FAQs

What if I have an injury?
We offer modifications and alternative poses as needed. Always let the teacher know if you have an injury and seek professional medical advice as necessary. We are happy to answer any of your questions.

What if I am not flexible?
Then yoga is perfect for you. With regular practice your flexibility will improve. Remember your yoga practice will enhance your strength, balance and stamina too. Yin yoga is useful to practice with other styles to improve mobility.

What if I cannot do a pose?
We teach functional yoga based on the scientifically-proven premise that our skeletons, tissues, physiology, temperament and motivation are made and organized in a way that is uniquely ours. Therefore, should a pose not work for you for any reason, then we will find one that does so that you find the desired effect.

What is different between sports and yoga?
​Sports are beneficial for you, especially when you love them! The main difference between yoga and sport is that yoga gives you boundless energy whereas sport can wear you out. Yoga is a great complement to every sport. For more information, read How yoga helps Elite Athletes (From an article by Natasha Gunn, published on Eindhoven Sport, May 2017).

What is Functional Yoga?
We teach functional yoga, meaning we respect that everyone has their own unique body type, history, experience and mindset. We do not ask you to perform a posture to look good. Rather we encourage you to ask yourself ‘What is the function of this pose?’ ‘What stops me going further in this pose?’ ‘How can I make it work for me?’ And we work with you to find the best way for you. Diversity in asana practice is advised by medical professionals to keep our full and functional range of movement.

What is the Original Hot Yoga or Bikram?
In short, the Original Hot Yoga sequence which grew out of the B. C. Ghosh lineage, is a modern development of Indian Yoga. We are the first Original Hot Yoga School in North Brabant qualified to teach this wonderful, balanced and stabilising hatha yoga sequence, and much more besides. At Hot Yoga Eindhoven, however, we have taken the ‘military’ aspect out of the way this sequence is sometimes taught. We bring to our teaching, not only a deep knowledge of functional anatomy, but also a trauma-sensitive approach

How can I learn to relax?
We often focus on proper exercise, diet and being positive but a lot of us forget to take time to relax. Don’t forget to allow yourself the space and time to relax between your busy schedule and lifestyle, taking time off, even from physical yoga practice is sometimes a good thing. You practice letting go in a class during Savasana (the final relaxation at the end of each class).

Can I practice during pregnancy?
The practice of yoga postures in a hot room is exerting. If you are pregnant and not a regular practitioner of hot yoga, we advise you to join a pregnancy yoga class and start with hot yoga after your baby is born. Otherwise, simply let us know and we will give you specific modifications.

What is the role of a yoga teacher?
A competent teacher is aware that they teaching people, not postures. By using the yoga postures the teacher can guide the student into a deeper awareness of body and mind. Read what teaching yoga means by Natasha Gunn. Keep in mind that the class is all about you! Read our yoga blog ‘How do I feel?’ and ask yourself the same in class.

Is yoga a cure for all?
Yoga will improve your quality of life and your health but it is not the miracle cure for every ill. We like the answer is given by yoga teacher and author Mark Stephens, that practicing yoga brings you into a balanced relationship with how you are. And this peace of mind is healing in itself.

What styles of yoga do you teach?
We observe that yoga is not a style but a tool for well-being and health in mind and body.  Natasha and Hans have trained extensively with former pupil of Krishnamacharya, Ramaswami Srivatsa and embrace a deep knowledge of traditional yoga and its roots in the Krishnamacharya lineage.  We acknowledge the 8 aspects of yoga – reflecting how yoga is much more than simply posture practice. Visit Our Classes for more details.

What are the 8 limbs of yoga?
Yoga is much more than simply posture or āsana. 8-limbed of Yoga is also known as aṣṭāṅga yoga – not to be confused with the Astanga Yoga system popularized by P. Jois.

The 8 ‘limbs’ or components of Yoga are:
1. yama, our attitudes toward our environment.
2. niyama, our attitudes toward ourselves.
3. āsana, practice of body exercises (yoga postures).
4. prāṇāyāma, managing, lengthening the breath
5. pratyāhāra, clarity to direct senses in a meaningful way.
6. dhāraṇā, directing the mind (focus).
7. dhyāna, repeated connection with focus object (meditation).
8. samādhi, absorption, one with the object (bliss).

If you would like to learn more, you can follow our teacher training via our teacher training arm artawakeyoga.nl