“Let’s begin by sitting in a cross-legged shape. Open up through the frontline of your chest and relax your shoulders. Allow your hands to soften down onto your knees and gently close your eyes.” I pause to peek through my half closed eyelids to make sure everyone was following and falling into a still space…

“For the next hour or so, enjoy the process of making space within your body through your gentle movements. Allow your breath to become your focal point as it flows through your tissues and revitalizes each cell. When you reach a place within a pose that feels good for your body, pause there and enjoy it. When you feel pain or tension, ease off. The beauty of this practice is the quality time you get to spend within your body; exploring, stretching and finding the ‘feel good’ places.”

We commenced our practice and by the end of the class – as is always the case – I was reminded through the smiles of relief and sense of lightness of just how powerful movement with intention really is.

A popular Yoga pose on the Londolozi Yoga Deck

Movement is a gift.

And through movement comes an immense sense of freedom… Freedom from the busy mind, as well as freedom from stuck fascia and stiffness amongst the tissues.

One of the best parts about facilitating a yoga class is observing how each person is able to invite this sense of freedom into their own self through their guided movements, which renews a large amount of confidence within one’s own body’s abilities. This freedom becomes evident in how much more comfortably individuals are able to sit cross-legged at the end of a class without fidgeting, as opposed to the awkward cross-legged attempts at the beginning of a class. Watching the look of delight on the faces when the balancing poses are conquered after a few consistent, wobbly attempts.

The long and still savasana at the end proves the point even more of how the mind is clear and the individuals are able to be completely at peace within their own head and body after breathing and moving.

And with this being said,

Movement is a gift.

It is inherent and natural in all of us.

As early as the very first few weeks within the womb, our bones and joints develop and we begin to move our feet and hands, our toes and our fingers. Once we are born, our entire body is urged to develop through explorations of fine and gross motor developments, engaging with our environment and exploring through movement.

We develop the ability to climb and skip, to hold a knife and fork, to bend down and to tie our laces, and the ability to refine movements into functional activities such as writing, sewing and painting.

Some of the most common remarks from guests who enter the yoga deck include: “ I am very inflexible and can’t touch my toes. I won’t be able to do much of the yoga. ” …

“I have never done yoga before as my body is tight and so I won’t be any good.”

“I am stiff all over from the long flights and so will try what I can but I don’t think I will be any good.”

I smile with every repeated comment and reply with the same answer each time – “ If you have a body- you can do yoga.”

The next hour on the deck is a beautiful opportunity to work with the individual bodies and remind each person how good it feels to become free through movement and feel amazing within their own frame.

At Londolozi, our two Yoga Instructors – Christina Fox and me – carry the awareness of being sensitive to each guests individual lifestyle, anatomical and physiological make-up. This supports the important task of being able to construct a class that fits the needs of our guests and their varying body sizes and types.

Depending on our physical work, activities and stress levels, our bodies consist of varying ranges of movement and consist of different strengths to build from. Boundaries are different and the experience that is sought after is achieved through varying channels – a simple yet strong sequence works for some, while others may seek out a more complex and flow-based class. Others are seeking a gentler and breath-work orientated meditation class.

Movement is a gift.

We move and groove, we stretch and breathe, we sweat and laugh and we find freedom through our postures and guided movements. Our bodies facilitate this sense of fun.. and we do this all by ourselves.

Although Yoga is constituted from a variety of postures that work on opening up the various lines within the body, our focus becomes inviting in beautiful imagery through our movements- through our upside down ‘dolphin poses’, ‘slow-flapping butterfly-poses’, ‘side-ward bending pouring the tea cup poses’, amongst many other playful postures.

We return to our natural childlike state, where we play through our bodies and remember how much we are capable of doing through fun movements without restrictions from the mind.  Our breath is woven into our movements – consciously and then becoming subconscious, acting as an anchor connecting point between the brain and the body, interlinking the two and enhancing concentration and the ability to stay focused and present on the fun movements at hand.

Movement is a gift.

We are reminded every day, through every body type and capability that as long as we have a body- we can do yoga.

We can explore and play.

We can breathe and laugh.

We can be free.

“It’s not about being good at something. It’s about being good to yourself.”

See you on the yoga deck…