What is Yoga?

Yoga is a practice  that helps you explore and connect to yourself so that you’re aware of how you feel in your body, mind and emotions in a self-accepting, self-respecting and compassionate way. This helps you to make appropriate choices for yourself  based on your own needs while moving, breathing and resting in a class.  That’s no easy thing in today’s world, is it?

Hatha Yoga
Hatha is a Sanskrit word that, in essence, means Sun & Moon as two types of energy within the body – one hot and one cool referring to the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems – that come into balance with yoga movements, breathing and mental focus practices such as meditation. The result is that a practitioner leaves class feeling calmer, refreshed and thinking more clearly. A known side effect is that your body may become more supple, however, that is not the aim!  So, there’s no need to feel intimidated because you think you’re stiff or too something or other about joining any of my sessions.

Although traditionally in India – the birthplace of yoga – Hatha refers to many yoga styles, in the west, it usually describes a gentle type of class – suitable for beginners and for people who prefer to ease into their body in a kind and mindful way.

Sivananda Yoga
Sivananda yoga is considered a classical style of Hatha yoga though it is much more dynamic in pace and is, perhaps, more suitable for those who like a stronger practice.

It consists of a sequence of sun salutations to warm the muscles up in preparation for asanas or postures, pranayama breath practices to cleanse and revitalise energy levels, 12 basic asanas which take the spine through a full range of motion, and deep relaxation to discharge stagnant energy and tension in mind and body.

The Benefits of Yoga
The dubious glamour of rushing and multi-tasking in today’s world, alongside the pressures and uncertainty of living during a global pandemic,  is the equivalent of continually having a foot on the gas pedal accelerating the sympathetic nervous system, creating stress, anxiety, depression, exhaustion, burnout and many other stress-related health conditions. Hatha yoga can help you take the foot off that pedal so your body has a chance to restore itself and cool down from the misery. (See below for scientific research on yoga).

What Happens in a Class?
During a typical class – in person or online – you are guided with clear instructions on how to move your body: starting with preparing and warming up the muscles; followed by yoga movements, or Asanas as they’re known in Sanskrit; all the while being encouraged to breathe in sync with movement or stillness and, towards the end of the session, you will be guided into a deep relaxation to discharge tensions fully from the body, mind and emotions.

YOGA CLASS SCHEDULE AND BOOKING