Practice Guidelines – ask if in any doubt

STRETCH LESS

There is a delicate balance of muscular engagement/relaxation in the simplest movements which can be imbalanced with too much emphasis on one action or even one muscle/group. We want to evenly distribute stretch and tension throughout the body from the core to represent internal yoga and physical and energetic balance without strain to have the best chance of bliss.

Secondly, stretch without tension can stimulate a stress response which many practitioners won’t be familiar with identifying an unknowingly cause mental stress. Until your practice is established and you know how to only stretch tensed muscles, don’t try to stretch.

Thirdly, taking muscles to a stretch in which they cannot activate is potentially dangerous for their function, particularly if the movement is one you practice a lot.

SITTING

For the beginning of a number of classes we’ll adopt a comfortable seated position. Comfortable for you might mean using a cushion (to elevate from the ground, not necessarily to make it softer).

Comfortable for you might mean sitting on a chair. A person who feels more comfortable on a chair is a better yoga practitioner than one on the floor who can’t remain comfortable for more than a few minutes. 

When sitting on a chair, have the body upright and away from the back. Try to have the knees level with or below the height of the seat.

Comfortable might mean standing or moving the position once you’ve established it’s no longer comfortable. The challenge herein is to maintain a sense of awareness whilst moving away from discomfort, hence why such emphasis is put on beginning in a very comfortable seat, to ultimately make the meditative state easier to attain.

Every day you sit, spend a few extra minutes to establish how it feels today, right now. Every day there will be changes particularly considering regularity of practice and other general levels of physical activity.

CUEING

There’s more information in one practice than can likely be realised and embodied in each practice. 

Therefore, practice more effectively by using discernment. Meaning, choose which cues are working for you by verifying in your body that it feels pleasurable and welcome. 

As you return to videos again you may notice subtler nuance to the cues you’ve previously chosen. 

Let your practice unfold with full agreement from the body and note if a sense of apprehension or expectation is leading your movements. 

Avoid blindly following video demo without listening to your body or interpreting the cues if you happen to notice yourself doing so. 

Avoid trying to do or understand everything, learn to let go of placing importance on everything and practice being accepting of where you are (or are not) in each moment.

CLICKING

Occasionally in classes there will be a ticktock of clock sound I’ll make to demonstrate a change of posture. 

Usually there is a whole section of the class which no words will be given but instead clicks to demonstrate changes. 

If you see a movement without a click, this means you can follow along if you choose, though are already in the energetic benefit of the posture.