What is vinyasa flow?

It is a fairly recent addition to the world of modern postural yoga;  becoming widely popular in the 1990s, promoted by leading teachers such as Erich Schiffmann, Max Strom, Shiva Rea and Sarah Powers - I have been lucky to have been taught vinyasa flow by Mimi Kuo-Deemer  who studied under Schiffmann in LA.

 Continued..

 The beauty of flowing with vinyasa - the word in Sanskrit means placing in a special way - is that without a head to its lineage, the practice allows for non-hierarchical teaching,  interpretation and paves the way for innovation and adaptation. When the breath leads this flow, it allows us to connect with natural rhythms of life. "These natural rhythms are easily lost to people living in cities...maybe that is why vinyasa flow is so popular and impactful today," notes Mimi Kuo-Duo Deemer.

Qigong

In qigong,  movements are graceful, flowing, slow, circular, repetitive and the practice becomes a calming and effective method of meditation.  

Qigong, with its Daoist roots, promotes the free-flow of life force, or Qi, and encourages us to live in harmony with nature.  Overall, it promotes radiant health and is one of the pillars of Chinese medicine.

Benefits of Yoga

Surely, we all like to feel good?  This means having peace of mind, being joyful, relaxed, and brimming with energy.  Le'ts start with the boost it gives to our balance, strength and flexibility. "With yoga, you can dramatically retard, even reverse, the tendency to stiffen as you age. You can actually bring the suppleness of youth back into your life and be more flexible, durable and stronger than you were as a child," notes Erich Schiffmann. Try it. Go on, you know you want to!