In the heart of Kent lies Bedgebury Forest and Pinetum and it is here that Gabriella Atkinson felt a calling to set up her yoga studio. Rather than erecting brick walls Gabriella chose to create a permanent state of the art tent so that her students could feel a deep connection to nature.
The ancient discipline of yoga creates a connection between mind and body through physical and mental practices. Gabriella felt a calling to practice and study and now shares her experience and knowledge to help others.
Sanctuary
Bedgebury Forest Yoga is a peaceful sanctuary for those looking to discover themselves, honouring the traditional eastern practices of chanting, pranayama and asana teaching. We must help ourselves first before we help others and our greatest gift is a commitment to this endeavour.
Gabriella Atkinson
In 2015 Gabriella completed training in Thai Yoga Massage (therapeutic style of massage combining soft tissue manipulation techniques, assisted yoga postures, breathing and meditation) with Nick Barrett of ‘Yoga Tree of Life’. Her work with this school facilitated her 200-hour teacher training in Iyengar style yoga.
In 2018 she also completed a 200-hour teacher training in Sivananda Yoga and has achieved a Level 1 Certificate in Massage Therapy from Ayurvedic Institute U.K. She is currently undertaking a Yin certificate programme with Bernie Clark and will complete that shortly.
Styles of Yoga
Yin Yoga
Yin is a slow-paced style of yoga that incorporates the principles of traditional Chinese Medicine. Although an ancient practice, it was only established as “Yin” in the 1980’s when Paul Grilley and Sarah Powers delved into its function to stand alone as a practice and not just a complementary add on to the more yang energy based disciplines.
The asanas (poses) stretch and target both the deep connective tissues between the muscles, and the fascia throughout the body. For beginners asanas may be held from forty-five seconds to two minutes whereas more advanced practitioners may stay in one asana for five minutes or more. Yin yoga improves flexibility, increases circulation in the joints and helps us to regulate the body’s flow of energy.
Iyengar Yoga
Named after its founder B.K.S Iyengar who was one of the principle teachers responsible for introducing Yoga to the West, Iyengar Yoga is the practice of precision, paying close attention to alignment and the anatomical details of each pose. Props are often used to help modify each asana for the student’s individual requirements (this method is designed to be therapeutic for specific conditions), enabling them to hold the poses for long periods cultivating strength, stability and flexibility.
Sivananda Yoga
Sivananda Yoga comes from the lineage of Swami Sivananda and was introduced to the west by his disciple Swami Vishnudevananda in the late 1950’s. It is based on five principles for optimal health and spiritual growth;
- Proper Exercise (Asana)
- Proper Breathing (Pranayama)
- Proper Relaxation (Savasana)
- Proper Diet (Vegetarian)
- Positive thinking (Vedanta) and meditation (Dhvana)
The goal of this practice is to promote mental, physical and spiritual well-being by following a set sequence of twelve basic poses. The poses are practiced slowly and with control to strengthen and stretch the body as well as open the chakras.