Classes
Insight Vinyasa Yoga
Monday: 6:30-7:30pm, Marldon Village Hall
Wednesday: 9:30-10:30am, Birdwood House Studio, Totnes
Saturday: 9:30-10:30am, Stoke Gabriel Scout Hut
Vinyasa Flow involves a creative weaving together of yoga poses (asana), generating a sense of flow and synchronised movement with breath. Vinyasa Flow primarily uses Ashtanga yoga as its alphabet, although influence can come from diverse traditions. ‘Vinyasa’ means order, and placement. Although we flow steadily, attention is paid to your placement and alignment so maximum benefit can be gained within poses, and in transitions. You will enjoy stretching, strengthening, holding, flowing, balancing and exploring your body’s ability.
Insight meditation (of which mindfulness is a part) involves developing your capacity for awareness, becoming the observer of your lived experience in the present moment. Through this uncomplicated (although not necessarily simple!) form of meditation you find your thought-stream quietens a little, you find more internal space and you develop an improved ability for non-judgemental self observation.
Combining the physical and mental benefits of these practices will leave you feeling integrated, revitalised and physically toned, with a greater sense of clarity, inner freedom and balance.
All levels, including beginners are very welcome. Adaptions are given within each pose and use of props is encouraged and guided.
Yin-Yang Yoga
Thursdays: 7:15-8:15pm, Birdwood House Back Studio, Totnes
“All things carry yin yet embrace yang. They blend their life breaths in order to produce harmony.” (Tao Te Ching, Lao Tzu, chapter 42)
Originating in ancient Chinese philosophy, the concept of Yin-Yang can be described, in a simplified way, as the unification of different energy types. Yang has characteristics of heat, light, male, sun, fire and action. Yin has characteristics of cool, dark, water, female, moon and rest. When the qualities of yin and yang are in the right proportions, there is equilibrium, or harmony.
Apply this to yoga and we use this lens to understand how to curate a perfectly balanced practice. In this Yin Yang class, you can expect the first section of the practice to have a yang quality, we will build up heat and move through a dynamic flow based around a challenge pose. We will then move into long held yin floor stretches and become cool. The class will begin and end with simple breathwork to bring further balance. Complete stillness in shavasana and a guided meditation, with influence taken from an aspect of Daoist philosophy, will close the practice.
Some familiarity with basic yoga poses would be useful for this class due to the faster pace of the yang section. Adaptions can be given within each pose and props are provided (and their use guided).
Pregnancy Yoga
Thursdays: 5:30-6:45pm, Birdwood House Back Studio, Totnes
Whilst pregnant, your incredible body undergoes more rapid changes than at any other time in life. These can be experienced as miraculous, beautiful and awe inspiring, but also at times overwhelming, confusing and accompanied by discomfort or pain. Gentle pregnancy yoga can be enormously helpful in easing discomfort, keeping joints supple and enabling you to enjoy movement and exercise in a safe way.
In this pregnancy yoga class we will explore movement whilst sitting, standing and lying, moving into all the joints of the body. We will ease and stretch whilst maintaining existing strength. Time will be given at the beginning of the class for you to connect as a group, talking about your experience of pregnancy and any aspect you'd like to focus on in the session (feel free to say as much or little as you like). We will practice breathing techniques, body work and positioning that can help prepare you for birth.
At the beginning and end of the class we will practice mindfulness techniques that will be valuable during birth. This will also give you space and time to bond with baby and enhance your wellbeing in pregnancy and beyond. To finish with, you can make yourself comfortable for an extended relaxation.
No yoga experience is necessary. A pregnancy related health questionnaire will need to be completed prior to attending.
Mum & Baby Yoga
Pre-crawling: Wednesdays, 11:00am-12:30pm, Birdwood House Front Studio, Totnes
Crawlers & Early Walkers: Tuesdays, 9:00-10:30am, Birdwood House Front Studio, Totnes
Pre-crawling: This class is suitable for women from 6 weeks post vaginal birth or 8 weeks post c-section, who have been given the all clear to exercise from their GP.
You have done the incredible work of bringing your baby into the world and now the beautiful, but challenging postnatal period begins. This yoga class is a place for you, as a new mother, to help reconnect with yourself and bond with your baby whilst connecting to other mothers and recovering deep-core strength, stretching and allowing space for your emotional world and wellbeing.
No yoga experience is needed; movements are gentle and targeted for the postnatal body. Your particular experience of birth will be taken into consideration. We will do yoga for mum, stretching and slowly building strength from the inside outwards. We will also do yoga for baby, simple massage, sensory input and gentle manipulations to help them move all their joints and improve body awareness. We will also do simple breath work and mindfulness, learning techniques for balancing the nervous system. At the end of the class we will have Shavasana, relaxing to music together however works best for mum and baby (feeding, sitting, lying, walking). Throughout the class you are of course free to attend to your baby however needed.
The class is 1hr 30 mins long with 15 minutes for a welcoming circle at the beginning and 15 mins at the end for tea and chats.
You are welcome to bring baby along up until the time they are crawling.
Post-crawling: Suitable from crawling up until approx. 18m.
This is a place for parents or care-givers to come with their crawling or early walking baby to practice yoga, simple breathwork and relaxation. The class has developed as a natural continuation of the pre-crawling class.
There is a common understanding in the group that the babies will be moving around the contained space of the room (and perhaps on you/each other as you practice!) Some toys are provided, but you are welcome to bring what you like to keep your little one busy (just no electronic toys please). The practice is mainly for parents to benefit from yoga, although naturally interaction with the little ones continues and there are specific moments for bonding/practicing together.
Every attendee is responsible for their own child.
The class is 1hr 30mins long with 15 minutes for an opening circle at the beginning and 15 mins at the end for tea and chats.
The studio is up 2 flights of stairs, but pushchairs can be stored inside in the hallway.
Book a Class
Book and pay for all classes here. Class pass and drop-in options are available for all classes.