By: Jessie Chrobocinski Photos by: Rachel Benavides
The benefits of yoga stem from incorporating a combination of movement and breath, plus mindfulness while doing both. Most traditional styles of yoga are accessible to anyone regardless of age, physical strength, and flexibility. However, not all yoga is created equal.
The LYT Yoga Method—developed by and named for licensed physical therapist Lara Heimann—is based on three principles to offer a smarter, safer, and more effective approach to yoga. By targeting movement sequences, LYT Yoga aims to retrain habitual movement patterns and posture imbalances to help practitioners feel stronger, more energized, and more balanced both on and off the mat.
After sustaining a neck and back injury, Lacey Lawrence discovered LYT Yoga and practiced under Heimann. She learned how to mindfully practice yoga again in gentle ways that affected her nervous system and improved her physical condition.
“Sadly, I got injured soon after finishing my first yoga teacher training. I tried to teach for a little bit, but I didn’t know how to modify my practice for this new injury, which wasn’t yoga-related as it was posture-related,” said Lawrence.
Lawrence has since opened Harkness Yoga, which prides itself on being the first studio in the Coastal Bend to offer classes grounded in LYT Yoga. Lawrence said she hopes to help people develop an awareness of their body, breath, and emotions while finding balance among stability, mobility, and adaptability.
“I wanted to focus on my [yoga teaching] style. The biggest thing I teach is posture, especially with the neck. Anybody can do yoga,” Lawrence said. “Most think it’s all stretching, but it is that balance of strength, stability, and stretching mobility. When figuring out how my head was kind of [leaning] forward, I learned how to pull it back by creating a balance starting up the pelvis, working up to the ribs, opening the chest, and holding the head back. And my breath correlates with everything by connecting with the core and nervous system.”
Designed to address the community’s needs and experiences, the studio’s specialized spring floors and mirrorless walls protect the body’s joints and prioritize the feeling of movement while building confidence.
”There are these kind of squishy panels that create space underneath the floor, so when you walk in, it goes up and down a little. I chose not to have mirrors because I want people to go inward. Not focus on how [a pose] is supposed to look, but how it feels. I didn’t want people to be looking at themselves all the time. It is helpful to kind of peek, but that’s my job to help you,” said Lawrence. After all, helping you and your body feel stronger, energized, and balanced is Harkness Yoga’s ultimate goal.
Contact:
3812 S Alameda St. | 361.253.8489 | @harknessyoga
