Why Do Yoga?

The Benefits of Yoga

I am a firm believer that yoga is for everyone. It is just a matter of finding the correct approach for each individual, as well as the right teacher. This approach may involve finding the right style of yoga or just the right aspect of yoga for you. Over the years, I have done a variety of training to enable me to understand and offer suitable yoga to as many people as possible and hopefully inspire a love of this amazing tradition.

Yoga benefits every part of our being. Most people in the West know of yoga because of its physical benefits; it’s ability to build both strength and flexibility. But in addition to this, there are also mental and energetic benefits.

The meditative nature of yoga gives the mind a bit of a break. Sometimes, this can be an actual meditation session incorporated into the yoga session, but equally, with regular practice the physical aspect becomes a form of meditation in itself, allowing the mind to focus on the present moment and over time, becoming less prone to wandering during practice.

I sometimes incorporate explanations of the chakras and the vayus into my teaching as this explains the way the energy works through the body during a yoga practice. I do, however, realise that some people just aren’t interested and that is absolutely fine; at the end of the day, the best way to notice the energetic effects of your yoga practice is by being aware of how you feel afterwards. I think it’s important to always feel better at the end of a yoga session than you did at the start and this is the aim of every session I teach.

Classes

For many people attending group classes is the first introduction to yoga. If you haven't done yoga before, it is recommended to find a class that has "Beginners". Attempting a general class before mastering the basics can be overwhelming so start at the beginning and don't be tempted to move to a more advanced class too soon.

If you do want to progress and see an improvement in your strength, mobility and flexibility as well as feel more confident when stepping into class, then regular, consistent practice is key with a minimum of one class per week. Many studios and teachers will offer a discounted rate for attending regular classes which is another incentive to get yourself on your mat.

Private yoga classes can be a great way of gaining confidence and having the benefit of an experienced yoga teacher focussed purely on you.

Following the closure of Yoga Ananda Holistic Centre in Reigate, I am taking a bit of a break from teaching regular classes but signing up to my newsletter (sent out about once a month), is a great way to keep track of when and where I am currently teaching.

Courses

I offer courses for different levels from my 6 Week Beginner Course to Intensive Courses for teachers. My next course will be my Yin Intensive Course in November.

Workshops

Yoga workshops are a great way of deepening your yoga practice. I offer a variety of workshops in Surrey and Sussex. These range from extended Yin sessions with Yoga Nidra and a Sound Bath to finish, to Yoga & Ayurveda workshops that use these sister sciences to focus on a particular area in our lives and understand how adapting our practice and our lifestyles can enhance our health and wellbeing.

Yoga Nidra

Yoga Nidra is an extremely powerful practice with incredible positive effects. It is sometimes seen as a form of meditation although it is often accessible to more people than traditional meditation practices.

As well as incorporating Yoga Nidra into the end of most of my evening classes and including it in the Yin Yoga and Yoga Nidra workshops, I also run a 45 minute Yoga Nidra and Sound Bath session close to the Equinoxes and Solstices and cross-quarter festivals (the midway points between the Equinoxes and Solstices). The remaining Yoga Nidra & Sound Bath sessions for 2024 will be held at Very Yoga Reigate.