Ulric is a registered (RYT 500) teacher with Yoga Alliance UK. This accreditation demonstrates excellent standards as set by Yoga Alliance UK
 My study of Satyananda Yoga began in 1991 under the guidance of Swami Pragyamurti and in recent years I has received initiation (mantra diksha) in this tradition. In 1999 I began to study Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga with Hamish Hendry and have completed Primary, Intermediate and I'm currently studying Advanced Series A. I have studied with many teachers including Richard Freeman, Dena Kingsberg and Rod Stryker and I am a qualified Shiatsu Therapist.
A graduate of the first Yogacampus Teacher Training diploma course, I have been a student mentor on the teacher-training course since 2006 and have taught on the Yogacampus Teacher training course since 2011. I have completed further trainings in teaching yoga nidra and yoga for people with cancer. I have always striven to develop a safe and effective yoga practice for all my students. My explorations in this field have led me to study the work of Grey Cook (Functional Movement Systems) and embark on practitioner training with Gary Ward (Anatomy In Motion). Inspired by the effective treatment of long term injuries in the general population and the repeatable performance improvements in athletes that these systems provide, I intend to integrate the principles of Anatomy In Motion into my yoga teaching and therapy work. I have a BWY Diploma, and accreditation with Yoga Alliance UK as an RYT 500-hour teacher.
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Hatha yoga is the most widely practiced form of yoga in America and Europe. It is the branch of yoga which concentrates on physical health and mental well-being. Hatha yoga uses bodily postures (asanas), breathing techniques (pranayama), and meditation (dyana) with the goal of bringing about a sound, healthy body and a clear, peaceful mind. There are nearly 200 hatha yoga postures, with hundreds of variations, which work to make the spine supple and to promote circulation in all the organs, glands, and tissues. Hatha yoga postures also stretch and align the body, promoting balance and flexibility.
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Breathing:
The simple act of learning to control the breath has a number of beneficial effects on your wellbeing, ranging from increasing your energy, to improved relaxation into sleep. It purifies the body by flushing away the gaseous by products of metabolism and will also help you to remain calm in the face of the challenges that we encounter in our everyday lives.
Control of the breath is an essential element in the art of yoga. When bringing the air in to the abdomen, do not to puff the stomach out, but pull the air into it while extending the inside wall. By harnessing the power of the breath the mind can be stilled and can be prepared for your Yoga practise.
Relaxation:
True relaxation is experienced by the body and mind when little or no energy is consumed. It is Nature's way of recharging. Since every action, conscious or unconscious, uses stored energy, relaxation is necessary good health and peace of mind. Without proper relaxation the body and mind become overworked and inefficient.
Meditation:
Daily meditation practice brings peace of mind, inner joy and inner peace. By increasingly gaining control over your mind, every session brings you closer and closer to your own Self, the center of your being filled with joy, wisdom and bliss.
Meditation helps you understand how your mind works, and when you understand how your mind works you can begin to make purposeful changes to your life to improve it. Additionally, meditation improves your ability to objectively analyze your emotions, mental states, thought patterns, and responses to events that occur around you.
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Yoga Nidra brings an incredible calmness, quietness and clarity. Yoga Nidra is one of the deepest of all meditations, leading awareness through many levels of mental process to a state of supreme stillness and insight. The descriptions in the article below can be difficult to understand. With patient and thorough reading, the understanding is well worth the effort, allowing you to see the profound depth of Yoga Nidra, which is far beyond just relaxation. It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words. Sometimes it takes thousands of words to get the inner "aha" of the meaning. Most important of all, it is the persistent practice that brings the real joy of the practice of Yoga Nidra, as with all useful practices in life and Yoga.
Yoga Nidra means Yogic Sleep. It is a state of conscious Deep Sleep. In Meditation, you remain in the Waking state of consciousness, and gently focus the mind, while allowing thought patterns, emotions, sensations, and images to arise and go on. However, in Yoga Nidra, you leave the Waking state, go past the Dreaming state, and go to Deep Sleep, yet remain awake. While Yoga Nidra is a state that is very relaxing, it is also used by Yogis to purify the Samskaras, the deep impressions that are the driving force behind Karma.
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Can I do yoga if I can't touch my toes?
I'm no good at yoga, I can't even touch my toes!
One will sometimes hear this from new students who can't touch their toes. Yoga is not really about being bendy or being able to wrap your feet behind your head (although you might think this is a neat party trick). Yoga will help develop your flexibility and strength, and with time and practice you may be surprised that you can touch your toes. But more importantly yoga will help you to develop awareness, balance and mental flexibility that can be applied to your daily life. And "being good at yoga" is irrelevant. Yoga is non-competitive and is about developing yourself, not being compared to others.
Can I do yoga if I'm a man?
Most definitely! In fact, when yoga was first developed hundreds of years ago, it was only men who were allowed to practise it. Hatha Yoga offers a balance of postures, breathing, relaxation and meditation while Ashtanga Yoga is more posture based and physical in nature - ideal for those who desire a true physical challenge!
If you need any further convincing, some famous men who have practised yoga include Yehudi Menuhin (violinist), Ralph Fiennes (actor), Sting (rockstar) & Jerry Seinfeld (comedian).
Can I do yoga if I have a medical condition?
Many medical conditions can be eased by practising yoga, for example insomnia, anxiety, irritable bowel syndrome and backache. The most important thing is to develop awareness of your body and to listen to what it is trying to tell you; yoga will help you achieve both these.
PLEASE REMEMBER that it is very important that you let your yoga teacher know BEFORE the class begins if you have any medical condition or are on medication. You should also consult with your GP or other qualified healthcare professional if you are currently receiving or have recently had treatment.
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