I love balancing postures in yoga. The effort of maintaining the pose makes it a great chance to practice mindfulness by focusing all attention on the present moment. It’s not always such a picture perfect moment though… balancing postures can bring up frustration if we’re having an ‘off day’ or working on building strength or recovering from an injury. So here are a few simple tips to help improve your balance if you’re finding it tricky. Increase your surface area….
You don’t know how it happened. One day, you were a totally normal human who for some reason decided to try a yoga class. Maybe you wanted to finally be able to touch your toes, maybe you wanted a nice butt, maybe you wanted a calmer mind, maybe you wanted complete spiritual enlightenment. Whatever your reason for finding our way to that first class, the obsession seed was planted, and before you know it… You find yourself standing in Tree…
With the recent snow storm, you might have found yourself cooped up indoors for a lot of last week, which can affect your mood and your body in lots of different ways. If you’re surfacing back into the world today and you’re back to your regular work-week, your muscles might be a little tight. Here are a few simple yoga poses you can do anywhere to get your body moving again and refresh your mood. Shoulder rolls – this is…
Just can’t wait for your after-work yoga class, or can’t make the time to squeeze in a lunchtime flow? We feel you. Here are 5 simple yoga poses that you can easily squeeze into your working day – without getting too much attention from your co-workers. Seated side bend Easy peasy – and no-one will even notice what you’re up to. When we’re hunching over our desks and computers – as we tend to do – the side body can suffer….
“Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world earth revolves–slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future. Live the actual moment. Only this moment is life.” Thich Nhat Hanh “The best way to capture moments is to pay attention. This is how we cultivate mindfulness. Mindfulness means being awake. It means knowing what you are doing.” Jon Kabat-Zinn “The moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a…
Have you heard your yoga teacher mention Ujjayi breath in class, but you haven’t been sure exactly what they’re talking about? Never fear – we’re here to break it down for you 🙂 What it is Ujjayi breath – which translates as Victorious Breath – is a specific way of breathing that warms your entire body and helps you to connect more deeply with your physical yoga practice. How to do it To utilise Ujjayi breath, you need to create a…
Go for a tech-free walk. Spend some time in nature without any technology on your body. See how it feels to go even just 15 minutes without a phone to reach for! Enjoy daily tasks. Be aware when you’re doing things like brushing your teeth, making dinner, putting on the wash. Let yourself experience the task, rather than just hurrying to finish it. Have a long chat with a friend. Spend some time with someone and be present. Be a…
Not to sound too much like your mother…but good posture is so, so important! And a lot of us (myself included) spend too much time on autopilot – which usually involves slouching, hunching, and generally not being too kind to our spines. Good posture helps us feel confident, look taller and slimmer, and is way better for our bodies in the long run. Luckily, yoga’s an amazing tool to help you improve your posture, and we’ve compiled our top 5 poses…
We all – or a lot of us, anyway – love the idea of morning yoga. Starting your day off with a room full of like-minded yogis, flowing on your mat, and connecting body and breath. Heaven, right? Except sometimes – especially when it’s still dark when the alarm goes off and you can hear rain pouring outside – that idea just doesn’t become reality. Much as we might want it to! So here are our top 5 tips for…
What comes to mind when you hear the word ‘yogi’? Maybe it’s someone wearing mala beads around their neck, permanently smelling of incense. Maybe it’s someone wearing very fancy yoga pants and drinking a green juice. Or maybe it’s someone who ends every social interaction with a very calm and serene ‘namaste‘. Okay, these stereotypes might exist for a reason – and there’s nothing wrong with them! But it’s important to know that yoga is for everyone, even if you…
