PRESENTER (British): Good
morning everyone. A new community program called Yoga in the Park will begin
this Sunday at Hyde Park. Two yoga instructors, uh. . . me, Tom Blacksmith, and
my wife Pragya Malik, will be offering free hatha yoga classes for anyone who
fancies a bit of exercise outside while it’s still warm. The classes will begin
at 09:00 sharp and continue for one hour and fifteen minutes. All participants
should be over the age of 16. Free mats will be provided, and the session is
open to newcomers and experienced yoga practitioners alike. If you’re a
newcomer to yoga, I will be teaching a gentle beginners class to increase
flexibility and introduce students to basic breathing techniques. For those of
you who are seasoned yoga students, Pragya Malik will be teaching an advanced
class consisting of advanced yoga poses.
Now, Yoga in the
Park was started with a simple goal in mind: to spread the awareness of healthy
yoga practises among the community at no cost. Both Pragya and I have heard a
lot about people who are interested in yoga, but are unwilling to pay the high
club fees at yoga studios. As a result, many people attempt yoga at home,
either from books or by watching videos online. The problem? A lot of injuries
can occur without professional guidance. So, Pragya and I decided to offer our
services for free one day a week in a public space. We’re both certified
instructors who received our certification in Mumbai. We studied there together
for six years. After getting married in India, we returned to London and opened
our studio several years back in 1998.
Just to give you an
idea, hatha yoga originated within Hinduism and it is one of the oldest styles
of yoga in the world. It is probably the most common type of yoga that is
taught in the West. In a way, it’s designed to help restore balance. It
involves a little bit of meditation, some deep breathing, and exploring some
different physical poses. So, it’s a great way to manage stress. But there are
also several other health benefits to hatha. For example, it increases
flexibility. It also helps with blood circulation. Physical as well as
emotional, mental and spiritual balance can be restored through practising
hatha yoga.
Of course, there are many other benefits, but these are the most common
benefits that my students mention after attending classes regularly.
Finally, we’re
excited to be offering the class outdoors. At our studio in Soho, we teach
indoors, so it’ll be refreshing to be practicing outside. The warm sunshine
this time of year and the fresh air will make the classes even more pleasant.
If
you’re interested in coming down for a class, don’t forget to wear
loose-fitting clothes and
of course, bring water. Although
the beginner’s class will not be particularly intense, it’s a good idea to stay
hydrated no matter what physical activity you’re doing. After class ends, DJ
Zen will be playing music until 14:00. We encourage everyone to stay afterwards
and continue to build community through socialising together. We’re hoping this
will be the beginning of a much more successful effort to live mindfully and
practice healthy activities in London’s beautiful parks. Pragya and I look
forward to seeing everyone there. Thank you.