Yes! All classes/appointments/offerings must be prebooked.

Booking is quick and easy – and you can book multiple classes at once. You will receive auto-reminders of any up-and-coming bookings you have.

Booking is important to reserve your place (we have a max. capacity at all our venues) and we don’t want you to be disappointed! We also need to be able to contact those who are attending in case of any changes/particulars.

This is a big question and there are many different perspectives (as well as many misconceptions!).

Yoga has been around for centuries, therefore the true origin of yoga is a little vague and at times disputed.

In it’s most basic form yoga is a mix of:

-          Physical postures and movements (asana)

-          Breathing exercises (pranayama)

-          Meditation and relaxation (dyhana)

Yoga is also very much about the connection of breath to body, body to mind, and mind to heart. In fact the word yoga actual means ‘to join together’ or ‘to unite’. You can think of yoga as a philosophy and an holistic approach to health and wellbeing.

Yoga originated in India and was first mentioned in texts called The Vedas and there have been many ‘eras’ of yoga.  Interestingly, the modern western approach to yoga often focuses on the poses (asana) however this was not the case centuries ago; in the early centuries, yoga was more about wise men sitting in meditation for hours and doing a few stretches before sitting down again!

Check out The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali in which he refers to ‘the 8 limbs of yoga’ to find out more about yoga and yoga philosophy.

Put simply, yoga is NOT:

-          About being the most flexible, looking good or wearing all the kit

-          A cult or a religion

-          Just about exercise (although that is a great place to start!)

-          Just for women (yoga is great for men too!)

-          A one size fits all practice (which is what we love and appreciate about yoga!)

There are so many benefits to practicing yoga which include health benefits for body and mind, including:

-          Increasing flexibility, strength and lung function

-          Improving posture and arthritis symptoms

-          Reducing stress, anxiety and depression, physical pain/discomfort and blood pressure

-          Easing menopause symptoms

-          Boosting mood, energy and immunity

-          Releasing physical tension in the body

-          Helping neurological conditions

-          Regulating the nervous system

-          Supporting, bone health and lymphatic flow

-          Increasing lung capacity and improving lung function

-          Loosening tight and painful muscles

-          Lowering blood pressure

-          And so many more!

Yoga can help you to feel calmer and more balanced, enabling you to go about daily life with greater ease.

Yes! In fact this is a great reason to start a regular yoga practice! Many people think that you have to be flexible to begin yoga but that is like thinking you need to be able to play piano to take piano lessons!

Our bodies are amazing and you will find a regular yoga practice will enhance your flexibility, strength and co-ordination.

If you are an active sporty type (e.g. running, golf, swimming) you will find yoga is a great way to increase flexibility to improve performance and reduce injuries!

Everyone is different with some of us being early birds and others night owls! For most yogis it comes down to whenever you can fit yoga in.

A morning practice is great to relieve tension and stiffness in the body and an energising practice is a wonderful way to start the day.

For some people evenings are preferred to unwind form the day.

And for others anytime between works well for their lifestyle!

Remember even a 10 minute yoga session at home will be of great benefit to you.

Each yoga practice will typically include a variety of movements – standing, sitting, lying, kneeling, stretching and so on.

Wear comfortable clothing such as leggings or slim joggers, stretchy tops and layer up as you will get warm as we practice and cool down as we relax at the end of each class. 

Avoid wearing overly baggy tops and bottoms and items such as belts or dangly jewellery.

We will practice yoga in bare feet (for safety and to stretch and strengthen our feet muscles!) so please try to minimise walking around the venue in your shoes.

If you have your own mat and blocks, please bring them with you. Many yogis choose to use their own mats as our yoga mat can become our best friend!  If you do not have a mat do not worry as mats and blocks are available for you to use and these are cleaned after each use (note – we do have limited stock).

You might want to bring a cushion to sit on or place under your head as we move through our practice. A towel is also useful to use as a strap or pad out various parts of your body on the mat. Using these items will also help you to understand how these props can support you in your practice at home.

Bring your water bottle with you as yoga can be thirsty work.

Please do not walk on all the mats or props – your mat is your own private space to settle in for the duration of our time together. 

Please turn all mobile devices, watches, phones etc. to silent.

Classes will start promptly so please be on time for the start (arrive a few minutes before if possible) and expect to stay to the end of the class to minimise disruption for your fellow yogis.

Any props/belongings you have brought to with you will need to placed tidily and safely near you.

We will practice yoga in bare feet (for safety and to stretch and strengthen our feet muscles!) so please try to minimise walking around the venue in your shoes; and please do not walk on the mats with shoes!

A private session is a great way to start your practice or further an existing practice. You can book regular sessions or ad hoc sessions for when you want to focus a little bit more on you.

Private sessions can really help you gain initial experience when starting out and each session class is all about you, so you can take your time to work on poses and breath techniques as well as building a strong foundation to grow your practice.

Different people come to yoga for different reasons. These sessions also allow you to choose (and change) the focus and what areas you might like to delve deep into so you can centre on personal goals and needs.

Some people choose to take private sessions as they find it less stressful as they feel more comfortable and less self-conscious when not in a group setting. Remember private sessions can come to you – contact us at [email protected] or hit ‘ask a question’ below to find out more.

We all lead busy lives and this is one of the top reasons which stops people from taking care of their health and well being needs. A private session can flex with your schedule as you don’t need to choose the same time or day each time.  

Some people choose to use private sessions to prepare themselves to join a group setting later whilst others love a regular session just for them. Whatever your choice… choose what’s right for you!

Read more about private sessions here!

To book: The Lotus Bloom Yoga Co. - Offerings or get in touch [email protected]

Don’t see a time which works for you? Get in touch we can offer other times!

We are all made differently, and we have differing ranges of motion, movement and so our poses will look and feel different.  Yoga is about finding out what works for you and your body!

Your yoga class is for you…try to focus on yourself and not to worry what others are doing!

And don’t worry…your yoga teacher is there to guide you and ensure you are always working within your safe and functional movement range of movement.

It is best to avoid practicing yoga straight after a main meal as this can make you feel uncomfortable and even sluggish, as well as possibly interfering with your practice.

It’s ok to practice yoga after eating small/light snacks. If we are practicing early in the morning we often like to start the day with a banana or oat bar before heading to our practice!

For most people the answer is probably yes! In fact, many people practice yoga as a way to manage and support physical and mental health conditions. Yoga poses can be adapted to suit different health conditions or injuries and there are many different styles of yoga which may be better for certain conditions.

If you have not practiced yoga before and do have a medical condition or injury we always ask that you consult with a health professional to get advice about any poses or movements you may need to avoid.

If you are already practicing yoga it is often ok to continue to practice yoga – and in fact a great practice to keep up! It is however advisable to practice with an appropriately trained yoga professional.

At this time, The Lotus Bloom Yoga Co, is unable to offer class placements if you are pregnant.

If you have recently given birth you will need to ensure you have visited your GP to ascertain your physical fitness to participate in yoga.

Put simply and unequivocally…yes! Our breath is our superpower!

The way in which we breath can affect our mental focus, energy levels, emotional state and much more. It acts as a direct link between body and mind.

When we practice yoga our inhales and exhales help us to regulate our nervous system as well as go deeper into our poses. It is also important to recognise our posture, and our alignment can impact how we breath.  

However, it is just as important to focus on our breath when we are off our mat. By consciously learning different breath techniques and being able to breath fully and deeply, we can move through day life and stresses with greater ease and less effort.

Oh and remember…if you can breathe, you can do yoga!

Your yoga teacher may sometime use both English and Sanskrit words to describe yoga poses – e.g Downward dog/Adho mukha Svanasana or childs pose/balasana. Other Sanskit words you may be familiar with are mudra, prana, Drishti, asana…

Sanskit is the ancient language which the first yogis used.

We believe yoga is for everyone and we always try to make our classes friendly, informative and inclusive. We love to demystify yoga and we are always happy to answer questions from our lovely yogis!

Remember, yoga is a practice and each time we practice we find something new. Some days our poses may flow and other days not so much! We always try to offer modifications and variations of poses and encourage our yogis to try different versions and to really understand how the poses feel. It is better to focus on your own style and approach for your yoga practice rather than being a yoga robot!

How we move, breath, think and feel on the mat is often a reflection of how we do things off the mat! By practicing yoga we learn to understand the connection of mind and body, improve our self-awareness and recognise that what’s going on in our inner world is often a reflection of our outer world and vice versa.

If you can keep an open mind and stay curious…you might just learn something new! But as always, we say…take what you like and leave what you don’t! Your yoga practice and yoga journey is unique to you and will often change over the years.

Oh, and finally…have fun! Laughter, wobbles, forgetting what is your left or right or how to breathe is all part of it!

Chakras

The more you practice yoga, you will know that yoga can become so much more than a physical experience.

The chakra system is as old as yoga itself! Chakras can be thought of as wheels (or centres) of energy and are located from the root of our spine to the crown of our head; with each chakra being associated to different parts of the body and emotion. Essentially these are points of energy located through our subtle body and these can sometimes become blocked or imbalanced.

There are seven main chakras (root, sacral, solar plexus, heart, throat and crown) being linked to different elements, body parts, colours, senses and emotions. Importantly, chakras can help shape our awareness so if we feel a little out of whack our yoga practice can help us to get back on track!

Mudras

You may have an image of someone sitting cross legged with their thumb and forefinger together if you think about yoga or mediation. Such hand gestures are important in yoga and known as mudras. Mudra simply means ‘seal’, ‘mark’ or ‘gesture’,

Mudras have been around for thousands of years and traditionally thought to help focus our subtle energy or flow of energy around the body as well as aiding in healing for body and mind. Different mudras can be used when e.g. focusing on a particular chakra or simply to help you keep focus.  

We may take a mudra at any point in our practice, however they are often practiced during mediation or when we are using different breath technics.

Like chakras, mudras are linked to different elements and there are many variations to learn!

Our booking system is simple and convenient. It allows you to access and book our offerings (e.g. classes, courses, workshops, private sessions and more!) no matter what time of day it is or where you are. It also saves you time as no need to wait to see if there is space for you! You can check out all the latest offerings, price deals and at a time that suits you as well as add yourself to a ‘wait list’ should space not be available for your chosen offering.

All our offerings must be prebooked and paid for prior to attending. Once you have booked and paid, you will receive a confirmation email and information about your chosen booking. Please take a few moments to read this through.

Payment via the website is taken via Stripe. On occasion, if for any reason this has not been possible a payment can be made directly with The LBY Co. via Sum Up or cash. 

All bookings are final, no refunds or exchanges can be given so please be sure of your purchase. Think of your mat like a front-row theatre ticket—just like you wouldn't expect a refund if you missed the opening night of Wicked, we can’t fill your spot once the 'show' (or the Savasana) starts!

But...we know life happens and on occasion you may need to amend your booking with The LBY Co. 

A class 'rebooking' must be at least 24 hours before the class starts. You will be issued with a credit or you can transfer to a class of your choice (if eligible/space permitting). Cancellations made after 24 hours will be charged.

Private sessions as above.  

Workshops/mini-events (i.e. offerings which are less regular) cancellations must be at least 7 days prior to the event, subject to the space being filled by another yogi. A credit up to the value of the price purchased for will be issued if the space can be filled minus a 10% admin fee.

Event series – no credits or refunds will be provided as the full dates of the offerings will be listed ahead of purchase.

Course cancellations – please see separate terms and conditions which are included in your booking information.

Bespoke offerings and corporate events – please see separate terms and conditions which are included in your booking information.