(ONLINE) CRITICAL ALIGNMENT
Yoga Classes
A practice to release tension and stress, by re-connecting the physical body, emotional world, breath and the mind. CAY makes you feel strong, relaxed and at ease again.
What is Critical Alignment Yoga?
Critical Alignment is physical bodywork that goes deeper than just the physical body; it breaks through habitual patterns and creates a new body-mind awareness that will make you feel at ease.
The CAY practice aims to reveal areas of stress and tension in our body. The exercises mobilize the spine, release muscular tension and restore our innate mobility and strength. By working through stiff areas, you are facing not only your habitual patterns and physical structure, but also the way in which you interact with yourself and the world around you. Becoming conscious about these patterns opens up a freeway to release blockages and emotions, that not longer suit you. The results is a feeling of relieve, lightness and spaciousness in the body and the mind; a feeling of being totally at ease. Both on and off the yoga mat!
A Typical CAY Class
During the class we will work with typical CAY tools, such as the strip, the mat, the backbender and the headstander. By using gravity and body weight, we will be able to work on a deep physical level in the upper and lower back.
The class is especially, but not only, interesting for people with back (related) pain and stress symptoms. The practice will move slowly and precisely through the exercises, giving you the time to analyze your own movement patterns and effectively release stress and tensions from the body. Not only will we discover areas of tension, stress and limited movement, but also create new mobility, postural strength and a free breath. Students typically feel longer and lighter after the class, which results in a deep sensation of spaciousness and relaxation.
The Benefits of Critical Alignment Yoga
Through Critical Alignment you’ll learn how to:
- Deepen your body awareness by identifying your unconscious habitual patterns, and see how these habits limit movement and become sources of back (related) pain, discomfort, stress and even injury.
- Interrupt unhealthy habitual patterns from the inside out, linking your body and mind through asana, pranayama and meditation.
- Restore crucial mobility and build up core strength and balance.
- Refine your yoga practice (inversions, standing postures, forward bends, backbends, twists, and seated postures) through precise, subtle physiological adjustments.
- Enhance a sense of freedom by bringing ease and lightness into your practice and ultimately into your life.
Practice
WEEKLY IN PERSON CLASS
Join me on the mat in the heart of Amsterdam (de Pijp):
Every Friday 9:30 – 11:00 at the School voor Yogasanas (Rustenburgerstraat 233hs, Amsterdam)
Beginners level.
LIVE ONLINE CRITICAL ALIGNMENT YOGA CLASS
A series of 8 classes
In the months of March and April I will offer 8 online Critical Alignment classes, offered as a series in which we gradually move through various parts of our body and mind.
“The natural healing force within each of us is the greatest force in getting well.” Hippocrates
As you might know, a typical Critical Alignment (CA) practice uses both ‘soft props’ (the CA strip and a felt mat), as well as ‘big props’ (CA block, headstander and backbender). In this online class series, I will bring both groups into practice. I am aware that not everyone will have the big props, so I divided the class into two parts, as you can read about below.
Feel free to attend only part 1 or move into part 2 with me – for which you will need some experience with the headstander practice.
Part 1 – CA practice (soft props)
We will use the ‘soft props’ within the first 70 minutes of the class. During this practice we will use the CA connections to look closer into various parts of our system. An important part will be tuning into the delicate mind-body interrelationship, and the innate ability of our being to move back to balance naturally and effortlessly. We will finish the class as usual in a short savasana.
Part 2 – Inversions (with headstander and block)
Right after part 1, I offer a 15-20” inversion practice for those who wish to continue with the headstander for inversions. In March we will use the headstander for a variation of the headstand (sirsasana), in April we will use the headstander and CA block (or various yoga blankets) to move into the shoulderstand (sarvangasana). Inversions invite us to observe our lives upside down, in which deep calmness and stillness will slowly emerge. As we activate our midline strength, it activates a consciousness about our core being.
Dates & Times
Mondays March 6, 13, 20, 27 and April 3, 10, 17, 24
CA Practice (part 1):
8:30 – 9:40 am PST / 17:30 – 18:40 CET
Inversions (part 2):
9:40 – 10:00 am PST / 18:40 – 19:00 CET
A recording of each class will be shared via Vimeo about 2 days after the class. These videos will be available until the end of May 2023.
Costs for the series of 8 classes: $ 80,00 (about 75 euro)
Costs for a single class: $ 12,50 (about 11,25 euro)
Interested to join?
Contact me and I’ll send you more information and a link to pay for the series. Please let me know if you want to attend part 1 or both parts.
ONLINE CRITICAL ALIGNMENT STUDIO
A variety of Critical Alignment focused classes can be found in my CA Online Studio.
The CA Therapy program focuses on single-exercise videos, which target specific areas in the body. (20+ videos)
The CA Yoga Program contains full-length classes, with a variety of focus points and levels. (30+ videos)
QUESTIONS?
Contact me for questions about the classes, CA props, etc, I always love to hear from you.
FAQs about Critical Alignment Yoga Classes
How do I sign up for your class?
If you want to sign up for a class of Zita, please go to www.yogaoflosaltos.com. For private sessions, please contact Zita directly here.
Where can I learn more about Zita?
Zita van Wees is a certified Critical Alignment Yoga and Therapy teacher. She has intensively studied with founder Gert van Leeuwen. Please read more on her background here.
How much does a class cost?
For price information on the classes and workshops, please go to www.yogaoflosaltos.com. For private sessions, please continue here, which states prices, location and how to contact Zita directly.
Where can I learn more about Critical Alignment?
On the website www.criticalalignment.com you’ll find more in-depth information on Critical Alignment and founder Gert van Leeuwen. Please look for the menu item ‘English’ to head to the English section of the website (as the rest is in Dutch). Also interesting to watch are the video’s on CAY props and the introduction to Critical Alignment philosophy by Gert van Leeuwen.
Happy Praises
Become a ‘C.A.Y. with Zita’-insider!
Each month, and truly only once a month, I’ll send you an email with inspiration, education and tips. It’ll be about practicing Critical Alignment Yoga based movements, exercises and consciousness, both on and off the yoga mat. So you can live actively and completely at ease!
* = information is required
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