A Lifestyle of a Yogi
There is a quiet assumption many of us carry about yoga. That it is something we do once a week. A class we attend. A way to stretch, relax, or reduce stress.
And while yoga can certainly offer all of these things, to stop there is to miss what yoga actually is.
Because traditionally, yoga was never simply a physical practice.
Yoga is a complete system. A philosophical path, as well as a method for understanding the body, the mind, and ultimately, the nature of the Self.
In the West, yoga has largely been presented through the lens of movement.
Āsana, the physical postures, have become the central focus, and for many people this is where the practice begins and ends.
But within the classical teachings, including the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali, the seminal text on the philosophy of yoga, the physical practice was never the final goal.
It was preparation.
The aim of the movement practice was to cultivate a body and nervous system steady enough to sit, observe, and turn inward.
In other words, the physical practice prepares us for meditation.
Āsana steadies the body. Prāṇāyāma refines the breath and nervous system. Meditation settles the mind.
This is why meditation, and particularly Vedic Meditation, sits at the centre of the way I teach.
This understanding is deeply connected to why I created this home yoga space and why I have designed the timetable the way I have.
The timetable is intentionally small, but complete in its vision. Each class supports a different aspect of practice.
Wednesdays, Hatha Yoga
Wednesday includes two Hatha Yoga classes.
The first is a classical Hatha-style class working with alignment, balance, strength, steadiness, and vitality.
Maintaining a vital physical body is an important prerequisite on the path of yoga.
The second is a Foundations of Hatha Yoga class for beginners, or those returning after time away, who are curious and want to begin properly.
Saturdays, The Complete Practice
Saturday includes āsana, prāṇāyāma, meditation, and deep rest.
A complete practice for body, breath, nervous system, and mind.
This class is especially suited to those already established in Vedic Meditation, although this is not essential.
Sundays, Restorative Yin Style Yoga and Satsang
Sunday offers restorative yin style yoga for those needing rest, nervous system regulation, and deep relaxation.
This is followed by optional satsang, including Q&A, discussion, and yogic teaching to help make sense of yoga as a path, not simply a physical practice.
Over time, I hope to continue deepening this aspect of the space by increasingly bridging Yoga and Vedānta, the study of the Self.
Because while yoga prepares and refines the mind, Vedānta helps us inquire into the truth of who we truly are.
This is the direction I see this space evolving toward, and it is also a path I continue to walk myself as a current student of Vedānta.
Not a studio built around endless classes and constant consumption.
But a space for sincere practice, learning, community, inquiry, inner growth, and spiritual development.
A place where yoga is not simply performed, but lived.
If you are genuinely interested in exploring yoga as a path, my encouragement is to approach it with consistency and curiosity.
Ideally, I encourage students to participate in at least two classes each week, combining physical practice and satsang over time.
For those already initiated into Vedic Meditation, Sunrise Yoga is also offered online each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 6:30am to 7:30am.
“Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the Self.”