As the weather changes and thereās a little less sunshine in our days, itās 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.Ā 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 havenāt 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 āIs that the one you do in the water?ā No, Dad, but that sounds pretty awesome too. What is Acroyoga? Acroyoga is a blend of acrobatics and yoga, usually paired with massage or…
A lot of teachers use the expression āroot to riseā 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 Iām full of lots of feel-good endorphins, helping me to stay motivated and strong. I know Iām 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.Ā Muscular endurance…
A student was talking to me after class recently and mentioned that her friend is really āgood at yogaā and that there are loads of people in class who are ābetter than herā. It strikes me that there is a tendency for all of us to focus on the aesthetic of the postures without really examining our thought patterns and judgements while we move through postures. That is to say, we automatically jump to how things look, and put the…
Tree pose is one of those yoga poses we see really often in advertising and the media, it is the archetypal āyoga poseā known by most people, whether or not they practice which means we can overlook it and all its subtleties when we delve into this posture on the mat.Ā Itās a wonderfully grounding and balancing pose, helping us to learn how to find a peaceful focus in the present moment as we balance on one foot. But it…
A lot of beginners and experienced yogis alike can find it uncomfortable and a little bit strange when they are invited by their teacher to chant āomā at the beginning or end of a yoga class. For many people who go to yoga for the more physical benefits, it might be tempting to completely dismiss this aspect of yoga. But when you understand the meaning behind it, you might find a whole new depth in the practice of saying āomā…
