Clara Lemon MSc, BA (first class hons), BWY dip, CYS, aYs
Yoga classes with me work to stabilise and revitalise body and mind. You will learn how to work with breath-centred practice and develop a mindful approach to practicing yoga. The classes are slow, flowing and closely linked to the breath with meditative space and pranayama. The classes progress your skills and experience over time to support your engagement with some of the more subtle aspects of yoga practice.
Viniyoga uses traditional yoga postures, breathwork and meditative techniques, with time in the practice for modifications or developments where needed. The yoga classes welcome all levels of ability and experience, and everything is taken step-by-step. I support practitioners to explore challenges to their own level, offering challenging or more accessible options and layers of technique as your skill develops to ensure your practice is intelligent, engaging and effective.
At the end of each term a home practice handout is offered to regular attendees which are intended support you in establishing your own home practice. I'm a big advocate of learning how to practice effectively in the class so that you can start to develop your own yoga practice at home. My classes support this and I also meet 1-on-1 where needed to help you tailor your practice so that it is safe, effective and efficient (10 minutes a day can be well worth it!).
Viniyoga uses traditional yoga postures, breathwork and meditative techniques, with time in the practice for modifications or developments where needed. The yoga classes welcome all levels of ability and experience, and everything is taken step-by-step. I support practitioners to explore challenges to their own level, offering challenging or more accessible options and layers of technique as your skill develops to ensure your practice is intelligent, engaging and effective.
At the end of each term a home practice handout is offered to regular attendees which are intended support you in establishing your own home practice. I'm a big advocate of learning how to practice effectively in the class so that you can start to develop your own yoga practice at home. My classes support this and I also meet 1-on-1 where needed to help you tailor your practice so that it is safe, effective and efficient (10 minutes a day can be well worth it!).
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Yoga for every body
Yoga is for everyone, no matter what your level of experience or fitness, mobility, size or shape. I apply the tools and techniques of yoga to suit your starting point. I have worked across the health spectrum from Olympic athletes to those with limited mobility and numerous health issues. Sometimes one-to-one yoga lessons are more appropriate than a group class if you do have health considerations that would benefit from more careful and selective work. Please do get in touch to find out more. More in private lessons here >. See what others say about my teaching here> |
Have a listen to when I was a guest on Steve Yabsley's BBC Radio Bristol lunchtime show to discuss yoga and the benefits it can bring...
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Approach to yoga
Before deepening my focus within the viniyoga tradition (based in the teachings of Desikachar and Krishnamacharya), I practiced and studied different yoga traditions and methods including Iyengar yoga, Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga, Hatha yoga and Scaravelli yoga. Viniyoga is a personalised, adaptive approach to yoga and is accessible to all levels of experience with layers of technique added as your practice and interest develops. The viniyoga approach is breath-centred in a deeper way than most contemporary styles of yoga practice and is generally slower paced to enable an appreciation and development for the more subtle aspects of practice. If you have practiced yoga in a class setting before, the postures and sequences may feel familiar, but your breath and meditative focus are more fully developed during practice. Beginners are very welcome and more experienced participants are supported to refine and develop their practice as progressive layers and techniques are offered when you feel ready. This adaptive and individualised approach to yoga means class sizes are kept small and tailored to those in the group. |
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Yoga teacher training
I qualified for my yoga teaching and yoga therapy diploma under the teaching of Paul Harvey who still continues to be my teacher through regular courses and guiding my personal home practice. The yoga teaching and therapy qualification was an extensive four year course (way beyond the usual 6-month training that is the standard at the moment) which covered yoga practice, postures and embodied movement, breath and anatomy, meditative practices and chanting, yoga therapy for a wide range of health conditions, yoga philosophy and yoga psychology and Ayurveda. I have also taken specialist training in: - Therapeutic application of yoga - Pregnancy yoga and post-natal recovery - Yoga for children - Mindfulness & meditation - Philosophy, esp. Yoga Sutras of Patanjali - Ayurveda - Chanting - Alexander technique & yoga |
Training lineage
Krishnamacharya (Forefather of modern yoga. Ashtanga Vinyasa, Iyengar, Hatha, Vinyasa Flow all emerged from his teachings) | | Desikachar (Son and long-time student of Krishnamacharya) | | Paul Harvey (Student of Desikachar for 23 years) | | Clara Lemon (Student of Paul Harvey since 2005) |
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Further background
I currently practice and teach yoga, yoga therapy and pregnancy / prenatal yoga at Bristol YogaSpace, and also group yoga classes in Westbury Park. I established YogaSpace on Park Row in 2009 and moved to the Princes Place, Bishopston studio in September 2016. I started practicing yoga in 1998 while living in New York with a management career that I found stressful. It immediately gave me a calmer outlook and an increased sense of energy and wellbeing which over time enabled me to bring a sense of balance into my lifestyle. I continue with a dedicated daily personal yoga practice and ongoing yoga study which supports me in all aspects of my life, my teaching and also supports me in being a calmer mum to my two children. I'm a registered teaching member of the British Wheel of Yoga (BWY) the UK Yoga teaching standards organisation accredited with Sport UK which seeks to maintain high quality training and safety standards. I'm also a teaching member of the Centre for Yoga Studies and the Association for Yoga Studies (AYS). I teach at national teaching conventions (AYS and BWY) and mentor yoga teachers in many aspects of practice and teaching. I am qualified to the level required by the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council and to Level 4 Reps (register of exercise professionals). Back to home page |
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