A list of books that I’ve read and enjoyed. Not all of these are ‘yoga books per se’ and some of them don’t even mention the word yoga. And yet, if read with an open mind and a sensibility for yoga then these authors may offer valuable insights to anyone with an inquisitive mind.
Continue reading 12 books for a yoga enthusiast
Following my latest Vipassana I found myself musing the following ~ it’s just an opinion, no offence intended. Yoga in Hertford.
What really is yoga all about – what are we doing when we are practising yoga?
Continue reading What are we doing when we are practising yoga?
I have been Centre Manager of The Secret Space a Yoga Studio in Hertford, Hertfordshire, I was responsible for managing centre operations, and providing leadership in strategic and operational planning. I lead the development of centre initiatives and improvements for fulfilment of charitable aims such as fund raising.
I also oversaw delivery of centre programmes and client services into corporate and public sector initiatives with the aim of brining yoga to the wider community.
My main ambition for this role was to offer free yoga classes to anyone who wanted to do yoga but could not afford to.
A Senior Teacher with The Traditional Yoga Association, I am also a yoga teacher trainer.
“I am passionate about yoga, having experienced the immense transformative effects it can have. On a daily basis I get to work with Hertfordshire’s best therapists and yoga people. If you are curious about how to access yoga and holistic therapies then let’s talk!”
I have been invited to teach at various Yoga events in the UK. Recently I taught a 2 day workshop at The World Yoga Festival where I delivered classes to over 180 people most of whom were experienced practitioners and also yoga teachers.
I am a Senior Traditional Yoga Association yoga teacher and yoga teacher trainer. I have been practising yoga in its various forms since childhood and I am lucky enough to be trained by a modern master of yoga, Swami Ambikananda Saraswati, a published author on several important translations within the canon of Vedantic literature.
Qualified in 2011 and on the Hertfordshire yoga scene since 2016. Under the Traditional Yoga Association teacher training comes in 2 parts. The first is The Foundation Course, this takes approximately 6 months which provides a philosophical grounding of yoga, detailed modules on anatomy and physiology then asana. Then follows the Teacher Training course proper which builds on anatomy and starts on the pedagogy of class structure, content etc.
My weekly yoga classes take place in Ware, Hertford, and Welwyn Garden City I also cover other places in Hertfordshire. I regularly offers workshops on the deeper aspects of yoga often referring to source material from the Vedas to relay the ancient practice of yoga for a modern audience. I have also undergone specific training in pranayama, a revered practice of breathing exercises.
As a yoga teacher trainer my lineage of instruction comes from The Shivananda School. My teacher’s teacher was the acolyte of Shivananda himself; Swami Venkatesh Ananda. Swami Venkatesh is considered a master of yoga and was a renowned scholar of the philosophical branch of yoga, Vedanta.
Yoga has taken me all over the world, from teaching in far off South America, to running retreats in Europe and Morocco. In 2023 I will be a guest teacher at The World Yoga Festival.
“As a lifelong student of yoga, I consider yoga a gift to humanity and it is a privilege to be able to share my love of yoga with you. I have been blessed to learn from a wonderful teacher who has enormous respect for the origins of yoga but who is courageous enough to embrace modern research into bodywork, sport science and psychotherapy. What emerges is a broad spectrum view of yoga, I work on the principle that anything done with awareness is yoga. A complete system of enquiry in the search for meaning.”
At my classes you can expect a full body workout, all abilities are welcome and nobody is left behind, you will explore pranayama and meditation. Expect it to be deep, heartfelt and up lifting.
Outdoor yoga classes starting May 2021
Spring is an ideal time for a fresh start, with the gradually longer days and warmer climes it is natural to be want to spend more times outdoors. I invite you this Spring on an exploration of authentic, traditional yoga .
Yoga is a structured means by which one can systematically come to the gateway of profound inner knowledge, for some it is transformational for others it is a confirmation of deep murmurings.
I want to share the ancient authentic wisdom traditions of yoga and well-being with you. I reach out to all serious people; of all body shapes, levels of experience and ages to extend your knowledge through activity and self enquiry.
I believe that the post c-19 world should be one of integrated communities, this means getting out there and saying ‘hi’ to the people we share our space with.
Yoga is a brilliant way to do this because yoga is for all people, regardless of gender, body type, age or ability.
As the felt response to a given situation, emotions play a key part in your reactions. When you’re in tune with them, you have access to important knowledge that helps with decision making and relationships. I have written about yoga for mental health else where on my blog.
Accept your emotions — all of them
Accepting emotions as they come helps you gain self understanding. Increasing your comfort around intense emotions allows you to fully feel them without reacting in unhelpful ways.
So… Take a deep breath
There’s much to be said for the power of a deep breath, whether you’re ridiculously happy or so angry you can’t speak. Slowing down and paying attention to your breath won’t make the emotions go away (that’s not the goal).
Nevertheless, deep breathing exercises can help you ground yourself and take a step back from the first intense flash of emotion and any extreme reaction you want to avoid.
Yoga knowledge reaches back into the human story over 6000 years. There is a reason you have the body that you do. Cherish it, it will always change. By borrowing from the traditions of yoga we will begin understanding the nature of change and how it is integral to our growth.
Yoga teaches us to move beyond a simple reductionist view of reality. We are engaged in something more meaningful than simply our sense perceptions.
Each one of my yoga classes incorporates meditation. The principals of yogic meditation have been borrowed by many modern approaches, experience first hand the original form of these modern approaches.
When you still the (surface level) internal dialogue intuition comes to you. You will learn to interpret the amazing things that your body is communicating.
We have to be willing to let go of one thing so that something new can enter.
Entering a wider knowledge base and also the community is opening yourself up so that you can wisely take on board that which will help you cross a barrier. On the other side? That which lays dormant within you.
Surrendering the ego so that the real you can win. The beginner mindset is the ideal starting point of entry into the profoundly deep.
The difference will be that you will have a clear understanding of the process of stilling the mind. What is more, you will have it with you to use whenever you need it.
In fact, the fundamentals of Yoga with Sunil are such that you will be able to explain them with precision to your friends and family members. The information will have been assimilated into a wider body of knowledge that is contained within you. There’s a good chance that you will continue to practice yoga, develop and look on the group as a community.
So join us…
This post seeks to update you on COVID-19 and and yoga classes in Hertford and Ware.
Continue reading Update: Yoga Stays Open
| I have some exciting new to share with you, I have decided to leave the day job and make a go of living my passion as a full time Yoga teacher. It has been a long time ambition of mine to do more of what I love to do and share my enthusiasm for Yoga with as many people as possible. |
A guest post by Yogini Jill
“You have cancer”. The 3 words no one ever wants to hear. It took my breath away. Literally. I stopped breathing and almost passed out. Once I gained composure, I knew I had to be strong. Strong in my mind. I knew I was going to lose control of what was going to happen to my physical body but I still had control of my mental state. And that’s where Yoga came in.
Continue reading My Yoga Story
Thursday night Yoga classes in Hertford at 8:15 until 9:15 have started. We’ll be using the same location as on Monday evenings – £8, 46A St Andrew Street, Hertford, SG14 1JA
After months of looking for the right location I’m pleased to inform you that Yoga classes will now be available on Monday evenings in Hertford. Continue reading Monday Night Yoga In Hertford
This post is for those of us that LOVE our Yoga practice. For the obsessive ones that might travel a distance to make a class, will try any type of yoga and still take something positive from it, who after a day of not practicing start to feel strange. Continue reading 5 golden rules for cultivating your Sadhana
How is Yoga different from exercise? Continue reading Psychology of Yoga
Yoga for weight loss has been a recurring theme of late, after the fifth person this month asked:
In an earlier post I asked the question: “What is Hatha Yoga?” This post will seek to build on that earlier discussion and probably make things even more confusing. Continue reading What is Kundalini?
If you are new to Yoga Hertford you probably have a lot of questions like; what is yoga? Or what are the different types of Yoga? These types of open questions are a useful device because it means we keep an open mind as we practice, that’s super important. All of my classes are suitable for beginners yoga.
Yoga can be bad for you if you have an preexisting health condition and through the practice of certain positions your condition becomes worse. It is the role of the teacher to keep you safe. There has been a lot of research into Asana (Yoga postures), and with the guidance of Osteopaths and other body work specialists there is no reason why anyone’s health should be compromised when practicing Yoga. Continue reading Is Yoga bad for you?
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