Welcome to Yoga in Hornsby!

I teach Yoga on Sydney's North shore in the Hatha Yoga and Vinyasa Flow styles. I thrive on providing safe and creative yoga instruction to promote congruence and health in the client's body and mind. I love to create a space where my clients get to completely unwind each week for 90 mins but I also ensure they learn ample wellbeing and mobility skills to carry them through the rest of the week.

I believe Yoga is one of the modalities that contains essential life skills that should be taught at school, but it is never too late to learn these skills. When my students practice yoga, they finish feeling refreshed, much like the refreshing blue colour of this site. I'd like to invite you to join me to experience a lithe body and agile mind. Please have a look at the timetable page and contact page for class times and contact details.

Namaste,

Bansi Somaiya

Term 1 2012 Timetable

DAY	TIME	TYPE	first-last day/num wks
Monday	7.30 PM	General	30 Jan - 2 Apr/10wks
Sunday	8.30 AM	General (Beginner focussed)	12 Feb - 1 April (no class 11 Mar)

Special pricing: $122.50/7 wk term for the Sunday class; 5 class pass & casual rate is the same as usual

Experienced casuals are welcome to drop in during the term .

All classes are 90 mins duration. Location is at the Mindful Movement studio at Studio 2, 2nd floor, 45-47 Hunter St, Hornsby. Close to Hornsby train station, street parking available, or parking at Westfields just across the road. Maximum 10 students per class to ensure individual attention is paid to the student.

Workshops

Workshops will be scheduled when at least 4 people have expressed interest. Usually scheduled on a weeknight or Sunday.

Yoga for Officeworkers 90 min $35. This workshop will teach you about safety and skills to do simple poses at the office and also how to address aches and pains most commonly experienced by officeworkers. EXPRESS INTEREST NOW! (use the request to enrol facility on the 'Contact' page)

Yoga for Weight Management 2hrs $45. This workshop will teach you about Vinyasa yoga to increase your heart rate & thus burn energy, about restful yoga to feel energetic without the need to eat, about mindfulness when eating and will touch on yoga for stress management. EXPRESS INTEREST NOW! (use the request to enrol facility on the 'Contact' page)

Yoga for Fertility 2hrs $45. This workshop will teach you about yoga for stress relief and poses that are fertility boosters. Also, it will touch on the principles of pre-natal Yoga. EXPRESS INTEREST NOW! (use the request to enrol facility on the 'Contact' page)

I can also run private workshops on the above topics for corporate clients or if you would like to gather a group of friends interested in the workshop.

Corporate Yoga, Cover teaching & Private class times by special arrangement.

Mindful Movement studio at Hunter St, Hornsby.

Pricing

General

• $175/10wk term pass (pro rata if term is shorter $122.50/7wk) *OR
• $100/5 class pass* OR
• $23 casual

The price includes use of mats & props.

* = All passes must be used within the term in which they are purchased; unused sessions can not be carried forward to the next term or refunded.

Pensioners and full-time students are eligible for a 10% discount available on 10 class pass.

Prices inclusive of GST.

Call me now on 0418 66 75 74 to reserve your mat.

Gift Certificates are available for any value you choose. Valid for 3 months, non refundable and not redeemable for cash.

Corporate Yoga, Cover teaching & Private class pricing by special arrangement.

Yoga Equipment for Sale

All goods are very high quality and long lasting.

• Eye Pillow - $16 (Satin cover, Lavender scented, 3 colours) Great gift idea!
• Belt - $13 (35mm wide, Double-D buckle)
• Bolster - $60 (70cm long x 25cm diameter, removable washable outer cover)
• Sandbag - $22 (5kg sand filled, removable washable outer cover)

About Yoga

Straighten out health issues. Yoga can aid in:

• Healthful Posture
• Stress Management
• Normalising Metabolism
• Moving unused joints & muscles
• Building stamina
• Developing Strength
• Relaxation

Yoga is an ancient system of physical and mental exercise, along with breath control, the aim of which is to unify body and mind. Why would we want to unify them? A healthy body can implement your purpose in life as devised by your mind, and vice versa, a healthy mind realises a healthy body (achieved with a healthy diet, exercise, calm breath and ample sleep) is a vital vessel to its very existence.

The major modern day applications of yoga are mental stress relief and physical relief from a predominantly sedentary lifestyle. It is promotion of health and ease in the body and mind, and prevention of dis-ease in both. Yoga also complements a myriad of sports and activities by enhancing and restoring vitality to your body.

The most common FAQ I get is 'can I do yoga if I'm not flexible?' YES!! That's the very reason to do yoga, to promote ease and length in your muscles to aid flexibility, strength and movement.

There are many styles of yoga available today. They all stem from the same source but the instructions have been handed down over time in different ways by various teachers. They can vary in that they have different physical intensity, difference in the amount of time spent on meditation and breathing, some may have set sequences, they may take place in environments with different temperatures, differing spiritual/lifestyle focus, some may incorpoate dance, etc. Click here to read about some common yoga styles, new styles continue to be created.

The two styles I teach are:

• Hatha Yoga - classes are gentle and hold one Yoga pose after another for a period of time. For the more experienced, Hatha style can help 'push the edge' to enhance development of strength and flexibility. Hatha is also a general term used to describe physical yoga (as opposed to meditative).
• Vinyasa Flow - classes tend to be more vigourous and movement is synchronised with the breath. Sun salutations are typically included in order to warm up the body.

About Pre-Natal Yoga

Prenatal yoga distils out two key principles from the wisdom of yoga: honour your body & relaxation.

Honour your body: You will learn to move safely within the bounds of your changing body - the physical as well as hormonal changes. These techniques will help you relieve discomfort during the pregnancy and provide helpful ideas for labour & birthing positions. Asanas are performed in a gentle, stable, nurturing, energising and strengthening manner.

Relaxation: Pregnancy can be an emotional time. Breathing techniques will assist in labouring well during the birth and for working through anxiety, stress or nervousness during pregnancy. Breathing and relaxation are great skill to take into motherhood as well.

About Bansi

Bansi discovered the healing magic of Yoga in 2006 after a bout of illness, and cherishes the mental and physical benefits that regular, mindful practice bestows on a person. Initially practicing the Bikram Yoga style, her practice has flourished after trialling various other styles of yoga, and brings to her instruction various aspects from these yogic explorations.

Bansi teaches both Hatha and Dynamic Vinyasa flow styles and designs themed, creative classes to challenge students to grow in their practice. Her clients appreciate the focus on alignment and love the dreamy visualizations she includes as part of the meditation instruction. Bansi was an engineer prior to becoming a yoga instructor and in the logical style of engineers explains alignment and benfits using simple but effectively communicated anatomical references.

Bansi has completed her Yoga Teacher Training with Life Source Yoga in North Sydney in 2009 and is a member of the Yoga Teachers Association of Australia (YTAA) as a Level 1 Full Member. Bansi also has a certification for pre and post natal teaching from Samadhi Yoga, as well as Kids' yoga teaching from Rainbow Therapy Kids Yoga. Bansi has also trained in teaching Yoga to Seniors.

Bansi has studied under inspiring teachers such as Christina Brown (author of The Yoga Bible and others), Mardi Kendall, Richard James Allen, Remy Quinter, Katie Manitsas, Sharon Gannon, David Life, Yogeshwari, Donna Farhi and Eve Grzybowski.

Testimonials

I started attending Bansi's classes at the beginning of 2011. I can honestly say that I enjoy every aspect of her class. As a Mum I enjoy that I can go to the class and am forced to completely think about my own mind and body for awhile. Thank you Bansi!

- Sam Cornale (Term 1, 2011)

Bansi is an intuitive and attentive teacher. Her classes are fun and engaging, and strike the perfect balance between challenging and relaxation. When I first came to Bansi's classes, it had been a while since I had done any yoga. But Bansi quickly tuned-in to my specific needs, and has helped me greatly improve my practice both in class and at home. I can't recommend her enough!

- Nicole (Term 1, 2011)

I loved Bansi's enthusiasm and spirit. She revived my love for yoga. Yoga is union with Divine Consciousness and she made me unite with my God Self. She added a good blend: bending the body and letting go of the mind to strengthen spirit.

- Dr Huzan Daver (Term 1, 2011)

Just wanted to let you know that I have really enjoyed the term and got a lot out of it. Was a lot of fun and felt like I got a great workout out of it.

- Valeria (Term 1, 2011, Pre-natal class)

Hi Bansi - I love the fact that your classes are only a short walk from home and this was the determining factor that has made yoga part of my life. I like the variety of class times and the care you take with each of us to teach us the "Bansi Yoga Way!!". Thank you.

- Jenni Knight (Term 4, 2010)

Since starting I have felt a lot stronger and more flexible. The class is a great workout with a lovely meditation at the end. The Monday class is a good size with a friendly cheerful atmosphere!

- Karyn Deith (Term 3, 2010)

Bansi has a calming manner about her which rubs off onto the class.

- David Angus (Term 3, 2010)

Bansi's yoga classes are most enjoyable as she ensures there is variety in the routine of learning. Bansi encourages you to challenge yourself in a safe way by giving clear instructions about safety and individual attention ane feedback. I will be coming back next term!

- Adriana (Term 2, 2010)

I always look forward to my 1&1/2 hours each week with Bansi. The classes have great variety and are challenging. I can feel it doing me good and always get a great night's sleep afterwards.

- Debbie Knoke (Term 2, 2010)

FAQs [Frequently Asked Questions]

How do I enrol/book? By emailing me your full name, email address, mailing address & phone number & the class you are interested in (inc detail on casual/5 class pass/term). I will respond with vacancy confirmation & payment details. Enrolment will be confirmed upon receipt of payment. If you are attending casually & want to book last minute, the best option is to sms (pls signoff the sms with your full name) asking whether there is vacancy & whether class is on. You should be fine to turn up after I respond. If you are showing up for the first class, arrive 5 mins before hand to fill out the pre-activity health form, discuss your experience & objectives. Deposits are required so I have certainty that I have a minimum of 4 students to run a class. Deposits are not refundable if class is running, of course I will refund it if I do not get enough people to run the class.

Why are passes valid only for the term? For the privilege of teaching, I have to pay rent for a premises to teach in, for insurance, for a web presence such as this, for dues to be part of a professional organisation, for a phone for clients to reach me on, I could go on. It is most viable for me to have passes valid for a term. I have always had the possibility for people to come to class casually (although it is not ideal for establishing a sound practice if you are a beginner, it IS available), or on a 5 class pass for the term. I even make available the ability to do make up classes.

Can I just show up? It is preferred you book. The class could be full. The class may not be on, I can only notify those who have confirmed attendance. See above with regards to last minute bookings.

When can I commence pre-natal Yoga classes? You can start pre-natal yoga after you are 12 weeks into your pregnancy. Newcomers to pre-natal yoga should do a 3 week course to ensure a sound knowledge of how to apply yoga breathing and movement techniques during pregnancy, during the birth and differences in your practice post pregnancy. You should rest in the first trimester of pregnancy, gentle walking is fine. Do not do lumbar twists or lumbar backbends during pregnancy.

What do I need to bring? Just yourself in comfy clothing (no shoes are worn during class). Mats and props are provided. If you sweat a lot, a towel might be handy to avoid slipping etc. The studio has a clean sock policy as well. Do not eat a huge meal in the hour or two before class as this may cause you discomfort when we do poses that compress the abdominal region. Light healthy food like fruit is fine and wll provide ample energy to get through class. There is no need for a water bottle as I do not encourage drinking during class, as this cools the muscles down. Of course, use common sense on very hot days & sip small amounts. After class, DO drink a full glass at least to help flush away the toxins that have been released through the exercise - yoga is a very good detoxer.

Where is the class? Suite 2, Level 2, 45-47 Hunter St, Hornsby. This is the communiaty college building behind Bob Jane Tyres on Hunter St. The studio is marked 'Mindful Movement'.

How does Yoga help with stress management? On a physical level, the stretches assist to dispel old tensions from wherever tension may be held in the body, for most people this is in the neck and shoulders, and educating studets about posture helps delay or prevent futur problems. On a mental level, by practicing these new movements or going deeper into them each time, we are placing the student's body in an environment where we introduce controlled stress for a few moments and they practice overcoming that stress inducer, akin to practicing playing a musical instrument. As the student learns to recognise the symproms of a stressful situation outside class, they can apply the same techniques to succeed over the situation, thereby ensuring new tension patterns are not locked away in the muscles. We also work towards eliminating health caused stresses by keeing the body toned through the cardio & strength effects of the poses.

Beginners

If you were to learn a new language, you would probably do an introductory course and then proceed to more advanced techniques. In a similar spirit, it is recommended Beginners do at least one full term as a course to properly build a solid & safe foundation of yoga (and general movement principle) knowledge, following which they are welcome to drop in less freqently in future (although Yoga will benefit you most when it is a regular practice). When you come from the beginning of term, that is considered a course because we will increase the challenge week by week. It is highly recommended to do the first class of a term. Beginners can join midway but should do the next term as a course to pick up the foundations. The Sunday class is more geared towards beginners so please keep this in mind when enrolling. The class names are descriptive, not for competition, so don't rush.

Enrolment Policy

Due to the number of no-shows I have encountered, a client will be considered enrolled upon full payment only. Please use the enrolment facility on the 'Contact' page & I will respond with bank account info if there is room available in the class & if minimum numbers are signed up at the start of term.

Contact Bansi

Use this form for enrollments, signing up to my newsletter, enquiries and feedback. All pricing and class times are already published on this website. Please also see the FAQ page. If you are enrolling within 48 hours of class commencing, it is better to phone/sms rather than email me using the contact page or emailing directly.

e-mail

info@benditlikebansi.com.au
click on the link to open mail client

Phone

0418 66 75 74

Call to book into a class.

If you have any feedback as to preferred class times or locations, please email me.

Corporate & Private Yoga enquiries welcome.

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