The body benefits from movement and the mind benefits from stillness - meditative movement allows the mind & body to connect and create overall balance & harmony.
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YOGA& PILATES ARE FOR EVERY BODY!
Yoga and Pilates is so often perceived as inaccessible. Thanks to photos of fancy, advanced, difficult and ill advised poses of beautifully clad young men & women social media has changed the perception of what yoga actually is. In fact, literally every BODY can do yoga or Pilates and, more importantly, benefit from the practices on a physical, emotional, energetic and spiritual level. Yoga can look like seated meditation & pranayama (breathwork) through to fast flow Vinyasa, with plenty of methods in-between including Yin, Hatha, Restorative and more! Pilates can look like foundation exercises to rehabilitate or begin your Pilates journey through to Advanced targeted work for Olympic athletes. This means there is a style of both practices that will suit whatever your personal needs are and, of course, our needs evolve and can even change from day to day. I feel passionately about making yoga and Pilates accessible to all levels, experiences, ages and gender and encouraging as many people as possible to experience the powerful benefits via gentle, mindful methods and especially teaching that yoga is so much more than just movement on the mat.
Yoga & Pilates offer numerous benefits. They help improve flexibility and strength, while also promoting relaxation and reducing stress & anxiety. Regular practice can enhance mental clarity and focus, improve breath quality, balance our energies, and lead to a greater sense of holistic health. Additionally, yoga encourages mindfulness allowing individuals to connect more deeply and peacefully with themselves and their surroundings, nature and indeed people around them. There are numerous other benefits to practising which you will discover over time. This is a lifestyle, a life journey, not a destination!
Yoga is an ancient practice that originated in India over 5,000 years ago. The term was first mentioned in Rig Veda, an old Indian collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns. It’s derived from the Sanskrit word “Yuj,” meaning “to join” or “to unite,” indicating the synergy between the mind, body and spirit as well as the deep connection between human and nature of which we are of course part. Contrary to popular belief, yoga is not associated with any religion, community or belief system. It has always been rooted in achieving inner well-being through postures, breathwork, mantra & meditation.
Pilates has in comparison only been around for roughly 100 years but even so, has stood the test of time and become globally popular. Joseph Pilates battled asthma, rickets, and rheumatic fever as a child. Instead of letting it define him, he dedicated his life to becoming stronger and dove into everything from gymnastics and bodybuilding to martial arts, yoga and the natural movement of animals such as cats.
His core idea was that modern life – poor posture, inefficient breathing, the disconnect between mind and body – negatively impacted health. He called his solution Contrology: the complete coordination of body, mind, and spirit, achieved through conscious control over every movement. This then went on to be known as Pilates with it's core principles being alignment, breathing, centering (core control), flowing movement, balance and co-ordination. As you can see, there is a lot to teach and a lot to learn within that realm but we can make it an enjoyable and rewarding process!
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