once I remember the sequence of poses, I was able to focus more on my breathing and my balance instead of trying to anticipate what the next pose is going to be. As a result, I am much more relaxed after each class. And the repetition also helps me to better gauge my progress. Yet, there are enough variety (different types of classes) to keep me engaged.
And I was pleased that SY uses efficient energy and provide filter water for people like me (who don't want to increase landfill with plastic bottles) although I wish I could figure out if they also use eco-friendly detergent and cleaning supplies.
In any case, I highly recommend trying out Sunstone yoga and find out if it is the right practice for you.
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