Elena Vorozhtsova, who used to live in Broughton but now teaches in Willen Pavillion, has been presenting online yoga classes for Milton Keynes residents to get involved with.
Elena told MKFM of how she started the classes:
"I have had an experience of two online classes before lockdown started first in March 2020! I was asked by my long-time students who was in Greece at that time and suggested doing online class for herself and two of her friends. So, you can imagine that stepping into online world and doing all the classes I have through virtual space was a bit of a strive!
"Doing yoga classes was my part time job since 2013 and has become my business, where I work as self-employed full time, since 2018. So, I simply stayed with my students in an only available way at that time and now."
During the lockdown, people have had time to reflect and improve their lives in ways they may not have considered previously. Elena explains how Yoga is a perfect skill to learn and can help improve you more than just physically.
"I think more important than people might realise the emotional responses we have in our minds are experienced in and through our bodies. Most of the time we're even not noticing these responses because they happen behind our conscious mind.
"We simply pull our heads into our shoulders when we feel threatened (having tight shoulders), we tend to store all unexpressed emotions in our pelvis (tight hips and leg muscles are a very common clinical picture).
"Since March 2020 we all are having a changed life, the volume of stress people face in their lives now is unprecedented! As the result of the stress we have stored so much pain in our bodies that, if not dealt with, will show up as physical or mental disease."
"When you do yoga, you are resetting your body, plunging yourself into the world of breath, movement and sensations. It allows you to step off your world with all its challenges. Then when you come back, you come there with a slightly different mind, more space in your body and breath as your helper and an adviser.
"When you take a breath, you don't respond in haste and when your mind is calmer you might see the other ways."
Whilst yoga brings its benefits, many may find Yoga daunting or difficult to pick up. Elena has a message for those who may be feeling this way:
"I don't demand that people get themselves into a particular posture. We start where we are and with what our body is capable of, totally appreciative and accepting our body as it is now.
"You might feel out of your depth, specifically if that is your first class but also lighter in your body and calmer in your mind as the result of the class. The only requirement in yoga is to find out how to feel good in each particular posture mainly using your breath and sometimes modifications."
You can book your class with Elena by clicking here.
