"Whatever asana is performed, it should be done with a feeling of firmness, steadiness and endurance in the body, goodwill in the intelligence of the head, and awareness and delight in the intelligence of the heart."
- BKS Iyengar
Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
At Balance we teach a classical hatha yoga practice in the lineage of Paramahamsa Madhavdas and the Kaivalyadhama Institute.
Each class is an hour and fifteen minutes and is structured as follows:
Welcome, settle and relaxation, usually involving the breath, followed by asana from the back, front, kneeling, seated and standing. Classes end with a period of relaxation which usually takes the form of a guided meditation (most often taken from the yoga nidra tradition though other techniques may be used) or learning and practising pranayama or meditation techniques.
The practice is designed to foster steadiness (sthira) and ease (sukham).
The many benefits of hatha yoga are becoming increasingly well known and documented by a growing body of research. They include:
Improved stress management
Improved resilience, positivity, focus and general mental health
Improved sleep quality
Strengthening and toning of the body
Improved balance, posture and freedom of motion (flexibility)
Increased likelihood of adopting a healthy lifestyle
Management, prevention or alleviation of lower back and neck pain
These are some of the 'positive side effects' of a regular practice.
Our teaching style is warm, relaxed and nurturing. We encourage you to safely and mindfully explore, listen to, work with and nourish the body-mind. You will be guided verbally through the postures. Adaptations and adjustments are offered to ensure asana are accessible to all levels of experience, including complete beginners. Our goal is to use asana and pranayama (and other elements of the 8 limbs of yoga) as tools to help you move toward a more balanced (sattvic) state. Yoga is the journey of the self, though the self, to the self.