An in-depth look at how the patterns we hold in our pelvis can play out in our practise.

From backbends, splits, inversions and balances, our pelvis is at the centre of them all.

We’ll spend time looking at the different challenges that might crop up, and ways we can work with our individual anatomy to find ease and stability.

What’s included:

• theory / anatomy discussion

• Q&A

• asana technique

Recordings are available if you cannot come on the day.

How we breathe deeply affects how we feel.

Intimately connected to our nervous system, our breath offers us a profound possibility of healing. Our yoga practise offers us a devoted space to reconnect to this fundamental process of life. Yet, day-to-day, most of us breathe in a way that isn’t nourishing us.

In this workshop, we’ll establish ways of befriending our breath, so that we can find more ease in our physical bodies and in our minds.

The session will include a philosophy talk, discussion, meditation, an exploration of simple breathing techniques and a gentle guided asana practise with a focus on the breath.

Your investment: £14

This workshop continues the theme of ‘Svadhyaya’, the fourth of the Niyamas of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras.

The word Svadhyaya translates to ‘self-study’.

In this workshop, we’ll take a look at different ideas about the the nature of the ‘Self’, a topic which has been fiercely and endlessly debated over thousands of years.

This kind of self-study tries to get to the root of who and what we are (if, in fact, we are anything at all).

We’ll explore different (often conflicting) ideas about ‘the Self’, including the eternal ‘Atman’, in contrast with the Buddhist belief of ‘no-self’ (anatta).

This workshop is an introduction to the Ashtanga self-practise method.

It is perfect for complete beginners, and for people who have experience with Ashtanga led classes and are interested in developing a self-practise.

Together we’ll break down and learn the first part of the Ashtanga Yoga Primary Series. By the end of it you will know the Surya Namaskars, the final finishing postures, and maybe even some of the poses in between. This is a full sequence that you can take away and practise anywhere and anytime you like!

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Svadhyaya is the fourth of the Niyamas of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras.

It means ‘self-study’, observing our thoughts, habits and emotions, becoming attuned to ‘how’ and ‘who’ we are. It can also mean ‘recitation, repetition and rehearsal to oneself’.

The self-practise method of Ashtanga yoga offers a powerful tool for just that. By memorising the sequence, you are less reliant on external support and instead have the opportunity, through repetition, to experience yourself - as you are - every time you step on your mat.

Ahimsa, ‘non-violence’ (or ‘gentleness) is a foundational and fundamental element of Patanjali’s Ashtanga yoga.

In this workshop we’ll explore the historical roots of ahimsa, the culture in which it emerged and how different schools of thought including Buddhism and Jainism made it central to their belief system.

We will find ways that we can develop a practise of ahimsa using meditation and mindfulness techniques. We’ll examine common yoga injuries and how we can move within our practise to avoid them. We will see how we can bring this gentle awareness to our asana practise, and take it with us into out everyday lives.

‘Ekagrata’ can be translated to ‘one pointed focus’. We’ve all experienced a moment where our focus slips, and suddenly we’re off balance.

This workshop will look at the techniques built into the Ashtanga framework that encourage focus, including the count, breath and drishti. We’ll also explore different balancing asanas, and seeing how we can use these techniques to find stability in our centre.

Backbends have a reputation for bringing up strong emotions in our practise.

In this workshop, we’ll explore the different theories about why this might be, from ancient understandings of the energetic or ‘subtle body’ to more recent studies on the nervous system and the vagus nerve.

We’ll look at how the Primary Series prepares us for the backbends that come up in the Intermediate Series, and we’ll hone techniques that allow us to backbend safely and with awareness.

Asana, Patanjali tells us, should be steady (sthira) and comfortable (sukha) (sutra 2:46). By being able to find a position that embodies the qualities of being held and at ease, our mind will be less distracted as we start to go deeper into the subtle internal states of meditation.

In this workshop we’ll take a close look at sutra 2:46, Sthira Sukham Asanam, finding how we can create balance of steadiness and ease in our practise, which we can bring with us into our lives.

This month’s workshop is on the fifth limb of yoga - pratyahara. The term means to draw the senses inwards; to reign them in from becoming attached to the things we perceive.

We’ll look at the ancient roots of this practise, from the Bhagavad Gita to the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, drawing on different methods used over hundreds of years by Hatha yogis to experience this state of awareness.

We’ll also explore how Primary Series is designed to help us turn our senses inwards, acting as a bridge between the external and internal limbs of Patanjali’s Ashtanaga yoga.

We’ll close with a gentle trataka meditaton, which is why the workshop this month is in the early evening, just as it gets dark.

This month we’ll be looking at Surya Namaskar (sun salutations): the historical context they evolved in; how and why they’re practised; and breaking down the different elements of them for you to integrate into your practise.