Nurturing is the word that always comes to mind first when I think of yoga. When I first went to a yoga class I had a strong sense of feeling nurtured.  Twenty plus years ago I was single, with a demanding full-time job and my family and alot of my friends didn't live near by. Life could feel pressured, lonely and insecure. They say “seek and you shall find”. I found my safe space at a weekly Dru yoga class. It was that sense of feeling nurtured that kept me going back.

2. Yoga is a STRESS BUSTER

The beautiful thing about yoga is that it offers two tools to tackle stress: the body and the mind. Taking the body (physical) route normally comes first. Certainly my initial way of fighting back against stress was to hold strong yoga postures, like those of the warrior family. Then, without really seeing it coming, I realised I was naturally breathing in and out of postures, and using the breath to hold postures for longer, all of which provided greater stillness of mind. Flowing sequences, combining breath and movement, took switching my mind off a step further. And then came meditation, the art of simply just being.

3. Yoga Comes OFF THE MAT

I have seen for myself how yoga can weave its way into wider life. It helps you to understand yourself better for instance. We learn to like ourselves, manage our emotions and how we react to situations and people. All of which can improve our relationships, at home, at work and in the wider community.

4. Yoga is a Great Way to Improve LONG TERM HEALTH

Our quality of life, especially as we get older, tends to be shaped by the ease with which we can move, the amount of muscle mass we have and how well we can avoid falls. Yoga is all about keeping the spine flexible – key to moving well. It is also a form of resistance training- using our own body weight to build muscle. And of course yoga incorporates balancing postures. The more we can improve our balance the less likely we are to fall and break bones. Now when I think of yoga I think of how it is setting me up for the future, health-wise.

5. Yoga Encourages SELF COMPASSION

We can be hard on ourselves. Some of us have a louder inner critic than others. That voice that puts us down rather than builds us up. Yoga teaches us to be kinder to ourselves. Yoga gives us permission to take time out for ourselves. A yoga class is a place where you can top your energy levels back up. Afterall if we are frazzled what good are we to those around us?

A Yoga Practice Evolves - Typically What We Are Seeking, Yoga Provides

Yoga is different things to different people. Yoga as a nurturing activity and one that helps to relieve stress are the qualities of yoga that I’ve experienced for the longest. Then came the realisation that yoga allows our true personalities to shine through. Next, that yoga is a good investment for our long term health. Opening myself up to self-compassion is a recent revelation of practicing yoga. I’m in no doubt that more words are waiting to reveal themselves to me as my yoga practice evolves.

Now you’ve got your 5 words perhaps revisit them in 6 months or a year from now. Will they have changed or been added to I wonder.

1. My Approach to Yoga is to Understand that Life can be Really Demanding

My hope is that as a yoga teacher I’m very relatable.

I know what it’s like to work full-time, meeting deadlines and being responsible for a team. I have years (make that decades!) of working long hours as a manager whilst trying not to neglect a partner, friends, family, my health and at the same time keeping a house going. Add children and pets to the mix, which I don’t have, and I can only imagine the additional pressures.

2. I like to Take Yoga Beyond the Physical Benefits

Yoga is great for the physical body, especially our backs. But for me, yoga comes into its own for its mental and emotional health benefits. By nature I’m a perfectionist and very self-critical. Yoga has helped me to be more compassionate towards myself. Through yoga we can learn to give ourselves a break and love ourselves a bit more.

3. In Every Yoga CIass I Encourage our Spines to Move How They Need to Move

Yoga can help to keep us free from back pain. If you are already experiencing back pain, and have been to a doctor and not been given a specific diagnosis (85% of cases), then yoga could help you too. Most back pain is not due to any serious disease. Most back pain comes from the working parts of the joints (the muscles, ligaments and small joints). The current medical opinion, based on extensive research, is that the back needs to move.

With this in mind I always design my class programmes so that we do postures and sequences that cover 4 beneficial ways of moving the back  (forwards, backwards, sideways and rotation/twist).

I am also very conscious that if our legs, glutes (bottom muscles) and core are strong then our backs are better supported. I therefore like to make sure we work our legs, bottoms and abs in class too.

4. I Use the English Terms for Yoga Postures rather than the Sanskrit words

I want things to be as stress free as possible during class. I want to do all I can so that you are able to relax.

As a student I remember feeling a little bit of panic when Sanskrit was used to indicate what the next posture would be. So you’ll not hear me say, “Let’s do Marjariasana followed by Adho Mukha Svanasana”. Instead I’ll say “We’ll going to be moving from Cat in to Dog”.

5. I Teach the Same Yoga Class Programme for a Calendar Month

There are a couple of reasons I like to keep the class programme the same for a calendar month. The first is to reduce uncertainty, which can be a cause of stress. If you know what to expect you’ll be able to relax into the class. Although in week 1 it may all be new to you, when you get to week 2 you’ll know what to expect. The same for weeks 3 and 4. The need for your mind to be constantly alert is taken away.  Your mind can then start to find a place of stillness.

Helping you to see progression is another reason for keeping a programme the same for 4 weeks. What might seem a bit awkward in week 1, say a balancing posture or how long you’re able to hold a posture, is likely to feel much more comfortable week on week.

6. I Mirror You During the Yoga Postures and Sequences

To make it as easy as possible for you to follow the postures and sequences, I’ll always mirror you. Not all teachers do this because it means that the teacher always has to be thinking “opposites”.

To give an example, when I have my right leg in front I’ll say “take your left leg forward”. That way, with me facing the class, we are aligned and it will feel as though you are doing exactly the same as me. If I had my right leg in front and said “take your right leg forward”, because you are facing me, it’ll look like we’re not doing the same thing and it could easily get confusing for you.

Better still I’ll try to avoid “lefts” and “rights”. I might say “reach towards the windows” rather than “reach to the left”. I’m always looking for ways to simplify things so that your brain can take a rest.

7. I Use Music During My Yoga Classes

Some teachers don’t use music when they teach yoga but I do. I like to use music to energise (at the beginning of the class), to calm (during the main part of the class) and to relax (at the end of the class).

Typically we’ll start with an uplifting track to warm up to. Perhaps a bit of Kylie, Rick Astley, Harry Styles, Justin Timberlake or the Jackson 5. Then I’ll use increasingly calming music, perhaps piano or yogic, ending with relaxing instrumental.

8. I Understand That It's About You Taking What You Need Away From The Class

It might be that you want/need some quiet time to yourself and don't particularly want to chat. Looking back this was certainly me when I went to classes. I just wanted/needed to turn up (after a day at work), switch off and then hold on to the stillness I'd gained from being at the class (hence leaving quietly). For others, it's about social connection. It's about having that chat before class starts and when the class ends and perhaps over time forming friendships.

It's whatever you want/need on that particular day.

If the above speaks to you please do get in touch. I'd love to share my experience of yoga with you.