Svaroopa Yoga - Svoopa-Huh? (July 9)

After my lovely morning chant, I headed down the road Yoga in Haddonfield for a Svaroopa Yoga class. I had no idea what it was, which was the point of taking it. I'd also heard it was a lovely studio, and since there was a 10am class, it was convenient for me to drop in.

Here is what their website says about Svaroopa Yoga:

Svaroopa^® yoga offers a significantly different paradigm in yoga poses. Our practice is both physical and more than physical.

We specialize in the inner opening. Svaroopa^® yoga poses release the tensions in the deepest layers of your body – the layers of muscles wrapped around your spine.

This opens up conscious access to the ever–expanding inner realms of your own being. Rather than using hatha yoga as a sophisticated form of exercise, Svaroopa^® yoga pursues the understanding of the deeper purposes of yoga: the understanding of your own essential nature

When your body is contracted, it shuts down and you lose the ability to feel it.Svaroopa^® yoga uses precise alignments in carefully selected poses, along with meticulous placement of props, to open up the deepest tensions of your body.

As soon as you experience this physical opening, you realize that something has opened all the way through your whole being. The physical changes are profound and reliable, but they become less significant to you as the practice provides an inner transformation that gives you new eyes through which to see. Your life and the whole world begin to look perfect, even though it is the same world that used to drive you to despair. The most profound shift is the inner one.

When I arrived I noticed lots of nice little shops and made a mental note to go back to Haddonfield shopping whether I liked the class or not! The people at Yoga in Haddonfield were very nice and got me started with 5 yoga blankets, 2 blocks, 2 wedges and a strap. What??? Ok. I waited as the room began to fill up with folks....senior folks. I was literally the only one under 55 in the room. I thought it must be a real good therapeutic practice and wondered why I'd never heard of it before?

The teacher, Kemm, was very nice and nurturing. We started on our backs in Savasana. Kemm came over and got me all situation, helped me refold the blankets their way, wedged them into my legs, gave me a couple of adjustments and fixed my pants saying, "I'm a mom, I fix everything."

I lied back ready to relax and let go. Kemm began to lead us through a Yoga Nidra practice - bliss! Well, it should have been pure bliss, but I started to notice my right wrist nagging me. I wasn't quite sure why, but I decided not to move and just breathe through it. After our long savasana, I reach over and cracked my wrist. It hasn't hurt me since!

The practice was very much like a Restorative practice, however we did a lunge and a spinal twist without props (blocks under the hands if we needed it). Then it was back to savasana again. The class was about an hour and a half and I felt super relaxed afterwards...and my wrist is great! I think there may be a little something to this Svaroopa-doopa Yoga and I may need to look a little more into it!

I really liked the way that the studio was set up. I was surprised to see how many statues they had - from a very large Shiva to Lakshmi tapestries to a beautiful Kwan Yin. The space was quiet and nicely decorated. It gave me some nice ideas for the studio at home - in fact, I have to say that I'm getting lots of great ideas on decorations and set-ups for my own studio - whether it's something I see, or something that comes to me in class.
Namaste.