Breathe In, Breathe Out

'Asana is that perfect moment when the body is utterly still, effortless; sensation and breathing suspend themselves so that time comes to a halt.

Then: happiness in a moment of infinity.'

Patanjali, Yoga Sutras II, 47


Patanjali's Yoga Sutra (Penguin Classics)

Pregnancy Yoga

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CLIFTON HAMPDEN

Enjoy a special time with your baby.
Beginners/confirmed practitioners: all welcome!
Group/one to one sessions available on request.

  • Breathing awareness can help you during labour and delivery.
  • Regular practice helps with concentration and relaxation.
  • Simple stretching exercises relieves backache and make you stronger physically and emotionally.

Please contact Laurence on 01865 407 661 or 075 546 35 112
yogin67@gmail.com.
Come enjoy our friendly sessions.

Tariffs

CLIFTON HAMPDEN
Drop in: £9 each session (90 mins)
Four classes card: £32 (to be used within five weeks)
Four Pregnancy classes: £40

Ten classes card: £80 (to be used within eleven weeks. If used within 10 weeks, eleventh class is FREE)

Group and One to One sessions also available. £25/ one to one. £36 / one to two. Milage not included.

Nagy Yoga Logo

YOGA CLASSES FROM SEPTEMBER 2011

CLIFTON HAMPDEN Village Hall GENERAL

Tuesday 7 pm – 8.30 pm (all welcome, drop in or pre book)

CLIFTON Hampden, Tanmor, Oxford Road : PREGNANCY YOGA

Tuesday 2 – 3.15 PM (you need to be 14+ weeks pregnant)

 

 

SUTTON COURTENAY Matrix VINYASA (dynamic)

Wednesday 8.30 am – 10 am  (pre bookings only, no drop in)

DIDCOT, Cornerstone VINYASA

Thursday 7 pm – 8.15 pm (book with Cornerstone)


Don’t feel down, get on your mat

I found a tale in  Yogasara N.9 (Iyengar Association magazine) which illustrates the the theme of tolerance.

Tolerance, according to Iyengar is found  between desire and aversion 

Here is the French version.

Please ask if you need it translated 

“Il était une fois un homme qui trouvait sa maison sale et malsaine. Il s’en alla vers un autre village.

Ce village étant aussi  peu soigné, il partit vers une forêt.

Alors qu’il était assis sous un arbre, un oiseau lui envoya ses déjections sur la tête. Dégoûté, il quitta la forêt et se mit debout au milieu d’une rivière.

Là, il trouva un gros poisson qui mangeait les plus petits. Cela accrût encore son dégoût. Convaincu que toute la création n’était qu’abomination, il conclut qu’il n’avait d’autre issue que de mettre fin à ses jours.

Il sortit de la rivière et se prépara à mourir, brûlé sur un bûcher. Un homme qui passait par là le vit et lui demanda: ” Pourquoi veux-tu mourir mon frère?” Notre homme répondit alors: “Parce que le monde est abominable et corrompu, je veux m’en aller!”

L’autre lui dit: “Et que fais-tu de nous? Imagine à quel point ce serait insupportable pour nous quand ta chair commencera à brûler, à quel point cela sentira mauvais. Nous habitons juste à côté, comment allons-nous supporter cette odeur?”

L’homme fut déconcerté et s’exclama:”Mais alors on ne peut plus vivre ni mourir dans ce monde! Que faut-il donc faire.” Le sage Patanjali dit: (Yoga Sutras II,28) “Par la pratique assidue des différents aspects du yoga, les impuretés sont diminuées puis éliminées et la lampe de la sagesse éloigne par sa lumière les afflictions qui nous consument.” 

 

picture found on Catherine Mazarguil blog. She speaks on Yoga and Art

Finding one’s energy

 

 

When I practice Iyenga Yoga, I spend time in the postures and continuously make the adjustments that Laurence suggests are right for my body.  At the end of the class I feel relaxed, knowing that I have worked hard.  When I then take the Vinyasa Yoga class, I am able to put into practice the learned adjustments from the Iyenga Yoga class, whilst flowing through the postures.  I love the energy I get from Vinyasa Yoga.
Anne K., Abingdon, 2011

Eyestrain relief: don’t blink in Trataka

I practiced the “no blinking” exercise with two students the other night. The idea is to fix you attention on a small object or here on the top of a candle flame and try not to blink for a few breaths, getting the mind completely involved in the small flame. When you are about to blink again, close your eyes and watch for the light to reappear in the dark

Process

Sit down and place a lighted candle about two feet in front of you with the flame at eye level. Gaze at the middle of the flame until your eyes water, internal Trataka can then be performed, by closing the eyes and allowing the image of the flame to appear. Try to keep the image clear and unwavering. Repeat the process until you can hold the image externally without blinking as well as internally, without wavering.

Possible benefits

Physiologically, Trataka “cures” diseases of the eye such as eyestrain, headache, astigmatism, and myopia. The eyes become clear and bright and able to see the reality beyond external appearances.
Psychologically, Trataka develops clairvoyance, telepathy, and telekinesis as well as strong will power and ekagrata, meaning single pointedness, without which concentration and meditation are not possible.

The Hatha Yoga practitioner uses the purified and tuned instrument of the body in order to gain true perception of reality. Swami Muktibodhananda writes in the Bihar School commentary on the Hatha Yoga Pradipika* that vision depends not only on the organs of the eyes, which are lenses or mediums for external perception but on the entire optic tracks. When you look at something, an image is projected onto the retina via the eyes, which stimulates the retina to fire impulses back to the visual cortex of the brain where an inner image is mapped out. When the image of the external object is stabilized on the retina, and held there for some time, without wavering, then the image will completely disappear and along with it a suspension of normal mental processes; in other words the mind will be turned off. More info here

Adapter le cours aux besoins de chacun

J’ai beaucoup aimé le stage, surtout le fait que tu ais adapté le cours selon les besoins et respecté les niveaux respectifs des différentes participantes. J’ai beacoup apprécié aussi que tu ais pris le temps pour répondre aux questions. Il me semble que tu maitrises vraiment l’alignement correct des différentes postures, et j’ai trouvé tes instructions très précises, claires et utiles.

Yvonne Schleiss, Fribourg, juillet 2010