"The practice of yoga is ultimately an act of kindness towards oneself."     Judith Hanson Lasater

STRETCH
Stretching feels good - it releases endorphins and increases the blood flow to our muscles. Through our yoga postures (asanas) we stretch and move the body through all planes of movement. Stretching helps us prevent injury and also counters the bad postural habits we often adopt when sitting at a desk, in the car or hunched over our phones.

I always offer students different levels of stretch and postures, encouraging you to work with YOUR body. It is important not to overstretch and in yoga, we learn to tune into and listen to our body, working WITH not against.

Through our posture work, not only do we get more flexible but we get stronger and improve muscle tone too, using all the muscles of the body. I will often theme the class around a particular body part e.g hamstrings or hips - two classes which are always popular!

It's wonderful to see students progress over time - to get stronger and more supple and to be able to achieve poses they couldn't once do. A huge sense of achievement is then felt from both the student and teacher alike!
BREATHE
The best thing about the breath is that it is with us always and it is also free! Learning how to breathe fully and mindfully, as well as how to breathe well, is a powerful tool that we can use in our day to day life. 

In yoga, we learn to be aware of our breath and, in doing so, we instantly connect with our body. We learn how to use our breathe to calm us down and lower our blood pressure or how to energise us and clarify the mind, through specific breathing techniques called pranayama. We realise the powerful link between the breath and the mind and we learn to co-ordinate our breath with our movement. 

One of my students recently told me. "On a personal level I've got so much out of taking up yoga, I used to struggle with asthma badly. Since doing yoga regularly I've been able to stop using my inhaler completely. I think it's because I have learnt to breathe properly!".

​THAT is the power of yoga!!





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RELAX
Yoga gives us the opportunity to relax. I lead you through guided relaxations and teach you relaxation techniques that you can use in your everyday life - be it in the dentist's chair, at a hospital appointment, on a flight or trying to get to sleep.

We learn to not pay attention to the chatter of our thoughts but to connect to that place of inner calm deep inside each and every one of us.

My yoga classes start and end in relaxation (lying down - under a blanket, what's not to like?!), giving you that time to switch off and release any tension - both mentally and physically, offering you the chance to go from a "doing" mode to experience simply "being". Rest is SO important.

We live in an increasingly hectic world. I believe it is imperative, for our own health, to allow ourselves the time to stop and switch off, giving ourselves the chance to counter the often relentless busyness of life.





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I always feel better at the end of a yoga or meditation session compared with how I felt at the beginning. Yoga keeps my body and mind healthy, strong and flexible. It also helps me connect, not just to myself but to others and the world around me. 
Why don't you give it a try and discover the transformational "magic" of yoga?

"I want to feel more flexible and less stressed."
These are the two greatest reasons why people come to my classes, especially as they get older. Let me help you find ease in your  mind and body

FAQ
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What is yoga? 

Yoga is an ancient practice that works with the mind, body and breath using different stretches and postures, breathing and mindful techniques. It increases our overall health and fitness as well as our inner well-being. Yoga teaches us correct posture, how to breathe properly and how to relax properly. 

Who can do yoga? 

Anyone! As long as you can breathe - you can do yoga! There is a misconception that yoga is only for the flexible, young and fit or only for people who can touch their toes! If anything, the more inflexible we are the more we need to do yoga! As a yoga teacher, I am trained to offer modifications within a class to suit all abilities. I also offer different levels of classes including a Gentle Yoga class and a Chair Yoga class. It is important to recognise and honour the fact that all bodies are different. We also feel differently, and are abilities can be different, from day to day. I encourage people to listen to their bodies and to decide for themselves to what level they want to take the postures offered. 

What can you expect in a yoga class? 

A room (or screen!) full of like-minded people and a smiley, welcoming teacher! My intention is to create a safe and respectful environment for you to practise your yoga. My classes always start and end with a relaxation. In between I will guide you through a sequence of stretches and postures that build up to a peak pose and then wind down to the final relaxation. I place a strong emphasis on the breath, mindfulness and relaxation to ease you from a state of "doing" to a state of "being", to leave you feeling both refreshed and relaxed but at the same time, having allowed you to stretch and challenge your body to the level that is right for you.

What are the benefits of yoga? 

PHYSICALLY
  • The practice of yoga helps keep our body strong and supple, so important - especially as we get older.
  • We work with all the joints of the body, helping to keep them moving and less stiff and creaky!
  • Stretching helps us prevent injury, it also releases endorphins (which is why it feels so good!) and increases the blood flow to our muscles.
  • Our posture improves through becoming more body aware and by strengthening our core and back muscles. We are, therefore, less likely to suffer with shoulder pain and backache caused by bad posture.
  • Our balance improves - again, so important as we get older as our ability to balance actually declines with age. With better balance, we are less likely to fall and injure ourselves. Physical balance has also been linked to longevity and greater mental focus.
  • Yoga can help with weight management and encourages a healthy lifestyle.
  • Our coordination improves, as does our reaction time.
  • Yoga improves our respiration and increases our lung capacity (important now more than ever).
  • Yoga practice supports our immune system and helps reduce inflammation in the body.
  • Our heart health improves - blood pressure lowers and circulation improves.
  • We learn to let go of physical tension - we become body aware and so are able to notice when we are tense and then respond appropriately.
  • Yoga helps us sleep better.
  • Digestion improves.
  • It can help manage and ease chronic pain.

MENTALLY
  • Yoga can help improve our mood, it decreases levels of cortisol and increases serotonin. Ultimately it makes us feel happier!
  • Yoga is an excellent stress management tool - we learn to let go of anxieties, still the mind and find an inner calm.
  • Yoga helps improve our mental focus, concentration, memory and clarity.
  • Our confidence can increase as does our overall ability to face the world and cope with life.
  • We are more likely to respond rather than react and we can think clearly and calmly in stressful situations.
  • Yoga increases our energy and vitality.
  • Yoga teaches us mindfulness and to be present both on and off the mat.
  • It soothes our nervous system.
  • Yoga helps find emotional stability and balance.
  • We learn to rest and to simply "be"

OTHER BENEFITS OF YOGA
  • Yoga philosophy teaches us virtues such as compassion, gratitude, non-competitiveness, truthfulness, contentment, humbleness, self discipline and appreciation, to name just a few.
  • You make friends with lovely people!
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"Sarah teaches with great humour and realism, I never feel embarrassed if I can't do something and I secretly love it when she admits she can be creaky sometimes too - it makes her really human!"