About I Am Yoga

I Am Yoga works with body, breath and mind, to link them in a way which will support improvements in physical health and to release stress and tension. An important tool to achieve this is the focused performance of Yoga poses which are adapted to suit individual levels of flexibility, strength and fitness. In the postures we learn to let go of struggle and strain while still working to a challenging level.

While performing poses we emphasise focusing on the breath because of its ability to engage and relax the mind and for other reasons which are discussed in the article Why we emphasise the breath in Yoga postures. Classes also include seated breathing practices and a period of deep relaxation/meditation. Ancient Yoga texts describe breathing practices as having tremendous beneficial potential for both body and mind. Current scientific research on yogic breathing practices strongly supports this. Because of these benefits we give the breath considerable emphasis while ensuring that we work safely, enjoyably and without strain.

Our deep relaxation/meditation practices are simple and enable us to effortlessly achieve very profound levels of peace and relaxation. We also study, particularly in workshops, the core elements of the practical wisdom of Yoga. Yoga's wonderful insights into the mind are not related to any religion or belief system, but are verifiable through our own immediate experience. They directly address the causes of stress and disturbance.

In our Yoga practice we experience the joy of a mind free from stress and agitation. As we repeatedly bathe in this state of restful alertness, it starts to be felt in all aspects of our life. "Uncaused joy" may start bubbling up at any time. Whatever your reason for wanting to learn Yoga, you will find if you practise regularly that your life will change for the better in many ways. See the article The Benefits of a Regular Yoga Practice for more information. For further discussion of particular aspects of Yoga see other articles.