FAQs

Here are some answers to frequently asked questions. Do please call if you would like further information or are not sure of something.

What do I wear?

It is a good idea to wear something loose and comfortable, that you’re happy to move around in. Stretchy leggings and a longish top is ideal. Layering is useful too – so that you can take stuff off if you need to, but also to keep warm during relaxation and meditation at the end of the class.

What do I wear on my feet?
Yoga is practised in bare feet. At class, please leave your shoes a safe distance away to one side, or by the door where you came in. You may wish to keep your socks on during some of the early limbering, but you will be asked to take them off for the main posture work. This is to avoid injury and to keep you safe by preventing you from slipping, especially in standing postures.

I’m not flexible. Can I still do yoga?
Yoga is for everybody. You don’t have to be particularly fit or flexible. We all start with what we bring to the mat that day and work from there. No two bodies are the same, which means everybody experiences the postures (known as ‘asanas’) differently. We work within our own ability, and our muscular and skeletal structure, and alternatives and modifications are always given.

What happens in a yoga class?
A typical yoga class blends relaxation on arrival, some breath awareness and limbering, followed by a sequence of standing, seated and supine postures (known as ‘asanas’, and not always in that order!). These postures include twists, balances, back bends and forward bends. All classes conclude with a longer period of relaxation (‘savasana’), and often breath work (‘pranayama’) and sometimes meditation.

Some other useful things to know

– Try to avoid eating a large meal before class: it takes an hour to digest a snack and 3 hours to digest a full meal.
– Try to arrive 5 – 10 minutes before the class starts. This helps you ‘switch off’ in advance of the class beginning.
– Ahead of the class, please turn off your mobile. Thank you.
– Please bring your own mat and a blanket. I will have a couple of spares but it’s more hygienic to bring your own!
– Bolsters, blocks and ties (all provided) are your friends, and are used to illustrate a particular focus, to engage more deeply with a posture, or just to help.