Yoga
The word ‘Yoga’ finds it origins in the Sanskrit root “yuj”, meaning to join or unite. Yoga is the union of Mind, Body & Spirit.
The original Yogic texts or ‘sutras’ were written by Patanjali, a sage scientist, who wrote them two thousand years ago as a guide to help others overcome human misery and suffering.
Fast forward two millennia and they still find relevance and widespread usage in the modern world. Yoga is more than just a simple physical exercise; while offering the physical benefits that regular exercise brings, the eight limbed ‘path of yoga’ promotes harmonious collaboration of body, mind and spirit to
boost health and mental well-being.
There are many styles of yoga but modern yoga in the Western world largely focuses on three of the key sutras considered most accessible and most beneficial to modern life:
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Asana – The physical yoga poses that are perhaps the most widely recognised aspect of yoga.
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Pranayama – Breathing techniques.
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Dhyana – Meditation.
Key benefits of Yoga
There are many benefits to a regular yoga practice;
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Improve strength
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Improve flexibility
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Improve balance
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Mental clarity and focus
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Reduction of anxiety and stress
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Cardiovascular health may be improved through Pranayama practices
Since qualifying as yoga teacher with the British Wheel of Yoga (BWY) I have been teaching the Vinyasa Flow style of yoga for over 10 years to the staff and students of Imperial College London.
My classes incorporate all three key elements; asana, pranayama and meditation and are planned around a specific theme or peak pose. I take great pride in offering varied and interesting classes that suit beginners and more advanced yogis alike. Over the years I have had the pleasure of seeing my regular students make positive changes to their own lives using the catalyst of yoga and some have even trained themselves to become yoga teachers.
In addition to regular classes I also offer longer yoga workshops with a more specific theme, for instance we may focus on achieving some of the more difficult balances, starting off with pranayama to prepare, moving into varying asana as we build in difficulty before achieving our final goal for the session and finishing with meditation and reflection. If you are having difficulty achieving some of the more challenging asana, these workshops are an ideal way to accelerate you growth and confidence as a yogi, as well as giving the body, mind and spirit a good workout!