Yoga
The Essence of Yoga
Behind Yoga lies a whole philosophy, a profound meaning that explains the essence of life. Yoga means Union, making connections; what we connect to is our essence, our true self — ‘our true self’, our soul, ‘the atman’. The goal of yoga is to achieve ultimate freedom or ‘liberation of the soul’.
The Spirit is the unchangeable within ourselves; our thoughts, emotions, and body can change, but not the Spirit. It is eternal and stands outside all fluctuations of mind and emotions. When we are fully present in the ‘now’ and in harmony with ourselves and our environment, we are more connected to Spirit. It gives us a feeling of deep inner peace, bliss, tranquility, and security. The beauty of nature, the singing birds, the blooming blossoms, the sun on the water, and the love of children can be experienced intensely in a feeling of ‘everything is beautiful and in harmony’. It is a brilliance of beauty, harmony, and happiness, or in other words, ‘bliss consciousness’. One then feels ‘soul happy’.
“You have no soul but you are a soul.”
“Man, in essence, is a soul — a radiating ray of the universal Spirit”Patanjali is one of the greatest sages of antiquity who beautifully described the purpose of Yoga, Yoga as a connection between the individual Spirit and the universal Spirit. He wrote the Yoga sutras , which are powerful aphorisms that describe how to achieve this state of consciousness. In his time, yoga only consisted of 1 posture, the meditation posture or lotus pose, only after that around 1800 – 1900 many yoga postures were added and yoga is also body-oriented and not just meditative as Patanjali described.
Yoga postures are certainly important to create that connection, but they are not the only thing. Through the asanas we can release emotional tension, emotions and stress also affect the body and after a lesson you feel that the body feels supple again and you feel that it has been beneficial. Through asanas we also stimulate the glands that secrete happiness hormones and amino acids such as GABA and serotonin.
Yoga is the cessation of movements in the mind (Yoga chitta vritti nirodha). This is the second of the Yoga sutras described by Patanjali. By controlling thoughts in the mind and calming it, you can achieve the Yoga of Union more easily. In silence, the Spirit can shine more, and there is inner peace.
Then the Seer rests within himself” – this is the third Yoga Sutra.
These are some of Patanjali’s aphorisms.
Yoga is the cessation of movements in the mind.
The eightfold path to achieve yoga
– Raja Yoga
Yama
Universal moral principles for meaningful social relationships, such as non-violence, honesty, and non-greed.
Niyamas
Moral attitudes towards oneself, including self-study, purity of thoughts and body, and discipline.
Asana
Pranayama
Pratyahara
Dharana
Dhyana
Samadhi
Bliss experienced through regular meditation and soul connection, the pinnacle of Yoga practice.
Classes we offer
Dynamic Hatha Yoga
The Dynamic Hatha Yoga session lasts for an hour, challenging your concentration, heightening your awareness, and igniting your inner willpower. It creates a nurturing space for self-discovery and growth. Feel the rejuvenating effects ripple through your being as you leave feeling more harmonized, energized, and ready to embrace life with renewed vitality.
Easy yoga
Experience an hour of rejuvenation with Easy Yoga, a slower-paced session compared to Dynamic Hatha. Begin by connecting with your breath to tap into your vital force, Prana, as gentle movements flow in rhythm. With ample time for postures, you’ll deepen your connection with your body. Combining strength-building exercises and stretches, the session concludes with deep relaxation. Afterward, feel energized and harmonized, embracing the transformative power of self-care
Yoga nidra
Experience profound relaxation and inner peace with our Yoga Nidra sessions. Yoga Nidra is a guided meditation practice that takes you into a state of deep relaxation and conscious awareness. This transformative practice helps reduce stress, improve sleep quality, and promote overall well-being. We offer Yoga Nidra as a pop-up class weekly in the service center