Mysore morning classes starting again!
Mysore morning classes start again on Monday 16 August 2010. And in the traditional style, Friday morning classes will now be led 6.30am – 8am.
Come and join us in the lovely warm room at Soul, melt away the cold end of winter and start your spring cleansing with a nice long inhale :) Beginners are always welcome.
Titirangi Ashtanga Yoga is now on facebook and you can click through from this website. Please help me spread the word about these classes by suggesting the page to your facebook friends in the area. Thanks!
Home from India
I’m returning from India inspired from a month of teacher training with Sharath and teachers from around the world at the Sri K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute in Mysore, India.
This time in India has given me some new clarity about what Ashtanga yoga is all about.
Most of us start Ashtanga yoga because it feels so good. Our bodies which we have neglected, misunderstood, abused or taken for granted are given this beautiful attention and drink it up like fresh coconut water on a hot day (which I’ve been having quite a bit of here and it is good!).
Regardless of when we start the practice, we all start from our own place, our own level, wherever we are at that point in time. There is no such thing as ‘beginners level Ashtanga yoga’ – where you begin is different for everyone.
The beauty of Mysore style teaching is that you are taught one-on-one at the level that is right for you, wherever you are right now. And then it gets better, because you are taught at your own pace, and your pace is different to anyone else’s. Sharath has talked a lot about how, as teachers, we must connect with you, our students, studying your particular needs, teaching the particular asanas you need and letting you take your time with the practice.
Often the first few years of practising Ashtanga yoga are about the process of clearing and cleansing the body of blocks and pains and ailments. But even as this is going on, when we concentrate the mind on the breath, the practice becomes a tool to quieten and focus the mind. Over time, the practice becomes softer and calmer, and we get a sense of the stillness and deep relaxation that comes from focusing on the breath. And this, quite simply, helps us cope better with the challenges that come our way.
Inhale – exhale – inhale – exhale – inhale – exhale – inhale – exhale – inhale – exhale – inhale – exhale – inhale – exhale :)
It’s so very simple, really. It takes effort and discipline, but it’s wonderfully accessible, even to those of us who live busy lives full of the responsibilities of work and family.
We are all human and we all have our own challenges and difficulties to work through. Practising yoga doesn’t change that. It simply gives us a tool to help us do it with insights that come up from our own bodies and minds as we practise and, eventually, a greater sense of stillness in the mind and open-heartedness.
Spring Yoga and Ayurveda for Beginners
Sunday 5 September 10 am – 3 pm
Spring is a wonderful time to cleanse the body and to make fresh starts.
This beginners workshop will:
- focus on the energising and cleansing aspects of the Ashtanga yoga practice
- teach gentle ways to cleanse the body in spring
- talk about tasty spring food that leaves you feeling warm, energetic and healthy
- learn simple home remedies for common spring health problems like allergies
- and enjoy a delicious lunch!
When you book, you’ll receive some guidelines for observations you can make about your food and routine in the week before the course.
Please email or call Catherine to book by Sunday 29 August.
Looking forward to seeing you all soon! Catherine
