There are many books, websites and journals dedicated to yoga. This page focuses on the yoga classes we offer, a basic introduction to yoga, some benefits (to encourage you to practice regularly) and a few fabulous links so you can explore yoga in more depth. 

Classes are suitable for all including absolute beginners and those new to yoga. Each class includes a relaxation, a series of postures, breath work and a final meditation. You can work hard or go slow and easy, you simply do what you can manage on any given day. You will not be wrapping your legs around your head (unless you want to!) I encourage students to enjoy yoga without competition or pressure to perform and to feel the postures rather than force them, working closely with the breath. Regardless of how impressive a posture may look, it is only when we integrate the mind and body using the breath, that we are really doing yoga. 

Ian and Carole teach the classes. They have had a private practices for 10 years, explored many styles of yoga and practice yoga daily. Carole has a good understanding of how the body moves and functions (she has been a massage therapist for over 5 years) ensuring classes are safe for all. Both are certified yoga teachers by Essential Yoga, registered with the Yoga Alliance, an international professional yoga organization.  

Going beyond the postures we hope to offer you a broader perspective looking a little at the background, theory and science of yoga whilst including ample opportunity to enjoy posture practice during the retreat.

We are open as a Wellbeing Centre all year. Every day there is meditation and two yoga classes plus whatever extras you would like to include during your stay (private yoga instruction, massage, healing, reading, nature walks, mountain hikes, beach trips etc.). On the first weekend of every month we offer a retreat called Introduction to Yoga. We follow our usual day and include 2-4 extra hours of yoga during the day. During these sessions we will be exploring our postures in more depth and also, looking at yoga beyond the postures.

Yoga  is over 5,000 years old. There have been a large number of texts regarding the creation and development of yoga, The Bhagavad Gita being one of the more well known texts. Patanjali, who is considered the father of modern Yoga, composed a text called the Yoga-Sutra and defined Classical Yoga. The Yoga Sutra consists of 195 aphorisms and described the eight aspects of a Yogic lifestyle called the Eight Limbs of Yoga. The limbs are practical guides to help a person achieve harmony of the mind, the body and the spirit which leads to enlightenment (Samadhi). 

In the west, when people mention the term yoga they are usually referring to Hatha Yoga. Many of the styles of yoga we know today (Ashtanga, Bikram Kundalini, power yoga, Scaravelli, Kundalini) originate from Hatha Yoga.

Hatha Yoga came from the words ‘ha’ which means sun and ‘tha’ which means moon. It is the branch of Yoga that brings union of the pairs of opposites referring to the positive (sun) and negative (moon) currents in the system. By practising postures we focus the mind on the body using the breath, to create a union of mind, body and spirit.

Hatha Yoga concentrates on the third limb of yoga, Asanas (postures) and the fourth limb, Pranayama (breathing exercises). It uses the physical postures and breathing exercises to clear the energy pathways (nadis) and energise, removing the obstacles for other limbs which are Pratyahara (bringing mind/senses under control), Dharana (maintaining concentration), Dhyana (meditation) and Samadhi (enlightenment). The first two limbs are Yamas (how you treat others) and Niyamas (how you treat yourself). Practicing yoga is about so much more than practicing postures …it’s a way of life.

Benefits of Asana (postures)
There are numerous benefits to practicing yoga, I have detailed some of them here hoping it will encourage you to practice regularly. Practicing postures can help your body become stronger, more supple and relaxed. Practicing regularly opens the energy channels allowing your energy to flow freely.  It improves digestion, circulation and posture. Yoga practice can relieve headache, insomnia, back pain and fatigue. It is therapeutic for high blood pressure, low blood pressure, asthma, back ache and sciatica. It can help prevent osteoporosis. Postures stimulate and massage the internal organs. Hatha Yoga practice is a great way to cope with stress, relieve tension and depression.  

Useful links:

Yoga Journal
Yoga Basics
Yoga Alliance
Yoga Finder
Yoga Pages
Yoga Directory
Yoga Magazine
Clare Island Yoga Retreat Centre
Yoga Holidays
Yoga Online
Yoga Ireland

Top  *  Home  *  Contact