Our Story
Yoga is one of the most beneficial practices for physical and mental health. Through my work as a psychologist, I can see many elements of modern psychotherapeutic approaches embedded within yoga systems. However finding the most suitable yoga style and teacher is difficult, since so many styles and studios focus mainly on the physical aspect of yoga.
I created NeuroYoga to integrate the ancient traditions of yoga, with modern psychology and neuroscience. The wisdom of the ancient yogis never ceases to amaze me, and it is my hope that I can share the health benefits of a wholistic yoga practices.
NeuroYoga follows the lineage of Krishnamacharya, and his son Desikachar who created Viniyoya. Viniyoga means that the yoga is personalised to suit the individual. At NeuroYoga, whilst we conduct group classes, modifications are available to suit all participants.
Comments
I've had a lifelong interest in practicing the martial arts, inspired initially like millions of others while watching the TV series Kung Fu, starring David Carradine. However many different styles of martial arts I tried, they always came across as shallow, focussing on physical techniques. Most martial arts centres now gain their revenue from teaching after school kids classes, or ultra violent mma styles. Many martial arts schools are even franchised. More recently as a Psychologist, I've been introduced to several forms of westernised mindfulness practices ( MBSR, MBCT, MBCBT), which all claim to strip away away the cultural baggage of buddhism to apply a scientifically tested version of the essence / active ingredient. When you think about it, the process is very similar to pharmaceutical companies that take a plant, and extract the most active ingredient, test it, patent it, and sell it. As the recent book, McMindfulness sheds light on the capitalistic, and corporatisation of buddhist principles, it occurs to me that this has also happened not surprisingly in yoga.
Ironically Bruce Lee was supposed to be cast in the Kung Fu Tv series, but the networks didnt want an asian actor playing the role.
My realisation is this : you cannot reduce these practices, yoga, buddhism, martial arts, to essences. Buddhism, yoga and traditional martial arts have strong ethical components to their practices, without which the benefits of practice will be unsustained, and will not lead to personal growth.
Planning on reminding myself about the wisdom of Thich Nhat Hanh
A friend of mine from Yoga Nidra teacher training has posted this video, and I think it is timely advice about managing our news consumption, and focussing on things we can control.
Yoga is an internal art, the inner experience is more important than the outer appearance.
Couldn't resist this one :)
This looks like a wonderful experience, created by my friend in the Netherlands. It would be great to do something similar in newcastle. Does anyone know a singing bowl master ?
