The Spiritist Institute of Integrative Science (IECI) and UFRN promote the Yoga Integral extension action, an initiative aimed at promoting well-being and integral health.
The practice integrates the physical, emotional and energetic systems, with the aim of expanding perception and enabling a more peaceful, authentic and receptive experience. Classes take place on Saturdays, from 10am to 11am, from April 18th to December 19th, at Rua Praia de Muriú, 260, in Ponta Negra, Natal/RN.
The activity is taught by professor Roberta Maziero, from the Department of Arts (DEART/UFRN). In total, 30 places are offered for the UFRN community and 30 places for people assisted by IECI. Registration must be done on site, on the day of the class.
With more than 20 years of experience in the practice and 15 years of experience as a teacher, Roberta Maziero highlights the sensitive dimension of teaching Yoga: "You work on mental, emotional and energetic cleansing on yourself so that this practice meets people's needs. This entire repertoire of movements, breathing techniques and meditation is organized by your own intuition", she says. The teacher also highlights the impacts of the practice on everyday life, especially in building a balance between action and pause: "The first thing I observe in people who start practicing Yoga is that they learn to relax, this is one of the lessons and pillars of yoga. In life, we have the moment of action and the moment of pause, it is in this pause that we observe the fruits of our action, we reconnect and, with more clarity, we take the next step. The practice of yoga is this balance between action and pause. specialist.
Integral Yoga is an ancient practice that develops the state of presence through postures (asanas), breathing techniques (pranayamas), meditation — both passive (with focus of attention) and active (with repetitive movement) — and relaxation. The proposal integrates the physical, mental, emotional and energetic systems, expanding the perception of oneself, the environment and behaviors, in addition to promoting a more balanced life.
During practices, sounds produced by instruments such as gong, crystal bowl, shruti box, hang drum, rain stick and xylophone help the central nervous system to reach a state of balance, based on the binomial action and pause. The postures contribute to the functioning of organs, tissues and body systems, while pranayama promotes regulation of muscle tone and greater emotional awareness. Meditation exercises the state of observation, and relaxation favors detachment and reframing experiences.
The activities take place weekly, lasting one hour per meeting, and do not necessarily follow a linear progression, allowing different elements of yoga to be worked on throughout the course.
In the end, the initiative contributes to the development of self-awareness and comprehensive health, in addition to strengthening the participants' ability to deal with everyday challenges. The action also reinforces the role of university extension in promoting a more conscious, balanced and socially committed life.
