Live.Breathe.Yoga

Yoga began in northern India at least two thousand of years ago. It was originally a teaching with the aim of leading the dedicated practitioner closer to enlightenment.

The physical postures (called “asana” in Sanskrit) commonly associated with yoga in the West were originally only a small part of the teachings of yoga. Depending on the schools of yoga, breath control, meditation, acts of devotion, building “good” karma and cleansing were some of the practices that were taught in order to reach a physical and mental state where enlightenment was possible.

There are now many types of yoga that have been developed by different schools or teachers into their own interpretation of yoga. Different styles of yoga will suit different people, depending on what you want to get out your yoga class.

Oona Hawley and the North Devon Yoga teaching staff, are trained in different styles of yoga and their teaching has been influenced by years of practice and study including Sivananda, Siddha Yoga, The British Wheel of Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, and the teachings of many revered yoga teachers inlcuding Swami Muktananda, BKS Iyengar, Krishnamacharya and Desikachar.

People come to yoga for many different reasons - doctors’ recommendation after injury or surgery, for relaxation or perhaps for spiritual reasons. Yoga can help with all of the above with some of the key benefits of a regular practice being:

Physical wellbeing
Keeps the body supple and mobile
Improved flexibility and strength
Improved posture, and helps with spinal alignment
Strengthens the back and core muscles