Pure’s new studio is a calming oasis
Breath of life
The asana or physical practice of yoga is what people are most familiar with thanks to flexible, strong — and, let’s face it, photogenic — practitioners flooding social media feeds, but Creelman places just as much emphasis on realising the benefits of meditation and pranayama (breathing exercises). ‘Asana is the action of yoga, meditation is the non-action of yoga, and pranayama is the gateway between the two,’ he explains. ‘For me, meditation is a big part of my self-practice — I’d almost say it’s the most influential part of yoga for me because it’s all about becoming friends with the mind.’
Creelman practices what he preaches: he’ll begin his day tomorrow like he does every day with a short meditation, strong coffee and brief but inspiring reading. He’ll then lead 100 students through an early-morning class that includes headstands, handstands, backbends, planks and a long savasana. He’ll be alert, inspiring and energetic, and most importantly he’ll demand the best from every student so that they can unlock their potential and finally free their mind and body.
‘I’m 44 years old,’ he shares as our interview comes to a close. ‘I’ve been teaching yoga for 20 years. I used to be amazed at these students who came in weak and ended up strong, which is still true. But now I’m really touched by people who just stick it out regardless of the outcome. It’s not about being flexible, or being strong. It’s about sticking with it. There are a small group of students who have been there since day one, and they were in my class this morning at 7am. That’s 16 years of dedication — they have lives outside of yoga, they’re older than me, but they keep coming. That inspires me no end. So my best advice to anyone who is curious about yoga is to just start, show up and stick with it.’
You can show up and stick with Patrick at Pure Yoga’s newest studio here