Welcome!

Namaste

Please see 'events' page for our next workshops

Welcome to the

Saraswati Yoga Studio

we offer day & evening classes

at our studio in Sutton Surrey

You can just turn up without having to book. You will also receive a free relaxation Cd at your first class. Please see the 'classes' page for times.

We hope you will find your journey into yoga to be an enjoyable and fruitful one that will lead to a more healthy, energetic and peaceful way of life.
................................more>

Featured Postures

Neck & Shoulder Exercises

Neck pain can make us avoid normal activities and movement. Unfortunately long term inactivity weakens the neck muscles and reduces the ability of the cervical spine to cope with knocks.

The following exercises strengthen the muscles that support the spine. They also stretch away muscular tightness that causes neck and shoulder pain and stiffness. Daily practice can also help to prevent and ease headaches.

...............................more>

Mother & Baby Yoga & Children's Yoga Classes

Mother & Baby Yoga

Our Mother & baby classes have a lovely atmosphere where mothers practice postures to nursery rhymes and massage their babies. Baby yoga can help babies to relax, sleep well and have less digestive complaints. Mothers also benefit because carrying baby can cause back ache and create bad posture, yoga practice eases aching backs and improves posture. Good posture increases energy and positivity, both valuable for mothers of young babies who are often exhausted from lack of sleep.
'Mother & baby yoga' is fun for both mother and baby and relaxing. As well as practicing gentle yoga for mother & baby in our class we also do some baby massage. Studies have suggested that massage is good for babies, improving their breathing, circulation, digestion and growth. Baby massage is even claimed to combat postnatal depression. Our classes are a great way for a mother to spend special time with her baby deepening the bond between them. Mothers also enjoy meeting other women and can share their experiences, which is often very helpful. Babies also like meeting other babies. It really is a lovely class where the teachers, mums and babies smile a lot!

for more photos please scroll down classes page.....................................................more>

Positive Thinking

With our thoughts we make the world.

The first words of the Dhammapada, the teaching of Buddha says:-

"All that we are is the results of our thoughts. With our thoughts we make the world. If we think in a negative way then that negativity will follow us, as sure as the wheel follows the ox that draws the cart. If we think in an harmonious way, happiness follows us as sure as our shadow, never leaving us"

It is important for our own well being to train ourselves to let go of our negative thoughts and replace them with more contented positive ones.

This of course does not mean that we passively accept life's injustices. Sometimes we MUST confront bad situations, we must deal with things but then we must let them go - Buddha also said "Letting go is the secret to happiness". ................................................................................more>

Why meditate?

Why do we need to meditate?

If anything threatens, or lessens our feelings of security and comfort, our will body react in a way that helps us either fight and destroy the threat, or run away to escape it. Scientists call this bodily reaction to feeling threatened 'the fight or flight response'.
If this response happens often, it has a detrimental effect and can seriously rob us of happiness and health. Over time, this physical response to stress, speeds up the rate of wear and tear, and ageing of the body and makes us more vulnerable to many illnesses.

.........................................................................more>

Yoga & Diet

Yoga Diet

For thousands of years yoga masters have taught the importance of good diet. Our body is formed from the food we put in our mouths. The importance of eating well is mentioned in many yogic texts. The masters knew it was important to be aware and temperate with regard to our eating. A very old yogic text called The Bhagavad Gita states 'This yoga is not possible, for the one who eats too much, or who eats too little'.
Another teaching from the 15th century, called The Hatha Yoga Pradipika, warns students to refrain from certain foods claiming they are 'injurious to health', and encourages consuming other types of food for well being. And while some of the advice from the Hatha Yoga Pradipika is not in agreement with modern suggestions for healthy eating, the basic idea of being aware of our diet and of eating for 'well-being' was and still is an important part of yoga practice.........more>

The meaning of OM

Yoga for Mothers-to-be

Pregnancy can be a joyful but also a challenging time. Practising yoga helps pregnant women stay strong, healthy, calm and positive. During pregnancy it is not only safe, it is beneficial to perform gentle to moderate exercise such as hatha yoga. Here are some of the benefits:
Less muscular aches and pains: Less tension :Increased flexibility. Hatha yoga improves posture which lessens the chance of backache while carrying baby and it improves circulation which decreases the risk of varicose veins. Yoga increases muscle strength which is not only good for delivery day but also to support joints that become looser during pregnancy.
Hatha yoga increases energy levels which helps to combat the fatigue pregnant women often experience. Yoga also helps pregnant women maintain a positive self-image .
Yoga breathing exercises help reduce high blood pressure and soothe the nervous system. Breath control enables pregnant women to have more control over labour pains and remain more calm during contractions. Yoga poses lessen headaches, backaches, swollen legs, heartburn and open the pelvic area to encourage an easier birth.
Visualisation and meditation exercises create a loving bond between mother & baby bringing greater positivity and health to both.
Relaxation techniques teach women how to gain a better quality of sleep and also how to stay more stress-free during waking hours which is especially valuable when baby is born.
Lots of women who practiced yoga while pregnant reported having easier births and babies that are more contented.

for more information and photos please scroll down classes page