"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 want to feel more flexible and less stressed."
These are the two greatest reasons why people come to my classes. Yoga keeps our bodies strong and supple - so important as we get older - and also teaches us to relax. 

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. 

What are the benefits of yoga? 

Yoga makes us feel good. Regular yoga practice can improve our circulation, lower our blood pressure, improve our digestion, balance and posture. It can improve our breathing, can ease pain, release tension, helps us sleep better, help weight management and encourages a healthy lifestyle, It can help improve our focus and concentration and can improve our coordination, reaction time and memory. Yoga gives us greater mental clarity and stability. Ultimately, yoga teaches us to still the mind and find an inner calm - it is, therefore, an excellent stress management tool. Yoga also teaches us mindfulness and reminds us of such virtues as compassion, gratitude, non-competitiveness and truthfulness.

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 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.

Yoga allows you space to stretch, breathe, relax, learn and have fun. 
​Why don't you give it a try and discover the transformational "magic" of yoga?

​Call me to find out more 07952 931 383 or email sarah@sarahgreenall.com
Sarah Greenall is a registered Yoga teacher with Yoga Alliance Professionals with over 1400 hours' teaching experience.
This accreditation demonstrates excellent standards as set by Yoga Alliance Professionals.