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 didnāt I charge it earlier? What would I do for the time? My brain was lit up…
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…
Savasana (pronounced shih – vah- sah – nah) is the final posture in each yoga class where all students are guided to lie down on their backs with their hands by their sides – hands and feet about as wide as the mat. Savasana translates to mean ācorpse poseā not only because it emulates a corpse on the floor. In the karmic tradition where death is seen as an important part of life, savasana is part of the acceptance of…
Ahh, the ego. We all have one, and every so often (or, um, every hour or so) it likes to come out and play. And one of the places we can notice it the most? Our yoga practice. All too often we can find ourselves starting to compare ourselves to others, berate ourselves, and generally feel not quite good enough. Which I think you’ll agree is a pretty icky feeling. So here are three ways that you can start to…
Whether you’re sitting down or on your feet all day for work, yoga is the perfect after work transition into the rest of your evening. Here are 5 of our favourite poses to include in an after work yoga sequence! Downward Facing Dog It’s the cliche yoga pose for a reason – it does it all! Downdog stretches the hamstrings calves, shoulders and hands, as it strengthens the arms and legs. It improves circulation, lengthens the spine, energises the body,…
Straps are a great way to go a bit deeper into your yoga practice, and can help you access new elements of certain postures without having to strain and sacrifice your breath. As well as that, a yoga strap can help you refine your alignment and provide extra support. And pssst – you don’t have to buy a fancy yoga strap for a lot of these suggestions. A belt or a scarf can often work just as well! Check out…
When I first started practicing yoga, I avoided blocks. I was determined to do everything by myself, even if that meant sacrificing integrity in a certain pose, or even risking injury (Oh hey ego how are you?). Now that I’m a few years in, I’ve gotten over that (thankfully!) and happily reach for blocks at multiple points in my yoga practice. Here are just a handful of ways to use blocks in yoga: To give support to tight hips For…
Mindfulness is a tricky thing. Itās such a complex and yet simple subject. At the heart of it, it couldnāt be simpler – purposefully paying attention to the present moment. But we all have deeply ingrained thought patterns and in the busy world we live in, there are multiple demands on our minds at all times, so it can feel much more complex when we actively start a mindfulness practice. I really fell in love with yoga only after a…
As the work week goes on, it can be easy to go on autopilot and simply live by going through the motions. Sometimes all we need to snap out of that is a little yoga-inspired inspiration! So here are 5 of our favourite yoga quotes to beat the mid-week slump. We couldn’t agree more! See you on the mat š So the next time crow pose seems too scary, that’s all the more reason to try. Ugh. Chair pose anyone???…
Get ready for a series of blog posts covering all of the different kinds of pranayama (basically – yogi breathing techniques) out there. Today we’re starting with Nadi Shodhana, also known as Alternate Nostril Breath. Sounds glamorous, no? Nadi Shodhana helps to calm the mind, keeping us focused on the present moment. Beyond that, it serves to cleanse the Nadis, which are theĀ subtle energy channels of the body. When the Nadis are clear, we allow for a smooth, unobstructed flow…
