AGORA….
is Portuguese for NOW.
It was born of a common dream and aims to become a collective one – that is NOW coming true.
The dream to create a different space, thought as a yoga studio that could allow for social and cultural exchange. Our wish is to create a space where practices for the body, the mind and the heart can merge. Where physical and meditative experiences can meet creative and artistic explorations. A place where people can gather and get to know each other in a bubble of simplicity, loving kindness and acceptance. Where thoughts, ideas and a community can take roots.
AGORA….
is based in Lisbon
We chose the wonderful city of Lisbon to lay the foundations of this collective project, and we are very happy to invite you to join us there. Come to discover the mindful practice of Yoga and Meditation and open a new window of opportunities in your life. We are located in the heart of Lisbon at Rua Rafael de Andrade, 23 , 2nd floor, near the metro station Intendente.
We have regular Yoga and Meditation classes, special workshops, community events we invite international guest teachers, and we organize retreats, in Portugal and abroad. We also host trainings and workshops given by local teachers.
At Agora, we also have a “Therapy Room” where therapists (massage therapist, osteopaths, acupuncturists, etc) can give treatments, massage. You can ask us if you are interested to get an appointment, or if you wish to rent the space.
AGORA…
is Greek for « Open space assembly »
Nearly every city of ancient Greece had an agora when the classical period of Greek civilization began to flourish. Usually located near the center of town, the agora was easily accessible to every citizen. It was the heart of the city – where ordinary citizens bought and sold goods, politics were discussed and ideas were passed among great minds like Socrates, Aristotle and Plato. Some of the world’s most important ideas were born and perfected within the confines of the Athenian agora including, most importantly, the concept of democracy.
AGHORA…
in Sanskrit, is derived from the root word ghora,
which means « darkness » and « fear ». A- ghora stands for the opposite, « illumination », « peace », « calmness ». Darkness represents ignorance, whereas knowledge brings forth light. The path of Aghora, which is also a school of Tantra, aims to eliminate the veil of ignorance.
About
Sonia
Sonia’s first encounter with yoga happened during her studies in the United States when she was 18 years old. After a few years exploring different forms of yoga, she became passionate about Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga and since that day dedicates her life to self-study and to the practices of this system. She left her International Development career and decided to teach Yoga in 2014.
Sonia sees yoga as an every day transformative practice that for her smoothly evolved into a lifestyle. She wishes to share with others the tools that the yoga practice can offer to support each of us on the path of self-transformation and freedom.
She met Linda Munro and Gerald Disse in 2014 and started studying with them at Ashtanga Yoga Paris. She then taught yoga in this beautiful community for three years.
She also has been following trainings in Yin Yoga the last two years to combine a more gentle and restorative practice to her Ashtanga classes and share this soft practice of letting go and acceptance with her students.
She loves studying Yoga philosophy and has been studying Ayurveda with an Indian Ayurvedic Professor since December 2017.
From July 2017 until March 2019, Sonia was traveling the world to practice with different teachers that inspire her and deepen her study of yoga. She taught retreats in several countries, mainly Ashtanga and Yin immersions in places of beautiful nature – convinced that we all need to take time off from big cities regularly. Sonia is half Brazilian and half French, so Portugal seemed like a perfect mix for her to settle down back in Europe this year. She has been dreaming to move to Lisbon for a long time and contribute to start an Ashtanga and Yoga community.
Sonia keeps growing and evolving in her yoga every day and wish to make her teaching as evolutive…. always keeping a “beginner’s mind”.
About
Adélia
Adélia Nollet was 18 years old when Reiki entered her life, opening the door to an extraordinary path. After 10 years of practice, the time came for her to become a Reiki master and to be able to initiate people who want to enter the energetic realm.
Adélia has also always been passionate about nature and the link between humanity and the environment and so naturally these were important values for her during her time as a high school science teacher.
At the same time, devoted to travel, she has moved around numerous countries, most notably New-Zealand, where she began her yoga journey which has continued to this very day.
On returning to France, she began an Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga teacher training (200h yoga alliance certified) alongside to excellent teachers Linda Munro and Gerald Disse. She is now almost 500h certified in Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. She is also certified in prenatal and postnatal yoga and continue her path and discoveries in Nidra yoga, Astrology and Tarot.
For her, life is an initiative journey leading towards knowing oneself and personal growth. Nothing is more important than finding our own way in order to understand our inner core and how to relate to it whilst appreciating others and our individual truths. It is through these values that she transmits the teaching of yoga in its various forms; dynamic with Vinyasa and Ashtanga or softer with Yin or Restorative.
About
Luis
Luis has been meditating for 16 years, after having discovered Zen Buddhism in Japan. He worked during 10 years for a French governmental organization in a performance and competition-oriented environment, and thus became very aware of the difficulties, challenges and stresses faced by office workers in the modern world. Thanks to a not-for-profit solidarity organization Luis founded 13 years ago in Colombia, he has been able to cultivate on a daily basis the values of solidarity, generosity and patience.
He received his training as a meditation teacher from Dh.Vajracaksu (Triratna Buddhist Order) and decided to give a new start to his life by moving to Lisbon and joining Agora. He feels immensely happy to be able to share with students tools that have helped him to transform himself and to positively influence his everyday live, including at work. His main influences are the Zen and Tibetan mindfulness traditions, although he is also greatly inspired by the Sufi tradition that he became familiar with while living in Turkey. He enjoys creating a safe space in Agora where students can learn, share and create while encouraging each other with a sense of community.
Having recently discovered yoga and practicing it regularly, Luis enjoys building bridges between yoga and Zen-Tibetan meditation, cousin traditions that can be immensely supportive of each other
Come
and meet us!
We are Sonia, Adélia and Luis, passionate yoga and meditation teachers and dedicated practitioners. We are continuously studying with experienced teachers to keep evolving and cultivate an open attitude towards the teachings. We teach Ashtanga (Mysore style and guided), Vinyasa, Yin/Restorative Yoga and Meditation.
We wish to help you develop a mindful yoga and meditation practice that integrates smoothly into your daily life.
In Yoga classes , our approach emphasizes breath awareness and understanding of body anatomy in the practice. In meditation, we emphasize body awareness, breath awareness and awareness of thoughts and feelings. Our teaching intends to increase the capacity to concentrate, to open one’s heart to appreciate life more fully, and to cope with suffering. Most importantly, our priority is to create the loving space to allow self-awareness, acceptance and re-union with yourself .
AGORA…
Upcoming events and retreats
Schedule
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Note : No Mysore Ashtanga practice on Full moon and New moon days. The other Yoga classes are maintained. We take a day of rest from our Ashtanga morning practice. Why? As human beings, we are formed 70% by the water element, so the energy of the moon and its position in relation to the Sun affects us greatly. When we practice Ashtanga regularly, we become more attuned with the cycles of Nature.
Moon days 2020
December: Thursday 12th ○ full moon – Thursday 26th ● new moon
January: Friday 10th ○ full moon – Friday 24th ● new moon
February: Sunday 09th ○ full moon- Sunday 23rd ● new moon
March: Monday 09th ○ full moon- Tuesday 24th ● new moon
April: Wednesday 08th ○ full moon- Thursday 23rd ● new moon
May: Thursday 07th ○ full moon- Friday 22nd ● new moon
Classes & Cards Prices
If you cannot afford to pay for the Yoga passes, please contact us about it 🙂
We offer special deals – asks us about the last ones when you come to class.
| Class 1h | €12 |
| Other class (Mysore included) | €14 |
| Card 10-class (all classes) 6 months validity | €120 |
| Mysore only monthly passes: 3 x week OR 5 x week | €60 /€75 |
| Unlimited month (including Mysore) | €110 |
| Yearly Membership (Insurance & access to Agora living space) | €20 |
10% off for students & unemployed (except for membership & Mysore passes)
Ask us if you are not sure which card would work the best for you!
About Yoga
The term “Yoga” is derived from two Sanskrit roots, one is « union » , the other « contemplation « or absorption. Yoga is aimed as reconnecting with our true nature, allowing us to see that we are free. Going through the process of knowing ourselves deeply so can take out our layers of conditioning and leave the state of ignorance from which suffering arises.
There are several Yoga schools and systems drawing upon different influences that offer guidance on this path of self introspection and inquiry. Yogic practices show us the way to union with our inner selves, this deep sense of consciousness that is in all of us, already there and awaiting to be unveiled. This feeling of unity or union can be experienced through both physical, mental and spiritual (body, mind and soul) practices.
The Asana practices (physical Yoga) that you will find at Agora represent only a small portion of yogic practices , yet they are often the most accessible to us when we first come into Yoga, and a wonderful healing tool for your body.
Pranayama (breathing exercices) and Meditation are some of the other tools that one can explore on his path of self discovery and acceptance.
If you are new to Yoga and Meditation, you can ask us for advice as of which Yoga form would fit you best, or simply try them all and see for yourself. As an indication as what to expect and how to pick the right Yoga form for you, you should feel good after your practice, pain- free and you might experience a sense of peace and calm.
About Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga
The physical dimension of the Ashtanga Yoga system (that encompasses many other dimensions) was developed in Mysore, India, and is practiced as a predefined set of postures linked together with the breath. Intended to be a daily practice (6 days a week and 1 day rest) this powerful, healing practice is a specific sequence of postures (asanas) linking breath (pranayama) and movement (vinyasa) Ashtanga is an dynamic flow that combines strength, flexibility and stamina and the sequence is designed carefully to both open and strengthen every part of the body for a complete evolutive practice.
How is Ashtanga Yoga taught at Agora?
Our Yoga practice should support life and make us feel better, healthier and happier in our everyday life. Each student is unique. Therefore, we believe the practice should serve the student’s needs and be adapted to her/his body’s limitations. We wish to share a mindful approach to the practice of the sequences of Ashtanga where the emphasis is placed on the breath and the individual’s own way of learning the poses and moving through the predefined sequences.
Ashtanga Mysore style
In Mysore (India) it is the way that Ashtanga is practiced. The student develops a personal practice, moving at his own pace (his breathing pace) and the teacher guides her/him along posture by posture. Each posture is built upon the preceding one and the teacher is there to help the student move safely from one posture to the next one when the student is ready. The teacher can give the students verbal advices and, if the student wish to, hands-on adjustments or assists in poses to support the health of the body and enhance the experience of the posture. By making the student autonomous in his practice as soon as possible, memorizing the sequences and knowing how to work with his own breath and body, Mysore practice encourages self practice and an individual empowerment. The Mysore room is set to create a safe space filled with the energy of each practitioner practicing together, so each is given all what is needed for the development of a lifelong Yoga personal practice.
Ashtanga Led Classes
Ashtanga Beginners
When you first come to Ashtanga, you might feel intimidated to jump in a Mysore room filled with students who seem to already know what they are doing…You can start by joining our Ashtanga Beginners sessions. They are one hour long guided classes designed to introduce you to the practice of Ashtanga and acquiring the basics to make you feel more confortable to join the Mysore.
Ashtanga Intermediate
During the led 1,5 hours classes, the students are guided through the postures of the primary series in unison and given several options to do some poses that may be more challenging. The led classes are designed both for Mysore students who wish to work on endurance and concentration by following the flow of breath under the voice of a teacher, and for those do not wish or cannot join the Mysore classes but still want to practice the Ashtanga sequence in a group class.
About Yin & Restorative Yoga
In most of our “Yin” classes, we blend Yin and Restorative Yoga together
At the foundation of Yin yoga is the Taoist concept of yin and yang: opposite and complementary principles such as soft and strong. The Yin symbolizes the dark, calm, and stable aspects of nature, and is also associated with a contemplative, meditative energy while Yang embodies light, energetic, and dynamic and active aspects.
Accordingly, Yin yoga is a slow-paced practice focusing on poses that stretch the hips, thighs, and lower back with the use of conscious breathing and an emphasis on physical awareness. In a yin yoga sequence, poses are held for three to five minutes or more. Yin yoga poses stretch the subtle, more stable connective tissues of the body rather than the large, dynamic muscle groups that are worked in fast-paced yoga classes (as Ashtanga or Vinyasa classes) which could be considered “Yang” yoga.
In a pure Yin Yoga class, stretches can be intense and there is still effort being done in the poses, the use of gravity in passive stretching bringing deep stretches. On the other hand, Restorative yoga is a practice that aims at stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system by taking all notion of effort out of the poses. The Restorative poses are designed to allow for complete relaxation of the body thanks to the use of blankets, blocks, belts and bolsters as a central part of the practice. They are held for a longer time (5 to 10 minutes or sometimes more) in order to allow for real deep relaxation and an opportunity to restore your energy.
In our classes, we mix Yin and Restorative Yoga in order to ally possibility to stretch our connective tissues while still allowing space for « unplugging » and total relaxation that will make you feel your energy renewed at the end of the class.
If you are looking for a soft, relaxing and gentle practice, or wanting to take it easy some days while still practicing Yoga, these classes are made for you. If you have already a more « Yang » Yoga practice, it is vital to balance your practice with some of the Yin/Restorative classes so that you can keep your body healthy and a strong vitality along the years, avoiding to burn yourself up by too intense workouts.
Mentally, Yin yoga is a great way to grow your meditation practice. Without the constant distraction of movement that we can come to rely on in a more yang practice, Yin forces us – gently – to slow down and go inward. Learning to be comfortable in stillness and to accept the things as they are in the present moment are great tools for happier lives, especially in the world of constant stimulation and distraction that we live in.
About Vinyasa Yoga
Info soon to come!
About Yoga Nidra
Info soon to come!
About Meditation
Info soon to come!
Thank you so much for your support
to make our dream come true!
We found the place where we want to start Agora, downtown Lisbon, right next to the Metro Station Intendente (23 rua Rafael de Andrade). We moved there in January, and the classes start at the Shala the 16th of March, with a special open doors weekend on Saturday the 6th & Sunday the 7th of April. The first opening yoga retreat of 7 days will be from April 8 to 14.
We are so very grateful for the support we received from you to our crowdfunding campaign and truly looking forward to having you at Agora Lisboa !…
Saint-Martin Laura – Tran Stéphane – Montliaud Marie – Gruez Benoit – Reboud Flavien Valérie – Vincent Béatrice – Henrique da Costa Tania – Lhermitte Arno – Moinardeau Jocelyne – Vinauger Élise – Crettol Vivian – Calvet Lucie – Savoie Xavier – Guilloux Clémentine – Maloufi Nicolas – Lemaître Antoine – Blanc Aymeric – Julian Magali – Tachon Céline – Lucenet Daphnee – Sister Taly – Molette Gregory – Pérez Muriel – Jarny Laëtitia – Mourmant Tiphaine – Horreau Cécile – Stepz Vincent – Tinthoin David – d’Ormoy Edouard – Hrstmnn Mgx – Donadio Andres – Jessy Jane – Viala Chloé – Carrascosa Doris – Le Roy Jolanta – Miebach Toni – D’Agruma Valérie – Kahn Aurelie – Banabera Aurore – Hache Hélène – Dortel Vincent – Bergeron Olivier – Matzeit Helen – Boucherot Blandine – Echchihab Leila – Bigourdan Isadora – Mobio Alexis – Panel Léa – Tamminen Anni – Seddiki Katia – Templaar Simon – Amboise Héloise – Fatni Jennifer – Viala David – Aubray Benjamin – Roubaud Bérénice – Pospyelova Ania – Le Bloa Camille – Chevalier Marion – Graziani Laurene – Amalric Isabelle – Denieul Tanguy – Bougnoux Nathalie – Dufour Margot – Duchesnes Marine – Marcou Anne – Geistdoerfer Anne – Bonnin Marilyne – Mirri Isabelle – Le Vagueres Brigitte – Appell Stephanie – Hönig Anna – Bousquet Lorène – Larrouilh Nathalie – Magin Armony – Angot Gaelle – Sennequier Marie – Bernard Pauline – Maline Julie – Montetagaud Elodie – Sterckx Charlotte – Palu Fred – Jinjur Vogelpoel
Without all of you it wouldn’t have been the same
THANK YOU
We are located in the heart of Lisbon at Rua Rafael de Andrade, 23 , 2nd floor, near the metro station Intendente.
Tel: 218 230 652