Pregnancy Yoga with Sejel - Testimonials

"Practicing yoga whilst being pregnant has provided me with the chance to gain strength, flexibility and balance; to strive to transform stress into harmony; and equally importantly, given me the ability to further my spiritual journey. It has helped me improve my posture; avoid aches and pain; and enabled me to feel healthier in mind and body. Hopefully, the benefits will also mean that I regain my pre-pregnancy shape more quickly too!"

Archana G, Private Yoga Tuition with Sejel in Warwick Avenue, W9

"I started yoga with Sejel when I was about 7 months pregnant because pregnancy yoga had been recommended to me so many times. It was incredibly calming and yet revitalising, really stretching and moving my body without pain - quite a challenge at 8 months pregnant! I felt renewed, fit and relaxed after each session which I had weekly up until the day I went into labour - about 5 hours after my last class with Sejel! She was a very good teacher and I would recommend her wholeheartedly."

A Greigg, Yoga with Sejel in Kensington and Chelsea

"I had always planned on doing yoga as everyone seems to recommend it for pregnancy. Instead of joining a class I was lucky enough to find Sejel online and have loved our one-to-one weekly sessions. As I didn't have much experience with yoga, Sejel was able to tailor our classes to my pace and level of endurance while taking into account my pregnancy by modifying the poses. The poses and stretches I learned helped me deal with the usual aches and pains that went along with pregnancy and for that alone I am eternally grateful! Thanks Sejel!"

Mrs P.A., Private Yoga Tuition with Sejel in Maida Vale, W9

Yoga Sutra of The Moment

A Yoga Sutra on posture, or asana:

"The yoga posture is mastered when all effort is relaxed and the mind is absorbed on the Infinite."

(Book 2, sutra 47, Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, translation by A Shearer).

For Yoga classes with Sejel in Maida Vale, Kensington and throughout Central London, please see www.yogawithsejel.co.uk.

Yoga in the garden in Maida Vale, and in Hyde Park can also be arranged.

Ayurveda and Yoga - Conscious Living in 2010

What is Ayurveda?

Ayurveda is the ancient Indian system of medicine which is still widely practiced throughout India alongside modern medicine.  Ayurveda means "the science, knowledge or wisdom of life," and it's system includes both curative and preventative medicinal concepts and practices. So, Ayurvedic doctors have a system for treating illness and disease, but the ayurvedic lifestyle aims to be a preventative. Ayurveda teaches us what is healthy for the body, mind and spirit and enables us to  nurture ourselves through it's knowledge. Ayurveda's goal is not only health, harmony and balance in the systems of the body, (homeostasis), but also happiness, fulfillment and contentment. Following an Ayurvedic lifestyle can include Yoga, meditation, mantra, an ayurvedic diet, and massage with the use of ayurvedic herbs and oils.

In ancient times the seers recognized that everything in the universe including human beings, is an expression of the five elements, ether, air, fire, water and earth, and each person is seen as having a unique combination of these, this being called prakruti, or our Ayurvedic constitution.

Ayurveda further groups these elements into three constitutions, or doshas, these being vata, pitta and kapha. The vata dosha is composed of ether and air, pitta dosha is made of fire and water, and kapha dosha is composed of earth plus water. 

The word dosha actually means "prone to fault" - when we are ill, it is our predominant doshas that come out of balance as that is our tendency. By understanding this, we can live from an Ayurvedic point of view and prevent the aggravation of our doshas, and therefore help prevent illness.

What makes us different is partly our differences in constitution, along with other factors such as karma and our time and place of birth. Most people are a combination of two doshas with just a little of the third, but some are predominantly one dosha and a small few can be tridoshic.

The type you lean towards can be seen by your likes and dislikes, tendencies and the type of illnesses you may have when out of balance. As a very simple example, Vata is the lightest dosha as it is composed of the lightest qualities, air and ether.  So  people with a high level of vata would have similar qualities as air and ether. Vata is therefore associated with having a lightness of personality or a person that likes movement and change, as well as having body type that is light and flexible . When vata goes out of balance, for example it increases, this can result a feeling of being ungrounded. Pitta is an energetic and passionate dosha being composed of fire and water, and pitta types are credited with they ability to assimilate knowledge well, and to digest food well but pitta is aggravated this can lead to irritability, skin conditions, or over competitiveness to the detriment of one's health. Kapha is the heaviest dosha , composed of earth and water in such a way that it is binding and cohesive, and a  good sprinkling of kapha allows us to feel grounded and stable, loving and compassionate. When out of balance the kapha type may feel lethargic or overly attached.

Knowing your constitution and qualities can not only help tailor your yoga practice to your needs, but also your whole life!

A slight case of vata aggravation...

Alongside our Yoga practice we aim to learn about our Ayurvedic principles such as the doshas  as another way to enhance our understanding of ourselves and our environment.  

For yoga classes with Sejel, see www.yogawithsejel.co.uk.

Om Shanti
Sejel

PLEASE NOTE: If interested in Ayurveda it is important to consult an experienced and qualified Ayurvedic doctor. For guidance, please see the Ayurvedic Practitioners Association. Please also consult your own doctor before making any changes to your lifestyle, or health and fitness program. 

Yoga with Sejel

Being at one with your yoga practice can allow you to receive more benefits and understand your path in a much clearer light. Whether you are looking to focus on a specific goal or medical condition, or to establish a personalised, inspiring and evolving yoga practice for long term health and wellbeing, the guidance received from private lessons or small group lessons can be an effective aid to finding your own unique way, both on and off the yoga mat.

Traditionally yoga was always taught on a one-to-one basis, with a teacher-student relationship that would evolve with time. An understanding of the students personality would therefore allow the teacher to offer from yoga precisely what is required, at exactly the right time and place. This wonderfully ancient and yet progressive method of teaching, in Sanskrit is called upaya and can be an incredibly rewarding experience.

At Yoga with Sejel students can choose to practice Classical Hatha Yoga, Vinyasa Flow Yoga, Yoga Dance Flow with Music, Pranayama, Meditation, Mantra, Yoga for Creative People, Pregnancy Yoga, and Therapeutic Yoga for back pain, and other medical conditions. For those who want to delve deeper into conscious living, classes can also include Yoga Philosophy and History, Yoga Anatomy and Ayurveda for Yogis which includes learning about massage techniques, herbs and oils, and healthy eating including recipes.

Sejel says: "It may seem like there's a lot to learn about yoga but whatever style we practice, and however much "yoga" we learn, the essence of Yoga is unchanging - the right practice is that which allows us to return to the spirit, a source of clarity, strength, peace and bliss experienced in special moments that become ingrained in our memories. Once we are skilled in this, all else falls naturally into place." 

To book yoga classes with Sejel: see Yoga with Sejel.

Main areas covered: Central London, Maida Vale, Kensington, Hampstead, St. John's Wood and Finchley. Sejel also teaches in Hyde Park and Paddington Recreational Ground every June and July.

The Eight Limbs of Yoga

1. Universal laws of Nature (Yama) - non violence, truthfulness, integrity, divine conduct, and non attachment - “When we are established in non attachment, the nature & purpose of existence is understood."

2. How to Live in Harmony (Niyama) - simplicity, contentment, purification, refinement,  and surrender to the Divine - "From contentment, unsurpassed happiness is gained."

3. Postures (Asana) - "The physical postures should be steady and comfortable."

4. Breathing Exercises (Pranayama) - "Next come the breathing exercises, which increase the life energy."

5. Mastery of the Senses (Pratyahara) - "Once senses naturally withdraw inwards, mastery follows."

6. Concentration (Dharana) - "Dharana is when the attention is held focused on an object."

7. Meditation (Dhyana) - "Dhyana is when awareness flows evenly toward the point of attention." See more on the mind.

8. Enlightenment (Samadhi) - "Here, unbounded awareness flows toward the object, & the light of supreme knowledge dawns."

These eight stages described in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras are referred to as "limbs" rather than steps, as although we can see them as naturally progressing in the above order, they must be combined for the yoga practice to be a complete experience.

About Yoga and Ayurveda on Blog Talk Radio

Yoga in Hyde Park: Balancing Poses - Warrior III

Warrior III (Virabhadrasana III) is a great balancing pose. It strengthens the legs, abdomen, spine, and shoulders and increases concentration and balance. This is the final posture but you might want to see my steps below!



Shift your weight onto the right foot, place your hands on your hips, and raise the left leg up. Focus your eyes on a point ahead. Stretch the left leg away from you and press the right foot into the ground.



When you feel stable, with even breathing, take the arms out to the sides to see how that feels.





It doesn't matter if you lose your balance and have to place your hands or foot back down. (You can always pretend you're picking something up like I did).... Just start again!

Finally, raise the arms out to the sides and bring them in front of you with the palms together. (See picture at top of page).

Please Note: For full instructions and guidance on yoga, and in the interest of safety it is advisable to practice with a qualified teacher.

To Book Yoga Classes in Hyde Park, Kensington please e-mail Sejel. For more information on Yoga with Sejel see www.yogawithsejel.co.uk.

The Meaning of "Hatha" Yoga

Hatha yoga refers to the physical practice of yoga, or "union" of the body, mind and Self and of the individual consciousness with that of the Universal, the source of Creation.  Hatha yoga consists of asana (yoga postures), pranayama (breathing exercises), and meditation. In the yogic text the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, it is said that Hatha Yoga and Raja Yoga, the yoga of meditation are inextricably linked. One cannot have one without the other. Hatha Yoga is there to cleanse the body and improve the health , fitness and clarity of mind of the yoga practitioner so that meditation can occur spontaneously as a path to spiritual development. The Hatha Yoga postures are also practiced in a meditative state. So, rather than being  two separate steps in a process, Hatha Yoga and Raja Yoga are practiced together from the beginning, with a deepening sense of union as the practice develops.

The Meaning of the Word "Hatha"
Very briefly put, the component, "Ha", means sun in Sanskrit. It represents the "positive" part of the whole, and consists of many qualities, such as the energy of the sun, light, passion, activity, and creativity. The component "Tha" means moon in Sanskrit. It represents the "negative" part of the whole, and consists of many qualities, such as lunar energy, coolness, passivity and receptivity.

The Nadis - Channels of Energy in the Body
Hatha Yoga's practices aim to cleanse the body and mind, and to purify the spirit.  The nadis are the essential energy channels or pathways that run through the body, carrying prana, the life force, which is electrically charged.  In the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, there are said to be 72,000 nadis in the body. The three main ones are named as follows, in Sanskrit: 

Pingala Nadi: associated with the right side of the body, (through crossing through both sides), this nadi corresponds to the left hemisphere of the brain. Working with this channel in yoga we can stimulate our left brain activity. The right side of the body is positively charged electrically.
 

Ida Nadi: associated with the left side of the body, (through crossing through both sides), this nadi corresponds to the right hemisphere of the brain. Working with this channel in yoga we can stimulate our right brain activity. The left side of the body is negatively charged electrically.

Sushumna Nadi: the central energy channel running in line with the spine, this is where prana, the life energy flows when the nadis are cleansed and the body's energy is balanced through dedicated practice.  This is what is referred the raising of the Kundalini Shakti, or energy which leads the yogi to Samadhi, or enlightenment, the eighth limb of yoga. See Patanjali's Eight Limbs of Yoga. 

The attainment of Samadhi is a highly spiritual endeavor .It 's pursuit can be seen as a reminder that the practice is not about the goal but about the journey. It is the yoga that we practice with dedication that is the real experience. This enriching experience which can and has taken many dedicated yogis to a point where health, healing, vitality, longevity and the realization of, as well as the fulfillment of one's life purpose are not too high an aim. Or at least some benefits may have been noted from the practice. But the practice of yoga is a continuous journey. The aim is not to do yoga, and then stop. Yoga is a philosophy - a way of life. Certainly, at some points in life we may be more compelled to practice than others, and the nature of our personal practice may change, but once experienced, yoga is a valuable tool for life.
Om Shanti
Sejel 


All articles by Sejel K Bodereau 
Yoga Teacher, London 
www.yogawithsejel.co.uk

What is Self Realisation?

"The illumined sages say Knowledge is twofold,

higher and lower.
The study of the Vedas, linguistics, rituals, astronomy,

and all the arts,

Can be called lower knowledge.

The higher is that which leads to Self realisation."

(Mundaka Upanishad, I, 1)

Ganesha Mantra

Om Gum Ganapataye Namaha