About Yoga

About Yoga Asana

The History of Yoga

Our Approach

Yoga is a way of life that dates back thousands of years, originating in the East. It is a way of being that touches on all aspects of the person: the physical, mental, emotional, psychic and spiritual.

The yoga that is now known to many in the West (asana – physical postures/movement on a mat) is just a small part of this ancient practice.

Working with the breath, the movements can help you to release tension, build strength, gain stability, and increase flexibility. Mentally, it can help you find a calmer state in the mind and bring you closer to a better understanding of yourself.

About Yoga

Many people in the West know yoga to be a movement practice on the mat, however, it is important to note that this is merely the tip of the iceberg, and only a small part of the practice as a whole.
 
The physical practice of yoga can be practiced by all.  Asana is the Sanskrit word for “a comfortable seat” and the movement of yoga is simply to connect breath and movement together. The physical practice is a system of body postures connected to and guided by the breath, with the aim of creating health, vitality, and comfort in the physical systems but also to purify the body.
 
As well as the physical benefits we can gain from a regular asana practice, yoga also helps to calm the mind, let go of daily stressors and deeply connect to the self. Overall the practice on our mats is an important gateway into a holistic approach to life.

Yoga at the studios
Meet our teachers

The History of Yoga

The word yoga stems from the Sanskrit word “yug” (pronounced “yoog”) meaning to join and unite.
 
Yoga was introduced in the West during the 19th Century, but yoga has been traced by scholars back to its beginnings in the Stone Age Shamanism from the East. There are also ancient sacred scriptures called the Vedas, The Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita which contains the oldest known yogic teachings written 1500BCE- 100BCE, this type of yoga was characterised by rituals and ceremonies that strive to surpass the limitations of the mind.
 
Later on the Yoga Sutras written by Patanjali outlines the eight fold path, which many still use today to unite all the different aspects of yoga together. Within the 8 limbs of yoga only one of which is the physical postures that many of us see in yoga classes in the West today. The other parts also include, breath work, meditation, concentration and moral codes to apply externally to the world as well as to ourselves within. When integrated into daily life all these yogic practices were developed to create a state of harmony, balance and joy.

Our Approach

In the studios, our teachers aim to weave the philosophy, history and lineage of yoga into the physical practices and also to include breath work and meditation. This way, as well as moving and connecting to your body in classes, you can begin to integrate its teachings into everyday life off the mat, encouraging ease and harmony into your whole being.
 
Our Vinyasa Flow classes invite you to be ‘just as you are’. Small group classes are mixed ability, working on the basis that we are all individuals, every body has a different history and restrictions. No-one should feel excluded from Yoga. It’s important to remember that in class no two people on our mats will look the same in the same posture. We have different bodies and so our bodies create different shapes – this is why it is a practice welcome to all, with modifications and options always given. The classes are always free of judgement and full of kindness.

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Key Benefits

Transform your posture

Increase strength, stability and mobility in the body

Reduce stress

Release tension and stress from physical body and everyday life

Find balance

Connect to yourself and find balance in the mind and body