Ashtanga Yoga Wanstead

Personalised yoga instruction in your home based in the traditional style of Ashtanga yoga. Natalie will work with you to create a completely personalised 1, 2 or 3-month programme to suit your level and your motivations.

WHAT IS ASHTANGA YOGA?

Ashtanga means “eight-limbs” and is a complete yogic system combining philosophy, physical strength and flexibility, breathwork and meditation.

Yoga teaches us that every negative action/thought we experience in life leaves us with subconscious imprints (“impurities”) that can manifest in our body, breath and mind. In order to remove these impurities and see the world clearly, we need to work not only on the body (through a physical yoga practice), but also on the breath (through pranayama) and the mind (through meditation).

Only with a holistic approach that simultaneously works on all of these three layers (body, breath and mind) can we hope to make real and lasting positive changes in our lives.

Here is a flavour for what this holistic Ashtanga yoga programme will entail:

PHYSICAL: Under my guidance, you will practise a set sequence of postures 6 days per week (we can work up to that over time!) until you master the postures. Then I will give you additional postures to add on to your sequence to challenge you further.

The sequence can be modified to suit all levels and ages. An expecting mother can still practise Ashtanga style yoga, but her practice will of course look very different to a 25-year old practitioner with 10 years’ of gymnastics experience!

BREATH: I will assess your breathing habits to identify areas of tension that you may have built up from stress or bad posture. Using the traditional pranayama techniques of the ancient yogic masters, we will work to deepen the breath and strengthen the respiratory muscles. These may include alternate nostril breathing and other rapid breathing techniques. Depending on your level we may work towards practising kumbhakas (retaining the breath).

MIND: We will work with the traditional Chakra Meditation techniques used for thousands of years by yogic masters to rouse Kundalini energy and eventually elicit spiritual experiences. Based on your interests we can also explore Sanskrit chanting of mantras as well as the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. I also teach and practise a variety of mindfulness-based meditation techniques, which are less spiritually focused but equally valuable for mental health.

BENEFITS OF ASHTANGA YOGA

When practised correctly with dedication, you will experience the following benefits:

– Strong, supple and lean body, from the strong physical practice

– Smooth and relaxed breath, from the breathing exercises

– Relaxation and calm, from working on the parasympathetic nervous system

– Focus and motivation, from the dedication to a daily practice and the concentration required for the meditation exercises

– Less worry, stress, overthinking, from the practice of mindfulness

– Contentment and acceptance, from the discussions of yogic philosophy and the new perspectives this will create for you

WHY PRIVATE TUITION?

Convenience: I can come right to your door at a time that best suits your schedule
Accountability: I will be there to (lovingly!) monitor your progression and ensure you are being challenged in all aspects of your practice
Personal attention: With personalised adjustments and modifications each session, your physical postures will advance much more quickly than in a group class setting
Confidence: If you don’t quite feel ready to join a public class yet, a private programme will boost your confidence
WHY NATALIE?

If you are seeking deep spiritual transformation and are passionate about delving into the fascinating philosophy of yoga, then you are in the right place. Many modern-day yoga teachers can provide great tuition on the physical postures but it is less common to find a teacher who offers an understanding of not only theory, but also how to practise all eight limbs of yoga.

I started practising yoga 9 years ago and have been dedicated to the Ashtanga path almost since day 1! Everything I will teach you, I practise every single day; I live, breathe and sleep Ashtanga yoga.

I have completed 350hrs of official yoga teacher training and have been teaching classes in London and around the world for the last 3 years. I continue to study with my teacher Gregor Maehle at every opportunity to deepen my own practice and develop my knowledge for my students.

With a masters’ degree in physics I believe that I bring a refreshingly scientific approach to yogic philosophy. You will find my explanations logical and to-the-point and you will quickly pick up on elements of anatomy/physiology as I weave them into my teaching.

I adore this practice and I pour my heart and soul into creating personalised Ashtanga programmes for others. Rest assured you will be in the most capable, passionate and devoted hands!

PRICES

A one-off private lesson is priced at £100 for 90 minutes. Please get in touch for further options including my weekly and monthly pass discounts.

The most effective way for us to work together will be through a personalised programme over the course of one month or more – that way we can truly dive deeply into this wonderful practice!

I look forward to meeting you yogis.

Natalie Finnie (Ashtanga Yoga Girl)

Instagram: @ashtangayogagirl