Yoga with a view: the London Skygarden

It’s been exactly six months ago that I told you all about my way into yoga here. I talked about having only just started visiting Yoga classes regularly, and I told you about my anticipation for and excitement about every yoga class I would attend.

Half a year later not much has changed: Yoga has changed my life, how tacky this may sound whatsoever, and I can not imagine to give over neither my practice nor the idea of the holistic lifestyle at any point in the future.

I still find my Saturday morning 90-minutes Astanga Vinyasa class with Jess Glenny the most challenging practice of all, because it aims not only to build muscles and improve flexibility, but also asks the participants to stay in a pose for five long and deep breaths. I have to concentrate a lot and work hard on my breathing to being able to make it through the 90 minutes!

For a more fun and fast-paced Yoga class I started to additionally visit the Bussey Building in Peckham for its Vinyasa Flow and Rocket Yoga classes. Being very flexible naturally (and thanks to many years of Vaulting and Ballett, I suppose), I can’t help myself but feeling rather odd in the class sometimes, when a full-split is the easiest thing for me to do, but seems impossible for everyone else, and, on the contrary, everyone else easily manages to lift themselves up in whatever pose, but I seem to be stuck to the floor.

I wish I would be able to do an underarm stand, and I work hard on my head- and handstands. So, yes, Yoga sometimes is frustrating to me, and I often have to remind myself that I must not go to classes to force myself into any pose and movement or, worse, to compete with others. I admit that I am a very competitive person, thus Yoga is also challenging for me in order to learn to “be enough”, and to being able to accept this feeling of being enough.

I have read and learnt a lot about mindfulness – I find Talia Grace Peretz’ Instagram a great inspiration – and although everyday life’s challenges still overturn my balance and Zen every now and then, I am a lot more mindful and in harmony with myself than I have ever been before.

Yoga has become a crucial part of my life, yet I don’t only mean the four to five hours I practice every week: What’s more is that Yoga taught me how to calm myself with simple breathing techniques; it helped me to accept certain things I can not change anyway, and it taught me to feel stronger, healthier and happier than any other sports or lifestyle could do in the past. Namaste!

Being aware of my past as a dancer, Wellicious welcomed the idea to combine some yoga and dance images for this blog post. After all Wellicious itself does not only sell Yoga wear, but also Pilates and Dance clothing. Click here to visit the Wellicious online shop, and be inspired for your practice ahead.

If you are interested in a yoga class in the London Skygarden, click here. Please notice that a (free) booking is necessary for everyone who wishes to visit the Skygarden. Go see the sunset from here, it’s magical!

Love,
Lea Lou