Hatha Yoga @ The Haelan Centre

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With some trepidation, I waited outside the Haelan Centre in Crouch End. Suddenly, I was very aware of my clunky, somewhat lanky frame and misshapen limbs. Yoga does not come naturally to me. I'm not one of those flexible people who do the splits at parties. I would never sit cross legged for comfort.


Once inside, though, things started to look up when I entered the faintly lit room, which looked out over the Broadway and allowed the soft music to sink gently into my mind. As the clock tower chimed 6pm, Sarah began the gentle Hatha Yoga sequence, intended to unwind the mind and improve the nerves and digestion.


[ADVERT]Sarah has the kind of tone and pitch that could relax you as she reads her shopping list. Perhaps she could also pursue a second career in audiobooks, should she want to diversify her work. However, there is far more to this than mere pleasant words. Her directions and instructions are spot on, as she guides each person into the correct poses, before subtly suggesting ways to extend. There is a distinct lack of pressure or embarrassment in the room and each student is encouraged to work within themselves, never pushing and never over stretching.

I might be a long way from the kind of poses that make yoga infamous. I can't balance on one finger and my legs seem to have a desire to stay beneath my neck, but I certainly felt the benefits of this session. Like a good massage, the effects are only truly felt about an hour after and my body felt lighter and and a healthy tingle flowed through my veins. By 9:30pm I was ready to slip into a deep, natural sleep (a rarity for me) and I could rest with the distinct feeling of health and vitality that comes from practicing yoga.

A cheeky midweeky used to mean a Wednesday trip to the pub for a half time pint. Perhaps from now on the 'top of the hill day' could be the day I go to these Hatha classes.

#crouch_end
#health_fitness
%wnlondon