Yoga terminology can be very confusing. Hand up who does not remember being new to a yoga class and at least some point wondering what on earth the teacher is talking about? As September is kind of like January when it comes to “new life, new hobbies” mindset, I thought it would be a good idea to run through few of the most common words, phrases and wordings…
When I started doing yoga more regularly about 12 years ago I never gave any thought to hands on adjustments. I don’t have any clear recollection to be 100% sure but I guess it is largely because in the classes I attended there were hardly any. In the classes I attended the instructions were given orally with the teachers demoing, to different degrees, the poses in front of…
Last Monday I attended a teacher’s symposium on the topic “The Diversity Problem in Yoga” at TriYoga’s Camden studio. The premises of the talk was to find out (as much as possible) why yoga in the Western world, today being more popular and mainstream than ever, seems to practiced by a very homogenous set of people, often identified as a white, able-bodied, middle-class women. Why is it that…
Several of my friends working in the fitness and wellbeing industry have been asking me lately how and where is it good to do a yoga teacher training. Unless you follow a particular teacher and/or school of yoga (such as Ashtanga or Iyengar) there is an overwhelming amount of trainings out there and it can get quite confusing what they have to offer and how do they differ…
July in Cyprus has been insanely hot (as in, A LOT hotter than the average 36-37C degrees) and humid. I still keep my yoga classes going (with great attendance as well so big bravo for everybody showing great dedication) but I have slowed down the rhythm of them somewhat. Focus has been on breath, some more detailed yoga philosophy and anatomy conversation and revisiting the basic poses, really…
It can be just as daunting as it is exciting to start a new activity and yoga is no exception to that. Whether you start to practise in a fancy yoga studio or at a more down to earth community centre, here’s a list of few unwritten rules that most yogis around the word follow. The physical yoga practise is individual yet collectively done and observing the yoga…
Iyengar yoga is one of the most widespread yoga styles in the world, yet it is not as familiar to many as other yoga styles, such as hatha and asthanga. My first experience with Iyengar yoga was three years ago on a surf and yoga camp in Portugal, where I rocked up with a dislocated shoulder I had gotten the day before the camp started. Annoyed with myself,…
Iyengarjooga on yksi maailman laajimmalle levinneistä joogamuodoista mutta ei kuitenkaan ehkä yhtä tunnettu kuin hatha- tai astangajooga. Sain ensikosketuksen Iyengarjoogaan kolme vuotta sitten Portugalissa jonne olin matkustanut jooga- ja surffileirille. Päivää ennen leirin alkua onnistuin saamaan olkapääni sijoiltaan enkä ollut varma tulisiko joogaamisesta yhtään mitään. Ensimmäisen aamun joogaopettaja ei kuitenkaan hämmentynyt vammastani yhtään vaan päinvastoin sanoi ettei se ole mikään este. Kyseessä oli siis nimenomaan Iyengarjoogan opettaja ja…
Originally I had planned to go to an advanced level vinyasa class on my last full day in Paris. With all the walking done over the days (and long dinner on Tuesday on Tuesday evening) I however started feeling like something mellower would be a better fit for the day. As mentioned I had really like the energy at Studio Keller the day before and I quick look…
Since I have several pictures of my chairpose, utkatasana, from the past few years I decided to share them to illustrate how the learning never ends. Even the seemingly simple poses can reveal themselves having multiple layers to be discovered. This is one of the reasons why I enjoy a slower practise these days as it allows the time to really focus on how a particular asana feels…