Recent Articles in Focus

Duration: 16 minutes

Emphasis:  Take a few minutes out from your busy day to do Legs-up-the-Wall Pose (Viparita Karani) and rest for a while. This relaxing pose is beneficial for the heart, the veins of your legs, your nervous system and your mind. We'll add in some other gentle poses here such as a variation of Bound Angle Pose(Baddha Konasana), a variation of Wide Leg Seated Forward Fold (Upavista Konasana), a gentle supported backbend and a shoulder stretch.

Props needed: A block or book and a folded blanket.

Mat direction: Long edge of the mat facing the screen so you can turn your head to see, or you might prefer to watch the video once through so you know what to expect and then follow along without needing to look.

Duration: 9 minutes

Emphasis:  Autumn is a time for letting go - just as the trees and plants shed their leaves, so can we let go of the things that no longer serve us. In this mediation you will bring this to mind to help you feel lighter, less crowded and burdened. You will also focus on anything that you would like to have more of in your life, helping you to feel more relaxed, clearer and more purposeful.

Props needed: A blanket or a chair to sit on.

Mat direction: N/A

Duration: 21 minutes

Emphasis:  We often use Child's Pose as a resting pose but in this class we'll explore some different variations including Sasangasana (Rabbit Pose) and Seated Yoga Seal Pose (Upavista Yoga Mudra), a variation of Melting Heart Pose, also known as Extended Puppy Pose (Uttana Shishosana) and a variation of Thread the Needle Pose with wide knees (Parsva Balasana). Please note that in Rabbit Pose and Seated Yoga Seal Pose the crown of the head is on the floor and, even though not much weight should be on the head, if you have any neck problems at all these poses are not recommended.

Props needed: A blanket for under your knees if required, a strap to help you reach your heels in Rabbit Pose if required and two blocks or a books to put your elbows on for the Extended Puppy Pose variation .

Mat direction: Short edge facing the screen.

Duration: 25 minutes

Emphasis:  All the poses in this class are done lying down so if you are feeling a little weary but still want to do some yoga then this class is perfect for you. We'll be doing Eye of the Needle Pose (Sucirandrasana), a Tree Pose (Vrksasana) variation, a twist, Sphynx Pose (Salamba Bhujangasana), the Supine Leg Stretch Series known as Supta Padangustasana plus the lying down version of Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana).

Props needed: A strap/belt to help you reach your foot in the Leg Stretch Series and a blanket for Savasana if required.

Mat direction: Long edge facing the screen so you can turn your head to see while you are lying down.

Duration: 26 minutes

Emphasis:  Stretch your legs and your hips in this steady-paced seated sequence which includes a variation of Eye of the Needle Pose (Sucirandrasana), Marichi's Pose (Marichyasana 3), Head to Knee Pose (Janu Sirsasana), Bound Angle Pose (Baddha Konasana), Blossoming Lotus Pose (Vikasita Kamalasana), Double Big Toe Hold Pose (Ubbhaya Padangusthasana) and Star Pose (Tarasana), plus a kneeling variation of Wild Thing (Camatkarasana).

Props needed: A blanket to kneel on and for Savasana if required.

Mat direction: Short edge facing the screen.

Duration: 30 minutes

Emphasis:  Each Sun Salutation includes a backbend that leads towards Dhanurasana (Bow Pose). It's a strong pose so, if deep backbends don't feel good for your back, then please stop at one of the more gentle options offered in the progression.

Props needed: None required except for a blanket for Savasana if required.

Mat direction: Short edge facing the screen.

Duration: 47 minutes

Emphasis:  Each consecutive Sun Salutation will offer a different version of Lizard Pose (Uttan Pristhasana), deepening it each time. Lizard Pose is a lovely hip-opener and stretches the ilio-psoas muscles which are situated close to the spine and within the pelvis, joining the lumbar spine to the top of your legs (click HERE to see a previous post and diagram of them). These core muscles get shortened in our culture of spending so much time sitting down and all the lunges and hip openers that we do in our yoga practice help to stretch and release them, improving posture and helping the lower back to feel more comfortable.

Props needed: A blanket to kneel on, a thick book or blocks for under your forearms when we deepen the Lizard Pose and possibly a strap to loop around your foot when we catch hold of it in one variation.

Mat direction: Short edge facing the screen.

Duration: 39 minutes

Emphasis:  Show some love for your hardworking feet in this class which will help them to become more mobile. We'll do lots of different exercises to move the joints (33 in each foot!) and bones (26 in each foot!) and the soft tissues too. Increased awareness of, and mobility in, your feet means better balance and posture, less likelihood of ankle, knee, hip and back problems, and using your feet properly will help improve your stance and alignment in other yoga poses too. Practice this class regularly to help keep your feet feeling comfortable as they take you through every step of your life.

Props needed: A tennis or squash ball for the foot massage and a blanket to kneel on.

Mat direction: Short edge facing the screen.

Duration: 57 minutes

Emphasis:  In this class you'll strengthen your core (the front, sides and back of your torso and the pelvic floor) with some supine abdominal work including a preparation for Bakasana (Crow Pose), some side-lying hip mobility work which also strengthens the oblique abdominals, some Sun Salutations including Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon Pose) plus Malasana (Garland Pose) which will lead on to Bakasana (Crow Pose). You'll finish with some supine stretches to relax and soften the areas that you have been working strongly.

Props needed: Blocks, bricks or books to put under your hands and a blanket for Savasana and to pad under your pelvis for the hip work if required.

Mat direction: Long edge facing the screen.

Duration: 29 minutes

Emphasis:  Strengthen your core with this creative sequence - we'll practise a kneeling version of Half Moon Pose (Ardha Chandrasana), Boat Pose (Navasana), Dolphin Pose (Ardha Pincha Mayurasana), Blossoming Lotus Pose (Vikasita Kamalasana) and Bridge Pose (Setu Bhanda Sarvangasana) amongst others to work the front, sides and back of the body. A strong core means better balance, less back problems and better posture.

Props needed:  A blanket to kneel on if required.

Mat direction: Short edge facing the screen.

Duration: 7 minutes

Emphasis:  Come back to yourself with this short meditation. Move your mind away from all the distractions of your busy day and just sit and breathe in this present moment, with your awareness on your inner self.

Props needed:  None required except maybe a cushion or chair to sit on.

Mat direction: n/a

Duration: 28 minutes

Emphasis:  This sequence includes some poses that we rarely practice - Lion Pose (Simhasana), Embryo Pose (Garba Pindasana) and a spinal roll. They all look quite comical - pulling funny faces, tying yourself up in knots and rolling around on the floor - but I hope it will show you a less serious side to yoga than you're used to. The rest of the sequence focuses on circles and twists.

Props needed: Blocks, bricks or books to put under your hands and a blanket to kneel on and for Savasana if required.

Mat direction: Short edge facing the screen.