Yoga is now widely practiced in the UK, gone are the days when it was something a little strange and mysterious practiced behind closed doors in drafty village halls. This has been a wonderful development where the benefits of Yoga are now accessible to all.

There are many different schools of yoga and styles of teaching meaning generally speaking each individual can find a class which is suitable for their own personal needs. Sometimes however it is very valuable to work on a one to one basis especially when we need to use yoga therapeutically or when we wish to develop our own practice.

Yoga as Therapy

The many practices of yoga are an excellent holistic way in which to address physical, emotional and mental distress, especially when we also apply ayurvedic knowledge so that all practices are individualized. We can work with the body, breath and mind, to develop our capacities and harmonize all of our different aspects so we feel well and balanced. This is a process of awakening to ourselves where we will begin from your own particular starting point, work with self-compassion and good humour, making achievable goals so you are always taking steps in the right direction. Hopefully it is also always enjoyable and certainly developing a lightness of heart is of great importance! Yoga therapy is excellent for many conditions which have a physical component such a chronic backache, arthritis, PMS, and so on, and is excellent for pain relief, but it is also excellent to support more complex conditions where a new-found mental and emotional stability will pay dividends.

Yoga for Self-Development

Traditionally yoga was always taught on a one-to-one basis so a teacher could tailor-make each practice to each student knowing we all have different physical capabilities, personalities and life experiences, and whilst group classes are always good, sometimes it is better to work in this way. This is especially true if we want to progress more quickly, developing our own capabilities or work in a deeper way where we can take our yoga practice into our everyday life, applying the spiritual principles of yoga so that all of life is ‘grist for our mill’.

Whilst sometimes yoga as therapy or yoga for self-development actually merge, in either situation it is important to understand that for yoga to be truly effect in its therapeutic or transformative capacities we must establish a daily practice so it becomes part of our everyday routine. This must always be approached sensitively meaning we always take into account your everyday responsibilities and work within that.