The beauty of the full body moving in space still brings joy to my heart. I have been teaching plus size yoga for 12 years now and I was reminded again why I love teaching this class!

A new client came in to take class tonight. There was a sense of welcome and surprise when a classmate recognized her! A quick smile and she was on her way to Ujjayi breathing.

With fuller breasts, abdomens and thighs, the larger body is often overlooked in a traditional yoga class. The instructor may tell her to modify but not know how to instruct her or the class moves quickly with advanced moves and challenging shapes for the plus size body. The client leaves frustrated and may even hit that downward spiral of how “fat” and “out of shape” she is.

I love helping her find the shapes that work best for her body. Here’s where there is pure joy, connection and breath. Below are 2 suggestions to help you get started on your pathway toward wellness with Plus Size Yoga.

1 - Diaphragmatic  Breathing – Lying in your bed, bend the knees or place a pillow under your knees to allow the lower back to relax in a neutral position.  Place a solid book on your abdomen below your navel.  As you inhale through your nose, the book should rise.  As you exhale through your nose or mouth, your abdomen should soften  and the book will lower.  Have a feeling of the navel moving toward your spine.  Repeat the breath sequence  5 times and work your way up to 10 times.  You may find this challenging at first, but keep practicing!  This can be used as a way to unwind after a long day or as a way to get your day started, centered and peaceful!

2 – Stretch Up – Seated or in a standing position, bring your hands together like you were going to dive into a pool.  Raise your arms up by your ears (try and keep your shoulders relaxed).  Now lift your heart and bring your eyes to focus where the wall meets the ceiling.  Inhale through your nose, exhale through your mouth.  Repeat the breathing sequence 5 times.  Relax the arms by your sides.  This can be used before meals to give more space to your inteenal organs.  It can also be used before meetings or high stress situations to help regulate your breath and reduce stress.

The 5 week Plus Size Yoga Program begins April 19, 2011.