Immerse yourself in Yoga this weekend

For locals who want to stretch out, bliss out and experience something new in yoga, the Bass Coast Yoga Festival is on this weekend in Inverloch. 
Beginners and experienced yogis can attend for one or two days and try out a wide range of classes led by teachers both locally and from across the state. 
Slow and gentle classes are available for first timers or beginners, or for those wanting a Zen experience, with Hatha, Yin and Yoga Nidra on offer.  
Experienced yogis who are looking to deepen their practice or more challenging flows can extend themselves with dynamic Vinyasa flows, Kundalini, and multiple classes. 
Others might like to just go and bliss out on a meditation class or a sound bath session, or even to try a different flavour of yoga for the first time, like Japanese yoga, Qi Gong or Chair Yoga. 
Annabelle, a local yoga teacher and founder of The Yoga Stylist, has been teaching in the Bass Coast region since 2017, and offers classes on the beach, when the weather gods allow it, and regular classes from Soul Space in Wonthaggi. She will be leading, what she calls a ‘luscious’ session on Saturday at the Festival.
“I've really watched the yoga community really grow and blossom over that time, it's been quite wonderful.” 
“I'm teaching a class on Saturday at 12:30 pm called Ananda Maya, and that means a blissful heart. That's a one-hour session where I will integrate yoga nidra meditation and some mantra, a gentle practice with heart opening postures, and really inviting people to step into their hearts and be quite comfortable with all that their hearts are holding. So, it's quite a luscious class, and I’m looking forward to that.” 
“I teach a very present practice, nothing complicated, tricky, or particularly challenging in the physical stuff that I offer, because for me, yoga is about connection with the breath, and connection to yourself. I think it's really important that every time we set foot on the yoga mat, we really look and feel into how we are that day. To notice how your body is, how your mind is, how your heart is, and then be able to adapt the practice to suit how you're feeling, rather than just going with a set range of instructions. I suppose to really acknowledge that we're different every day, and we need different things every day and I think that's why the yoga festival is quite wonderful, because there is a lot on offer.” 
“It's an opportunity for people to explore the various tools in the yoga toolbox and see what feels like a good fit for them this weekend.”
While Louisa, a teacher from Yea, is returning again after having a great experience last year at the first Bass Coast Yoga Festival. She is looking forward to bringing Japanese Yoga to the community; this is more a corrective yoga, accessible for people that don’t have great flexibility and may not be able to twist or get themselves into strange positions. 
“It's great for the community, I think because it's a day for, or a weekend for women to get together and network with each other and spend some time with each other, doing something that they enjoy, which is active rather than just sitting in a coffee shop and catching up.”
“There are many different aspects of yoga and I think the festival showcases all of that, with regards to the music side of things and chanting, the activities side of things with workshops, and things where people can go and learn and share different yoga philosophies. So, it really encompasses the whole, every aspect of the word Yoga.” 
The festival runs from 9 am, Saturday, May 13 to 5:30 pm, Sunday, May 14, at Inverloch Community House and tickets are available from basscoast.yogafestival.com.