"AS GREAT AS THE INFINITE SPACE BEYOND IS THE SPACE WITHIN THE LOTUS OF THE HEART. BOTH HEAVEN AND EARTH ARE CONTAINED IN THAT INNER SPACE, BOTH FIRE AND AIR, SUN AND MOON, LIGHTNING AND STARS. WHETHER WE KNOW IT IN THIS WORLD OR KNOW IT NOT, EVERYTHING IS CONTAINED IN THAT INNER SPACE"
CHANDOGYA UPANISHAD
James Cassidy
My Passion
Yoga found me about 15 years ago. It started as a purely physical practice then slowly, slowly, bit by bit the more subtle aspects of yoga revealed themselves to me. My body became stronger, my breath deeper, my mind stiller and my attitude, or spirit, more positive. My once a week practice turned into twice a week, three times a week...every day. You get the picture!
I don't just mean standing like a tree or balancing on my head either. You can 'do' yoga walking down the street, interacting with others, doing your job or hobby, watching a sunset and yes, balancing on your head!
After yoga became integral to my being I journeyed to India to study for my 200hr Yoga Alliance Teaching Certification with Tribe Yoga, where ancient teachings were married with modern anatomical focus.
Since then I have completed my 500hr+ Yoga Alliance certification during further studies in India and in the UK, studying with some of the worlds leading teachers including Richard Freeman, Shiva Rea, David Swenson, Jason Crandell, Max Strom, Rod Stryker, Anodea Judith, Manju Jois and Mimi Kuo Deemer amongst others. I have also completed my advanced Yin Yoga teacher training with the wonderful Norman Blair, have studied Buddhist meditation at Tushita in Dharamsala, home of the Dalai Lama and spent a month at Kopan Monastery in Nepal in Buddhist study and meditation.
As well as teaching studio classes and zoom classes I offer private tuition and corporate classes in meditation and yoga asana.
I continue to be a diligent student of yoga and feel blessed to share my knowledge with others. Namaste to you all.
"To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders."
Lao Tzu
News, Workshops, Retreats
IT'S HAPPENING AGAIN!
A Breath & Meditation Workshop: Developing loving kindness to ourselves and others.
After an incredible community response to this last month I am again running this special workshop as a fundraiser for East of Eden, donating my fee to the studio.
The main body of the practice will again be the Metta Bhavana loving kindness meditation and this time we will focus on the breath to calm and settle the bodymind for meditation.
Donations start from £10 but if that's too much please get in touch; I'd love everyone to be able to join.
This is from Abby who owns and runs East of Eden:
"As we are all aware, this pandemic has been very tough for small businesses with the frequent closures and uncertainty, plus the restrictions on operating when open. With each lockdown, things get more precarious, as rents still need to be paid, and we are still employing most teachers on our online streams. We have given 3 options for payment, so you can choose the one that works and of course, if you wish to donate more, you can! With thanks to all of you for your support, especially to James, who was the first teacher to ever teach at East of Eden in 2015, and continues to be part of the beating heart of the studio."
SOME MORE INFO:
Join me for this chance to join together in sangha (community) to settle the bodymind and open our hearts towards compassion for all beings. This starts with honouring the need for compassion towards ourself. Its a bit like when you’re on a aeroplane (remember those things) and they tell you to fit your own oxygen mask before helping others. Unless we are able to practice kindness and compassion towards ourselves and embrace all our apparent flaws and shortcomings, it will be difficult for us to extend compassion effectively to others.
We will work together through some gentle breath work to prepare the body and ease the mind for seated meditation. We will then sit together and I will guide you through the several stages of metta bhavana (developing loving kindness) following traditional buddhist philosophy. If sitting crossed legged is difficult for you, you can sit against a wall or use a chair).
If we wish to be compassionate to others, it’s so important to dedicate this time to the Self.
I really hope you can join me to celebrate love for ourselves and love for all beings.
- JamesEaster Saturday 3 - 4.30pm
NEW!!!
6 WEEK PRANAYAMA SERIES STARTS APRIL 6TH 8am
LIVE/RECORDED
BOOK HERE
A unique chance to come together as a community and ride a wave of prana that will carry us all the way to being in person in the studio again! (Once we are back in the studio we will be restricted in what pranayama we can teach, so this really is a special opportunity and unique benefit of this Zoom course).
If you feel like your energy is dragging its heels to the end of the lockdown, are interested to go beyond the benefits of yogasana and discover the transformational benefits of pranayama and kriya, then this course is for you.
Kriya (cleansing of the energetic body) and Pranayama (extension of the life force) are vital limbs of a successful traditional yoga practice. Whether you are new to pranayama or at teacher level, we will clarify the basics and progress to pranayams and kriyas that offer challenge and growth.
There will be techniques that you know from my classes but many that will be new to you. We will discover methods to raise the shakti (energy) and methods to calm and centre, moving towards our inherent inner wisdom.
In all of the trainings I have undertaken over the years and in my own personal practice, the emphasis on breath and prana and the techniques to stimulate and direct that have been the most revelatory. So, I invite you to give yourself that last boost to reach the end of this lockdown and join together in community and join together in prana.
Classes will be 1 hr each, including time for discussion and questions.
THE WHOLE SERIES WILL BE RECORDED AND AVAILABLE TILL THE END OF THE COURSE FOR YOU TO PRACTICE AT YOUR LEISURE AND REFERENCE BACK TO PREVIOUS CLASSES
BOOK HERE
YOGA RETREAT IN SOUTH OF FRANCE
SEPTEMBER 18-23RD 2021
I'm so excited to be heading back to France and this time, we are heading south to luxurious La Deveze, a private sanctuary about 30 miles from Nimes. La Deveze is set within 97 acres of beautiful meadow and woodland above the market town of Quissac in the Occitanie region.
With luxury accommodation, a heated swimming pool and beautiful French countryside to explore on foot, bike or by car, this promises to be the perfect way to relax and escape hectic London life. There is a gorgeous indoor shala with heated floor, an outdoor yoga deck and numerous woodland clearings with stunning views for outdoor classes and meditations.
Each day I will guide you through a full morning sadhana, including dynamic hatha yoga, pranayama and meditation as well as an evening yin practice, to sooth and restore.
Food is such an important part of a retreat, and I'm really happy with what is on offer at La Deveze. Many of the ingredients used in their cooking are from their own vegetable and herb gardens and in 2020 they will also be producing their own olive oil and wine.
•Breakfast will consist of fruit, breads, yogurt, homemade preserves,(honey from their own hives!), tea, coffee, juice and some mornings fresh eggs from their hens.
•Lunch will be two courses.
•Dinner will be three courses, all vegetarian.
•Fruit, tea, coffee and mineral water are available throughout the day.
Spaces are limited to 12 on this retreat, so please do act fast to secure your booking.
For bookings please email info@resetretreats.co.uk quoting SEPT 2020 RETREAT in the subject line.
See you in France! :))
“There is a great difference between just practicing and sadhana. Sadhana is the way of accomplishing
something. The end of yoga sadhana is wisdom”
BKS IYENGAR
Join me for the chance to settle after the craziest Sring/Summer of our lives and embrace the grounding and nurturing embrace of Autumn. Sadhana means ‘to practice with complete and dedicated attention’. 'To achieve something through our practice'.
It's a great chance to balance yoga asana (physical postures) with the more philsophical and
subtle aspects of hatha yoga. Mostly in the western world when we ‘do’ a yoga class it is more often
than not an asana (yoga posture) class and not representative of a complete yoga sadhana.
During our 2 hours together I will share with you a grounding and restorative hatha yoga sadhana,
influenced by my extended studies in India and Nepal.
We will incorporate kriya (cleansing techniques), pranayama (extension of the breath), led chanting
and meditation, hatha yoga asana with awareness of the subtle (energetic) body and conclude with
a long, blissful savasana.
The practice is open to everyone although some experience of yoga will be useful.
“Long, uninterrupted, alert practice is the firm foundation for restraining the fluctuations of
the mind.”
PATANJALI YOGA SHASTRA 1.14
POSTPONED
POSTPONED
SOLD OUT
A popular New Year's Resolution is often to start a yoga self-practice but it can also be a little daunting knowing where to start. I'll guide you through this workshop exploring different options for a self practice, including asana, meditation, breathwork and chanting, to give you greater confidence to build a practice for yourself, whether you have 5 minutes or an hour or more. We will discuss and discover different areas of the body physically and energetically, learning to work with the rhythms of your lifestyle to help you maintain a sustainable and beneficial home practice. Bring a notepad and any questions!
Places are limited so book here
Gallery
Photos & videos from my journey.
