Ashtanga Beginners Course
This course is suitable for complete beginners to yoga or to Ashtanga yoga or those who need to refresh their memories of the practice.
The most physically challenging form of yoga, in Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga a flowing sequence of postures is threaded together on the breath. The practice is designed to cleanse and purify the physical body and nervous system in preparation for the practices of meditation and pranayama. The specific features of this practice are the continued awareness of breath to carry you in a "vinyasa" system throughout the practice. This gives a meditative quality to the movement: over time the breath itself carries you through the postures. The practitioner learns to use specific energetic locks or "bandhas" to stimulate movement of energy through the body and to focus the mind by engaging specific focal points for the eyes ("drishti")
This course needs to be pre-booked and you must sign up for this class as a consecutive five week course, after which you can attend any of the Ashtanga Mysore Style or Beginners led practices. You will be lead through the opening sequences in a supportive and friendly environment and encouraged to explore the practice at your own pace. You will be introduced to the theory and fundamental practices of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga - breath, bandha and drishti.
Your next step:
Following on from this course you may want to attend the Beginners class on Saturday at 1.00-2.30pm and/or the Mysore style on Monday at 7.30pm, Tuesday 2.15pm, Thursday 730am and Friday 9.15am.
These Mysore style classes are taught in an intimate small group setting giving you personalised instruction to support your practice at your own pace. They are suitable for all- this is the traditional method of learning this practice.