yoga debunked

Choosing a class or treatment for health or wellbeing in brighton can be a minefield... how are you meant to know your sivananda from your satyananda, and what's feldenkreis when it's at home? Here is a simple guide to help you decipher the various wonderful activities out there... for the what's on guide every day of the week, see the "directory - classes" page.

yoga

One of the best all-round activities, depends greatly on the style and the teacher, so definitely suck a few and see! Yoga means "unity of body and mind" - its true essence is to bring the whole system into balance, with emphasis on feeling relaxed, connected and developing better self-awareness. The postures and resulting flexibility, toning and fitness are almost a by-product... they happen, but that's now what it's all about. Yoga should leave you feeling clear, alert and calm, even if it takes you through a few emotional journeys along the way. Emphasis is on improved breathing and taming an overbusy mind. If i'm honest, yoga isn't really an activity, it's more a lifestyle thing, even if you only go once a week.. it changes everything, putting you on the road to better health, a more positive outlook. In a nutshell, it's divided into three main types: astanga: dynamic, aerobic, very challenging, can be a great workout and very detoxing, has spiritual aspects but these can get bypassed with all the rigorous activity. Best practised if you already have some knowledge of yoga and are reasonably fit to avoid injury. Styles include: hot yoga and bikram yoga (dynamic yoga with the radiators on - great for a complete detox). iyengar: mid-range, challenging yoga but less dynamic than astanga. postures are often held for a long time and real emphasis on correct alignment in the body and developing a relaxed focus. hatha: a great beginner's yoga but also challenging for more advanced. gentler in style, greater emphasis on breathing, relaxation, letting go. a tricky yoga in a way if you have a busy mind that gets going when it's quieter, but just the remedy for it, too! May be some meditation or breathing exercises (pranayama). Excellent for reducing stress and combatting depression and insomnia. Other styles include: satyananda (did this once in battersea, very quiet, very relaxing, lots of gazing at candles, enjoyed it, but run by quite a close-knit community of "monks"), sivananda (a form of hatha yoga, the one i trained in, very down-to-earth, plenty of relaxation, emphasis on the spiritual tradition of yoga, using the breath, and being as present as possible), scaravelli...coming soon... Finding the right class is important as even within the same "style" of yoga, the energy and delivery of teachers can vary so much. It's best to try a few out. First ask yourself what you really need in your life... if it's relaxation, and less stress, then opt for a gentler style, if you need waking up and some good aerobic input go for an astanga or hot yoga. When we are in balance (yes, apparently someone somewhere is in balance!) a bit of both is good, dynamic and gentle. See which teachers you like, as a good teacher with a nice energy will make all the difference. And go with an open mind... give yoga a few gos, it's really worth it, and can be totally life-changing. Be prepared to let go of any pre-judgements you have and see what happens...

pranayama

A branch of yoga, this is a truly awesome practice. Simple, but very powerful, breathing exercises can completely transform health and wellbeing, producing a radiant complexion, increased fitness and better digestion. Pranayama literally means "breath control" in Sanskrit. A better translation for breath here would be "life force" or "vital energy". So it's learning to control, lengthen, expand, retain the breath (or energy). Exercises might include deep breathing, holding the breath, fast out-breaths, breathing into the lower abdomen, kind of like a breathing meditation. Once you try it, you'll be hooked! Since I've been practicising pranayama just ten minutes a day, my stomach is rarely bloated and i can really feel my moods lift for the whole of that day. Anyone can do pranayama, but as it's such powerful stuff, it's always best to build up slowly with the help of a good teacher.

meditation

How can i miss out meditation - the king of them all! To me, meditation is simply the best practice you can do to calm the mind, create inner peace, get to know yourself, heal naturally and more! And don't take my word for it, there are scores of scientific studies out that confirm the rejeuvenating and calming effects of meditation. Since the antidote to nearly all our suffering is in understanding the mind, in learning to observe its stories rather than get caught up in them, in training the mind to quieten down, then meditation really is the way to go... There are lots of myths hanging around about meditation: only the elite few can do it, you don't get anywhere for years, you have to hang upside-down in lotus to practice "properly" and so on. Fact is, anyone can meditate, we do it all the time naturally. Going to a class, or workshop, or sitting to meditate in your own time is simply a more intense way of doing it with more intense benefits. Oh my god, the benefits! Better sleep, better digestion, lower stress levels, clearer head, easier decision-making, less thrown around by emotions and mood swings, need I go on? Try it, it's a tool you'll have forever, it'll always get you out of a hole, it'll open some personal doors you never thought possible. Like yoga, it'll start you on a personal journey of discovering who you really are that you'll never want to stop. Start with a teacher to get a few techniques, to ask a few questions, to feel supported and to enjoy the experience of meditating in a group. Then you can enjoy it alone, in a park, on a rubber dinghy in the sea (my fave, £20 for the boat from the shop next to the Fortune of War!). I can recommend the Brighton Buddhist Centre, the Boddhi Garden, the Boddhisattva Centre and I'm sure there are other great places too. Or come to my fortnightly Meditation Workshop for a great, safe, fun intro to it all. See the "yoga, meditation etc" page.

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