What Can I Expect from a Mona Yoga Vinyasa Class?

 

Practicing yoga has been lifechanging for me, and I truly believe that it can be for you too. But I know that starting something new can feel a little intimidating, especially if you’re not sure what to expect. There are so many different types of yoga classes around and each focus on different things, so I thought I’d take some time to explain what you can expect from my classes and how they can benefit you. 

First let’s talk about some of the fundamental principles of yoga. The reason I love this practice so much is because it’s not just a form of exercise, it’s so much more than that. There are eight limbs of yoga and the physical (asana) practice that we work through on the mat is just one of these limbs. There are many other aspects of yoga, (too many to explain in this post!) which teach us how to live a happy, fulfilling and peaceful life. These principles also feed into the asana practice. For example, maintaining an awareness of the breath and the sensations in the body throughout a yoga session is hugely beneficial for both the body and mind. This awareness encourages you to have a really internal experience. Every body is different, so in yoga we don’t compare ourselves to others. We leave our ego at the door, listen to our bodies and move in a way that is safe and positive. 

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In my vinyasa classes in particular, I do want you to feel challenged and venture outside of your comfort zone, because this is where growth happens. For a healthy body we need BOTH strength and flexibility. If we have one without the other, we can be prone to injury, so in my classes we work through postures that encompass the two elements. Of course, I always give modifications for postures, encourage you to listen to your body and take rests whenever you need to (we definitely don’t want you to push yourself beyond your limits!), but I don’t want my classes to feel ‘easy’, because I want us to build strength in the body. There are plenty of wonderful restorative yoga teachers around if this is the kind of class that you’re looking for and don’t get me wrong, sometimes our bodies and minds crave a more stripped back practice. It’s here that more restorative classes can be amazing. But generally speaking my classes tend to be more dynamic and energising. This is the kind of yoga I tend to practice myself at home and the kind of yoga that I love to share with others.

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If you’re a regular student, you’ll know that I bang on about staying connected to the breath throughout the practice. This is SO important. To bring our full awareness to our mats at the start of the class, we always begin with pranayama (breath work). This helps to calm the mind, bring us into the present moment, and sets a president for maintaining the breath awareness throughout the practice. As I said before, this breath awareness is fundamental to yoga and has huge mental and physical benefits, so you’ll always find me reminding you to maintain this connection (the breath can really help when things start to get a little tough!). But don’t worry too much if you struggle with the breathing initially, like anything it takes practice.

There are lots of different types of yoga and each teacher will do things slightly differently, so I hope that this gives you a little more insight into how my classes are structured. My tagline of “stilling the mind, moving the body”, sums it up well. Yoga is both a physical and mental practice and I aim to share the amazing benefits that it can have to both of these areas.