Yoga therapy

Yoga therapy can safely and effectively apply yoga to support our health and improve our sense of well-being.

Get in touch for a free half hour consultation
at the studio to discuss how yoga can help you.

Helpful when applied skillfully and safely
Yoga therapy can be particularly helpful in a wide range of situations including:
- reducing and coping with anxiety or stress
- personal development
- improving back issues
- recovery from illness
- working on stiffness or limited mobility
- improving fitness
- pregnancy and post-natal recovery
- supporting meditation

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Clara Lemon, Yoga Therapist

Clara is a qualified yoga therapist who has worked with a wide range of health conditions. She trained with Paul Harvey and is registered with the British Wheel of Yoga .

• Yoga therapy is taught 1 to 1. Find out about fees on the Private Lessons page
• See Clara's background to find out more about experience and training
• Read this article in the Times Online about Yoga Therapy.
  

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"Thank you so much for your help, support and guidance over the past few months which has helped me get back on the way to more comfortable mobility." Liz

Yoga Background and Yoga as Therapy
Bristol Yoga Space primarily teaches according to the viniyoga approach of applying yoga appropriately to the individual (which is why class sizes are limited to 12). Traditionally Yoga was taught on a 1 to 1 basis and was completely tailored to the student and their needs. Yoga Therapy is best applied in a private, 1 to 1 setting.

Below is an overview of yoga and the types of yoga generally available in Bristol yoga classes to explore which is right for you. A free 30 minutes consultation can help you understand what approach to yoga might be best for you too.

History
The roots of yoga is thousands of years old but yoga practices today still have so much to offer our busy lifestyles. Yoga can help to us to become stronger, healthier, calmer, more energetic, and more in touch with ourselves. Whether we are fit and healthy or if we need specific support with a wide range of issues.

Yoga is a way of exercising the body and mind. A regular yoga practice has many benefits including
- Supporting our health and well-being
- Making us stronger physically and mentally
- Helping us unwind
- Energising us
- Calming a busy mind and helping us handle stress better
- Improving specific health problems or recovery from illness
- Helping us find focus and stillness for meditation and reflection

The primary approach to yoga taught at Yoga Space is a dynamic form with a focus on working with the breath. It offers challenges for all levels and is adapted to an individual needs so the class sizes are kept quite small.

Yoga therapy is ideal for those who aren't immediately able to participate in a group class or personal home practice without specialist support. Group classes are another excellent way of beginning to explore what yoga can offer you.

Group yoga classes
Group classes typically include a range of yoga postures which move and engage the whole body. Alternative postures or variations are provided depending on the ability of the student, so classes can incorporate beginners or experienced students and ensure everyone is working to the best of their ability. The class will provide engaging breathing practices, seated breathing and meditation suitable to the level of the practitioner.

APPROACHES TO YOGA
Yoga has a common goal and purpose but their are slightly different styles that have emerged that people may recognise from their previous experience of yoga. Here is an overview to help orientate you.

Viniyoga
Suitable for everyone and is based on the principles of adapting postures for each person to maximise the benefits and ensure safe practice. It involves working closely with the breath and using dynamic and still postures depending on your ability. Yoga classes are best in small groups to enable modification to be made for individuals as the class progresses. It is also ideal for 'yoga therapy'.

Hatha Yoga
Generally classes using this name provide a gentler, relaxing form using yoga postures and yoga breathing to achieve an overall calming effect and feeling of well-being and develop a practitioners awareness. Hatha yoga technically refers to the physical postures used in yoga so all of the yoga approaches mentioned here fall under the umbrella of Hatha yoga.

Ashtanga Yoga
Ashtanga yoga is an energetic form of Hatha yoga, involving continual, dynamic movement from one yoga posture to another in flowing ‘vinyasas’ or sequences. It gives you a great physical workout and develops strength, focus and uses breathwork to intensify practice. 

Iyengar Yoga
This form of Hatha yoga focuses on using precise alignment of yoga postures and uses primarily static postures. A wide range of props are used including blocks, bricks, belts and bolsters to help practitioners achieve accurate alignment. The yoga classes can be challenging physically and mentally and can have less focus on breath work during the first couple of years of practice compared to other yoga approaches. BKS Iyengar who lends his name to this approach was a student of Krishnamacharya who is also the forefather of viniyoga and Ashtanga.

Bikram Yoga
Otherwise known as ‘hot yoga’, practitioners work in a specially heated room (42 degrees) and follow a set sequence of postures which they repeat at each class. A strong physical workout if you like the heat and are in pretty good shape, with large classes and very regular attendance required to keep up the stamina required in class.

Pregnancy Yoga
Yoga that has been adapted to be able to be practiced safely throughout pregnancy and to support the pregnancy, prepare for the birthing process and for motherhood. Pregnancy yoga is taught by teachers are specially trained and can provide physical and psychological support, promote calmness and relaxation thoughout, help alleviate some of the discomforts of pregnancy, and support you to have an active and healthy pregnancy.

VINIYOGA BACKGROUND
Viniyoga was brought to students by Sri TKV Desikachar and his father Sri T Krishnamacharya. Desikachar still teaches in India today and Krishnamacharya dedicated his life to developing his approach throughout the 20th Century. He was a pioneer in translating an ancient, previously exclusive and little known practice into widely available and valuable tools to support us with everyday modern life. His approach adapts yoga to the needs of each individual so everyone can benefit in some way, no matter how old, young, fit or immobile. He was the forefather and teacher of the world reknowned teachers including BKS Iyengar (Iyengar yoga) and Pattabhi Jois who sadly passed away recently (Ashtanga yoga).

Paul Harvey, who was taught directly by Sri TKV Desikarchar over 25 years in India, is bringing these teachings to yoga teachers and students in the UK. He runs the Centre of Yoga Studies in Bristol and Yoganjali Yoga Therapy and Practice Centre.

Yoga doesn't have to be only about the physical postures that are often taught in group classes.  There are 8 aspects to yoga (known as 'limbs') and the physical postures are just 1 of these. The other 'limbs' include meditation, breathing techniques and lifestyle choices and there are many useful teachings that help us understand and develop awareness of our own psychology and life better. There is a wealth of knowledge if we choose to explore it. Or we can just use it just to feel great. Viniyoga is the application of yoga to the individual needs, and can be used therapeutically for a wide range of health conditions and self-development.

For further reading on yoga, try these as a starting point:

TSK Desikachar - The Heart of Yoga
BKS Iyengar - Light on Yoga
Gary Kraftsow - Yoga for Wellness
Donna Farhi - Bringing Yoga to Life

Seminal text on yoga written around 2,500 years ago: Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

Please check the Bristol YogaSpace website regularly for updates to further information or you can also take a look at the Yoga Space blog.

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