Pranayama is a vital part of the intricate web of practices and tools we call yoga. We discuss why you would consider doing a more formal breathing or pranayama practice. We breathe anyway, why do we need to give it extra attention? We also ask the question, "Is thinking about pranayama as just a breathing practice actually too small?" It's a whole lot more than just breathing...

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How do we shine a light on our yoga practice and be present to whatever is coming up? Scott, co-founder and senior teacher at Stillpoint Yoga in London, says it's all about awareness and enquiry. "What do you notice when you do this thing? When you let everything else fall away…fear, pain, joy. What does that mean? Let's explore that.”

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Matt’s hand-standing practice started around the same time as his yoga practice. They’ve paralleled over the years and taken Matt places he didn’t expect. Matt says, “There's nothing that brings you more into the moment than being upside down and trying to control your body.”

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These past few months every time Ana and I get together we end up talking about injuries! In particular, we've been comparing notes on our own shoulder injuries and chatting about how injury has not only changed our practice but also the impact it's had on how we teach yoga postures.

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I know for sure that I wouldn't be where I am today without June. She's the owner and course director of the Classical Yoga School which encompasses three yoga teacher training programmes. One I lead here in Glasgow. June has been practising and teaching yoga since the 1970s and has some amazing stories to share...

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Katie and I chat about how we transition forward using the tools of yoga and self care to support us. Practice, whether 5 minutes or 55 minutes, can help us gather our energy and our thoughts. Help us ground ourselves and find steadiness amongst the change. And self care isn't all bubble baths and glasses of wine, nice though they are. It's a practice just like yoga.

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Ema was 7 months pregnant when the country went into lockdown and had a beautiful baby girl. She's a dedicated yoga practitioner, student and teacher. So having come from a strong practice, through pregnancy, to everything that followed during these uncertain and challenging times… I couldn't think of anyone better to chat to about the ups and downs of yoga practice.

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Nicole teaches our Ashtanga Yoga Beginners Class here at MCY. We chat about what brought Nicole to yoga, her experiences now as a teacher, respecting where we and others are, her charity work, her doing good to feel good philosophy and, of course, the JOY.

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Rose Ann teaches our morning and Saturday Mysore classes here at the studio. We chat Ashtanga - where to start, commitment to the practice, the struggle, challenging postures, the difference between guided classes and Mysore-style, managing your energy and taking ownership of your practice.

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Nicola really understands what it's like to be a beginner and even shares her own funny story about an experience she had in our chat. There's so much out there about what yoga should look like - perfect, strong, healthy bodies effortlessly bending and balancing in all manner of positions. But the reality is quite different and that's just not the way it is for most of us.

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