A word about our studio in Baker´s Corner ... as some of you know, our lovely space is located in the building beside the Baker´s Corner pub in Rochestown Avenue, Deansgrange, top floor. There is free parking at the back, which is handy, and the Pine Cone Cafe is just beside it. They serve good coffee, soft drinks and treat.
The studio is cozy, and we like lighting candles and fairy lights at night, which makes for a magical atmosphere. The studio also leads to Raju´s treatment room. Raju is, beside a great person, an Ayurveda practitioner, reflexologist, naturopath and Yoga teacher. I have tried his massages, and they are amazing!
Something important I would like to share about Yoga and Pilates for Everyone is that its name is very apt. Our classes really are for everyone, no matter your age, physical condition, ability or experience. I give plenty of options so you are always able to move at your own pace, take a rest when you need to, or do your own thing. You will not find anyone posing with super-expensive Yoga clothes, and you will not be made to do anything you are not comfortable with.
The atmosphere is what I like the most. There is nothing nicer than hearing you chat to one another, laugh, give someone a compliment, ask about someone who did not show up. We are forming a lovely community which is always open to newcomers, welcoming and curious.
Another important difference beween Yoga and Pilates for Everyone and other studios is that you are individuals here. I am proud to know each of you, to greet you personally, to answer your questions if you have any, and to be able to ask you about an injury or any other situation you shared with me. I know who everyone is and am in contact with all of you. How does it feel to step into a place where you are known and seen, rather than just being a name on a list?
I love having a chat with you, and your comments really make my day.
As you might know, we do Vinyasa Yoga, Prenatal Yoga, Trauma-Sensitive Yoga (Embodiment) and mat Pilates with bone-density exercises, as well as workshops where we use Yoga Nidra, Restorative Yoga and Self-Hypnosis (taught by my friend and colleague Brendan Reid). At the end of each workshop, homemade cake and tea are a must. And now we have organised a retreat in Sardinia, which is fully booked!
Since we opened in 2020, we have been on a real journey of discovery and growth. I had no idea, when I started my teacher training course full of doubts and fears, that for the first time in my life I would feel what it is like to have purpose, and to do a job I absolutely love.
I think, and hope, that my love for it comes through during our practices, and that you feel supported, seen and valued. This studio really is made by all the people who kick their shoes off at the threshold and unroll their mats in the space. Every single one of you has been helping me build it up to what it is now, and beyond.
Another important point is that I have been trying, and for the time being succeeded, to keep the prices much lower than the average. This is not easy but I strive to maintain this level, which allows most people to come to one or more classes a week in the studio. I know what it is like to love a class but not be able to go due to costs.
If some of you read this blog post, please feel free to comment on it and share your experiences, whether you come to Baker´s Corner for classes or only for workshops.
At the end of each Yoga classes, I give people (if they choose to have it) a little forehead massage with a deliciously scented oil I purchase from the lovely Karen at Wild Oats. And sometimes, as I walk around the room to do this, I look towards the windows, towards the fairy lights and the big lanterns, and I am overwhelmed by a feeling of gratitude for the magic of this place, and of this practice.
Have you noticed you might not want to go to your practice at all sometimes, but if you drag yourself there you never regret it in the end? That is because it is so good for you. It gets you out of your head and into your body; it reunites you with your breath; it enhances your mental health; it improves your flexibility and circulation, it helps you relax, it brings you into contact with lovely people. You are doing something for yourself – of course you feel better afterwards!
And as for Pilates, it helps you strengthen your core and keep your spine safe; it improves your posture and strength, and our addition of bone-density exercises is a great plus for everyone, especially women over 50.
The greatest thing is that everything you say to me makes me want to learn more in order to assist you in your journey. Every issue or question you bring in with you moves us towards growth and expansion.
I absolutely love it when I look up and you are all doing a different thing, YOUR thing! That is the essence of Yoga: you listen to your body first and to me after. None of this affected posing, no right or wrong, only keeping safe and supple and healthy. That is my mission! And I am honoured to do this with you. Thank you for sharing your practice with me.