Are you ready to join the revolution?

 

Do you really know what yoga is? We believe there are many fundamental misconceptions out there in the ‘yoga world’.

There is more to yoga than you might have realised 

Firstly, let’s talk about what yoga is NOT…

Yoga is not just about the body
Yoga is not about being flexible or being able to touch your toes
Yoga is not about the shapes you make with your body on a rubber mat
Yoga is not only for beautiful people with perfect bodies
Yoga is not about getting a good ‘yoga butt’

So what IS it?

Yoga is about learning to still the mind
Yoga is about creating positive change in your life
Yoga is about connecting to your life force through the breath
Yoga is about coming to understand and accept yourself through your practice
Yoga is about forming deeper and more positive connections with other people

The truth about yoga classes

There has been a revolution going on in yoga for some time now. It’s been quietly growing over many years and the momentum is really building now.

People are realising there’s more to yoga than they thought. People who have diligently practiced, attended classes (or even completed a teacher training), are coming to understand that they’ve only skimmed the surface of what the system of yoga has to offer.

Yoga is coming full circle (the very definition of ‘revolution’).

You see here’s the thing, yoga was never designed to be taught in classes.

It’s a big statement but it’s true

In the ancient tradition of yoga, students were taught one-on-one by their teacher and were taught a practice unique to them. And their practice was about so much more than performing yoga postures (asana).

Yoga is an entire ‘system for living’ which includes postures, breathing, meditation, mantra or sound, along with ongoing moment to moment awareness and acceptance of self, others and your world, through the philosophical lens of the Yoga Sutras (see ‘Do you really know yoga?’).

So what about yoga classes?

Asana-focused group classes evolved after yoga was introduced into the modern ‘western’ world.

We’re not saying people can’t gain fantastic benefits from attending general asana-focused yoga classes. We witness the subtle shifts in people all the time. Classes create a wonderful sense of community and can be responsible for regular movement in otherwise stagnant bodies.

What we are saying is the incredible transformational impact of yoga can’t be fully realised unless a practice addresses the specific needs and circumstances of the student and draws from all the tools, techniques and philosophical underpinnings of the system of Yoga. The benefits may be there, but if the practice focuses just on physical postures and isn’t personally tailored, those benefits will be limited.

In some cases, the benefits won’t be seen at all. Time and time again people come to our classes, or to one of our teachers or therapists for personal practice or yoga therapy sessions, who’ve been injured doing the wrong things for their bodies. They were injured because their group class yoga teacher (with the best of intentions) led a general class for a general audience, that wasn’t right for that particular person, at that particular time.

The quiet yoga revolution

For years we’ve been plugging away in our corner of the world, making sure that the teachers that graduate from here know the importance of guiding students in their own practice, even in a group class setting.

This isn’t easy. If you’ve been in (or taught) a class here, you’ll know that co-ordinating a group of people who are all doing a slightly different practice to suit their own needs in time with their own breath, takes incredible attention and skill from the teacher. A class taught by someone who has mastered this skill is quite a thing to behold.

Not to mention the knowledge and skill that goes into designing a personal practice, individually tailored to specific needs in a one-to-one or yoga therapy session.

Since 2001, we’ve been quietly creating a revolution. Teaching teachers and therapists who can honour this tradition, who understand the incredible power of a specifically tailored personal practice.

Our sense of mission and what we’re about

We’re helping people to transform their own lives and the lives of others. We have an incredible sense of mission. We know that despite what else is going in the world, we are making a difference. This is important work.

That doesn’t mean it’s all ‘serious business’ around here.

Yes, what we’re doing is important. Yes, the impact on lives is profound.

But we also have sense of humour about ‘life, the universe and everything’, and have a whole lot of fun and laughs with each other. Our community is important and we make an effort to support each other and nurture our shared sense of togetherness and belonging.

Are you ready to become part of this?

We dearly hope so… the world needs more of us doing our own small bit toward the good and we’d love to add your particular kind of ‘special’ into the mix.

Join us..


Join Our Mailing List

Become part of our community and receive email updates and newsletters about yoga teaching, yoga therapy, postgraduate training for yoga teachers and yoga workshops and retreats:

The Yoga Institute acknowledges the Cammeraygal people of the Eora nation as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which our centre is based.

Copyright The Yoga Institute 2024

Built by IRONIC3D in Sydney