Wellness
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Feel the sunlight
By Kristen SchottPublished: March 01, 2009
People are constantly telling me to relax, take a break. I was unwilling to slow down for even a second, and the thought of yoga wasn’t one I was open to; frankly, I had no desire to do it. But after a bit of coaxing, I gave it a try and found it to be an enlightening experience.
I headed to Mission Hospital’s Women’s Wellness Center for my first class. It’s a 15,000-square-foot facility that offers a range of services to women for the mind, body and spirit. Through a partnership with Lisa Brabender’s Lotus7 Yoga and Pilates Studio in Rancho Santa Margarita, the center holds weekly one-hour sessions that focus on the basics of yoga.
I took Yoga Stretch, which was led by Raul Cinco, an instructor with Lotus7. He stressed that we should concentrate on our movements and deep breathing, as opposed to form. He led us through a variety of poses. The deep muscle stretches, from the tops of our heads to the bottoms of our feet, allowed the class to feel every inch of our beings before we were led to a final calming sequence.
“Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves,” Cinco says. And that’s the basis of the program. Brabender calls yoga a community – which it is. The word “yoga” means “union,” and the yoga community is bonded together as it helps to bring sunshine to those of us who often forget to stop and enjoy it.
What: Yoga Stretch classes
Where: Women’s Wellness Center, 27700 Medical Center Road, Mission Viejo
Phone: 949.364.1400
Web: mission4health.com or lotus7yoga.com
Class schedule: Thursdays from 5 to 6 p.m.
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I headed to Mission Hospital’s Women’s Wellness Center for my first class. It’s a 15,000-square-foot facility that offers a range of services to women for the mind, body and spirit. Through a partnership with Lisa Brabender’s Lotus7 Yoga and Pilates Studio in Rancho Santa Margarita, the center holds weekly one-hour sessions that focus on the basics of yoga. I took Yoga Stretch, which was led by Raul Cinco, an instructor with Lotus7. He stressed that we should concentrate on our movements and deep breathing, as opposed to form. He led us through a variety of poses. The deep muscle stretches, from the tops of our heads to the bottoms of our feet, allowed the class to feel every inch of our beings before we were led to a final calming sequence. “Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves,” Cinco says. And that’s the basis of the program. Brabender calls yoga a community – which it is. The word “yoga” means “union,” and the yoga community is bonded together as it helps to bring sunshine to those of us who often forget to stop and enjoy it. What: Yoga Stretch classes Where: Women’s Wellness Center, 27700 Medical Center Road, Mission Viejo Phone: 949.364.1400 Web: mission4health.com or lotus7yoga.com Class schedule: Thursdays from 5 to 6 p.m. |
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