Why I study with western yoga teachers

After class earlier this week I was discussing my personal yoga experience, answering questions from students about my background and training and so forth. One woman seemed surprised that at this time I am choosing to study asana with Western teachers.

While the international popularity of yoga means that good teachers are to be found everywhere, naturally one thinks of India as the best place to receive instruction. Indeed I have made several study visits to the subcontinent and elected to take my teaching qualification there. Without doubt India is my only option for the study of pranayama, mudra, sutra and mantra, the subtle, internal aspects of the practice.

When it comes to asana, I work primarily with western teachers. In Europe and the US we have seized upon the postures; indeed yoga in many people’s minds is synonymous with poses alone. Whether this is a desirable state of affairs is a matter of opinion, the strength of the western yogic tradition lays in the fusion of anatomical understanding with the timeless, ancient Indian poses. Western teachers continue to progress the method in a way that is relevant and accessible. I would cite Paul Grilley (US) and his yin yoga and Gary Carter (UK) for his bold evolution of Vanda Scaravelli’s work.

How long should we spend in a pose?

This week have been covering a variety of classes locally, meeting wonderful new people and fielding several questions about the practice of yoga.

At Shekinashram yesterday, a student wanted to know, how long should we spend in a pose.

Patanjali tells us in the Yoga sutras sthiram sukham asanam , poses should be steady and comfortable. It is one of my favourite aphorisms, I quote it regularly. What does this mean in practical terms?

Firstly, it is a matter of physical comfort. If we are approaching yoga from a mindfulness perspective, we move into postures and extend ourselves an appropriate amount. We are challenged by the pose, yet can hold ourselves comfortably there. There is a point in every pose where we reach our personal limits. If we attempt to go beyond this point, we are likely to experience tension, discomfort, pain and are likely to cause injury. Vanda Scaravelli notes, ”Students are sometimes inclined to force the flexibility of their bodies to the maximum, but this leads nowhere.” ¹

The second aspect is that of the breath; the breath is a great guide in this regard. At all times we should be able to maintain a steady flowing breath through the nose. Generally speaking, one maintains a pose for five full breaths, the slower the better. Naturally this is easier to achieve in supine, forward bending or restorative poses. During dynamic sequences and standing poses, twists and inversions the breath may be shorter, faster, less available.


¹ Vanda Scaravelli, Awakening the Spine p41, Harper SanFrancisco 1991

Product review: Dr Hauschka Rose Day Cream

The weather in the UK is decidedly wintry; with sharp frosts that persist throughout the day, sub-zero temperatures and strong winter sun. In such conditions our delicate facial skin is easily stressed and dehydrated, particularly if you have a fair, fine or sensitve complexion.
In terms of daiy moisturising, I have taken special measures... in the form of Dr Hauschka Rose Day Cream. I simply will not leave home without it.
Dr Hauschka is a well established premium organic skin-care brand, with a devoted fanbase including A list celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow. Hype aside this product delivers. The gentle rose fragrance is sweet and nurturing. Squeezed from a tube the cream itself is reassuringly thick and unctuous. It spreads easily with the warmth of one's fingertips to provide a protective layer, it is worth taking a little time to apply to ensure full and even coverage, using the ring finger to dot around the eyes, never rubbing.
At approx £20 for a 3o ml tube that should last out the current cold snap, I would suggest that this is an affordable luxury. Buy online from the Dr Hauschka website, available in most High Streets, check out your local health food store, yoga shop or beauty salon. When the big chill is over I will most probably revert to a lighter daycream as this product is rather rich. However right now it is just right. Recommended.

Thinking of taking up yoga?

New Year is traditionally a time to set fresh intentions and make positive changes in our lives. For many, this means a concerted effort to improve one’s health through diet and lifestyle changes. 

It is a popular time to take up yoga. Of the enquiries I receive there is a common lamentation: “I’d like to start yoga, but I’m not flexible enough.” This is a classic conundrum, identifying the desired result (increased flexibility), held back by perceived personal limitations. 

I admire the courage of anyone who tries something new, it is challenging to our status quo when we move out of our comfort zone into the unknown. New Year is a time to step out boldly and embrace the new. 

Your decision to attend a yoga class is your first step to a more flexible you. Remember that a host of other benefits will follow, such as a calmer mind, improved sleep and digestion; inner peace and deep contentment may also follow!  

Participation in group yoga gives us an opportunity to face our fears that we are not good enough, that we need to compare ourselves to others. We can let go of that as we experience the class as a safe, supportive environment to explore our personal responses to the postures and the breath, letting go of competition and judgement and enjoying the presence of the other students, sharing our yoga and ourselves.