why workplace yoga?

Yoga is the single most enduring wellbeing practice of all time.

300+ million people around the world practice yoga everyday. Yoga in some form has been practiced for over 5000 years and modern yoga practice is over 100 years old.

Yoga is not about how flexible or fit you are, it is a healing practice which takes many forms.

The benefits for both mental and physical wellbeing are significant enough for yoga to be recommended and sometimes prescribed by health professionals all over the world, as a way to build strength and flexibility and calm the mind.

Yoga is an opportunity to take time for yourself in a non competitive and non judgemental space, where the energy and the stresses of modern life can be transformed into peace and resilience.

' yoga is not about touching your toes it’s about what happens on the way down '

Jigar Gor

There are many benefits to offering yoga at your work place, these can make a huge difference to:

• encouraging empathy and understanding in the employer/employee relationship

• increases morale and comradery amongst staff

• improves the quality and level of output

• helps with mental focus

• creates a more attentive and productive workforce

• increases a sense of wellbeing in the work place which can help with staff retention

• supports good mental health

• offers tools to transform stress energy into resilience energy

it’s time to forget what you think you know about yoga

• I’m not flexible enough

Our bodies and minds have the ability to develop flexibility. Yoga is about building flexibility over time through the use of movement, stillness, breathing techniques and learning to accept and be content with where we are in the moment

• I need to already be fit

Even if you haven’t done any exercise for a long time perhaps because of an ailment or injury, yoga builds strength, fitness and flexibility in a steady way. Yoga is not a work out, it is a work in, by focussing within, we release the ability to listen to what our body needs and respond with wisdom rather than judgement or force

• I’m the wrong shape and size

There is no right shape or size for Yoga - Yoga is for everyone. Yoga focuses on peeling away many years of conditioning which helps us, over time, feel more at home in our body

• Yoga is not for men

Modern Yoga was actually developed with men in mind! Firstly yoga works towards removing the male propensity for a more competitive mindset as it is non competitive in it’s nature. Secondly the male body is naturally less flexible so a regular yoga practice is essential to keep the body free. Male athletes around the world attribute the inclusion of a yoga practice in their training regime, as a significant way to improve overall strength, flexibility and focus

• I need to be into all that spiritual stuff

“ Yoga doesn’t care about what you have been, it is only concerned with the person you are becoming “

This is a quote by Indian Author and Yoga Teacher Aadil Palkhivala, and suggests that yoga doesn’t expect anything of you other than to come with an open mind so that you might surprise yourself.

Yoga Kula has spent many years crafting its classes in such a way that they remain authentic but are also always forward thinking and ultimately inclusive

some common misconceptions about yoga…

some organisations and charities we have worked with

‘ We would highly recommend Yoga Kula to anyone looking to give yoga a go. Angela was a great instructor and very patient with our group who had little to no experience.

It really allowed us to switch off and focus on ourselves, our body and our mind.

We will definitely be back ’ 

Mars Pet Foods

 ‘ Just wanted to drop a note to say thanks so much for helping to organise last week.

The teachers were absolutely fab, really engaging and everybody had such a great time ‘

University of Leeds

some testimonials

“ thank you for a terrific session, all the team loved the experience and we will be back soon “

The Yorkshire County Cricket Club