Instructor Adriana Auguste talks about the benefits of yoga: |24 June 2016

 ‘It is high time people look at yoga with an open mind’

The turn-out at the yoga session last Sunday was beyond expectation

The mass yoga session on Sunday organised by the Indian high commission in collaboration with the Yoga Association of Seychelles and the National Sports Council was a great success.

The chairperson of YAS, Adriana Auguste, said the turnout for the event was beyond their expectations since the hall was full with participants of all ages and nationalities, as well as many kids. 

“There were around 450 people and we even ran out of mats and t-shirts and some had to sit and watch since it was full even after shifting mats to try and accommodate more people on the ground floor,” she said.

“Overall it was a huge success since those who took part were eager to learn the postures and it was obvious that they were all fully relaxed which means that their mind, body and soul had truly been touched by the 45-minute yoga session,” she added.

Mrs Auguste has been practicing yoga continuously for the past 11 years now and first started her practice at the Indian high commission in September 2004.

She graduated with high honors in a 240-hour Teacher Training Course (TTC) as a certified yoga teacher with the Aura Yoga Centre in March 2009. She also graduated from a one-month (from November 1 to November 28, 2008) course which entailed yoga & meditation at the Rishikesh Yog Peeth in India.

After starting to teach Hatha Yoga in February 2009 at the Indian high commission, she later moved to Exiles Club and then Yacht Club where she has been giving her own classes until today.

“Yoga itself is a Sanskrit word which means to ‘unite’ or ‘join’.  Yoga is an ancient Indian practice or discipline that incorporates the synchronisation of the body movement with the breath and the practice of breath control and meditation. The different body movements incorporate yoga postures/poses which are called asanas in Sanskrit.  The benefits of the postures are to prepare one's body, mind and soul for the practice of relaxation and meditation which leads to good health,” she said.

There are eight types of yoga practices and they include Hatha Yoga (focuses on slow and gentle movement), Vinyasa Yoga also known as Vinyasa flow (the practice flows/moves from one posture to another which is commonly known as Sun Salutions), Kundalini Yoga (powerful classes that focuses on the core body located at the base of the spine), Ashtanga Yoga (it is also called Power Yoga which is physically demanding and makes one sweat), Iyengar Yoga (practice with blocks, straps and cushions and focuses more on alignment while holding a posture), Restorative Yoga (focuses more on relaxation), Jivamukti Yoga (a mix of Vinyasa flow and with lots of chanting) and Prenatal Yoga (focuses on breathing control and core practices).

In her classes at the Yacht Club, they teach a mixture of Vinyasa flow and Hatha Yoga.

The impact of yoga is derived from the many benefits that it brings such as better breathing, stress reduction, a calm mind and creating a balance in your life, body awareness, strength, flexibility and muscle tone, anti-ageing, improving your sexual life and energizes the body and makes one feel good.

“I think that it is high time people look at yoga with an open mind and let the benefits of the discipline and practice speaks for itself because in my opinion people are always scared of what they don't know. I was a person who was really stressed out in my previous employment and my health deteriorated for quiet sometime, but after taking up yoga I find myself more relaxed and less stressed and I haven't stop practicing it ever since. I am not going to say that by practicing yoga it will eliminate the stress, but it will surely reduce it and help one cope with life better and on a more balanced level.  So go on, register with a class and then let me know how you feel and what you think of the discipline/practice - I bet it will be a life changing experience,” said a confident Mrs Auguste.

She said it is best to start the practice with an experienced teacher instead of doing it on your own especially people who have health or mental problems in order for someone to reap the full benefits of the disciple/practice.

She feels that nowadays more Seychellois are practicing yoga compared to foreigners here in the Seychelles; foreigners are practicing mainly at hotels, whereas Seychellois are practicing at the various venues mentioned above.  In her classes at the Yacht Club 85% of the members are Seychellois.

The various venues where yoga is being practiced include Yacht Club ‒ YAS classes, Indian High Commission ‒ Vivekananda Club, The Station, Nature Seychelles, and Brahma Kumaris Centre ‒ (Raja Yoga Meditation Centre).

If you want to join her classes call Yoga Association of Seychelles (YAS) instructors - Adriana: 2516811 Steve: 2566597.

Classes are Mondays to Thursdays from 4.30pm-5.30pm or 5-6pm.

R. H.