Workshops & immersions give you the opportunity to dive deeper into a particular focus, take more time to explore the landscape of the body and mind in more detail, and learn methodologies that you can come back to again and again.
If you are interested in hosting a workshop led by Open Motion please contact us here
Restore & Release
RESTORE & RELEASE: FULL BODY BLISS
Fascia is connective tissue that can be found everywhere in our body- sitting superficially just under the skin like a body suit as well as deeper with in the body- wrapping around and weaving through muscles creating lines of connectivity. Over time due to injury or trauma, repetitive use, lack of movement, poor posture or faulty movement patterns fascia can become restricted causing discomfort and pain, limiting range of motion, and impairing communication within the body. There are a number of ways that we can influence the health of our fascia:
This workshop will take you through myofascial release (self-massage) using tennis balls and blocks to release adhesions in the fascia, promote more cohesion within the tissues, release toxins and stimulate hydration of the tissues. Join us for this full-body reset!
RESTORE & RELEASE
Sunday 19th of May 2024
FULL Body: 4pm-6:15pm
Location: Newport Community Centre
Light refreshments to follow
INVESTMENT: $57 for FULL BODY BLISS
Spots are limited, EMAIL TO Reserve you space
BODY & SOUND MEDICINE
A CHAKRA HEALING WORKSHOP
SUNDAY 11th of Feb
Get Ready to melt into restoration, healing + Bliss!
Laura & Felicity are offering a fusion of 2 medicinal modalities with a focus on your seven main Chakras, creating a healing experience to elevate your well being.
Chakras are your energy centres- They correspond to certain nerves, organs, and systems of the body. When these are out of balance it can affect your health and over all well-being.
Laura will be guiding you through a restorative and supported yin yoga practice. The specific sequence of poses are aligned with the Chakras and will be infused with mantras and affirmations that will help you connect to your energy centres, amplifying the flow of energy within.
Felicity will be complimenting this journey with the frequency of 7 Chakra crystal sound bowls. The vibration will act as a healing ‘tuning fork’ for your body, energy field, mind and emotions- bringing everything back into true vibration and balance.
SUNDAY 11th of FEBruary
4:30pm-6:30pm
Newport Community Centre
INVESTMENT : $75
PAST WORKSHOPS
WORKSHOP: THE SHOULDER LAB
It seems like every second person I talk to has some sort of shoulder discomfort, pain, injury, or limitation. It doesn’t surprise me given the way we live these days hunched over our computers, phones, and steering wheels. Being in pain sucks and not being able to do the things you want to do because of pain or injury can be disheartening. Having worked through my own shoulder problems over the years, I can honestly say I know how it feels. But I also know how to help- I’ve created this workshop to give you the knowledge and tools you need to work through your personal shoulder issues and keep your upper body feeling good so you can continue to do the things you love.
Anatomy can seem complicated and it’s easy to just want someone to ‘fix’ things. Unfortunately, I’ve found that while treatment works short-term it rarely lasts long term. True change is created through the things we do often. The good news is that with some knowledge it is fairly simple to bring relief, mobility, and stability to the shoulders and subsequently the neck and upper back/thoracic.
i’ve created this workshop to help you understand the shoulder better so that you can have the knowledge and tools to support yourself, or if you are a teacher/trainer, the tools to support your students,
In this workshop you will learn:
Basic applied anatomy of the shoulder – the main muscles of the shoulder and what they do
Commonly tight muscles, how they contribute to pain/poor posture and how to release, stretch, and mobilise them (+ causes and how to mitigate through proper movement/alignment)
How the shoulder affects the neck and can contribute to neck pain
How the upper back/thoracic contributes to posture and shoulder positioning (plus neck/low back pain) and how to mobilise and properly activate this area
The role of breath (specific to the upper body) and how to breathe diaphragmatically
Postural & pain assessment and how to use what you (will) know to assist in pain relief and creating better posture and movement
At the end of this training you will be able to write a shoulder action plan, specifically for your needs, that you will do as homework (I will assist you as needed and review your plans)
You will receive a detailed, visual and directional hand-out with the content we cover- releases, mobilisations, stretches, and movement patterns/activations, postural considerations.
This workshop is for anyone- even if you don’t have shoulder issues or pain. If you sit at a desk, drive a lot, surf, swim, do yoga, train in the gym, or do any other sport this knowledge will be directly applicable for you and allow you to keep your shoulders feeling good!
DETAILS:
SATURDAY 25th of February 2023
11am-1:30pm (snacks to follow of course)
Balanced Studio, Avalon NSW
Investment: $75
Bookings are essential- numbers will be limited to ensure that each of you are able to receive the support you need from me. I will also be available for help with creating your personal plan, any follow-up questions, and help as you work with what you learned.
SLOW FLOW X RESTORE
WITH SOUND SCAPES BY LARA KING
As adults we don’t play or move the way we did when we were kids. One of the most transformational properties of yoga is that it allows us space to explore ourselves, to move and express from a place of authenticity.
Join musician Lara King and yoga teacher Laura Gonzales for a long, juicy practice to live music. We begin with a guided slow flow to the waves and sound scapes of the cello and descend into gentle shapes- a floor-based restorative practice, finishing with a sweet, sound filled Savasana.
There is nothing quite like immersing yourself in live music. Lara plays multiple instruments including the cello, keyboard, and singing bowls- some of her pre-recorded tracks are looped while she plays different musical instruments live over them, fusing the sounds to create a beautiful, inspiring, and healing experience.
DETAILS:
SUNDAY 5th of March 2023
4:30-6pm (light snacks to follow)
Newport community Centre
Investment: $59
Bookings are essential- numbers will be limited to ensure you have enough space to move and rest peacefully
YOGA FOR SURFERS
WITH LAURA GONZALES & TOM CARROLL
Our lives are enhanced by the things that we love to do.
This workshop is about giving you the power to support and enhance yourself both physically and mentally so that you can continue to surf- better, and for a long time.
Our bodies are intelligent systems but as we age, move repetitively, get injured, live in anxiousness, or maintain poor posture we can experience hiccups in the system. Our job is not to override the system but to explore ways that we can support the body and its innate ability to heal & sustain itself. If we want to have longevity to enjoy the things we love, we must take care of ourselves.
Surfer and Vedic Meditation teacher Tom Carroll will open the session with an introduction to mindful breathing and an expansive pranayama (breathing) practice.
Experienced yoga teacher & Yoga Medicine Therapeutic Specialist Laura Gonzales will lead you into a practice starting with a pre-surf warm up -which could also be used as a daily mobility practice, followed by yoga conditioning/cross-training specific for surfers.
You will learn how to move better, strengthen through correct alignment and activation, and train balance and focus.
A large portion of the practice will be focused on post surf recovery- looking at overused and tight areas of the body and how to open & release them with yoga and myo-fascial release.
Tom will end the session sharing how meditation is beneficial for surfing (and life), followed by a grounding pranayama practice and a mindful meditation that you can use at any time.
You do not need to have any prior experience with yoga, breath work or meditation to join- this workshop is for everyone. At the end of the session you will receive a print out outlining some of the poses, releases, breath work, & meditation practices you have learned so that you can take them with you and integrate them into your life.
LOCATION: Akasa Wellness Centre, MONA VALE NSW
Saturday 5th of Decemeber, 2020
DEEP RESTORE: YIN & SOUND HEALING
Mona vale - AKASA WELLNESS CENTRE
It feels like we went into lock down holding our breaths and came out sprinting, full speed ahead, all short and erratic breaths. At first we were propelled by the momentum that comes with freedom after confinement but many of us have reached the point now where it’s all caught up to us and burn out is approaching- or, maybe already here. What we need is a big EXHALE, an opportunity for deep rest. Time to tune out and turn off so that we can soften the pull of our external environment and drop really deeply into ourselves.
Deep Restore was created to allow you just that: a moment to receive. The practice, guided by Laura Gonzales, will be a supported, floor-based combination of Yin/Restorative poses and some myofascial release. As we soften into each shape we will wrapped in instrumentals by talented musician Lara King. Lara plays multiple instruments including the cello, keyboard, and singing bowls- some of her pre recorded sounds are looped while she plays different instruments live over the fusing the sounds to create a beautiful, healing experience.
LOCATION: Akasa Wellness Centre, MONA VALE NSW
Friday 27th october, 2020
YOGA FOR ATHLETES
The first half of this 2 HR workshop integrates dynamic mobilisation and functional movement with yoga taking you through unique movements that can be used as cross training for your sport to increase stability, restore and improve active range of motion, and balance asymmetries from repetitive use patterns. The second half is all about recovery- down regulation of the nervous system to shorten recovery time, myofascial release to assist in tissue repair, and longer held restorative poses to target commonly tight areas.
This workshop is for everyone- serious athletes, sports enthusiasts, gym goers, or those that just want to feel better, move better, and keep moving.