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What happens in a Yogini class?

What happens in a Yogini class?

Yogini Yoga is a system of yoga breathing, stretching, relaxation and meditation that is structured specifically for women’s health and emotional wellbeing.  Women often have different needs to men in their yoga practice, especially in regards to yoga that will help us balance our hormones. 

At Yogini Yoga we combine Hatha Yoga (the type where you move into the pose and hold it), with some yoga flows (sequences of poses).  We spend time working with the breath at the start and at the end of yoga classes; and then students are able to chose whether they spend time in relaxation or in meditation.

Pranayama (breathwork).  The breathwork we practice in Yogini yoga works on 2 levels:  physically, Pranayama improves the lung capacity and strengthens the diaphragm, which can be of great benefit for those suffering from lung disorders such as asthma.  When you can breathe properly, you increase the amount of oxygen and life-force (prana or chi), which enhances your health.  Emotionally, Pranayama can improve concentration, and calms the nerves, leaving you feeling balanced and in control.

Asanas (poses).  The poses we practice will stretch and strengthen your body.  It will be obvious straight away how they strengthen your muscular-skeletal system.  Less obviously, they will also develop and stabilize your lymphatic system, your endocrine system, your digestive and elimination systems, relax your sympathetic nervous system (the fight or flight system) and develop your parasympathetic nervous system (which leads to deep relaxation).  Sometimes we hold the poses for as long as possible.  Sometimes we hold them for just a breath, as we move through a sequence of poses.

The most important thing, whilst practicing the poses, is to move with awareness.  This means synchronizing the body’s movement with the breath, and to focus solely on these things.  We aim to close down our minds to thoughts of anything else outside our yoga – this is why talking isn’t usually encouraged in yoga class.  When we move with awareness, the subtle benefits of yoga are enhanced.

Pelvic Floor work.

The unsung heroine of our body is the pelvic floor.  It supports your pelvic organs and the contents of your abdomen, especially when you are standing or exerting yourself.  It supports your bladder to help it stay closed. It actively squeezes when you cough or sneeze to help avoid leaking.  It helps to increase sexual awareness both for yourself and your partner during sexual intercourse.
 
When the pelvic floor is compromised, so is your entire well-being.   Pelvic floors need extra assistance to function fully during pregnancy and after birth, and also during and after menopause.  Sadly there is little education for most women about how to maintain their pelvic floors.

Each Yogini class includes various exercises to strengthen and tone your pelvic floor.

Relaxation and meditation.   Yogini Yoga follows the way of Raja yoga.  Raja yoga has been described as the path of meditation.   

Meditation is perhaps the most powerful tool known to humanity for bringing about peace of mind and equanimity.   When meditation is practiced on a regular basis, it can open the doors to personal development and spiritual evolution.  Meditation is often learned in several steps, and the first step is learning how to relax.  

In the last part of class we enter a stage of deep relaxation, which, if pursued, may lead to a profound meditation experience.