What is Yoga? Yoga is a Sanskrit word that is originated in India, and means “to connect”. You can think of connecting body and mind through breathing. Yoga is practiced on the mat and on the same time it’s a way of living. It has many benefits. By practicing yoga, you develop, more body awareness. There are many different types of yoga. The most common form practiced in the west is Hatha yoga. The yoga classes I offer are Hatha, Yin and Nidra yoga.
A dynamic form of yoga where you combine action and relaxation (yin/yang). By combining powerful and relaxing postures, you develop more stability, flexibility and space in your body. You train the (postural) muscles, improve the mobility of your joints and stimulate your nervous system and the intestines. By keeping the focus on your breathing, you calm your mind. It can help you turn inward when you need to and keep your body healthy!
Yin yoga is a more static form of yoga and the poses are mainly low on the mat. In yin yoga a posture / body position is spoken and after this you stay longer in the same posture. As a result, the connective tissue, the meridians, deeper muscles and the joints are addressed. By keeping the focus on your breath, you train the mind and it will give you an experience of having more space in the body. The emphasis is mainly on the exhalation, in which you release tension and stress. This stimulates your parasympathetic nervous system which ensures deep relaxation.
Nidra yoga is a very relaxed form of yoga. The word Nidra means “sleep” in Sanskrit. It does not have to mean literally that you fall asleep during a nidra class, but all stages of consciousness are examined; from deep sleep and dreams to being awake.
You will be taken on a guided meditation that provides both physical and emotional relaxation, recovery and clarity. During a session you bring balance and neutrality in body, mind and soul by working with sensations, breathing, emotions, thoughts and imagination. In this form of yoga also mainly the para-sympathetic nervous system is addressed.
You can use the yoga mat as a mirror to see how you deal with yourself and situations. What do you do when you stand in a pose and you encounter resistance? Do you force yourself into the pose (fight, performance), or do you find yourself tending to come out of the pose because you feel resistance (flight), or, can you take a deep breath and observe what that resistance is doing to you? By looking without judgment at what certain feelings unfold in you, you gain more insight into how you react and deal with certain situations that you encounter in daily life.
Yoga is for everyone. Every body is different. Many people think that you have to be flexible to practice yoga. Practicing yoga makes your body more flexible and gives you more space in your body.
Will you come and experience?
Practicing meditation has many benefits. It can help you gain clarity and focus. It is a way of going inward, to increase concentration, gain a better understanding of your thoughts and patterns and find peace within yourself.
By practicing focusing on the breath, we gain insight into how our thoughts go their own way. When you realize that your thoughts will run wild again, insight arises. “The seer is at home within himself” (Patanjali). By simply noticing this and returning gently to the breath, you can learn to let the thoughts be. You learn to calm your mind and how to tame it. You get a better picture of how stimuli come to you and you can learn to choose to deal with them differently or to respond differently. As a result, you become increasingly better at letting go of thoughts and emotions.
You can learn to meditate!
At Yogacollege Tilburg I completed several yoga courses, including Hatha yoga, Yin yoga and Nidra yoga. These are certified by Yoga Alliance and Yoga Alliance Professional UK. I am grateful that I was able to learn so much at Yogacollege Tilburg!
I currently give regular lessons at Welcome Home Thuishaven. Check my calendar for current classes. You will then be redirected to the Welcome Home website.
