Mindfulness is a tricky thing. It’s such a complex and yet simple subject. At the heart of it, it couldn’t 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 😉 So the next time crow pose seems too scary, that’s all the more reason to try. Ugh. Chair pose anyone???…
If you haven’t heard of ‘sitting disease’, it is a scientific term for the sedentary lifestyle a lot of us live nowadays. Long hours in front of computers, or jobs that require sitting for long periods can contribute to the hours you spend sitting down each day. I realised recently that I spend a lot of my time seated – sounds weird for a yoga teacher, right? But with a lot of admin / marketing work moving online, many of…
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 LOVE using props in my yoga practice. From using blocks to bring the ground up to you in a wide legged forward fold, to that bolster that feels so good under your legs in Savasana at the end of class, they have so much to offer. At a studio we’re spoiled for choice with blocks, bolsters, and blankets galore, but then our at home practice can start to feel like it’s missing something. If you don’t want to go…
‘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,…
I am often told by people who are new to yoga “I just don’t get the whole breathing thing, I don’t think I’m breathing correctly.” It’s really common to be getting into the practice of yoga, but feeling a little unsure or even frustrated if you feel you are not ‘getting’ 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…
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 🙂 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…
The snow is back… and it’s a bank holiday Monday. Is there anything sweeter than a lazy day in when it’s snowing out? Add a sprinkle of yoga in there too and you’re living the dream. So stay in your PJs, put the kettle on and get yourself a few pillows and a blanket, this is going to be yummy. You’ll need about 20 minutes for this. Turn your phone off and put on some relaxing music. Make the most…
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…
