Yoga
Yoga at our Retreats
Hatha yoga
Laurent’s unique style of teaching is perfectly suited to a long weekend or a week’s worth of yoga practice. During the retreats, each class is up to three hours long. This is because the classes are conceived of as akin to workshops – an arena for deepening one’s knowledge and understanding. A Yogalaurent retreat is the ideal environment to challenge yourself by really taking the time to strengthen your yoga practice, work through your weaknesses and discover new strengths.
Classically trained in the hatha yoga system, Laurent has also honed his craft by studying more contemporary practices and techniques which blend well with the more traditional aspects of his practice and teaching. For instance, for a few years Laurent has been influenced by the work of Vanda Scarevelli and the area of restorative yoga. Both beautiful and meditative styles of yoga felt right in terms of growth in his own practice and in his teachings.
Mindful hatha yoga is not a fad. It is the fruits of long years of practice and Laurent is passionate about sharing it with his students. His approach to his own practice and his teaching is : awareness, acceptance, action!
Breathwork & Pranayama
Pranayama (breath control) is an essential part in our yoga practice. Unfortunately, it is often forgotten in modern studios and classes. Therefore, Laurent focuses on bringing back yogic breathing techniques during his classes in London and during all Yogalaurent retreats.
Pranayama is the 4th Limb of Yoga in Pantajali’s Yoga Sutras. It is an essential step which must be observed before the start of a meditation. When patiently learned and one day mastered, Pranayama will ease and relax our nervous system and body so that we have a better concentration and experience a real sense of stillness and peacefulness in meditation.
During a Yogalaurent retreat we are away to reconnect with ourselves away from the hustle and bustle of our busy lives. It is the perfect environment to sit down and discover the art of good breathing. Laurent will create a safe practice for you and will make sure that you learn step by step the foundation of a good pranayama practice.
Meditation
After pranayama, next comes meditation. Laurent’s style is eclectic and comes from Buddhism, tantra yoga and elsewhere. This hybrid approach has been carefully curated to give you the best possible experience.
During a Yogalaurent retreat you will have time to practice the foundation of meditation step by step. You will start from pratyahara or learning to withdraw from your senses. Then you will move to dharana or the concentration on the breath and finally to dhyana or deep meditation.
Laurent will teach you a straightforward introduction to meditation or help you to enhance your existing practice. Meditation should be effortless and easy to practice at home daily. But this is easier said than done! Hopefully after your retreat, you will bring back valuable tools which will guide you in your own journey in the world of meditation. To help prepare for meditation, other techniques are used in Laurent’s sessions, including yoga nidra or yoga sleep, a deep state of relaxation.
