Virginia Compton, Yoga And Ayurveda Wellness

A common question that is asked is ‘what kind of Yoga is it?’ In the west the Yoga offered is generally postures, physical body focused. This is a whole separate discussion! Many people are aware of the multitude of offerings and names for these, hot yoga, vinyasa yoga, power yoga, yoga with goats, eating chocolate yoga....the list is endless. What is Yoga? Yoga literally means to yolk or to join. This is referring to the two energies of sun and moon in the physical and ener...getic context of the body, as well as uniting our own consciousness with a higher all encompassing consciousness. That is a huge concept. I’m being a little factious perhaps but I’m not sure that eating chocolate or embracing a goat would do that. I may be wrong. The practices of Yoga are inclusive of our lifestyle, diet, postures, breathing and meditation. A comprehensive system laid out for us by Patanjali is followed and it is said that if this system is followed it will help us to move beyond the thinking mind and into a state of Yoga (yoking or union). So, back to the original question, ‘what kind of Yoga is it?’ Oftentimes we are looking to label something. (It’s worth considering why we need to have a label, perhaps to satisfy the ego, which we are practicing Yoga to move beyond!) When the reply is ‘It’s just Yoga’ this can feel unsatisfying. So, it’s Hatha Yoga. Now the reaction is sometimes ‘oh that’s the gentle one’ presumably in ‘comparison’ to dynamic flow and so on. So now we learn that all physical (Asana) posture work in all ‘styles’ of Yoga is in fact Hatha Yoga. The way I like to explain it in simple terms to people is that a burger is a burger. There is mcdonalds, burger king, other various outlets, but they are all burgers. The same with Yoga. The postures can be put together in various ways with differing attitudes and approaches, given a gimmicky label, but they are all the same postures and it is all the same system. Hatha Yoga is the physical practice of our body in Yoga.
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Great explanation of Ayurvedic routine for good health and good sleep.
https://www.yogajournal.com/…/ease-day- 13-step-ayurvedic-wa…

Really nice article with a simple explanation of different types of Agni, digestive fire, the Doshas and the Ayurvedic approach to digestive symptoms....

In Ayurveda the elements are used to describe our constitutional type or Dosha. We are all a mixture of 3 Doshas, usually with something dominating at any one time. Our Dosha balance is affected by our environment, the food we eat, the activity of the body, our daily routines. Our present state informs what diet will help us maintain equilibrium in body and mind, as well as what Yoga practice will presently be most helpful for us. It is also preventative as it gives an indication of our disease tendencies so we can then avoid our triggers for disease. Ayurveda works alongside Yoga to promote health and wellness holistically in body, mind and spiritually.

The Chakra system uses the 5 elements. Base - earth (grounding and stability, safe and secure) Sacrum - water (ebb and low of life, fluid and creative) Solar plexus - fire (courage, self will, determination, fire in your belly) Heart - air (love, compassion, coming in and letting go, non grasping)... Throat - ether (pure spaciousness, sound, communication, music, song, mantra) The practices we use free up the physical body and as they do this the energy body and all of these centres are activated and become more aligned. The affect being that the energy flows more easily and we feel more balanced and whole.
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The elements of earth, air, fire, water, ether are reflected in so many spiritual traditions. They are used in Ayurveda in the Dosha system, in the Yoga Chakra system and in Tibetan prayer flags the red represents fire, blue is space, yellow is earth, white is air and green is water.

Details of our Uk weekend are now all here! Contact to book ASAP! India in north Devon for summer solstice!

Yoga Nidra is a Pratyahara practice. This means that it helps us to withdraw all the senses and connect with our inner self. It is a deeply relaxing, nourishing and healing practice. It is accessible for everyone. Practice Yoga Nidra as part of your preparation for meditation.

Yoga and meditation are the same thing, the same science. Yoga is to prepare us for meditation. A Yoga practice without Pranamaya and meditation is not Yoga.

When meditating focus on the space and energy of the heart. Allow the heart to guide you, to be your teacher. If you need to make a decision or to face difficulties then sit for a moment and listen to the hearts wisdom. If you always take time to listen to the heart then you will never make a wrong choice ❤️🙏🏻

Yoga is sometimes called the art of creating happiness. Not only that but of health and harmony. It is the science of freedom. Liberation from suffering. Knowing the self.

Our India retreat project is slowly coming along! We now have a website, please click and share! 🙏🏻

And so with every new day is an opportunity to begin again. If yesterday was challenging then today doesn’t have to be. Try not to let the past impact upon the present. Feel how you feel today, respond to this accordingly with your Yoga practice and lifestyle. Focus on the now, reside in only this moment.

Yesterday I travelled to a Yoga retreat place in the hills. I’m in Nepal and it’s cold here. When I arrived there it was absolutely freezing. There was no heating anywhere, including in my room. I have never been so cold in my whole life! I told myself to ‘man up’ and went to Satsang (spiritual discussion). I found there the subjects raised were overwhelmingly challenging for me on an emotional level. I can not describe how I felt and cannot verbalise the experience of this w...hole scenario. After just a couple of hours I left. I ran away. I was trying to escape from my own feelings. I returned to a cosy warm Kathmandu hotel room and a bowl of comforting hot soup. The guru rightly says that the physical needs of the body are kind of an aside and not what our practice is about. My practice is about facing those seemingly impossible emotions which came up. As is my way I’ve thought a lot about this experience. Whilst I agree with the body needs not being the priority or focus, the right environment for practice is helpful. Maybe this is an excuse I’m allowing myself! There are no specific answers coming here, just food for thought. What is the physical practice part of yoga about and how much do we depend on our comforts and how much does this enable us to completely avoid the heart of the matter? Keeping it real! To be continued....
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Hey look! 😍🙏🏻

"You do not need to seek freedom in a distant land, for it exists within your own body, heart, mind and soul. illuminated emancipation, freedom, unalloyed and untainted bliss await you, but you must choose to embark on the inward journey to discover it." ~ B.K.S. Iyengar

Life is a blessing ❤️

Today ❤️

When you look within, deep down inside of yourself, what is it that’s there? What is the real you, your true self? Beyond all the layers, roles and everyday masks. Now look outwards at what we often place as our perceived priorities in life. Take time to connect with your true self, be loyal to your real essence. Live your precious life according to this, not according to others expectations or images they project onto you about who they believe you to be. Just be yourself,... because you are beautiful and perfect just as you are. Namaste 🙏🏻
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Wonderful experience at the studio where Virginia teaches yoga, each session is so enjoyable, I stretch my body & mind & always feel relaxed and also energised for the day ahead.

Virginia is so lovely and welcoming. I really enjoyed my beginners yoga course with her and can't wait to do some more of her great sessions and hopefully a retreat at some point �

Lovely, lovely and lovely

I had a wonderful Himalayan salt scrub and massage from Virginia and my skin felt amazing afterwards. The massage was spot on too, once again Thank you Virginia!�

A wonderful space and Virginia always sends me away feeling calm and stretched and eager to face the rest of the week..but not the ironing.

Wonderful experience at the studio where Virginia teaches yoga, each session is so enjoyable, I stretch my body & mind & always feel relaxed and also energised for the day ahead.

Virginia is so lovely and welcoming. I really enjoyed my beginners yoga course with her and can't wait to do some more of her great sessions and hopefully a retreat at some point �

Lovely, lovely and lovely

I had a wonderful Himalayan salt scrub and massage from Virginia and my skin felt amazing afterwards. The massage was spot on too, once again Thank you Virginia!�

A wonderful space and Virginia always sends me away feeling calm and stretched and eager to face the rest of the week..but not the ironing.