Yoga can benefit everyone in some way, particularly if you are looking to feel better not older! If you can breathe at all, you can do yoga. At Zen and Vitality, yoga is about moving your body while breathing with intention, paying attention to your body’s needs and sensations, finding peace for both body and mind – all while using your muscles and joints in safe-for-you ways.

Zoa Conner, Experienced Yoga Teacher and PhD lengthens into a Crescent Moon yoga pose using the wall as a supporting prop.

Yoga could be your new best friend if you:

• Are not flexible at all!
• Can’t sit or stand still
• Just want a stretch
• Seek relaxation
• Want the world to stop for a while
• Are inexperienced with yoga
• Manage a hurting body
• Feel strong emotions
• Need a mental shift
• Are aged 0 to 180

When you bring an open mind and a willingness to learn into your new or existing yoga practice, you receive more benefits than you knew were possible. The physical benefits are often sought after first, but the mental, emotional, and spiritual benefits keep you coming back to it throughout your lifetime.

While yoga is but one of many movement class formats available with Zoa, it provides great stress relief and balances any strength or cardio workout plan you may already have in place.

No experience or knowledge of poses is needed for any of Zoa’s yoga classes although occasional remembering of right vs left can be helpful (did you smile?). Every class intentionally matches the abilities those in attendance, so there is no need to shy away from any of them. Communication is key to our mutual success!

Gentle movements and time to assess your needs are the two guides for this class. Remember that gentle does not mean easy – it means accessible to all bodies! Decompress your mind and your spine. Let your breath bring focus and release. Find your Zen.

Move with your breath, generate your own heat, build whole body strength, and gently encourage your joints through their full range of motion. Find yourself on your feet, kneeling, lying down, and shifting slowly from one to the other. Enjoy challenging yourself and raise your Vitality!

When you are seeking to feel better not older, yoga is an important tool at your disposal. Zoa always recommends that you create a balance to your weekly movement activities and your exercise program. Yoga provides flexibility to your strength building, gentle strength building using bodyweight, stress relief for both body and mind, and opportunities to expand.

There are plenty of reasons for you to honor yourself with private yoga sessions with Zoa. What kind of people give themself the gift of private yoga?

• A woman grieving the recent loss of a loved one
• A man dealing with overwhelming stress
• A beginner – new to yoga or maybe any exercise – who wants to get off to a great start
• A caregiver who’s schedule does not fit with the current group class offerings
• Anyone who needs movement sessions shorter than an hour
• Those dealing with chronic pain who need to go slow and carefully into a new movement endeavor

All of Zoa’s yoga classes are offered simultaneously to students either in person (at the La Plata, Maryland studio) or virtually (live audio feed). Zoa intentionally keeps classes tiny so she can personalize each class session to suit the needs of the attending students in that particular moment. Every class begins with a check in for each student which can be done either via text or in the social chatting that occurs during the moments prior to the start of class. [See a typical class schedule]

Relax under the starry night during the calm evening yoga classes

Residents of Charles County, MD and beyond are invited to attend Zoa’s micro-sized classes offered in the studio. A typical class holds 1-4 students in studio with a similar number joining in from home via audio-only streaming. In person students have the option of receiving hands-on adjustments, corrections, prop suggestions, and always enjoy an immersive experience that guides you towards bliss.

From the comfort of your home, Zoa’s calming voice guides you through movements to release your tension, generate strength, balance body and mind, and encourage you to focus on your own self care for an entire hour. Audio-only live streaming supports your self knowledge and awareness without the tiring task of watching a screen or the frustration from trying to mimic what someone else’s body can do.