WHAT WOULD ALL THESE EXAMPLES LACK TO BE CONSIDERED YOGA?

We can start with the objective. According to classical texts, the purpose of Yoga is liberation from suffering, it is fullness, understanding the cycle of life and death, it is a state of expanded consciousness. Personally, I’ve never met anyone who started practicing Yoga to reach this state of hyper-awareness, or liberation, or expanded inner development. Perhaps because this is not (and generally speaking) usual, or even valued, in Western culture. We dedicate much more time to the exterior aspect, which is also very important, and less time to the interior. The fact is that, at some point in time, the purpose of Yoga, for those who created it, was the release of suffering, or that state of expanded consciousness. In a generic way, in the culture in which I belong, people start to practice Yoga with several other goals: either because they want to feel better, or because they want to have more flexibility, or because they want to reduce stress, or lose weight, or reduce pain in the body… These goals can change throughout life. Whatever our personal motivations for practicing Yoga are, Yoga, by itself, will always be a process, with the same goal.

YOGA

the fact that I can work on all the planes of my body. It helps me to be aware that, when I am sad, I can more easily understand which plane of the body is asking for help: it could be the tired mind because I worked too much, it could be the emotional, because I miss being with friends, etc. And then I can be proactive and resolve this imbalance. If I don’t act, then the snowball effect begins. For example: I am tired, then I don’t want to cook, I will feel cravings to eat worse food, then I will sleep worse and then my emotional will be more pessimistic about things and the physical will be susceptible of getting sick. I might do body positions, or even a meditation, but it won’t work because Yoga is much more than just this amazing techniques.

Other topic that differs from a gym class is that Yoga practice does not end when the class is finished. We can spend a lifetime studying it and learning new things every day. It is really very vast. Also, Yoga is daily practice! It’s not worth taking a Yoga class and not having ethics in your personal or professional life. Nobody is perfect and even Masters make mistakes. It is what gives us human characteristics. But there has to be a daily concern with this aspect and there are certainly limits. And, going back to the question above… Asanas, body positions, are a technique… If I’m doing these positions, I’m practicing yoga, right? Not necessarily. If we are focused on the present moment of practice; if we bring our awareness to practice; if we put intention, purpose – sankalpa, into practice; bhava, or our state of being, feeling and authenticity; ishwara pranidhana, or self-surrender; if in our life we try to follow ethical norms, deciding what is most ethical, for ourselves and for others; if we seek to live ethically with our body and planet; if we practice with contentment and self-improvement; if we are doing all the techniques with study, dedication and with abhyasa, that is, on a regular and constant basis; and finally, with our eyes on the goal… then yes, we are practicing Yoga. It sounds complicated, but it’s not. It is certainly a process that goes back and forth but also to bring us happiness, to make it easy and not the other way around.

Words: Rosario Alves

The post WHAT IS YOGA & WHAT IS IT FOR first appeared on Yoga Magazine.

Since BLOK’s opening in 2016, their challenging and dynamic yoga classes have become renowned, attracting not only east London locals but yoga enthusiasts from all over the city. The studio has large antiqued mirrors, beautifully designed lighting and a bespoke sound system.

Dynamic yoga classes range from Yogasana, Power Yoga, Yin yoga and also a newly introduced BLOK Flow class, which incorporates yoga, HIIT, and primal movement elements. BLOK also offers barre classes and Pilates, both of which are excellent for core strength and balance.

BLOK is the only studio in East London to teach Yogasana, Stewart Gilchrist’s challenging and deeply invigorating practice.

Luxury changing rooms with Bamford products and a café serving shakes, square mile coffee, bone broth and BLOK’s own food range allow clients to wind down and leave refreshed post workout.

The post BLOK YOGA first appeared on Yoga Magazine.

In January 2016, Ed opened a bespoke and environmentally friendly hot yoga studio in Bristol, and since then Yogafurie has gone on to become one of the leading specialist hot yoga and yoga studios in the South West and beyond. As part of this move, Yogafurie also expanded by creating a brand new teacher training division, called Yogafurie Academy, to help more people become teachers of yoga and, particularly, be introduced to teaching hot yoga.

While the main teaching of Yogafurie hot yoga and yoga is based on Vinyasa methods, the team has created a holistic approach that brings together some of the best practitioners in Bristol who now offer a range of yoga styles and Pilates classes.

The hot yoga is conducted in a room powered by a state-of-the-art, custom-made, eco-friendly hot yoga heater and humidi er and brings balance at 42°C, which is perfect for achieving extra stretch and also for burning calories. The ethos at Yogafurie is to combine the very latest in scientific insights

into biomechanical working and traditional yoga teachings and also to keep the sessions fresh by changing up the class content.

Ed has also kept the local community close to the heart of everything the studio does. This includes the fact that his daughter is one of the lead teachers, and also that they give back to local charities with a very special place for those organisations working with people dealing with addiction.

Yogafurie is also the only current stockist of Yoga Democracy leggings, which are made out of 100% recycled plastic, as well as a host of other products that give back to the earth.

The studio has grown into a positive force that has good energy at its very core, and that seeks to help people grow, become centered in, and thankful for all that today has to give.

The post YOGAFURIE first appeared on Yoga Magazine.

With 5 star reviews and first class facilities, Eden ofers all that you would expect and more, including modern infrared heating panels, mood lighting, showers and changing facilities, free on- site parking and easy access to transport links. Both studios are open 7 days a week with 30 classes running across the morning and evening and 10 passionate and highly experienced tutors committed to o ering the best Yin, Hatha, Vinyasa and Ashtanga classes in the area. Workshops and Teacher Training events are regularly held bringing industry experts to their clients.

Rachel is the Founder and Director of Eden Hot Yoga and her teaching experience expands over 10-years. Originally training as a personal trainer and PE teacher, Rachel soon began to understand the mental and physical benefits of practising yoga daily and decided to open her first Yoga studio at the age of 24. Now with over 10.5k thousand followers on Instagram alone, Rachel shares pieces of her life and spreads the wider message about yoga with the world every day.

2017 will see exciting franchise opportunities across the area, to find out more please contact edenhotyoga@outlook.com

Eden Hot Yoga offers new clients 10 days unlimited access to their Hot Yoga classes for only £15, whilst existing clients can benefit from an unlimited use, 4-week membership pass from only £55. Both passes will save clients £s on standard drop in rates.

Unit 2 Hollies Court Hollies Park Road Cannock WS11 1DB

Unit 6 Shires Industrial Estate Essington Close Lichfield
WS14 9AZ

The post EDEN HOT YOGA first appeared on Yoga Magazine.