January 2025

This New Year all Bailgate classes open with a theme of “Balance”. The first 6 weeks of the year focus on rebalancing the body and mind.

The asana practice we undertake will focus on many balances we know, before moving into slightly more obscure balances we don’t usually practice.

Balance in the asana practice comes in many forms. When we are in table and remove a knee and a hand we are balancing, in side plank we are balancing, in shoulder stand we are balancing, yet we usually only think we are balancing when we are on one foot.

Because of this, we will be working through commonly known balances in the first 5 sessions, before spending the last session much closer to the mat;

Warrior 3 ~ Virabhadrasana 3

Half Moon ~ Ardha Chandrasana

Revolved Half Moon ~ Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana

Dancer ~ Natarajasana

Extended Hand to big toe – Utthita Hasta Padangustasana

Balancing table pose ~ Dandayamana Bharmanasana

Side Plank ~ Vasisthasana

Each session, post Savasana is going to close with a system balancing pranayama practice, which will largely be Nadi Shodhana. However, given its winter, dependent on how much congestion you all have we may be doing different pranayama’s to close, we will see how it goes! See you in January!

Balance is the natural state of the universe. According to classical yoga philosophy, it is the primal energy- Prkriti which fell into unbalance creating the Guna’s when the universe became manifest.

When we achieve, (through focus, effort and concentration) balance, we achieve a Sattvic quality whereby the Gunas within are settled, promoting Sattva. We often can feel this Sattvic quality on completion of an asana practice, and or Pranayama. It is this state from which we are best to meditate; meditation done from a Sattvic disposition is the ‘accurate’ state to begin within. Meditation carried out under the influence of the other Guna’s (Rajas and Tamas) leads to undesirable effects, and will not lead the yogin in the right direction on the path to Kaivalya, or Moksha (enlightenment/liberation).

Perhaps during, or towards the end of a yoga class you have felt “settled”, or “contented”? Many express they feel peaceful, restful, clear minded, and at ease following yoga. Dependent on your naturally dominant energetic disposition, you may find you dont feel this way after a morning practice, but feel it much more strongly in the evening or vice versa. It is down to you to discover when yoga works for you; it will become apparent the more you practice, encourage self enquiry, and listen to your intuition to discern what is (and isnt working for you).

There is little point in attending a yoga class that works to distract you from your inner energies, or which appeals to the visuals of the material world; tuning the body into a physical masterpiece, when what you might like to work on is inner peace; this is feasible, it is achievable; it is likely in fact if you truly engage in the practice and take on board what is being offered. This is a long term practice; it is your life’s practice surely? Whats life about for you? What is your bigger picture? Is it about bringing about less suffering for yourself and others? That would surely lead to a more balanced inner an outer world. The microcosm and the macrocosm; all can be in balance.