To build up a home practice it helps to have your own kit. This week I shall be placing an order of equipment so do get in touch if you would like anything. 

The 'Iyengar kit bag' at £59 from yogamatters.com is a brilliant place to start. The standard yoga kit is a mat, 4 foam blocks, 2 bricks (not the cheap lightweight ones) a D-ring belt.  A yoga blanket and bolster are great additions to your kit and will always be used. At Yogamatters I can obtain a discount on most things (the yoga kit bag excluded as it is already heavily discounted as a bundle) so get in touch by May 9th, if you want to hop on board the order.

I also also have 10 ' Yoga in Action - Iyengar Preliminary course' books coming my way. These books are ideal for a home practice as they contain illustrations, basic guidelines on the poses and a series of sequences to build up your home practice week by week. The book is based on the syllabus charted out by Guruji, BKS Iyengar, in Pune, India. Often students forget what they have learnt in class, and this book gives guidance in a home practice. The book guides students in the method of self study, directing the will power in the right direction so one gets the vision of practice -abhyasa. 

Once you have a mat, and a practice of self study you are on the beginning of the path of yoga. Ready to ignite the hidden force of yoga from within. 

So please get in touch if you are at all interested. It will be money well spent.. a form of self investment!

B.K.S Iyengar described asana (yoga postures), as a "meditation in action". Meditation is any practice that allows you to be present and stop the process of thinking, which can take many forms and disciplines.
 Iyengar yoga with it’s specificity of alignment and focus on conscious and intentional action provides the mind with a focal point in order to bring you and your mind into absorption in the present moment. 

Science has proved how meditation changes our brain health and studies have shown that after 20 minute periods of meditation of there is more activity in our left frontal brain, the part of the brain responsible for feelings of well being, stable emotions and harmonious feelings. Also, after 7 weeks of  daily practice the brain shows constant positive changes including the shrinking of the amygdala, the area of the brain which is responsible for pain and fear response. Ancient yogis have always known that the mental health, emotional health and physical health are all connected and it really is very exciting that scientific research confirms  this.

​Yoga can be a transformative practice  bringing a  greater sense of peace and connection to the present moment and leaving you with a good inner feeling at the end of a practice. Combine this with a regular pranayama (breath control practice) and you can significantly change your DNA, molecular health and the way you function and deal with the world! Now that really is rather cool! 

In class all of this week we have been working with this idea of mental calmness. We worked with asanas that helped to balance the nervous system whilst withdrawing the sense organs thus calming the brain. We did this with the combination of asana and pranayama.  A couple of the students mentioned how their yoga class is the highlight of their week, which of course would be because it helped to develop that sense of deep inner peace and increased left frontal lobe function! 

Have a wonderful, happy and peaceful May day weekend:)