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What is Holistic Yoga?

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Picture of <b>Sarah</b><br>Ālaya Yoga

Sarah
Ālaya Yoga

What is Holistic Yoga?

Yoga as a holistic health practice

The general understanding our society has about wellness is that it solely relies on physical health. While our physical health is an important part and contributes immensely to our overall wellness, our mental and our spiritual health is just as important but it is often overlooked.

The true meaning of yoga is “union”, and it’s this very union of our mind and body that makes yoga different from other forms of physical health practices. Yoga is a holistic science that embodies the union of our physical, mental and spiritual health. It can help us achieve mental equilibrium, as well as providing numerous health benefits for our body. Yoga as a practice encourages a lifestyle that focuses on balance, harmony, positive thinking and health. This is holistic yoga.

Asanas, breathing exercises and meditation are all part of, and essential to a complete yoga practice. This focus on the breath while performing asanas can help us achieve a sense of calmness during the practice that affects both our physical and our mental wellbeing, while also enhancing the benefits we would otherwise achieve without breathwork being a part of the practice. This is also one of the key elements that sets yoga apart from other physical workouts.

Asanas, breathing exercises and meditation are all part of, and essential to a complete yoga practice.

Holistic yoga for the body

Yoga consists of asanas that we hold for extended periods of time while we bring our focus to our breath so as to find a sense of calmness in our body that can help us relax deeper into each pose, and this process can also help calm our mental state so that our mind can catch a break from our otherwise busy and hectic everyday schedules.

This benefits our physical bodies and health in multiple ways. Just to name a few –

Yoga improves our overall flexibility, strength and mobility.

Yoga can help keep your lungs healthy and strong, thereby improving your oxygen intake and breathing.

It can help manage illnesses such as chronic arthritis. Gentle yoga can help people who have weaker muscles or suffer from tender or swollen joints.

It improves the health of our heart and is often recommended by medical professionals especially for people who’ve suffered from cardiac arrest.

• Studies have shown that people who practice yoga regularly have more energy throughout the day.

• Like most forms of physical exercises, yoga can help boost the production of two hormones in the body essential to cultivating happiness – Oxytocin and Endorphins.

These are just some of the many health benefits that yoga provides.

Studies have shown that people who practice yoga regularly have more energy throughout the day.

Yoga for mental health

Breathwork and meditation are an important facet of a yoga practice. Breathwork paired with asana’s can help us achieve the full benefits of yoga and this alters our everyday moods and our mental state for the better.Yoga is great for people who suffer from insomnia. It can help regularize our sleep patterns. A small practice before bedtime, or a small meditation can help people fall asleep more quickly and have a more restful sleep.

We face stress regularly in our day to day lives and yoga can help manage both stress and anxiety as well as prevent panic attacks before they occur.

A regular yoga practice can increase the size of our hippocampus, a part of the brain responsible for memory. This in turn also affects the neural connections in our brain. These factors are especially important for older people as age can lead to degeneration of the brain over time.

Yoga is great for people who suffer from depression as well. A regular yoga practice can lead to people living happier lives and having a more positive outlook overall as it allows our minds to take a break from all the chaos that surrounds us and encourages us to find harmony and calmness within our own self.

When we practice asanas and breathwork daily, our focus and concentration gradually increases outside of the practice in our day to day activities as well.

Yoga affects our mental health in various ways, and positively reinforces our daily moods and outlook towards life.

Union of the mind and the body

Breathwork and meditation are an important facet of a yoga practice. Breathwork paired with asana’s can help us achieve the full benefits of yoga and this alters our everyday moods and our mental state for the better.

Yoga is great for people who suffer from insomnia. It can help regularize our sleep patterns. A small practice before bedtime, or a small meditation can help people fall asleep more quickly and have a more restful sleep.

We face stress regularly in our day to day lives and yoga can help manage both stress and anxiety as well as prevent panic attacks before they occur.

A regular yoga practice can increase the size of our hippocampus, a part of the brain responsible for memory. This in turn also affects the neural connections in our brain. These factors are especially important for older people as age can lead to degeneration of the brain over time.

Yoga is great for people who suffer from depression as well. A regular yoga practice can lead to people living happier lives and having a more positive outlook overall as it allows our minds to take a break from all the chaos that surrounds us and encourages us to find harmony and calmness within our own self.

When we practice asanas and breathwork daily, our focus and concentration gradually increases outside of the practice in our day to day activities as well.

Yoga affects our mental health in various ways, and positively reinforces our daily moods and outlook towards life.

Ready to try a holistic approach to yoga?

Join our team of expert teachers who are all trained to teach holistic and traditional yoga.  Explore our memberships at Ālaya Yoga and start your journey to holistic wellbeing today.

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Ayurveda and Yoga for Spring

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Spring has finally arrived and we have the perfect workshop to help you reset and renew your yoga practice!

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February Workshops

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Check out the latest offerings from our online yoga studio this February!

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Weekend Workshops with David Swenson!

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Exciting News!

We have a weekend of workshops with world renowned yogi, David Swenson, coming your way this February.

 David is known as one of the world’s foremost practitioners of Ashtanga Yoga and is bringing his insight and knowledge into TWO amazing workshops during the first weekend of February, coming to you from Maui!

MEET DAVID SWENSON

David began his journey of Yoga in 1969 when he and his brother Doug practiced in a small park at the end of their street in Houston, Texas. There were few sources for yoga at that time so they practiced from whatever books they could find.

In 1973 David discovered Ashtanga after he met David Williams and Nancy Gilgoff in Encinitas, CA. In 1975 David and Nancy brought K. Pattabhi Jois to the U.S. for the first time and Swenson was fortunate enough to be there. He then initiated studies directly with the master. He made his first trip to Mysore in 1977. David is one of only a handful of Westerners to have learned the full Ashtanga system including all of the asana sequences and pranayama as originally taught by K. Pattabhi Jois.

Today David is recognized as one of the world’s foremost practitioners and instructors of Ashtanga Yoga. He tirelessly travels year round to teach and offer workshops. His courses are presented in a supportive and compassionate fashion making it accessible to all levels of practitioner to participate.

Friday

 

BREATH, BANDHAS and PRANAYAMA

Seeking the Unseen and Experiencing the Intangible

Our first act of life as we enter this world is to inhale and our last act before departing is to exhale. Breath is our most elemental form of life and unites all of humanity yet we think little about it. The ancient yogis gave it great thought and in so doing developed intricate methods of harnessing breath to gain control of the mind and to see the world with greater clarity.

This class will delve into the realms of specialized Yogic Breathing as well as the subtle and highly misunderstood internal energy valves known as Bandhas. There is much confusion surrounding these mystical tools and the part they play in the regulation and control of pranic flow. David will share information he gained directly from K. Pattabhi Jois as well as a series of practical exercises he has developed himself to assist the practitioner in gaining a greater understanding of these subtle yet powerful energy gateways of yoga. David has an amazing ability to convey complex ideas in simple terms. All are sure to leave with new insights and useful tools for personal practice regardless of their system.

Come and Feel the Prana!

Friday 5th February 2021

 6.30pm – 8.30pm

 €20

 

Saturday:

FLYING FLOATING AND HANDSTANDING

A Fun-filled exploration of Vinyasa and Arm-balances

One of the greatest challenges of the Ashtanga flow is the vinyasa. In this class David will break the vinyasa down into its basic components. He likes to refer to this as: “The Physics of Flight”. Participants will explore techniques for creating greater lightness and efficiency of practice while using less effort to achieve greater ease.

The class will also explore the elements of handstands and arm-balances. It is common to feel intimidated or even frightened by balancing on our hands. David will address this issue and offer techniques and practical methods of approach to allow for greater confidence and ability that can be carried away and applied within a personal practice.  This will all be done through the avenue of insightful and simple methods he has designed through decades of practice and teaching others. There will be partner work as well as individual techniques offered. There is always plenty of laughter and fun as well as a depth of information David’s classes. All levels may attend even if you have never done a handstand before. Alternatives are always given.

Come and Experience the Joy of Flight!

 Saturday 6th of February

 8am – 10am

€20

 

Book now and secure your place through the booking page or on the Himalaya Yoga Valley app!

January Workshops

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We have some great online yoga workshops coming your way this January!

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November Workshops

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We have some great online yoga workshops coming your way this November!

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