Creative Ideas That Inspire
Restore mind and body from the bustle and heat of summer with these cooling and revitalizing classes.
Autumn has arrived, and with it comes an invitation to slow down after the fun and flurry of the summer months. Let these creative ideas inspire you to help participants reset and rejuvenate their minds in preparation for this slower season.
AntiGravity Cocooning®, touted as “naptime for adults,” is offered at Crunch Gym in New York. The 45-minute class includes stretching and guided meditation, followed by a period of quiet “hang time” in an antigravity hammock. Participants use this time to simply rest or even nap, if they choose. In a press release, the gym’s regional group fitness manager said, “It gives you some time to let everything go, fall into the hammock, rest and let gravity take over.” It also provides much-needed postworkout recovery.
Specially trained instructors lead Reiki-Infused Yoga at Flowforms Yoga in Worcester, Massachusetts. This offering features a series of yin and restorative postures that are complemented with a hands-on Reiki treatment, which is believed to help students more fully surrender in the postures. Guided meditation is included, as well as breath work and an extra-long final relaxation, during which each student is given a bonus Reiki treatment.
Yogala in Los Angeles offers an auditory relaxation experience called Gong Alchemy Soundbath. It is low-effort—participants simply lie down and listen to the soothing tones of gongs and crystal singing bowls. Sound therapy is believed to improve focus; provide relief from stress and anxiety; facilitate the release of stagnant energy and emotional blocks; and assist in deepening meditation.
StrengthFarm® Mindfulness at StrengthFarm in Portland, Oregon, explores ways to cultivate mindfulness in all areas of life. According to its website, the program trains athletes and executives to become more self-aware “as a foundation for cultivating their human potential for self-development, social relationships, community engagement and greater good.” Participants are taught mindfulness techniques that blend the contemporary sciences of neurobiology with ancient contemplative traditions.
Another yin yoga class, Stone Out Stress at Rock In Opposition Studio in Halifax, Nova Scotia, is taught by a yoga teacher who is also a licensed massage therapist. The class incorporates hands-on adjustments, massage and hot stone application, which aids tension release. The slower pace of the poses has a restorative effect on mind and body.
Lisa Quigley
Lisa Quigley is the Publications Assistant at IDEA Health & Fitness Association. She considers herself first and foremost a writer. Her love of words and stories inspired her to pursue a degree in English and continue on to receive an MFA in Creative Writing.
During her academic pursuits, Lisa also discovered yoga. Her personal practice was so powerfully transforming that she decided to become a yoga teacher. In 2012, she was certified at the 200 hour level. She spent the next three years teaching at multiple yoga studios throughout San Diego County. As a yoga teacher, she seeks to encourage people to love and accept themselves as they areÔÇöwhile at the same time welcoming opportunities for growthÔÇöso they can feel more at home in their bodies and lead more fulfilling lives.
The position at IDEA Health & Fitness Association allows Lisa to combine all of her interests in one place. She is thrilled to be part of a company who's mission aligns so closely with her own vision and values.
