Yoga class anyone?

Yoga can help keep you young and beautiful (though I suspect that may depend on what you start with).

Thursday night is yoga night*.

Even when I really can’t be bothered.

It’s the thought of lying on the floor that gets me out the front door.  Yes, I know I could lie (for free) on the living room carpet but, it isn’t quite the same.

If you can lie still and quiet the mind you might begin to notice that bits of you start to relax and move a little closer to the floor.  Or the base of your spine might take a sigh of relief and breath by breath the tension begins to ease.  Sound good?

It might not happen at every class, sometimes the mind point blank refuses to be wheesht, but when it does happen, the feeling of sinking into the floor begins to feel like floating.

Bikram, iyengar, hatha or ashtanga?

I have no idea.  We’re not that type of yoga – just an ordinary class of mere mortals in East Kilbride, Glasgow.  I do know it’s not the sweaty one, or the one where people jump about a lot (maybe that is the sweaty one).  I also know it’s not the aerial one (the silky hammocks suspended from the ceiling being a dead giveaway).  If you fancy some aerial yoga I believe there is an aerial studio in Glasgow, I’m intrigued but too much of a woose to give it a go.

Are you looking for a class to come along to?

You would be very welcome.  The class starts at 7.30pm (yes, I’ll be the one trying to sneak through the door late) and it begins with just lying on the floor.   Everyone can do that and everyone can to do the rest of the exercises, or yoga postures too.  Our yoga class is suitable for beginners all the way through to advanced bods.

When you begin you might think yoga is all about getting into scary positions, it isn’t really, it’s more about learning to breathe and pay attention.  Since most of the class is done with your eyes closed (that quietening the mind thing again), you can rest assured the only person paying attention to you will be you.  Oh and Barbara the instructor of course!

Barbara is wonderful.  She makes such an effort to bring back little bits and pieces from her most recent yogaventrues and is always looking for ways to get the most out of a posture without doing any silly straining.  Whether yoga beginner or hardened veteran, Barbara will look for ways to gently ease you and your postures into better alignment, reminding you always to focus on your own breathing and comfort zones.

So who else goes?

Each week there are between 6 – 8 of us, usually 4 ladies and 2 – 3 men.  We’re all of different ages and abilities.  Everyone comes in, says hello, does the class and goes home again.  We’re friendly but no need to worry about over familiarity or cliquishness!

What will I need?

You’ll need a yoga mat.  The floor in the room we practice in is tiled so you really will need something to lie and stand on.  Yoga mats are a bit different from ordinary exercise mats – they are longer (so you can lie fully stretched out) and are rubbery so they don’t slip on the floor.  At the end of each class we have 15mins of relaxation and you’ll need a blanket to keep you warm.  Other than that wear clothing with a little bit of stretch and that you will be comfortable in.

East Kilbride you said?

Yes – the St Brides Pastoral Centre (church hall) on Platthorn Drive, East Kilbride, Glasgow, G74 1NN.  When you come up the drive you’ll see the church on the left and ahead you’ll see the high school.  Between the church and the school there is a little building, still on the left and the yoga class in there.

*September 2012 update

Sadly our little Thursday night class has come to an end.  We were a very small class and while we all knew it was on the cards, it was still a bit of a blow when Barbara said the class would be no more.  But onwards and upwards to pastures new.

So where else can you practice yoga in & around East Kilbride?

I tried out the classes at the Triangle gym, Holiday Inn, East Kilbride.  I liked them, not so much as to buy the company but enough to increase my quota from one to two.  The teacher, Jeanette, refers to the classes as workshops, perhaps because there’s no relaxation at the end.  Jeanette also reminds me very much of my first yoga teacher, both older ladies and with the most elegant way of moving their fingers.  I think Jeanette runs yoga classes all over Glasgow.

Barbara still runs classes in the southside of Glasgow but now also runs some classes in Blantyre, courtesy of South Lanarkshire Leisure, and finally, a new East Kilbride yoga studio opened in August 2012 where Barbara and a number of Barbara’s former students, now yoga teachers, are taking some classes too.

(Links in text are non-affiliate).

Let me know if you’re brave enough to have tried aerial yoga or the new EK studio (not that you’d need to be brave to try out the new studio!).  I’d love to hear how you got on.