This course will cover the fundamentals of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. You will learn to:

BREATHE BETTER

MOVE WITH EASE

STRENGTHEN AND SOFTEN YOUR BODY

RELAX YOUR MIND

Breath (pranayama)

Learn the breath wave and its healing power.

Over time our breathing patterns can shift as a reaction to environmental stressors, like temperature, pollution, noise, and other causes of anxiety through emotional traumas and illnesses. Breath control practices assist to stabilise attention and boost brain health. (source: science daily)

When we breathe in a shallow way, the body remains in a cyclical state of stress—our stress causing shallow breathing and our shallow breathing causing stress. This sets off the sympathetic nervous system, the branch of the autonomic nervous system that primes us for activity and response. Which is fine if you're trying to run a marathon or escape from a tiger chasing you. Taking control of your breathing is a way of rebalancing the nervous system and shifting how you respond to stress. 

Learn to breathe using the full range of your breathing chamber that will assist in reversing old habits. You will learn to

observe your breath

reshape how your body holds your breath

apply a yogic technique to focus the mind through breathing

Sun Salutations (surya namaskara)

Learn to move safely to strengthen both your core and your mind

The Sun Salutations serve as the foundation of an Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga practice. “When the Sun Salutations are practiced carefully, with vitality and enthusiasm, it sets a tone for our entire practice and informs the moments in every other posture.” Richard Freeman. There are two versions of Sun Salutations: These are known as Surya Namakara A and Surya Namaskara B. Version A has nine poses and Version B has seventeen poses. You will be guided slowly and thoughtfully with optional modifications offered so you can refine the movements, cultivating a strong, integrated, and meditative flow. Every pose can be modified and adapted to your needs. 

You will learn to:

enhance movement with the power of your breath

lengthen muscles and empower your vitality

understand the technique of ‘gazing’ your attention for steadiness of mind

Standing poses & Finishing sequence

Standing poses are designed to anchor our energy and ground our focus. The finishing sequence is about calming our nervous system and preparing for our relaxation.

You will learn to:

three key standing poses

gentle version of a modified backbend

two inversion options

Relaxation (Savasana)

For our body to be healthy, it is not only important that our muscles are able to relax when we stop working them, but it is also important that we can slow our thoughts and pacify our mind. A guided meditation will be offered for time to pause in a deep state of relaxation.

You will learn to

appreciate resting

embrace relaxation

be comfortable with your own inner silence

The benefits of Learning Yoga

- feel amazing- improved circulation so your whole body feels as free as the ocean- joint mobility so you can get your dancing shoes back on...- loosening the body, like you're on holidays- develop a balance between strength and flexibility- breathing techniques to improve oxygen intake- clear nasal and lung congestion and boost immunity- clear mind- uplift mood- sleep better- stress release.... and the list goes on. It's pretty much an all round brilliant thing to do for your body and your mind. Your spirit will love you for it too.