When Florence first started practicing yoga in 2012 she was free of physical injuries, in the peak of her yang years and excited about this new dimension that yoga was bringing to her life. Better sleep, strength, extra flexibility, discipline and getting to know herself on a deeper level…
Although Florence spent time learning to be present and to be mindful, she wasn’t necessarily gentle and compassionate with her own body. Her ego was striving to reach the full expression of the poses she was practicing, following alignments cues that were taught as ‘one size fits all’.
Since attending her first teacher training, everything switched into a deeper level. By taking on the responsibility of teaching others she wanted (and still does!) to be particularly aware that each individual is coming from a different place on a physical, mental and emotional level.
Since then, thanks to anatomy studies and an additional Yin teacher training, Florence has developed a great awareness of the differences between bodies, humbly knowing that one pose doesn’t fit all. And that for many, what could seem to be taking 1 step back in your practice is actually taking 2 steps forward; allowing space where your body most needs it in order to bring the stability, strength and safe stretch that it needs.
Setting strong foundations to help keep aches at bay.In the more recent years Florence has experienced lower back pain (although interestingly she says this didn’t occur during pregnancy, like a lot of women, or even the year after) but later on when her practice was supposedly strong and more compassionate towards herself.
Why was this happening? She didn’t know and started to investigate, speaking to professionals, therapists, doctors, yoga teachers; taking different types of workshops, trying to educate herself on the subject, wherever there was solid and reliable information regarding the physical (but also the subtle) body. And it helped!
The lesson? Never stop learning!
As Florence says, she’s discovered so much and she’s now so excited to be able to share it with you during her regular studio classes and to an even greater depth in her upcoming workshop!
Workshop: Lower Back & Psoas Tension ReleaseAs the years have gone by Florence has noticed many yogis complaining about lower back pain, which may seem counterintuitive given that we assume yoga can help to relieve it. She truly believes from her research and findings that most people could avoid this physical discomfort by honouring their bodies and having the knowledge of how to consciously support our lower back, so it naturally becomes healthier through habitual practice.
Whether or not you have a diagnosis, suffer from chronic lower back pain, or simply want to learn more on the subject matter, you can come and join her and discover the general principles on supporting your lower back. Some of these tools will work for you, some won’t; we are all unique individuals but she is confident that you will gain something from these two hours together.
Expect a lot of talking during the first part of the workshop, alongside your practice, so you can feel the theory of the words in your body and tune into the physical feelings – the aim is to educate and keep it fun!
You will look into specific postures to ease pain (there will also be foam rolling massaging techniques to ease discomfort in the lower back) and create space, learning how to use props and create new habits for your practice on and off your mat. Naturally you will focus on core exercises; things like mild twists, but we will also target exercises and postures for hips, hamstrings and the mobility of the inner legs that all work together to support lower back maintenance.
The second part of the workshop has been designed for you to indulge in, nurture yourself and dive deep into yourself with a calming yin practice. It will help you feel refreshed, relaxed and at home with yourself, all while targeting the lower back and most importantly the psoas muscle, or the door of the soul…
Both experienced and beginners practitioners are welcome. We recommend that you bring along a notepad and pen to jot down any important takeaways.
