As the weather changes and thereâs a little less sunshine in our days, itâs 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…
I recently started running – and I absolutely love it. I already feel I can breathe more deeply after a run, and Iâm full of lots of feel-good endorphins, helping me to stay motivated and strong. I know Iâm 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…
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. Whatâs not to love about the sunshine? If youâre like me and youâve been trying to…
Many people keep coming back to yoga is for the physical benefits – you can get a whole lot healthier, fitter and more flexible in yoga. But for many many more, the mental impact of yoga is the best (and sometimes unexpected) benefit of yoga. If you are working on feeling calmer and happier and want to know how yoga can support you, practice yoga with these things in mind. Yoga is a place to explore your breath. The breath…
Mindfulness is a tricky thing. Itâs such a complex and yet simple subject. At the heart of it, it couldnât 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…
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 the subtle energy channels of the body. When the Nadis are clear, we allow for a smooth, unobstructed flow…
I am often told by people who are new to yoga âI just donât get the whole breathing thing, I donât think Iâm breathing correctly.â Itâs really common to be getting into the practice of yoga, but feeling a little unsure or even frustrated if you feel you are not âgettingâ one of the main aspects of yoga – the breath. Matching breath to movement is one of the key differentiators of yoga when compared to other forms of physical…
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…
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…
Why do we always roll over to the right after Savasana? Personally, I have always wondered this, and thought that it was just the teacherâs preference of side. But there is much more to it. Thereâs two reasons, one is simply because it takes pressure off your heart. The other, is a lot more interesting. It is connected to our Nadis. Wait, what are Nadis?! Well put simply, Nadis are a network of subtle energy channels which your prana or…
