Name: Yogabliss
Address: GB
Rating: 5

Question 1

What is Hatha Yoga?

Accepted Answer

Hatha yoga evolved in India thousands of years ago as a spiritual practice. By following a personal code of conduct (yamas and niyamas), through practising postures (asana), regulation of the breath (pranayama), withdrawal of the senses (pratyahara), focused concentration and meditation (dharana and dhyana) leads us eventually to spiritual enlightenment. Embarking on this journey can help us to withdraw from the things that don’t really matter and find a deep peace within. Asana practice helps to build strength, flexibility, encourages awareness of the breath and deepens our ability to concentrate.

Many people first come to yoga perhaps due to an injury or because of the physical benefits that a regular practice of the postures brings – increased flexibility and muscle tone, reduced muscle pain and stiffness in the joints. The postures also work on internal organs, glands and nerves and there is evidence to suggest that the deep breathing during practice can improve heart rates and blood pressure. Others come for the mental benefits – a sense of calm and stillness of the mind, reduced stress levels, increased energy levels and better sleep to name but a few.

The ancient yogis, however, believed that yoga was a holistic practice which re-united the Self (jiva) with the Absolute (Brahman). Their aim was to free their spirits from the false sense of separation from God and in doing so discover their own truth and salvation.

Whatever brings you to yoga – be it the lofty ideals of the ancient yogis or rather more modest ambitions – yoga has something to offer. To understand yoga is to try it out.

Understanding the philosophy behind yoga, including the principles that guide our own behaviour (namas) and how we engage with the world (niyamas) helps us to move towards individual liberation and collective social justice.

“Yoga restrains the oscillations of the mind” Pantanjali’s yoga sutra 1.2

Question 2

What is Yin Yoga?

Accepted Answer

A slow meditative practice, focused on mainly floor based postures held for several minutes to encourage the body to release deeply held tension in the joints, ligaments and connective tissues.  Finding stillness, awareness and presence while you stay with your ‘edge’ (the point where you are physically and mentally challenged but still at ease) helps to bring a sense of calm, balance and wellbeing as we learn to pay attention to where we are at. Postures work on the energetic body as meridians (energy channels) are stimulated and nourished. Great to balance with more dynamic practices and an antidote to our fast-paced lifestyles.

Question 3

About Me

Accepted Answer

I first came across yoga aged about 15 when I found a book belonging to my mum containing images of people in strange and wonderful positions. Curious, I tried out a few postures but without the guidance of a teacher didn’t investigate any further. That teacher came along some 12 years later. His name was Rafael Jorge who, with his endless patience, energy, humour and distinctive hatha yoga style, started me on a journey from which I’ve never looked back. Straight away I could sense that there was more to yoga than simply ‘keeping fit’ and was drawn to the sense of connection between the mind, body and spirit. Yoga asana practice became a refuge from the demands of a robust job working on women’s rights and social justice. In the absence of a regular teacher, while working in Ghana, I started to develop a regular daily practice. Returning to the UK, I continued to try out different types of yoga from the sweaty bikram to strenuous ashtanga to the dance-like vinyasa flow. Eventually, seeking deeper exploration, I embarked on Yogahaven’s teacher training course in 2010, which follows the teachings of Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, and have been teaching and loving it ever since.

Over time, yoga helped me to find more stillness, clearing away some of the restless energy and charge that we carry around in our heads all the time. It helped me to prepare my body to sit for periods of time in meditation practice, which I have been doing regularly since 2017 under the guidance of Guy Burgs of Art of Meditation.

A huge thanks to those who have and continue to inspire me through their teachings, in particular: Rafael Jorge; Adrian Squirrell; Allie Hill; Toni Roberts; Sharon Smilie; Chris Swain; Joy Anderson; Stewart Gilchrist, Norman Blair and, of course, Guy Burgs.

Independent Yoga Network UK (IYN) registered: 200hr Hatha Yoga with Yogahaven; 40hr Advanced Yoga Teacher Training Yin Yoga with Norman Blair, The Shala

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