All yoga comes from hatha. Esoterically 'ha' represents the sun and 'tha' represents the moon. 'Hatha' also means force, so although it is practised more slowly and with more static holds than other forms of yoga, for example vinyasa or ashtanga, it means you can still challenge yourself. Typically a hatha class may include: physical postures (asana), breathwork (pranayama), chanting (mantra), symbolic or ritual gestures/poses (mudras) and cleansing techniques and visualisations (shatkriyas/shatkarmas).

​​If you fancy more flow than staying still then vinyasa classes may be just the ticket.  Vinyasa yoga gives you the opportunity to flow through poses using your breath as a metronome. Faster vinyasas enable you to turn up the dial and you know you have had a workout.   Slow vinyasa can be a therapeutic dance of moving meditation, where poses can be refined and strengthened. It allows you the to create space for a reflective pause and time to go inwards. My unique and creative slow or more dynamic vinyasa sequences with varied pace, asanas, intensity and transitions help keep you engaged and focused. This enables you to to direct and re-direct energies for greater health and wellbeing. Lessons are structured around strength, flexibility and mobility, utilising the breath to guide the body.  The steady cycle of (ujayyi) breath for example, provides a calming, mental focal point whilst moving the body in a continuous flow has a cardiovascular benefit of added internal heat.   We focus on certain areas of the body such as backbends, hip openers, the spine and/or incorporate specific aspects of yoga philosophy into the practice e.g. turning attention to the subtle body and to chakras and to the energetic and muscular locks of the bandhas.   Slow or fast, regular vinyasa is a great workout for your body.

Hot yoga offers a wide variety of benefits for both your mind and body. It can help you burn calories, build bone density, boost your cardiovascular fitness, and improve your flexibility. Feel great, sweat out some toxins and breath in a rhythmical manner to make yourself feel invigorated and inspired.  Working out in an environment where the muscles are warmed may also enable you to get deeper into the stretches. So if you like the heat, come along to class.  Bring a towel and some water though as temperatures can rise to 40 degrees+. Find me at the FeelWellbeing Studio in Watford on Wednesday mornings 9.45am to 11.00am for 75 minutes of vinyasa flow in a heated environment.  Also look out for my name at FeelWellbeing in Watford on a Wednesday morning 9.45am. I also cover teach at our studios in St Albans and HotYoga Essex.

Gentle yoga is just the ticket if you enjoy restful, longer held poses and would like to practice deep breathing to still the mind. You are looking to enhance your mood and boost immunity (which improves the capacity for healing and balancing).  Gentle yoga poses are a great antidote to an active lifestyle or when you want to give yourself that extra special bit of care.  The want to find the space and stillness which comes from gentle yoga, being mindful and taking the foot off the pedal gives you the opportunity to think about how you are feeling and moving. You would like to take it nice and slowly, marrying each movement with your breath and holding your body in correct alignment which means creating good form.   You like a reflective pace, perhaps you are recovering from illness or injury or those simply you wish to stay mobile, including the older cohort.

With restorative yoga, the postures (asanas) are held for a longer period than in conventional yoga and, coupled with deep, nourishing breathing - helps to elicit the relaxation response. Props such as folded blankets or bolsters are used to fully support the body. By taking your foot off the pedal restorative yoga enables you reach a state of complete relaxation by  activating the parasympathetic nervous system, slowing the heart rate and increasing blood flow to vital organs This in turns helps the body to rest and restore balance and thus feel replenished. It helps to reduce and release stress and it is a great way to  pause in an otherwise busy non-stop day. Sometimes there is a slight confusion between yin yoga and restorative yoga.  However in yin yoga the focus is on deepening the stretch, easing into mostly the connective tissues. In restorative yoga the focus is on the release of mind-body tension. In particular it aims to bring the nervous system into a state of healing. Either way yin and restorative yoga are a great complement to yang yoga - the more traditional asana practice that develops muscular strength, stamina, and flexibility.