The origins of yoga date back to over 5,000 years ago in Northern India, with the physical movement part that we now know so well being only one of the 8 limbs of the practice (according to one of the most revered founders and script writers Patanjali) to help us reach ‘samadhi’ or enlightenment.
Please feel free to read more on the other 7 in this link Yoga journal 8 limbs of yoga
The postures that we practice today were not originally intended to get us pretzel bendy or Madonna muscley arms but were actually intended to be able to keep a yogi seated comfortably for many hours in a cross-legged pose whilst working on meditation practices in order to reach enlightenment.They were designed to purify not only the body but also the mind in preparation for one-ness or union ‘Yuj’ which is where the term yoga originally derives from in Sanskrit.
Today through the many different postures of yoga we are able to twist and move our bodies in ways that release tension build up, remove stress, help our joints and muscles open and keep lubricated working towards removing calcification of joints and overall body vitality and health!
I first started practicing yoga in 2006 in Asia where I was working in a very stressful, high pressured corporate job that I never seemed to be able to switch off from day or night, it went with me everywhere, including into my relationships. But one day I realized, this stress didn’t go with me onto the mat. It was there that I started to completely switch off from the pressure I felt, I could feel my blood pressure returning to normal and the anxiety build up I felt in the pit of my stomach literally vanishing the more I moved and the quieter my thoughts became.
11 years on from my first teacher training qualification and 1000’s of yoga students later, I now realize this feeling is one of the main reasons that keeps bringing yoga students back to their mat. That 1hr when nothing else matters but how you feel right now and how deeply and calmly you can breathe.
Numerous scientific studies have shown that yoga can help alleviate high blood pressure, anxiety, depression, improve cardiovascular health, joint and muscular health, stress levels, sleep, relationships etc the list goes on and on.
I have worked with clients that had such severe spinal problems that they could not put their socks on without backpain moving away from daily prescribed medication to running marathons, touching their toes for the first time in 20 yrs and again the list goes on! But above all finding an ability to release daily stress and learn new ways to control daily pressure by practicing more mindfulness that they learnt through their practice on the mat.
One thing to always consider is to ensure that your practice is with a fully qualified yoga teacher and with a style of yoga that resonates most with you!
For further details of corporate or individual sessions please use the contact form below and see the testimonials page for happy client feedback and individual success stories!
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