THE NITTY GRITTY ABOUT
TIMES, TEACHERS AND
PRICES RIGHT HERE.
TAKING A CLASS AT MCY
Where do we start? Yoga can mean many things to many people. And it’s not always what you think it is.
We hate to say it but you can be any shape or size, tall, short, stiff, flexible, meat-free or meat-loving to enjoy the many benefits of yoga. Feel a bit better about yourself, be healthier & happier, feel less stressed, appease the back pain, leg pain, whatever pain or simply grab some me-time.
And you don’t have to indulge in a bit of OM unless you want to.
TIMETABLE
PRICES
We’ve got pricing options to suit most pockets. You can pay per class, buy a bundle or sign up for a monthly pass.
We offer concession rates for all of our regular classes, support those experiencing financial hardship and
give something back every year too.
Get the costs and all the details to choose the right option for you HERE.
FIND YOUR CLASS STYLE
We encourage you to try out different classes and teachers to find the one that’s right for you. It’s also a good idea to pick a time that’s really convenient because it makes it much easier to keep making it along to class.
And we know it’s when you get on your mat that the magic happens. We offer a number of different styles of yoga so you’ll definitely find one to suit you. And we offer weekly classes where you can drop in when it suits you or structured six week courses if that’s how you prefer to learn. There’s really no excuse to not come along and enjoy yourself.
Nothing beats just getting yourself and your mat down on the floor and taking part, but in case you’re the kind of person who likes to mull things over first here’s a list of all the classes we offer at MCY with a full description of what to expect in each.
IN STUDIO
Nothing can quite match practising in the room with your teacher and fellow students. Some of our classes are now back in the studio and while our capacity is much smaller than normal and we have measures in place to keep everyone safe, we’re loving seeing you face to face!
All of our in-studio classes are hybrid classes. This means students can choose to join in person or online. It also means that there’s some techie equipment in the studio so that the online students can see and be seen, but don’t worry. You’ll pretty soon forget it’s there.
You’ll find all the details here about what to expect when joining us for a class in the studio. We’re constantly reviewing what we do and update the details on this link regularly.
All of the love, support and fun of an in-studio class but from the convenience and comfort of your own home.
During these classes our wonderful teachers will still give you loads of instruction so you don’t have to be constantly looking at the screen and will give you encouragement, suggestions and feedback, just as they would in-studio.
To get the most from your livestream class have yourself set up and ready to start before the start time of the class. Try and find a well lit space where we can see you and you won’t be disturbed. And finally, we know it’s tempting to jump up from your mat at the end but stay with us for relaxation too, you won’t regret it…
LIVE STREAM
ON DEMAND
BEGINNERS
It’s difficult to know where to begin when choosing your first yoga class. It can be a scary thought walking into your first yoga class and that feeling’s often what stops us. Our classes with Beginners or Basics in the title of the class are a great place to start.
ASHTANGA
Ashtanga Yoga is a strong, dynamic style of yoga. Students practise a set sequence of postures which builds in complexity and intensity as you move through them. Each posture is laying a foundation for what comes after and is built on what comes before.
It’s a counted system which means that each breath and coordinated movement are accounted for. This count comes from counting the vinyasa (co-ordinated breath/movement) of each posture – each posture has an ideal number of inhales and exhales for moving into and out of the posture. Traditionally these vinyasa are counted in Sanskrit.
We start with the Primary Series, a sequence of postures designed to strengthen, nourish and cleanse the body and mind. In Sanskrit it’s known as Yoga Chikitsa which translates as yoga therapy.
The format is always the same no matter how experienced a practitioner you are. Starting with Surya Namaskar A & B (sun salutations) gives your practice foundation – you’re working to establish breath and rhythm as well as starting to work on the building blocks which underpin entire practice.
The standing postures help you find grounding and balance as well as developing strength and flexibility.
Primary Series seated postures build flexibility, strength, understanding of the techniques and confidence.
The finishing postures help calm and stabilise your nervous system again after all of the activity and stimulation. This gets your body and mind ready for the experience of deep relaxation at the end of your practice.
MYSORE STYLE
A Mysore style Ashtanga Yoga class is an assisted self practice class.
In these classes all of our students are working on the same sequence of postures but their practice is tailored to where they’re each at. Students work through their own practice guided and supported by an experienced teacher.
Your teacher will suggest ways of working with the postures that are most helpful to you. They’ll also give you advice on how far through the sequence to practice for optimal benefit as well as when’s good for you to begin working on the next posture(s).
Mysore style teachers are long time Ashtanga practitioners with many years of experience of practicing those same postures and being assisted and supported by their own teachers.
VINYASA FLOW
Vinyasa Flow is a style of yoga where each yoga posture is linked with the next in a flowing sequence using the breath. Each class is different but always fluid, creative and fun.Vinyasa Flow has grown from the tradition of Ashtanga. Expect a tailor made flow to move you through sun salutation variations, standing and seated postures, focusing on physical awareness and efficient movement, as well as breath and subtle body work.
HATHA YOGA
These classes typically involve practising yoga postures and breathing techniques more slowly than, for example, Vinyasa Flow or Ashtanga. It’s they style that comes to mind if you think about a general yoga class.
Because it’s generally slower and more gentle it’s a great style for beginners and for those with injury or illness. It can still be physically and mentally challenging too!
FORREST-INSPIRED
YOGA
This class is inspired by the principles and sequencing of Forrest Yoga – a style developed by Ana Forrest (senior yoga teacher and author of Fierce Medicine) to address common issues experienced in the body due to modern living, such as neck and shoulder tension, back pain, tight jaw.
Key elements from Forrest Yoga included in this class are intention setting, deep breathing, strong core work, a relaxed neck and longer holds of poses. Expect a strong yet slow-paced class designed to build strength. This class also includes a deep final relaxation.
Yin yoga is a slow, gentle practice in which seated or reclined postures are held passively for 3 minutes or more (with the support of yoga props – blocks, bolsters, blankets). By relaxing muscular effort (the Yang tissues), you allow the body to stretch the thicker layers of connective tissues around the joints (the Yin tissues). This unravels areas of tension that dynamic yoga practice can not always access. This makes Yin Yoga the ideal compliment to a regular Yang-style practice.
YIN YOGA
Pranayama refers to traditional breathing techniques which make up the fourth limb of Yoga. These practices help refine our breathing ability and our awareness of the flow of prana (life force).
Pranayama techniques can improve the flow of prana through the vital paths of the body increasing energy levels, decreasing stress and enhancing many aspects of health and well being.
PRANAYAMA
Mediation is the practice of cultivating awareness of our thoughts and feelings. It’s not about turning them off but about learning to observe them without comment or judgement. This helps us be aware of what’s happening in our body, our mind or our surroundings in the present moment.
According to MIND, the mental health charity, meditation can help you to:
Increase your awareness of your thoughts and feelings;
Manage unhelpful thoughts;
Develop more helpful responses to difficult feelings and events;
Be kinder towards yourself;
Feel calmer and able to manage stress better;
Manage some physical health problems, like chronic pain.
MEDITATION
MEET OUR TEACHERS
GOT ANY QUESTIONS?
If you’re a yoga beginner you’ll want to know a few basics. However, for those of you who are new to MCY then we have the answers to your questions here. If we’ve missed something email us.