We want to help you access the magic of Yoga and Pilates, to experience the best of yourself and to feel equipped to ride the waves of life.
There are new Yoga & Pilates classes and studios popping up across London all the time, offering a myriad of styles and levels. If you couple this with the individuality and creativity each teacher can bring to their class, as well as the scope of benefits each practice offers, it can leave us all feeling a bit confused about which class to try.
To help you get a bit clearer, we’ve put together a guide to choosing a Yoga or Pilates class here at Samsara.
The classes have been popped into categories with a little description about what to expect. You’ll see that some classes fit into more than one category - this is because the teachers offer variations to suit different stages of practitioner. This is here to offer some guidelines to get you started and if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact us.
If you're practicing at other Yoga studios, here's a more comprehensive guide to different types of Yoga
Newcomers & Returners
These classes are a great place to begin your Yoga or Pilates journey . They are also a good way to ease yourself back in if you haven’t practiced for a while.
Restorative Yoga - A ground based practice with plenty of props for support, taught at a slow pace by a nourishing teacher. Restorative Yoga works with the parasympathetic nervous system to bring the body and mind out of stress, while gently releasing physical tension and improving the quality of breath. (This class can be a great way to rehabilitate from injury and illness, as well as reducing high levels of stress.)
Relax and Restore Yoga - A combination of gentle therapeutic movement and restorative practices to ease tension, loosen the body and calm the mind. (This class can be a great way to rehabilitate from injury and illness, as well as reducing high levels of stress.)
Hridaya Hatha Yoga - An integration of movement, breath & alignment, combining soft flow as well as held positions, to bring about strength and space in the body, while cultivating peace in the mind and heart.
Candlelight Yoga - Offering a combination of slow flowing movement, held positions, relaxation and meditation, the emphasis of this class is on de-stressing and rejuvenating.
Level 1 Yoga - A slow flowing class with plenty of guidance in and out of positions, cultivating strength, stability, flexibility and awareness in the body and brain, as well as setting the foundations for you to develop a more confident Yoga practice.
Kundalini Yoga - Kundalini is a safe and comprehensive technology, consisting of physical and meditative disciplines to open your heart, build strength and release the energy located at the base of your spine. Expect to dance, jump, hold poses, and breathe deeply and repeatedly – no two classes are the same! Suitable for everyone, classes have the flexibility to invite you out of your comfort zone as well as offering the ability to go at your own pace.
Pilates - Targets deep postural muscles, aiming to re-align and correct muscle imbalances, make movement more efficient, tone and strengthen the body, and improve body awareness. Our open level Pilates classes offer different variations of postures and movements so everyone can practice at the level that’s right for them. If you’re new, our teachers will run through the essentials, and the pace of the class will allow you to steadily improve each time you attend.
Intermediate Practices
These classes are ideal if you’re a regular practitioner and have been for sometime. There’s a good variety, so you can check in with what will serve you the most at any given time. If you’ve been attending the 'newcomers and returners' classes but are now looking for more of a physical challenge and complexity of movement, then do give these classes a whirl!
Himalayan Hatha - Founded and taught by Yogi Ashokananda, this class is based on traditional principles of yoga. It is a strong and supportive form of yoga, working through the entire body, cleansing and revitalising through special sequencing combined with subtle body exercises.
Vinyasa Flow - Movement and breath are synchronised to create a mindful flowing practice. Flow occurs within a single pose, as you are guided to breathe and explore what feels right in your body, as well as moving between postures with fluidity and attention to alignment. Each of our teachers brings their own unique expertise, experience and creativity to the class.
Pilates intermediate - The difference between this and our open level Pilates class is that more intermediate and advanced variations will be offered in the movements and postures.
Kundalini Yoga - See above
Pilates - See above
Restorative Yoga - See above
Relax and Restore Yoga - See above
Hridaya Hatha Yoga - See above
Candlelight Yoga - See above
Our Strongest Classes
If you enjoy to work hard and sweat hard - it’s definitely guaranteed in these classes! They are the place to play with more advanced Yoga poses, with the teachers offering variations to suit different stages of practitioner.
All our classes are open level - so anyone is welcome to try one of these classes. We recognise that as people we are all different; some of us enjoy diving into a strong class and picking it up as we go along, while others of us like to start with the basics and follow on from there. Our teachers will offer different variations for different levels, but do bear in mind if you are newer to the practice and you come to one of these classes, it is a little more ‘in at the deep end’! Check with us beforehand if you’re unsure about anything (particularly if you’re working with an injury) - as we are here to help.
Dynamic Vinyasa - Similar to a Vinyasa Flow class, these classes are at a faster pace and contain more advanced poses and variations. Movements are linked in a way to strengthen and open the body, get the heart beating and quieten the mind. Expect a dynamic, moving meditation that will get you sweating, releasing toxins and feeling alive!
Jivamukti Yoga - This is another style of flowing Yoga, that is both vigorously physical and intellectually stimulating. Jivamukti teachers explore a new philosophical theme each month, as laid out by the founders of the practice. During a class yogic philosophical teachings are explained and supported by Sanskrit chanting, breath awareness, challenging flowing sequences, alignment exploration, hands-on assistance, deep relaxation and meditation.
Rocket Yoga - A fast paced class, rooted in the traditions of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, but with the hierarchy of the primary and intermediate series stripped away and restructured into an open, fun format. Rocket Yoga incorporates a vast range of postures, linked together in a format that flows from one to the next.
Dharma Mittra Yoga - A mentally and physically challenging class, advanced asana (postures) are linked together at a steady pace, exploring a series of balancing poses, twists, back bends and inversions, enabling our energy to flow freely through the spinal column and emanate deep into all areas of the physical, metabolic and intuitive bodies.