Learn a new way to show love and care for the ones you hold dear using Thai Yoga, a holistic practice intended to treat the whole body.
In Thailand, this modality of bodywork and medicine has been practiced for over 3,000 years. Traditionally, the family would offer this healing to one another in a communal setting, as “an expression of loving kindness.”
Since then Thai Yoga has traveled the world and is now being practiced locally at the downtown Fresno studio of Fulton Yoga Collective. About once per month, Thai Yoga instructor Suzy Corgiat offers hands-on Thai Yoga Training through “Thai Yoga with Suzy.”
With Valentine’s Day soon approaching, practicing Thai Yoga postures with a loved one can promote feelings of friendship and love.
Try some below:
Hip Traction and Spinal Rotation: Low back release techniques.
- First, the receiver will lie face up. Then, you, the giver will bend the receiver’s knee, bringing their foot flat on the floor. [photo 1]
- Place your hands at the crease of the knee, behind the calf. [photo 1]
- With straight arms, lean back your head back to create traction at the hip. [photo 2]
- With two hands [photo 3], push the knee forward lifting the foot off the ground. [photo 4]
- With one hand, push the knee across the body and up slightly to create a right angle from knee to hip. [photo 5]
- Be sure your knees are in close to the receiver’s hips. One hand is placed at the crook of the knee, the other at the prominent bone of the shoulder. [photo 6]
- Instruct the receiver to take a deep breath, and on the exhale, lean your bodyweight forward to push them into a spinal rotation. [photo 5]
- Allow the receiver to take several deep breaths in this position then slowly guide them out of the stretch.
- Repeat steps 1 to 8 on the opposite leg.
The Master Release: Full body release, improves blood and lymph flow; massages abdomen and breast tissue; lightly stretches spine and all joints.
- The receiver will lie face down. Stand next to the receiver’s hips, with toes pointed towards their feet and approximately six inches away from the body. You may find the general location of the sacrum with your hand.
- Lift the foot closest to the receiver, being sure to have good balance in the standing leg and lightly place foot on the sacrum. [photo 7]
- Utilizing power from the hips, begin lightly rocking the receiver from side to side. The heel of the foot will be bumping into the side of the sacrum and the level of force will increase gradually as momentum grows. [photo 8, with arrow graphics]
- Rock their body for approximately 30 seconds, or until desired.
If you would like to try this style of yoga in a class setting join Fulton Yoga Collective for a weekend experience to learn this ancient technology – still perfect for modern times. Cupid is right around the corner ready to send his arrows of love and kindness to you and your family with this incredible workshop dedicated to bringing you even closer to the ones you hold dear.
Disclaimer: These techniques should be explored slowly and with the utmost care. You must check in with the receiver from the beginning to the very end of each stretch or movement. These techniques may be unfamiliar and should be practiced many times over to increase their efficacy. Thai Yoga with Suzy and Fulton Yoga Collective are not liable for any injuries that occur as a result from attempting these techniques.
