Arrive & settle
You come in from Upper Richmond Road, take your shoes off and head upstairs. Kaya explains the practice and gives the room time to settle.
Meditation at Phoenix
You’ve been thinking your whole life.
Meditation teaches you to work with your mind rather than be ruled by it. At Phoenix, you can meet the practice inside regular yoga classes or give it its own 45 minutes with Kaya.
The practice
A bit of time to notice what your mind is doing
Meditation has been practised for centuries. Modern research continues to explore its effects on stress, attention and the brain. We’re more interested in what happens when you actually do it.
Sometimes the mind quietens. Sometimes it resolutely refuses to. You may notice tension you hadn’t realised you were holding, get a little perspective on something that has been occupying your thoughts, or simply finish feeling rested.
You don’t need previous experience, and you don’t need to empty your mind before you arrive.
The experience
What 45 minutes here actually looks like
The meditation
You sit or lie down while Kaya guides the practice, working with breath, body, visualisation or awareness depending on the session.
Come back slowly
The final part brings you gradually back into the room. People are often quite slow to get up afterwards. There’s no rush.
Your teacher
Kaya
Kaya has been teaching yoga and meditation for more than ten years.
Her background includes Vinyasa, Yin and Yoga Nidra, alongside her continuing meditation practice and study. She explains what you’re doing, guides the practice and gives you room to experience it for yourself.
You lie down on the wooden floor, in the light from the high windows, and Kaya guides you through it quietly. That simplicity is a large part of the point.
Before you come
Very little preparation required
Wear
Something comfortable. You can practise seated or lying down.
Bring
Nothing unless you want to. We have mats, blankets, bolsters and eye masks.
Experience
None required. Kaya explains the practice before you begin.
If you are pregnant, have a health condition or have any concerns about taking part, get in touch beforehand or have a word with Kaya before class.
At Phoenix
Start where it makes sense for you
Meditation and mindful awareness already appear in much of our Hatha and Yin teaching. Kaya’s dedicated Meditation classes give the practice more room in its own right, while longer workshops allow time to explore it in greater depth.