Yoga class offered in Royal

As The Great Hall of Royal continues to see numbers grow in its Monday and Thursday morning HIGH Fitness workout classes, it seems interest has also grown in additional exercise options within the community.

The Great Hall of Royal will now be hosting yoga classes led by instructor Mandi King on Wednesday nights. King has been practicing yoga for nearly 18 years and teaching classes for close to six years. She stressed that there are no age limits or ability level requirements to her classes.

"I try to accommodate all levels of ability, from the beginner to the person that has been practicing for some time," she said. "I have had classes ranging in ages from teens to 80-somethings, depending on the person's ability. I always encourage people to move at their own speed. If they don't do every pose I offer, it's not a big deal. It's kind of a 'choose your own adventure' thing depending on what is appropriate for the individual on any given day."

The particular class King offers in Royal will require movement on and off the floor, however, King is willing to do one-on-one yoga sessions with those unable to get down on and up from the floor if requested. Her goal is to get all bodies moving.

At its core, yoga is a method that enlightens oneself by giving attention to not only the body but also the mind working together. King explained that she teaches in a way that is meant to be "exploratory."

"I offer ideas for the pose, sometimes longer holds, with variations depending on what is appropriate for the person. The practitioner is encouraged to do what is appropriate for them, sometimes this means coming out of the pose before I can cue it, sometimes it means going deeper or holding longer," she said. "Not only is sensation a factor in this, but so is the breath, maybe most importantly."

King noted that yoga first and foremost is a philosophy.

"The philosophy, at the very onset, presents us with a choice: We can either choose to continue with things as they are, in which case we identify our sense of self with experiences...or we can choose to be independent of experiences in order to give ourselves space."

To King, yoga is personal.

"It is a passion for me because it has helped me really step into my own power," she said. "It has allowed me to understand how my choices can benefit me, and thereby others, or can restrict me, and thereby others."

King explained everyone is capable of developing bad habits and patterns "because of past experiences that we hold on to and propel forward through our choices." She said yoga forces individuals to question those habits and patterns and interrupt them to create a change.

"To be able to share that gift with others means a lot to me," she said. "Yoga supports being more in control of ourselves through our responses to things that are outside of our control."

King reminds community members and possible participants to come try it out for themselves. It is held at The Great Hall of Royal each Wednesday from 6:30-7:30 p.m.

"I recommend this class to the public because it can help us not only feel better in our bodies, but it can also support us in realizing and utilizing our own power as people with choice and responsibility," King said. "We are all beginners to yoga at some point. Nervousness when trying something new is quite common."