ABOUT

Yoga

Yoga comes in many forms. Yoga itself is a Sanskrit word for joining / yoking / bringing together. For us ‘mere mortals’ in our every day busy lives; this joining is a practice of bringing the busy mind into this present moment, or letting the heart be open to all that is arising in our lives. The movements, asanas, pranayama, meditation, relaxation and philosophies that Kate will teach, will assist in the practice of retraining the mind to stay focussed and content with all that is.

Yoga is for everyone, regardless of age and flexibility. Yoga calms the mind and opens the heart. Focusing on the level of the physical body via Yoga Asana gives focus for the superficial mind and allows one to make connection with the more formless aspects of Self (mind and emotions), thus allowing healing and Self-understanding to naturally arise. To feel love and peace on the inside, regardless of the turmoils in the outer world is the birth right of every human.

Yoga practices are varied and diverse. All quality yoga practices will have the benefit of balancing the functions of the left and right hemispheres of the brain; bringing greater depth of understanding as to the preciousness of this life and it’s ever changing qualities. Life is a mysterious and dynamic phenomenon and yet historically human beings have spent too much time caught up in the meaningless inner dramas of the superficial mind. Yoga brings a clarity to the mind and allows the student to fall in love with themselves. When you feel comfortable in your own skin, one recognises that every situation, especially the challenging ones, bring the most wisdom.

Hatha yoga is the most common form of Yoga, being a practice that stimulates and cleanses the bodies subtle energies (physical, mental and emotional) through postural movements (asanas) and breath work (pranayama). There are lots of different lineages of Hatha yoga; some of the more contemporary and well known styles you may have heard of are:  Iyengar, Sivananda, Mysore Ashtanga, Restorative or Hot Yoga. It is important you find a style that suits your body type and stage in life.

All the teachers at the studio will encourage and support you to work at your own pace. If you can breath you can practice yoga (keeping your mind present in and to each moment). So come with an open mind and be mindful not to let negative inner opinions of what your body can or can’t do, stop you from discovering the greatness and simplicity, that is you.

Raja yoga is the practice of meditation. Some classes have more of a meditative style, including the meditation/movement and restorative classes.

Jnana Yoga All classes will give some form of philosophical understanding as to the miracle of this life and how the busy mind gets so caught up and stressed that one often misses the inner joy.