Meet the Student - Chris

INTRO

Welcome to '“Meet the Student”, in this post we meet Chris, a Classic Hot Yoga (26&2) Method enthusiast who has experienced amazing transformation both physically and mentally, and was kind enough to give his time to run through why he loves yoga, hot yoga and my classes @ Sadhana Yoga & Wellbeing in Clapham:

MEET CHRIS

How long have you been practicing hot yoga for? (If there is a difference in tie between the both do provide it and then I can distinguish in the blog). For quite a few years - with some big gaps due to work pressures. I'm determined not to have a gap again.

What was the reason that you wanted to hot yoga?
Health and weight-loss - and to have a focussed discipline and practice in my life.

How has hot yoga helped you?
As well as the health-benefits, it's so rewarding to have the regular reliable enjoyment and stress-reduction that comes from attending classes.

What is your favourite thing about hot yoga?
The heat! I love to be hot - and I just imagine any anxiety I've brought to class being soothed by my breathing and dissolving in my sweat...

What changes have you seen in yourself since you started practicing hot yoga?
Since I upped my class frequency, I've lost plenty of weight, which has been revitalising.

What would you say to a total newbie that wants to try hot yoga but might not be sure what to expect?
Your first classes may feel intense - but you don't have to be. Just pace yourself and take breaks. If you stay in the room for 90 minutes and stayed present to yourself, you've completed a class.

Is there any advise you can give to yoga students / others that are doing hot yoga that can help them improve there practice further? (ie what we spoke about diet/food etc I think would be great here).
Try and get your diet and class attendance working together - I'm less hungry when I'm attending classes regularly. I feel lifted for the rest of the day. Talk to teachers about your practice - every time I've had an ache or pain, it was due to an incorrect posture, not the yoga itself. Since I've added electrolyte tablets to my water, I don't get dizzy after class any more.

How long have you been coming to Suraj's classes for?
I got into a routine of going to this studio since summer 2021.

What is your favourite thing about Suraj's classes?
Suraj is so closely enagaged with the whole process - the postures, individual class members, and the group as a whole.

What are the 3 things you would say that describe Suraj as a teacher? (We can even add this to the testimonial too). Suraj is an excellent teacher - deeply supportive of people's development and very down to earth. As a teacher, he's a great choice for a newbie who's anxious about making a start. He's just as good for yoga practitioners who want to engage in a deeper more wholistic approach to yoga and well-being.

OUTRO

A big thanks to Chris for providing an insight to his journey of yoga. If you are interested in starting yoga with me feel free to reach out or check my London & Greater London schedule here

Alignment over depth

How many times have you heard that?

This is a common issue amongst all levels of practitioners and not just beginners. And the teacher isn't pointing this out to stunt one's progress in class (unless they are not a real teacher), but they are doing so because:

1. They care that you learn the yoga properly.

2. They care about your body.

3. They care about their teaching methods.

4. They are all in all a caring teacher.

Keeping your form is a very crucial part of your practise, and in order to learn the yoga you are practising properly you must first be able to keep your alignment, and you must also open the opportunity within your mind, for your body to learn the posture properly.

Once you get comfortable with a posture and you have the correct form and alignment then you should be pushing as much as possible to get as much depth as possible and your body will be ready, like a flower petal blooming to open, but until then be patient and be aware of what you are doing.

It is totally understandable that you would like to do a posture to it's optimum and aim to look to best in class, but yoga is not about looking the best, nor is it about incorrect posture. Posture is one of the most important practices in yoga, and without correct posture, the body will only pick up unnecessary bad habits.

If you are struggling with this always reach out to the teacher as they will be able to help and guide you in the right direction.

Thanks for reading.

Being Kind To Yourself When Practicing Your Yoga

Being kind

Living in a day and age where we are expected to be superhuman, robotic and always available is a very difficult requirement for anyone. And this can and has led to a lot of mental health issues for today's world.

And that expectation is taken with you to your mat, the expectation that every class must be the best, and you must always be on form, but that isn't always the case nor should you expect it to be. Like life, your yoga comes with its ups and downs, and it is a relationship with yourself, and like all relationships, there are changes and waves, which is something we must all expect as yogis and yoginis but something we do not always know how to.

Throughout 6 years of practicing, observing teachers & students, talking to fellow practitioners and researching the art of yoga, one thing I have learnt is that your practise will always fluctuate and the most important thing you can do is be kind to yourself, and when your class isn't as strong as you may have wanted to be that day, The key is to let it happen, accept it and use every second of your time on the mat as a lesson, good or bad the most important thing to do is turn up and do what you can at that moment.

You are always changing, growing and testing yourself and during those changes, your body will have something to say about it, and sometimes that is the best standing bow pulling pose you have ever done, and something that is just the worst rabbit, but being kind to yourself when practicing your yoga is not only important for your soul, it is essential to your growth.

This Easter; be good to yourself whilst you find some time for yoga. But also remember to be good to those around you and as you get deeper into your practise, acceptance of yourself and those around you will come hand in hand.

Thanks for reading.