DeCal

Course Purpose: DeCal class members provide assistance for people with disabilities in an enhanced yoga practice. We'll learn about disabilities through hands on work; short lectures and handouts will supplement and strengthen our skills and understanding. This is a "real life" class where learning is applied and you learn through doing.

What is CalSTAR Yoga? CalSTAR Yoga is a program in which yoga-assistants (that's Us!) assist people with disabilities in an authentic yoga practice. They are mostly experienced yoga students and are completely comfortable with and appreciative of the work you do with them.

CalSTAR Yoga class has been meeting for ten years and has an experienced and professional staff of yoga instructors who will guide yoga-assistants through class. Each class session, yoga-assistants help yoga students into various yoga-postures, implement Thai yoga massage and shiatsu techniques, and also incorporate muscle resistance and range of motion techniques. Much of the learning is hands-on during class. There will be three mandatory workshops for DeCal yoga-assistants to gain a better understanding of yoga, shiatsu, and Thai-massage principles. Workshops are mandatory; your feedback in these workshops will help determine what we learn and how we organize our class.

As a Yoga-assistant, you will help people get up and exercise for what might be the only time of the week where they aren't either in bed or a wheelchair. Stretching, loosening, and relaxing the body for a few hours eases pain, increases flexibility/coordination, and helps stimulate all the under-stimulated tissues of the body. The potential long-term benefits for people with disabilities are great. Increased energy, stamina, flexibility, appetite and more are possible.