This article is from page 28 of the 2007-06-12 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 28 JPG
YOGA has stretched its way to a prominent position in east Clare as well as many exercise regimes with people coming from all over the world to the family-run, East Clare Yoga Centre.
The Tuamgraney-based centre, opened in 2004, is one of only four facilities in Ireland to run residential courses in Iyengar yoga as well as other workshops and classes.
Owner and teacher Susanne Sturton explained that Iyengar Yoga 1s a par- ticularly traditional and intense form of the exercise technique, which is a combination of meditation and phys- ical posturing.
“People’s pace of life is faster so they want something to integrate different facets of being – mind and body. The style is very distinctive and there is a lot of emphasis on al- lignment and precision but it is tai- lored to suit the individual. You real- ly have to apply yourself but people see a real difference from a keep fit class or running on a treadmill.”
The business is truly a family affair and is based in the home. Ms Stur- ton’s husband Paul and his parents, Rod and Pheme, create and cook the vegetarian menus at the centre. The one and a half acre property is also op N ROOST DUST EABD SLO
The Sturtons were living in Lon- don when they discovered something
that would draw them to east Clare shew OLR
“We have two daughters, Holly and Hazel, and moved here because I found out that there was a flagship Steiner Wakldorf School, Raheen Wood, in Clare. It was definitely what we wanted and we are just a 10 minute walk away from it now and we really enjoy living here.”
Setting up a yoga centre was part of this plan and it has gone from strength to strength since opening, running at least four full weekly classes, a monthly workshop and 10 courses a year. “It has been hard work and we have long waiting lists so we could be doing more. People have come from England and as far
away aS New York as well as from all over Ireland. It’s nice that they are bringing these techniques back to where they’re from.”
She added that Clare was the per- fect site to practice yoga.
“There is a huge demand and it is very popular. It is about lifelong learning and many people keep it up for years. Some of the guest teachers we bring over from the UK mostly have two or three decades of experi- ence. We are aiming to create a cen- tre for excellence.”
www.eastclareyoga.ie