Emma Major Yoga

It’s been a lovely weekend in the sunny, enjoying the return of a little sunshine with time outside and a trip to the beach.

As we make our way back onto to the mat in September and with the idea of new beginnings in September still resonating with me, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to go back to basics. The focus of this exploration of the foundations of a yoga practice is a little yoga philosophy.

We will spend the next 5 weeks enjoying and delving into the founding principles of a yoga practice; the Yamas. These are the ethical principles in the first of the Eight Limbs of Yoga and explore the things that we should not do as we move through both our yoga practice and our lives off the mat.

The first of the Yamas is Ahimsa which translates as ‘non harming’. This idea of not doing harm applies to others, the world around us and even to ourselves. We will take time to reflect upon what this principle means to us as individuals and how we may apply it to our yoga practice.

Together, we’ll explore what it means to practise kindness not only towards others, but towards ourselves. Through mindful movement, breath and moments of stillness, we’ll be invited to notice where we might soften, let go of judgement, and listen more compassionately to our bodies.

I would love for you to join me!

Wednesday 19:45-20:45
Mixed Level Vinyasa Flow
St James Road Methodist Church
FREE FIRST CLASS

Wednesday 19:45-20:45
Live-Stream Mixed Level Vinyasa Flow
Via Zoom from St James Road Methodist Church

Thursday 10-11
Mixed Level Vinyasa Flow
October Books, Portswood
FREE FIRST CLASS

To Book:
www.emmamajoryoga.co.uk
[email protected]

Dates for your diary:
No yoga 28th & 29th October for HalfTerm

I hope that everyone has had a lovely, if a bit wet, bank holiday weekend. We have had a fab time with family!

Suddenly we find ourselves in September with the summer behind us and it is the perfect time to reset and refocus and we head into the next phase of the year.

September often becomes a time to start something new or to pick up an old project or goal put aside for the busy summer months. And in yoga this week we will be reflecting this theme with a class all about focus.

In yoga, Drishti is the practice of finding a steady point to rest our gaze. It reminds us that where we place our attention matters.
On the mat, we can use our gaze to help us find balance, steadiness and presence. Off the mat, we can ask ourselves: What am I choosing to focus on?

We will be drawing our attention to specific focus points within poses to see how this changes how the pose feels, as well as drawing our focus inwards for moments of pause.

You will leave class feeling reset and recharged and ready for what September has to bring!

I would love for you to join me!

Wednesday 19:45-20:45
Mixed Level Vinyasa Flow
St James Road Methodist Church
FREE FIRST CLASS

Wednesday 19:45-20:45
Live-Stream Mixed Level Vinyasa Flow
Via Zoom from St James Road Methodist Church

Thursday 10-11
Mixed Level Vinyasa Flow
October Books, Portswood
FREE FIRST CLASS

To Book:
www.emmamajoryoga.co.uk
[email protected]

Dates for your diary:
No classes on the 28th or 29th October

It was lovely to be back on the mat with you last week! It has been a busy week for us, juggling the busyness of the summer holidays alongside work which is always a challenge at this time of year!

And often when it is busy, it is the most important time to slow down and take moments of mindfulness and stillness. For me one of those moments was as I looked up this weekend while we drove at night and saw the beautiful August moon framed by clouds in the night sky, in its waxing phase and it grows each night to reach the full moon this coming Friday.

The August moon has a few names - the Sturgeon Moon, so called as this is the time of year when it is easiest to catch Sturgeon in the US, but also known as the Grain Moon, linked to the beginning of harvest.

In yoga this week we will be taking a flow which gives us opportunities to slow down and move mindfully, as well as poses that build gentle core connection. We will use this gentle grounded feeling to explore a challenging balance - half moon pose (Ardha Chandrasana), where we will build and earn the pose, rather than rushing to reach it. We will scatter components of the pose throughout our class, developing and growing the elements of the balance to achieve our peak pose.

I would love for you to join me!

Wednesday 19:45-20:45
Mixed Level Vinyasa Flow
St James Road Methodist Church
FREE FIRST CLASS

Wednesday 19:45-20:45
Live-Stream Mixed Level Vinyasa Flow
Via Zoom from St James Road Methodist Church

Thursday 10-11
Mixed Level Vinyasa Flow
October Books, Portswood
FREE FIRST CLASS

To Book:
www.emmamajoryoga.co.uk
[email protected]

Dates for your diary:
No classes on the 28th or 29th October

Wow I can’t believe how long it has been since we were last on the mat together! I hope that everyone has had a wonderful few weeks and I hope that you are excited to get back to class!

We have had a busy few weeks with family and friends and enjoyed a wonderful holiday in Croatia! What a beautiful country with the most amazing natural scenery and so much more to explore than we managed to squeeze in this time!

As we return to yoga this week, we will take a classic, slow vinyasa flow. We will start gently, warming up our bodies and reconnecting to our breath, before we move into Sun Salutations and Warrior Flow sequences. And with the slightly cooler weather that is forecast this week, we can lean into movement and muscle engagement a little more.

This will be an opportunity to reintroduce your body and mind to your yoga practice, if you have taken a little break.

I would love for you to join me!

Wednesday 19:45-20:45
Mixed Level Vinyasa Flow
St James Road Methodist Church
FREE FIRST CLASS

Wednesday 19:45-20:45
Live-Stream Mixed Level Vinyasa Flow
Via Zoom from St James Road Methodist Church

Thursday 10-11
Mixed Level Vinyasa Flow
October Books, Portswood
FREE FIRST CLASS

To Book:
www.emmamajoryoga.co.uk
[email protected]

Dates for your diary:
No yoga classes during October Half Term (28th & 29th October)

What a hot few weeks we have had in class leading up to our summer break!

We now have a few weeks off classes to cool off while I take some time away from class to spend with my family.

Have a wonderful few weeks and I look forward to seeing you back on the mat on Wednesday the 19th and Thursday the 20th August!

As the hot weather continues, I hope everyone is conserving their energy and giving themselves permission to slow down and do less! It’s been a busy week of birthdays in our house, but we have also tried to find moments of calm.

And as we come into our final class before our summer break, I want to bring this idea of calm pause into our practice by taking a balance focussed flow. Balances can be challenging, involving muscular engagement, core work, mental focus and connected breath.

But in this hot weather, our focus will be on the calm and steadiness that we can find within our balance postures, the mental focus and the regulation of breath.

We will take time to connect with our feet and feel their connection to the ground, as well as appreciating our body’s natural ability to respond to single leg stance. Balances can be a fun challenge, but also a vital skill for other physical activity, such as running, and also within our day to day life.

We will end with a restful and cooling Savasana .

I would love for you to join me!

Wednesday 19:45-20:45
Mixed Level Vinyasa Flow
St James Road Methodist Church
FREE FIRST CLASS

Wednesday 19:45-20:45
Live-Stream Mixed Level Vinyasa Flow
Via Zoom from St James Road Methodist Church

Thursday 10-11
Mixed Level Vinyasa Flow
October Books, Portswood
FREE FIRST CLASS

To Book:
www.emmamajoryoga.co.uk
[email protected]

Dates for your diary:
Last classes before our summer break will be the 15th & 16th July.
Back to classes on 19th & 20th August.

As it starts to heat up again this week, it is important for us to try to slow down and use our energy wisely. We have had a lovely weekend staying cool inside and keeping cool outside in nature under tree cover.

In yoga this week we will be slowing down and taking time to move mindfully while connecting to our breath. This class is an invitation to step out of the heat, the busyness, and the constant doing, and into a slower, steadier rhythm.

This week’s practice will be breath-led, using gentle movement and mindful breathing to help cool the body, settle the nervous system, and create a sense of spaciousness from the inside out.

We’ll move slowly, allowing the breath to guide each posture and soften into our bodies rather than rushing from one shape to the next. Expect calming stretches, grounding poses, and moments of stillness that encourage you to soften your body and connect with the present

Whether you’ve had a busy week or simply feel the need to pause, this practice offers the opportunity to slow down, reset, and leave feeling refreshed and balanced.

I would love for you to join me!

Wednesday 19:45-20:45
Mixed Level Vinyasa Flow
St James Road Methodist Church
FREE FIRST CLASS

Wednesday 19:45-20:45
Live-Stream Mixed Level Vinyasa Flow
Via Zoom from St James Road Methodist Church

Thursday 10-11
Mixed Level Vinyasa Flow
October Books, Portswood
FREE FIRST CLASS

To Book:
www.emmamajoryoga.co.uk
[email protected]

Dates for your diary:
Last classes before our summer break will be the 15th & 16th July.

Well what a scorcher it has been! And although some more warm weather looks like it’s on the horizon, this week offers us an opportunity for a little cool off and a chance for a reset; an opportunity to get some good quality sleep and rest and to catch up with all of those ‘jobs’ that were impossible as the temperatures soared!

In yoga this week we will be leaning into the cooler weather with a water element themed class, exploring the energy of flow, adaptability, intuition, and emotional balance.

When we observe water in nature we notice that rivers find their way around every obstacle, carving out a new path, and the ocean moves with the rhythm of the tides. Water reminds us that strength doesn’t always come from pushing harder. Sometimes it comes from softening, surrendering, and trusting the natural current of life.

Our practice will invite fluid movement, gentle transitions, and mindful breath to help release tension and create space within. We’ll focus on opening the side body and spine, encouraging ease in both body and mind and bringing a sense of calm, mindful presence on the mat.

Whether you’re feeling energized, overwhelmed, or simply in need of a reset, this practice is an opportunity to slow down and go with where your body takes you and you will leave feeling refreshed, grounded, and renewed.

I would love for you to join me!

Wednesday 19:45-20:45
Mixed Level Vinyasa Flow
St James Road Methodist Church
FREE FIRST CLASS

Wednesday 19:45-20:45
Live-Stream Mixed Level Vinyasa Flow
Via Zoom from St James Road Methodist Church

Thursday 10-11
Mixed Level Vinyasa Flow
October Books, Portswood
FREE FIRST CLASS

To Book:
www.emmamajoryoga.co.uk
[email protected]

Dates for your diary:
Last classes before our summer break will be the 15th & 16th July.

Well the sun got the message and it definitely feels as though summer has returned! We have had a lovely weekend outside enjoying the sunshine but interspersed with a lot of rest. Did anyone get up to do 108 sun salutations for the Summer Solstice?

There won’t be 108 sun salutations this week in class, because when it’s this hot we need to shift our activity and how we behave. We can’t carry on in the same way that we always do because our bodies need to slow down and we need to give ourselves permission to do so!

So don’t worry, in yoga this week we will be leaning into the heat and slowing things right down. We will be taking a slow stretchy restorative stye class. There will be a small amount of slow mindful movement, before we slow right down and ease into rest giving ourselves a little summer reset and full permission to do so.

I would love for you to join me!

Wednesday 19:45-20:45
Mixed Level Vinyasa Flow
St James Road Methodist Church
FREE FIRST CLASS

Wednesday 19:45-20:45
Live-Stream Mixed Level Vinyasa Flow
Via Zoom from St James Road Methodist Church

Thursday 10-11
Mixed Level Vinyasa Flow
October Books, Portswood
FREE FIRST CLASS

To Book:
www.emmamajoryoga.co.uk
[email protected]

Dates for your diary:
Last classes before our summer break will be the 15th & 16th July.

I think that last week’s Sun Salutations and summer focussed class has started to work to welcome back the summer sun ;-) I hope that you have all had a lovely weekend!

In yoga this week we will be continuing with our summer theme as we head towards the Summer Solstice on the 21st June. Last week we welcomed the summer (back) with a heart opening class.

And this week we will be leaning into our summer theme with some core work to build a little heat, as well as lots of sun salutations to reflect this time of year when the sun keep us company for the longest.

We will be exploring tree pose (Vrksasana) in different ways as we reflect upon the beauty and abundance of nature that summer brings (especially if there’s a bit of rain as well :-))

I would love for you to join me!

Wednesday 19:45-20:45
Mixed Level Vinyasa Flow
St James Road Methodist Church
FREE FIRST CLASS

Wednesday 19:45-20:45
Live-Stream Mixed Level Vinyasa Flow
Via Zoom from St James Road Methodist Church

Thursday 10-11
Mixed Level Vinyasa Flow
October Books, Portswood
FREE FIRST CLASS

To Book:
www.emmamajoryoga.co.uk
[email protected]

Dates for your diary:
Last classes before our summer break will be the 15th & 16th July.