Yoga therapy is personalised yoga instruction, tailored to your lifestyle, health, physical state and time availability. It does not require any prior knowledge of yoga.
Yoga is a balanced system of health and fitness, the practise of which promotes health physically, physiologically and emotionally. Yoga helps people transform from conditions of illness and dependency to wellness and self-sufficiency. If you start young, it will help the body to develop in a balanced way; and as an adult will help restore and maintain physical, physiological and emotional balance.
‘Yoga’ although originating from the East, is not an eastern religious practice as such. Rather it is a practical methodology, enabling us to look after ourselves effectively, such that our ‘real’ lives can be lived in a more pain free, happy and productive fashion.
Vinyasa Krama
The form of yoga taught here is called Vinyasa Krama and is appropriate for all ages and abilities. It develops the function intended within any posture, emphasising the slow movement in and out of that posture, perfectly synchronised with the breath. This process;
- Makes it accessible to all ages and states of health
- Rebalances and strengthens reciprocal muscles across joints improving balance through biomechanical efficiency
- Develops breath work, encouraging a slow equal inhale to exhale – profoundly benefitting and calming the nervous system
- Strengthens the body whilst simultaneously increasing flexibility and agility
Benefits of Yoga
- Improved strength and flexibility
- Improved postural alignment
- A strong spine
- A more balanced physiology and regulation of appetite
- Beneficial effects on the heart and lungs
- Peace of mind and improved concentration
Who Can Do Yoga?
Vinyasa krama is accessible to all ages. Your yoga practise will be adapted specifically for you and your body. This applies equally to older beginners who may suffer postural problems, severe stiffness and weakness; and who might otherwise be put off a practise that is too strong and which over challenges the body. Vinyasa Krama helps you as an individual increase your own unique movement potential by working with relevant asanas. Through steady persistence, your body will transform towards greater balance, strength and flexibility.
Who Does Yoga Therapy Benefit?
- Those who want to develop their own self practise; working with sequences that are appropriate for their life style, and who wish to maintain a good posture and health.
- Those recovering from injury or illness, who need to re-establish correct basic movement patterns, and strengthen their bodies in a gentle yet holistic fashion.
- Those whose sporting or vocational activities have seriously imbalanced their bodies, due to the repetitive action of particular muscle sets; and who wish to have a more balanced and symmetrical work out.
- Those who require a mentally and emotionally calming practise; to counteract the fragmenting and stressful effects of work or life in general.
- Those who wish to improve their breath work as a precursor to a meditation practise.
What Does A Yoga Therapy Session Involve?
Yoga therapy involves designing a practise of a specific set of postures for you, taking into account your health, time available to practise, and your desired goal. There will be an initial assessment, with the establishment of balanced steps leading to that point, after which the practise will be continuously revised as progress is made.
Why Yoga Therapy?
As most of us live in a busy world with limited time that can be allocated to personal health regimes, it is better to be doing what is specifically appropriate and beneficial for you. Sports or random generic fitness activities may unknowingly exacerbate particular weaknesses and misalignments, and in the long run cause more harm than good. This does not mean that you should not engage in different activities, but keep the body balanced.
Yoga Therapy And Structural Integration
Old alignment issues in the form of postural deformities caused by life or injury can be very difficult and slow to change. Structural Integration treatments can help with this as they are specifically designed to re-establish natural alignment by working on myofascial structures. However to put life in that re-newed posture, neural re-wiring still needs the help of correct movement patterns learnt through yoga therapy. The two perfectly complement each other.
Biography
Madeleine has been practising yoga for 20 years, and has completed 5 teaching qualifications with different teachers emphasising different aspects of the practise. She has also spent many months in India in an attempt to understand the depth of yoga philosophy and the deeper ramifications of its practise.
Vinyasa Krama in her mind stands apart from other forms in its profound cultivation of breath work, and in its logical ability to progressively strengthen the body no matter what the initial starting point.
‘In the West our bodies have a curious mixture of profound weakness and stiffness, mainly induced by our chair sitting culture. Our weak spines, stiff hips, knees and ankle joints being the most ubiquitous problem; influencing our later in life postural and movement issues.’
