What kind of Yoga does Bruce teach?

Yoga is a science of body, mind and spirit.

Whilst longevity is a product of Yoga, Bruce's aim is to enhance the quality of every waking day. Bruce has practiced Yoga for many years and enjoys a rich experience of life through enhanced awareness and health. Bruce first experienced the life-enhancing benefits of Yoga when he attended Yoga classes at a London Adult Education centre in 1970. This led to a trip on a London Double Bus through Denmark, Germany, Austria, Jugoslavia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Iran, Afganisthan, Pakistan, India and Nepal. Bruce travelled around India for a year staying in remote villages, temples and ashrams. He was inspired by gurus and others that he met along the way. He then joined the Bihar School of Yoga and received training in Yoga under the guidance of his guru Paramahansa Satyananda. Bruce spent over 3 years working on an ashram farm, milking cows, growing rice, studying and teaching Yoga therapy. Bruce was awarded the title "Acharya" which qualifies him to teach a wide range of Yogic Kriyas. Bruce travelled through Africa and then back to the UK where he achieved the British Wheel of Yoga Teachers Diploma under the guidance of the London Satyananda Yoga Centre. The Yoga that Bruce teaches includes influences from Hatha Yoga, Raja Yoga, Tantra Yoga and others.

Bruce now teaches at two venues in the Reading area, Loddon Valley Leisure Centre and Quaker Meeting House. Each course consists of eight evening classes over eight weeks. The aim of each course is to equip the student to practice their own sadhana (Yoga routine) which consists of three elements: asana (postures), pranayama (breathing) and dhyana (meditation and relaxation).

Yogasanas (Yoga postures) are associated by many people with gymnastic exercises or body building techniques. This is wrong. Yoga means the experience of oneness or unity with our inner being. This unity comes after dissolving the duality of mind and matter. Asana means a state of being in which you can remain steady, calm, quiet and comfortable, physically and mentally. In the ancient text on Yoga by Patanjali (Yoga Sutras) there is a definition of yogasanas: 'Sthiram sukham asanam' meaning 'that position which is comfortable and steady'. Yogasanas in this context are practised to develop the person's ability to sit in one position without discomfort for extended lengths of time, as during meditation. Asanas can also be performed for curative or health reasons. By gently stretching the muscles, massaging the internal organs and toning the nerves throughout the body, the health of the practitioner can be wonderfully improved and many diseases can be eliminated or eased. As well as static postures, Bruce teaches dynamic sequences where the student moves slowly from one posture to another in time with music specially composed for this purpose. Each course includes one of these sequences. These include Surya Namaskara (Salutations to the Sun), Vajra Mala (Diamond Rosary) and Trikon Mala (Triangle Rosary). Bruce prefers the loose interpretation of "Asana" in the context of sadhana (asana, pranayama, dhyana). A sadhaka (Yoga practitioner) can perform one of these sequences as the Asana element of sadhana. Bruce encourages his students to include a range static postures in their sadhana as well.

Pranayama can be defined as a series of techniques which stimulate and increase the vital energy. Prana is the the vital or etheric force which pervades the whole cosmos. It is in all things, whether animate or inanimate. Though closely related to the air we breathe, it is not exactly the same thing. Prana is more subtle than air and can be defined as the energy essence that is within everything in the universe. Yama means to 'control'. Pranayama techniques use breath to both influence and tune into our natural flow of prana. Ultimately one can attain perfect control over the flow of prana within the body. Pranayam should not be thought of as mere breathing exercises. Pranayama utilises breathing to influence the flow of prana in the nadis (pranic channels) of the pranayama kosha (the body of bioenergy). This purifies them and induces physical and mental stability. The practice of kumbhaka (breath retention) brings about control of the prana and eventual mastery of the mind.

Content and structure of Bruce's courses

In class 8 Bruce takes the students through a review of the whole course, consolidating each student's ability to design and practice their own Yoga sadhana (Yoga routine). Each element of Yoga Sadhana (asana, pranayama, dhyana) should be designed to suit the individual needs of the sadhaka (Yoga practitioner), which is why the student needs to have sufficient knowledge to make their own choices from a wide range of Yoga techniques. Whilst Bruce is always happy to see students return to subsequent courses, he also hopes that students will incorporate sadhana into their daily life so that each can also experience the life-enhancing benefits of Yoga.