The practice of physical yoga postures, breathing techniques and relaxation actually starts the process of “detoxing” the body of stress.  We hold our tension in our muscles and our posture is often a tell-tale sign of our state of mind. For example, someone with a collapsed chest and rounded shoulders may have depression or lack of confidence or simply be fearful of experiencing life, due to past experiences and their ways of coping with them.  Someone who is a shallow breather, who feels their muscles aching more than others or who’s eyes won’t relax is often someone with anxiety or unreleased anger or frustration.  They tend to rush into their postures and be impatient when doing relaxation postures.

Over time, the practice of yoga postures helps people to come back to their true nature, peace.  We get glimpses of it from time to time, moments of clarity when all our problems, worries and habitual clinging on to life are let go of, and we are simply just in the moment, on our mats.  The idea is then to take this feeling of groundedness into our everyday lives and learn to live a little more in balance.  We learn to create the state of mind that can help us to change the way we perceive life’s stresses and strains, the way we deal with them and to help us move more freely through them.

A skilled teacher can help individual students through the process of change with specific postures and techniques tailored to alleviate our more negative feelings and to enhance positive feelings.  Very broadly, and obviously these postures need to be modified to suit all levels of physical ability and experience also, back bending or chest opening poses are beneficial for depression and anxiety; inverted postures such as headstands, shoulderstands are good for combating fearfulness and lack of confidence; forward bends are very good for emotional stress and fatigue; breathing techniques can be applied for a wide range of stress disorders and twisting poses are a great way to release the physical blocks we create in our bodies when we hold ourselves in tension.

Yoga can also help those who have gone through serious trauma, drug or alcohol addiction and many offenders in prison practice yoga to help them rehabilitate back into society, to come to terms with their path they have created and to start the process of change.  A carefully balanced programme of postures and relaxation will guide students to maintaining emotional strength and stability and to releasing gently and slowly many of the emotional disturbances and habits associated with their conditions and life choices.

BKS Iyengar says of yoga & the mind:

“The primary aim of yoga is to restore the mind to simplicity and peace, and free it from confusion and distress. This sense of calm comes from the practice of yogic asanas and pranayama. Unlike other forms of exercise which strain muscles and bones, yoga gently rejuvenates the body. By restoring the body, yoga frees the mind from the negative feelings caused by the fast pace of modern life. The practice of yoga fills up the reservoirs of hope and optimism within you. It helps you overcome all obstacles on the path to perfect health and spiritual contentment. It is a rebirth.”

For more information or to book a class or individual session, contact Rachel on +44207 5588658 or +351 913839621.

6th & 7th November, Curracloe Yoga Centre, Wexford, Ireland

10.30am to 1.00pm & 1.45pm to 3.45pm

Cost: Weekend €80

Saturday all day only €45

Saturday morning only €25

Rachel is delighted to be returning to Wexford this November to run a two day workshop at Curracloe Yoga Centre.

The weekend will be suitable for all levels and complete beginners may attend the first session on Saturday as a taster before opting to join in for the rest of the weekend.  Residential options are also available and both days will include light refreshments.

Weekends in September, November & December 2010 BALANCE, Northampton

These three weekends will follow a similar format and will explore different themes.

Fridays 7pm to 9pm.  This will be an intermediate level class for students experienced in Iyengar Yoga and who have practised shoulderstand and or headstand regularly.)

Saturdays 11am to 4.30pm with a 30 minute break at 1.30pm allowing students to attend either session or all day.  This will be an all levels day suitable for all.  The morning session is the best session to attend if you are a complete beginner or have little experience.

30th October at Yoga AKASHA, East Grinstead, East Sussex

Workshop 1 of 2 (2nd workshop on 20th November) 11am to 4pm

Price: £35 all day or £25 for the morning part only (11am to 1.30pm)

Rachel returns to the wonderful urban yoga space that is Yoga Akasha, for two linked workshops.  Students can attend either but will benefit from coming to Workshop 1 & 2 as they follow on from each other.  The first workshop will focus on building the foundations for a balanced practice and understanding the connections between the postures, the connection between the body, breath and mind.  Suitable for all levels.

14th November 2010 in LYME REGIS, Dorset

Day Workshop from 10am. The second of two annual workshops in Lyme Regis, Dorset at the wonderful Masonic Hall, overlooking Lyme Bay.  Please bring a light lunch.  Equipment will be provided if you don’t have your own.  Timings will be 10am to 1pm and 1.30pm to 3.30pm.  The day is great for all levels as Rachel paces the class to suit everybody.  Her sister is organising bookings so please contact her via her website at www.hannahlovegrove.com.

20th November at Yoga AKASHA, East Grinstead, East Sussex

Workshop 2 of 2 (1st workshop on 30th October) 11am to 4pm

Price: £35 all day or £25 for the morning part only (11am to 1.30pm)

The second of two linked workshops at Yoga AKASHA.  Students can attend either but will benefit from coming to Workshop 1 & 2 as they follow on from each other.  The second workshop will look at more advanced work such as inversions and back bends with attention to detail and compassion for the body and mind. Suitable for all levels.

“Strive to achieve whatever you think you cannot for it is on the path toward your impossible dream that you will find what you truly seek.”

“When you are preoccupied with end results you pull yourself from the present into an imagined, usually fearful future. Then your anxiety robs your energy, and making matters worse, you lapse into inaction and laziness.” On fear: Bhagavad Gita – Krishna counsels Arjuna

“People become what they expect themselves to become.”

Mahatma Gandhi

“Nature, in all its functions, is remarkably purposeful. Who then, could possibly imagine that he or she was born into this world for no purpose?”

“When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace.“

Jimi Hendrix

“Meditation is the dissolution of thoughts in eternal awareness or Pure consciousness without objectification, knowing without thinking, merging finitude in infinity.“

Voltaire

BKS Iyengar