Often we get asked what are some of the ways that our back can be protected or recover from pain, and while it is very important that anytime you experience severe back pain you consult your medical practitioner, in our experience here are some of the ways that you can help protect your back

• Stand up and Walk regularly during the day, especially if you are in a job that requires you to sit for continuous periods of time. If possible every 50 minutes get up and walk around for about 10 minutes
• Drink plenty of water, by keeping your body well hydrated, your spine and muscles will remain supple
• If possible day perform a series of gentle stretches that aim to release tension stored in your body from daily activities, if possible following sound Yoga principles
• Daily perform mid body strengthening exercises, targeting all abdominal muscles, back and lateral torso muscles aiming for symmetry and keeping flexibility
• Systematically move all joints with control along safe ranges

Any exercise regime you decide to start and maintain, must seek to restore and if possible increase mobility ranges to your back and all around your mid section in order to reduce or eliminate the risk of muscles creating misalignments along your spine

At Ananda one of the reasons we decided to specialize in Reformer Pilates and traditional Yoga is that these two disciplines are especially designed to restore, maintain and over time increase symmetrical muscle development, flexibility, back and joint health and balance

Besides the above, stress reduction by either or both of the above practices is a welcome bonus. We hope you will introduce the above principles into your exercise regime, and if possible add Yoga and Reformer Pilates to remain mobile, flexible and strong while protecting your back

During the practice of Usui Shiki Ryoho Reiki, which is the tradition I learned from Sensei Phyllis Lei Furumoto and which I practice daily, one of the naturally occurring effects is that of stepping into a space of mental and emotional serenity regardless of external conditions

I have found that when I practice meditation in the tradition of Ashtanga or Raja Yoga, the meditative space and effects are very similar, so why then practice Reiki ?

Two of the main reasons are that to practice Reiki all I have to do is lay my hands on my body, and I don’t have to pay close attention to the process for it to work

In Ashtanga meditation, sitting still, concentration, breath control and other elements have to be present to step into a meditative space

So if you are still struggling with quieting the mind or other challenges to be able to properly meditate, Reiki may be a better practice to access the benefits of a clear and serene mind

I regularly schedule classes for first and second degree of Usui Shiki Ryoho Reiki, but you are also welcome to send me your questions or inquire about treatments or future classes

Gilberto Arias

At Ananda, we encourage everyone to explore their body’s potential without the use of props, except when a medical condition prevents a student from practicing Yoga safely without props. Sometimes an instructor may introduce props for the purpose of teaching an activation of certain muscles, but then the students are promptly graduated away from them.

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Q. Where does Reiki energy come from?

Reiki energy is a subtle energy. It is different than electricity or chemical energy or other kinds of physical energy. Reiki energy comes from the Higher Power, which exists on a higher dimension than the physical world we are familiar with. When viewed clairvoyantly, Reiki energy appears to come down from above and to enter the top of the practitioners head after which if flows through the body and out the hands. It appears to flow this way because of our perspective. However, the true source of Reiki energy is within ourselves. This does not mean that we use our personal energy when we do Reiki, but that the energy is coming from a transcendental part of ourselves that is connected to an infinite supply of healing energy. (more…)

At Ananda we aim and promise to work hard to help you enjoy every minute of your visit

We work to provide you with a safe, nurturing, judgement free and family friendly environment where you can practice Yoga, Pilates Reformer, Meditation and Pranayama, other Yogic practices and workshops and get your massage or Reiki treatment.

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Pilates Reformer is a practice appropriate for Teens and Adults without active injuries

At Ananda we teach Pilates Reformer using the method developed by Gilberto Arias incorporating classical Pilates  exercises with Yoga and modern Fitness techniques  to speed up the process of change and to restore range of motion and strength while developing lean long muscle without bulking up

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New to yoga? We were all beginners once, and we are always beginning something, so we LOVE beginners !Anyone can do Yoga, you don’t have to come already knowing how to do it or flexible, Yoga always helps no matter where we are staring from

At Ananda we offer Soft and moderate Hatha, Flow based (Vinyasa) Hatha, and Children’s Yoga

In addition, we indicate the level in the description for each class, which is indicative of what you can expect, however all our instructors are certified and trained to offer modifications so you can access a version of the pose safely and still reap the rewards of the practice

The best way to begin a yoga practice is to sign up and take your first class, if you are coming back to practice, or beginning, or just want to stretch and relax, we recommend you  attend a Soft Hatha, or Hatha class.

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