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NEW Ashtanga Workshop.

2-4PM Sunday 14th November at Zen House Beaconsfield. £35 if booked before October 12th,  £40 thereafter.  Contact me to book.

This is open to Ashtanga students and Yoga Teachers

(Teachers can collect Yoga Alliance CPD points)

11AM-12:15PM

When a PT, yoga teacher or fitness instructor asks you to engage your core can you actually do this?  What does even it mean? For many people it means bracing their rectus abdominis or six- pack muscle.

But the core comprises 35 muscles!

In Ashtanga yoga we engage the obliques and the lower portion of the rectus abdominus, the transverses abdominus along with the pelvic floor muscles throughout our yoga practice, or at least we are supposed to!

In postures such as navasana (boat pose) we are toning our psoas. (note a healthy muscle is one that can contract and relax and I am definitely not alone in having a psoas muscle that cannot switch off sometimes)

What about the glute max though? That big meaty butt muscle! This part of the core.

When I started practicing Ashtanga many years ago teachers always said to relax your glutes in back bends like upward facing dog and even in more extreme back bends that occur in second series ashtanga.

This is actually pretty bad advice! Your glute max is a key stabiliser which will support the back in back bends.

I’m not suggesting a full-on butt squeeze like you’re trying to crack a nut between your cheeks but a subtle engagement of the lower portion of the glute max.

This could mean easing off back bends until you can achieve this.

If you spend 5 hours a more a day sitting and then join an exercise class or train at the gym in the evening lord help your back! This is the reality for many people. You definitely need to connect with and fire up that core.

This class will show you how to access the core muscles, connect with them and strengthen them. Will this class give you a 6 pack? Sadly not but if that is your goal this will set you on the right path.

If your goal is to do your sport, training or yoga of choice knowing you can connect with your core and support your back  then this class is for you!

Class is £12 or £10 for regular students. Message me to book your place .

 

 

 

Combining my two great loves, and maybe yours too…Ashtanga Yoga and Food!! The yoga will be provided by me and the food by Meera’s Made From Scratch. Check out Meera’s website https://www.meerabhogal.com/events/ and follow Meera on Instagram and FB @meerabhogal.

When we do something consistently over a long period of time we see improvements, but sometimes we become complacent and lose focus and bad habits start to arise. Sometimes we lose the love and passion for our practice as we start to plateau or even pick up injuries. Fear not! This workshop is for beginners and seasoned Ashtangis who want to revisit the basics, refresh and revitalise their practice.

The workshop will give you a greater understanding of YOUR practice and YOUR body!

This workshop is strictly limited to 10 people. Booking must be made in advance. Please contact myself or Meera to book. Come with your questions and an inquisitive and open mind.

When: Sunday 6th October 9:30 AM until 12:00 PM Where: At a private venue in Northwood, North West London. Fees: £35

A bit about your teacher: I have been practicing Ashtanga for 15 years and teaching for 8 years. I have further qualifications inn anatomy and physiology as well ongoing study with my teacher in Mysore, the birthplace of Ashtanga Yoga.

Ashtanga is for young people …I hear this a lot…it’s not for beginners, it’s too difficult..
Yes, it is difficult but anything worth doing doesn’t come easily.

I teach all ages from 11 year olds to 70 year olds, from ex gymnasts, people with limited mobility, athletes, pensioners, mums,  and whilst I teach ashtanga to all of these people  I teach everyone as an individual.
Some people  come  to class to get a bit of head space, some want to dedicate them selves to a daily yoga practice, some want to find a way to reduce injuries from their chosen sport, some are on a spiritual path, some people want to get fit, some people want to be toned and have a flat tummy,  some  want to do a headstand and many people aren’t really sure what they want from yoga, they are just curious and find the feeling it gives slightly addictive!

What ever your reason for coming class to it really doesn’t matter.
Often the reason we keep practicing is very different to the reason we started.
Ashtanga is a physically challenging practice.
The body needs to be in peak condition to enable a healthy mind.
Most people don’t know how to breath properly which causes a whole host of mental and physical health problems

I recently heard someone say ashtanga isn’t suitable for  modern bodies
as we sit in chairs all day and we are hunched over our phones and computers so the postures are too difficult .
Surely this is just one good  reason why we should do this practice!

I feel like I’ve gone as far as I can physically with my own ashtanga practice, but maybe I’m wrong about  that.

Even after many years of dedicated daily practice, I’m only just starting to understand the powerful mental and spiritual aspects this practice has in store for me…

Why do you practice?

Ashtanga Yoga Retreat in Suffolk May 17th until May 20th, 2018.

I’m so excited to announce my first UK yoga retreat! I hope you can join us for what promises to be an epic weekend! Held in a beautifully converted farmhouse in the Suffolk countryside the retreat will offer six yoga classes and an abundance of fresh, healthy and locally sourced food made by our own chef.  This retreat will open to all levels from beginners to experienced Ashtangis. Everyone is welcome. A space to cultivate and deepen your own yoga practice or perhaps begin your discovery of Ashtanga.  Away from the stresses of everyday life, the retreat will be a space of contemplation and relaxation giving you the opportunity to set healthy intentions and habits.

Venue

Lodge Farm in the village of Freston is a beautifully converted dairy. With the best of both worlds, it is perfect for big social dinners with the dining area of the Dairy having enough seating for big communal meals so everyone can congregate. However, there is also space for all to find a quiet corner to enjoy the peace and tranquillity the area has to offer.

Lodge Farm is situated within the Suffolk Coast and Heath’s Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) so there are lots of scenic walks on our doorstep. You never know, we may even get good weather!

Schedule 

The retreat starts on Thursday evening with a yoga class followed by dinner. There will be a morning and evening class on Saturday and Sunday with the option of having a massage, going on a scenic country walk, having a veggie cooking lesson or simply doing nothing between classes.

Our final class will be on Sunday morning before we depart feeling refreshed, relaxed and recharged.

Booking 

There are two double rooms available for single occupancy at £420 per person.

All other rooms are on a shared basis at £385 per person.

To secure your place please get in touch to arrange payment of a non-refundable deposit of £120. The remaining fee is due March 30th.

 

YOUR GUIDE TO THAI YOGA MASSAGE

Lie back, close your eyes and start the healing process. Massage is a way to soothe muscle tension, induce a sense of calm and relaxation, improve circulation and boost the body’s internal systems.

These days, there are so many different types of massage on offer that it can be difficult to choose what is best for you and your body. At Yoga Revolution, we offer Thai yoga massage. Different to traditional Thai massage or Swedish massage, this is an intensive holistic practice steeped in history.

WHAT IS IT?

Quite simply, the practitioner will guide your body through a series of yoga postures, while applying pressure and working along the body’s energy lines using their palms, feet and even their elbows. Known as ‘lazy man’s yoga’, your body will be put through a series of stretches and poses to help release tension and create a sense of lightness and calm.

A traditional Thai yoga massage will always focus on the stomach, which is different to many western massage treatments. The focus on this area is to do with a number of energy lines running through the stomach area.

The treatment is all about balancing the body’s energy to create a sense of harmony and release.

TELL ME MORE….

A full and all-encompassing Thai massage treatment can take up to two hours. This is the recommended time to receive the full benefits of the treatments, howeve we understand

that sometimes it’s just not possible to take out that length of time from your busy day. That’s why we offer shorter treatments to suit your needs.

You will be fully clothed throughout our session, so make sure you wear comfortable clothes such as leggings and a loose top for women, or shorts and a t-shirt for men. You will lie on a futon on the floor.

Treatment starts at the feet and works upwards. The practitioner will apply a strong pressure using their palms, this can be quite intense, but is ultimately quite soothing. You will be helped into various yogic postures to release the tension stored in the body. These stretches can be quite rigorous, but we will work at your pace and try to release the tightness that regular stretching just can’t reach.

DO I NEED TO BE FLEXIBLE?

No! You just need to be you, no matter your shape or level of fitness. Thai yoga massage is used on athletes as well as office workers, so it really doesn’t matter how flexible you are.

Each treatment is different and depends on the person receiving it.

WHAT CAN THAI MASSAGE YOGA TREAT?

You don’t have to have aches and pains or feel unwell to benefit from a treatment. The massage will leave you feeling, lighter, more flexible and calm. Thai Yoga Massage has been known to successfully treat and soothe anxiety and stress insomnia, muscular and pains, IBS, migraines.

It’s meditative quality and roots in Buddhism, make it a treatment specifically for you. To focus on your body’s physical and emotional needs.

A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY

Thai yoga massage originates from Northern India and is around 2,500 years old. It was practiced in Buddhist temples as a form of healing and an extension of Theravada Buddhist practice, specifically meditation.

When the Buddhists left India and traveled to Thailand they took this practice with them. When a practitioner gives a Thai yoga massage they are focused solely on the receiver and what they need the therapist. It is a way of practicing a form of physical mindfulness as well as “Metta” or “loving kindness” meditation.

The treatment works on “Sen” lines or energy lines in the body. When these energetic pathways become blocked, they can cause physical or mental illness or pain. Thai yoga massage has been traditionally used to heal and prevent illness. The energetic pathways in Thai yoga massage are very different to those in traditional Chinese and Japanese practices such as Acupuncture and Shiatsu. Thai yoga massage has much more in common with the yogic energetic system.

September Workshop: Ashtanga Practice and Philosophy

Taking place in a beautiful private studio in Northwood Sunday 10TH September from 10 AM until 1 PM. The fee is £25. Pre-booking is essential.

I decided to teach this workshop as many of you are progressing well with your asana practice and are curious about the other aspects of Ashtanga yoga.
I can’t wait to explore the fascinating world of yoga philosophy with you!
The postures or asana we practice in class are just one part of Ashtanga yoga
Ashtanga means “8 limbs” and the asanas are just one of these limbs.
The workshop will explore the other 7 limbs as well as an introduction to The Yoga Sutras, the ancient text on yoga.  The sutras beauty is their absolute simplicity and accessibility to anyone and everyone.
They are not rules or dogma but open to your own interpretation.
Once you start to read the sutras it opens your eyes to a new way of living your life without getting caught up in the stress and drama others and more often ourselves create.

The class will, of course, be asana focuses as without the physical practice of yoga the philosophy is useless.
This workshop is open to anyone who practices Ashtanga whether novice or seasoned Ashtangi.
This workshop will be enlightening, insightful and uplifting and I hope it will encourage you to deepen your practice.
Contact me to book your place.

Om Shanti
Fiona

Ongoing 6-week course at The Windmill Studio Centre, Ruislip.

Starts 8th March @ 5:45PM-6:45PM.  £65. 

Limited places so lots of individual attention.  

Please call or email to book your place: 

T: 07532 222 1833 E: [email protected] 

“Accept the things we cannot change whilst believing we can overcome our limitations”  

The Ashtanga Primary series is “Yoga Chikitsa” or Yoga Therapy. It was developed in Mysore, South India and brought to the west by the Guru Sri K Pattabhi Jois.  Ashtanga is an intelligently sequenced yoga system that lengthens and tones muscles and increases mobility of the joints. It also creates exceptional core strength and the ujjayi breath practised in class energises you yet soothes your nervous system.  

I  have developed this class to allow you to enjoy the dynamic and strong practice of Ashtanga yoga but working at a slower pace. Perhaps you are starting yoga for the first time in your later years? Maybe you are managing a health condition, have a back issue, you lack strength or feel that you are exceptionally stiff?

 

This class will be a warm and welcoming space for you to build your confidence and develop your own personal yoga practice at your own pace. 

In Mysore, South India where Ashtanga originates the student is taught on a one to one basis but in a group setting. Everyone is taught the same postures but as we are all so different we are all taught in a slightly different way.  Ashtanga is a set sequence so over time you start to remember the sequence yourself.

This slower pace of learning allows those who have injuries, weaknesses or a health issue to work at their own pace.

It is not a gentle stretching/relaxation class. We will work hard to develop strength, resilience and mobility in the body whilst we cultivate self- confidence, focus and steadiness of mind. A bit about your teacher: I have been teaching yoga for over 8 years and I have studied extensively with the Ashtanga yoga Guru in Mysore, South India. I also practice Thai Yoga Massage, AKA Lazy man’s yoga, which is a Buddhist practice of Loving Kindness. I apply this knowledge to my teaching. I love teaching Ashtanga and sharing something that has inspired me to live life to the full!

 Everyone coming to class will be expected to complete a short health questionnaire.  Please check with your Dr or another health professional before signing up to the class. 

   To quote the Ashtanga guru “ Everyone can do Ashtanga yoga, sick person, old person, young person, very old person, One who is sick – he will gain health. One who doesn’t have strength – he will gain strength. The only person who can’t practice is the lazy man. The lazy man always has excuses.’

 

Book your place or get in touch to find out more. [email protected]     

Ashtanga Yoga on Saturday’s at 10:30AM-12PM @ The Body Studio, Northwood Hills.

I am an experienced and dedicated Ashtanga yoga teacher who has studied extensively with the Ashtanga Guru in Mysore, South India. I cannot wait to share this life-changing yoga practice with you!

Please get in touch to book your place or to find out more:

E:[email protected]

T: 07532 221 833

11 Benefits of Ashtanga Yoga It’s an ancient and traditional yoga practice steeped in spirituality. Ashtanga also happens to have some very surprising health benefits. Ashtanga can help us to find health in body and mind in an often stressful modern world.

1 Cardiovascular Fitness Ashtanga is a “vinyasa” style of yoga which means it’s a moving, not a static yoga style. Anyone who has practiced the sun salutations at the beginning of any Ashtanga class knows how much they get the heart rate up and the blood pumping! 

2 Core Strength Ashtanga creates exceptional core strength and really connects us with those sometimes-elusive deep core muscles. Many people who suffer from lower back pain find this strength alleviates it. 

3 Improves joint range of movement  Ashtanga increases the range of movement in our joints so we are more agile and move with more grace and ease, rather than stiffen with age. We can bend down without creaking!

4 Counteracts the damage of sitting Many of us spend hours each day sitting. This creates a lot of pressure on the lower back, tightens the hamstrings and the hips. Sitting with our hips flexed all day means they become “locked” and in time we are no longer able to utilise the ball and socket joint of the hip i.e. allow the joint to move in all directions.  Sitting all day is also bad news for our core. Regular Ashtanga practice brings you back to a healthy fully functioning body that feels light and free.

5 Ashtanga is not a stretching class! Simply Stretching muscles is not particularly beneficial.  Ashtanga creates strong lean muscles and we focus on lengthening not stretching.

6 Ashtanga teaches us how to breathe correctly A powerful tool in overcoming stress and anxiety.  The breathing practiced in Ashtanga helps us to manage our “fight or flight” response to stressful situations and react in a more reasoned way.

7 Awareness We become more aware of how we sit, stand and move as we go about our day so our posture improves and we are less likely to create further issues in our body.

 8 Learn an invaluable life skill Ashtanga is a set sequence you will learn by heart.  It becomes part of your daily life and enables you to learn a life skill that will enhance your quality of life.

9 Self-care You feel more inclined to look after yourself as you become more in tune with yourself. Suddenly you are eating healthier and making better choices for your overall health.   

10 You realise anything is possible! When I started to practice Ashtanga I found a lot of the postures impossible and often said “I’ll never be able to do that” Some postures took years to master but it taught me perseverance and patience and that with the right attitude anything is possible!

11 Clarity of mind Yoga was created thousands of years ago, yet we need it more today than ever before. We are subjected to constant bombardment of images and information, especially those of us glued to our iPhone and social media! We are constantly on the go.  The quiet time, mindful movement and introspection of yoga can sow the seeds for a more focused mind and counteract the stress and overwhelm that over stimulation causes.

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Having a problem booking online? Call us on: 07532 221 833