"Jivamukti Yoga ~ Reintegrating the physical, psychological, and spiritual aspects of yoga for Western practitioners."

Jivamukti Yoga Explained

A Jivamukti Yoga Class requires the following:

(1) Intention

Bhakti ~ Your individualised purpose to uplift/devote your practice for something greater than yourself

(2) Drishti

The gaze point focuses the mind to go inwards

(3) Breath

Ujjayi breathing is uninterrupted, steady & seamless

Equal length on the inhale & exhale

Similar in sound to the ocean

(4) Bandha's

5 Energy locks in the body

They help establish the flow of energy correctly through the Nadis ~ Pingala, Ida & Sushumna

The locks are used to retain energy to clear the path ways of the Nadis

Mula (Root lock) ~ Uddiyana (flying upward lock) ~ Jalandhara (Chin lock)

Maha (The three mentioned) Brahma (Attention on the creator)

(5) Movement

Asanas in an ordered (Vin) placed (Yasa) sequence (Krama) to purify the body creating internal union (Yoga)

NBK Jivamukti Yoga

 

“I worked with Neil for 4-years twice a week with his meditation and yoga classes in London. It had such a positive impact on my body and mind it changed me unquestionably for the better!” 

Johanna Gehl, House Wife

 

Patanjalis Yoga Sutra 1.2.

"Yogas Citta~Vrtti~Nirodhah" 

When you stop identifying with your thoughts, fluctuations of the mind, then there is Yoga.

Identity with Self, which is samadhi, happiness, bliss and ecstasy.

 

The 5 Tenets Yoga Philosophy Jivamukti

• Ahimsa ~ Non-violence to ourselves and towards others. Moving towards Veganism. Acceptance that animals are sentient beings, feeling and emotional like humans.
• Bhakti ~ Devoting your practice to something bigger than ourselves. God, Gaia, Higher self, family, however that may look or call you. Gives greater purpose.
• Dhyana ~ Meditation. "Choose your seat ~ Be still ~ Focus. "Sthira~sukham~asanam" YS11.46 The connection to the earth should be steady and joyful. " Let Inhale, visualise the breath going up the front of the body. Go Exhale, visualise the breath going over the head and down the back of the body.
• Nada ~ The development of a sound body through deep listening. Using music to uplift and support the teachings. The use of silence. The use of spoken word by scholars and teachers.
• Shastra ~ Study of ancient teachings including Sanskrit chanting and scripture. Three main books used; Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Hatha Yoga Pradipika and The Bhagavad Gita.

 

“Neil worked with our whole family and friends in London and Italy for 7 years teaching us Yoga. It was amazing to work with Neil and his unique style which was fun and deeply connecting.” 

Jacqui Lane & Huw Jenkins Former CEO, UBS Bank. London & Italy

 

Patanjali's 5 Kleshas blocking Samadhi 

1. Avidya ~ Ignorance. Living in fantasy. Main reason for human suffering.
2. Asmia ~ Egoism.
3. Rage ~ Excessive attachment to pleasurable things.
4. Dvesa ~ Excessive aversion, hatred.
5. Abhinivesha ~ Fear of death.

Hatha Yoga Pradipika. 11.78

"Nada~Sphutatvam...Hatha~Siddhi~Lasanam"

When you reach the state of enlightenment, your voice becomes clear, melodious and resonant, and you are able to say what you mean and mean what you say.

 

Patanjali's Raga Yoga 8 Limbed Purification Process 

1. Yama. Restraint or abstinence.

1. Ahimsa. Nonharming.
2. Satya. Truthfulness.
3. Asteya. Nonstealing.
4. Brahmacharya. Libido turned inwards.
5. Aparigraha. Greedlessness.

2. Niyama. Observances.

1. Shauca. Cleanliness.
2. Santosha. Contentment.
3. Tapas. Discipline.
4. Svadhyaya. Study of self.
5. Ishvarapranidhana. Devotion to God.

3. Asana. Postures, Seat, Goddess worship.

84 Postures. The seat is referring to what is touching the ground. Being able to develop equanimity for all body parts in contact with the ground. The state of balance moment to moment with concentration but without pushing. Non duality the middle way which is acknowledged in Buddhism.

4. Pranayama.

• Pra ~ Moving.
• Na ~ Always.
• Yama ~ Control.

Replacing unconscious breathing patterns with conscious breathing patterns.

5. Pratyahara. Withdrawal of the senses.

6. Dharana. Concentration.

7. Dhyana. Meditation.

1. Puraka ~ Inhalation.
2. Antar-Kumbhaka ~ Holding the breath inside.
3. Rechaka ~ Exhalation.
4. Bahya-Kumbhaka ~ Holding the breath outside.

8. Samadhi. Bliss, super consciousness.

 

Patanjalis Yoga Sutra's 11.38.

"Brahmacarya~Pratisthayam Virya~Labhah"

When one does not misuse sexual energy, one obtains enduring vitality resulting in good health.

 

Bhakti ~ Chanting and its benefits to body, heart, mind and soul. 

Chanting works directly on the heart to purify toxins in this life and in previous lives. I believe in the power of chanting. It is the quickest way to wake up the emotional body and connect to the quiet inner strength that lies within each of us.

 

Chants I use regularly 

• Om ~ The universal sound in complete harmony with the world.
• Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti ~ Shanti is repeated three times for peace in the body, mind and spirit.
• Om Ah Hung, Benza Guru, Pema, Siddhi Hung. Vajra Guru Mantra or the Guru Rinpoche Mantra. Invokes the essence or life force of all deities and the completeness of all 84,000 Buddha teachings.
• Child Of The Earth ~ Pray, Pray, Pray, Your love. Pray, Your love. Child of the stars, Child of the earth, Child of the sun, This universe. Pray, Pray, Pray your love, Pray your love, Child of the stars, Child of the earth, Child of the sun, The gift of your birth, Child of this land, Of our mother earth, Child of the moon, Of this universe. Naluna laluna laluna hey, Naluna laluna laluna hey. By Nick Barbachano.
• Om Namo Narayanaya ~ In our modern times of mental anguish this mantra can bring mental calmness through chanting to the god Vishnu (The Preserver). For those who are seeking balance, peace or equanimity.
• Baba Hanuman ~ Krishna Das the god father of bringing Mantra to the West describes the meaning of the chant so well, “To live every day with Grace, Humility, Strength, Hope and Trust.”
• Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu ~ May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may the thoughts words and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all.
• Guru Brahma, Guru Vishnu, Guru Devo Mahesvarah, Guru Saksat, Param Brahma, Tasmai Sri Guarave Namah. Known as the guru mantra. Guru is the remover of darkness, often presented in the form of a teacher or master. "Gu" means darkness, and "Ru" means remover. Nothing is stopping you from becoming your own Guru...
• Om Mani Padme Hum ~ Ah ha! The precious jewel is in the lotus. All that needs to be known dwells inside your own heart.
• Gate Gate, Paragate, Parasangate, Bodhi Swaha. ~ Gone, gone, real gone, beyond even the most gone. Ultimate wisdom remains when everything has dropped.
• Hare Ram, Hare Ram, Ram Ram, Hare Hare, Hare Kristna, Hare Kristna, Kristna Kristna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, Hare Kristna, Hare Kristna, Kristna Kristna, Hare Hare. This is a love dialogue between the Soul (Radha) and God (Kristna).
• Ong Namo, Guru Dev Namo “Ong” is the creative energy and “Namo” means to bow or call on. Spoken together, “Ong Namo” means to call on our highest consciousness to receive. “Guru” means teacher, literally one who brings us from darkness into light... Together, “Guru Dev Namo” calls on the divine teacher "within" to guide us.

 

Patanjali's Yoga Sutra's 111.38

"Te Samadhav Upasarga Vyutthane Siddhayah"

By giving up the love of power, you attain the power of love.

 

"Neil worked with my 30+ family members and friends for 5 years in Italy, Spain, Kenya and London. My two boys worked with him 9 hours per week, focusing on the specifics their bodies needed through his yoga teaching supporting their tennis journey. We recommend Neil without reservation."

Paul Timlin. CFA, Stone Harbour

 

Bhagavad Gita. 111.21

"Yad~Yad Acarati Sresthas / Tad~Tad Evetaro Janah. Sa Yat Pramanam Kurute / Lokas~Tad~Anuvartate"

A great person leads by example, setting standards that are followed by others all over the world.

 

Qualifications, Experiences & Influences to my Teachings

• 2020 Somatic Movement, Core Module. July. 50 hours. Thank you to David Fleming and Amanda Franklin the founders of their particular flavour of Somatic Movement. A big thank you to David for motivating me to teach again after several years break!
• 2019 Indaba Yoga Studio, London.  The wonderful teachers I've studied with are; Stewart Gilchrist, Amanda Denton both (Yogasana teachers, Stuart the Founder) Rosalind Southward (Senior Forest Yoga Teacher) and Ambra Vallo Resident Teacher trainer at Indaba. (Dharma yoga, Forest Yoga and Hatha Raga Yoga).
• 2017 Jivamukti Yoga Teacher Training. 300 hours. Costa Rica. My huge thanks go to; David Life (Founder with Sharon Gannon) David co - facilitated the training with inspirational Rima Rani Rabbath and Anja Kühnel. A big hug and thank you to Carol Issa my lovely supportive tutor who put up with my slow learning and difficulties/struggles with memorising the scripts and sequencing. Also thank you to Olga Oskorbina another of the tutors.
• 2015 - 2021 Sangye Yoga School, London. (Affiliated Jivamukti School). I am most grateful to all the teachers, but especially my appreciation goes to; Kat Alip - Douglas and her husband Phil Gouglas, and also to Emily Lacy and Dannii Jordana for their teaching, support and guidance.
• 2009 - 2019 A year in silence. 6 months from November 2017 - November 2018. A weekly mentoring session with resident monk/teacher and a group process session with a resident teacher. Gaia House, Devon, UK.
• 2017 Vipassana as taught by S.N.Goenka in Wales & in Nepal in 2007.
• 2017 - 2018 Three months at the Krishnamurti Centre, living, working & reflecting.
• 2007 - 2009 Worked with Dan Brule at Baja Bio Sana, he was my Breath work teacher.  I bought the plot of land next door to Bio Sana. It was 8 acres and I set up a non-profit corporation in Mexico for a sustainable living and mediation centre. The retreat was built on a farm and it was called “Freedom Retreats.” We ran retreats and life style workshops, plus yoga and meditation classes for the visitors as part of the rustic retreat program. Everyone who came radically changed.
• 2007 - 2009 A time to explore the world. I travelled through India via several yoga centres and ashrams including the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre for several weeks in India, Sri Lanka climbed Mount Sinai, Nepal the Annapurna circuit and rafting followed by 4 months at Tapoban meditation centre, trekking in Tibet and to many monasteries, and onto the Great Wall of China, flew to Japan, lived as a monk, climbed Mount Fuji through the night and finally onto Maui studying for a month with Alan Lowen and Jan Day with the Art of Being.
• 2008 Founded Movement Awareness and trade marked the brand. Taught the process for 9 years in Mexico, London at Notting Hill Harbour Club, Italy, Spain and Kenya.
• 2007 Living and working at Bukkokuji Monastery, Obama, Japan. I had the teachings and Darshan of master Harada Tangen Roshi who has lived at the monastery for 64 years. I became close friends with Zenshin the second master of the monastery. Daily life includes; 4.40am "Shinrei" wake up calls ready for the morning run, followed by 30 minutes of Japanese movement training called "Taiso" to prepare the body for the coming day. In a normal day we would do 4/5 Zazen sitting meditations each lasting 40 minutes. I found this experience challenging and stands alone as a practice of awareness that has both simplicity and clarity.
• 2007 - 2012 9 months in the Osho Ashram, Puna, India working with the Osho mediations and living and working in community. I took Sannyas in Puna, “Prem Kina” and made a commitment to my spiritual path under the veil of Freedom.
• 2000 – 2006 Yoga, Cheltenham, Bryan Mitchel. Hatha fusion, drawn from his 30 years as a yoga master.
• 2004 British Wheel of Yoga Foundation Course. 100 hours. Gloucestershire, UK. Tutor, Liz Parker.
• 2003 - 2013 Ken Eyerman. Founder of the “Eyerman Technique.” Which is inspired by Ashtanga Yoga and The Feldenkrais Method. I worked with Ken in Egypt, La-Gomera and London with his movement process, and also through bodywork, he is the author of the book “Massage.” Ken coached me 1 - to - 1 with my own development of my movement practice I called Movement Awareness.

 

Patanjali's Yoga Sutra's 11.43

"Kaya~indriya~siddhir~asuddhi~ksayat~tapasah"

When impurities are destroyed through self-discipline, perfection of body, mind and senses is achieved.

 

Booking and Payments

To book please complete the form below. Select the PayPal or credit / debit card button. You will then be taken to PayPal's secure site and payment system. You will be sent confirmation by an automated email.

 

Contract and Agreement prior to our yoga class

• Beginning teaching again April 1st 2022.
• Sessions are 1 hr 15 minutes.
• Full payment is non-refundable for sessions cancelled with less than 24-hour's notice.
• All other sessions cancelled outside of 24-hour's by either party can be re-booked. However, there is a clear intention to show up as best one can with both parties fully committing to the process without cancelling.
• The yoga session will be holistic in its nature and supporting you to become more integrated and embodied through the process.
• Payment for an individual session is £ as of the 1^st November 2021.