Yoga at Slades Farm with Elibeth's weekly sessions

1.What do you find is important when it comes to yoga?

Arriving. Arriving to the yoga practice is the most fundamental part because it allows you to be present and maintain a consistent attitude to develop in yourself.  Yes, there are some people who are more skilled but they all have had to start as a beginner at some point in time. 

2. How do you think yoga makes you feel?

It can make people feel so many different ways, depending what they bring to the practice. "That's one of the beauties of yoga", with the asanas (the different positions in yoga), we are re-aligning our state in our bodies. Some people cry, some people feel relaxed, some people really manage to be focused and present, and some people still feel they cannot focus as much. This is why Elibeth has chosen a vinyasa style of flow in her yoga classes because it allows there to be a greater focus on breathing and feeling comfortable, thinking about nothing except the simplicity of the 'flow' because it allows control over the overstimulated and contantly thought-provoking mind.

3. What makes your sessions special?

The focus is truly on how breathing always comes first. Each practice has different intentions, for example, releasing violence within or towards ourselves,gaining resilience, finding stillness, etc. Even during the indoor winter sessions, there is still a view of the outdoors infront of everyone. Many of the people who do yoga afterwards stay in the cafe to get coffee and it begins to create a comforting community where everyone can feel a sense of togetherness. During the summer time, we are all excited for the free park yoga to begin (starting the first Sunday of May), which donations can be given for charity. For now, she has classes each Friday at 9:30am to 10:30am and Sunday from 5-6pm. 

4. Why might people not do yoga?

A lot of people may not completely confident in themselves. But they do not know what they can achieve, they should know that there are no expectations to perform at a certain level. Elibeth makes her prices low and her classes inclusive because she wants to benefit people the most. People always say that they cannot go to yoga because they are not flexible. "That's what I hear the most- but actually the side effect of yoga is the flexibility. We come to yoga because we are not flexible. However flexibility is not only in the body, it is in the mind as well". If you do not have a growth mindset and are not willing to try new things out, people would not go to yoga. You would never know how well something will turn out for you unless you try it. 

What else would you like to tell the readers?

"We are living in a society in which we are exposed to so much. We adapt, of course, but still our nervous system will get affected by the constant overload of information from social media. Nowadays as a result we see much more cases of anxiety. Every night we are in this habit of charging our phones, but we don't really know how to charge ourselves. Some may say that it is only sleeping that we need, but actually there are so many kinds of resting. And for me, being a part of a community of yoga- it may be slades farm, it may be any other- gives you the oppportunity to meet many types of people with the same search- a search for tranquility, themselves, and a peace of mind. Yoga is about bringing what you learnt about yourself and sharing that to the world outside. It is learning how we can all be better beings and mindfully becoming more 'flexible' in a general sense."

If you would like to join her sessions or have any questions, her email is elibethoddy@gmail.com and instagram is @elibethoddy.