Body Soul Yoga News March 2023 Surrey

Hi.  I hope you are really well?  Here is our latest news. Topics include:  Group yoga classes in March; our Online Yoga Challenge for March; Private Yoga classes; Vayu – the wind; Kumbhaka Breath Retention and more…  See you soon and have a great March!

Group Yoga Classes In March

We are really pleased to have so many of your returning now that things are getting back to normal.  Unfortunately, however, the only class with spaces now is the 8.15pm Tuesday evening Hatha Flow Yoga class.  If you’d like to give yoga a go, then there is still time to sign up and join.  Or please ask to be added to the waiting list for classes after Easter.

Our yoga class timetable is as follows fro March.  Then our new yoga term will begin after Easter and classes will be listed and available for booking soon!

Group Yoga Benefits

If you are a member of our group yoga classes you will also receive a complimentary pass to our yoga video library.  The links and passwords for our video library, previous monthly challenges and Curated Playlists for each month that you are a member, are absolutely free.  So if you miss a class or want to do more, there is ample opportunity to practice at home, or catch up. Please let us know if you haven’t received your links.

March Online Challenge – Curated Yoga Flow

If you aren’t able to join us in the studio, then please join us this March for some yoga from home.  £20 for 31 days of yoga and access to over 480 yoga videos we have produced, if you’d like to choose a different yoga session or style.  Just pay your fee, let us know you have booked on, and the email you’d like the links to be sent to, and off you go!  Here is what we have for you each day in March:

We hope you can join us?

Private Yoga Classes

At the moment we are really busy, so we only have a few weekday, (Monday – Friday) daytime slots left, (and before 1.30pm start time).  Please contact us to see where we can fit you in.

Our private online yoga classes and in person yoga sessions are tailored to your specific physical, emotional and medical needs.

Whatever your requirements, private 1-2-1 yoga classes may offer the solution.  Please contact us for further information.  Prices start at £60 per hour from our home yoga studio with Faye Koe, a British Wheel Of Yoga Teacher.

Vayu

We have been working with Vayu in our yoga classes this week.  Vayu, in Sanskrit, means, “Wind” and Vayu is the Hindu God of the wind. The story goes like this: Vayu was angered by the God Indra for casting his son Hanuman to the ground; so he drew in a huge breath and captured all of life in his inhale…  He continued to hold his breath… … … … … … … … … All the Gods panicked and said: “Vayu, release, release, we can’t breathe anymore.  Please breathe life back. into the Earth”.  When Vayu was ready he exhaled, and the wind of his breath swept across the Earth.

The breathing practice below mirrors the breath of Vayu, when he inhaled the breath of the world into him. [Inspired by Gabrielle Harris p. 265 The Inspired Yoga Teacher 2021].

A Vayu and Pranayama Kumbhaka Breath Retention practice to try:

 

  • Lie down or sit comfortably.
  • Begin to tune into your breath and its natural rhythm, aware on the IN and OUT breath.  After a minute:
  • Inhale fully into both nostrils equally, (as fully as you can) then:
  • Sigh the breath away out of the mouth.
  • Repeat the deep inhale through the nose and the sigh out of the mouth a few times.
  • Inhale fully through the nose, then Hold the breath and count to 5: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5…
  • Then sigh and exhale the breath away.
  • Repeat the big inhalation, hold for 5, and then sigh it away.
  • The moment that the breath is held is a moment of suspension of the breath known as Antara Kumbhaka, which means “full container”.  Notice that you feel full to the brim with air/ Prana / life force and Vayu!
  • When you hold the breath make sure you feel relaxed, soft throat and shoulders and that you do not feel tension or strain – If so, let the breath go.
  • Repeat the practice for 12 breaths and then you can build up to additional sets of 12, i.e. 24 breaths, 36 breaths and so on.
  • If you feel dizzy or peculiar then simply breathe normally through the nose.
  • At the end of the practice take a few normal breath and notice how this breathing practice makes you feel.

Antara Kumbhaka

With Antara Kumbhaka the lungs are filled with air and life force (prana), which help with better supply of oxygen to the rest of the body.

Bahya Kumbhaka

This practice can also be done by holding the breath after the OUT breath.  This is known as Bahya Kumbhaka.  Here the lungs are completely empty – no free flow of prana.  The lungs prepare themselves to take in more oxygen with the next inhalation, thus increasing their capacity.

The Benefits of holding the breath:  Kumbhaka

Much like other types of yogic breathing, there are many benefits of Kumbhaka breathing. These benefits include:

  • increased relaxation,
  • decreased stress,
  • improved respiratory health,
  • elimination of toxins,
  • body purification,
  • increased physical and mental energy,
  • improved concentration, and
  • increased focus and stillness in the mind.  [https://www.custompilatesandyoga.com/antara-kumbhaka-bahya-kumbhaka/].

If you can’t join us in class to try this Pranayama practice, then please give it a try at home and let us know how you get on.

Thanks for reading and see you soon.

Faye and Body Soul Yoga Team x

Posted 28 February 2023