Hello my friend. My name is Taucha. I am a certified yoga teacher and I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was 31 and working as a speech therapist. Being undiagnosed for three decades was ROUGH, but I realized, upon reflection, that one of the key things that helped me along the way was yoga.
I’ve been practicing yoga since 2005. I started to help manage my stress; I continued for the physical challenge; I stayed for the sense of well-being.
I completed my 240hr yoga teacher training in January 2019, and now it’s my mission to share those teachings with my fellow ADHDers to empower them to take care of themselves and their ADHD symptoms.
Yoga is a much broader practice than most realize. It’s actually a WHOLE lifestyle, not just exercise. But some of the most well known components are: Physical poses (asana), breathing exercises (pranayama), turning your attention inward (pratyhara), mindfulness and focus (dharana), and meditation and observation (dhyana).
Research has found that yoga (mainly the poses, breathing, and mindfulness) can:
-improve mood
-reduce anxiety
-reduce depression
-regulate the sympathetic nervous system (fight/flight response)
And then there are also the physical benefits. Yoga can:
-Improve balance
-Increase coordination
-Increase strength
-Improve flexibility
-Boost immunity
Research in ADHD kids has also found that it can improve executive function, though more research is needed, and research on ADHD adults is MUCH NEEDED (as always).
I know this: Yoga is good for you. And when I reflect on my pre-ADHD diagnosis life, I know that my mood, focus, and energy was highly correlated with how often I was practicing yoga.
I hope you have the same experience.
This is actually a tough question. Yoga is a synthesis of many different practices. It originated in India over 5000 years old, but it’s exact time and place of origin are unknown. The word yoga comes from the Sanskrit root word “Yuj” which means “to yoke” or “to unify”. It is the practice of uniting your individual consciousness with the Universal Consciousness through physical and spiritual disciplines (behavioural disciplines, physical postures, breathing techniques, meditation, mindfulness, and self-study). It is the recognizing and remembering that you are each a unique small piece of the same big picture.
Nope! These classes are for absolutely everyone who wants to learn practices to improve their physical, mental, and spiritual health. All are welcome!
Wear something stretchy and breathable with an elastic waistband. Leggings or gym shorts and breathable tank tops or t-shirts are great. Also have layers like a hoodie, sweater or socks around to keep you warm during savasana (the final resting pose at the end of each class).
You shouldn’t practice on a full belly, but on the other hand, you shouldn’t practice if you’re hungry either. You don’t want to feel faint from all the forward folds and standing. I would recommend eating a full meal no sooner than an hour before class. If you can’t manage it timing-wise, try to eat a snack beforehand like a piece of fruit, a spoonful of peanut butter, or a handful nuts. You’ll get in the swing of how full you can be during practice once you get in the routine.
I stream my live classes via Zoom, so you’ll need to have a Zoom account and the Zoom app for your computer or tablet. It’s free and it’s easy, here is the link: https://zoom.us/
Make sure to do this before your first class so your ready.
All live class links are password-encrypted and shared only with members. The links for the classes for each week can be found in the Member Area under “Member Links” or “Drop-in Link”. Make sure you are logged into Zoom before clicking a link – that makes everything so much easier!
Props are yoga tools you can use to make poses more accessible for your body. Props usually include: A bolster, two blocks, a yoga strap, and a blanket. If you don’t have these things though, here are some household substitutions:
Bolster >>> Plushy beach towel:
Grab a big beach towel or throw, fold it in half width-wise and roll it up length-wise. This prop is great for support in sitting and kneeling positions.
Blocks >>> HUGE books:
Try to find two hardcover books that are roughly the same width and height. If you have any unabridged books by Stephen King, you’re in good shape. I am currently using ‘The Stand” and “Wolves of Calla”. This prop can be used to protect your knees, to sit on in squats, and to make the floor easier to reach in various standing forward folds.
Yoga Strap >>> Belt, tie, scarf or robe belt:
Whatever you choose here, just make sure it’s not stretchy. You want something strong, with no give, so you have resistance. This prop is great for shoulder stretches, hamstring stretches, and hip openers.
Blanket >>> Blanket or towel:
Not much of a substitution here. Grab a throw or a fluffy towel. This will be used to pad your knees, to sit on in forward folds to tip your pelvis forward, and to keep you warm in the final resting pose, savasana.
We may not use these props in every class, but it would be good to get into the habit of having them close by, so you don’t have to scramble when you need them.
You sure don’t! You don’t need to be flexible. You don’t need to be strong. You don’t need good balance. You just need an open mind and the self-awareness to stop if anything hurts. I don’t want you to hurt. If you are brand new and unsure of your abilities, try a Mellow Flow. It’s my gentlest style.
That’s no problem. During class, I try to offer as many variations as I can, but if anything hurts, please stop, take a break, and rejoin when you can. I stick around for questions after each class. That’s where you can ask me if you are doing it right, and where I can show you variations and alternatives you can do next time.
Nope! Once you sign up for your first drop-in class and make an account, that username and password is the same one you will use for every drop-in class you sign-up for after that. So remember, press “Login” NOT “Register” if you are signing up to your second, third, or fourth class.