Welcome
THE EMBODIMENT PRACTICE is a trauma informed yoga practice. It is an integration of principles of hatha yoga, somatic movement psychology, neuroscience and polyvagal theory. We embrace the power of movement as a path of well-being.
Our intention is to cultivate practices of befriending our bodies and understanding somatic regulation strategies for daily life.
Practices include: Somatic Practices, Gentle Yoga Flows, Restorative Yoga, Yoga Nidra, Pranayama, and Education: vagus nerve and autonomic nervous system.
Yoga stimulates different nerves in your body especially the Vagus nerve that carries information from the brain to most of the body's major organs, slows everything down and allows self-regulation. It's the nerve that is associated with the parasympathetic system and emotions like love, joy and compassion.
-- Deepak Chopra
About The Embodiment Practice
The Embodiment Practice utilizes foundations of the hatha yoga, neuroscience, polyvagal theory and somatic movement psychology. As we practice, we cultivate awareness of our internal landscape (interoception), external environment cues (exteroception) and physical movement in space, felt sense, (proprioception). These are the 3 principles of embodiment - interoception, exteroception and proprioception.
We seek to provide accessible practices from a trauma informed lens. This means there is more emphasis as 'your practice your choice,' freeing our intuitive wisdom to be present on and off the mat. We hope to cultivate greater freedom and exploration of your unique needs in tailoring practices.
As you may be unfamiliar with these types of practices, or to hatha yoga in general, here are some thing you may expect.
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Cues, or instruction, may include more emphasis of a nervous system perspective.
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The word "asana", often referred to as a pose, may be more emphasized as shape or form.
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The somatic principles encourage gentle, intuitive movement attuned to your body's in the moment needs along with conscious choice.
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We cultivate mindfulness, presence, orienting grounding, centering
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Breathwork, pranayama, may include trauma informed cues
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There is more inclusion in active deep rest practices such as restorative yoga and yoga nidra (Yogic Sleep)
About the Teacher
Julie Cardoza, M.S., RYT 200, is a yoga teacher that is passionate about bringing yoga that is welcoming of every body type and shape. Julie herself is a full-bodied yogini. She is a student of yoga, neuroscience, polyvagal theory and somatics. She specializes in providing yoga to communities of trauma recovery, mental health, substance abuse recovery, aging and body image.
Her credentials include 200 HR Hatha Yoga. She holds a number of specialized trainings in: Accessible Yoga, Yoga Nida, Trauma Informed Yoga, Applied Polyvagal Theory in Yoga, Embodiment and Somatic Regulation and Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapy.
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Yoga and Somatic Based Practices
From a neuro-informed perspective yoga offers the opportunity to build the skills of embodiment thereby assisting in accessing our pathways of well-being (resiliency). In our practice we explore shapes, poses, through the lens of the nervous system from a polyvagal perspective.
Yoga for Embodiment
The practices are trauma informed and provide emphasis on how to utilize these as tools for embodiment and self-regulation. Practice is an invitational opportunity to befriend our bodies, minds, and all parts of ourselves, and can create lasting change.
Educational Yoga Workshops
Our practice in Hatha Yoga, Neuroscience and Somatic Movement Psychology. We offer workshops and educational opportunities in order to aid understanding of these principles and how to apply them in practice (and day to day life).
Heal the Healer Sessions
Practices that can support healers in their own embodied awareness, and tension release as they do the work that supports others. These practices include daily self-care rituals as well as extended practices that focus on the healers heart, mind and body.
Coming Soon!
