Traditionally Yoga was taught one-to-one and there are real advantages to this way of learning. Time can be used to guide you in setting up a home practice, to simply give Yoga a go without having to attend a group class, to delve into an area more deeply or whatever you’d like… it is entirely up to you.
Costs:
1 hour session: Rangiora $80, Waimangaroa $70
Melissa will email you some paperwork to fill in and return before your first session, so that she can assess your needs and come up with a plan that is suitable for you.
Bookings:
To book a private session with Melissa, email: yoga@manaiawellbeing.co.nz
Testimonials:
“Mum and I had Melissa come to our home to teach us the basics of Yoga. Her expertise gave us the confidence to venture forward and join a group class. She was especially helpful in giving us alternative poses and sequences to work around previous injuries and to suit our abilities. We always looked forward to seeing Melissa’s friendly face at our door!”
~ Jaimie and Leanne Wright
” Three years ago I had a stroke and was left paralysed on my right side. Eighteen months ago I started Yoga with Melissa. Each week I find I can do a little more than the week before. She helps me to achieve greater movement and a deeper connection with my body and breathing. My body is much stronger and more balanced. “
~ Judy Bruerton, Ashley
“I decided to begin private classes with Melissa at my home, to help extend my range of movement and relieve muscle tension. Melissa is a patient, compassionate and gentle Yoga mentor who has helped me progress with my practice at my own pace and has enabled me to really gain confidence. I feel our Yoga practice is honest and can be tailored exactly to my needs, without being over the top. I leave each class feeling physically open, well-rounded and in a great mental space! Thanks Melissa for your wonderful teaching style.”
~ Kathy Guard, Sefton
Cam’s Yoga Journey
Melissa Gardiner, a certified Yoga Teacher, has been sharing the joys of Yoga with Cameron since September 2018. This has amounted to 27 hours of Yoga, including both active and Restorative Yoga poses, with attention given to breathing, building strength, being present in the moment, and learning how to calm down the sympathetic nervous system so that he can relax and rest his body and mind.
To understand Cameron’s journey and how far he has come, is to understand where he has come from. Cam’s mind is extremely busy and therefore he finds it very difficult to be present. He cannot filter out sounds, memories or events which leads him to re-live these over and over again, which in turn can overload his senses. Despite being non-verbal, he will make sounds, giggle, belly laugh or get sad to the point of having tears, twist his fingers and twitch uncontrollably while he is reliving those moments.
His weekly Yoga practice with Melissa has encouraged him to focus his mind so he is present to follow instructions and enjoy learning new poses. The physical Yoga poses themselves help to calm and ground him too. Melissa has a soothing voice that helps to guide Cam into deep states of relaxation at the end of each session, with Cam sometimes falling into a relaxed sleep.
Cameron’s Mum has been seeing a considerable difference in Cam’s focus and concentration since starting Yoga, and has noticed that he can, at times find peace with his mind, relax his body and find a general sense of calm. It’s been a joy to see Cam use the skills he is learning in his weekly Yoga practice. “Cam was feeling tired over the weekend and took himself to the couch, lay on the floor and put his lower legs up on the couch! This particular pose helps to calm the mind and build energy. Brilliant!”
