The Bradford Women’s+ Group changed things up over the summer months.
Instead of holding sessions in the library that focused on issues, education and frank and open discussion in a safe space, the group got “physical.”
Interested women+ were invited to come and try boot camp, Zumba, and just this Monday, yoga at the library, in a special hour-and-a-half long sessions.
Nicole Allison of Radiant Wellness, and a yoga instructor at Kinnect Studio in Bradford, led Monday’s class, “just giving a sample of what the class feels like – a typical beginner class.”
She teaches prenatal yoga, restorative yoga, and Hatha – “I’ve been practicing for about 10 years, and I feel like I’ve just scratched the surface,” Allison said.
Her hope is that yoga will become a choice, and a “deeper, longer practice for some people.”
Participants were asked to bring their own mats, and relax in the darkened Zima room, with gentle music playing in the background.
As she led the group through relaxation, breathing and stretching, Allison explained that she had been “coerced” into attending a yoga class by her sister, but found it was a good fit for her life and her lifestyle.
“A lot of things in my life changed, and not just physically,” Allison said. “I had a lot more confidence in life and a lot more self-awareness.”
She decided to focus on yoga, and five years ago became a yoga instructor. On Monday, she introduced Hatha yoga “one pose at a time,” telling the students, “Breathe into it. Be aware of how your body moves into it.”
It was the last active session of the summer, said Bradford Women’s+ Group co-founder Jenn Lloyd, but the group has a full schedule planned for the fall.
“We’ll have about two sessions planned every month,” Lloyd said, partnering with other groups and presenters to bring significant issues, like human trafficking, to the attention of members.
There may even be a return of the “active sessions,” said Lloyd – “maybe in the new year if people are interested.”
The next session is Sept. 12, in the Zima Room at the BWG Public Library. For more information click here.
