Classes
Individual lessons
Working one to one is the most effective way to facilitate change and maintain wellbeing. I specialise in creating tailor made programmes for each individual to address any personal issues and develop each person's innate potential.
In Richmond upon Thames, at a venue of your choice or on Zoom.
Group classes
Meditative Yoga - Zoom - Mondays: 9.30 - 10.30 £13 for a one off class or £60 for a half term pass
Active Yoga - Zoom Mondays 6.30-7.30pm £13 per drop in or £60 for a half term pass.
What is Yoga?
Yoga has many meanings but all focus on the concept of uniting: uniting movement and breath, or mind and breath and most importantly our intention with our actions. When we are truly attentive we are in a state of yoga.
Today yoga is often only thought of as the practice of certain postures (āsana) - many believing that they are only accessible to those who are naturally 'bendy’. āsana is indeed one part of yoga, but yoga is much more than this and includes the use of many tools such as prāṇāyāma (awareness of breathing), bhāvana (visualisation), mantra and meditation.
Yoga Therapy
Yoga Therapy uses the tools of yoga to address particular issues that a person may have but always in the context of seeing the person as a whole - not just as an illness, a bad shoulder or a bad back. As individuals our minds and bodies are intrinsically linked and yoga, as a truly holistic therapy, recognises this. Yoga's many tools can be used to benefit each individual: postures can be adapted so that a student can benefit from the function of the posture whatever form it may take, breathing techniques modified, and visualisation and meditation used to calm the mind.
As a qualified Yoga Therapist I work with a wide range of conditions, including addressing sleep issues, anxiety, diabetes and many more.
Thus a wall might be used to support a student in standing postures. It is also perfectly possible to conduct a whole yoga class in whatever position a student feels comfortable, such as in a seated position.
Who can practice?
Each and every one of us is unique and at a different stage in our life - and so there can be no perfect practice to fit all. A teenager will need a practice that is different from someone who has just retired, and they in turn will benefit from something different from the busy householder.
I teach in the tradition of of Sri Krishnamacarya and his son TKV Desikachar. Sri Krishnamacarya (1888-1989), known as 'the father of modern yoga’, was a legendary yoga master, Ayurvedic healer and scholar who lived in Southern India. He taught many well known teachers including his son TKV Desikachar, AG Mohan, Indra Devi, Pattabhi Jois of Ashtanga Vinyasa, and BKS Iyengar of Iyengar Yoga.
The fundamental tenet of this teaching is that the practice should be tailored to fit the person and not the person to the practice. This tradition has been called classical yoga and has its roots in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.
For further information see also :
www.tsyp.yoga
www.kym.org