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Time Table There will be no yoga sessions at the Lotus Room from Friday 17th Sept to Friday 1st October. However Yoga for Kids is still ongoing as usual. Hatha Yoga Classic Hatha Yoga developed into many different styles and many schools of yoga have their own style. These differences are mainly on emphasis on a particular aspect of hatha yoga. What they all have in common is the use of asana (postures), breathing and meditation techniques which help us to bring harmony into all aspects of our lives. The differences in style arise because life itself is a symphony of infinite variety; a dynamic and flowing experience that is constantly changing and evolving. My (Jenny's) style reflects my studies in Classical Hatha Yoga to Iyengar Yoga, Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, Shadow Yoga and Prana Flow Yoga. I have experienced how yoga helps us to adjust to life’s changes and transforms us into our best potential. I am infinitely grateful to all my teachers for making me aware of the prana (life force energy) within me which is the underlying flow of my practise and teaching. Hatha Yoga group classes are held daily from Monday to Friday, and private lessons are also available. Dhyana Yoga Dhyana yoga is the path of meditation. In the Srimad Bhagavad Gita, the foremost scripture relating to yoga, it is said, 'For one who has conquered the mind, his mind is hisfriend. For one unable to control the mind, his mind works against him like an enemy.' The controller of the mind is also a controller of the senses. We should aim to withdraw the mind from the mundane objects it pursues and direct it to dwell on the self and the Supreme. In this way, we are utilising the mind to overcome the mind and gain spiritual insight through meditation. ,br>Dhyana yoga is integrated in many of the Lotus Room's regular sessions, such as the hatha yoga sessions, and also occasionally in yoga nidra sessions and in various workshops. Jnana Yoga Jnana yoga is the path of knowledge. Intellectuals tend towards this path because it is based on the acquisition of empirical knowledge and reflection upon it during meditation. Focus is gradually shifted away from speculation when the practitioner directs his attention inwards with the intention of understanding the nature of the Divine Self. We begin a process of obtaining available knowledge about the Supreme in an attempt to become self-realised and identify the Absolute Truth. Jnana yoga is, essentially, yoga philosophy, which is approached at the Lotus Room during Bhakti Yoga sessions and specific workshops. Mantra Yoga Mantra yoga deals with meditation by use of a mantra. The sound vibration of a mantra possesses healing potential to assist the self-purification process. The simplest mantra is AUM, which is the sound of creation, preservation and destruction, while the Mahamantra, or Great Mantra, is: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. While mantras should be chanted with a mood of surrender and service, there are no rules and regulations for chanting most mantras. Chanting can even be done while executing household chores. It is thus the simplest form of yoga and requires no qualification, although in the more advanced stages some form of initiation is necessary whereby the potency of a specific mantra is conveyed from the Guru to the disciple. Mantra yoga is widely practised by most yoga practitioners and is an integral part of Bhakti Yoga. At the Lotus Room we chant different mantras in various sessions, from daily classes to workshops, and especially during Bhakti sessions. Bhakti Yoga While most yoga paths are marked by a movement from exploitation to renunciation, Bhakti Yoga does not recommend to withdraw the senses but simply to engage them in the right direction with dedication. The process of Bhakti Yoga directs all thought, speech and action towards the Supreme, so that all seemingly mundane activity is transformed into meditation on the Supreme. In the Vedas, this process is considered the ideal one for this age. Indeed, when our pace is so fast and we have so little free time, it is an ideal yoga system for the modern world, with seva (see Karma Yoga) and mantra as its main practices. Bhakti yoga sessions, including Jnana and Mantra Yoga, are held at the Lotus Room on a weekly basis. These form the foundation for learning how to practially apply yogic lifestyle in day to day life. Karma Yoga Karma yoga is the path of selfless action. Some may have heard the term 'karma' with reference to the concept of action-reaction, as in: 'What goes around, comes around.' Actually Karma Yoga deals with the execution of one's duties without desire for the fruits of that action. In the realm of Bhakti Yoga it is also known as seva, or service. Karma yoga is a natural inclination for humanitarians and activists, who voluntarily invest much energy without return. However this mood can be developed in anyone and everyone, since the process in itself is purifying and eventually becomes natural. Karma Yoga is considered the foundation of any yoga practice aimed at self-realisation. Eventually we are advised to offer that loving service towards the Divine Source, just as we would water the roots of a tree rather than the leaves and branches. Thus the action becomes wholly spiritual. Karma Yoga is based on intention and therefore we should all attempt to follow its principles in our daily lives. During Lotus Room retreats we have more opportunity to practise Karma Yoga within a community environment. Yoga Nidra Yoga Nidra means yogic sleep, or a conscious deep sleep, which is reached via a guided concentration method that in itself trains the mind to be still. During the practice of yoga nidra, we gradually leave the waking state of sensory perception, travel past the dream state, and delve into the depths of consciousness which is usually experienced during deep sleep, while remaining awake. This state of consciousness is beyond time and space and may be utilised for simple relaxation, or to prepare one physically, emotionally and mentally for meditation and other yoga practices, or even as a platform for purification of the store consciousness. Yoga Nidra workshops are held occasionally, or you may book a private session for an individual or groups. Yoga for Kids Yoga for Kids classes are designed for children aged four to ten years old. The children are lead through creative stories and exciting adventures, which stimulate their imagination and involve a wonderful combination of stretches, back arches, twists and balances. These postures combine to support and strengthen children, not only physically but also mentally. Postures help charge the immune system and strengthen the core, stabilising muscles in the abdomen and back while helping reduce obesity and maintaining a child’s natural flexibility, which can start to shut down from an early age. Breathing exercises improve concentration and energy levels. The practice of yoga improves co-ordination and balance and promotes healthy sleep patterns. It also improves self-confidence. Classes are held regularly on Mondays at 17:15 hrs.