Cecile Raynor, founder and director of Offthe- Mat Yoga, has been teaching at Akasha Yoga Studio in Jamaica Plain as part of the studio’s yoga teacher certification program. Raynor says this is the first certification in the country to include her teaching, based on postural mechanism activation as a way to take body strain and stiffness out of yoga. Raynor also offers classes at Brookline High School Adult Education, and at her own studio in Brookline Village where she works with private students as well.

“My aim is to help yoga practitioners increase their awareness of the interplay between their ‘yoga body and daily body,’ so they do not let their unconscious habits corrupt their yoga practice,” says Raynor. It is often the source of yoga related straining and injuries. “I want them to get the most out of their yoga, prevent injuries and develop sustainable good posture on and off the mat.”

Raynor also posts valuable information on her new blog, OffTheMatYogaBlog.com, which is visited by readers around the globe that seek more holistic ways to practice yoga based on natural body movement and integrated poses.

“Strain-free yoga for a strain-free body is the goal of my work, and the way to get there is to learn surprising facts about body functioning and interesting principles that enable both students and teachers to connect with their innate body wisdom any time,” Raynor says. “There is a misconception in the fitness world that core-strengthening exercises targeting specific muscles are the route to stability and back strength. My work teaches students to achieve natural and holistic core strengthening instead.”

For more information, call 617-359- 7841 or visit AlexanderTec.com.