Like many people I discovered yoga at the gym. Despite the heroic efforts of some amazing teachers many classes ended with the rustle of mats being rolled up so students could make a dash for the door before Savasana. Yoga was seen as just one more of the exercise classes on a busy timetable. Peter Blackaby in his wonderful book 'Intelligent Yoga' notes that: 'Our Yoga practice, if performed intelligently, is an extremely useful method of self-exploration' This moves yoga from merely 'exercise' to something more - a way of engaging with our senses, our bodies and our minds.
For many people, yoga is just asana - the physical poses, but yoga is so much more than that. There is a whole world of breath practice and meditative practices as well as a philosophical tradition which can help us connect better with ourselves and the world around us.
As I start working on plans for my new class (starting 2 May - see the 'Practice with Me' section of my website for details), I am really conscious of the many expectations people will bring with them - to stretch, to be more mobile, to 'work out', to build strength and hope that the practice I share will open a new way of viewing yoga and their relationship to their own body