Join experienced yoga teachers Allison Welder and Mina Isabel Shahriary for a six-week deep dive into tending your nervous system. Drawing on multiple wisdom traditions and modern polyvagal theory, we’ll explore yoga practices and other powerful self-care techniques that can help support a healthy, resilient nervous system. In the process, we’ll connect and co-regulate together in community.
Each class will begin with a simple tea ceremony, brief connection circle, guided meditation and somatic movement. We’ll continue with a learning & discussion circle followed by a gentle 30 to 45-minute practice. Class will end with deep relaxation accompanied by healing sound, stone medicine, and/or marma point massage.
Over the six weeks, you will gather a toolkit of simple and effective self-care practices you can use—and share with others—to help calm, nourish and restore balance in your nervous system.
Sundays, February 16 - March 23, 2024
1:00 PM - 3:30 PM EST
Energy Exchange: $333
Scholarships are available for those with financial need. Please send a message to inquire.
15 CEUs are available for yoga teachers.
Here’s what we’ll cover in our six weeks together…
Week 1: Intro to the Nervous System
Understanding polyvagal theory
Factors that contribute to nervous system dysregulation
Nervous system regulation through the lens of yoga and Ayurveda
Cultivating self-compassion & recognizing your current physiological state
Week 2: The Healing Power of Breath & Sound
Physiology of the breath, heart rate variability and vagal tone
The yogic science of pranayama (life force extension)
Calming breathwork practices you can do anywhere
Mantra, vocal toning, sound healing & nada yoga (the yoga of sound)
Week 3: The Art of Deep Rest & Rejuvenation
The importance of rest, slowing down & being vs. doing
Herbal support for restorative rest
The five koshas (sheaths of the soul)
A guided yoga nidra (yogic sleep) practice
Week 4: Herbal Allies & Nourishment
An Ayurvedic perspective on the nervous system
Relational herbalism & connecting with your plant allies
Nervines, adaptogens & flower essences
Ayurvedic self-massage techniques
Week 5: Stone Medicine & Re-Mineralizing Your Body
Introduction to stone medicine (healing with crystals)
How to work with stones to rebalance your nervous system
Learning what depletes minerals in the body
How to re-mineralize your body with water, foods & nourishing herbs
Week 6: Movement, Play & Nature Connection
Mindful mobilization of prana (vital life force energy)
Looking to the seasons, cycles and elements for wisdom and support
Shirin-yoku (forest bathing) & aromatic medicine
Rewilding, grounding (or earthing) and connecting with the energies of the earth
Art by Paul Heussenstamm
By addressing the nervous system directly (via the body), we can cultivate the physical, mental and emotional resources needed to navigate challenging times with grace and resilience. Throughout this multi-sensory experiential course, you will:
Cultivate a deeper connection to your body and its innate wisdom
Learn to recognize and interpret the signals of your nervous system
Discover accessible strategies to relax, energize and self-regulate
Release built-up tension and stress
Explore the intersection of ancient wisdom and modern polyvagal theory
Connect, co-regulate and build community