Budding yogi's gather, we've got the perfect morning yoga routine for you...
Feeling frazzled before you’ve even started your morning commute to work? Then you may be in desperate need of a bit of a zen-injection. With deadlines, office politics, financial stress and all the other daily grinds that we all face (and that’s without even throwing kids and a significant other into the mix) it’s sometimes far too easy to end up a ball of nerves before you’ve even stepped out of the door, so why not start your day off in a calmer place and give a bit of morning yoga a go.
We talk to Claire Missingham, a pro-yogi who has been practicing it in its many forms since 1996.
What do you think are the best benefits about practicing yoga regularly?
It helps on so many levels: fitness, sleep and spiritual practise. Through it I have learned to live by Patanjali’s personal and social observances which have guided me on how I aim to act and react to my relationships and the world and my responsibility within it.
Tell us about the specific teaching of yoga that you practise?
I teach a flowing, liquid form of yoga where the asanas (poses) and pranayama (breathing) link with an intention (spiritual observance and awarness) in a dynamic, ever changing form where each flows into the next seamlessly. It gets hot, sweaty but also joy-filled. It comes from the forefathers of modern yoga: Iyengar, Sri Pattabhi Jois and the healing yoga of Desikachar. They all had the same root teacher in a man called Krishnamacharya. So this is my lineage – but it’s a living, ever changing form of yoga. I always link my classes to physical alignment and antomy so you get the most out of the practice physically, then I align that with a context: normally the historical texts of yoga in some form. I set this with my love of music: almost DJing the soundtrack in every class so the music is a soundscape with which to expore the depth of spirit.
What’s the most important thing to remember when practicing yoga on your own without an instructor present?
Many of my classes are now available online but it’s important to compliment these with a regular, live teacher, but essentially practicing daily is important – even a short practice is wonderful. All you need is a yoga mat, computer and a great big deal of enthusiasm, commitment and discipline!
Claire doing what she does best
What is the perfect, ten-minute morning yoga routine which you can practise at home?
Try my summer sunrise practise:
- 2 x Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation)
- Urdhva Mukha Svanasana, hold for 5 breaths (Upward Dog)
- Virabhadrasana 1 hold 5 breaths (Warrior One)
- Parsvakonasana (Side Angle Pose) Salabhasana (Locust Pose)
- Dhanurasana (Bow Pose) Ustrasana (Camel Pose)
- Upavishta Konasana (Seated Wide Angle Pose)
- Ardha Matseyendrasana (Seated Spinal Twist)
- Sukhasana (Meditation Seated Pose).
You can view my tutorial at here.
Claire will be teahing a special one-off class 'RISE' accompanied by musician Nitin Sawhney with breakfast by Dishoom on the 4th July.