As the weather changes and there’s a little less sunshine in our days, it’s natural for our energy to change in response to our environment. For many of us, that means having a little less energy as the brain is less stimulated which can change our mood and thought patterns. Kapalabhati is a breathing technique to help kick your slump by energising and invigorating the breath and the entire body with it. It is a series of rapid exhales with…
Over the past few years Acroyoga has become more and more popular, but if you haven’t tried it you might not know what to expect from an Acroyoga class or workshop. When I was talking to my Dad about it at the weekend, for example, he asked ‘Is that the one you do in the water?’ No, Dad, but that sounds pretty awesome too. What is Acroyoga? Acroyoga is a blend of acrobatics and yoga, usually paired with massage or…
There are many yoga classes that fall into the general category of ‘yoga flow’ but what resonates with each student is very personal and depends on what you want from your yoga practice in this particular time of your life. One of the main factors in starting yoga, is choosing what type to try. A very common title of class style in studios is ‘yoga flow’. How it is taught often depends on the teacher and studio. One of the…
Last week was a really difficult one for me – and when I have a bad week, I look for inspiration. I found it in a really honest and raw episode of Rachel Brathen’s ‘From the Heart: Conversations With Yoga Girl’ podcast. In the podcast, Rachel discusses how Yoga Teacher Training became a really emotional experience as they delved into each trainee’s relationship to themselves and how yoga has impacted that relationship. Rachel discusses how each trainee was working with…
A lot of teachers use the expression ‘root to rise’ in their classes but what does it mean? When I was new to yoga, I was pretty dismissive of this. It sounded a little flowery to me. Then one day during a slower class, I found myself feeling much more grounded and firmer in my foundation than ever before, and I finally understood the expression. Ever since then, this simple expression guides how I practice and teach, because it adds…
I recently started running – and I absolutely love it. I already feel I can breathe more deeply after a run, and I’m full of lots of feel-good endorphins, helping me to stay motivated and strong. I know I’m a little late to the party – lots of yogis are runners and lots of runners are yogis. For good reason – there are many ways these two practices can be complementary. Here are my four highlights so far. Muscular endurance…
Adam Hocke is a teacher, writer, and mentor empowering his students’ yoga practice and self-care. Through a unique blend of vinyasa flow and restorative yoga, he offers anatomically precise, strong, and accessible classes to physically awaken and renew the body and mind. His podcast is listened to in 135 countries and his streaming video classes are available at Movement for Modern Life. Adam is a senior student of Jason Crandell, whom he assists on advanced teacher trainings and immersions. More at adamhocke.com…
I got on the bus on Friday evening for what would be a 45 minute journey – and my phone battery was nearly out. I got this minor sense of panic – what would I do with 45 minutes without podcasts, WhatsApp, email and all the other entertainments I could fill the time with? Was there a charging port on the bus? Why didn’t I charge it earlier? What would I do for the time? My brain was lit up…
The sunshine over the last few weeks has been amazing and has left many of us with proud tan lines and rosy faces. The sunshine can help us to boost our vitamin D levels, change our sleep patterns, and enhance our immune system as well as our mood. Not to mention all the summer events popping up everywhere to keep us out and active. What’s not to love about the sunshine? If you’re like me and you’ve been trying to…
“I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own, without moving to hide it, or fade it, or fix it” I taught a yin yoga class recently, and at the end one of the first-timers came to ask me about the difference between yin yoga and restorative yoga. She had been practising yin for a while but was a wee bit surprised because the other yin classes she had done were ‘very different’ and ‘much…
