Why Practise Yoga?
Yoga has been practised in India for thousands of years. Alongside meditation, nutrition, herbs and massage, yoga makes up part of the primary health care in India. It is a part of their everyday life, deeply ingrained in the culture.
Yoga was first brought over to the West in the late 19th century. There have been many teachers and gurus of yoga, and there have been many discussions and opinions as to what yoga is and what its purpose is.
Whilst it is interesting to discuss these ideas, I think it is useful for us to simplify.
The world is complicated enough…
How I use Yoga, and what I teach
I don’t have a name for the type of yoga I teach, but many people might recognise the term “hatha”, so we’ll go with that. In class we work on building strength, stamina and flexibility. In this way, we can build muscle and help to avoid and repair injuries.
However, whilst these things are very important, I believe that the main reason we do yoga is to quieten the mind from its constant chatter and to create a feeling of wellbeing, gratitude and kindness not only towards other people and the world but also towards ourselves.
It really is that simple. Perhaps it should be called “simple yoga”.
To put a label on things, and for a bit more of a technical definition, my classes use a mix of yin yoga and hatha:
Yin yoga has its origins in Chinese medicine, so it is a bit different from hatha yoga. Yin is very slow and meditative; it is floor-based, and stretches are held for a longer period of time than in hatha. In yin yoga, we work on specific meridian channels in the body (similar to acupuncture) , and poses are designed to slowly stretch muscles and fascia. This type of yoga is especially suited to beginners and those with injuries.
Hatha Yoga is a broad term for physical yoga practices, originating from Sanskrit words meaning “sun” (ha) and “moon” (tha), aiming to balance opposing energies within the body, mind, and spirit through physical postures (asanas), breath control (pranayama), and meditation, typically in a slower, alignment-focused style ideal for beginners and foundational to most modern yoga forms.
My classes are open to all ages and abilities. Everyone is given the chance to work at their own level and to take what they need from the class. It is a good idea to invest in a yoga mat if you have one, but I have a few spares if you would just like to try a class out.
If you’re interested in one of my classes, looking for more information about anything mentioned above, and would like to get in touch, please click the button below.
