What Type of Yoga Do You Do?

Peter began yoga practice in 1969. He has two major influences.

The first was Dorotea Mangiamele, the founder of Mangala Studios who over 14 years taught and initiated him into a spiritual and creative dimension of yoga based on traditional static asana, pranayama and meditation. During this period he undertook intensive practice (over 30 hours a week) in yoga, yoga nidra and Mangala Studios uniquely transformative creative yoga and creative dance.

He began teaching creative dance and yoga to children and adults in 1978. In 1986, Mrs. Mangiamele passed on and Peter took over the running of Mangala Studios.

Then in 1994 Peter came to the teachings of TKV Desikachar who was reinterpreting the teachings and techniques of his father T Krishnamacharya. Since that time he has regularly attended training under both Desikachar and the excellent teachers in that tradition, currently Kausthub Desikachar.

Peter has studied and practised pranayama, vinyasa, Vedic chant, study of Vedic literature and philosophy, combined with continuing meditative and yoga nidra practices. He has also been studying and teaching Tai Chi Chuan since 1978.

So the classes are an amalgam of all of the above. They follow a vinyasa style combination of asanas with logical progression incorporating breath, mantra and visualisation as needed, with a deeply meditative intent. Classes will alter to reflect student needs, weather time of day and incorporate many of the elements Peter has learned from Tai Chi and dance where they enhance the transmission of yoga and the individual student’s needs on that day.

So…. Not a “style” but an experience of yoga. Yoga is not traditionally a technique but a passing of experience from teacher to student. Feel free to try the class to see if it fits your yogic goals.