‘I’m not flexible enough to do yoga’ is something I hear all the time (mostly from my dad), and honestly? That’s like saying ‘I’m too sick to go to the doctor’! It doesn’t matter how flexible you are when you step on to your yoga mat. What matters is that yoga can help you to build flexibility over time – especially in our pesky hamstrings. Maybe you’re a runner, maybe you have a job that requires a lot of sitting,…
What is Kundalini? First thing to understand is that there are several types of yoga. Some are completely physical, some are all about meditation. Kundalini is somewhere in the middle. But with an added emphasis on consciousness that activates energy centers throughout the body. To read more about Kundalini, check out an interview with YogaHub teacher Emer here, or check out AnnaB’s blog about it here. And what is a Mantra? A “mantra” is a sacred utterance, a numinous sound,…
At the core of Flow yoga classes is vinyasa – which you’ve probably heard your yoga teacher mention more than a few times. If you’ve never had the phrase explained to you, it can be a little confusing! But no worries, we’re here to clear it up for you đ But what exactly does it mean to ‘take a vinyasa’? Very literally, vinyasa means: to place in a special way. In a vinyasa based flow class, that means linking movement…
We hear a lot about how we should have a morning yoga practice, and morning routines of people in the wellness space almost always include some downward dog time. And a morning yoga practice is wonderful, but for some of us, the snooze button is too tempting, and suddenly we have 10 minutes to get up, dressed and out the door – not too much time left for rolling out the yoga mat or making it to the studio. And that’s…
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. Itâs not always such a picture perfect moment though… Â balancing postures can bring up frustration if weâre having an âoff dayâ 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 youâre surfacing back into the world today and youâre 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 âThe 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 đ 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…
