The Lovely & Inspirational Sasha from YogaOne in Dunsborough

Dunsborough is lucky enough to have my beautiful friend Sasha Taylor North teaching yoga there.  I have been to her classes and just love them.

Her strength, alignment, balance and flexibility combined with grace and ease and not to mention her gorgeous heart, make her truly inspirational.  She has a big following on her instagram account where she posts some amazing photos.

I asked her to write a few words for you about yoga … what she loves about it, what it means to her and also about her business YogaOne …

Sasha runs YogaOne, a yoga studio providing general level, gentle and kids yoga classes in Dunsborough/Yallingup. She runs 6 classes a week from the Naturaliste Community Centre in Dunsborough, a light, friendly, unpretentious community centre. Private classes and Group bookings are popular amongst visitors and over 50s in their accommodation or homes. ‘My yoga style is mainly vinyasa with some hatha yoga and a dash of Yin! I focus on great alignment, strength and stability of the joints particularly the back, core and breath with movement’.

A session of yoga asana practice is in essence, being kind to yourself.  For about an hour you are absorbed in a moving meditation where you are truly present, a precious respite from the chaos, rush and overstimulation of your daily existence.

Regardardless if you are a beginner or an experienced practitioner, the moment you engage in yoga practice you will discover that the practice is the reward in itself.

Through the practice of postures we release pent-up tensions that have accumulated in our body, and we further refine our physical senses so that we become sensitive, adaptive and resilient.

Like a surfer out on the ocean swell, we start to align ourselves with the ebb and flow of life rather than fight it. This more relaxed rhythm allows us to reflect rather than react, to soften rather than harden and to see clearly how things are now.

The point of practising asana is to become sensitive, attuned, adaptable. Whether we attain great gymnastic abilities becomes entirely inconsequential in the context of yoga as a life practice. ‘'Advanced' practice is any movement that brings us closer to this recognition of our true self'. Donna Farhi 2004

The business idea of YogaOne grew out of a lifelong hobby of yoga practice. Yoga has had a place in my life since high school, more for the benefits it brings to my person than my body. Yoga’s physical practice is very natural to my body and people have always been inspired to try it after seeing some poses and the strength and flexibility it gives you.

I love yoga and am passionate about it! It provides benefits on so many levels, in my experience more so than any other exercise, but it is also the hardest work because you have to show up, be present and find stillness, whilst working your body with strength, flexibility and balance often at the same time. It’s much easier to exercise the body whilst being distracted by others or your environment, but the mind benefits are not as profound. The many options for your skill level mean that it can be entirely adapted to suit most people, I teach people from 4 years old to 80 years old, quite the inspiration! I live by the motto a wise person once shared with me, ‘help others reach their full potential’.

My motivation was the interest from others to share my skills, I agree that “the meaning of life is to find your talents and the purpose of life is to give them away”. That resonates for me and can explain why I am teaching yoga, it was a no brainer really. I find that it allows me to be of service to others and that service is right there in your face at the end of each class, so it’s an instant reward to give and receive that love! Even people coming mostly for the workout appreciate the mental rewards even more at the end of class.

My favourite definition of yoga is:
‘Yoga is a set of behaviours that develops a holistic experience of the body, heart and mind. It is a process of fully inhabiting ourselves and our life in a radically engaging and inquisitive way. Through this training we develop a healthy capacity to literally take up residence in our bodies and minds which can then lead us into simple presence ... which serves as the ground for compassion and wisdom to emerge within us’.  Sarah Powers

click here to view more about YogaOne