I couldn’t wait to audit the Yoga Class that Carol Takakura conducts twice a week in the Katzenberg Pavilion on the MPTF Wasserman Campus in Woodland Hills.

Every day of my life, I wake up, meditate and then go through about a fifteen-minute yoga routine. I wanted to see if what I was practicing was up to date with Carol¹s class.

I sat on my little chair and observed as one man and seven or eight women went through their tenderly guided class with Carol.

Breathing, stretching, strengthening, and relaxing seemed to be the heart and soul of the hour long session.

Mats on the floor, bodies up and down, gently stretching, turning and gently touched – never without permission asked by Carol – to make sure each position was being properly practiced.

As I sat and watched, I felt like I was in the audience of a wonderful ballet or master synchronized dance class. The rhythm and motion of every member in the class seemed to move in a smooth, beautiful swan-like wave.

There were a few grunts, a few grimaces, some serious concentration, and a whole lot of effort put forth during the hour.

The ten minutes of lying silently on their backs and concentrating on quiet breathing seemed to put each and every person in the room into a wonderful trance like state; the perfect ending.

Jennifer Clymer, who runs our Channel 22, participated in the class and I asked her how she felt as she began the class, and again how she felt when it was a wrap.

“I was tense and anxious as the class began and feel stretched, relaxed and most of all, peaceful now.”

Not only did Jennifer have a wonderful gentle smile on her face, as all her fellow participants did, but for some reason, she seemed an inch or two taller to me.

I felt pretty good too. I got to pick up a tip or two to add to my morning yoga routine without even breaking a sweat.

The Yoga Class is held every Tuesday and Thursday from 5:00pm to 6:00pm in the Katzenberg Pavilion. It is open to all residents and employees, as well as members of the Saban Center. For information on membership and class registration, please call Dana DeCuir at (818) 876-1777.

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 25th, 2010 at 11:21 am and is filed under Community Programs, News and Press. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.  Email This Post