Preventive Yoga - San Francisco CA & East Hampton NY

Concierge Yoga classes in a beautiful private setting hosted by international yoga therapist Cora Wen.

Join us and share the journey of Yoga as we bloom into awareness and acceptance.

Register for Individual Classes

February - April 2018 San Francisco

Saturdays 1:30p-3:30p beginning February 3

To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour.
~ William Blake

What is Preventive Yoga

Preventive health is the science and practice of disease prevention and health promotion. We need ways to drop the stresses and tensions which unconsciously burden us to set the stage for a focused and joyful life.

Cora provides individual sessions pairing traditional modalities of renewal and balance with the goal of achieving and maintaining maximum health and wellness. She believes a combination of yoga and lifestyle choices is most effective in addressing such issues as low energy, sleep loss, stress, anxiety and malaise. Utilizing diverse and integrative approaches, her exclusive and individualised sessions promise deep transformation, lasting positive results, and a meaningful sense of peace and happiness.

Preventive Yoga is a practice that includes dynamic physical poses, along with deep relaxation and time for rest and reflection. The practice includes props to support the body, and sound therapy along with meditation to support the mind and spirit.

Health encompasses a variety of physical and mental states, which are affected by the environment, genetic predisposition and lifestyle choices. Health, disease, and disability are dynamic processes which begin before we realise we are affected. Advancements in technology and speed have helped create a workplace that is demanding, with deadlines that are now measured in minutes that make our hearts race.

We live in a society that is over-caffeinated, over-tasked and over stressed. Each year, millions of people die preventable deaths.  A 2004 study showed that half of all deaths in the US were due to preventable behaviors and exposures.  This study estimated 400,000 people die each year due to poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle.

What is Alignment Yoga?

Yoga is accessible to anyone. Regular practice increases suppleness, strength and stamina, improves posture and concentration and quiets the mind to promote well-being.

Alignment Yoga focuses on the structural alignment of the physical body and aims to unite body, mind and spirit for health and well-being. It is a form that emphasises detail, precision and alignment. The practice is a development of strength, mobility and stability that uses props including belts, blocks, and blankets, as aids to minimize the risk of injury or strain, and make poses accessible to all.

What is Iyengar Yoga?

The Iyengar yoga technique emphasises precision and alignment. Quality of movement is prioritised over quantity. You learn to move with ease in the body while working within its limitations. This makes the yoga postures (asanas) safe.

Yoga Postures are held for longer than in other methods, allowing tight muscles to lengthen and relax, and help focus awareness. Iyengar differs from the other styles of yoga by three key elements: technique, sequence and timing.

  • Technique refers to precision of body alignment
  • Sequence means following specific sequence is important , because only the combination of certain poses and techniques can ensure positive effect.
  • Timing defines the time spent in each pose

Why is Yoga Important?

Integrating yoga into a wellness program is beneficial on many levels. It can help prevent injury, relax muscles, and keep you flexible. The benefits of reduced stress and increased breathing capacity can give you a sense of wellbeing that can become an integral part of your health. Yoga is a powerful tool to relieve the stresses of modern-day life, helping to promote total physical and spiritual well-being.

Each group of yoga postures develops the body in different yet reciprocal ways and has different qualities: grounding, energising, strengthening, stimulating and calming. Yoga Classes at all levels devote time to relaxation. Once the body and mind are strong enough to sit or lie for extended periods without distraction, students learn pranayama (yogic breathing).

What is Concierge Yoga?

You may not want to join a group class because it feels intimidating in a large group class that is challenging and ambitiously fitness oriented. Going into a big class with people at different levels can lead to practicing without proper alignment. Improper alignment can lead to injury.

Concierge yoga provides personal attention and time to show you how to get into and out of poses properly. The focus will be on you as we personally select the right props you may need to meet your goals. Concierge yoga offers a safe space to acquaint yourself with yoga’s profound benefits, and is available within your own schedule. We’ll carefully select sequences to meet your personal needs. With Concierge yoga, you’ll focus on goals and personalized instruction based on your health, body type and lifestyle. On your own time.

I’m offering small workshops and private classes in our private studio in East Hampton, and each class is created as an individual experience for the student. Please contact me directly for classes or look at the workshop page here.