YOGA “Asanas (postures) are treated of in the
first place as they form the first stage of Hathayoga. Asanas make one
firm, free from maladies and light of limb”. Yoga has survived in various forms for thousands of years which is an outstanding tribute to the lasting benefits it brings to an individual both mentally and physically. Some people come to classes to practice yoga purely as a form of physical
exercise but yoga also offers an opportunity to develop a state of mind
that allows space for reflection and self-inquiry. Yoga also plays a
helpful role in the alleviation of stress and other lifestyle problems.
Yoga is different from other forms of exercise that emphasise your performance.
Yoga helps you to find inner as well as physical strength. The word
‘yoga’ is derived from the sanskrit word ‘yuj’
which means a union or to join: yoga is a union of the body and mind.
I follow the viniyoga approach to yoga founded by Sri Krishnamacharya (died 1989 and succeded by his son, T.K.V. Desikachar) who believed that all postures should be practised to one’s individual needs and capacity. The full classic postures cannot be achieved by everyone due to restrictions of the body therefore a modification of a posture can be found for each individual so they may at least experience the posture and enjoy its benefits according to their body’s limitations. The regulation of breathing is an integral part of this approach and it is carefully co-ordinated with the movements. In the viniyoga approach, yoga is as much a practice involving the breath as it is involving the body. The quality of our breath is vital as it expresses our inner feelings. If we are in pain, it shows in our breathing; if we are distracted, we lose control of the breath. The breath is the link between the inner and outer body. The calmer and more in control of our breathing we are, the more we can quieten and control the mind. Yoga teaches you to listen to your body with awareness. Each pose is not only a physical posture but also a gentle mental discipline. Yoga can help you to take care of yourself. In yoga, you are equally concerned with how you feel both mentally and physically. In time, with practice, you can have the opportunity to discover your physical strength as well as also discovering the peace and quiet that is always inside of you even in this busy world that we live in. On a personal note, I have been teaching yoga since the beginning of 2001. I currently teach classes at The Triangle Leisure Centre, Burgess Hilll and at the Bolney Natural Therapy Centre. I have also taught yoga at the Burgess Hill School for Girls which I found very challenging and rewarding. I have completed the basic foundation course with the Centre for Yoga Studies (viniyoga approach) and am undergoing a stage II course with them at the moment. I am also enrolled on the British Wheel of Yoga Teacher Training Diploma programme. Since yoga has come into my life, it has changed me in many ways…I have become a much stronger person physically and mentally. I really enjoy teaching and find it so rewarding when I can see that people are benefiting both in their body’s and minds from having made yoga part of their life. “When the breath wanders, the mind is unsteady,
but when the breath is still, so is the mind still and the Yogin obtains
the power of stillness”. |
||||||||||||||||||||
