Hatha Yoga with Karen Hills

Karen has been playing and practicing yoga for over 15 years, and teaching for 8. She is a 500 hours senior yoga teacher,

Her aspiration is to bring yoga to as many people as possible, irrespective of their knowledge or ability. 

Her teaching reaches out on many levels; from physical fun through exploration,  gentle and intuitive yoga and spiritual practice for both beginners and accomplished practitioners.

"My winding path on the yogic journey began with weekly classes, exploring ways in which to find a sense of calm, a sense of patience. As the years passed I played a little more and a little deeper.  I completed my first yoga teacher training course in 2010 with Andrew Moon at the Atha Yoga School, Cornwall (accredited by IYN)."

In 2012 she continued to study of yoga at a deeper level and began further teacher training at Mandala Yoga Ashram in Wales, studying and teaching with accomplished and talented teachers. These included Tara Rupa Ma, Swami Nishchalananda, Swami Krishnapremananda and Swami Gyan Dharma.  She continues to teach at Mandala as part of the tutor team for the Yoga Teacher Training Course (2015-2017).

Currently Karen teaches yoga classes and yoga workshops in the community. Her classes are relaxed and informal.  Students explore the body and learn to be present with where they are right now, listening and responding to the feedback received from the body and following the journey of the breath, in all its ebbs and flows.

Our Yoga Holiday

This week is in honour of the power of retreat.  To retreat from all our usual daily concerns; to wind down from the fast pace of life we find ourselves living.  Giving ourselves the time to rest and reflect.  Seeing where we have come from, and giving ourselves time to explore the direction we wish to move in.

The morning class will be a blend of breath awareness, moving into a flowing sequence of postures.  Harmonising the movement of the body with the movement of the breath.  Giving the body time to open gently, yet also cultivating a sense of strength in the core and spine, connecting to the vital energy of the body. 

The afternoon class practices will vary, including:

Pranayama

Meditation

Yoga Nidra (a deep relaxation technique for the body and mind). The practice allows you to become more receptive to new ideas, and uses a ‘sankalpa’ (intention) to sow the seed of change

Mantra

Likhita Japa (mantra repetition through creativity)

Through both classes and all of the times in-between, cultivating a sense of enquiry and playfulness, developing sensitivity and intuition as you explore your body, breath and mind.

For more information on Karen visit her website

http://www.breatheinyoga.co.uk