Leanne Natkaniec Yoga

07/12/2025

Hey! I'm still teaching. Here I am sharing a glimpse of a yin class this evening and in it you can find three ways of doing the challenging Saddle pose. Four ways in fact if you count the prep pose. In winter it's important to follow nature's wisdom and honour our body's call to slow, rest and recharge. Just like the animals and plants in the natural world. They honour the darkness and chance to rest. The more we sink down in our practised the better the effect of the yin magic through the layers of our body. Transforming tiredness into grounded ness simply by changing how we feel about it!
I'm not using this account very much these days but I am still teaching my wonderful ashtanga class each Wednesday which has a wait-list most weeks so book early! Plus the odd cover here and there for .plympton and
💞

03/09/2025

“In each asana, if the contact between the body and the floor-the foundation-is good, the asana will be performed well. Always watch your base: Be attentive to the portion nearest the ground. Correct first from the root. The standing poses are meant to begin providing this foundation for life. They strengthen the ankles and the knees. When a person is mentally disturbed or dejected, you'll notice he can't stand firmly on his feet. These postures teach one how to stand straight so that the brain can float in its position. Feet are like the root of a tree.
If one can't stand properly on one's feet, one develops a negative attitude toward life, and one's yoga too becomes unsteady. These postures help one to maintain stability in times of difficulty and even when catastrophes occur. When stability becomes a habit, maturity and clarity follow. Stability requires balance.”

BKS Iyengar
Light on Life

02/06/2025

24/03/2025

Join us for a day of rejuvenation, self-care and connection, learn new skills and foster a sense of inner peace. Includes Yoga, Breathwork, Kirtan, Connection, Sound & Meditation. Give yourself the space and love your body needs!

19/03/2025

19/03/2025

Now I’ve got your attention, let me break this down.

Unpopular opinion - drop in yoga classes need to be a thing of the past. Self practice and choosing an intelligent and wise practice to support your personal needs, routine and growth is of your highest benefit. Let me explain…

You go to a public yoga practice once, twice a week. You do the stretch (probably with no meditation) and it’s lovely, you feel limber, open and fresh after.

But you notice you still get easily irritated. You’re still repeating that same habit you swore you’ll kick. You’re still people pleasing. You keep getting sick and your body is in pain…

I know. I was there.

Practising intelligently, with a complete practice, wisely chosen to support the needs of what you are going through and a long-standing practice, repeated regularly; is what you actually need.

When we work with energetics (yoga asana, pranayama, meditation), we are working with subtlety. How can expect change when we are jumping from practice to practice, usually without correct sequencing, breathing or meditation… and we wonder why we’re not really getting DEEP results from our practice?!

In my 5 week online course, REGULATE, I will be breaking down the SCIENCE behind why and how we practice intelligently and with the most bang for our buck. Practising endless classes is a waste of your time. Let me introduce you to the Vayus, and you’ll understand why.

All course info in link in my bio or comment VAYU and I’ll drop you the direct link 🔗

Let’s practice with intentionality, intelligence and being informed of the science behind this fantastic technology to support us to the capacity yoga was meant to.

R ❤️xo

09/03/2025

Over the past 2 decades I have noticed a shift in the students that come to yoga. Many more people are curious about the “yoga feeling.”

When I first stepped into Dharma Mittra’s shala back in 2005, there was a a feeling of reverence and respect. Many people arrived early to warm up, the room was quiet, maybe a few whispers, and as soon as Dharma came in we all were quiet and attentive. We did as he said. We listened. Much of what he said resonated with me, some things I didn’t necessarily agree with or understand. But I listened, I tried to be respectful, unseen, and a good student…doing as he instructed. I entered the posture as he instructed. I held the pose for as long as he wanted…sometimes it was eternity that we held a pose but I did it. I did it out of respect. I did it to be a good student. I did it to pay homage to this man that exemplified yoga in my eyes. I kept my head down, my ears opened, and I learned, and I grew, and I showed up to all of his classes for a decade. And I transformed.

There is a level of respect that seems to be missing in today’s yoga classes and yoga culture. People want it their way. They have no room for learning because they already know everything. I have had 20 year old new students give me feedback on my yoga classes. Students arriving late, and leaving early. The constant phones in class! And if it’s not a iPhone then it’s an Iwatch. Students arguing with me when I ask them to put their phone away. The audacity! The arrogance! The complete lack of respect for the other students! It can be pretty wild out there.

And I want to say that most people are amazing, respectful, they listen, they want to learn. But the arrogant A holes are increasing. And peoples tolerance for discomfort is decreasing. Too scared to out in the work.

Yoga is not McDonalds! Yoga is a delicacy. It takes time to appreciate its subtle flavors and sensations. After 1 year of consistency you know nothing. After 5 years of consistency you get a tiny clue. After 12 years of daily practice you start to see what’s going on.

Come to yoga! But be respectful. Be quiet. Listen. You may learn something.

31/01/2025

I've practised in so many places over the years, some of them so random. So I chose a few here to remind you that Ashtanga is a self practise and you don't even need a mat really you just need space enough to do a vinyasa in. That's what I love about it, whenever you need it it's there with it's set of instructions to tell you exactly what to do in what order with what technique. I've tapped into my consciousness and calmed my mind even in the worst places full of stuff, or dirt or noise! That is the power of the focus of this method. .
1. Birmingham Train station during Covid
2. Stable block in southern Spain (lots of flies)
3.Friends bedroom in London (next to the smelly cat food)
4.Back garden in Turnpike Lane, London
5.Noisy Bedroom Wood Green, London
6.Boyfriends bedroom crammed with stuff, Walthamstow, London
7.New shared house Palmer's Green, London
8.Plymouth Hoe waterfront
9.Yoga retreat where I was a volunteer, Granada, Spain
10. More yoga studios between classes, all over London
I know I move a lot, but this practise has been a constant for me, a home. Wheres the oddest place you've carved out a practise for yourself?

28/01/2025

So the practise I'd really hoped was gonna be a good one today was a flop 😭 But I did manage to test out my new handmade sports bra design and I had a really good meditation at the end. Perhaps that's actually what I needed. Actually the longer you are on this path the less you are concerned with the dynamics and the frivolities of asanas and the more you are drawn naturally to the higher limbs of meditation and stillness and quiet mind work :)
I hope you enjoyed your practise however great or small.
Wearing my beloved in Moss

17/01/2025

17/1/25 practice diary

I'm gleaming in meditation at end !
My whole body feels like it's been thoroughly polished inside and out
I'm aware of my organs
My skin feels so light barely there
Where is my spine?! I cannot feel my back it's weightless
And very cool
My blood moves and feels warm. I'm aware of my pulse especially in the hinge of my leg where there is pressure from sitting in crossed legs. Feels a bit like when you get your blood pressure checked and they strap that thing on you and inflate it!
..

Body was stiff today (to begin)

Mind was soft

Postures never change

Simplicity of the sequence means my breathing and how I'm breathing and choosing to breath each breath has my whole focus 

Standing postures repeated a million times feel so beautiful there's so much detail in there 

Trikonasana went to a new level, the alignment lit up like never before

Didn't do up dog in surya namaskar, did cow instead :)

Fixed my up dog down dog slump when I was warmer, I need to begin the movement with the power of my quads, they were not engaged nearly enough in my up dog, now it feels breezy (and strong) again.

*Still major project everywhere of keeping my shoulders depressed and my neck long and tall!

I felt heavy and full of lunch still, no jumps, not even small ones 🤣

Thank you body for letting me back in!
..

Thank you for reading! If you did let me know if these insights are useful! I've posted so much over the years with tips and techniques (all in my IGTV still 🥳) so now I'm just being lazy and sharing my experiences hoping you glean something useful from it or can relate!

16/01/2025

'Hip Flexors’ refers to a group of muscles that flex (or bend) your hip. Exactly which muscles are "the hip flexors" varies depending on where you look, but a common set of Hip Flexors are: