What is Yoga
Yoga is a practical discipline directed towards ethical goals. The practice of Yoga involves taking our attention to our physical body in movement and stillness. Observing and orchestrating action, breath and direction. Our outward practice is active and dynamic, promoting strength flexibility and ease. Alongside this, the mind journeys inwards shifting its perspective using the tools of asana and pranayama towards a richer more complex and revealed sense of self. This inner reorientation liberates us from sticky habits of mind. From this centred, clear sense of self we are able to act with moral insight.
What to expect
Our classes generally last for 90 mins. The teacher will have prepared a sequence of physical postures- each class is different. Poses will be demonstrated with instructions or explanation. The teacher will then instruct the students as they come into, hold and come out of poses. We look at how to align the body, sometimes using support such as the wall or chair. We work out how to configure the spaces of the body, orientate the limbs and understand the joints. The class will finish with more restoring and relaxing poses and techniques.
What is Iyengar Yoga?
Iyengar Yoga is characterised by careful work, attentive to the individual person; where poses are adapted to accommodate different flexibilities, strength or stability. Asana practice, (the careful exploration of ‘yoga poses’), is the foundation of Iyengar Yoga practice. Poses are introduced in a step-by-step way and adapted to the abilities and experience of the practitioner. We working systematically and progressively through the comprehensive system of Yoga. In class, at all levels, we learn about the alignments, actions and directions of the body as we come into, maintain and come out of poses. The calm, focused state of mind and body that we cultivate is a meditation in action. Different sequencing of types of pose, such as Twists or Standing Poses, reveal subtle relationships between poses. As our practice develops we become more aware of the breath and our state of mind. The careful introduction of Pranayama can then further deepen our practice. Yoga has a rich, diverse and complex history encompassing many perspectives, practices and traditions. Different conceptions of the Person and the Universe underpin different strands of the practice both between and within traditions. The broadest description of Yoga, that captures its essence and is familar to us in our everyday culture is 'meditation': an inward journey of the attention. The goal of Yoga is ethical: to do with how to be in the world towards ourselves and others. Iyengar Yoga is one strand of these traditions. It takes it's name from BKS Iyengar. During a lifetime dedicated to practice, Mr Iyengar developed a sophisticated understanding of physical and mental movement and how, through practice, we can transform ourselves and our understanding.
Who we are
Shoreline is the 'home' studio of Cynthia Colt and Alasdair Reid. It is a space for our own practice and teaching.
Find out more
You can find out much more about Iyengar Yoga from the IYUK , including information about training and other Iyengar Yoga classes and workshops.
We have a vibrant Yoga community in Edinburgh, and there are regular classes at the Edinburgh Iyengar Yoga Centre and at Yoga Now