In all of my yoga classes in York starting in January I’m going to be introducing you to some simple but effective meditation techniques. There are so many ways to meditate, you can do it in many different positions, you can use different senses and objects to meditate on - we’re going to explore all of this.
So here as a little aperitif is a simple energy boosting meditation - I thought you might need at this time of year! Have a go and see how you find it. Of course any questions just let me know. And I hope you can join me in my yoga classes from January to explore meditation techniques more.
It’s that ‘most wonderful time of the year!’ Celebrating with food and drink, eating and drinking and catching up with friends is a lovely thing to do at this time of year. So here is a lovely seasonal, celebratory mulled wine recipe (or make a mulled apple juice if you are pregnant or not drinking - I obviously couldn’t leave out all my pregnancy yoga and hypnobirthing folks!).
My new breakfast inspiration and ritual is all about simple, nutritious and delicious. I'm using the school holidays and the less stressful, calmer and slower mornings to get a better breakfast inside me. My usual cornflakes(my fall back breakfast for speed) is just so dull. So much so that I'd often just skip breakfast all together. So all change. Here’s my Peach Melba Chia breakfast pot. Light, simple yet full of goodness. Great for Summer, and so many possibilities to change it up for what you love ‘ have to hand.
With so many different styles of yoga, and perhaps a general understanding of yoga being 'movement', people can sometimes be unaware of the deep stillness in some styles of yoga - not just in the mind but in the body too. Having a deeper inward focus and time to reflect and enjoy the real feeling of your body taking different shapes, and releasing them, slowly can be so very enlightening. It can be deeply transformative, and can show you so many things about yourself. It's the practices of Yin and Restorative yoga that I bring together in my weekly Slow Down yoga classes, and monthly Slow Sunday yoga workshops, that I truly believe can benefit us deeply in the crazy, busy, modern world. It’s perfect a form of self-care for body and mind. Read on to find out more.
Vagus what? I often mention the vagus nerve in my yoga classes, particularly in my Slow Sunday workshops and Slow Down Yoga weekly class. As stimulating the vagus nerve can help our body to come into its 'relaxation response' and that exactly what we are looking for in these yoga classes and workshops - relaxation, calmness and rest in the body and mind. There's a lot of talk about it from wellness experts and since scientists began discussing its incredible significance, especially pertaining to inner peace and decreasing stress in the nervous system. Lets take a look at how we can trigger the vagus nerve and help our nervous system to calm and rest and help to optimize our health.
Hygge is not the secret of personal happiness, not is it the only reason the Danes are consistently ranked as one of the world’s happiest nations. But while Hygge may not be a miracle cure for discontentment, it does have a really positive impact on the daily life of the people of Denmark and therefore probably has something to offer the rest of us too. What follows is simply a compilation of hygge inspired things that could add to your store of happiness. They are not authentically Danish, and I cannot promise they will make any difference to your sense of well-being. But as most of them require nothing more than a few small, pleasurable adjustments and a slight shift in thinking, there is little to be lost in giving the ideas a try...
The moon on the 19th October is new and ushers in the Hindu New Year as millions in India around the world celebrate Diwali, the joyful festival of lights. Diwali is the biggest event in the Indian calendar (which goes on for 5 days) is often called the festival of lights, the most significant spiritual meaning behind it is “the awareness of the inner light”. It represents the victory of good over evil and is marked with a deep spirit of joy. Find out more about how it relates to yoga here...
I teach Yin Yoga as part of my Slow Sunday monthly yoga workshops, and also one off Yin Yoga specific workshops too at the beautiful York Yoga Studio. So I wanted to tell you more about this wonderful style of yoga, and how it can really be of benefit to you dealing with the stresses and strains of modern life - whether you are a seasoned yogi or a complete beginner.
