Hanna Somatics for Easier, Safer Yoga Poses

Marion Éva Waldmann 4-19-2013

As a teacher of Hatha Yoga, Éva often comes across situations where it is helpful to include some Hanna Somatic movement patterns and finds these unique practices to be complementary. Both aim to increase relaxation and decrease unnecessary tension. Hanna Somatics can serve as a preparation to make yoga postures more accessible. Yoga poses can then be used to demonstrate new possibilities of movement and comfort.

Within he basic format of yoga sequencing, Éva will demonstrate how to incorporate Hanna Somatic concepts to prevent excessive effort that can lead to strain. The approach is exploratory and allows for discovery and the result is a blend of Hanna Somatics and Hatha Yoga that allows everyone a safe, restorative experience.

Marion Éva Waldmann is a wave 6 graduate from the Novato Institute and a certified Hatha and Raja Yoga Studies teacher since 1994. A long time yogi, she came into Hanna Somatics through Eleanor Criswell's book "Somatic Yoga" and presently teaches both Hatha Yoga and Hanna Somatics as separate and blended subjects in public classes and at the University of York in Ontario, Canada. In 2012 she became a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, and received certification as a teacher of Yoga for the Trauma Sensitive. Her focus is on integrating these three distinct studies to decrease people's physical and mental pain.