The style of yoga you choose is important
It needs to suit your body and your mind – we don’t believe in forcing your body to do a style of yoga it doesn’t like. We explain below what to expect in our classes so you can find the right blend of effort and ease, with a teacher who inspires you. Our classes all feature postures, breathwork and deep relaxation. They range from gentle to challenging, and we always teach with a mindful approach. With practice yoga can bring you physical vitality, mental harmony and profound inner peace.
For people completely new to yoga we recommend our Beginners Level 1 course, and for those wishing to deepen their practice we suggest our Beginners Level 2 course.
Classes Open to All
Open to all levels of experience from beginners to old hand, with yoga that is accessible, interesting and fulfilling to everyone. You’ll work at a steady pace and you’ll feel stretched, strengthened and soothed. Always includes deep relaxation. Fine for early pregnancy.
Dynamic Classes
For those with some experience of yoga who like a faster-paced practice, building heat and exploring more challenging postures. May include pranayama, always includes deep relaxation.
Beginners Yoga
Level 1
Open to All
We offer beginners yoga courses in a flow style of yoga, introducing mindfulness, postures, breathwork and relaxation. You’ll learn the basics of sun salutations and the standing and floor postures. Our skilful teachers can help anybody regardless of age or stiffness find an enjoyable way to practice. If you have never done yoga before, we recommend you attend a beginners yoga course, or try an Open to All class.
Beginners Yoga
Level 2
Open to All
This course is for those of you who have done our beginners course and want to explore postures, breathwork and mindfulness a little deeper, or for anyone who’s done yoga in the past, feels a bit rusty and wants to get back into it. The course is a great stepping stone into our Dynamic classes. Expect more alignment instructions, slightly more ‘strong’ stuff, perhaps some Yin Yoga and a wonderful restorative relaxation.
Dynamic/Yin
Dynamic
This class showcases the essential elements of a yoga practice for mind and body: meditation, dynamic flow, and yin. We explore aspects of mindfulness, then move through classical sun salutations and postures for increasing vitality and strength, then slow it all right down with soothing yin and restoratives. Sophie’s years of experience and playful approach create a super supportive atmosphere while she puts you through your paces. You might do a few inversions too. All topped off with an immersive mindful relaxation.
Gentle Hatha Yoga
Open to All
Our daytime class is a slow-paced, calm class open to all. Gentle stretches will improve posture and overall strength, and increase vitality. There will be attention to detail in the posture, making the session suitable for anyone in recovery from illness or injury, and a focus on deep breathing and relaxation means you will feel nourished and nurtured. Suitable for any age or experience – beginners welcome. The class is also good for the early stages of pregnancy.
Vinyasa Flow
Dynamic
This is a strong flow practice which will give you a good workout, revitalising and energising. You’ll start slowly, inviting kindness and mindfulness into your practice, then build up heat as you move through plenty of sun salutes, standing poses and floor postures. Like all our classes the foundation is mindful breathwork. Class finishes with deep relaxation. It’s suitable for those with experience of yoga and for people getting back into yoga with a good level of fitness.
Yoga for Radical Rest
Open to All
Restoration and rejuvenation for all womxn – perfect if you’re tired, pulled in two directions, want to be more at one with your womxn-ness, want to heal menstrual or menopause issues or connect more deeply with your fertility. The yoga is fluid, playful and exploratory, guiding you to become at home in your body. Living with an awareness of seasons and cycles helps us greet the inevitable ups and downs of life with equanimity and deep wisdom.
Pregnancy Yoga
Open to All
The Stables is a Centre of Excellence for pregnancy yoga. Regularly voted the best pregnancy classes in York, we offer several classes per week. “Inspiring. Much more than just a yoga class – there’s birth preparation, friendship and lots of information. The best classes in the area, by a long way.” Sophie Carr and Alison Goodwin have been sharing their passion for yoga, pregnancy, birth and post-natal work for more than twenty years. Thousands of mothers have enjoyed their classes, developing a wonderful sense of community, lasting friendships and support.
Postnatal + Baby Yoga
Open to All
More than a yoga class, our postnatal classes are a unique blend of yoga and supportive space for you and your baby. Our yoga practice is gentle: soft movement to release tightness and tension, ease aches and pains and tone your tummy and pelvic floor. Breathing, meditation and relaxation help you feel rested and refreshed, even if you didn’t get much sleep last night. There’s time for discussion, sharing experiences and tips, and bucketloads of reassurance. We support and encourage you to trust your own instinct about what is right for you and your baby. And we make you a hot cup of tea with biscuits!
Energising Vinyasa Flow
Dynamic
This course is dynamic, playful and challenging. You’ll dive much deeper into what yoga has to offer in terms of stronger postures, inversions, breathwork and philosophy. The pace is faster and you’ll build strength, flexibility and focus – and music playing throughout adds another dimension. This class is run as a course, meaning you’ll be with the same people and can develop community and connection as you share the journey together.
Mindfulness Meditation
Open to All
Join Sophie for 30 minutes of mindfulness meditation. Sit near a window or in the garden/yard/balcony if possible, on a chair or on a cushion on the floor. We’ll explore breath awareness and embodiment, keeping it simple and steadying. Suitable for everyone.
Yin Yoga
Open to All
Yin is one of the most delicious forms of yoga you can experience. It is a passive, non-ambitious practice, with long-held floor poses and deep attention to mindfulness and mindful breathing. It targets connective tissue and joints rather than muscles, gently encouraging a quiet internalised approach. We emerge from a yin practice feeling centred, balanced, whole and relaxed.
Kids Yoga
Open to All
From babies to great-grandparents, and everyone in between, all are welcome at Family yoga. Kids yoga is aimed at more specific age ranges, offering appropriate themes. By drawing on traditional yoga practices and focusing on three main elements of breathing, movement and stillness, family yoga and kids yoga beautifully weave play, mindfulness and imagination. There’s opportunity for kids to experience creative teamwork, families to grow and connect and everyone to have a whole lot of fun! Both family yoga and kids yoga is light-hearted and thoughtful, using storytelling, music and art to help adults and kids get the most out of the sessions.
Menopause Yoga
Open to All
If you feel overwhelmed, tired, angry, hot, anxious, brain-fogged, if
you can’t sleep, or feel a lack of joy in life, yoga may help. Menopause Yoga is both a therapeutic style of yoga designed to help women manage menopause symptoms, as well as an empowering approach to this stage of life. Whether we are on HRT or not, whether we are in peri- or post-menopause, whether we are finding our symptoms debilitating or not, ALL women need nurturing through the extraordinary menopause journey.