Which Yoga do I teach?

When people ask me what type of yoga I teach  I wish I had one word ready for them. But this is not the case. The yoga I teach is the yoga I feel, the yoga I practice, the yoga that heals and frees the body, balances the mind and opens a door to the light within.

I was formally trained as a Hatha Yoga teacher with the British Wheel of Yoga but in the last 10 years  have been studying and practicing different 'types of yoga' and the result is that my own style has become very hybrid.

I am a fan of DRU yoga, Iyenga, Vinyasa flow, Yin yoga, restorative, Satyananda to mention a few and also incorporate in my classes elements of disciplines that are not technically considered yoga i.e. thai massage, biodance, authentic movement, etc.

I feel that as I get older, travel, learn and develop, my classes will become more varied and multi-faceted. To live and develop is to be in constant change.

"The rung of a ladder was never meant to rest upon, but only to hold a man's foot long enough to enable him to put the other somewhat higher." Aldous Huxley

My intention is always to deliver a balanced class, suitable to all, in a light-hearted inclusive way. I aim to get  to know my students, their likes and dislikes, their personalities, their specific issues. I then look to translate into practice ways of helping them to feel better, more balanced, happier, relaxed , stronger,  in union.

Yin Yoga gentle recharging of life force

Yin yoga is a deeply restorative modality of yoga where passive postures are held between 3 and 5 minutes. However, beginners might hold the postures for a few breaths only  before getting used to longer holds. I have been spending between 10 and 30 slow breaths in the postures and feel the benefits almost immediately.

Anyone, from  any age and ability can experience the benefits of yin yoga, which has been likened to an acupuncture session without needles. If the flexibility of the student does not allow for full postures,  modifications can be easily offered by a competent teacher. Forcing the body into shapes is not advisable as this might put extreme pressure in joints such as hips and knees. I.e. pigeon posture might feel quite uncomfortable for someone who has knees issues or have undergone hip surgery.

So what are the Benefits?

The theory is that holding the postures stimulates the nadis , or the meridians  in Chinese medicine. When these channels are gently pressed for some time they ease tension and blockages. The result at a physical level are greater flexibility, improved circulation inthe joints and tissues around it. At a psychological level a greater ability to investigate and cope with uncomfortable emotions. When one holds a posture in stillness  for more than a few seconds, negative thoughts and emotions might surface on the fabric of the mind. By learning to stay in the posture/present and not  to react to the thought, yin yoga serves as a meditation session where one learns to observe the activity of the mind without getting involved in it.

The residence of Yin and Yang

The kidney-bladder organ-meridian pair, "the mansion of fire and water,  the chanel of life and death" have been my favorite recently and I include below a few postures that work in this chanel. Most students will need modifications and props  to be comfortable in these postures. Any sensation of discomfort or pain means that more harm than benefit will be the result of the session, so always be careful and ask a qualified teacher to guide you through the practice.

Supta virasana,Upavistakonasana, Balasana, Janu sirsasana,Paschimotanasana. See them  at http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/finder/browse_categories

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Whitley Bay beach, Newcastle

What the word yoga means to you? I like the idea of the symbolic sun rising within from lower to higher centres of consciousness.   Ceasing the fluctuations of the mind to find the centre of stillness deep within.  The journey back home.

Hatha Yoga for all abilities in Whitley Bay | YogaNearby

Hatha Yoga for all abilities | YogaNearby

Asanas - the anteroom of Yoga

Most of us turn to yoga looking for fitness, better sleep, weight loss, stress management, relief from back pain, etc. What we might not realise is that there are  many other benefits that the practice will invariably bring. Better health is just a byproduct. Yoga promotes the development of awareness and awakening of higher states of consciousness.  It integrates mind, body and emotions helping individuals to become more whole, integrated and fulfilled.

Being able to get yourself into pretzel shapes is not what yoga is all about. That's preparatory, benefitial  but not  the core of yoga. The practice of asana (postures) can be considered the anteroom of yoga.

Originally, yoga was devised as an instrument to help raising consciousness and liberating individualsfrom illusion and suffering.  The objective of the posture work was to free the body from toxins and to prepare it for seating for extended periods in meditation without discomfort.


Breathing techniques (pranayama) were also designed to help getting  the mind into a state of calm and stillness. In this state the individual could get a glimpse into the soul, beyond the veil of illusion.That's was the real yoga, the royal yoga, the royal path.  The system was devised 1,500 years ago by a sage called Patanjali. It was an almost a secret science.

Whatever the stage we are in our practice, it is certain that sooner or later the practice will work its magic. Practice, discipline, consistency will open the door to  the real yoga, the yoga of the mind, of the heart, of the spirit, and integration will inevitably occur. The  reassuring thing is that in our era there are no chosen few, yoga is inclusive, all dependent on your own efforts.