Life can be stressful, it can bring us down or wind us up so much we could easily snap at any moment. And in some cases, we have already crashed, snapped and fallen apart and are now in the process of putting our life back together again.
This is where stress reduction techniques can help turnaround our life. Using different elements of yoga practice we cultivate coping mechanisms and ways of reducing our stress levels. There is a choide of physical exercises, breathing techniques or meditation.
Privately or groups
Some people will be comfortable with attending group classes – this could be one of Gary’s weekly classes or one of his workshops which focuses on stress reduction, see below or group classes.
While others will require personal attention, perhaps they would struggle with a group class and need the personal attention of a 1to1 class to focus on their needs.
Private lessons
In person class – in your home or work,
One hour class costs £60 daytime; £70 evening after 6pm
Discount: A block of 4 one-hour classes costs £55 per hour daytime = £220 for 4 classes, dates can vary; £65 per hr class (=£260) evening after 6pm, (there might be a surcharge for locations outside Bristol and North Somerset)
Online yoga class
One hour Class costs £35 daytime, £45 after 6pm
Discount: Block of 4 classes = £120 (£30 per hour); after 6pm £160
Courses or workshops
Short courses, taster sessions and workshops are available (see Workshops page for dates and details) – these can be tailored for individuals on one-to-one basis, general public groups or for the corporate sector (for employees in businesses and organisations).
Overview: The problem of stress
Stress is a part of modern life, but does it need to have such a negative affect on our lives? Some sources, including the Health & Safety Executive, estimate that stress affects one in five of the working population – including everyone from the newest recruit to a company director.
Stress has consistently been one of the most commonly reported types of work-related illness cited in the national Labour Force Survey (LFS) conducted by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Work-related stress caused workers in Great Britain to lose 10.4 million working days in 2011/12 based on the LFS data (source: the Health & Safety Executive).
These days more and more companies realise that spending some money on the well-being of their staff can help improve productivity and efficiency. A government report has concluded that for every £1 invested in wellbeing you can expect a £2.50 worth of gained productivity and efficiency.
Stress also impacts on personal and family life, causing illness, insomnia and other health problems.
The solution: courses for both workplace and for individuals
Using his experience as a meditation teacher and yoga teacher, Gary offers courses, including one-off taster sessions, aimed at reducing stress.
The courses are designed to be taught both in the workplace (companies and organisations) and also privately (one-to-one basis or small groups).
These can be run as a course over a limited time period, or, as a regular event (for example, weekly or monthly) – to fit in with the company’s timetable and budget. The sessions can take place in any room, eg conference/seminar room, using chairs, and wearing work/daily clothes. Ideal for the work place.
The sessions consist of advice on how to reduce and manage stress, as well as useful techniques that the individual can learn on the courses. These include mindfulness meditation and similar meditation techniques, along with breathing exercises, based on yoga pranayamas.
They are accessible and easy to learn – suitable for everyone, and an effective way of reducing stress and bringing balance to our lives. And in terms of work, this can help concentration levels and decision making – as a stress-free mind has the space and clarity to think properly.
The sessions can also be used to help those who suffer from chronic pain. Constant or repeated attacks of pain can ruin our lives. The classes offer techniques and advice that can help us reduce the impact that constant or repeated periods of pain can have on our lives.
Gary has been teaching these techniques, as part of his yoga and meditation teaching work, since 2002 and he himself has been practising meditation since 1995. He draws on his experience and knowledge to deliver a practical solution to stress and other negative states we experience in daily life.
For more information, call Gary on 0789 903 4645 or email him at gary@yogabristol.co.uk
