What is Yoga?
Yoga is an ancient form of exercise that focuses on strength, flexibility and breathing to boost physical and mental wellbeing. The main components of yoga are postures (a series of movements designed to increase strength and flexibility) and breathing.
The practice originated in India about 5,000 years ago and has been adapted in other countries in a variety of ways. There are many different types of Yoga, but they all have the common aim to bring harmony and peace to the whole being.
Yoga means oneness or unity (the Sanskrit word “yoga” means to “yoke or join”). The practice of Yoga therefore aims to unite mind, body and spirit.
Yoga is a safe way to increase flexibility and muscle tone, improve posture and develop stamina. You will practice a wide variety of postures and learn relaxation techniques which aim to bring clarity, awareness and peace of mind into your daily life.
We have a non-competitive atmosphere in all our classes, enabling you to work at your own pace. Yoga is performed in loose comfortable clothing and bare feet.
For all classes please consider the following points:
If you are suffering from any of the following you must inform your tutor:
You might need to check with your doctor after talking to your tutor.
Make sure you inform your tutor if you are pregnant.
Useful Links:
www.nhs.uk/Livewell/fitness/Pages/yoga
www.yogauk.com/teachers/styles
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/jan/10/yoga-beginners-guide-different-styles
Postural Yoga
Postural Yoga is a unique integration of the Alexander Technique into your yoga practice. Integrating these two disciplines creates a continual awareness of postural alignment and promotes a safe method of stretching the spine. In a nutshell we teach, ‘Head leads, body follows’. This is a universal law of movement seen in all lesser vertebrates. We teach how to do this in your Yoga practice, so that you experience and benefit from the Alexander Technique teaching of the head moving away from the neck, allowing the spine to lengthen in all postures. The head, neck and back relationship is emphasised in all postures, so that the body is centred and the limbs are freely moving away from the torso, aiming to create space in your joints.
The classes are designed to help the beginner as well as the more advanced practitioner. We begin with warm-ups and end with calming postures. For those that not only wish to stretch and relax, we offer a short meditation at the close of each class. Postural Yoga may improve your general health and sense of well-being: Benefits may include: postural awareness, a stronger more flexible spine, increased joint mobility, improved circulation, balance, poise and relaxation. These are but a few of the attendant benefits of practicing Postural Yoga.
Iyengar Yoga
You can find out more about Iyengar Yoga at https://iyengaryoga.org.uk/iyengar-yoga/frequently-asked-questions/ :
Iyengar Yoga is firmly based in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, an Indian sage who lived about 1700 years ago. The Yoga Sutras guide the yoga practitioner towards peace of mind and harmony and ultimately to bliss (Samadhi).
Iyengar yoga is characterised by precisionand alignmentin the execution of the postures (asanas), sequencingof the asanas towards a desired result,timingin the length of time the asanas are held for maximum benefit, and the use of propsif required to help a student gain the maximum benefit from each asana.
Iyengar yoga concentrates on postural alignment and body awareness. This is not just for the alignment of one body part with another, but also for the proper functioning of the human being. If the body is aligned with precision then the breath is aligned with the same precision. If the breath is balanced then the mind, emotions and senses become balanced.
With regular guided practice, effects of Iyengar Yoga can include a general feeling of physical health and psychological and mental well-being.
