We all want to be less stressed, avoid unnecessary aches & pains and prevent the premature aging of our bodies & minds. But how do we get a strong & flexible body plus a (mostly) calm & stress-free mind, without putting our bodies through high intensity workouts and/or becoming a monk? The answer for me is unequivocally YOGA. If you're thinking, "I'm not sure yoga is for me", or "I tried it and I didn't like it", let me tell you why AKA Yoga isn't just another yoga class.

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The Classical Yoga I teach contains more components than just the standard yoga poses, or asanas. Woven throughout each of my classes is a focus on what we would like the class to do physically (e.g. ease lower back pain) & also how we're aiming to balance our energetic system or chakras, which simply means that we're motivating energy to flow freely throughout our bodies to keep us vital & healthy. There are certain elements of Classical Yoga that I include in my classes that are not frequently taught, such as mudras & bandhas, which are just ways of directing energetic flow in the body...but you don't have to know specifically what all these terms are to feel the benefits! I promise that I'll make it fun and not even slightly hoodoo. My passion is to use my biochemistry knowledge to marry science with the sacred healing art of yoga, so that we can all tangibly feel the effects that this physical & energetic work is having on our bodies & minds. 

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Every class starts with Pranayama (breathing techniques) which literally translates as: To Expand your Energy or Prana. Free energy boost? Yes! If you don't love getting high on your own oxygen supply then that's your business, but personally I'm IN. After this comes the dynamic part of the class, the flowing yoga poses where you move, sweat, breathe & silently swear at the teacher. This is the bit where you may also think "WTF, I'm never doing this again"...BUT the trick is that we need to move and slightly tire ourselves (in a good way) in order to: 1) become stronger & more flexible, 2) release a whole pharmacy of happy chemicals into our bodies, and 3) have the most out-of-this-world relaxation experience after. The best rest follows the best exertion! 

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As we move in and out of poses, we always couple it to the breath, which takes us out of our brains and into our bodies. You simply won't be able to think of your tax return or what you're having for dinner while moving & breathing your way through the challenging & creative flowing sequence of poses. And this is how your yoga practice becomes a mindfulness practice, with you fully in the moment and present with every sensation.

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At the end of class is Yoga Nidra, which is the Best Form Of Relaxation. Ever. It is (of course, by now you know that for me it needs to be) widely scientifically studied, and the health benefits are off the charts. That's all I'm going to say about it, you really have to try it to experience it…