Sunday 15th June
Sunday 20th July

Come and spend a day in nature practicing asana, pranayama, meditation and mantra as a way of exploring our inner/outer landscapes and reconnecting with our Heartwood.

All are welcome

Food to share - low impact and vegetarian please. There will be a campfire for hot drinks and drinking water is provided.

Time: 10am - 5pm

Cost: £28/£23

For further information or bookings please contact Beka: 07960 520128 or email Beka

This absorbing events will include Kriya (cleansing), bandha (energy locks/ lit formation), asana (postures), Pranayama (breath work), Mantra (integrating chanting) and Dhyana (meditation/resting in a concentrated mind).

£18/£15 concessions

To book, see Jim at a class and pay a deposit of £5 to hold your space or telephone 0796 019 2662.

Anahata Health Clinic, 119-120 Edward Street, Brighton

Suitable for all levels
Drop-ins £7/£6; £30/£25 for 5 consecutive weeks

‘Silence which is not the silence of the ending of noise is only a small beginning. It is like going through a small hole to an enormous, wide, expansive ocean, to an immeasurable timeless state.’ - J. Krishnamurti

For further information and bookings please call Beka: 07960 520128 or e-mail

One, that you have completed the Vajrasati 500 hours Yoga Alliance-registered teacher training course, (see conditions of graduation). And two, that on completion of the course that you stay in regular contact with other Vajrasati teachers, both in terms of class attendance and socially. This is the principle of ‘shared learning’. It is this principle that brings about the continuity within the school, rather than a more conservative ‘define and defend’ attitude.

Commitment, membership, joining a group are expressions that can bring up entirely justified fears and anxieties. In their turn they can evoke fears of homogenisation, peer pressure, brainwashing, and the like, which will sound off alarm bells in any one who values free thinking. Furthermore, from these kinds of thoughts, dualities such as obedience/rebellion, conformist/non-conformist, which tap into primal currents such as belonging and it’s ever presence twin, exclusion. These, of course, are highly emotive and we are left with only a few choices; rejecting the whole ball game, taking it all on wholesale or recognition and subtlety. For this last reason then, it is important to recognise what the Vajrasati teacher’s certificate does and does not mean.

The Vajrasati teachers certificate does not mean.
* That you have to teach yoga in exactly the same way or even with the same form as your peers.
* That Vajrasati Yoga is outside of the individuals that the term connotes. Therefore it is not something separate to oneself, which one has to try and distort or deny oneself to fit into.
* That one’s creative ideas and discoveries have to be compromised. The overwhelming principle of Vajrasati Yoga is that the group grows with the individual not the individual shrinks to fit the group. A mature attitude would be that if one is confident enough in one’s discoveries (this has a lot to do with one’s motivation; if is motivated by a sense of responsibility to one’s students, passion for the subject and a real desire to try and be helpful) then there will be nothing threatening about putting them out there where imparting to others one’s discoveries can only really result in shared learning and refinement of one’s ideas.
* That you are teaching yoga without reference or support.
* That you are teaching yoga without testing, clarifying and refining your ideas in the fire of practice, debate and feedback.

The Vajrasati teachers certificate does mean.
* That you teach safely. Not using your students as guinea pigs for something that you have not tried and tested on yourself, and perhaps with your peers, several times.
* That you attend shared learning events and Vajrasati days, which will be forums to facilitate communication, discussion and experimentation.
* That if you are trying something very different from anything that you’ve seen or heard of within the school, firstly that you have tried and tested it, and secondly that you bounce your ideas off others in the community, like a sort of mirror. This does require that members are not conservative and exercise discernment over discrimination when feeding back to one another.

Restorative yoga is a gentle, nurturing yoga practice in which the body is fully supported in a series of adapted yoga postures, allowing us to stay more comfortably in poses for longer and enabling deep relaxation.

This way of practicing is a perfect antidote to times when we feel stressed and pressured and, when practiced regularly, gives us the opportunity to alleviate the affects of stress on the body, which can have a negative affect on our health, as well as being detrimental to our emotional and mental wellbeing.

In supporting the body physically, we foster a sense of mental and emotional support, creating an environment where we are able to release tension without forcefulness, and experience a calm, deeply relaxed state.

The Sunday session gives ample opportunity to relax, release and renew in the lovely Bodhi Garden, located in the South Laines, and just five minutes from the beach. There will be a short introduction to the practice for any newcomers and time for a nice cup of tea afterwards.

Space is limited, so the maximum number of places will be 10. Please book your place in class by either emailing Tracey Clare, or calling on 01273 387 620. Equipment will be provided, but if you can bring along a couple of blankets, it might prove useful (we can always use more blankets in Restorative Yoga!).

The class will be run on dana or donation, with a suggested amount of £10/15.

Please note, if you have any condition or complaint that might effect your ability to stay comfortably in poses for long periods of time, or are unsure about the suitability of the class for you, please get in touch to talk it though with TC prior to the class.

Classes will be dana, or donation based, (suggested £4/6 as appropriate).

No need to bring anything with you, all equipment will be provided, but wear comfy clothes, (a couple of layers) and warm socks!

For more information, calling Tracy Clare on 01273 387 620, or email

Neti health benefits
* Neti removes all the dirt and bacteria-filled mucus from within the nose.
* It also helps to drain the sinus cavities. This will help to reprogram the body’s natural mechanisms against nasal infections such as hay fever, allergies, sinusitis and other upper respiratory complaints like sore throats and coughs, post nasal drip, inflammation of tonsils and adenoids.
* Illnesses such as asthma and bronchitis can be eased as it reduces the tendency for mouth breathing by freeing the nostrils of mucus.
* It has a cooling and soothing effect on the brain by drawing out excessive heat, and is therefore beneficial for headaches, migraine, epilepsy, temper tantrums, hysteria, depression and general mental tension.
* Problems associated with the eyes. It helps flush the tear ducts, encouraging better vision and giving a sparkle to the eyes.
* It can be beneficial for certain types of ear disorders such as middle ear infections, glue ear and tinnitus.
* Neti improves sensitivity of the olfactory nerves, helping to restore lost sense of smell, and thereby benefits the relationship with taste and digestive processes.
* It has subtle effects on the pineal and pituitary glands which control the hormonal system. This has a harmonizing effect on emotional behaviours.
* Neti is excellent for those trying to give up smoking. As it reduces the tendency for mouth breathing, Neti re-sensitises the nose to the actual pollution of ingesting smoke, thereby de-programming the brain of the physical and psychological addiction.

Neti as yoga practice
Apart from the many health benefits, Neti is also a yoga practice. In other words, the process of executing the technique, necessarily involves relaxed attention, and the neti’s benefits are extended through practicing with this yogic attitude. Feeling the water flow and allowing it to pass through will both deepen and relax your attention. It draws the senses inwards (pratayahara) and calms the mind into a deeper and more immediate relationship with the practice and consequently life. This intimacy, absorption (dhrana) points the mind to the deeper awareness where duality is transcended and only relationship counts (Samadhi).

Neti as ritual
Daily practice of Neti is also a cleansing ritual. Nowadays, ritual is sometimes viewed as antiquated, or even primitive. Ritual is primal in that it connects to deeper patterns in our being that go deeper than race, gender and culture. Ritual is essentially a language without words. The practice of Neti points to fresh starts, receptivity and mental clarity. In this way it helps to set our intentions for the day.

Neti as surrender
An essential component of a successful life is the ability to let go, to trust - not life’s specifics but life itself. In the practice of Jala Neti, this principle is essential, otherwise the sinuses ‘grip’ and do not allow the water to pass through. Doubt is seen as a hindrance in eastern philosophy because it stops us moving forwards. And it has an amazing ability to keep us caught up in conversation with it until it is too late.

Without surrender, one will never feel the supports within and without us and it is this principle that underpins the yogic experience of Ishvara Pranidhana, or dedication surrender to , the lord – not to be understood as subservience to an outside force, but as a recognition of the universal intelligence or non personal “knowing” that allows us to “know” without having to refer to social, personal philosophical stand points.

How to Practice Jala Neti stage one
1. Prepare the saline solution: comfortable nasal cleaning needs correct salt concentration ratio to water and correct water temperature. The solution should have the same salt concentration as your tears (0.9%) and be warmed to normal body temperature or a bit warmer. If the salt concentration is too low or too high, the experience can be unpleasant. Water that is too cool will cause the nasal membranes to swell which is uncomfortable, defeating the purpose of the wash. Water that is too hot will burn the sensitive nasal mucosa. The solution should be prepared with filtered water and a pure, non-iodized salt. The amount of salt you need to add will depend upon both the volume of water you use and the texture of the salt you select. Some Neti pots come with salt and a measuring spoon, but if not then the mixture is around 1 scant teaspoon salt (that’s slightly less than a teaspoon as oppose to a level teaspoon) 16 ounces (500 ml) warm water.

2. How to practice: Do neti over a sink or outdoors. Hold the pot in one hand and place the spout into one nostril, so that it fits snugly. A good neti pot will have a smooth spout with a wide-to-narrow end to fit all nostrils, the stainless steel ones are usually best as they do not have a defined seam as some plastic ones can, the ceramic ones are often very comfortable but the jug capacity is often too small.
Lean forward, breathe in a relaxed way through the mouth and turn the head to one side. Now the water will flow by itself, in through one nostril and out of the other.

When half of the water has run through one nostril, gently blow out any remaining water and mucus. Then repeat this process in the other nostril and again, gently blow out any remaining water and mucus.

3. Dry immediately after Neti: bend forward and let your head hang loosely down with the crown facing directly down (bend your knees if needs be), so that the remaining water can run out of the nose. Blow gently (not forcefully) until the nose is dry. Then stand up and breathe rapidly in and out through one nostril while closing the other one of with your fingers or thumb five to ten times and repeat on the other side. Finally, breath rapidly in and out through both nostrils simultaneously, five to 10 times. This exercise to dry the nose is a vital part of nose cleansing, and should be done thoroughly every time.

Jala Neti Stage 2
The second stage of Jala Neti is called sinus bellowing. It’s a more advanced and powerful practice; therefore, first master the simpler version of Stage 1. Ideally, this stage of Neti should be supervised by a teacher on your first few attempts.

Begin with Stage 1 (above) to clear out the frontal nasal passages; it is not necessary to dry the nose fully between Stages 1 and 2. A few gentle blows out into the sink are sufficient before refilling the neti pot.

On the second pot – while the water is running through from one nostril to the other – gently sniff backwards and spit out of the mouth. The easiest way is to draw one slow, long inhalation through the nose and “bubble” the water as it goes through. Avoid quick sharp snorts or you may send water up the ear tubes and sinuses. On the exhalation, that water is spat out the mouth. One or two slow sniffs will use half a pot. Repeat on the other side for several slow sniffs to drain the pot. Try not to swallow any water when sniffing backwards.

Repeat the full drying process as many times as it takes so that no water is left in the sinuses.

Kapalabhati is a breathing technique used for cleansing, it is very similar to the pranayama technique bhastrika, but it is milder.

Where in bhastrika the breath is like a bellows, in Kapalabhati the lungs are used as a pump, creating pressure as they expel the air so that all the waste is removed from the air passages, from the lungs to the nostrils. The exhalation is pumped out and there is a slight pause (bahya kumbhaka) after exhalation before the inhalation is drawn in spaciously. Kapalabhati can help problems with the sinuses and numbness around the eyes, and invigorate the liver, spleen pancreas and abdominal organs.

* Sit in a comfortable cross-legged position.
* Take two or three deep inhales and exhales through the nose to prepare.
* Inhale to a comfortable level, and then exhale sharply and forcefully through the nose, drawing the belly in as you exhale.
* Pause briefly (ba(r)hya kumbhaka)
* Let the inhalation happen passively, and continue this cycle of forceful exhales and passive inhales.
* Do three rounds of ten to 20 breaths each, coming back to deep in- and exhalations between each round.
* Return to normal breathing if you feel light-headed at any time.