Stretching value from yoga classes

Yoga has come far from the temples of India to emerge as a staple of Western culture, tempting both couch potatoes and health nuts alike with its stress-reducing, waistline shrinking benefits. Now there is even Laughter Yoga, which combines laughter with yogic breathing for positive physiological and psychological results. Naked yoga classes are also common, but if you would rather stay in your leggings when striking a pose, try hatha and vinyasa.

Locating your zen in the inner city can prove a costly process. A rare find is an introductory special at Body Mind Life Yoga on Fouveaux Street , Surry Hills, which  offers two weeks of unlimited yoga for $25. Students can buy a ten class pass for $130, which is $45 off the standard price. The centre teaches power vinyasa, also known as “eight limbed” yoga in Sanskrit, which should give an indication of its high intensity. In a room heated to thirty degrees, participants engage in a series of flowing, synchronised postures, concentrating on breathing.

Hatha yoga is more ideal for first timers. It is also practiced at high temperatures and combines postures and breathing with a spiritual element. It was originally used to train Hindu yogis for long stretches of meditation and is purported to have significant benefits for mental health. Hatha Yoga Desha on Norton Street, Leichhardt is offering a free class of shadow yoga, a variant of hatha, on 7^th May.

But the question remains, can the ancient practice of attaining perfect spiritual insight and tranquillity really merge with competitive capitalism? Yoga by the Sea at Bondi and Tamarama sets out to achieve this, but the oceanic views and fresh air still come at a price of $150 for ten lessons. If you really want The Beatles experience go for the real deal and head out to Siddha Yoga Ashram in Dulwich Hill. Focus on meditation and chant mantras in the surrounds of a quiet garden, just outside the city.