On this page:   Typical Class Description The Classes Available to Choose From - an Overview How to Find Out More & Enrol What to Take to your Yoga Class How to Prepare Yourself Payment for Classes If you are visiting North Wiltshire, UK, and would like to join in a class, you will be welcomed.

Yoga Classes

Choose the appropriate regular weekly yoga class now active:

Yoga Posture-cise Class Marlborough, Tuesday Evenings This regular ongoing class of an hour and a half is aimed at those who want something ion between a regular exercise class and a regular yoga class.  It focuses on reasonably energetic yoga posturing with no reference to spirituality or yoga philosophy and no non-physical yoga practices. Beginners/ Improvers Class Badbury/ Chiseldon, Thursday Evenings Beginners/ Improvers Hatha Yoga Class

Or choose an upcoming yoga course (specific number of weeks):

• None currently scheduled. Beginners may join the regular class for Beginners/ Improvers

Or consider:

• Personal Tuition
  Available for periods of one hour or more at my home, your home or a hired room. Venue, time and content are variable.  Ideal for those who wish to work more interactively or develop their own personal practice.  When combined with intervening personal practice, rapid progress can be made.

Or consider registering your interest in a potential course or a class currently suspended:

• Early Morning Class
  This is a regular class aimed at people who are keen on yoga but cannot easily or regularly get to classes in the day or evening or who want to supplement their existing practice, easily fitting into a busy work day schedule.
• Classical Yoga Extension (to the Yoga Posture-cise Class)
  For those who have worked their bodies in the Yoga Posture-cise class, but who wish to include the classical elements left out of the previous class. It is about 30 minutes long and mainly non-physical.
• Intermediate Class
  This is the mainstream regular class held in the evening when most people can attend.  Beginners are not normally allowed to join to permit the class to work at a level presuming a good foundation of understanding, experience and physical awareness and flexibility.
• Advanced Course
  This is a one term course aimed at those who have a regular practice and want to deepen their practice with more advanced asana, pranayama, mantra, etc.  Aimed at regular attendees of the Intermediate Class or equivalent with another teacher or their own practice.

Or consider the Summer School over the long summer break:

• BWY Summer School
  The BWY Swindon Summer

  A Thought to Ponder Yoga is not an ancient myth buried in oblivion.  It is the most valuable inheritance of the present. It is the essential need of today and the culture of tomorrow Swami Satyananda Saraswati

  School is held during the summer break when most other classes have stopped.  It provides an opportunity to continue your weekly practice in a class environment and experience a range of different teachers. It is mixed ability, usually with quite a number of new yoga students.
• DonsYoga Summer School
  Just turn up and practice with Don!

If you have a group, you can form a yoga club:

• Private Classes
  Have the benefit of regular group practice, but at your choice of day, dates, time and content (choose from any of the public classes).

Typical Class Description

A typical intermediate class looks like this.  We start off with a short relaxation session to make the transition to the calm internally focused yogic state. We do some warm ups and then focus on a few areas of the body to build up structural flexibility.  We are then ready to do asana work. Typically this includes the Sun Salutation sequence, and other asanas like Trikonasana and Warrior. We may also do some development work, including asanas like the dog, leading to a more challenging asana at the end of term like the Wheel. We sometimes do some work in pairs which greatly enhances the experience and also provides the opportunity to share. We also normally do a balance posture, an inverted posture, some breathing or pranayama work. Then finishing off with a relaxation/ meditation, usually in the corpse posture, typically with a guided visualisation.

How to Find Out More & Enrol

Click on the navigation button or link for the class you are interested in to get more detail. You can click on the navigation button marked Enrolment for details of how to join.  If you want to discuss your options or anything else with me:

please drop me an email  or if you prefer, give me a phone call on 01793 740303 or even snail mail to: Caer-Urfa, Church Street, Chiseldon, SWINDON, Wilts, UK, SN4 0NJ

What To Take to Your Yoga Class

In practical terms you will be best equipped if you:

• Wear loose comfortable clothing, avoiding heavy/ inflexible waistbands.  Leotards are practical, but most students wear a T-shirt, tracksuit top and bottoms or shorts that don’t gape at the leg.
• Use a non-slip mat * (a sticky mat). Exercise mats can be too small, too soft, too slippery and are often noisy!  Bed rolls tend to stay curled, are still a little slippy and often too soft.
• Have a block * to sit on, etc. 2 blocks are useful and 4 help in some postures. These are special yoga blocks made from hard foam or a lightweight modern material.
• Have a belt * for shoulder and leg work mainly (special yoga belts made from cotton are best, but a tie does quite well)
• Have a rug to cushion your knees and hips in some postures and to cover yourself in relaxation. A sleeping bag can work but it is a bit bulky and some can be noisy!
• Warm socks for use during relaxation or meditation.  NORMALLY, we do yoga with BARE FEET though - to allow the feet and toes to move and to avoid slipping and injuring yourself.
• A bottle of water is a good idea, especially as most people drink too little water.

* A set of these items (mat, block & belt) can be bought or  hired from Don

Also take a look at What You Need

How to Prepare Yourself

As yoga is essentially a spiritual practice, the classical yoga texts do place an emphasis on cleansing (called kriyas). I don’t see a lot of point in going overboard in a western weekly yoga class, but in practical terms one could:

• Try not to be put off because you are tired - I guarantee that on most occasions you will be glad you made the effort to turn up!
• Allow at least an hour after a light meal or 2 hours after a heavy meal
• Wash hands and face, more as a ritual really
• Wear clean clothes
• Eliminate from the bladder and bowels
• Come with a mind as free as possible from your every day work or family concerns - try to leave them behind at your house when you leave!  Also try to suspend judgement no matter how unlikely a technique or benefit may sound - allow yourself to experience the magic of yoga! If you refresh your body and mind, you will be able to manage your problems more effectively.

Payment for classes

I have introduced flexible payment options so you choose which suits you best

Drop-in Rate or Pay-As-You-Go There is a drop-in rate so you can pay as you go and save if you cannot make a class. No commitment. Available for single lessons or in a block with a good discount for those whose lifestyle does not allow regular or reliable weekly attendance. Regular Rate The rate for the regular attender rewards the committed yogi.  This gives about 33% discount from the drop-in rate and gives you a guaranteed place at class. Early Payment Discount There is a good additional discount if you pay early for the whole term at 12% (and this avoids fiddling about too) or for just each half term if you prefer (at 10%).  You also get a guaranteed place. Couples Enrolment You can now enrol as a couple at the regular rate or with an early payment discount.  You pay just as you would for a single person, but only one of you comes along to any class - to a guaranteed place. Should you both want to attend the same class, one person pays the Drop-in Rate for just that one lesson.  Great opportunity if one of you needs to stay at home!

The actual prices depend on which class and the number of classes in the term. Please see the page for each class.

You can pay on-line using the PayPal system with your credit card (find out more), or by cheque, or by DonsYoga Gift Voucher or even by cash (in person).

To claim your early payment discount you need to make your payment by the last class of the preceding term.

Don’t forget, if you are a new student to a DonsYoga class, you can have a FREE trial lesson! (Does not apply to  fixed length courses or personal tuition)

If you need to post your cheque payment to me, please include your name, telephone, email and class that you want to enrol on, postmarked by the cut-off date if you are claiming an early payment discount. My address is

DonsYoga Newsletter

I have a newsletter for my yoga students that gives information on developments in DonsYoga, Yoga Class information, Local Events and Yoga Tips. If you are not already a yoga student with me but are interested (perhaps joining one day?), then just and I will include you on the mailing list.  There are usually 3 newsletters per year.

© Copyright 2001 to 2004, Don Kent