Sunday Sangha

So what is this Sunday Sangha, that Hillside Yoga was offering?

I was looking for a space to explore the non-physical aspects of my yoga practice and as I watched my Meadowlark teachers move out and on to new adventures, I “followed” Nadine to Hillside Yoga Collective/Ashtanga Yoga Edinburgh: and there is where I landed on Sunday Sangha. Sam Horsley created a warm welcome to the community offering of “weaving together storytelling, chanting, pranayama and philosophical discussion”. Ah, the beauty of online access to the yoga community.

Sunday morning, for 40mins I was able to listen, practice and reflect on the suggested focus for the session: dedication of your practice for the wellbeing of others.

Must admit the opening chant got me a bit tongue tied, but after a few rounds I was slightly less so and had more rhythm: pranayama consisted of a few rounds of bhramari breath to create focus and presence and then a discussion on why it’s important to consider dedication of your practice to the wellbeing of all.

Then a lovely “metta” (loving kindness) meditation which really resonated with me and proved that I could absolutely shift my thinking and the narrative from negativity to “loving kindness”. Lovely practice, and bringing the meditation to a close, we reminded ourselves to extend that kindness TO ourselves.

More chanting, more tongue-tying, but hey, practice makes perfect. And a joy to see the youngest of all “yogi’s” on screen, having a blast!

You can find the Sunday Sangha (Community) on ashtangayogaedinburgh.co.uk go try it, it’s an inclusive space and you’ll be warmly welcomed if you are looking to extend your yoga practice beyond the physical.