How often do we stop to consider our bodies? And we don’t mean those aspects of it that we’re often displeased with such as the size of our posterior or midriff. Nor do we mean as something that responds with pain or discomfort when we prod it. But how often do we consider it as a vessel that’s brought us where we are today, and give it the attention it deserves to consider its intricacies, and its vital connection to our mental and emotional selves?
Well, these being a string of rhetorical questions which imply the assumption that ‘never’ or ‘rarely’ would be your answer, we’ll take the liberty to say: now’s a good time to begin, and here’s a good place.
Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy works on the premise that our bodies store memory. It is different from conventional yoga, in that it focuses more on designing a programme to deal with specific issues that a person may bring to the mat. When we attended a session of one-on-one yoga therapy with instructor Pam Greer, we had no clue about what to expect.
Firstly, this isn’t your average yoga. Here, you’ll find none of that stumbling to balance yourself in impossible positions, and trying to maintain an air of dignity while spying to see if your neighbour is getting it right. Instead you’ll have yoga done to you, with the instructor moving and stretching your limbs, or rearranging your position. (For this reason it’s very hands on and quite intimate.) All the while, you’ll keep your eyes closed to maintain that personal, inner-reflective state. Recognising that the body is a store-house of memories, it’s expected that some of those memories may surface while your body-parts are being stimulated. This is the point. Also note the word ‘therapy’ in ‘yoga therapy’, but don’t let it scare you off. You will be encouraged to talk, or express what you are experiencing as you go through the session, but by no means is this necessary if you’d rather not.
‘It’s an opportunity to have your experience heard in a non judgemental way,’ Pam said about the verbal aspect.
‘I can be present in your experience, but I’m not fully cognitive of what your experience is if you aren’t talking to me. And the other thing that talking does is that it gives me the opportunity to pull you back into the experience if it doesn’t seem to be finished.’
Hailing from a nursing and education background, Pam has been doing yoga for 20 years. She currently runs yoga sessions at BodyTree Studios, and also offers one-on-one yoga therapy in her own home. Pam is by no means a psychiatrist or councillor. She’s not there to analyse or make notes, but to simply guide and sometimes prod you.
‘I’m also a firm believer that things don’t come up unless you’re ready to deal with it. This is one of the reasons why in this particular practice we don’t direct people in any way or try to uncover things,’ she explained.
‘It’s more: this is what your experience is right now. This is what’s front and centre for you in this moment, so explore it. And you may not explore it completely, but you’ll explore whatever feels safe or what you’re ready to explore right now.’
Before the session began, Pam asked us about our support base. This could be family members, friends or doctors. We asked her why this was relevant and were informed that many people need to speak to someone while processing things after the session. So having a support system of family and friends to talk to is very important.
‘Unfortunately, the reality is that many ex-pats who live in the UAE don’t have this support base and this combined with hectic work-lives, can cause the stress and anxiety in the first place. When you’re looking at stress management,’ she added, ‘a daily practice of some kind of mindfulness is important.’
According to Pam, the yoga therapy session we experienced is called Befriending Your Body. ‘We spent a lot of time focussing on the physical person, which many of us don’t.’ She explained.
‘We have a tendency to shove off and therefore miss lots of things that are going on. Our bodies speak to us in many ways; through breath, physical sensation, emotions, mental processes and spirit. PRYT has the potential to help us listen to all of these parts of ourselves as we move through our lives.’
And the verdict? The session being rather personal, we couldn’t possibly disclose details. However, we can say that when the one and a half hours was complete, we opened our eyes to a feeling of lightness and insightful calm.
Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy one-on-one sessions are Dhs400 for one and a half hours and Dhs1,200 for four sessions. For more info contact Pam Greer (050 268 5313). Pam Greer also instructs a stress management group based on Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy. This is an eight week course priced at Dhs1,000 for early bookings. To register contact BodyTree Studios (02 667 6579).
