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Yoga is described by Wikipedia, that repository of all human knowledge, as 'a family of ancient spiritual practices that originated in India, where it remains a vibrant living tradition and is seen as a means to enlightenment'. In the West it has become ever more popular as a means of exercise, with yogic postures used as a means to improve fitness.

'Looks dead easy', your intrepid correspondent thought to himself. There's no way that can actually count as exercise. I could do that, no problem'.

'So whey don't you?' came the response. 'There's a class every Tuesday after work on the lower ground floor of Halsbury House.

'OK then, I will,' I said. 'I'll show you... '

17.25: Five minutes before the class is due to start, and I'm psyching myself up. I'll show 'em how it's done. Come on, let me hear you roar! You're a tiger! Etc. Seriously, though, you get into your posture, hold it for a few seconds, looks pretty easy to me... this'll be a cinch.

17.40: Hmmmm, perhaps I was a bit harsh. There's a right way and a wrong way to adopt the 'downward dog' posture... for the wrong way, cast your eyes towards the picture on the left. Trying (and failing) to straighten my back for this one very quickly reminded me that I had hamstrings and THEY HURT. Attempting the 'tree' posture called for rather more balance than I had to hand (I nearly toppled over more than once while trying to hold this one) and there were some postures (such as the 'bridge') that I didn't even dare to try. On occasions I would get into what seemed to be the correct posture, only to be PUSHED FURTHER into a position that I was never meant to try. Not only that, but it turned out to be more than a few seconds for each posture. A minute in a position you can just about hold is tricky enough, but you just try it in a position tha tstrains you the moment you get into it...

1810: Ah, the deep breathing bit. I like this. Lie on you rback, yes closed, empty your mind, and just breathe deeply. Well, that goes without saying that it should be relaxing, doesn't it? Inhale... exhale...

And yet... and yet... it should go without saying, but I was surprised by the degree to which one yoga session could relax one's mind and body - whilst still putting me through enough to remind me that following morning that I'd had some sort of workout. Not quite enough to forse me to get out of be in instalments, but the occasional twinge did crop up, although this, too, disappeared before long. And while it might be an exaggeration to claim that I was filled with ethereal peace and tranquillity, a single yoga session left me more relaxed than I had been in weeks.

As senior online editor Sophia Khan points out, 'Yoga is a great way to relax after work and it's quite liberating to discover that you can still do handstands and headstands after the age of eight'.

The class is booked up for the next ten weeks, but a new set of classes will begin in mid-June, so if you're interested, contact Sarah Brown.