YOGA
SURROUNDED BY NATURE IN THE PYRENEES
This ancient discipline is one of the best systems of self-care. Through yoga, body, mind and spirit are enriched, strengthened and calm through the practice of exercise-postures (asanas), breathing (pranayama) and observing silence inside (meditation).
More than a discipline is a lifestyle that holistically heals, cares and strengthens the body, mind and spirit. Practiced in India for thousands of years, it has become one of the systems for physical and spiritual conditioning more followers today.
There are hundreds of yoga types. In the western society they are known and many styles are practiced. The asanas or postures are the closest to our culture and it is the most practiced. The more popular styles that we in the western society practiced are those derived from Hatha Yoga, one of the most dynamic.
In Marterena we mainly practice two styles of Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga and Yoga Sivananda. The practitioner is the center of the practice and so the styles are conditional upon and physical condition of the practitioner. This is not to fulfill a program or teach a class, but to convey the illusion and set the bases to start a path where our guests improve their mental and physical health.
HOW’S A YOGA CLASS DEVELOPED?
During a yoga class, which usually last an hour and a half, we give the tools to live the eternal present and we mainly practice asanas. The asanas or postures are harmonized with breathing, and harmonies the body and mind. The asanas have different degrees of difficulty from the easiest for beginners to the most demanding practiced by advanced students, all of them are covered and adapted to the student needs.
Classes usually start with a warming up called “Sun Salutations”, comprising a dynamic succession of positions that focus the mind, warm up muscles and joints lubricated. All this combined with breathing (pranayama), which helps us generate heat and energy.
After warming up we continue with the asanas or static positions, always making a stand and counter-position to work your body and muscles in a balanced way. If the class is dynamic, as in the case of Yoga Flow, Power, Dynamic or Ashtanga, asanas the student will be moving more fluidly.
All yoga classes end with a relaxation of about 10 or 15 minutes which returns the body and the mind to inner peace. According to yoga style or teacher, you can also get a final meditation.
