Dru Yoga

Yoga has always conjured up images of peace-loving hippies in a church hall and it's for this reason that it has never really appealed to me. But as my job gets busier, the stresses of moving house grind me down, and my passion for running marathons takes its toll on my physical self, the idea of finding inner peace starts to become more tempting.

Dru Yoga was set up almost 20 years ago and has foundations in an ancient yogic tradition that helps increase energy levels, ease back pain, and wash away stress. Annie Jones, the co founder of the International School of Dru Yoga (UK) has been teaching yoga for over 20 years, and was the perfect tutor to guide a novice like me.

The session took place in a hall on Newton Street, but with draping material hanging from the ceiling, it was transformed into a warm, relaxing haven. I was nervous that my inexperience at yoga may show and with only a bit of space available, I had no choice but to settle at the front. My nerves were soon eased when Annie introduced the class and I realised I wasn’t the only newbie in the room.

The class started with Annie asking us all to lie down then visualise the stresses leaving our fingers, toes, feet, and arms. I thankfully got over my school girl urge to giggle, and was soon so relaxed that I was more bothered I might snore.

The yoga theme we were following in this lesson was called ‘Stillness in Motion’. The idea was to de-stress. Here we slowly stretched any tension and tiredness out of our muscles. This prepared us for the dynamic Dru Power Sequence, a way to tone and strengthen muscles. It also aids weight loss by working with the digestive system to boost absorption and assimilation.

Annie explained that if our bodies were experiencing tiredness, sore joints, headaches or insomnia, it is possible that our balance of acid/alkali was out of sync. A healthy body should be 80 per cent alkali and 20 per cent acid, but if you are suffering with high levels of stress this can increase the acidity. Encouraging relaxation will therefore help restore the balance.

We completed the yoga lesson with a final relaxation routine. This time it was much easier to let go; over the session we'd all developed a natural calm. It was an ideal end to a soothing, relaxing evening. I left the room feeling fresh and de-stressed.

At £8 for an hour and a half, the class is great value and great for anyone who is in dire need of some ‘me’ time.

For more information on Dru Yoga, please click here to visit the microsite.