ganesh

What is Yoga?

The word Yoga means “union” – to cultivate synergy between mind, body and heart. Who doesn’t want to find love, harmony and equilibrium in life? Yet it can be hard to make sense of our humanity when we are constantly trying to keep up with a complex, fast-paced and constantly changing world spinning around us. At such times, we feel we are living against ourselves, our minds and bodies out of balance, feeling stressed, anxious and ill at ease. If you are reading this still, it shows that you want to bring your life into balance – to release stress and tension, relax, boost immunity and raise energy levels, stretch out tight muscles, alleviate a painful lower back, lower back, or improve other physical and mental health conditions that may prevent you from enjoying your life as much as you want to. This is the starting point of your yoga practice: to explore who you are now, and finding out what is possible.

As relevant today, as when Patanjali wrote the yoga sutras over two thousand years ago, time on a yoga mat will help you to cultivate self-awareness, wellness, and wellbeing on many levels. As a yoga teacher, I hope to encourage you to develop a yoga practice that creates new possibilities and empowers your mind, heart and body long after you have rolled up your yoga mat. This is the living, breathing gift of yoga.

 

What kind of Yoga do you teach?

Like infinite droplets of water in the ocean, there are many diverse yoga traditions, all leading us inwards to the same inner flow of intuitive wisdom and wellness. We all see life differently from our own perspective, and will be drawn to practice some of the different sorts of yoga for many different reasons. As such, there is always something to discover and explore in Yoga.

I don’t aspire to follow a prescriptive Yoga lineage, which is defined like this or that. As a teacher who is curious and on a path of learning, I would rather guide you instead to plant the seeds of a yoga practice inside mind and body that is boundless and aligns this intention to our natural capacity to feel happiness, wholeness and wellness. As the mind and body open and change to the infinite possibilities of yoga at source, you can start to enjoy and feel the positive benefits of stepping onto a yoga mat, regardless of the name that could be given to this.

Can anyone do yoga?

It therefore truly doesn’t matter whether you are a complete beginner or a seasoned yogi – everyone has a first time, in fact every time you practice, is a moment to stand on a yoga mat and not know what to expect! Yoga classes are warm, friendly and welcoming, with a wide range of people practicing from all walks of life. Yoga classes are open to everybody, regardless of your age, fitness level and/or physical condition. If you do have a health concern, you may want to discuss it with me beforehand so I can plan the class accordingly to meet your needs.

Different ingredients in a yoga class might include:

  • Physical postures or Asana to explore flow and stillness, and stretch, tone and strengthen mind and body
  • Cleansing practices or Shatkarma to shift and release stagnant energy, discomfort and tension held inside us
  • Breathwork or Pranayama techniques to enhance life energy, boost immunity and relax the nervous system
  • Inward reflection or Pratyhara to sharpen and focus mental perception and concentration
  • Meditation to cultivate insight and awareness