Vinyasa Flow with Hanri

There's no need to come to class already able and perfectly flexible. A Yoga posture (Asana) class isn't about maintenance. It's about progress - for all of us, including the teacher. Sometimes progress can look like regression, but usually because we've made progress in better understanding the movement and our bodies.

I teach "strong" poses not because I expect students to achieve, but because they offer such a great opportunity to feel and make progress.

See you tonight at 7:30pm and Thursday 7am at

This backwards roll (also referred to as Chakrasana) is like the grown up version of a reverse Roly-Poly. But that's the thing about Yoga Asana (poses), so many of the movements and transitions are the exact things we naturally tried as children during play. So here's your reminder to be playful in your practice.

I keep seeing posts about "If this yoga pose is your goal, try this". And I don't take issue at all with asana (Yoga pose) practioners/teachers* giving tips on helping to achieve certain poses - I've posted similar myself. But I start to worry that we're focusing so much on the pose as the "goal" that we forget about the benefits of the practice itself. I mean, sometimes wanting to do a certain pose can help lead us to practice - so that's great!

But let's remember to celebrate the practice, including the breathing. Let TURNING UP ON YOUR MAT be your main goal - the rest of it helps to achieve that goal. Practice is everything.

*Asana practioners/teachers are not the same as a yogi. A yogi is a dedicated practioner of all the limbs of yoga intertwined with Indian religions. I myself am an Asana Teacher specialising in Vinyasa Yoga with some knowledge of breathing and mindfulness practices.

This little circular flow can be repeated as many times as is comfortable to get the benefits depending on your energy. Starting from Triangle pose and ending in Triangle pose on the opposite side to repeat. I'll post some video stills for you all to practice at home, but join me Tuesday at 7pm at where we'll be adding this into the mix too.

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Oakham

When in a forearm balance (includingheadstand preparation), as you rise onto your toes you will shift your hips further over your shoulders. This seemingly small movement is the difference in weight distribution, and importantly the centre of gravity, so that your feet and legs become light and can float away from the floor. So although you can walk your feet in closer, try first lifting onto your toes.

Balancing and twisting.... both important aspects of mobility. In Yoga Asana (the physical movement practice) we can keep these movements simple, but we can also progressively challenge our limitations. And that's why I love this practice. There is no one physical achievement for all, each body will have it's own limitations to challenge in order to maintain abilities such twisting and balancing.

Join me this week at where we'll be doing a deep hip stretch flow sequence. 7pm tonight (Tue) and again 6:30 am Friday morning for the same class.