As soon as Sarah entered the hot, noisy studio a sense of peace and calm descended. Although her voice and manner were soft and gentle, she captured the attention of the room instantly. I was immediately drawn to her and she managed to command my full attention for over four hours in 35 + degree heat! She has become very successful and sought after in the yoga world yet I found her incredibly humble, approachable and unassuming.

We began with a few minutes of grounding meditation. I started to quiet my racing mind and quell the fires of expectation as I focused attention on my body and breath.

Sarah asked us to focus our attention on the Hara, the lower energy centre of chi located just below the navel.  This was described as a spherical energy field taking up space between behind the navel and just in front of the sacrum.

As the group sat in meditation she used imagery to build up our reserves in this energy centre.  On inhale I imagined this sphere filling with light. On exhale I used pelvic floor engagement to keep the light at the Hara so it filled more and more, eventually overflowing with chi (or prana/life-force). Amazingly this seemed to cool my upper body in the uncomfortably hot room as my attention focused on my belly. Where attention goes, breath flows, energy goes!

The concept behind building this Hara energy was to make our yoga practice more sustainable. Instead of lying in Savasana feeling utterly depleted after a physically exerting practice we learnt how to harness the  power of the Hara to build energy whilst expending.  This really resonated with my own practice and the importance of using the physical body as a secondary instrument to breath and attention.

As we moved through a strong yet steady Yang * sequence I experienced increased strength and power radiating from the naval centre. Even as I held elbow plank for progressively increased amounts of time I could feel my muscles being revitalised. In a challenging balance sequence when my standing leg was screaming at me, I managed to use this power to cut through the fatigue.

The yang sequence was followed by a long held Yin * sequence.  I imagined a light shining on parts of my body that were challenged. This attention and acceptance of where I was at that moment somehow reduced any tension.  This reinforced my belief that as soon as we try and avoid or displace sensation, the more challenging the sensation will become. My yoga practice teaches me to meet challenge head on and shine light on any ‘shadow areas’ within.

Next came the Pranayama (controlled yogic breathing). Sarah taught a variation of Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril breathing) where we expelled any excess Yin energy through the left nostril (dullness, fatigue, heaviness) and expelled excess Yang energy through the right (anxiety, irritation, stress). I had practiced these breathing techniques before, but here I felt the most profound shift in energy levels. Any heaviness I felt from heat and tiredness seemed to leave my body. I have been practicing and teaching this breathing technique over the last few days with transformational effects!

We finished with a 20 minute meditation on compassion towards ourselves and others. Sarah called this Bodhichitta, a Sanskrit word meaning heart and mind awakening. It is difficult to put into words my experiences from the meditation. I certainly felt a deep sense of inner peace and genuine happiness and for extended periods I was completely without thought.

At the end of meditation Sarah mentioned how easy it is to look for external problems:

“Often it is easier to be involved with the world than to be involved with our selves. This is why we look to solve the world’s problems before our own. However, we must cast light on our own shadows first and then use that light to benefit others”.

It takes great courage to excavate into our own psyche and cultivate acceptance towards whatever we find. I’ve found throughout my life that it is only when I accept who I am that I begin to evolve and change. My yoga practice has helped me to shed these layers and uncover my true self.

Sarah’s teachings have strengthened my belief that compassion and mindfulness are essential for cultivating inner peace and genuine happiness. I am confident that this experience will stay with me for many years to come and continue to enhance my own life and the lives of others.

 Clare Lovelace

*Yang = strong physical yoga practice, using a relatively large amount of muscular effort

*Yin = static, long held stretches using minimal muscular effort