May a sense of wonder infuse our actions

Yogis measure life not in minutes and hours but in breaths. Only a body that is truly relaxed can receive the full swell of inhalation. Inhalation is the vehicle of prana or vital energy. Therefore we stretch, extend and reach in order to become softer and more relaxed. We strengthen to support our flexibility and to become more stable in ourselves.  All this leads to a clearer state of mind, an experience of more space on every level.

The steady beat of a human heart

The precious thread of breath

A strong and supple body

...we bring our attention to these in our practice. 

Yoga connects all the disparate parts and makes us  whole. We join the threads of our awareness to create a wave of concentration, and it is on this wave that we continue to evolve.  

Many people feel afraid that they are not doing the yoga postures correctly: in my classes I take particular care to be clear when giving instructions, so that the student can practice with confidence in any setting, whatever level they are at.

Incorporating SATYA (sensory awareness training for yoga attunement) at the beginning of each session teases out tension from the fascia and the tissues, cultivating a greater sense of presence in the classical postures. Via pulsatory movements guided by the breath, the body reconnects with its natural rhythms. SATYA work is practiced on the floor to enhance somatic awareness.

In class, the body is  aligned to maximize the flow of energy.  Postures are held long enough to allow space in which to go deeper. Classes are also dynamic and energizing, and the inner body is engaged to cultivate health. Working in this way leads to a greater release of tension. 

These sessions focus on the connection between breath and movement. The exercises are practiced in a state of conscious awareness, in order to promote suppleness in the joints. One becomes familiar with the various body parts and their processes. There is no undue strain in the postures and we cultivate a flow that is conducive to relaxation and overall happiness and balance in the body.  

For me, yoga practice is first and foremost a practice of Listening. An embodied way of paying attention to the present moment.

There are certain principles that inform the yoga I practice and teach:

Non-avoidance

We can actively notice what we are avoiding and try to become more receptive. We aim to create a space where everything is welcome. We spend a lot of our time blocking out certain experiences, sensations and thoughts because we don’t know what to do with them or we don’t like them. The yoga space is an opportunity to allow these feelings to take up airtime and possibly exhaust themselves or transmute. Without our obstacles, there is no practice.

Connecting with Spandha

Spandha is the principle of expansion and contraction, also known as pulsatory organization. All living tissue shares in this principle. We are ruled by rhythms. When we pay attention to these in our bodies we can appreciate our own aliveness.

Developing Karuna

Related to patience, karuna (compassion) is the capacity to hold in our hearts the difficult feelings, so that we don’t shut ourselves down either to our own pain, the pain of others or the pain of the world. We can embrace existence and respond appropriately.

Droplets of meditation

Small is beautiful etc etc. We introduce little droplets of meditative awareness into our movement practice and our daily lives. We don’t have to spend hours meditating, yet we can stay connected to the truths that we have touched and that have touched us on a moment-to-moment basis. This gradually builds into a virtuous wave that sustains us.

How we are with our bodies

There is a valuable connection to be made between how we are with our bodies and how we are with other people, other situations, life in general. We acknowledge our body as teacher.

Grounded in the world

The physical connection with the ground and with our bodies is essential to the practice of yoga. To become more connected rather than more disconnected.

Fluid

We pay attention to the fluctuating tides, the changing phases of the moon, the seasonal changes. The world is not static and as such we are not static. Being mindful of the changing world is essential to the dynamic movement of life in general: the pulsatory quality, the capacity to be open to it all… Even when the capacity to self-regulate is not there, we allow ourselves to drop everything, sink to the lowest level, like fluid, and that’s ok. Like fluid we will find a way back to balance.

Flexible in our approach

We are not rigid in our approach. Although we are capable of shaping our lives, we can also change our plans. This applies to our yoga practice also. We can change our approach to yoga practice as we gain more knowledge of our bodies for instance.

Valuing the subtle root

Paying attention to the subtle body we contact feelings and thoughts that may deeply inform our worldview. This emphasis on the subtle helps us root out those which are not helpful, or which keep us restricted to a narrow, isolated way of life.

 Simplicity

All these principles come up time and time again and feed into each other. They are not complicated and are there to give you a direct experience of being human. Rather than a negative ruminating cycle, these set up a “positive circularity” whereby we revisit familiar principles that are brought to life by our experiences and through our engagement.

___________________________________________________________________________________