WHO IS YOGA FOR?

There is a common misconception amongst the public, that Yoga is for flexible people, donned in tight fitting leotards, intent on contorting themselves into one obscure shape or the other! Even though this might be the case for a select few, I can thankfully assure you that it is not the essence of Yoga as we know it!
Yoga is for everyone! No matter your age, ability, colour or creed, it is an open doorway for us all to step through and enjoy.
Some of us maybe younger, fitter or more flexible than others, but ultimately we all find ourselves confronted by our own individual limitations and oppositions in life. Whoever we are, yoga encourages us all to step out of our comfort zones and mindfully challenge personal beliefs held about ourselves, whilst at the same time, promoting an appreciation and respect for one's current capabilities.
There is no such thing as a typical yoga student! Yoga offers everyone the chance to enter into the practise at an appropriate level pertaining to one's own degree of fitness and personal experience. Yoga provides an ideal opportunity for those who have never been athletic, to begin exercising by simply deepening one's own awareness and understanding of their breath and how it can be used to guide them in and out of postures more safely and effectively. [top]

WHAT IS ASHTANGA YOGA?

The word Yoga means 'to unite' and is derived from the Sanskrit word, Yuj, meaning 'to join'. Through yoga we immerse ourselves into an elegant, tranquil practise, joining our body, mind and spirit together and deepening our awareness of who we really are and how we relate and connect to the world around us.
Yoga provides us all with a practical, scientific technique for investigating and exploring the self, this mind/matter phenomenon, which we refer to as 'I'. Yoga helps us to reveal and understand clearly our real nature, encouraging us to discover our own truths and form our own conclusions based upon our direct experience of the practise.
Gaining a deeper understanding of our individual essence enables us to recognise more easily where are limiting beliefs lie so we can take steps to move beyond them, ultimately helping us to develop a stronger sense of inner peace and harmony. The practise of Yoga equips us with the necessary tools to embrace all of life's challenges confidently and smilingly, at the same time as nurturing our physical being and leading us into a healthier, more balanced existence.
Ashtanga Yoga is an eight-fold path which one pursues in order to achieve a more enlightened way of living. One of these eight aspects (limbs) focuses on a variety of physical postures known as Asanas. However, there can be a tendency here in the west for people to view Ashtanga Yoga as merely a physical practise, giving little or no attention to the other limbs, which cover areas such as ethical living, energy regulation and mindfulness. All aspects of Ashtanga Yoga can be included as part of one's Asana practice and when this unification (Yoga) occurs, our lives change for the better!
In the early part of the twentieth century, a yoga teacher named Krishnamacharya and his student Patabhi Jois rediscovered and explored a dynamic sequence of Asanas reportedly found within an ancient, Indian manuscript. Today, this sequence of asanas has been broken down further and commences with what is now commonly known as the 'Primary series'.
The Primary Series focuses on the use of Bandhas, (internal energy locks) and the Ujjayi breath, (controlled breathing) used in conjunction with performing poses to allow us to concentrate more deeply and bring about, greater strength, suppleness and peace.
Ashtanga Yoga invites us to quite simply….. move and breathe, drawing us back into the present moment, the realm of being and one of true creativity . The asanas make up an elegant continuous aerobic practise, which uses breath as its basis to guide and join each posture throughout the series. This non-stop flow is connected by vinyasas (Linking movements, based on sun salutations), used to build up great internal heat, helping to cleanse the body of unwanted toxins and encouraging it to awaken and harness its own natural flexibility. As Pattabhi Jois himself once said, 'even iron bends when hot!' [top]

WHAT WILL AN ASHTANGA YOGA CLASS DO FOR ME?

In this modern age where people carry excessive stress and possess minds crammed full of too much information, Ashtanga Yoga offers the individual a place to simply let go and have fun. As adults, a great many of us seem to have long forgotten the ability to play and explore using both mind and body and this has led to the dwindling of our creative selves.
Coming to an Ashtanga Yoga class, provides you with a safe and effective way of tapping into your creative side once more. It gives you an opportunity to switch off from your ambitious self and your need to strive for success, allowing you to relax and move deeper into the 'here and now', a state of tranquillity and one without judgement or expectation!
During a typical Ashtanga yoga class you will move through a sequence of postures and the busy chatter of your mind will start to quieten down. Your focus on movement and breath will gradually take over and you will begin to immerse yourself completely into your practise, generating a wonderful, powerful feeling of peace and unity around and within you. [top]