§ The following is some background information on Yoga.

What is yoga?

Yoga means “Union” or oneness, so that the body, mind and breath work together to improve our physical and mental health at both gross and subtle levels.  In this way we can live to our full potential and handle whatever challenges life brings up.

The Union offered by Yoga also means that we are part of a greater whole, so that we take responsibility for our actions towards our loved ones and friends, our community and our environment.

There are many aspects of yoga.  The practice of physical postures is called “Hatha” yoga.  Doing the physical postures of Hatha Yoga with awareness and breath control can work on all the physical systems of the body such as circulatory, respiratory, muscular, nervous systems etc.  Practising postures in this way can also lead us to know when, where and how we hold tension and thus learn to begin to alleviate it.   The other aspects of yoga include: Karma yoga - yoga for work ie offering up the fruits of our labour without expecting anything in return, Raja yoga or meditation, Bhakti yoga or devotional yoga, Gyana yoga or yoga of knowledge ie reading and expanding one’s knowledge of yoga, Seva yoga or doing selfless deeds to improve the state of the world.

Hatha yoga consists of 8 limbs called astanga yoga.  These are: Yama – our moral obligation to society; Niyama – our moral obligation to our self, Asana – the postures for health of our body; Pranayama – breathing practices to help our nervous system, mind and intellect; Pratyahara – removal of the senses to prepare for meditation; Dhavana – contemplation to become engrossed in something without the mind dissipating our thoughts; Dhyana – concentration to become at one with something ie meditation to lead us to Samadhi or Bliss, where we lose all concept of our self as a separate entity.

Practising the physical postures with breath and body awareness, relaxation and meditation improve both our physical and mental state of being, the benefits of which include lessening stress and worry, sharpening decision-making and improving concentration.

The postures combined with relaxation and meditation can be adapted to the needs and abilities of most people, regardless of age or physical condition, to improve the well-being of each individual. One of the great yoga teachers who first brought yoga to the West once said "If you can breathe you can do yoga." (Krishnamacharya) – this is the philosophy I follow in our classes.

Please remember to be aware of your own body in the practice of the postures.  Sometimes you will find some postures easier than at other times, for various reasons. As yoga is working the “energetic” body system, at times you may have an emotional type of reaction to a posture. Please discuss this with Annette.

There are some physical conditions that I need to be aware of in order to vary the postures slightly.  If you have any serious health problem please get clearance from your doctor before attending yoga.  Otherwise enjoy the journey you have begun – "A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step" – Lao Tsu.