The Sanskrit noun yoga is derived from the term yuj, meaning to attach, join, harness or yoke. The spiritual resonance of the word yoga can be traced to Epic Sanskrit with the aim of uniting the human spirit with the Divine. For Adrian, yoga has helped strike his inner tranquility while simultaneously uniting a community of locals through curated posture and rhythmic breath work.

For Adrian, yoga was first and foremost about healing. “My family, genetically, has the tendency to suffer from hypertension and high blood pressure. So when I was about to hit my thirties I was really looking for something to manage it without medication.yoga seemed to be the key,” explains Adrian, with the enthusiasm of a new found discovery.

The name, Le Yoga, is an ode to Adrian’s practice. In Mandarin, Lè can mean joyful or music. “When I start the classes I play music, to assist you in flowing through your movements and connect with your breath. I teach yoga in quite a relaxed manner, it’s serene and joyous.”

Facing Doctor’s Gully, nestled in green bushland, Lè Yoga Daylesford’s studio sits on a 2.6 acre property, a kilometre from the centre of town. “The studio started in 2013. It happened by coincidence. I went to a party in town and was suggested by the locals to start a studio because one of the yoga teachers in town had just left. So in some ways it was quite convenient.” During the warmer months, Adrian offers outdoor classes so clients can soak in the country as they practise.

When prompted about the way yoga has consumed his life, Adrian chuckles, “I started embarking on that journey. But I never intended on becoming a teacher, I was a student for ten years before my teacher said it’s about time you do some teacher training.” Adrian has been practicing yoga for over a decade, starting with Somachi yoga moving on to explore the Vinyasa, Ashtanga and Bikram styles. “Essentially, it’s about controlling your breathing and how you manage your temperament.”

Adrian’s practice focuses on Vinyasa and Yin Yoga. Since 1948, Pattabhi Jois used Vinyasa to mean "the repetitious linking movements" between the asanas, or postures. “Vinyasa is learning to strengthen yourself. The Vinyasa classes can be quite physically challenging, if someone wants a good mix of flexibility and practice.”

In contrast, Yin Yoga is a slow paced, gentle practice. In the late 1970s, martial arts expert and yoga teacher Paulie Zink's Taoist Yoga introduced Yin Yoga poses that apply moderate stress to the connective tissues of the body, propelling the circulation in the joints while promoting flexibility. “The restorative Yin Yoga is a much more gentle practice, perfect for people who are quite mentally busy in their work lives. It’s a lot of stretching, making the most of gravity.”

For Adrian, it is not all about technique - yoga has the capacity to change our social conditioning. “Over the years, we have focussed so much on our own beings, as individuals we have lost sense of community. I wanted to encourage communication.” Adrian’s tone slows, he is sincere and reflective. “In the joy of this environment, I encourage everyone to break out of their shell and enjoy the company of one another. That’s what Le Yoga means to me, joyous practice. Some people are shy, they get to know each other and help each other. Seeing people healthy, it’s important.”

In a world where wellness culture seems to be a passing fad, yoga has well and truly stood the test of time, and it’s because of the power that the practice has illuminated over hundreds of years. “My mum is one of my students. Most of the yoga students know that my mum is the most disobedient student in the class. She’s 73 and lives with me. My mum suffers from depression and she uses yoga as a way to manage it and it has served her well in the last few years,” explains Adrian, with glowing pride.

But his most memorable reward from his practice occurred in 2015 when he brought the local community together in the Daylesford Town Hall, “A few years ago, when Nepal suffered an earthquake we ran a fundraiser event and everyone supported us. The whole community came together and we raised a significant amount to help the people in Nepal. It was quite memorable.”

Story by Mahmood Fazal

Photos by Chris Turner

Le Yoga Daylesford

leyoga.com.au

0431 840 788