I discovered Yoga quite late in life, and I have to admit that it never really called to me, the way Pilates does. but then I decided to try it out for a good few consecutive classes in order to see and feel what differences may occur in my body. It turns out that I have a love/hate relationship with this movement form. I find it quite uncomfortable at times (but isn’t life just like that) and at others Extremely challenging (to get my brain to understand it Can do a movement) but most of all, what I love about it, is that it helps with the fear factor, which in turns helps with my aerial silks and the brain freeze it goes through with drops which THEN helps with general fear. You know, oh I couldn’t possibly do that…. well, it turns out with a little bit of practise, most times you can and do!
But I wanted you to hear what Yoga is from our instructor, who teaches in such a calm and easy manner that you somehow just end up doing things you never imagined you would ever do, with ease…!
So without further ado, meet Liz Anderson and hear what she has to say:
This ancient and very rich tradition called Yoga is, very simply put, the connection of mind, body and spirit which ultimately brings us closer to God. Thousands and thousands of years old with texts written about its origin and how to incorporate it into daily life can be found for further detailed exploration thanks to modern technology.
Eastern Yoga is notably more focussed on the mind aspect and Western varieties more focussed on the physical. The important thing to know is that Yoga must bend itself around you, the individual and your needs. Whether you have a stressful job and need to slow down focussing on meditation, or a physically demanding lifestyle and need to regenerate and maintain the physical body, additionally there are dietary, moral and spiritual guidelines should you choose to incorporate these into your practice. Yoga is not religious, it is spiritual and travels alongside the individual yogi’s own religious beliefs with ease.
History – if you love history by all means research the Vedas, Upanishads, Baghavad Gita, Patanjali…. It provides for a beautiful and rich foundation on which Yoga has evolved and is very reflective of modern day philosophies, psychological and spiritual guidelines.
Different styles of Yoga are Ashtanga, Hatha and Vinyasa, these are for the individual to explore and have fun with. Most modern day western studios incorporate all of these styles into it’s timetable.
Ego –Yoga is not about physical ability, why stand on your head for five minutes chanting? Exactly.. part of the journey is to not be influenced by (as we call it in the bizz) ‘Yoga snobs’. An interesting example of this would be Bikram Choudhury who founded the very trendy heated style of Yoga, however, could not contain the ego aspect which grew stronger than his own spirit and ultimately led to his downfall. When you start to hear to that little voice in your head that criticises and berates, silence it with your breathing.
What to wear… whatever you feel like. Don’t be influenced by trendy yoga brands selling for R500 a strappy top or other hippy styles. It always amuses me that Yoga would attract so much ‘ego’, perhaps deep down they truly desire to be liberated from this modern day burden called the ego.
Chanting meditation burning incense… it is entirely up to you. Tibetan bowls? Only if you want. Yoga is unique to the individual. Exploring and learning. Yoga is another precious and beautiful gift given to us as a resource if we choose to use it.
Why yoga? Yoga is the perfect accompaniment to whatever sport and leisure activities you may currently be doing. Life is stressful. Being a parent, a professional focussed on career or anyone who wishes to explore a more meaningful aspect of life should consider Yoga a good place to start. As they say ‘Off the mat and into the world’,.
We are offering Free Yoga Classes for the month of March for you to try it out. See if the movement resonates with you and if not, you are under no obligation to continue. The classes are held on Tuesday mornings at 9.15am and are about an hour long. If you then decide that you would like to continue with the Yoga practise the fees are R560 per month. Please note that these classes are for able bodies with no major injuries. To book, please email info@themovementsanctuary.co.za. We are filling up fast, so don’t delay!
You can find out more about Liz here: Facebook and read more on her blog here: Blog
And join her in movement in our studio on Tuesdays!