Breath Focused Hatha Yoga

IN ZURICH, BY EVGENIA PRONINA

Breath is the bridge which connects life to consciousness,
which unites your body to your thoughts.

- Thich Nhat Hanh -

I love people and I love humanity. I wish for all of us to reduce suffering and increase contentment in this world. I believe that the first step towards liberation from suffering is to get to know ourselves.

Yoga is an amazing and versatile method for the path of self-realization. When I see my students walk out of the class more balanced, calm and content than before, I know that from this state they will most probably do more good in the world outside. The better we know who we really are and become kind towards ourselves, the more we contribute to joy, stability, gratitude and peace.

WHY

Ujjayi

- THE VICTORIOUS BREATH -

Breath-participation in physical practice is what makes yoga so profound and deeply fulfilling. It allows us to experience connectedness, peace and the sense of full presence in life.

My practice and teaching follow five key principles of yoga formulated by T. Krishnamacharya (1888-1989):

Body movement is breath movement
-
Breath envelops the movement
-
Inhalation from above as receptivity, exhalation from below as strength
-
Asana creates bandha,
bandha serves the breath
-
Asana, pranayama and meditation is a seamless process

We incorporate these principles using the Ujjayi breath. "Ujjayi breath is a type of diaphragmatic breath where the throat muscles of the glottis are slightly constricted, causing the air to produce a whispering, audible vibration as it passes in and out the vocal cords. Inhalation and exhalation are both done through the nose, and the resultant sound must be audible enough for the user to hear it, but not so loud for someone standing two meter away to hear it. The inhalations and exhalations are equal in duration, and are controlled in a natural manner that causes no discomfort to the practitioner." *

Ujjayi comes from the Sanskrit prefix ud and root ji

ujji meaning to be victorious

ujjayi thus means one who is victorious

IT'S ABOUT INNER PEACE,
NOT FANCY SHAPES

PRACTICE YOGA WITH ME

Mondays 7:05 - 8:00pm
POWER YOGA
Fitnesspark, Stadelhofen Zurich

and sometimes substitute classes

Wednesdays 8:00 - 9:15pm
BREATH FOCUSED HATHA YOGA

Downdog, Stauffacher Zurich

Sundays monthly 6:00 - 7:30pm
YIN YOGA

Downdog, Stauffacher Zurich

WHAT TO EXPECT IN MY CLASSES

“Evgenia is the most amazing yoga teacher I’ve ever met. Her classes are absolutely fabulous, they allow you to give strength to the body, calm your mind and find your inner peace. I highly recommend her! Namaste”

C.B.

“...Evgenia is very precise with her technique which i find extremely helpful - a small adjustment can make a huge different when holding a pose. She gently corrects, even online sometimes. She always offers different levels of a specific exercises, allowing you to choose how far you want to go each day...”

T.S.

“Genia Pronina lives what she loves. With a pleasant, calm voice, she conveys her passion in a very easy-to-understand way.
For me it was particularly valuable that she attaches great importance to conscious, mindful breathing during the yoga sessions...”

B.S.

I AM...

...Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher since 2021

...currently giving two regular group classes a week

...fluent in Swiss German, English and Russian

GET TO KNOW ME

yin quality time

#yinyogazurich #ujjayibreath

expressing my love for snow and my "home forest"

A nice swimming on a Christmas day. Challenge yourself, have fun and never stop moving. Love you all 🩵🤍💙

climbing to the top to reach for the light

#trikonasana

swimming is slowly getting real

(with original audio)

Just late autumn. Perfect time to calm the mind

Some extracts from a Hatha yoga class

Hatha yoga – originally "yoga of force" – physical expression of yoga, which prepares a person for the Royal path of yoga, which leads towards enlightment.

#hathayogazurich #breathbasedyoga #yogaeveningclass

Have you ever seen a lake with floating islands?

#winterswimming

"The shortest path to oneself leads around the world." Hermann von Keyserling, 1919

Or maybe even "to the moon and back"?

I am definitely one of people who explores the world and would love to explore the universe to understand better who I really am.

What I love about Yin Yoga is that in this practice we have plenty of time. We have all the time in the world to arrive in the posture, to adjust, to let sink in and to release, relax into the position.

We have the time to feel what is happening, to explore the feelings in the body, in the joints and discover things that we maybe never noticed before.

I invite you to slow down, to take some time for yourself and to spend one and a half hours next Sunday evening in the Yin Yoga class which I offer in Zurich.

Sunday 13th of October
17:30 - 19:00

Downdog Studio
St. Jakobstrasse 39
8004 Zurich

Please register in advance through DM
www.ujjayi.ch/yinyoga

#yinyogazurich #yogaeveningclass

Navasana - boat pose.
There are always versions available. Choose wisely, every single time anew.

Breath is your guidance.
🍃🪷🍃

See you on the mat for Hatha and Power Yoga
#hathayogazurich #breathbasedyoga #poweryogazurich #yogaeveningclass

Today in class I learned how Chakrasana (wheel pose) can be a very empowering pose. And how each asana can have a different, very particular effect on every practitioner.

When you practice, do you pay attention on how asanas affect your inner state?

#hathayogazurich #yogaindailylife #yogaeveningclass

Yin Yoga with Genia
In Downdog Studio Zurich

Sundays
13th of October
3rd of November
1st of December

17:30 – 19:00
CHF 35.-

Please register in advance directly to Genia
www.ujjayi.ch/yinyoga

#yinyogazurich

sarvangasana – shoulder stand

focus
strength
patience
precision
breath

#breathbasedyoga #hathayogazurich #ujjayibreath

consider all the options and choose wisely

#breathbasedyoga #hathayogazurich #poweryogazurich

What is history of Power Yoga?

Power Yoga is a yoga style in the modern understanding of it. It is not one of the old yoga traditions, but a practice derived from the Ashtanga Yoga of K. Pattabhi Jois (1915 - 2009), who was student of the father of modern yoga Krishnamacharya (1888 - 1989).

Power Yoga is a set of separate "inventions" by several teachers in the 1980s and 1990s, who were mostly students of K. Pattabi Jois. Dropping some names here: Bryan Kest, Beryl Bender, Baron Baptiste, Larry Schultz.

During in Ashtanga you have a clear series of asanas, which should be practiced in a certain way and order, in most of Power Yoga classes teacher creates the sequence.

Group classes focus on physical practice, mostly putting aside meditation, pranayama, spiritual aspects of yoga and Sanskrit names. Vigorous athletic practice focusing on strength and stamina became popular in fitness clubs.

Power Yoga is being criticized for superficiality and blending out integral parts of yoga practice. At the same time it made yoga more popular in the Western world and became for many their first contact with yoga and the first step on their yoga journey.

#poweryogazurich #yogaeveningclass

I teach Power yoga, but what is Power yoga really? In my own understanding, Power yoga is still yoga. That's why I teach it, following the principles of breath based Hatha, including breath control throughout the class and Pranayama at the end.

Contrary to my Hatha yoga lessons, my Power yoga is more influenced by the Ashtanga style and focused on the development of strength, stability and balance. And I mean not only the physical aspect of it, but also the mental and the emotional one.

For example, balancing asanas can be challenging not only for the body, but also for the mind. At the same time, I always give different versions and also offer enough pauses to internalize and digest the practice.

My Power Yoga classes take place Mondays at 7:05pm in Fitnesspark Stadelhofen Zurich.

#breathbasedyoga #poweryogazurich #migrosfitnesspark

Winter swimming mode is on! With warm tea and good music, with sun, rain and surely ice and snow soon. Making it fun and adventure every time!

"Scenes from my life and memories arose, as I was in different postures. It was beautiful!"

That's what she shared with me after the recent Yin Yoga class. And it was beautiful for me too!

Our bodies carry memories. We can evoke them though movemenent. Sometimes it is not easy, but sometimes it is a bliss!

#yinyogaclass #yinyogazurich

Your favorite yoga class is not happening anymore? Are you a loyal yoga practitioner and wish continuity in classes which lasts for years?

From the teacher's perspective it can be quite challenging to sustain continuity. But I understand, that endurance and perseverance pays off in the end.

That's why, despite changing locations, life situation, injury related interrupt, since November 2021 I continue to offer my Wednesday evening class and plan to do so for many years to come. Yoga practice should be a reliable life companion.

www.ujjayi.ch/wednesday-hatha

#hathayogazurich #breathbasedyoga #yogaeveningclass

"May the fruits of the practice be beneficial not only for ourselves, but also for all the scentient beings around us" – my favourite closing of a yoga practice.

Unfortunately I did not find for myself an appropriate translation to German, so I stopped to use it in my German speaking classes.

Photo by @tatalorphoto

Yoga student experience: The shortest yoga practice is one breath long.

She said: "I feel something! Did not feel it in half a year. It is this sudden stillness, change of the inner state."

Just before that her head was full of tasks and chores, she did not even allow herself to sit down for a moment. But I insisted. I said: Sit down and take just one single breath. Conscious inhalation - pause - conscious exhalation.

And then the radical shift happened. I am grateful to be a witness. This is yoga.

Photo by @atrashkova.photo
#hathayogazurich #breathbasedyoga

My Wednesday evening class has a new home. I'm very happy that from the 4th of September the Wednesday evening class takes place at the Downdog yoga studio.

Downdog is a fully equipped and calm studio with nice lighting close to Stauffacher. What is also new is the time. The class starts at 8 pm.

What remains the same is my breath Focused approach towards Hatha yoga and our friendly group of dedicated people.

I welcome you to join us weekly for a fulfilling and meaningful yoga practice. Please register through downdog.ch

#hathayogazurich #breathbasedyoga #yogaeveningclass

Yoga is here to bring a person closer to themselves, not to distract or entertain.

It is a rewarding path, but not an easy one.

Photo by @tatalorphoto

In yoga:

I don't judge you by your abilities
I don't judge you by your motivation
I don't judge you by your progress

I don't judge at all.

I hold space
I give instruments
I encourage to explore

Photo by @atrashkova.photo

With a lot of sun and heat outside, my body and my emotions are also heated up. Some yogic practices proved beneficial to regulate myself and help me to improve my sleep.

I want to share them with you here. They can be used one at a time or in different combinations.

My favorite one is to bring the feet up the wall, lying either on the floor or in bed.

I like to bring my hands on the belly to encourage the abdominal breathing which calms down my nervous system.

I use one of yogic cooling breathing techniques.

One being Shitkari, where I bring my tongue behind my teeth, inhale through the mouth, close it and exhale through the nose, feeling the cool air in the throat.

And the other one is Chandra Bhedana, which I practice just through awareness. I visualize inhaling through the left nostril and exhaling through the right, continuing at a slow relaxed pace.

I hope that some of these practices can be useful to you too!

Photos by @atrashkova.photo

If you feel like you miss experience of your body and have the urge to live in it fully, how can yoga help?

For the big part it is work with awareness. That means to pay attention to sensations in different areas of the body.

In asana practice we place ourselves into various positions, which the body is often not familiar with. The attention increases. We support it with the conscious breath.

Sometimes insights happen during the practice. In general we experience the feeling of expansion from the inside, aliveness of the whole body and awareness till the tips of the fingers and toes.

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Follow me on Instagram

@genia.p

By relaxation of effort and meditation on the infinite (āsanas are perfected)

- Sutra 2.47 from the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali -