About

Our Philosophy

ekam (pronounced ay-kum) is Sanskrit for : ‘the act of unity and ultimate oneness’.

Opening in  August 2018, ekam Yoga is a space where everybody will be welcome to come and absorb the benefits of yoga & meditation in a friendly, sociable and nurturing environment. A community is defined as a group of people interacting in the same location and ekam Yoga will be an integral part of this community.

Yoga doesn’t judge. Yoga isn’t a form of religion. You don’t need your own mat, own 10 pairs of leggings, be between ages 18-35 or have any background knowledge to come to a yoga class.

Yoga is for everyone. It literally means ‘union’. Yoga is naturally inside each and every one of us.  One of the many beauties of the physical practice of yoga is that the postures are designed to support and sustain you, no matter how old or young, inflexible or supple you are. Fit or frail, you can safely come to your mat. Your mat is where you nurture your whole being!

In Advaita philosophy ekam describes and promotes the idea that there is only one reality and truth, Brahman. Everything else is of a transient nature. Brahman is formless, indivisible and beyond the reach of the 5 senses. This philosophy’s teachings show that this world is transient and impermanent.

In yoga we practice asanas (Sanskrit for ‘postures’). Every asana has its benefits, whether it is the Cat Stretch that strengthens your spine, or the Wind-Relieving Pose (you can guess what that one does) there’s a perfect potion for every pose.

As you progress in your practice of yoga, your understanding of the asanas becomes more sophisticated. Through developing a regular practice you will instinctively move from working on the external alignment to focusing on what is going on internally (in the mind, mostly) to eventually simply ‘being’ in the asana.

Put simply, the breath, body and the mind become intimate friends.

At ekam we’re firm believers that building a sustainable relationship with your self is the foundation of everything. Yoga can come in many different forms; and we want to help uncover what it means for you.

About Yoga

The word ‘yoga’ derives from the Sanskrit word yuj, yoga epitomises a collective connection with the universal consciousness or spirit, or more simply put, union.

Yoga sometimes interweaves other philosophies such as Hinduism or Buddhism, but it is not essential to study those philosophies in order to be able to practice or study yoga. It is also not necessary to surrender your own religious beliefs to practice yoga.

Yoga is a philosophy that began in India an estimated 5,000 years ago.

The father of classical ashtanga (not to be confused with Sri. Pattabhi Jois’ Ashtanga yoga) is said to be Patañjali, an Indian sage who wrote the Yoga Sutra in 200 AD.

The Sutra is a collection of 196 aphorisms that serve as a philosophical guide for anyone who wants to practice yoga. It outlines the 8 limbs of yoga; the yamas (restraints), niyamas (observances), asana (postures), pranayama (breathing), pratyahara (withdrawal of senses), dharana (concentration), dyani (meditation) and Samadhi (enlightenment, or bliss). These scriptures provide a framework for spiritual growth and awareness over the physical and mental body.

Traditionally, when we practice yoga, we gradually immerse ourselves in all eight limbs of the Sutra. We slowly refine and adjust, and become of our behaviour in the outer world and consequently focus inwardly until we reach Samadhi (a challenging yet beautiful task that essentially promotes you to be the best version of yourself!)

Learn more about our amazing yoga teachers here

Yoga v Fitness

Usually, fitness classes are strictly cardiovascular, based on strength, endurance and/or flexibility. Patañjali’s eight-fold path illustrates how the physical practice is just one aspect of yoga.

Yoga focuses on aspects of those, but the core beliefs of yoga are a little different. We aim to connect the movement of the body and the fluctuations of the mind to the rhythm of our breath.

Consciously linking the mind, body and breath helps us direct our attention inward. Essentially a yoga practice is a form of meditation through movement.

Through practising, we learn to see our habitual thought patterns and eventually learn to stop labelling, judging or trying to change them. This means we naturally become more aware of our experiences from moment to moment.

The awareness we cultivate is what makes yoga a practice, rather than a task or goal that needs to be completed. Your body will most likely become much more flexible by doing yoga; and in return, so will your mind.