SEPTEMBER 2017 - £4.50
Finding my tribe women-only retreats
SPECIAL REPORT
Pregnancy yoga & children WIN
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Into the wild
SELF HELP FOR DIFFICULT TIMES
the highs & lows of adolescence
• • • •
My story – Katie Winter Nutrition zone – growing the easy hits OM Meets – Paula Hines Posh squash nosh – OM recipes
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OM Magazine Issue 76, September 2017 Published by:
Prime Impact, Park House, The Business Centre Earls Colne Business Park Earls Colne, Colchester Essex. CO6 2NS Tel: 44 (0) 1787 224040 Fax: 44 (0) 1787 223535 e: info@primeimpact.co.uk ommagazine.com
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Welcome
Welcome to the new issue of OM magazine. September is always a great month, but it’s also a hugely popular time too for yogis to head off on retreat and get some rest and relaxation in as the summer transitions into autumn. Keeping your practice strong during transitional times like this can be the difference between thriving and just surviving…so even if you’re not heading off anywhere nice this month be sure to keep things going on the mat back home. Yoga not only keeps you strong and vibrant in the physical sense, but also in terms of building the resilience necessary to carry you through the tough times, mentally and emotionally as well. Talking of changes, there is perhaps no bigger turning point in a person’s life than when a new baby is born. So, in this issue, we’ve got a special report covering all things pregnancy yoga and yoga for babies and children, to give you some idea on how to move through this unforgettable time. Okay, so I’ve never given birth (spoiler alert…I’m a man!), but I have witnessed this miracle process first hand. My first child was born during the month of September so I know a bit about some of the ‘transitions’ during this time. These can be challenging, for sure, but oh so rewarding in the end. Having yoga as your constant companion during this time – before, during and after your baby is born – can only be a positive thing. And what a great thing to introduce to your new little cherub as they start to grow. Hey, and for any new mums or mums-to-be looking for the best of both worlds – to enjoy this special time and escape for an amazing yoga retreat – then you might want to check out this month’s competition (page 16) where you can win a getaway with a friend or partner to a luxe spa hotel in Austria. Go on, you deserve it! Whatever you’re doing this September, have a fantastic month.
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The Publisher accepts no responsibility in respect of advertisements appearing in the magazine and the opinions expressed in editorial material or otherwise do not neccessarily represent the views of the Publisher. The Publisher cannot accept liability for any loss arising from the later appearance or non publication of any advertisement. Information about products and services featured within the editorial content does not imply an endorsement by OM Magazine. OM Magazine is not intended to replace the professional medical care, advice, diagnosis or treatment of a doctor, qualified therapist, nutritionist or dietician. Always consult your doctor before undertaking any exercise programme. Every effort is made to ensure that all advertising is derived from reputable sources. OM Magazine cannot, however, accept responsibility for transactions between readers and advertisers.
COVER: Jennifer Nicole Lenz photographed for the cover of OM Yoga and Lifestyle magazine issue 76 by Dr. Natiya Guin (natiya.com). Wardrobe (Aikacircle.com)
OM in 30 seconds “The futuristic look of inhere – a new guided meditation centre, located in the Light Centre Monument yoga studio – is enough to entice frazzled Londoners in on its own.” Where The City Stops (Page 14) “There are so many physical benefits of yoga for children: it builds strength and flexibility, improves balance and coordination and increases bodily awareness and appreciation for what we have.” Pregnancy Yoga & Children (Page 80) “Join Hummingbird Pilates & Yoga next month for some late summer sun in Spain at the gorgeous Casa La Negra near Málaga.” Fly Away With The Hummingbirds (Page 121)
This month’s competition & subscription offer
Competition
WIN - 3 night luxury yoga break in the Austrian Alps
See page 16
Subscription
Subscribe today for £36 (12 issues) and receive a week’s supply of Organax DAILYRESISTANCE superfood powder
See page 28
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Contributors Eryn Kirkwood
Eryn is a full-time writer and yoga teacher living in Ottawa, Canada, and the author of Strong Body, Calm Mind: A Simple Guide to Empowering Your Life with Yoga. She offers alignment-based classes that emphasise postural balance and precision, not only to receive the most benefit from the practice, but to guide students towards ever-deepening selfawareness. She believes the holistic practice of yoga offers the solution to all of life’s challenges. For writing, inspiration, and online classes, see ErynsYoga.com
Shelly Prosko
Shelly is a physical therapist and professional yoga therapist dedicated to empowering and educating individuals to create and sustain optimal health by teaching, promoting and advocating for the integration of modern healthcare and yoga. She is an expert and pioneer of PhysioYoga, co-founder of Yoga in Healthcare Initiative, guest lectures at medical colleges, speaks internationally, offers courses including Life is Now Pain Care Yoga and is faculty at yoga therapy programmes, including the Professional Yoga Therapy Institute. Visit: physioyoga.ca
Wendy Altschuler
Wendy is a travel and lifestyle writer who finds happiness and inspiration through passionate adventure narratives. Such as: when on a women’s retreat with REI Outessa, she met a woman with no concept of time due to brain surgery, which aided her long-distance endurance running; or when she encountered a cubicle-tied woman who left her career to start a surfing retreat; or when she chatted with a grandma who skydived 1,500 times. Telling these stories is what she loves about her career. Follow her @wendyaltschuler or visit: wendyaltschuler.com
Regular contributors: Siri Arti; Conscious Parenting Claudia Brown; My Yoga Biz Paula Hines; Teacher’s Tales Meg Jackson; Real Life Yoga Victoria Jackson; OM Lite Jill Lawson; Meditation Of The Month Deb Mac; What’s Your Affirmation Andrew McGonigle; 360˚ with Doctor Yogi Julia White; Yoga & Aromatherapy
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September 2017
Contents OM Regulars
OM FM
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Editors Letter
48 Medicine Man: Jason
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My Secret Place
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Letters
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Yoga Changed My Life
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Where The City Stops
15
What’s Your Affirmation
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Yoga & Aromatherapy: Sweet Fennel Oil
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Amazing Spaces
Sadhana Grechanik
50 Bluebeard’s Revenge: Barbers Team Up For Mental Health
51 Man On The Mat: Firefly Pose Cover Story
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20 OM Loves: Beautiful Things For 22 Salute To The Moon:
88 Meditation Of The Month:
Moonchild Collection
Rediscovering Peace
Planet Yoga
90 Banish Anxiety With Yoga: Tips For
117 OM Books: Great Yoga Reads 118 Yoga Is For Every Body:
Your Photos. Your Community
130 OM Lite: Kirtan Call
OM Body Cover Story
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Yoga At Home: Yin Yoga Tools
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OM Meets: Paula Hines
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360º Yoga: OM’s Anatomy Academy
40 Yoga For Back Pain: Holistic Approach 42
Real Life Yoga: Bendy But Bitchy
44 The Herd Mentality: Practicing With Animals
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Special Report: See Contents on Page 54
OM Mind
Beautiful People
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SPECIAL Pregnancy Yoga & Children
Instant Relief
Cover Story
92 Self Help For Difficult Times: Ease Suffering
OM Spirit 94 Birth Of An Ashram: Mandala Yoga Ashram
98 7 Steps To Smart Intuition: Overriding The Intellect
122 108
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OM Living
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100 Eat Drink Yoga: Healthy Eating Goodies Cover Story
102 Posh Squash Nosh: OM Exclusive Recipes
Cover Story
106 Nutrition Zone: Growing The Easy Hits
OM Family Cover Story
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108 Conscious Parenting: Into The Wild
OM Actions Cover Story
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110 My Story: Katie Winter
OM Teacher Zone 113 My Yoga Biz: Tips From The Experts 114 Beware The Trolls:
Dealing With The Haters
116 Teacher’s Tales: Stealing Time
OM Travel 120 Travel News:
Inspiring Ideas For Yoga Explorers
Cover Story
122 Finding My Tribe: Women-Only Retreats 124 A Family Yoga Holiday: In Morocco 7
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My secret place Location Portsmouth, England Yogi Omar Baluch Photo Elizabeth Boyle Omar Baluch practices Ashtanga Vinyasa early every morning, before the world around him has woken up. Starting with the traditional opening chant, then flowing through the sequence, synchronising his movements with every breath; making every breath a conscious one before he takes a rest. “Whilst I practice with other Ashtangis, this has become my secret and tranquil place, where I find my focus and my inner peace every morning,” he says. “I find a similar sense of peace whenever I take a walk along the beach with my dog. The sound of the ocean, the fresh sea air, and the happiness I can feel from my dog brings me pure joy.”
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N@maste Love OM magazine and want to tell the world? Here’s your chance
Yoga barbers
What you said about us on social media
I saw a painting in a local art gallery recently that seemed to be portraying some of the same people featured in your fantastic Yogi Bear’d article in the July issue (Issue 74, July 2017). I did a ‘double take’ as I thought I recognised one of the faces in the painting, so I thought I’d let you know Nice artwork…and a great read as always in OMFM! Jane, by email
Got home from a pretty hideous day at work where I found this beaut sitting on my door mat! can’t wait to get stuck in, the universe was listening htowsey
Capri sun
Just spent two weeks in Italy, one being on the island of Capri. Talk about peace and quiet. I am far from an expert in yoga, but together with a nice practice in the early morning and those fabulous views, it was definitely a perfect vacation. Thank you for your beautiful magazine which keeps me focused and happy. Gail H. Skidmore, Canada
Menopause help
I saw your article ‘All Good Choices: Menopause Lifestyle Tips’ (with information originally published in The Menopause Exchange newsletter), in the August 2017 issue of OM Yoga & Lifestyle (issue 75). The Menopause Exchange is independent, provides impartial, practical information and is not sponsored by any companies or other organisations. Anyone with an interest in the menopause, midlife and post-menopausal health can receive The Menopause Exchange quarterly newsletters for free. Visit our website (menopause-exchange.co.uk) for information on how to receive them. Norma Goldman, founder & director, The Menopause Exchange
Keep in touch
Prepping yoga class for tomorrow! We’ll work on stronger wrists, shoulders and back. Can’t do this one without ending with ustrasana/camel pose. Super excited! OmYoga magazine had a full overview of this pose with lots of alignment details. Got me inspired. christina.yoga
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Sooo this happened today! Relaxation central! Sun, brew and @omyogamagazine what more could a little hippo need erm maybe a winch to get out of the sun bed! #pregnancy #pregnant helsfenton
You can also find us on uk.pinterest.com and youtube.com
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YOGA CHANGED MY LIFE
Claire Dunniece gave up a successful corporate career to pursue her dream yoga life Why did you start yoga
druyoga.com Advanced yoga & meditation retreats in Snowdonia Deepen your practice Broaden your mind Heal your heart
7-11 September
Yantra & sacred art 12-16 October
Yoga & mudra 7-11 December
Gita & meditation Last few places remaining. Call 01248 602900
scan for brochure
NAME: Claire Dunniece AGE: 32 OCCUPATION: Yoga Teacher & Owner of Prana Yoga Retreats
YOGA YEARS: 9+ I had an interest in yoga as a teenager; something drew me towards it and I taught myself a little with the aid of a book. It wasn’t until my early twenties that I really began my yoga journey. After waitressing my way through college I suddenly found myself sitting at a desk 40+ hours a week and my body didn’t like it! When I started to feel stiff and develop headaches I knew exactly where to turn and began attending weekly Ashtanga classes. I remember walking into the studio with tight muscles, stressed out and anxious and then floating out an hour later feeling peaceful and light.
How has yoga changed your life
As my career developed, the responsibility and workload grew. Under relentless deadlines, my health began to suffer and I developed chronic pain and anxiety. At 29, I was completely burnt out. I knew radical change was needed so I quit my job and headed to India wanting to deepen my yoga knowledge. I undertook teacher training with Himalaya Yoga Valley Goa and spent time in the Sivananda Ashram in Kerala. Somewhere along the way I realised I couldn’t go back to corporate life so when I returned to Ireland I apprehensively began teaching and loved it! I then set up Prana Yoga Retreats with my husband and we now enjoy a completely different life where we get to live and share our passion for yoga, travel and food every day.
Favourite yoga haunts
Himalaya Yoga Valley Cork: I have been a student since its opening and I am proud to be part of the teaching team. Another favourite place is the shala at my retreats in Ireland. There is a special vibe there; as a former artist’s studio it has masses of light and just breeds creativity.
Best yoga moment
During my teacher training, my experience of and respect for Savasana blossomed. In those moments lying on the floor in a simple bamboo shala, I experienced true peace and stillness. Although I have learned plenty of poses over the years and physically gained flexibility and strength, the most valuable gift from yoga has been learning how to stop, slow down and rest.
Anything else
Modern life is so fast; everyone is constantly striving to achieve and we glorify the act of being ‘busy’. To counteract this, I always include restorative yoga and yoga nidra on our retreats. Through these practices, we begin to drop tension, return to our natural calm state and learn to live with ease.
w no at om ts le .c ke lab ow Tic vai ash a g yo om
20 th, 21 st & 22 nd October 2017 Alexandra Palace, London N22 7AY
DON’T MISS Sacred Geometry Vinyasa WITH BENJAMIN SEARS AND DJ GOLDIE KUNDA Dance WITH MAYA FIENNES ‘Radiantly Alive’ Vinyasa Flow and Nurturing Practices for living a Radiant Life WITH CLAIRE MISSINGHAM
• Workshops with top yoga teachers • Over 250 FREE yoga open classes • Meditation Area • Juice Bar • Children’s Yoga Studio • and MUCH more...
Register for your FREE show guide www.omyogashow.com
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Where the city stops
OM visits inhere, a new meditation oasis in the heart of the big city
T
he futuristic look of inhere – a new guided meditation centre, located in the Light Centre Monument yoga studio – is enough to entice frazzled Londoners in on its own. The soothing interior, wth its ambient lighting, soft drapes and cavernous meditation chairs and cushions promises some much needed respite in the heart of the capital’s financial centre. Step inside and you can feel the peace and calm before the meditation even starts. Then settle down into one of the ergonomic chairs and you’ll be treated to a soothing guided meditation for five minutes, or for half an hour…for as long as it takes to shake out the clutter and hear yourself again. It’s the idea of Adiba Osmani, founder and director (pictured, left), who recorded
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some of the sweet meditations herself. Her soothing voice will soon have you settled enough to rediscover your zen. “We run bite-sized meditation sessions throughout the day,” she says. “Stop off on your way to work. Take a breather at lunchtime. Clear your head between meetings. Or make the time to properly unwind at the end of the day.” OM gave it a try…and loved it! It’s a great way to step out of the busy day – even in the madness of one of the world’s busiest cities – and regain some calm, clarity and composure. Osmani hopes to open more inhere meditation centres in the capital and beyond in the months and years to come. Watch this space… Find out more at: inherestudio.com
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WHAT’S YOUR
AFFIRMATION? An affirmation for self belief, authenticity and integrity
“I show up and share my truth. I shine bright”
BWY Established Accredited School, Yoga Alliance US Registered school, Yoga Alliance Professionals UK Registered school
Yoga Academy Teacher Training Course 2018 Commences in the UK on 20 April, 2018. This course includes residential training modules at Bore Place in Kent, and at Santillán in Andalucia, Spain. Limited to 20 students for best possible experience and results. BWY Accredited, Yoga Alliance US & UK
At one time, we’ve all done it; maybe, some of us still find ourselves doing it…but what is it, I can hear you ask? We fit in. We go along with what we believe others expect of us; we follow the crowd, we conform and we dim our lights down in order to do so. Maybe we become fearful of being alienated, perhaps we don’t relish the idea of being perceived as weird, odd, way out, different, too loud, too opinionated, and so on. Just stop, breathe, and remember that you are not a label. We are all here to shine; to shine our lights and embrace our uniqueness. We are never one emotion, one feeling, one behaviour, one thought, and certainly never another’s perception of us. Why do we allow ourselves to be defined by someone else’s opinion of how we should show up? True fact: fitting in doesn’t make anyone feel better. Long term, fitting in just suppresses us - and we all need to express, not suppress. Fitting in can be a major contributing factor to depression, anxiety, low self worth or low self esteem. People become anxious, depressed or they may ‘wake up’ to discover themselves in jobs they dislike, in relationships that aren’t nourishing, and just living lives that feel off kilter. Can you see what fitting in can easily lead to? So, be yourself – stand up for what you know is right for you. Shine! Authenticity always feels good. Remember, if people don’t approve then they’re just not your people! When you shine, you show others how to shine too.
By Deb Mac (debmac.co.uk)
Yin & Yang Yoga Teacher Training and Study Immersion 2018 Now accepting applications for the intensive course 2 February – 3 March, 2018 at Samahita, Koh Samui, Thailand. Limited to 20 students. Yoga Alliance US & UK (200 Hours)
Ongoing Training and Study Immersions 5—12 November 2017, Santillán, Spain Inversions and Backbends ‘from the ground up’ with Gary Carter & Simon Low 1—3 December 2017, Bore Place, UK Pranayama, Vedic chant, philosophy, meditation & restorative yoga with Gill Lloyd & Simon Low 17—24 March 2018, Samahita, Koh Samui, Thailand Yin and Restorative yoga intensive with Simon Low & faculty The Yoga Academy offers Yoga Alliance US 500-hour upgrade training, CPD points and conversion courses.
www.theyogaacademy.org info@theyogaacademy.org theyogaacademy YogaAcademyUK yogaacademyuk
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Competition WIN - 3 night luxury yoga break in the Austrian Alps*
Worth over €850
We’ve teamed up with the Forsthofalm luxury hotel in the Leogang Mountains, an hour from Salzburg, to win a unique yoga holiday. Experience the exhilarating Austrian Alps, enjoy the panoramic Sky Spa with outdoor heated pool, the KUKKA restaurant with a specialist vegan menu – and, of course, yoga! The resort has a popular yoga programme, and classes are available on a complimentary basis for guests as part of the hotel’s Mountain Life Programme. The hotel also has a fantastic Babymoon Package, ideal for a pre-baby getaway for yoga lovers. WHAT’S INCLUDED: 3 nights’ accommodation for up to 2 people, ¾ board including breakfast, traditional Austrian afternoon tea known as ‘Jausse’, dinner. Complimentary activities (yoga, fitness classes and social activities) as part of the Mountain Life Programme. NOT INCLUDED: flights, airport transfers, drinks, spa treatments.
Visit forsthofalm.com/en for more information. Holzhotel Forsthofalm, Hütten 37, A-5771, Leogang, Austria.
To enter please go to ommagazine.com/forsthofalm 16
* The prize is a 3-night stay for up to 2 people at Forsthofalm in the Small Eden room category, with breakfast, afternoon tea and a fivecourse dinner included daily. Drinks not included. Prize is subject to availability and must be taken between May 2018 and 30 November 2018. Flights and airport transfers NOT included. The prize is not transferable, not refundable and there is no cash alternative. Not included: flights, airport transfers, drinks, spa treatments. Closing date: 14th September 2017
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Yoga & Aromatherapy
Sweet Fennel Oil (Foeniculum Vulgare Dulce) As the leaves start to fall from the trees, we can start to feel change in the air. Sweet fennel oil (foeniculum vulgare dulce) is a wonderfully grounding essential oil that will help connect you to the Earth, enabling you to keep both feet firmly on the ground and maintain your equilibrium as the seasons begin to shift. If you feel a little out of sorts, mix one drop of fennel oil with a teaspoon of jojoba oil and annoint the Ajna chakra, the base of the feet, and the base of the spine, to feel balanced and grounded. September is a good month to take stock whilst preparing for the coming winter months, and fennel oil can give you the courage and strength to make any changes you need to make in your life during this time. Put a few drops in a diffuser and then think about what you want to bring into your life over the next few months and let the fennel ignite your transformation. Or make a luxurious body oil by mixing three drops of fennel with five drops of rose oil in grapeseed oil. This body oil will also have the added benefit of toning the skin and helping to improve digestion. Use at night to cleanse and purify you or use in the morning to keep you grounded and balanced all day long. Avoid during pregnancy and on children. Not to be used by people with epilepsy or estrogen dependent cancer or kidney problems. Avoid with sensitive skin.
By Julia White (jwhitelondon.com)
t ha w READER es iev ieves h OFFER c a bel y 15% discount to d d o e b min OMYoga readers* h T the
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Amazing spaces Stylish and inspiring studio design ideas and interiors
Iyengar Yoga Institute Maida Vale 223a Randolph Ave, Maida Vale, London W9 1NL, UK iyi.org.uk The Iyengar Yoga Institute in Maida Vale was founded in 1984 to provide Iyengar students in London with a dedicated teaching centre. It was financed from contributions and fund-raising activities by its early members and from B.K.S. Iyengar himself, who taught there and led the official opening of the building. The building was the first bespoke yoga studio in Europe and was designed to create a calm, bright and inspiring space for dedicated teaching and practice. Today the historic significance of the Iyengar Institute and the exceptional teaching standards attract students from around the UK and visitors from around the world. The studios are open to everyone. The timetable includes everything from remedial classes for students with injuries, introductory courses for beginners up to advanced classes and professional development days for Iyengar teachers.
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loves Y
Beautiful things for beautiful people Organyc Sanitary Pads
Organyc moderate flow sanitary pads made with 100% pure organic cotton. Organic cotton top sheet and core provides ultimate absorbency while the wings ensure the pad stays in place, giving added protection while adapting perfectly to the contours of your body. £3.69 organyc.co.uk
JASON Super Shine Apricot Shampoo
Gently and effectively removes dirt and unwanted build-up restoring your hair’s natural glow and bounce. Shine enhancing apricot oil smooths hair cuticles for a perfectly reflective brilliance, while wheat protein and aloe vera replenish moisture from the root to tip. £6.99 jasonnaturalcare.co.uk
Anahata Mala from OMKAI
The new Anahata Mala from OMKAI. Pink Tourmaline is an extraordinary stone for cleansing the emotional body of destructive feelings and guiding those emotions into self-love. Combined with the properties of Labrodrite which is a stone of transformation and protection, this Mala brings a sense of compassion and peace. £85 omkaimalas.co.uk
Buckwheat Yoga Bolster
Provides firm support and grounding which moulds to your body shape and will not break down over time, plus it’s an eco-friendly material. The cover is made from 100% cotton with an embroidered Om symbol at one end and convenient carry handle at the other. Available in Hot Pink, Purple, Blue or Red. £41.99 mad-hq.com
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The devoted yoga subscription box to compliment your lifestyle on and off the mat We curate beautiful products to compliment your yoga journey in and out of the yoga studio, supporting your well-being and healthy lifestyle. It’s the perfect monthly treat to help you relax, unwind, and centre yourself. 5 beautiful products and gifts every month: Holistic products Skin care Essential oils Yoga fitness gifts Healing teas Healthy snacks Deluxe samples
Tavi Noir Chey Grip Socks in Stone/ Magenta
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SALUTE TO THE MOON The new Moonchild Collection is full of beautiful and subtle colours blended with feminine minimalism from their Scandinavian heritage
Crop Top - Forest Green (â‚Ź55) Leggings - Daybreak (â‚Ź85) moonchildyogawear.com
Photographer: Nicklas Ingemann Model: Kaja Aude
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om beginnings Crop Top - Midnight Blue (€55) Leggings - Midnight Blue (€85)
Fave Long Sleeve - White (€72) Leggings - Silver Lining (€85)
Bra Top - Deep Shade (€45) Leggings - Deep Shade (€85)
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om beginnings Wrap Me Up - Grey Melange (€98) Yoga Underwear Shorts (€22)
Impact Bra Top - Earthly Notes (€59) Leggings - Earthly Notes (€85)
Impact Bra Top - Daybreak (€59) Leggings - Daybreak (€85)
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“Meditation is a private retreat from the problems of the world.” – Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj
You are invited to hear spiritual Master
Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj in London & Birmingham, UK. All events are free and open to all Meditate for Inner Peace Friday 1st September 2017 at 7:00pm
Reduce Stress through Meditation Monday 4th September 2017 at 7:00pm
Attain Spiritual Consciousness Saturday 2nd September 2017 at 4:00pm Followed by Initiation (in-depth instructions for Meditation on the Inner Light and Sound)
Experience Inner Realms Tuesday 5th September 2017 at 6:00pm Followed by Initiation (in-depth instructions for Meditation on the Inner Light and Sound)
Symphony Hall, Broad Street, Birmingham B1 2EA
Grand Sapphire Hall, 45 Imperial Way, Croydon CR0 4RR
For more information and to register visit www.sos.org/tour/BirminghamVisit
For more information and to register visit www.sos.org/tour/LondonVisit
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Planet yoga Stories from around the weird and wonderful world of yoga
UK USA
USA
Wall Street
Yoga studio chain Yogaworks, Inc. issued 5 million shares on the Nasdaq stock exchange over the summer, underlining how lucrative the business has become in North America. The multi-million dollar deal is being used to increase the firm’s financial flexibility and fund the acquisition of more yoga studios. The 30-year-old company operates more than 40 yoga studios in New York, Los Angeles, Orange County, Boston, Baltimore and the Bay Area. In a letter to the stockmarket, it said it was in negotiations to acquire up to 14 additional studios.
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Off duty
Cops in Norfolk, Virginia are using yoga to unplug from the high stress challenges of daily police work. Multi-flow yoga is now being made free and available to all Norfolk Police Department members, with sessions held through the week. The department’s own physical fitness and welfare coordinator Heather Morse is leading the classes after obtaining her yoga teaching training qualifications. Training officials worked with the area’s Critical Incident Stress Management Unit (CISM) to develop the course, in a bid to look after officers returning from the line of duty.
Spain
Rapper’s delight
London-based rapper P Money has teamed up with lululemon to participate in the yoga fashion firm’s latest promo, This Is Yoga. He joins a long list of rappers and dance gurus with a liking for yoga attire, from Def Jam’s Russell Simmons to Brit DJ Goldie. Another is Big Boi, best known as part of American hip hop duo Outkast, who recently confessed a love for yoga attire during a recent London visit. “My wife got me into lululemon recently,” he told The Guardian newspaper. “The tops are so comfortable and breathable. So I wear yoga stuff and sh*t.”
om beginnings Cruz control
Spanish actress Penelope Cruz says Bikram yoga has had a transformative impact on her energy levels and her life in general. “I do Bikram yoga, which has completely changed my body,” she told InStyle magazine recently. “You’re drenched in sweat throughout the entire class. It’s 90 minutes, but once you conquer 60, the last 30 gets easier.” The 43-year-old, who once dated Hollywood A-lister Tom Cruise, said: “I used to be sluggish, and now my level of energy is through the roof. It’s like magic, but you have to earn that magic.”
India
Record breakers
Guinness World Records has officially recognised an outdoor yoga class in India as the largest ever. A staggering 54,522 participants practiced their Downward Dog and Warrior 1 poses at the GMDC Ground in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India on International Yoga Day (June 21). It beat the previous record number by a huge 18,537 people, achieved on the first International Day of Yoga in Rajpath, New Delhi, India, two years earlier. The 2017 class, which lasted 40 minutes, was led by yoga guru Rishi Swami Ramdev ji Maharaj and a team of experts.
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om body
Yin Yoga Tools Andrea Kwiatkowski guides us through a gentle Yin Yoga practice
YOGA @ HOME Yogi: Andrea Kwiatkowski Images Movement For Modern Life (movementformodernlife.com) Visit the website for more online yoga classes from the best teachers
Yin yoga is a method of floor-based practices that focus on releasing connective tissue and bringing balance and feelings of harmony to our inner spirit body including our organs. If you place a timer next to your mat you can set it for 1-2 minutes in each shape or 3-5 minutes if you practice regularly. There are three qualities to consider in each pose: n Make it accessible in your body n Remain still in the shape n Stay for the time you have chosen
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1. Hara breathing
Sit comfortably kneeling or cross legged using a cushion or bolster and place the hands below the navel, in the lower abdomen region known as the hara. This is the ‘seat of intentionality’, a centre point of the body to connect, ground and earth ourselves at the start of the practice. Breathe fully for three breaths and set an intention to bring balance to the inner organs.
3
3. Quarter dog
From all fours place the right arm across at a right angle to the left extended arm and soften the chest towards the floor. The sit bones lift upwards as the chest softens downwards and the chin or forehead can
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2
2. Reclined butterfly
Lying on the back bring the soles of the feet together close to the groin and allow the knees to drop open to the side. This stimulates the kidney meridian channel in the inner legs. Kidney vitality is fundamental for a long and healthy life. Place the hands on the hara or by the side palms up. Stay for 1-2 mins.
3 Variation
rest on a prop or the floor. Stay for 1-2mins then change sides or rest in child’s pose. The lung channel is stimulated from this shape, breathe evenly in both lungs and imagine the lungs spacious and clear.
om body 4. Childs pose
4
Kneeling back so the buttocks come close to the heels rest the head calmly on the ground. Use a cushion under the seat or forehead to make it more comfortable and breathe into the inner body. Stay for 1 minute.
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5. Winged dragon
Step the right foot forward and turn the leg out pointing the toes to the top edge of the mat. Track the knee over the ankle and lean into the hands or place the forearms down on the floor. Prop the back
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6. Dragonfly
Straddle the legs and rest forward either using a bolster to support the body or cushion under the head. The liver channels run up the inside of the legs into the torso. Let go of any frustration or irritation
5 Variation
knee with a cushion if needed. Relax here or take a twist to the right side placing hand on right thigh, visualising stomach and spleen organs receiving energy. They are the main organs linked to diet and digestion. Stay for 1-2 minutes then change sides.
6 Variation
which is associated with this organ and focus on the quality of compassion. Stay for 1-2 minutes.
Continue sequence >>> 31
om body 7a
7a. Seal
Lie on the abdomen and press up into a backbend extending the arms and turning out the palms. Lifting the heart helps us feel openhearted and connected to others emotionally. Stay for 1-2 minutes then release to the floor.
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8. Legs up the wall
Place a cushion or your hands under your seat and lift the legs up to the ceiling, like they were resting on the wall. The urinary bladder meridian starts at the head and runs down the back of the body and
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9. Savasana
Place the body on the floor and scan from the feet up towards the head. With each inhalation invite the chi energy to flood the inner body and with each exhalation release stale or depleted energy from the body and out through the crown of the head. Stay for as long as you need, bathing in the healing energy and then stretch and come up to sit. Feel centred and balanced as you connect again in the hara.
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7b
7b. Sphinx
Alternatively, stay on the forearms in Sphinx. Lifting the heart helps us feel openhearted and connected to others emotionally. Stay for 1-2 minutes then release to the floor.
8 Variation
legs. Imagine a flow of energy in this inversion, taking away fatigue and replacing it with vitality and creativity. Stay for 1-2 minutes then bend the knees and place the feet to the floor.
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10. Meditation
Take a seat that feels comfortable and settle into natural breathing. Let each breath anchor you in the present moment of awareness. Take a moment to bring gratitude into your practice, remembering our life is precious and we are truly blessed.
om body
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om body
OM meets...
Paula Hines
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om body After a career in television script editing, Paula Hines found yoga after suffering back pain following years of working at a desk. Now, the London-based teacher – a regular OM writer – is looking to help others in the same boat, reaching out to more people with her own slow and restorative yoga style How did you first get into yoga Back pain got me to my first yoga class. I was working full-time in TV and though I loved my job there were some very stressful phases and my work involved a lot of sitting. I gave yoga a try after a colleague suggested it. I tried first with a book at home then by going along to a Hatha class at my local gym purely in the hope that it would help with my back pain. So the physical practice was my way in, as it is for many people. I was not even remotely interested in any of the other aspects of yoga then and certainly not the spiritual elements. Yoga absolutely did help my back pain, but what I did not expect was the deeper impact it would have. I always came away from a class feeling better than when I arrived, whatever was going on in my life at the time. It did not happen overnight, but as I practiced more I began to experience the positive effects away from the yoga mat. I responded differently to stressful situations at work and in my interactions with others. I started to become kinder towards myself too. What does yoga give you personally A greater sense of self-acceptance. Regular practice over time facilitates greater body awareness, and hopefully, greater selfawareness, so out of this I’ve developed a sense of gratitude for the body that I have and a deep appreciation for all that it does for me each day – something that can be so easily taken for granted. The line between good health and ill health and the veil between life and death – they are so thin. Yoga gives me the space to practice being in the present, appreciating and accepting things as they are, even if things are not exactly as I would have wanted them to be. And it is an ongoing practice; it is not perfection. In a society that says my body is wrong, yoga reminds me otherwise. And it really does help me manage back pain. If I am less consistent in my practice for any reason then I do feel it. Yoga helps me live my life in general. The more years I practice, the more I find that yoga on and off the mat are not separate.
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om body “Yoga absolutely did help my back pain, but what I did not expect was the deeper impact it would have. I always came away from a class feeling better than when I arrived, whatever was going on in my life at the time.” Any favourite teachers or studios I don’t have one teacher as my studies have not followed one specific lineage, but my particular favourites are Judith Hanson Lasater who I’ve studied restorative yoga with, Sally Parkes and Norman Blair. They are all very different from one another, but where they are similar is in being authentic, not claiming to be gurus who know everything, and creating safe, unintimidating spaces. I’ve been lucky enough to work with Sally on and off pretty much since I started teaching. I’ve taught on over 20 of Sally’s yoga retreats and I am now a tutor on her 200-hour yoga teacher training course, introducing the students to restorative yoga and yoga for back care. Describe your own teaching style My teaching style is probably best described as slow yoga. I teach Hatha, Flow, Yin, Restorative and Yoga Nidra. I even speak quite slowly too! In the last two years I have been moving more towards the latter three, but even the flows I teach tend to be slow and steady. Yoga career highs so far My high, not just a career one, is the fact that I can and do stand up in front of people and teach at all. As someone who took years to find their voice I feel this is a huge achievement. I had no problem with expressing myself through writing (which is probably why I ended up writing and working with writers long before I ever set foot on a yoga mat), but it used to be that I could not even open my mouth to speak in a work meeting of friendly colleagues without my voice audibly shaking – that’s if I could get the words out at all. I once taught yoga to 100 people at a corporate event and have taught at the OM Yoga Show in London. Less than 10 years ago I could not have even contemplated this. I still get nervous, but the difference now is that I face the fear and do it because I know I can. What are your plans going forward I’ve gone from the point of teaching more than 15 classes a week all around town to just a handful of classes that are mostly closer to home. I feel that teaching fewer classes suits me better as it means I feel more able to give my best when I am teaching and in turn, enjoy the classes I am teaching much more. So I plan to keep my drop-in class schedule lighter. When I had more classes on my schedule I felt as though I was spreading myself too thin. That said, I would like to reach more people as I get messages and requests from people who don’t live in London or even in the UK. So, this year I’ve just started to do more online work in response to that. Via my website I have downloadable Yoga Nidras and meditations available in my shop (ucanyoga.co.uk) and I’ve also started sharing videos on my YouTube channel (see links below). To find out more about Paula Hines or for her audio Yoga Nidra and meditation downloads visit: ucanyoga.co.uk Or check out the YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/user/ucanyoga1
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om body presents...
360˚ yoga with
Doctor yogi Detailed alignment cues for Bridge Pose
An overview of...
Bridge Pose
(Setu Bandha Sarvangasana) Bridge Pose appears in many yoga practices towards the end of a sequence and is both an inversion and a backbend.
I
t is often the perfect antidote to prolonged periods of sitting at a desk. The asana helps to open the chest and the front of the shoulders while lengthening the hip flexors and abdominal muscles. It builds strength in the feet, gluteal muscles, lower back and shoulder girdle. Inversions such as Bridge Pose are believed to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system which counteracts our stress response and inversions may also lower our blood pressure.
OPEN YOUR CHEST l As you lift lengthen through all four sides of your waist to create more space between your hip bones and your lower ribs l Gently soften your front, lower ribs towards your spine and breathe into your back lower ribs to create space in the back of your chest l Keeping this space, widen across your collar bones (clavicles) as you squeeze your shoulder blades (scapulae) closer towards each other
FIRM YOUR ARMS l As your shoulders roll open clasp your hands behind your back l Squeeze your arms towards each other but also press your arms and hands firmly down to encourage your pelvis and chest to lift higher
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FIND A POSTERIOR TILT TO YOUR PELVIS l Before lifting your pelvis roll your upper, inner thighs back to create space at the back of your pelvis l As you begin to lift draw your sacrum (the flat part of your lower spine) and tailbone (coccyx) towards your knees l Avoid ‘tucking’ or ‘scooping’ your sacrum and coccyx under which can lead to a clenching of your Gluteal muscles and a hardening of your pelvic area
om body The benefits of this pose:
l B ridge Pose lengthens the hip flexors, abdominal muscles and anterior chest muscles l I t builds strength in our feet, gluteal muscles, lower back and shoulders l A ctivates our parasympathetic nervous system which calms and restores the body and mind l M ay help to reduce your blood pressure
Contraindications:
l I t is suggested that Bridge Pose may not be an appropriate asana to practice if you have certain neck or shoulder conditions but modifications and different variations are always available
Variations:
Different schools of yoga teach Bridge Pose in slightly different ways. Here are some variations that you may have come across: l Instead of clasping your hands under your back take hold of your ankles or place your hands by your hips with your palms pressing into the floor l To engage your gluteal muscles more try lifting up onto your heels l F or a restorative version of the pose support your pelvis onto a bolster or a couple of stacked blocks l T ry gently squeezing a block between your thighs to keep your knees tracking in line with your feet and ankles and engage your adductor muscles on the inner thigh
Andrew McGonigle is Doctor Yogi, a medically trained yoga teacher based in London who specialises in teaching anatomy applied to yoga. Visit doctoryogi.co.uk
KNEES ABOVE AND IN LINE WITH ANKLES l Aim to have your shin bones vertical so that your knee joints are stacked above your ankles l Avoid letting your knees roll in or out too far. Ideally they are in line with the centre of your ankles
FEET HIP DISTANCE APART, PARALLEL AND ACTIVE l Find the boney points at the front of your pelvis (these are known as the ASIS, Anterior Superior Iliac Spines) and line these up with the mid-point of each of your ankles l Line the mid-point of each ankle up with the base of your second toe l Engage the inner (medial longitudinal) arches of your feet by lifting your toes off the mat, spreading them and gently lowering them back onto the mat l Gently draw your outer ankles in to stabilise your ankle joints
FOCUS YOUR GAZE l Your focal point (drishti) is towards the tip of your nose l If this doesn’t feel comfortable, soften your gaze and look at a fixed point on the ceiling
LENGTHEN YOUR NECK IN ITS NATURAL CURVE l Keep your chin lifting gently so that your neck remains in its natural curve
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om body
Yoga for back pain the holistic approach How yoga can play a role in helping low back pain conditions. By Shelly Prosko
P
ain is a complex phenomenon influenced by our physiological systems, as well as our mental and emotional health, beliefs, culture, environment, and experiences. Back pain that persists can result in changes in our hormonal, immune, respiratory, cardiovascular, and nervous systems and can also affect our thoughts and emotions, how we move, and even how we breathe. Research confirms that specific damage to the spine or tissues has a poor correlation to chronic low back pain. Leading pain science researcher, Lorimer Moseley, PhD, confirms that the pain experience “does not provide an accurate measure of the state of the tissue.” In other words, pain is not only anatomical. Researchers suggested over two decades ago that we must take a holistic approach to successfully address a complex issue such as low back pain (LBP). Yoga can offer this holistic approach. Many aspects of yoga methodology and philosophy can address all layers (or koshas) of our being:
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physical, mental, emotional, energetic, social, and spiritual. Although research supports that yoga can help improve back pain, we do not know exactly why. In fact, the underlying mechanisms in which any treatment approach for LBP works (when it does) is still poorly understood. Is it the physical postures, breathing, meditation, heightened awareness and presence, concentration, ritual, or yoga philosophy that makes it effective? Or is it a combination of everything? If we study just one of these aspects, then we are taking away the essence of what yoga truly is.
Movement (asana)
Many different exercise methods have been shown to help with lower back pain. Yoga asana might reduce pain, due to its influence on our hormone levels, emotions, behaviours, energy, and of course, the physical body. But what types of asanas are best for LBP? High-powered scientific reviews
conclude that there is no single superior exercise for chronic low back pain. The popular belief that core stability exercises are key to preventing and addressing back pain is completely unfounded by research (don’t shoot the messenger!). Sure, these may help some people, but maybe not for the reasons we think. No one posture or series of postures is more effective than another for back pain (including hamstring or hip flexor stretches). Pain science can guide us as to what type of movement is best for non-specific lower back pain: 1) Safe and enjoyable movement can help decrease the threat to our nervous systems and help improve confidence. When pain persists, the signals carried by certain nerve cells from the tissues become hyper vigilant, or ‘oversensitive’, sending danger signals to the spinal cord and brain, resulting in an exaggerated output of the brain that contributes to the pain experience. Inputs to the system that never used to result in
om body a pain response (like certain movements or positions) now do, even when there’s no real threat. Neil Pearson, founder of Life is Now Pain Care Yoga, uses key guidelines when performing asana in the face of chronic pain: feeling safe, keeping the breath calm, minimising body tension, and monitoring thoughts, emotions, and pain. 2) Variable movement demands focus and concentration and can promote changes in the nervous system (neuroplasticity) that are required to reduce the pain experience. 3) Individualised movement, specific to your unique needs will enhance safety and efficacy. Guidance from a healthcare professional who is experienced in using yoga therapeutically is recommended.
Breathing (pranayama)
People with chronic low back pain often exhibit changes in breathing pattern that can lead to more reduced or abnormal movement patterns that further feed into the pain cycle. Physical therapist Tania Clifton-Smith reports that some breath patterns can cause an over-stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system response, which can further increase anxiety, muscle pain, and fatigue. Like movement, breathing influences all koshas. Yoga breathing methods can play a
role in reducing lower back pain by: n Calming the nervous system n R educing body tension n Improving spinal biomechanics, mechanical efficiency, and movement patterns n Reducing fear and anxiety or changing other emotions, resulting in increased confidence to move
Awareness (pratyahara)
In chronic low back pain, we want to change the way the hyper vigilant nervous systems and brain respond to incoming signals. The first step to this change is awareness. Awareness practices (referred to by Pearson as “the intentional act of noticing a phenomenon�) can be divided into awareness of body, breath, thoughts, emotions, energy, and spirit. It has been shown that body awareness can be distorted in people suffering from chronic pain, and some awareness practices can reduce chronic pain. Pratyahara can be loosely translated as noticing the physiological state inside the body. We must first be aware before we can self-regulate, which is a critical skill in yoga for reducing and managing low back pain. Shelly Prosko is a physical therapist, professional yoga therapist, and Pilates instructor (physioyoga.ca)
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om body
Bendy but bitchy
Yoga’s more subtle benefits are still lost on a good many people, writes Meg Jackson, but stick with it…there’s hope for us all
S
oft, melodic chanting can be heard gently playing over the sound system. From the organic, vegan snack bar wafts the scent of something green being juiced and mixed with other tasty things to create a toogood-for-you-to-taste-nice smoothie. Draped over rustic wooden benches are the beautiful bendy people; comparing notes about who has just returned from their 15th life-changing
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pilgrimage to Mysore/Bali/somewhere very spiritual just outside the M25. “Well what do you mean it doesn’t work like that?” Her voice carries over the kale-crusher. “I’m sorry, but as I said to you earlier I can’t just…” interjects the receptionist. “…But it’s ridiculous. Just ridiculous. Are you telling me you can’t do anything about this? This is crazy!”
“As I said we just can’t switch without a….” “Oh for god’s sake. Never mind…” and off she struts; her bare feet angrily slapping the wooden floor all the way back to the changing room. And then, with beautiful subtlety and perfect timing the poor receptionist who had been on the receiving end of this charming customer’s rant says quietly to herself, with a sigh and a knowing smile “Blimey. Maybe
om body
she should try some yoga….” For those of us waiting for our workshop to begin, in this beautiful yoga bubble in the heart of shouty North London it was a valuable reminder. Here’s the thing: you can do yoga and be a total idiot at times. I know – it’s tough to hear, especially if you’ve been lured into a class with the promise that yoga makes you a better person, blah blah blah… So allow me to break it to you; there are a few things that yoga won’t immediately do for you as soon as your pinky toe arrives onto a sticky mat. (The key word here is ‘immediately’; stick with it and you never know what might happen…)
YOGA WILL NOT give you endless patience
You will not descend into a state of nirvana next time the woman in front of you at the supermarket pays for her weekly shop in small change. Nor will you be able to lapse into a meditative state as you enter your second hour of being in stationary traffic. But over time as your fingers creep a little closer to your toes, your hips find a millimetre more movement, and you stand on one leg for one second longer than before, you might think it’s worth the weeks of work.
YOGA WILL NOT remove all your bad habits
Pizza will still taste just as amazing. Beer will be just as delicious. Chocolate will be just as soothing. Yoga will not change any of that. But when your mind starts trying to solve world peace and plan dinner and analyse every conversation you’ve ever had as soon as you try to meditate; or your body freezes every time you try to lift into a backbend, you’re learning valuable information about how you can live better off the mat. You may still love pizza, beer, chocolate…but the reasons why you consume your own bodyweight in it may be easier to understand.
YOGA WILL NOT give you unshakeable self-belief
Stepping out of the studio after your first class you are highly unlikely to suddenly text that bloke/girl you’ve been thinking about for weeks to ask them out. Nor will you be fearless enough to fling yourself into the new business venture you’ve been mulling over for weeks because you’re now sure the world needs a chain of make-your-own sausage shops called ‘Offaly Nice’. But the
eighth time you have another attempt at Tree Pose and stay upright, or the moment you stay in Warrior 1 with less wobbling, and the first time your Downward Facing Dog doesn’t leave you panting, you may find you walk off your mat feeling a little more invincible than when you started.
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YOGA WILL NOT stop you comparing yourself to everyone else
Every class has got one. You’re fairly sure their body is just made of different stuff to yours. Whatever pose the teacher gives they’re in the most advanced version of it quicker than you can internally say “how are you doing that, you big bendy freak?”. They are the epitome of yogic grace. They sit in meditation like a blissed-out rock and you can’t help it; you want to be them. Then as you’re gathering your stuff in the changing room you happen to hear your new yoga idol on the phone. Seems like they’ve just lost their job, their partner is a loser and now you come to look at it they’ve got really weird feet. We’re all fighting our own battles; on and off the mat, and sometimes yoga helps us realise that ours are much easier than other people’s.
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YOGA WILL NOT make you love all other humans
Other people are weird and if you want to see it, just go to a yoga class. There’s the Space Hogger; heaven help anyone who mistakenly takes their spot in the studio. Look out for the Prop Perfectionist; it’s a miracle she can actually fit on her mat after she has piled up the menagerie of blocks, bolsters, straps and blankets around her (most of which she won’t actually use). And you should always beware of the Miffed Meditator; he shoots a death-stare to anyone who happens to disturb his pre-class rituals by stepping too heavily in his general vicinity. But just for a moment, when everyone says ‘namaste’, you might feel a connection; a realisation that ultimately everyone is there for the same reason – to get happier, feel healthier, and live life as the very best version of themselves. Meg Jackson is the founder of Real Life Yoga – a movement to help real people bring a little (or a lot) of yoga into their real lives. For details of her classes, workshops and retreats visit: reallifeyoga.net
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om body
The
herd mentality
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Why practicing yoga with herd animals makes more sense than you might think. By Fiona Lines
hese days it seems like each time you look on social media, or indeed read the national newspapers, there is a new yoga craze: beer yoga, naked yoga, alien yoga... the list goes on. It’s easy to be cynical. Indeed, there is an increasing undercurrent of discontent at a perceived lack of authenticity and the trivialisation of an ancient practice. Yoga is big business and something novel that grabs the headlines is a fast track to making sales. Yet, advocates of novelty trends argue that they have genuine benefits over and above being a bit of fun. Goat yoga is a good example. Originally offered by Lainey Morse in Oregan in 2016, it quickly racked up a waiting list in the thousands and spread throughout the US, landing on European shores in 2017 with events in Amsterdam and the UK. Cute pictures of friendly goats scampering delightfully around - and on top of - practicing yogis captivated our imagination and the resultant media storm created a new yoga trend.
Giving yoga a go… with sheep
Day-to-day, I run a retreat company that brings people opportunities to reconnect with nature and, through this, feel happier and less stressed. Attaining a sense of connection with the natural world is also an important part of my personal yoga practice; so as soon as I heard about goat yoga I knew I had to give it a try!
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I keep a few sheep at home and often sit among them, finding their peaceful presence very calming, yet until recently I had never actually practiced yoga asana among them. Considering there were no goats to hand, I thought I would try ‘sheep yoga’ instead…and I loved it! Realistically, I know it will never replace my indoor practice. Being constantly vigilant of toggles being chewed off and whether poo pellets were imminent was a distraction, to be honest. I also found it difficult to synchronise my mind with my breath and movement, so I lost that sense of focus and moving meditation that I seek in my Vinyasa practice. Nonetheless, there were benefits that, in my opinion, could genuinely complement an existing yoga practice.
Why does it work
Animal assisted therapy is nothing new. In particular, there are plenty of similarities to be drawn between equine therapy, practiced through spending time with horses, and goat yoga. Both horses and goats are herd animals and, despite being a different size, they share many characteristics that lend themselves to being part of a meaningful yoga practice. A MIRROR OF OUR EMOTIONS: Herd animals are naturally distrustful. As prey animals, they have evolved to be vigilant against predators and can instinctively read the intentions of others. They can tell what we are feeling and provide feedback through their
om body behaviour. If we are angry or anxious, for example, and allow the background chatter of our minds to dominate our emotions the animals will keep their distance. When we are present in the moment we are peaceful and the animals relax, rewarding us with their trust. UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE: It is a wonderful feeling when an animal accepts you, especially if that animal has evolved to be naturally distrustful. Unlike humans, animals judge based on the present moment; they do not consider your back story or what you look like. Their acceptance can promote a sense of self-confidence and self-worth as we are taken for who we truly are and not who we are perceived to be. BODY AWARENESS: Herd animals startle easily and, once one animal moves, the rest of the herd will likely follow. Whilst practicing yoga among herd animals there is a need to move slowly and carefully to maintain a sense of calm. This builds strength as transitioning between poses gracefully requires a surprising amount of power. There may also be a need to modify poses to avoid touching nearby animals, which provides further physical challenge. OXYTOCIN: In 2012 a study by the University of Rostock showed that levels of oxytocin in humans increased when they interacted with animals. Oxytocin is perhaps most commonly associated with childbirth, helping a mother during labour and then afterwards to bond with her baby. It is also known more generally as the ‘love hormone’, encouraging us to trust, feel empathy, lower anxiety and enjoy cuddles. DISTRACTION: Often we come to the mat with a racing mind and sometimes it can be difficult to turn off those external thoughts. Those new to yoga, or who are dealing with anxiety, stress, grief or depression may find this particularly hard. Animals can offer a distraction from reality in these situations, providing focus for an active mind and allowing us to feel present in our surroundings during challenging times.
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The verdict
Yoga has been evolving over thousands of years. Even our most traditional styles of yoga asana are relatively modern compared to the history of yoga, which is ultimately a total life philosophy on how we relate to ourselves and the world around us. Yoga means ‘yoke’, or to unite, and through it we hope to connect to our true selves. Yoga asana is just one step on this path and there are many different approaches to it; surely, we need to be open minded about new developments, giving them a chance before deciding whether they work for us? Perhaps goat (or even sheep) yoga has its place. It might not work for everyone and it might not fill the same role as a more standard asana practice, but there are benefits. Spending time among herd animals provides us with an opportunity to live, love and connect with the world in the present moment. After all, from goats to handstands, stand up paddleboards to birthday suits, it’s not what you do, it’s what it does to you that matters. Fiona Lines is the founder of yoga retreats company Cowdance (cowdance.co.uk)
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Inside: Page 48: Medicine Man Page 50: Bluebeard’s Revenge Page 51: Man On The Mat
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MEDICINE MAN
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Jason Sadhana Grechanik’s interest in plant medicines started around the time he got into yoga. A former actor, photographer and Thai boxer, he says these powerful healing tools can all point the way back to finding ourselves. Photos and interview by Francesca Magnani
first met Jason almost 15 years ago in the East Village of New York and followed closely his yogic and human adventure. He never ceases to marvel: he is equally at ease as a bartender in the concrete jungle and in the actual Amazon jungle, working with the old women, the curanderas (healers/doctors/shamans) who detail – and share with him – the secrets of the plants. You would find him for years mixing drinks in the Meatpacking District in New York City, as well as acting in a movie on a Greek island; he played many roles Off Broadway and Off Off Broadway, and also rode a horse through Mongolia to find the reindeer people; he owns a dozen or so items of clothing, mostly his own grandfather’s, but
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has worked in the fashion industry assisting some big name photographers; he became an Eagle Scout at 16 and fought in Thai boxing matches in Thailand a decade later; he practices Brazilian jiu-jitsu and at the same time he works extensively with plant entheogens. I met him recently during one of his rare appearances in the Big Apple, to catch up over coffee in the Lower East Side. Tell us a bit about your background I was born in Sri Lanka to hippie parents. I grew up mostly in Virginia and Washington DC. I studied in Paris for a year and after finishing the University of Virginia in 2002, I moved to New York City to pursue photography and acting. I began working
in fashion photography and as an actor in film and theatre. During this time I became very interested in religion and spirituality. I would go to bookstores and try and read everything I could find on as many different topics as possible. I began trying a lot of different practices. Yoga was one of them. How did your yoga practice develop I would go to yoga studios all over New York with free passes or during trial periods to try as many different types as I could, trying to understand the differences and seeing what would resonate. I actually started at Integral Yoga, for two reasons. One, they had a Karma Yoga programme where I could work in the kitchen in exchange for classes. This was good as I
FM was quite poor at the time and I got free classes and a free meal. But the main reason was because a cocktail waitress who I was working with and liked would go there, so I did too... They taught Hatha Yoga there and it was a good foundation. As I progressed I found it a bit slow and began looking for other types. I found Kundalini and became an avid practitioner for about a year. I practiced regularly up until I left New York on a two year journey across Asia. I kept a practice but it eventually faded. Upon returning I wanted to take up yoga again and began practicing Vinyasa as I was looking for something more dynamic. I really liked this practice and ended up getting certified to teach at the studio I would go to, although I had reservations about becoming a teacher as the way I looked at yoga was quite different from how most people viewed it. I was interested in Ashtanga and so started practicing at the Shala near my apartment. I found the regiment and discipline to be good and my practice advanced quite a bit. I eventually went to study with Richard Freeman to learn more deeply about Ashtanga. When did you start being interested in plants It was around this same time that I became interested in plants and medicine. At first I think it was feeling some sort of compassion for animals so I tried giving up meat. This made me question what all the plants we put into our body are actually doing. I tried many diets and began to learn about plants not just as food, but as medicine. I began studying ayurveda and TCM, learning about herbalism and the medicinal qualities of plants. A friend of mine was part of the Santo Daime Church which works with ayahuasca as a sacrament; I think for the religious reasons somehow that never resonated with me. But it implanted the idea of this plant in my mind. I also felt quite strongly at the time that our power is within, and that strong plant medicine was, in a way, looking to external sources to solve our problems when I felt we had everything we needed inside of us. How did you start working with ayahuasca As life would have it, this particular plant kept popping up and so at one point I decided I had to go explore it. So I went down to the Peruvian Amazon to try and work with it. I was there two weeks and had a pretty life-altering experience where I
“It was around this same time that I became interested in plants and medicine. At first I think it was feeling some sort of compassion for animals so I tried giving up meat. This made me question what all the plants we put into our body are actually doing.” experienced a power and knowledge that I had previously comprehended existed, but had never experienced in that way. The place I went to was called The Temple of the Way of Light and serendipitously they were looking for a teacher to come down to help start a new programme that would integrate this ayahuasca work with other modalities such as yoga, Taiji, Qigong, and so. I came back a few months later to begin work. That was about five years ago now. During that time I began working extensively with plants. At first it was ayahuasca and then I began ‘to diet’ other plants - which is a process in which one goes into isolation, restricts their diet to very little food, and drinks the plant in order to experientially learn from it. I ended up leaving work and just doing this for about two years. At a certain point it was felt I was ready to start working with these plants so that I could offer them as tools to other people, in the same way in which they were given to me to learn from. What message would you convey about the plants These plants can be tremendously powerful and a real catalyst for change. They can open us to new ways of thinking and looking at the world. They have the power to give us insight into our past, our traumas, our belief systems, and to empower us to live a life of harmony. They are very much medicines
of our times, and there seems to be a symbiotic relationship now where they are reaching out and spreading as humans are needing and gravitating towards them. Tell us more about your role now I am currently back working as a facilitator, much like a bridge between the curanderos and guests who come to work with ayahuasca. And I now work as a ‘doctor’ myself, offering plants to people so that they can learn from them. I still have a regular yoga practice. Although my days are quite busy and I have acquired many practices over the years, yoga is one I have kept. I try and combine all the things I have learned into what I do. I see less and less separation in what we do; all paths, all true paths are pointing towards the same thing, but we have different names for it…peace, God, truth, nature, reality, contentment, happiness, the end of suffering. All paths can be good. And all paths have their limits. Much like sign-posts they are pointing us to the way, but are not the way themselves. They are pointing us back to ourselves, back to who we really are. In the end, in the beginning, now, it is all still a great mystery. . Find out more about Jason Sadhana Grechanik and his work at: NicotianaRustica. org and TempleoftheWayofLight.org
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Bluebeard’s Revenge Barbers of the world unite - for men’s mental health
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ollowing our story in July of an amazing Dorset barber who incorporates yoga and mindfulness into his work (Yogi Bear’d, July 2017, issue 74), here’s another hair-raisingly inspirational story for you. Tom Chapman is the founder of Tom Chapman Hair Design in Torquay, Devon. Two years ago he set up The Lions Barber Collective (thelionsbarbercollective.com), an international group of top barbers that have come together to raise awareness and prevent male depression and suicide. The charity works to educate barbers in how to spot the symptoms of mental health and depression, whilst encouraging men to talk to their barbers (and each other) about their issues. Suicide is the single biggest killer of men under the age of 45 in the UK and, in 2014, 74% of all suicide victims in the UK were male. Chapman has been awarded a ‘Point of Light’ Award by Prime Minister Theresa May, which recognises outstanding individual volunteers who are making a change in their community. Now, The Lions Barber Collective have gone a step further by teaming up with The Bluebeards Revenge (bluebeards-revenge.co.uk), a male grooming brand which is helping to support the charity’s messages. The work will begin with a campaign that will see the inside of The Bluebeards Revenge cartons rebranded with powerful messages from the charity group. The partnership will also help it raise money for its BarberTalk initiative, a training scheme to enable barbers to recognise, talk, listen, and signpost their clients when they are sat in the barber chair. And an interesting back story to the partnership is the fact The Bluebeards Revenge managing director, David Hildrew, is an ex Royal Marine, who served in the Falklands conflict. He knows first hand how difficult it is for ex servicemen to integrate successfully back into society. “As an exserviceman, I take male depression very seriously. It’s an illness that many military men suffer with in silence. The Lions Barber Collective charity is the perfect way to break down the barriers that men tend to build themselves.”
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MAN ON THE MAT:
FM WITH JAMES TENCONI
Firefly Pose
Benefits
Firefly is a wicked posture that connects muscle in the arms and flexibility in the hips whilst arm balancing to lengthen and strengthen the legs. To get into Firefly, get super good at squatting in Malasana. Hips inefficacy is one of the common issues to why Firefly becomes challenging. Warm the wrists up thoroughly. When you’re ready to fly, lift the hips up and use your hands to push back on your calf muscles to get your shoulders back eventually behind your calves. Once you have that tight connection, think about wrapping in. Arms and legs together – tight and compact. Hands back, fingers facing forward and bend your elbows. This is probably the number one mistake that I see, together with not enough stomach in. Think: guts in!
Tips
n Bend the elbows to have ‘cobra’ like elbows. The elbows now provide a shelf to support the weight. Focus on dropping the hips down slowly and extending the legs up at the same time. n Try not to get too excited as you lift off extending the legs up, take a breath, keep wrapping in and once you have full lock on the knees, the last thing to lift is that Firefly smile, eventually working towards straight arms. Keep practicing, it’s easier than it looks..
Yoga teacher and Yogangster brand ambassador (yogangster.co.uk) James Tenconi, photographed by Chelone Wolf (chelonewolfphotography.com)
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Pregnancy & Children: Special Report It can be the most magical and testing time of life…the arrival of a newborn baby. But yoga’s got your back
Yes it can be an extremely challenging time too, both throughout the pregnancy, into labour and beyond. Keep that radiant glow of yours and stay vibrant through it all with yoga. Some simple stretching at this time, coupled with gentle breathing exercises and a few mindfulness practices, can make all the difference. Yoga is a great tool at any time to stay healthy and help us keep on top of things, but that’s especially true during pregnancy. In this special report we’ve got lots of practical yoga advice from the country’s top teachers to inspire you throughout your journey: from fertility issues through to the actual birthing process and then recovery afterwards. But new mums are not alone on this journey. We’ve expanded the report to include the wonders of sharing yoga with your children too. Introduce the little ones early on and watch them blossom as they grow through early years childhood and into the teenage years. And guys, don’t think you’re getting off lightly: your support during this time is vital for the whole family. Let yoga help connect us all in celebration during this amazing and wonderful (albeit testing) time. Play it safe: please consult an expert, your GP or a medical professional before commencing any yoga practice during pregnancy.
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Pregnancy & Children: Special Report
contents Fertility, Pregnancy and Birth… 56 The Calm Mum’s Toolbox: For a Relaxed Pregnancy & Beyond
58 The Fertility Factor: Helping Couples Through Yoga
60 Where is Level 1-2-3? Three Stage Pregnancy Teaching
62 Easy Poses:
Simple Ways To Help Those Niggles
64 Keep On Moving: Walks and Squats For Pregnancy
66 Yoga For Birthing: Essential Tips For Birthing
68 Baby Shower: Only The Best For You And Baby
70 Gently Does It: Movement After A C-Section Birth
72 Connecting With Your Unborn Child: Prior To The Birth 74 Get Yourself Together: Six Steps Back To Recovery
Yoga For Babies, Children & Teens… 76 One Size Does Not Fit All: Yoga For The Whole Child
78 Seasonal Health For Children: Ancient Wellbeing Wisdom
80 Happy & Healthy: 5 Ways Yoga Can Help Children
82 5 Asanas To Include In Every Child’s Yoga Class 84 Mama Feelgood: Amazing Maternity wear 86 Yoga In Schools: a 10-Year Education Perspective
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Photo: Randalle Love (facebook.com/studioloveyoga, instagram.com/loveyogachick) and Kai Guin photographed by Dr. Natiya Guin (natiya.com).
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Pregnancy & Children: Special Report
The calm mum’s toolbox Yoga tips for a relaxed pregnancy and beyond. By Bronni Page
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oga is a wonderful practice to help you navigate the big, beautiful, daunting roller-coaster that is motherhood. Here are some practical tips for cultivating a relaxed approach to pregnancy and creating a positive transition into life with a new baby.
Move well
Your mum was right - regular exercise is vital for a healthy body, mind and soul. While you may want to slow down and change your fitness routine now that you have a baby on board, it’s important to keep moving. Yoga, uniting body, mind and breath, is much more than just exercise, offering a gorgeous opportunity to move, connect and share the practice with your growing baby. Even if you are an experienced yogi, look for a specialised prenatal studio class or DVD to use at home. This way, you’ll get the modifications and sequences which are safe and suitable for a pregnant body.
Try Cat Pose
Cat Pose is a pre-natal yoga favourite to soothe a grumpy back. The gentle backward and forward rocking motion from arching and
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rounding the back helps keep your spine happy and supple. Best of all, your baby can enjoy a gentle ride too! C ome onto your mat on hands and knees, notice your breath. When you feel ready, lift your tail and face toward the sky as you breathe in. As you exhale, gently round the back and you look towards the legs. Continue moving in time with your breath for a few rounds.
Rest well
As your belly expands with the growing baby it can be hard to get comfy at night. Plus, a surge of hormones towards the end of your pregnancy means Mother Nature keeps you wide awake in the wee hours, supposedly preparing you for the night-feeds to come! To preserve your energy levels, rest whenever you can. Try Savasana using a range of yoga props to hold and support you. Use a yoga bolster under the knees, rolled blanket under the ankles and a low cushion under your head. Adapt as to what feels best for you you may even prefer to take Savasana on your side. Cover up with a blanket and simply rest for 20 minutes.
Breathe for calm
Learning to anchor your emotions through slow, deep breathing is particularly beneficial during pregnancy. Along with the joys and excitement of expecting your little one, pregnancy can be peppered with worry, stress and doubt. Taking your focus to the breath helps to restore a balanced state. Bhramari Pranayama or Humming Bee Breath encourages a slow, rhythmic breath. It calls for a soft humming sound which floods the mind with calm.
Try Bhramari Pranayama:
it comfortably, notice your breath. S Cup your hands over the ears. Take a breath in, as you exhale make a soft humming sound. Continue for 7-10 rounds. Return to your regular breath. Observe how you feel.
Connect
Whenever you do some yoga, remember there are two of you doing the practice. Consider starting and concluding a session with some seated quiet time, simply enjoying the breath and breathing as one. Place your hands on your belly and silently communicate with your baby, letting her know any hopes or concerns you have about your journey together. Allow space for your baby to communicate back to you!
Try ‘Legs up the Wall’:
C lear some space and sit side-on to a wall so one shoulder and hip are almost touching it. Take the opposite shoulder to the floor, roll onto your back and swing your extended legs up the wall. Rest your head on a pillow for extra comfort, and cover your eyes with an eye pillow. Stay for five minutes or longer.
Deep Relaxation
The practice of Yoga Nidra is wonderful for mums. Known as ‘psychic sleep,’ a 20-30 minute session can be as refreshing as four hours of regular sleep! All you do is lie down comfortably, listen to and follow verbal instructions from your teacher or a recording. As your body remains still, your awareness is guided to different body parts in a specific sequence designed to set up a circuit of energy. Many studio yoga classes include a Yoga Nidra practice and you can also practice at home with an audio recording. Mum-of-three Bronni Page is a yoga instructor and wellness writer for Stretch Now (stretchnow.com).
Take time for you, mum
When the newest family member arrives, operating on ‘baby time’ and prioritising her needs leaves little time for self-care let alone an uninterrupted stretch of quality sleep! These yoga inspired tools can help new mums cope with fatigue and muscle tension.
Save your shoulders
Cradling your baby throughout the day can lead to tight, tense shoulders. Soothe any aches with a few rounds of shoulder rolls throughout the day. Simply draw the shoulders up to the ears and loop backwards. For a little extra relief, try a ‘Sighing shoulder shrug’- Breathe in as you squeeze the shoulders up toward the ears, drop the shoulders as you exhale with an audible ‘ahhh’ sound.
Revive tired eyes
When nights of uninterrupted sleep leave you feeling exhausted and bleary eyed, reach for an eye pillow. With a soft, silk covering, eye pillows are filled with flaxseeds and a hint of dried lavender for a wonderful, calming aroma. Once placed over the eyes, the gentle weight of the pillow encourages the eyes and surrounding muscles to relax and sink deep into their sockets. Plus, withdrawing from the sense of sight for a few minutes helps to mimic the sensation of sleep and soothe the mind.
Put your feet up
Mama, you deserve to put your feet up! ‘Legs up the wall’ is a gentle, restorative inversion that enlivens body and soul. The reversed blood-flow from toes to torso particularly refreshes tired legs and the whole back receives a lovely supported stretch.
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Pregnancy & Children: Special Report
The fertility factor Yoga can play a role in helping the one in seven UK couples affected by fertility issues
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nfertility can be a very stressful experience, which is why many experts will recommend a mind body approach when it comes to treatment. There have not been many research papers on the effect yoga can have on fertility. Nevertheless, there has been a great deal of research on the effects of yoga and meditation on stress. For some women, chronic stress can affect ovulation by altering signals to the brain. Overly anxious women may ovulate less regularly. The body can go into ‘fight or flight’ mode and, as a consequence, may use the energy needed to conceive ineffectively. Stress has also been shown to lower sperm count in men. Significantly, yoga has been clinically shown to reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Many fertility experts now recommend yoga to their patients who are having difficulty trying to conceive. One leading expert, Zita West, says: ”Any exercise that involves mindfulness, breathing techniques and meditative visualisation has many physical, emotional and mental benefits. Yoga is a calming antidote to any woman consumed by an overwhelming desire for a baby. The resulting stress of which becomes an impediment to conception itself.” Gentle yoga classes taught by compassionate teachers who may have chosen to specialise in this area are beneficial. General classes that have an emphasis on breath, relaxation, positive mantras and visualisation may help women who are struggling to accept the situation they are in. Poses that encourage blood flow to the hips, abdomen and heart area should be included in these classes. Teachers who have studied fertility yoga specifically will be able to
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offer slightly different sequences for different times of the month. They can also include women who are in the two-week implantation phase of IVF (a very stressful time indeed for women). Kamal Ojha of Concept Fertility encourages his patients to fertility classes. He feels the benefits of alleviating stress and encouraging poses that increase blood flow to the uterus can really help the success rate of fertility treatment offered. It is also worth considering if there is enough Yin in a class to balance a Yang practice or lifestyle. Some women who already have a strong yoga practice may have to look at letting go of some poses that they love, or consider adjusting their practice. The length and intensity of practice may cause a woman to stop menstruating and reduce the hormones necessary for conception. She may have to find another way of ‘creating a welcoming environment’ for a pregnancy, rather than pushing her body to its physical limits. She will also have to give herself permission to be a bit more relaxed with asana practice. It is important to be honest with your teacher about this. If you are struggling to get pregnant, your yoga teacher may be able to advise and encourage you to practice in a different way. I have heard my own teacher, Nancy Gilgoff, advise students who are trying to conceive to practice as though they are already pregnant; in other words, essentially to practice in a softer way. Above all, women should be encouraged to honour their cycles and their bodies. It is often in the surrender and the letting go that the ‘Shakti’ can be found. By Cherie Lathey (yogamama.co.uk)
Pregnancy & Children: Special Report
where is Level 1-2-3? By Maria Kondrashova, founder of Pommama
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ou may have been pregnant yourself; or if you haven’t, you surely know someone who has. You’ll know that worries, feelings and concerns when you’re growing a baby can change enormously as your body changes over those nine months from conception to due date. Battling with morning sickness in the earlier stages of pregnancy is a whole different ball game to preparing for birth. So why, when it comes to pregnancy yoga – one of the most effective tools available to support your journey to motherhood – do most studio classes not take this vast difference into account? We fully expect to see normal yoga segmented according to level on a studio timetable as Vinyasa Flow Level 2-3, Ashtanga Level 1 or Yoga for Beginners, for example. So why is pregnancy yoga always simply scheduled as ‘Pregnancy Yoga’? The answer lies in the fact that studio pregnancy yoga – even classes given by the most inspiring and experienced teachers – have to cater to the average pregnant woman. But is it really possible to find an average between a woman who is emerging from morning sickness at 14 weeks with a body still pretty much in a normal shape, good energy levels and a desire to get moving again; and a woman about to give birth, who is looking inwards, feeling and connecting with her baby and preparing for labour? I don’t think there’s such a thing. Based on my personal experience, and that of other women I know, I believe there is nothing more disappointing than coming to a general pregnancy class (and getting to a studio is not always easy, especially towards the end of pregnancy) and having a class that neither answers your questions nor caters to your specific needs. I believe it’s vitally important to be able to adjust your practice to your ever-changing mind and growing body. Why? Let’s look at the three key stages women go through in pregnancy when it comes to their yoga practice (medical professionals generally advise avoiding yoga before 12 to 14 weeks, unless you are an experienced yogi – although most likely you may not feel like it anyway!).
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Stage 1: 14 – 22 weeks
At 14 weeks, nausea usually subsides and energy levels return. You can feel more energetic than ever before and although your body gradually starts changing, you are probably keen to move. A relatively dynamic flow practice for the next six to eight weeks will allow you to embrace the return of your energy. You may not notice a huge difference in your body shape, but certain modifications are needed to accommodate the growing baby.
Stage2: 22-32 weeks
You begin to feel a little heavier. You can still do a flow class, but in a much more mindful and slower mode. In your practice, you’ll need to be more observant and not push yourself while stretching, twisting and back bending. The focus is on key areas such as shoulders, back and pelvic region. Poses are modified to take into account your growing belly and you’ll start using props to support certain poses.
Stage 3: 32 weeks onwards
Preparing for birth, both mentally and physically, is the key at this time with a grounded, slow flow and focus inwards. Deep, nurturing breathing, tension releasing movements and mind-calming meditation help you prepare for the birth. Although you can (and should, if you have no medical issues) still move at this stage, setting intentions, sending love and devotion to your baby, visualising the new life inside you and learning to keep calm with breathing are top priority. That is why, at Pommama, we don’t believe that one class suits all. To that end, we have developed our three-stage programme to accompany you all the way through your pregnancy. Find out more about Pommama, your at-home one-to-one pregnancy yoga, at www.pommama.com
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Pregnancy & Children: Special Report
Easy Poses
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Simple yoga poses to help those pregnancy niggles
regnancy yoga has all the benefits of improving your strength, flexibility and circulation with the added bonus of calming the mind and preparing your body for the birth of your baby. You’ll find the breathing techniques during your prenatal yoga session are hugely beneficial, especially when it comes to managing the pain and discomfort of
Cow Pose
childbirth. Many women find yoga great for alleviating stress and tension, lowering blood pressure, releasing ‘feel good’ endorphins and promoting more restful sleep. Here, maternity fitness experts FittaMamma suggest some favourite yoga poses to help ease common pregnancy discomforts:
Suffering from heartburn
Cow Pose is a simple yoga posture that helps make more space in your diaphragm, easing the pressure in your stomach which can make your heartburn worse. Sitting up tall, breathe out and lengthen your back, rolling your shoulders gently to release them. Stretch your right arm up, bend your elbow and drop your hand down the back of your neck. Now reach up behind your back with your left hand, reaching as high as you can so the fingers of both hands meet. If they don’t touch, use a yoga belt or a scarf to make the connection, working your hands as close together as you can without straining. Hold the pose for about a minute, lengthening your lower back and neck and breathing deeply. Make sure you keep your neck free and don’t allow your arm to push against your head. Release both arms, breathe deeply and relax for a minute before repeating on the other side.
Cat Pose
Tense shoulders and aching back
Very common, especially if you’re still working and sitting at a desk all day. Cat Pose releases tension in your upper back and shoulders, taking the pressure of the baby off your spine. Take it slowly for maximum benefit. Start on your hands and knees, hands planted firmly on your mat below your shoulders, knees under your hips and your back flat.
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Breathe deeply. Exhale, and arch your back upwards, drawing your belly button towards your spine and lowering your head so you look towards your legs. Inhale slowly and deeply, gradually lowering your spine vertebrae by vertebrae until your back is flat. Lift your head and gently stretch out your neck. Alternate these movements, smoothly lifting and lowering your back without letting it drop.
Child’s Pose
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Lower backache
A great pose to ease backache is Child’s Pose, taking the weight of your baby off your lower back and releasing tension in your pelvis and hip joints. Kneel on your yoga mat, knees wide apart, feet turned inwards. Come forward slowly, moving from the hips and lengthening your spine. Place your palms on the floor, stretching your arms out in front of you and lower your body until your forehead touches the floor….and relax. Come up slowly when you’re ready to do so. If you don’t feel comfortable in this pose lean over a large cushion or a bean bag, focusing on making sure your back feels comfortable and relaxed.
Garland Pose
Specialising in Pregnancy Yoga, Postnatal / Mum&Baby Yoga Fertility Yoga Yoga Nidra
Established in 2012, we now have over 300 graduates worldwide
Preparing for birth
Garland Pose is a real mainstay of pregnancy yoga, opening up your hips and pelvis, lengthening and relaxing the muscles in your back and stretching your perineum. As you approach the end of your pregnancy it will encourage your baby’s head to engage in preparation for birth. If you can learn to be comfortable in this pose it can be an ideal birthing position offering the correct angle for the baby’s descent and making use of gravity to help the birth process. Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart, keeping them flat on the floor and simply lower yourself into a squat. Use yoga blocks under your buttocks if you can’t manage a full squat. Practice this regularly so it becomes easier and more comfortable to maintain the pose. For more exercises, yoga poses, recipes and stylish fitness wear that’s perfect to wear throughout pregnancy and after your baby is born, visit: fittamamma.com.
Our training courses are designed for disciplined yogis who are unable to attend a face-to-face training course at this time, or who choose a home study due to family, work commitments, finances or simply a desire take time out for self study and development.
Get started today! www.YogaGro.com www.facebook.com/YogaGro
Pregnancy & Children: Special Report
Keep on moving Simple walks and squats for the greater enjoyment of pregnancy, birth and babies
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he inspiration for Birthlight Yoga – aimed at the greater enjoyment of pregnancy, birth and babies – comes from Peruvian rainforest communities, where Francoise Freedman, the founder of Birthlight, conducted her anthropology fieldwork for Cambridge University. With
specific adaptations for posture alignment during pregnancy, birth and beyond, Birthlight perinatal yoga and rebozo practices help to promote a gentle yet efficient toning of abdominal and lower back muscles, including the pelvic floor.
Pregnancy Squats
Adapted squats are effective for birth preparation and accessible to most pregnant women, irrespective of their fitness.
Chair Squat
Stand in front of a chair, feet hip width apart. Extend your arms up alongside your face and stretch your back as you bend your knees. As you sit on the front of the chair, lower your arms and enjoy an upright sitting position.
Block Squat
As your lower back gains strength and flexibility you can use foam blocks piled against a wall. Take your hands to the wall, palms facing the wall as you squat down. From an upright sitting position against the wall push with your hands to move your torso forward at a 45° angle and gain the impetus to stand up again. Take one block away as your squats become easier, but if you strain as your pregnancy moves on add blocks again.
Partner Half Squat Extend your back as much as possible in this playful dynamic half-squat. Bend your knees to gain more stretch in your lower spine and always keep your neck relaxed.
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Birthlight Teacher Training
Pregnancy Walks The rebozo worn as a ‘sash’ helps enhance your lower back to pelvis connection in this therapeutic and fun yoga walk. If you have ever ridden a camel you will understand why it’s called the camel walk! 1 Feet hip width apart and knees soft. Arms bent at the elbows, wrists loose. Extend your tailbone out to align your pelvis. 2 Extend your tail-bone further out, bending your knees as needed. At the same time gently pull your bent arms back. 3 In a ‘scoping’ movement of your pelvis tuck your tailbone under to bring your pubis forward and up. At first you can practice this roll standing in the same spot. As your body registers this pelvic scoop you can take a step with each scoop, feeling the movement, then roll up your whole spine. 4 Roll arms and shoulders to help integrate the ‘scoop’ in your whole body. Always end your ‘scoop’ with a little lift of your whole front body with a stretch of your six-pack muscle (rectus abdominis) from pubis to sternum. From the Birthlight handbook: Rebozos Practices Before, During And After Birth (Birthlight, 2015). Birthlight is a UK registered charity (birthlight.com) Photos: Melanie Brown
Birthlight offers unique continuity of care from conception to the third year with simple yoga practices both on dry land and in water. Birthlight offers training in: Pregnancy, Birth and Postnatal Yoga, Nuturing Baby Massage, Baby Yoga, Toddler Yoga, Baby Swimming, Aqua Yoga, Well Woman Yoga, Fertility Yoga, Birthlight Yoga to Support Breastfeeding, Yoga for Diastasis Recti For more details please visit: www.birthlight.com/omyoga Birthlight contact details: Email: enquiries@birthlight.com Tel: 01223 362288
Pregnancy & Children: Special Report
yoga for birthing We read a lot about how great yoga is during pregnancy and how to use it to get back into shape afterwards‌but what about for the actual birth? By Sarah Swindlehurst/Mulliner
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oga can provide a woman with extra tools to use at the time of the actual birth. It can provide the mum-to-be with some extremely useful tips and techniques to help her through the whole process, so that the birth occurs as naturally, as peacefully, and as pain free as possible. The key really is in the breath and using it to create a calm mind, so that the body also relaxes enough to allow the baby to be born. If a woman keeps her focus and feels in control, especially via the use of the breath, then this can help her be as calm and relaxed as possible,
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and for her baby to be born into the world in the most gentle way possible. Here are some techniques that may help a woman in the birthing of her baby.
In the early first stage of labour:
FULL YOGIC BREATHING Ujayii breathing: ocean breath, to sustain and focus, draw attention within, lower blood pressure and maintain calm. Breathe out into a contraction and focus on the exhale and then continue
breathing as feels comfortable; find a rhythm. The out breath is the antidote to pain. If experiencing massive contractions and the mother-to-be can’t help but hold her breath, use sound to help them exhale or breathe into their partner’s hands. The partner puts their hands on the lower back; the woman then breathes ‘down their back’ and ‘into their partner’s hands’. Affirmation: I am ready and prepared for my birthing experience. LABOUR POSITIONS Half squat and rock: one foot flat, other tucked under, to move through contractions and give openness in the groin. Cat Pose: helps you move through contractions. Rest upright and forwards between contractions, on a ball or a mound of cushions. Always keep the upper body higher than the lower end to let gravity do its job. Funny walks: when you get a contraction, hang on your partner’s neck. Hip rotations: against a wall, on a ball, in Cat. Affirmation: I trust that my body knows exactly what it’s doing.
In the later first stage and second stage (active labour):
Third Stage: Delivering the Placenta:
Once the baby is born, the birthing breath can be used to help birth the placenta. Affirmation: My body is completely relaxed and let’s go easily. The main idea of yoga for labour and birth is that the mother can make her own choices, be empowered to control herself and the birth of her child and be present and mindful of the entire experience, especially in using the breath. Partner massage, essential oils, flower remedies, music, hypnotherapy and relaxation techniques all help, along with some great positive powerful affirmations. This time in a new mum’s life is one she will always remember and so it is wonderful if it is a positive one. Also, if the birth is a positive experience then this will reflect onto the newborn energetically and so this is the aim of yoga for birth and preparation in birthing rehearsal classes and workshops. Even if there are complications within the labour and birth, a mother using yoga and mindfulness methods can feel more in control of themselves and their experience of it. Sarah Swindlehurst/Mulliner is a pre-& post-natal senior teacher trainer at Yogakidz Worldwide, a not-for-profit company that runs teacher training courses (yogakidzworldwide.com)
Breathing: as contractions strengthen, a woman may want to breathe more quickly and lightly. In this case, a partner may put their hands on the upper back just below the shoulder blades – so they breathe into the pressure of the hands. If they start breathing too quickly, the partner takes the lead and breathes loudly; it’ll help the woman slow down. Horse breath: if they find their jaw tensing up, they can exhale like a horse through flapping lips. Aim to make a sound, resonating the air between the lips. Cooling the soup: when contractions come that are sharper to handle, breathe out with small out breaths through the mouth, as if they are cooling some soup or blowing candles out. Sounds: ‘Ahhh’ and ‘Oohhh’ are the sounds that really help to make the baby move down. Also make the sounds inside, and visualise the baby moving down the birth canal. Affirmation: My courage and patience will send my baby into my arms. BIRTHING BREATH (CAFETIERE BREATH): With the birthing breath, the woman allows their conscious awareness to descend down the body with each out breath. Begin by taking an in breath as deeply as you can and focus on moving down your spine on the out breath. Wherever your mind focuses at the end of your exhalation is where you begin from with your next inhalation. Keep moving down the body with each out breath until you are focused in the cervix, birth canal and perineum. This is where you focus on expanding with each forthcoming exhalation. Voice the breath with a ‘haaah’ sound which feels good and helps abdominals work with bearing down contractions. Extend the exhale as long as possible to increase the pressure of your uterus. When baby is crowning and the mum is asked to break from pushing, they can use the ‘feather’ breath (the sound ‘hooh’) – very gentle and soft small out breaths, or ‘purring’ breath to disengage abdominal muscles from pelvic floor. Affirmation: I trust in my ability to birth my baby.
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Pregnancy & Children: Special Report
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Perineum Massage Oil
With sweet almond and vitamin E rich wheatgerm oil, this oil is especially formulated for massages which help the perineum to become more flexible and relaxed, ready for childbirth. Suitable for vegans. £11.95 weleda.co.uk
Yoga Baba Onesie
Yoga Baba is an independent British clothing company for babies that’s collaborated with Yoga Mama and a London designer to create this unique baba range. Super soft organic cotton that’s perfect for wearing against delicate skin. £17 yogababa.co.uk
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PREGNANCY YOGA TEACHER TRAINING
Are you looking to increase your yoga knowledge through training and CPDs. Become part of the growing Yoga Mama sangha - learning to teach and support pregnant women throughout their pregnancy.
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Senior yoga teachers Women’s health physiotherapist Midwife 80 hour course accredited by Yoga Alliance professionals.
Asana, pranayama, sequencing classes, propping and assisting, anatomy for pre and post natal yoga, common ailments associated with pregnancy. For full course outline visit our website.
We also offer CPDs in fertilty and postnatal women
www.yogamama.co.uk
Pregnancy & Children: Special Report
Gently does it Movement after a Caesarean Section birth. By Sally Parkes BSc
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ost women I have met through many years of teaching pregnancy yoga want to have a natural birth. And I would agree that as long as there are no existing medical conditions to prevent this, then natural is best for the mother and baby. However, birth can often present us with surprises and challenges that we, the birthing mother, never anticipated, and so we are often led down the route of a medicalised birth and in some cases this will mean birthing your baby via Caesarean Section. If you have had a similar experience, or teach yoga to mothers who have been through this kind of birth experience, it is important that you do not underestimate the impact that a C-section birth, whether elective or emergency, can have on the body. It is major surgery and so for the first 10 weeks new mums need to take as much rest as possible; so it is wise to take any help that is offered to get the various chores done that come with being a new mother. Being mindful of how you move throughout the day will also help. For example, having a changing table as opposed to changing baby
on the floor, rolling to the side and using your arms to move from lying to sitting, and using a feeding pillow can all make a huge difference to the stress placed upon the scar tissue. Ensuring you receive proper nutrition, which includes more calories than you would normally eat and good quality fats, will also help cell renewal, all of which will accelerate healing. From around the 10 weeks stage some gentle movement can be undertaken (although you should always check with a doctor or midwife before doing this, especially if the procedure was an emergency as this can cause more trauma). Once you have the all clear to exercise, a great place to start is by balancing your posture. Any abdominal surgery will encourage the spine to round more than normal as the mind and body feels more protective than usual to the vulnerable area of the abdomen. However, after several weeks this will put pressure on the lower back and neck, leading to the shoulders and chest becoming rounded and tight. So a good place to begin your journey back to health is to stretch out these areas daily. An effective way to do this without
BASIC ABDOMINAL CONTRACTION FOR STRENGTH: Kneel on the hands and knees so you are in a box position and ensure the spine is in a neutral alignment. Exhale deeply and at the same time draw the navel in towards the spine so the entire abdominal area gently contracts. Relax on the inhale. Repeat this 10 times. Now
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too much strain on the abdomen is to place the hands on the edge of a table or window sill and lower the torso so it is parallel to the floor, and the hips are over the ankles, so the body is at a right angle. Hold for 10 long deep breaths. This will give a wonderful stretch to the backs of the legs too. Also, throughout the day, try to stand tall and keep rolling the shoulders down away from the ears as you gently pull the tummy in towards the spine. Remember to do this especially when pushing your buggy, as this is often when our eyes and mental focus are on your baby leading to the head dropping forwards and the neck moving out of a neutral alignment. This is the perfect time, however, to reset your posture and by adopting a more positive movement pattern you will feel instantly more positive as you walk in the fresh air with your precious baby. From around 12 weeks post-natal you can generally start to work more directly on the abdominal area. It is possible the abdominal muscles themselves will still be a little separated so this area should be trained as a unit involving all the surrounding muscle groups as opposed to completely isolating the abdomen. Effective movements include:
take stretch back in to Downward Facing Dog for five breaths before returning to a Box Positon. Now repeat as above but this time as you exhale and draw the abdominal muscles in towards the spine, also move the spine in to flexion, i.e. Cat Stretch. Repeat 10 times.
SHOULDER BRIDGE ROLL FOR MOBILITY: Lie face up with the legs bent and knees aligned directly over the ankles. The arms are either side of the head in a right angle position. Drop the lumbar spine towards the ground and lift the pelvis in a scooping action. Now gradually peel the spine away from the floor, as though you are lifting one vertebrae at a time. Breathe deeply. Pause when the spine is in a neutral diagonal position before rolling back down very slowly. Repeat 10 times, breathing deeply throughout.
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10% using code OM10 LEG RAISE FOR CORE STABILITY: Again kneel in a box position, draw the navel in towards the spine and on the exhale lift and extend the right leg. Stay completely focused on keeping the spine and hips static. Lower the leg back down on an inhale. Repeat on the other side until you reach 12-18 repetitions in total. Rest in Childs Pose.
These movements can be done every day and once you feel considerable healing has taken place, you can introduce stronger movements in to your daily activities. Do be patient though and remember that it is not a race. Having a C-section is a huge event and the energy it takes to care for your baby and recover from surgery can be colossal, so be realistic about what you can manage. Just set yourself aside 10 minutes a day initially and see where that takes you. Above all else remember these practices every single day: n T o breathe deeply, often n R emind yourself that you are doing a great job n T hat you birthed your baby in the best way you could in that moment
Sally Parkes is the author of ‘The Students Manual of Yoga Anatomy’ and runs pregnancy and postnatal yoga teacher trainings in the UK and internationally (sallyparkesyoga.com)
A Special Pregnancy Yoga Training 19-22 April 2018
camyoga camyoga.co.uk
Pregnancy & Children: Special Report
Connecting with your unborn child Finding ways to connect with your infant prior to birth. By Louise Palmer-Masterton
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n 2006 I spent some one-one time with Frederick Leboyer, author of the seminal text ‘Birth Without violence’, his 1974 book that changed the face of obstetric practice. Leboyer, who passed away this year at the age of 98, was a former obstetrician who ultimately eschewed modern obstetric practice and turned to writing the story of birth from the child’s perspective. In his book he painted the infant’s view of birth - coming from the quiet, calm womb into bright lights, noise, stress and separation (when immediately after birth the child would be taken from its mother to be prodded and ‘tested’). Before this, childbirth had always been about the mother, procedures, hospitals – everything but the infant. Whilst his book was initially opposed by fellow obstetricians, midwives and mothers themselves did take notice, and slowly things began to change. It is now commonplace that delivery rooms are quiet, low lit places and infants are allowed to rest with their mothers immediately after birth. These and other changes can be directly attributed to Leboyer’s book. Back to my meeting with Leboyer. It was even more fortunate for me that at the time of our meeting I was myself five months pregnant, and because of this he took me under his wing, despite being in his late eighties at the time. He taught me something which went on to become the basis of what we now teach at Camyoga in pregnancy yoga, trainings, and our active birth workshops. He said: “Every day, from when you are six months pregnant, take 15 mins out of your day. Find a quiet place to sit and meditate. Once you are settled and focused, take your attention to your baby. Really bring all of your focus to your baby. Then let your baby know that you are there, and that you are listening. Then you simply spend some time ‘listening’ to your baby.” He told me that if I did this my baby would know me, and be connected to me, and feel safe and not cry when being born. And guess what? She did not, and she has scarcely cried since. She was the most chilled, relaxed baby who has grown into a remarkable child (now 10). I believe it is first the connecting, then the listening that is key to this process. Think about it: almost all of pregnancy we are trying to control things, make them easier for ourselves. Listening puts the infant centre stage, and makes the mother willing to take direction from the infant which is of course crucial for childbirth – after all, infants know how to be born, it is often us that get in the way of that. Louise Palmer-Masterton is the founder of Camyoga. She has two daughters that were both born at home using sound, breath and movement. Birth Without Violence by Frederick Leboyer is a must-read for anyone pregnant, or anyone working with pregnant women. It is an easy read, almost like poetry, and is published by Pinter & Martin (reprinted 31 May 2011)
BRINGING PREGNANCY YOGA TO YOU
www.pommama.com
Pregnancy & Children: Special Report
Get yourself together 6 steps to easing back into a yoga practice after birth. By Sarah Oakley
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n ideal postnatal yoga practice is soft, nurturing, and restorative. The primary focus is on releasing tension and building strength to help deal with the stress of being a new mum, to open up the areas of the body that are affected by new patterns of behaviour, and to close and restore the areas that have been expanded and weakened in pregnancy. Here are six pieces of advice to support new mums in their postnatal yoga practice.
2. Give it time
1. Don’t underestimate what you’ve been through
3. A C-section is major surgery
Becoming a mum is not just a physical experience. It is a mental, emotional and spiritual upheaval that you cannot prepare for. So it’s okay to feel vulnerable. Using the principle of Ahimsa and being kind to yourself on, and off the mat, will help with the demands of early motherhood.
After giving birth it is recommended to wait till your six-week check before resuming practice. However, gentle exercise, such as walking, and pelvic floor exercises from the day after delivery, is beneficial and will help recovery. Relaxation techniques and Pranayama practices will help to transform this time of enforced rest and restriction of normal physical activity into healing time, where you can nurture yourself as well as your baby.
Normal energy levels generally take longer to return than after a vaginal delivery, so patience is essential to avoid frustration. Re-introducing abdominal strengthening postures should be done with extreme caution until at least after the six-week check up has confirmed that all is well.
“The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new.” Rajneesh 74
4. Check your recs
Before attempting any exercise, you need to check your rectus abdominus muscles, which run from beneath your ribs to the top of your pubic bone. During pregnancy, these muscles can separate (diastasis recti; abdominal muscle separation – AMS), so any postnatal exercise which is too strenuous (such as sit-ups or curlups) can make it worse. A midwife, doctor or postnatal exercise professional can perform a simple check to see if these muscles have parted.
5. You don’t have to be a super mum
New mums are generally exhausted and drained by the demands of a new baby, yet they are frequently attempting to be supermums.
“When you accept that being a mother can jar your nerves, you don’t have to pretend to be an imaginary figure of maternal bliss that you’re not. It is understandable to be downtrodden, like a lonely troll living under a bridge.” Naomi Chunilal You may well not have adequate support; be struggling to cope with the demands of feeding; be experiencing a sense of failure if the birth did not go according to plan or the baby is not in perfect health; be feeling physically invaded from the birth; be finding it difficult to bond with your baby and be experiencing anger and upset on a regular basis. This is all very normal. A daily meditation practice is the perfect tool for navigating the many tricky thoughts and emotions that come up for new mothers.
6. Child Pose and Savasana are your new best friends
Please do not to expect to resume yoga asana at the same level of intensity as your pre-pregnancy practice. Don’t strain. Be soft with yourself. If you haven’t one already do treat yourself to a bolster. Then allow it to support you through this precious time. Also, due to its restorative nature, it is a great time to introduce Yoga Nidra into your practice. Working with self-compassion and making sure you are practicing within your energy levels will help you to progress quicker. Using this route it is totally possible to find yourself stronger than you’ve ever been. By Sarah Oakley of YogaGro, who runs an online postnatal/mum and baby yoga teacher training diploma course, suitable for yoga teachers, midwives, exercise professionals, and other health care workers. Visit: yogagro.com
is looking for facilitators to join their team, teaching this incredible programme rooted in Seasonal Yoga!
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Club Morgan is one of the most unique holistic health programmes for children running today. It is supported by a brand new and cutting-edge seasonalbased curriculum designed by one of the country’s leading trainers in Seasonal Yoga and Tai-chi Sue Woodd and her team of specialists. You don’t have to be a Yoga teacher to apply to be a Club Morgan facilitator. Full and on-going training and support is provided. Please get in touch or visit our website if you would just like to know more!
Please call Laura Wills: Tel: 07909 851992 Email: admin@club-morgan.com
www.club-morgan.com
Pregnancy & Children: Special Report
One size does not fit all How children’s yoga stimulates the whole child and benefits each as an individual. By Bryony Duckitt
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lbert Einstein knew it. Parents know it. Good educators know it. When it comes to the successful, holistic education of children, a one-size-fits-all approach just doesn’t cut it. Sadly, our current education system is failing our children. They are all expected to achieve in an environment that doesn’t recognise that each person is unique and therefore has an individual response to learning, remembering, performing and understanding. Children’s yoga provides a way in which to complement that environment and offers a springboard to integrated learning. Education pioneer Maria Montessori once commented that “children are the makers of man” and that by providing them with a foundation of love and respect, for themselves and the world around them, we help the new generation to create and live harmonious and satisfying futures. As role models, parents and teachers we have a duty to plant seeds, teach children how to water them, and give them the tools to create their own beautiful gardens. Teachers that have included yoga as part of their curriculum have reported that: n T he tools provided help children to cope with stress more effectively, at school and at home n C hildren are seen to relax and sleep better
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n T he breathing techniques increase energy and decrease anxiety n Children learn to quiet the mind and sharpen focus and concentration n Children learn to respect themselves, others and the world around them n D ifferences are more readily accepted n B ody awareness is increased positively n Posture, flexibility, strength and joint mobility improve n M otor skills and hand-eye coordination are improved n Children across the board show improvements in mood, self-acceptance and self-confidence It is clear that physical, emotional and social development are all stimulated by yoga. However, we must never overlook the benefits for intellectual development. Howard Gardner proposed the theory of multiple intelligences in 1983. His theory demonstrates human nature from a cognitive perspective – how we perceive the world as individuals. He explains that “we are all able to know the world through language, logical-mathematical analysis, spatial representation, musical thinking, the use of the body to solve problems or to make things, an understanding of other individuals, and an understanding of ourselves. “Where individuals differ is in the strength of these intelligences – the so-called profile of intelligences – and in the ways in which
such intelligences are invoked and combined to carry out different tasks, solve diverse problems, and progress in various domains.” Recognising that a child’s particular style of learning influences his/her ability to succeed is pivotal.
The various learning styles to be aware of are:
Verbal-Linguistic Reading, writing, speaking and listening Logical-Mathematical Working with numbers and abstract patterns Visual-Spatial Working with images, drawing, sculpting, building Musical Rhythm, melody, patterned sound, song, dance and chanting. Music and rhythm are extremely powerful hooks to memory. Bodily-kinesthetic Body awareness, processing information through touch, movement, dramatics, dance and yoga Interpersonal Ability to relate to others, sharing, cooperating, social skills and interdependence Intrapersonal Introspection, individualised projects, meditation, inner connection, selfdirected instruction Naturalist Connection, appreciation, understanding and awe of ecology While most of us learn very well kinesthetically, we must always bear in mind that we all learn differently – in one yoga class we will have linguists, mathematicians, musicians, artists, introverts and extraverts
– so it is imperative to provide a class that suits them all. Various methods can be used to bring the curriculum into a yoga class whilst the children are exploring traditional yoga poses. By combining traditional yoga, mindfulness and education, we can create fun classes that exercise, energise, empower, relax and nurture the development of the whole child – stimulating all areas of each child’s development.
Benefits to the whole child In children’s yoga classes we can blend exercise, relaxation, mindfulness, healthy living and education. All the yoga poses practiced with children can be tailored for them and also used as a medium for learning.
Personal, social and emotional
n G roup and partner poses encourage social interaction. n Y oga is non-competitive. Emotionally, we encourage not only interaction with others but also exploring and looking within; finding your inner silence, stilling your mind and being at peace with your own self. Through many breathing exercises we learn to control our emotions – breathing out stress, breathing in peace and tranquility, exhaling anger and inhaling joy. n A ffirmations – affirming all the things we are good at. Focusing on our positives rather than zoning in on negatives.
Communication, language and literacy
n W e discover the anatomy of our bodies and learn the proper scientific names for our bones and muscles. n C hildren learn to communicate their thoughts and feelings. They take turns to read guided imagery or make up stories during the relaxation. n W e incorporate different languages.
Physical development
n C hildren become more aware of their bodies when they are moving in the poses. n C hildren listen to their body and observe how it feels. n Yoga strengthens the body but also loosens the muscles through stretching, twisting, doing back bends and forward bends. n Senses are refined. Each asana has a profound effect on aligning the body as well as balancing the body’s intricate
“It is clear that physical, emotional and social development are all stimulated by yoga. However, we must never overlook the benefits for intellectual development.” systems – skeletal, muscular, circulatory, respiratory, digestive, nervous, lymphatic, urinary and hormonal. n We explore nutrition and healthy living.
Knowledge and understanding of the world/cultural
n W e explore different cultures, languages, foods, instruments and music from different continents. n We plant seeds in learning areas so that the children are constantly learning new facts through the poses. n W e explore ecology, science and biology.
Problem solving, reasoning and numeracy / mathematics
n W e use mathematical concepts to highlight patterns, sequences, angles, numerical awareness, counting, and rhythm while practicing poses.
Creative development
n W e encourage the imagination and creativity in each child. n W e incorporate plenty of music into our classes – music from all over the world with different instruments, rhythms and beats.
No technology
Children receive so much stimulation from technology and the media today. We encourage an escape from the technical world and in our classes we leave technology at the door and come back to our basics - our bodies, our minds and our spirits.
No religion
We don’t incorporate any religion into our sessions. We look to nurture the child’s spirit and honour all religions equally, but there is no focus on Buddhism or Hinduism in the yoga we teach. Bryony Duckitt is director & founder of YogaBeez, which offers children’s yoga teacher training courses in the UK and around the globe (yogabeez.com)
Pregnancy & Children: Special Report
Seasonal health for children Nature gives us a toolbox of integrated health and exercise systems for body, mind and spirit to share with children and young people. By Sue Woodd and Laura Wills
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hildren today live in a very fast paced world. With the rising dependency on technology, we need to counterbalance this with education on healthy practices and tools for physical, mental and emotional awareness. Children are a part of nature, and seasonal activities connect them – and everyone else – with these natural rhythms. Childhood is a vibrant time when natural energy and creativity is rising, when the eyes and minds are open and learning can be fun. However, the tendency of our society is to rush children into adulthood, brought about by the desire for them to succeed, pack their schedules and leave little time for family and play. Teachers and parents can so often feel inadequate or under stress in the face of this present social climate and its demands. Not only does exploring the wisdom of nature’s cycles give clear answers as to why this happens, but constructive ways to address all areas of life from exercise to food, from social interaction to self-awareness. By helping children to channel such energy through seasonal yoga and relaxation they will learn to balance it appropriately and it ceases to become something that is out of their control. Seasonal yoga is a fusion of traditional yoga and Chinese traditional medicine. These Chinese traditions date back over three thousand years when they were invented as a system of illness prevention through observing the cycles of nature. The idea was that if our energy resonates with the energy of the season we have greater wholeness.
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Each of our organs, senses and systems – like the elements – resonate with certain seasonal energies. Here is a simple guide for parents and teachers to seasonal links:
SPRING
The energetic quality reflected in us and in nature: “new growth”. Spring is a time when children need to stretch their muscles, move, grow, be motivated and creative. Spring embodies the insistence of new life, the ability to have vision and make plans. Key organs: Liver, gallbladder and eyes Element: Wood Colour: Green Sense: Sight
Direction: Rising and growing Root emotions: Humour/patience/anger Key postures: Side bends, squats, Tree Pose, Mountain Pose, Warrior Poses. Spring is a time to build a strong foundation in our postures, keep focused with the eyes, work on flexibility and stay grounded. Watch out for: emotions in children like impatience, anger and frustration; balance this out with plenty of time spent outdoors and breathing out frustrations.
EARLY SUMMER
Energetic quality reflected in us and in nature: “fully grown and expressed”. Summer is a time to radiate, express how we feel, work on emotions through drama and games. Time to have
fun and work together as a team to make things happen. The energy of the heart and power of speech resonate with this season. It is beneficial to focus on the emotional intelligence of our young people, so often left out by the pressure within a school’s curriculum. Key organs: Heart, pericardium, fascia and small intestine Element: Fire Colour: Red Sense: Speech Root emotions: Love/over excitement Key postures: Spinal twists, Sun Salutations, flows, heart opening postures Watch out for: the need to be the centre of attention, emotional highs and lows.
LATE SUMMER
The energetic quality reflected in us and in nature: “Balancing and centering”. This is a time to help children be mindful of their centre and encourage them to create a strong sense of self-worth, by giving them praise and encouragement when needed. Discuss the importance of nourishment in your groups, not just in what and how we eat, but with the thoughts and ideas we have. Key organs: Stomach, pancreas and spleen Element: Earth Colour: Orange/yellow Sense: Taste Root emotions: Empathy/worry/self-doubt Key postures: postures to strengthen legs and core strength, flows, Bound Ankle Pose, Bear Pose, Warrior Poses, seated and standing balances Watch out for: excessive neediness, worry, selfishness and social media bullying. Teenagers lives can be driven by outward appearance, the pressures of social media and the need to blend in rather than the focus being on our uniqueness and developing our skills and talents.
AUTUMN
The energetic quality reflected in us and in nature: “Turning inwards/gathering”. Autumn is a time of re-evaluating what we see as worthy and meaningful in our lives. Guide the children to the idea of letting go of negative ways
of thinking, feeling and of behaving that no longer serve us. To work on the importance of the breath and clarity of mind. This season resonates with our ability to take in and let go. Synchronised breath and movement and open and closing postures can help to clear cluttered and overloaded young minds. Key organs: Lungs and large intestine Element: Metal Colour: Silver/greys Sense: Smell Root emotions: Reflection/joy/grief Key postures: Pranayama, Cat and Cow, an easy moon salute Watch out for: becoming aloof, cut off, hardness, being happy to spend hours alone on the computer without social interaction. Use the energy of autumn to melt these tendencies.
How can yoga increase wellbeing in schools?
WINTER
Energetic quality reflected in us and in nature: “stillness“. Winter is a time to restore, rest and recharge the kidneys, the brain and nervous system. Help children learn to be still using the power of imagination, so often lost at such an early age these days. Include mindfulness and lots of visualisation in your meditations. Key organs: The brain, kidneys and bladder Element: Water Colour: Blue Sense: Listening Root emotions: Wisdom/willpower/fear Key postures: Flows: Moon Salutations, Child Pose, Bridge, Happy Baby, Corpse Pose. Watch out for: fearfulness, anxiousness, and scattered energy. Build a strong sense of centre with yoga balances and games that build confidence. As you demonstrate and share these concepts and ideas with children you will be taking on an active role in their physical, emotional and mental wellbeing. By understanding the nature of their organs, emotions and energy you can show children how to unlock their inner powers and potential! Sue Woodd and Laura Wills teach Seasonal Yoga courses for children and run the Club Morgan Programme, a yoga-based curriculum now running in schools across the country (club-morgan.com)
The Instill conference aims to explore the connections between wellbeing research, yoga and education. CPD EVENT
11th November 2017 9-5pm £90 £15 DISCOUNT for Teen Yoga Foundation members Pimlico Academy, London SW1V 3AT
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Pregnancy & Children: Special Report
Happy & healthy 5 ways yoga helps children to feel calm and happy. By Helen Clare
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here are so many physical benefits of yoga for children: it builds strength and flexibility, improves balance and coordination and increases bodily awareness and appreciation for what we have. But, having worked with many schools, teachers and parents over the years, it is the emotional and mental benefits children gain from this practice that are the most noticeable and appreciated.
Pregnancy Yoga Teacher Training
with Sally Parkes BSc Author of ‘The Students Manual of Yoga Anatomy’
1. Moving Mindfulness
Yoga gives children a rare opportunity for some time out, to be quiet, on their own, in their own space, moving in their own way. It is the movement in and out of the yoga poses that enables them to be in the present moment, without anxiety over the future or concern about the past. Through yoga we are offering our children tools and techniques that they can use to find this calm state of being at anytime, throughout their life.
2. Focus
Children find enjoyment in focusing on achieving a pose, as they love to feel themselves improving! Without even thinking about it this focus on feeling, breathing and balancing helps them to become more present, more calm and peaceful.
3. Concentration
This new love of focusing follows children out of the yoga class and into the rest of their daily activity. All the schools that I have worked with have noted a clear enhancement in concentration in lessons following yoga classes. With continued yoga practice, an improvement in focus and concentration throughout the school day has been seen.
4. Self regulation
With the continued practice of moving mindfully through poses and consciously breathing and relaxing, children become more aware of their body and physical sensations. Moreover, they are able to be more aware of their thoughts, feelings and emotions. We can guide them in recognising how they are feeling and teach them that when we notice how we are really feeling, we can do something to help us feel better, if need be. Children have told me that they can now notice when they are feeling angry, sad, frustrated or annoyed and that through yoga they have learnt how to calm themselves down to make themselves feel better, rather than letting that feeling become worse and affect others.
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5. Calm
Learning to be mindful, enjoying focusing, being able to concentrate more easily and noticing rising emotions leads to children feeling an amazing sense of peace and calm. A calm and relaxed child can not only grow optimally and learn optimally, it is only when in a calm and relaxed state that we can feel truly happy. Helen Clare is a yoga teacher and former primary school teacher. Follow her classes for children, parents and teachers online (and for teacher training course details) at: classyoga.com
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Pregnancy & Children: Special Report
asanas to include in every child’s yoga class
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Simple yoga postures for each and every child. By Veronica Greene
here can be a dramatic change in a child’s posture once they start secondary school. This change is down to a number of reasons: carrying extra books, studying hunched over a desk or the simple awkwardness of adolescence. This posture adaptation is known as ‘forward head syndrome’. About five years ago I started to see this same postural imbalance happening among 8-12 year olds. This coincided with the availability of various affordable electronic tablets. These devices are now part of everyday life, unfortunately, so this posture is now often referred to as ‘text head’. Children’s spines and bodies are now developing problems that can be avoided: their abs (stomach) and pecs (chest) are now in a permanently shortened position; the sternocleidomastoid (neck) is shortening; the scapulae (shoulder blades) flare out to the side and
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1. Bellows Breath
(opens chest and allows for full expansion of the lungs and diaphragm) Sit tall in simple cross leg position. Interlock fingers at the base of the head. Inhale, move elbows out to the side, opening chest. Exhale and bring elbows back to the ears. (encourage them not to stick their ribs out)
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the muscles of their upper back are weak and over stretched. This not only causes pain but limits the movement on the diaphragm and the functioning of their lungs. The following five asanas should be included in every child’s yoga class to counteract the effects of modern life. The postures will open the chest and abdomen, lengthen the neck, strengthen the upper back and stabilise the shoulder blades. The instructions for the postures are as you would speak to a child. Remember to make it fun, work them into a game as the kids are not going to want to do them just because it’s good for them! Veronica Greene is the founder of Little Greene Yoga and offers a certified children’s teacher training package for 3-5yrs; 5-8yrs; 8-12yrs & teens. Visit: LittleGreeneYoga.com
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2. Table Top
(opens chest, helps stabilise shoulder blades, lengthens spine, abdomen, hip flexors and works legs and arms) Sit on your bottom with your knees bent, feet on the floor hip distance apart. Place your hands on the floor just behind your bottom, with your fingers pointing forward. Push into your hands and feet to lift your bottom off the floor. Keep lifting until your bottom is as high as your knees and chest. (Encourage them to hold the pose while breathing normally)
3a
3b
3. Caterpillar Walks
(works whole body but importantly helps strengthen the shoulder blade stabilisers) Stand tall with your feet hip distance apart. Walk your hands down your legs until you can touch the floor (you may have to bend your knees!). Walk your hands forward to head down dog and straighten your legs. Keep your hands still and your legs as straight as possible, walk your feet towards your hands. Now walk your hands forward again to head down dog and repeat. (Encourage straight legs as this will keep the shoulder blades flat against the ribcage)
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4. Upward Facing Bow
(opens chest, shoulders, groin, abdomen, while strengthening muscles of the upper back and arms) Lying on your tummy, bend your knees keeping thighs on the floor. Take hold of your ankles and press your heels towards the ceiling. Lift your thighs off the floor to help lift your chest higher. (Placing a small exercise ball between the knees will keep the integrity of their knee joint while stretching thighs effectively)
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5.Superman 5b
(effectively targets the lower trapezius, among other muscles) Lie on your tummy, legs and feet together. Place your hands by the side of your ears and lift elbows away from the floor. Lift your head and chest off the floor. Lift both legs, keep straight. Change hand position to Superman. (One arm straight by ear and other by side, then swap) (encourage them to keep moving their shoulders away from the floor)
Pregnancy & Children: Special Report
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Pregnancy & Children: Special Report
Yoga in schools A 10-year perspective on getting yoga into schools. Charlotta Martinus charts the huge progress made over the course of a decade
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ould you consider yoga in your school?” “No thanks, it’s not something that the children would engage in, it will never work!” In 2003 when I started teaching yoga at a forward-thinking school in Somerset, it was a bit of a nightmare; the management staff were dubious, the kids sneered and the teachers thought it was ridiculous. Apart from one insightful teacher and the wellbeing officer at the council who promptly made a film (called ‘Thinking outside the PE box’) about the initiative. Fast-forward a decade: the Department of Education reported in 2015 that 26% of primary schools now offer yoga within the school in some form or other. Separately, a mindfulness project, known as MYRIAD, is well underway and delivering free training courses throughout the UK. In schools there has been some feedback from this project. The indications are that mindfulness is beneficial for young people in terms of brain development and particularly
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in terms of growing cognitive capacity.
Physical activity
However, recent research from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm has suggested that people who spend a substantial part of the day sitting (such as schoolchildren and office workers) are likely to suffer from health risks. For example, in relation to heart disease, sitting is indicated to be a higher risk activity than smoking. Inactivity, the ‘sitting disease’, is increasingly problematic. Moreover, there is a substantial rise in obesity among young people in the UK, so movement is vital. In 2016/17 Sport England focused a large amount of its budget on the This Girl Can project, to encourage more girls and women into sport and other physical activities. It has also sponsored yoga in schools, and the training of teachers to deliver yoga in schools, since its Sportivate project launched off the back of the Olympic Games in 2012. This has found that: “Yoga is the perfect activity to engage and empower young people in movement; it seems to affect a lifestyle change and even form
a gateway to other sports and activities down the line” (from a Sport England spokessperson). A yoga survey, carried out by the University of Westminster Psychology Department, also shows this to be true. Its report, which is soon to be published, shows that over 80% of the 2,000 people who responded had changed their lifestyle for the better in a significant way after taking up yoga. This is a very important figure compared to the 3% that doctors report when asking patients to change their habits to avoid future health issues and lifestyle diseases.
Mental health
In addition to the issue of physical activity, mental health is also a vital concern. Yoga can play an important role in helping young people to manage anxiety and stress and other issues involved in the emergence of mental health problems. However, budget cuts over recent years across the country have meant that mental health issues are becoming more apparent in schools as they may not be being addressed within
the NHS. In recent government directives, schools are being asked to respond to these mental health issues. This task often falls to teaching assistants, who may choose to take a yoga course to receive tools to support them in preventing the emergence of these mental health issues in the classroom. Yoga provides an important tool for wellbeing in schools; it gives us precise and clear instructions on how to be well and how to combat future suffering. It incorporates physical, mental and spiritual dimensions to prevent further suffering. Increasingly, to ensure the benefits reach all the school, the focus is on ‘whole school’ projects that move beyond the after school class approach, which to some extent marginalises the practice. When all are involved, yoga can quickly become part of the daily rhythm of the school, at the beginning of class in short segments, as specifically focused sessions within the curriculum, or in other ways.
Whole school success
In the two schools where the Teen Yoga Foundation has orchestrated a two-year rollout of this programme, the schools have reported tremendous benefits. In the words of Simon Morris, headmaster at one school, Kingswood: “We have been considering whole school wellbeing at Kingswood for some time and considering various ways in which we might support the whole school community in taking care of their physical and mental health. Various initiatives have arisen from this, with yoga classes being one particular example which has really engaged both staff and students.
We have had incredibly positive feedback from staff who say that practicing yoga releases the tension in body and mind and teaches them techniques which they can use in day-to-day situations to help them manage better at particularly busy times in the school term. A number of staff have now trained as yoga teachers and this, in turn, is allowing us to roll out a programme to support the students.”
Great strides
We have come a long way since 2003: from the isolated wellbeing officer with a vision that ran contrary to common perceptions, to stepping into the House of Lords to discuss yoga in the NHS and potentially in schools. Each year the Instill conference in London invites respected members of the policy and research communities to discuss this further and creates a forum for this discipline of yoga in schools to be discussed to an everincreasing level of detail. The conversation is no longer about whether to implement yoga in schools but how best to do it. I used to dream of yoga in the curriculum, and now I have an even greater vision: a school’s culture of self-care, that recognises the need to look after our bodies and minds to look after each other, and uses yoga to do this. In this vision, yoga is integrated into all activity, and permeates through classrooms across the country as a methodology for peace of mind and peace in the world. Charlotta Martinus is the founder of Teen Yoga (teenyoga.co.uk)
om mind Meditation of the month
Rediscovering
peace
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om mind
A meditation for peace amid a sea of violence and hate. By Jill Lawson
W
aking up to to violence in our communities is like being served burnt toast for breakfast. When malicious behaviour mars the slice of life, we too become burned, crusty, and our hearts blackened by the devastating acts of those around us. While we try and scrape off the darkened edges of society, we still end up having to ingest the charred remnants of violent, criminal actions. And, that doesn’t settle well in the peaceful belly of humanity. The adage ‘like creates like,’ holds true in every situation. What happens to you when you see someone yawn? You yawn, too. What happens to you when someone breaks out into uncontrollable laughter? You laugh, too. Now, what happens when your neighbourhood has been ravished by anger and violence? You get angry, too. Unfortunately, violence is a common occurrence in our human experience. It is much like fire. The more fuel we give it, the more it will burn. While it is healthy and productive to process our emotions, going beyond what heals is not helpful. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. believed returning violence for violence multiplies violence, and that darkness cannot drive out darkness, because only love can drive out hate. Of course, choking on a piece of burnt toast isn’t our idea of love, but spitting it out at your server in anger is not the answer either. This meditation is designed to dampen the flames of violence, and promote peace in the world.
Do it now
Begin in a comfortable position, free from distraction. If you have just witnessed images of violence on the news, or in person, do what you can to clear those images out of your mind. Perhaps you can picture the ocean, a mountain, or a sunset. Become aware of how your body feels. When you come across sensations of anger and rage, imagine these feelings like a fire blackening your soul. Visualise the flames burning your heart, and charring your spirit. Next, bring your attention to someone you love dearly. Trust in your divine connection with this person. Understand that when you love someone, your devotion to that person’s spirit goes beyond life and death. Feel that love and connection beginning to put out the raging fire in your soul. Now, embody the notion that love wins over violence. Let us pass on the burnt toast, and instead be open to break bread with others and celebrate peace in the banquet of life.
Jill Lawson is a writer and yoga teacher in Colorado, USA (jilllawsonyoga.com)
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Banish ANXIETY with yoga om mind
How to keep smiling even when you can’t breathe…four self-directed yogic tools that can offer instant relief. By Eryn Kirkwood
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ccording to the World Health Organisation (WHO), anxiety ranks high on the list of the most common mental health disorders worldwide, second only to depression – and rates continue to escalate. Between 1990 and 2013, the number of people suffering from depression and anxiety increased by nearly 50%, from 416 million to 615 million worldwide, with over 5 million cases of anxiety disorder (18.17%) in the UK population alone. A total of 8.2 million cases of anxiety in the UK were reported in 2013, and in 2014, 19.7%
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of people aged 16 years and over showed symptoms of anxiety or depression. Although not comfortable, the physiological response to stress that we typically associate with anxiety – sweaty palms, increased heart rate, a burst of adrenalin – serves a purpose in human evolution; a swift reflex can be life-saving in threatening situations. But when those same defence mechanisms don’t subside as the threat of danger recedes, they can wreak havoc on our overall health and wellbeing. For me, anxiety manifests as a throat-
restricting, gut-wrenching feeling that makes breathing impossible and functioning even less so. I’ve found myself lying in bed trying to sleep, with my disobedient mind racing from point A to B and back again like wild bees circling a hive. It’s not a fun place to be. But it is, as I discovered, an interesting place to be. And it is also an opportunity for change.
Reel it in
Prior to this sleepless night, I wasn’t worried about my parents dying, the mortgage getting paid, or my old-age security in the
om mind
“The good news is that just as easily as your mind can go off the deep end, you can quickly reel it back in. That’s where yoga comes in.” absence of any pension. Not a single thing had changed from three in the afternoon until ten at night, when the sun was sinking and those issues grew to a size larger than life. Large enough to keep me awake and worried, full of anxiety, sleepless and preoccupied. It didn’t make sense. I hadn’t been laid off, both parents were alive and well, no tragic circumstance had entered my life. The only thing that was different was my state of mind. The good news is that just as easily as your mind can go off the deep end, you can quickly reel it back in. That’s where yoga comes in. Current research has shown the positive impact of yoga and other holistic modalities on wellbeing. Increasing numbers of health practitioners are incorporating these tools into their practice, with positive results. An article published in the March 2017 issue of The Journal of Stress and Coping reported positive results of Yin Yoga on a group of participants suffering from chronic stress. The effect remained present at a five-week follow-up.
Yoga tools
These four self-directed yogic tools can all offer instant relief for those experiencing anxiety:
1. Breathe Deeply
It is physiologically impossible to be anxious while inhaling and exhaling deeply. Think about it. How do you breathe when you are sobbing and upset? How do you respond to a shocking surprise? What does it mean to “wait with bated breath”? Each of our emotions is directly related to the way in which we breathe. One way to calm a racing mind is to change the nature of our breath. Inhale for a count of four. Exhale for a count of four. Focus your mind on this eight-second count and watch the anxiety subside.
2. Relax Your Body
Look for areas of tension in your body and soften those muscles. Soften your
eyes deep into their sockets. Relax the tiny muscles around your eyes. Smoothen out the skin across the forehead, bridge of the nose, and cheekbones. Then move from the tips of your toes to the crown of your head, methodically relaxing every part of your body. Pay particular attention to where anxiety tends to settle, perhaps in the stomach or throat. Once you become aware of the tendency, you have the ability to reverse it.
3. Practice Yoga Postures
The ancient yogis were masters at using the body to affect their mind. In our western compartmentalisation of physical illness, we’ve distanced ourselves from this mindbody connection. For example, if I ask you to ‘get angry’ for no reason at all, you might clench your teeth, furrow your brow, or make fists with your hands. This instantly impacts your mood, and not in a good way. Conversely, you can soften your jaw and relax your fingers to encourage a state of calmness. Try practicing Viparita Karani (Legs-up-the-Wall pose), an inverted yoga posture that aids to soothe the nervous system.
4. Discipline Your Mind
Remember that fear and faith cannot co-exist. Choose one. Choose faith. If you are confident that ‘things will work out’, then there is no room to worry about the outcome. The human mind can only focus on one thing at a time; if you harbour thoughts that provoke anxiety, you won’t enjoy peace of mind. If you choose mantras that have a calming effect, you can banish anxiety and access your inner wisdom. Each passing moment presents an opportunity to choose between fear and faith. If worry has taken your brain hostage, somewhere along the way you’ve lost faith. Reconnect with your spiritual nature through journaling, prayer, uplifting reading, meditation, or yoga. If you have a legitimate concern, if you’ve received upsetting news or are faced with a difficult situation, consider what you can do about it, right now. If there is something, then take action. If there is nothing, then don’t waste your energy fretting unproductively. Begin to formulate a game plan, a solution; and let yoga be your guide. .
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om mind
Self help
r o f difffiicult times
During our lives, it’s inevitable that we will experience suffering at some point. Using the principles of Buddhism as a basis, Esther Ekhart shares her insight into how we can work with the mind to enable us to move beyond the stories we create around our suffering The ways we suffer
The first of the four noble truths of Buddhism is that ‘Life is suffering’. This doesn’t mean that life is only suffering there are, of course, many beautiful and wonderful aspects to life - it just means that no one can live their life without facing some amount of suffering. In light of this fact, it’s helpful to take a closer look at what we can do to help ourselves. Suffering appears in many forms. We can suffer mentally and physically. We can suffer from grief of loss, or from insecurity, believing we could/should have done something different or better. We can suffer from obsessive thinking. We can suffer from aching joints, pain in our back or from the effects of ageing.
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So what do we do with suffering?
First of all I’d like to establish that suffering happens in the mind. Even when the pain is physical, it’s the mind that creates the suffering. There are some very happy people who are also physically unwell. Not everyone suffers from the same things. The mind creates its own story around it.
The mind as a garden
I like the analogy of comparing the mind with a garden. Firstly - be with the garden. Observe what is going on, the state the garden is in. You don’t do anything about it, you just take stock. You sit and simply watch. The willingness to just be with it gives you insight into what needs to be done to make
the garden healthier. Secondly - start pulling weeds, and thirdly - plant flowers. You let it be, you let it go and then you let it in!
Bringing it together
Let’s translate these three actions to the mind:
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Be with what is there. When you are in a state of suffering, you witness it, you observe it, you simply watch with the quality of acceptance and equanimity, without trying to change it. Simply be with what is.
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Next, try to gently and appropriately reduce the negative. We consciously let emotions flow, we inquire into our pain. We see what (old) beliefs are in our way and
om mind we begin to let them go. It could well be that you need the help of someone else (a professional) to hold the space while letting go of old ‘stuff’.
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Lastly, increase the positive. Begin to cultivate wholesome qualities of mind and heart, and take in the good. Letting positive experiences sink in changes the chemistry of the brain. Practicing yoga can enable you to develop your strength, openness and relaxation. Go for a walk in the forest and let nature fill you with beauty.
Find inspiring people to spend time with, read interesting books and invite wisdom in.
The impermanence of life
Another important Buddhist concept that might be helpful in the midst of suffering is the impermanence of life - also known as anicca. In other words, nothing stays the same; everything changes constantly. All material conditions, including feelings, emotional states, positive or negative, are temporary. Everything, sooner or later, changes.
It is by becoming deeply aware of the concept of impermanence, by observing it and by understanding it, that one can find a suitable remedy for, and achieve liberation from, the sorrow of human life. Sometimes actively working with the mind is just what you need to move beyond the mind. . Esther Ekhart is the founder of EkhartYoga (EkhartYoga.com), a vibrant online global community where like-minded people share their love, experience and knowledge for yoga and meditation
An inspirational poem
The following is a poem that has helped me in times of suffering and pain. This poem talks about the rigour required to carry on after suffering. Refuse to fall down If you cannot refuse to fall down, refuse to stay down. If you cannot refuse to stay down lift your heart toward heaven and like a hungry beggar, ask that it be filled, and it will be filled. You may be pushed down. You may be kept from rising.
But no one can keep you from lifting your heart toward heaven — only you. It is in the midst of misery that so much becomes clear. The one who says nothing good came of this, is not yet listening. Clarissa Pinkola Estés
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om spirit
Birth of an ashram Emily Horton visits Mandala Yoga Ashram in Wales to meet the homegrown yogi who has spent 30 years bringing yoga to the West
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own on one’s hands and knees scrubbing out a toilet bowl is not an activity ordinarily associated with contentment. Yet such was the case as I bent over the u-bend in the practice of Karma yoga – the path of selfless service – at Mandala Yoga Ashram in southwest Wales. I was staying there as a working guest, my board and lodging in exchange for a small fee and my helping out. In the easy company of the resident yogis and quiet isolation of the rolling hills, I started to let go of my worries and take stock of life. Just 36 hours of the ashram’s routine – stretching, chanting, cleaning, gardening and quiet contemplation – left me as rejuvenated as if I’d simply spent a fortnight at the beach. For 30 years, the property and its small community has been run by Swami Nishchalananda, who converted the old farm into a place to live and practice yoga, welcoming visitors from all corners of the Earth. “The term ‘ashram’ comes from both the Sanskrit words Ashraya – meaning refuge, and shram – denoting hard work,” he tells me. “An ashram is a place where one can
take time out to gain clarity, but it also demands that you work on yourself. Unlike a yoga centre, an ashram operates under the guidance of a spiritual teacher who practices yoga on a very deep level – a guru, you might say. And somehow, the residents trust him or her.”
Going deep
Of course, physical yoga has become the mainstay of many a modern Western gal’s exercise routine. Yet, popping down to the gym in lycra leggings is just a twig on an ancient, sophisticated, holistic tree with its roots in the soil of India. “One of the beauties is that there are many different paths to it,” says the Swami. “I started by doing Hatha – the physical practice of yoga. Stretches are a good place to start, as most of us can identify with our physicality. “If you enjoy sound, you can go on to Mantra yoga; if you are into work, do Karma yoga; those with strong emotions can go into Bhakti yoga of the heart, or follow the path of Gyana yoga and embrace meditation. Formal yoga is great if you have time, but if not, you can still practice yoga in your attitude. All the paths are ways of refining body and mind, so
that one can start to understand oneself on a deeper level.” So I then asked if yoga is a religion? “There is no question that its roots are in Hinduism. The original purpose of religion was surely to help people go deeper into the significance of life. But then it gets institutionalised and socialised, becomes political and loses its purpose.”
Yoga background
Not so with yoga, says the Swami. “You can happily practice it without subscribing to any religion, or even yoga concepts. What matters is what you feel comfortable with. That’s why it has become so popular all over the world – it doesn’t demand that you believe in a particular set of beliefs. It merely suggests that you do some practice and see the effects for yourself.” Born in Romford, Essex in 1945, Swami Nishchalananda – or plain Peter, as he was then – grew up with an equivocal attitude towards the things of the spirit. “I was philosophically minded and there certainly was a need within me – as with most people, I think – to know about the fundamentals of life.
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“However, I couldn’t see much point in religion. It all seemed a bit false, although many religious people are very good and sincere. Then, after studying, I went backpacking across Europe, the Middle East and Africa to see how other people lived. Unconsciously, I was looking for something.” It was an encounter with a young South African on a kibbutz in Israel that first drew yoga to his attention. “It was simple stuff – just sitting quietly, concentrating on one’s breath and doing a few physical exercises – but it really touched me. Later I ended up in Belfast and there was a yoga centre there – right between the Protestant and Catholic communities. The Troubles were on and sometimes, doing our yoga, we’d hear noises outside...”
Ashram awakening
Inspired, Peter (as he was known then) decided to go to India. “My friends thought I was nuts to give up my career, but I’ve always listened to my gut. For me, finding a deeper meaning to life was more important than a job.” In India, he was initiated as a monk in the Saraswati yogic tradition, received his personal mantra – a sacred and
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transformative word used as a focus for concentration and meditation – and took instruction from his guru. “It opened my eyes to the enormous potential of yoga,” says the Swami. “I went to study for two years and ended up staying for 14.” Returning to England for a visit in 1985, he started receiving requests to give seminars. Gradually, the desire to start an ashram took over, and though India was his favoured location, he eventually hit upon the idea of using the disused family farm in Wales. “It was totally neglected,” he recalls. “I thought: ‘No way! It’s too wild and woolly!’ But anyway, we arrived in July 1986, started work on it and haven’t looked back.” “It was a hovel in those early days. Sheep would come off the fields and join us for meditation! But we got a fence put up and then a water system connecting to the well. We began our courses – which have now trained hundreds of yoga teachers and been attended by thousands of people from across the world – and I started giving seminars across Europe, pumping the money back into the restoration. We lived simply, often on mushrooms from the fields – but somehow the money came in.”
Yoga centre
Thirty years on Mandala Yoga Centre is thriving as a venue for yoga teaching, yet still upholding a simple way of life. Having passed on the day-to-day running to his team, the Swami spends much of his time writing (he has been published several times) as well as teaching abroad and, of course, at the ashram’s many courses. In helping to establish yoga in the UK, the Swami formerly known as Peter has added much to our collective contemplation of the fathomless mysteries of life. Mandala Yoga Ashram holds many events and courses throughout the year. For details visit: mandalayoga.net
Mandala Yoga Ashram
Authentic yoga and meditation retreat centre in the heart of South West Wales www.mandalayoga.net Mandala Yoga Ashram is a place for all who wish to deepen their exploration of yoga, in its many forms, and to embody this in their daily life. The ashram offers practical yet profound teachings to harmonise the different aspects of our personality, which in turn awakens us to the true aim of yoga: the realisation of our Spiritual Source. Founded in 1986 by Swami Nishchalananda, the ashram has since developed into a internationally renowned centre of sincere yoga practice, inner enquiry and personal awakening.
Meditation: The Essentials
A new residential and online course September 2017 - March 2018
Meditation is entirely practical, both in the change it brings into our day to day experience and relationships, and in our receptivity to deeper insights. This new course will give accessible and in depth teachings in meditation along with ongoing support, both within the ashram and online in your own home.
Maha Sattwa, one of the ashram teachers, in the ashram kitchen
The Chakras
Discovering our Fullest Potential Sep 29 - Oct 8 2017
This unique course will include in-depth explanations, combined with intensive and guided practical exploration of the chakras. It will emphasise practice, personal insight, experience and transformation.
For further details of all these and many other retreats for autumn 2017 and 2018: www.mandalayoga.net info@mandalayoga.net +44 (0)1558 685358 FORTHCOMING ASHRAM COURSES:
Pranayama, Mudra and Bandha leading to Meditation: Spring and Summer 2018 Kundalini and Kriya Yoga: October 2018 to July 2019
om spirit
7
steps to smart intuition
Override the intellect and reignite your innate intuition for greater clarity, wisdom and peace. By Jill Cartwright
“T
hose who work with the intellect can achieve a certain level of understanding, but it barely grazes the surface of this world of intuition, in which knowledge is instantaneous and total. It takes them years of research, reflection and calculation to make their discoveries. Those who have chosen the way of the spirit, however, can tune in directly to the sublime regions. Intuition, therefore, is superior to the intellect. “ This excerpt above from the great spiritual master and teacher Omraam Mikhael
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Aivanhov, has become one of my anchoring and guiding lights as an energy intuitive. It is often hard to remember the relevance of our intuition in a world where an obsession with the intellect has become so distorted. Intelligence has become king in our world. Young, we’re trained for exams and qualifications, intrinsically linking a sense of self-worth to academic results and outer achievements. Older, we join a society that worships so-called ‘experts’, academics, intellectuals with letters after their names and books on their shelves. I’m not saying intelligence is a bad thing, or that a cultured education is wrong; the mind should be trained, sharpened and
informed. However, we have over-developed the intellect to such an extent that it has become detrimental to our very evolution. This is true particularly in the West, although the trend is pretty much global these days; we’ve outsmarted ourselves. In the proficiency of our mental aptitude, we have become disconnected from our inner knowing, disconnected from true wisdom, disconnected from the seriousness of this skill and sometimes the very memory of it and how to tap into it.
Spiritual perspectives
From a spiritual perspective, the knowledge we take from books or that is learnt in a
om spirit This is what we call intuition. This seven-stage guide is intended to serve as a gentle and simple reminder, like short pulses of light shining through the fog of your forgetting, for how to remember your own intuitive skills. “The truths, the knowledge received through intuition are complete and infallible.”
1: Purification
This is the step in which all the other steps are contained. To access once again those high realms of pure intuition, we must raise our vibrational frequency so that it is in alignment with the truth of the spiritual world. The density of our consciousness must all be offered for purification, old thought patterns and behavioural conditioning, outdated emotional patterns and holdings, physical toxicity – all has to be purified. This is the very matter of what we call spiritual work.
2: Meditation
Meditation purifies the mind. Here we put the intellect to its right and proper use, that is vigilance and observation. In meditation, the aim is to train the intellect to watch the thoughts running through the mind, to discern which are beneficial and constructive to be amplified, and which are negative, critical and to be eliminated. Like a bouncer on the doors of our own inner exclusive club, this is where the intellect serves its greatest purpose.
3: Aura solely intellectual capacity remains on the superficial level of our being. As it is not experienced wisdom, it does not become embedded in our cellular memory, and so at the point of reincarnation, when we bring forward with us all the lessons from our previous incarnations, none of this knowledge remains. It all simply disappears. While we may think we are becoming more advanced, in spiritual terms, we are becoming impoverished. A spiritualist, therefore, will aim to go beyond the intellect, to develop the faculties that will assist in reaching places filled with a knowledge not taught in the classroom or lecture hall. The aim is to refine the more subtle of our senses, the ones that will enable us to touch a realm of ancient wisdom of the higher, universal mind; the soul’s eternal voice, the truth.
The aura is like the embryonic fluid of the soul, if you can imagine a substance that is invisible yet mercurial, a protective and nourishing envelope, through which messages are exchanged between the sublime realms and our physical plane. It is a highly volatile flash like quicksilver, reflecting the flick of a thought or the smallest quiver of emotion in sprays of colour changes. It is important to keep the aura luminous as possible, to pick up the highest messages. There are many ways to work on the aura – through emotional awareness, through sound, and use of colour.
4: Silence
Connecting to the wellspring of intuitive knowledge begins with finding both an inner and outer silence. Simple to say, yet oh so difficult to do; in many realities, people’s outer worlds are chaotic, their inner worlds equally so. In the roar of this ocean, how is it possible to find the subtle thermals that will carry us to spiritual truths. On a
daily basis, commit to making a space for silence, and from that silence, transmit the questions you have, high, high up - and wait – in silence. Eventually an answer will come, maybe confused or unclear at first, but as you improve , the messages will become clearer, easier to interpret, signalling you are on the right way.
5: Avoid the astrals
There is a big difference between clairvoyance and intuition, and the two must not be confused. A clairvoyant may see things or hear things, but their senses are contained to the astral world - the world of emotions, sensations, a world that is filled with wonder and bright colours, but also the low vibrational entities and inferior astral plane dwellers. To receive the answer of pure truth, you must go higher, straight through the astral world to the pure spiritual realms.
6: Ground
To roam high in the spiritual domain, it is imperative to first have mastered anchoring our physical bodies to the earthly plane. If not we could find ourselves adrift in the psychic realms, without proper protection and without proper guidance. The dangers inherent in this are not to be underestimated. The very best way to ground is to spend time in nature, connect to the elementals and call in their assistance in your grounding.
7: Patience
It may not be the most exciting of qualities, but the greatest virtue of the spiritual disciple is patience. There are no fast answers or quick fixes. Developing proper, grounded intuitive skills, and rediscovering our innate powers to heal and see psychically comes from long and consistent practice, perseverance and faith. Intuition is an inherent gift, it cannot be ‘learnt’ or imposed from an external source; it reveals itself in the most wondrous ways as we continue step by step on our own journey. For this is what intuition is: a spark, a flash of light, an inner knowledge that suddenly imposes itself without your knowing how or where it came from. All you know is that you have an absolute certainty about something. Jill Cartwright is a former journalist, a qualified yoga teacher and works as a professional energy healer (jillenergyhealing.com)
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om living
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A vegetarian store cupboard life-saver, this kit is intended to bridge the gap between eating at a Japanese restaurant and cooking completely from scratch. Two flavours: original and spicy. misotasty.com
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om living
Posh Squash Nosh
Life tastes better with squash on your plate
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Spicy Thai Butternut Squash & Coconut Soup Serves 4 Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 30 mins
Ingredients • 1 Lrg butternut squash, peeled and cubed • 1 Lrg red onion, peeled and chopped • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped • 3 sticks celery, chopped • 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated • 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped • 1 Tbs vegan red Thai curry paste • 200g coconut milk • 1-2 Tbs soy sauce • 2 Tsp vegan bouillon paste/powder • ½ Lime, juice only • To Serve: • Sea salt and Black pepper, to taste • Coriander leaves • 2 Tbs reserved coconut milk
Method 1.
2. 3.
4. 5.
Place all the peeled and chopped vegetables into a large pan and sauté in a little coconut or olive oil until beginning to soften. Add ginger, garlic and curry paste and stir for a minute, until fragrant. Add the stock powder and soy sauce to the pan, along with enough water to cover the vegetables by 1 inch. Cover with a lid and gently simmer for 20 mins, or until all the ingredients are softened. Add coconut cream and blend using an emersion blender, until very smooth.
Butternut Squash, SunDried Tomato & Chickpea Filo Tarts Makes 6 Prep time: 30 Mins Cook time: 30 Mins
Ingredients For the filling: • 1 med butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into small cubes • 1 small red onion, sliced • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced • 3 sundried tomatoes, drained and chopped • 1 tsp smoked paprika • Sea salt and black pepper
You will also need: • A pastry brush • A non stick muffin tray, brushed with melted vegan butter or oil
Method 1.
2. 3. 4. 5.
6. Check seasoning, add lime juice and serve in warmed bowls with coriander leaves and a swirl of coconut milk.
For the tartlets: • 1 pack vegan filo pastry • 3 Tbs vegan butter, melted
6. 7. 8.
In a large, wide pan, heat a tablespoon of oil and add the prepared filling ingredients. Sauté over a medium heat for 5-10 mins, until beginning to soften, cover with a lid, reduce heat to low and leave to cook gently, stirring from time to time. Remove packaging from the filo pastry and lay out on a floured board. Cut, through all the sheets, into quarters. Brush 6 quarter sized sheets with melted butter and layer up, brushing each with butter as you go, to create star shapes. Place each pastry star gently into the muffin tin holes push the centres down to the bottom of the tin. Once the squash mixture is cooked, fill each pastry case with a couple of spoonfuls. Scrunch the edges of the pastry around the filling, leaving some exposed, and brush again with butter. Bake at 200˚C for 20-25 mins or until golden brown and crispy. leave to cool slightly in the tin before removing carefully to serve.
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Butternut squash & Kale Salad with Pecan & Cranberry Dressing Serves 2 Prep time: 10 Mins Cook Time: 15 mins
Ingredients For the Salad: • 4 Large handfuls of young kale, stalks removed and sliced • ½ Med butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed and sliced For the Dressing: • 1 Large handful jumbo pecans, roughly chopped or broken into pieces • 1 handful dried cranberries • 2 Tbs Maple vinegar • Sea salt flakes
Method 1.
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All recipes exclusive to OM Yoga & Lifestyle Magazine
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Place kale into a bowl and cover with freshly boiled water and a pinch of salt. Leave to sit for a minute then drain and rinse under fresh, cold water. Set aside to drain on kitchen paper until needed. Heat a griddle until very hot, add a splash of oil and add the squash slices. Leave to cook, without moving around in the pan, to allow griddle marks to form. Turn after 2 minutes and repeat on other side. When cooked, remove from pan and leave to drain on kitchen paper. Leaving the oil and juices in the pan, return to the heat and add the pecans and cranberries. Once sizzling, pour in the maple vinegar and a generous pinch of sea salt flakes. Swirl the pan to infuse the flavours and turn off the heat. Divide the kale between 2 serving plates and arrange the squash slices on top. Drizzle over the warm dressing and serve.
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om living Nutrition Zone:
Growing the easy hits 106
om living
W
Grow your own: Sally Nex identifies five simple things that any amateur gardener can grow in their backyard
e all like the idea of growing our own fruit and veg in the garden. The idea of becoming more self-sufficient, of consuming only wholesome, organic goodies growing in our backyard, rather than depend on imports flown in from half way round the world, is very appealing. But how do you get started if you’ve never done it before? Growing the easy hits first is a great way to get the ball rolling. There are some vegetables that are so easy to grow that it’s a mystery to me why they’re still on the supermarket shelves (and
usually at extortionate prices too!). Those vegetable easy hits are with us all year round - the veg-growing equivalent of storecupboard staples. They are the ones you know you can rely on to keep putting up more leaves, flowers and fruit year-round, even while your attention is elsewhere for a while. Even windowsill growers need never be without fresh chillies, coriander (cilantro) and crisp baby-leaf salad to enjoy every day of the year. With a few square feet of outdoor garden, you can add succulent leafy chard and beefy kale as your veg for all seasons…that’s five things crossed off the grocery list already!
Easy hit 1: Baby-leaf salads
Conventional salads (floppy lettuce leaves, sliced tomatoes and cucumbers arranged in concentric circles – remember those?) are now firmly consigned to the 1980s, along with big hair, ra-ra skirts and shoulder pads. Your baby-leaf salad these days is just as likely to include red-veined lemony sorrel, a peppery punch of mizuna or annual herbs such as chervil or coriander. Grow summer salads during the warmer months, then, in late summer, switch to hardier winter mixes and grow them under cover.
Easy hit 2: Chard
Chard is often seen as the poor relation to spinach, but I think it’s vastly superior. It keeps its crunch when you cook it, and comes with a side order of crisply succulent midrib – a bit like celery – in pretty shades of red, yellow, green and orange. Chard is also ridiculously easy to grow. It’s droughttolerant, so fine for containers, and hardy, especially the white-stemmed Swiss chard, which soldiers on through the bitterest winter
Easy hit 3: Kale
Kale was labelled with the ‘superfood’ badge shortly after it was ‘discovered’, and graduated from cattle feed to gourmet delicacy practically overnight. And with good reason: more iron than beef; more calcium than milk; over half your daily allowance of vitamin C in a mere 100g (4oz) – it should be available on prescription. Grow babyleaf kale like salads, sown thickly into window boxes or troughs year-round. If you’ve got room for full-sized plants, you’re spoilt for choice in the range of varieties – try a new variety each year, or mix ’n’ match for multiple choice through the season.
Easy hit 4: Chilli peppers
Fresh chillies are a luxury item in the shops, but all it takes is a few plants at home and you’ll never need chilli powder again. Pick fruits as they ripen, then store your surplus to pep up your cooking till the next crop is ready. Dry the seeds and you’ve got your next batch of plants for free too.
Easy hit 5: Coriander
Okay, this one’s cheating a bit. Leafy coriander isn’t reliably year-round unless you can guarantee a frost-free winter, but this wonderfully useful herb comes two ways. I love to eat the spicy, fragrant leaves by the fistful torn into salads all summer (it turns a bowl of mixed lettuce into something really special), then I fill spice pots with the papery seeds for winter curries. Any seeds that I don’t use for cooking, I save to re-sow next year. Learn how to enjoy fresh and tasty vegetables in season and grow delicious fruit all year round –whether you’ve got a small balcony or a smallholding – with Sally Nex’s book Growing Self-Sufficiency. Available from all good bookshops and from: greenbooks.co.uk
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om family Concious Parenting
Into the wild Navigating the highs and lows of adolescence, with grace and gratitude. By Siri Arti
I
often catch myself thinking in words and terms like ‘roller coaster’, ‘crazy beautiful’ or ‘wild parenting’ - and it makes me laugh. For all the beauty, the closeness I have with my children and the magic moments we experience as a family, the crux of the matter is that the overlying theme of parenting for me is ‘hold on tight for a whiteknuckle ride’. It never used to be. There used to be two
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parents raising two children who were cute, obedient and easy to mould. Things changed with time, and there is now one parent and two teenagers who are not that cute, have their own life agendas and are so different that they could have been dropped to earth from two separate planets. Don’t get me wrong I am a happy parent. I adjust well, and am always on the lookout for strategies to ensure that I meet my parental responsibility daily.
I met a woman at a poolside once, who said: “If I had known how epic parenting was going to be, I would have reconsidered my options.” I knew that we would become friends as I have always taken this role seriously and love meeting others who also feel the depth of the journey.
That was then
When my children were miniature, I thought parenting was challenging. My loss of
om family freedom, personal space, career and clean clothes drove me to some interesting places. I remember nurturing a strange notion that things would get easier. They will grow up, I thought naively, and I will reclaim my life, get out more, worry less and become carefree again. But instead, without even looking, my cherubs found adolescence, and my dreams of travelling the world as a free spirit in flowing patterned skirts dissolved.
This is now
New phases come thick and fast and it is imperative to keep up in order to survive. My children talk. Some nights, over dinner, they let their stream of consciousness flow, as I focus on my food to disguise any reaction that might stop them sharing. Although to be honest, there are times I would welcome their secrecy to save myself from being exposed to the rigours of life of the modern day adolescent. There is a lot to learn in this minefield called adolescence, and at times I feel such a novice. I’ve got used to hearing stories that make my hair stand up on end, and using the urban dictionary to translate a story they have told me. I have learned to swallow judgement, and avoid questions that appear stupid; instead I work on keeping a broad mind and an open heart.
Communication is key
Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify and manage your own emotions and the emotions of others. To raise children with enough emotional intelligence to navigate the changing tides of life, we need to nurture healthy communication. This takes effort, as the natural instinct of a teenager is to go within. Their secrecy is for self-preservation and also because there are times where there are simply no words to express what they are experiencing. To communicate openly, don’t be afraid of what you might hear. Instead, adopt strategies and capacities to cope. Conscious parents are brave enough to ride the waves, instead of needing to control the tides. Be strong out there parents. Get some help and share your story, this way you wont feel alone and it will help you to keep moving forward. Remember that for every shock, there is a hidden flower waiting to be uncovered. Many teenagers stop talking. Let silence have its place, but never disconnect from the young ones who are hiding. Show them you care, and that you are there and when there is nothing to say, send a silent prayer, for in the ethers, trust that there are angels.
SUPPORT FOR THE STRONG OF HEART: n Be anchored to your own power n Build a circle of support n Respond rather than react n Feel the fear and support anyway n Be present and accountable n Learn how to manage your breath n Make self-care a priority n Listen for the ten percent n A lways offer your hand, physically and invisibly n Find beauty in the small stuff n Stay connected n Make relaxation a practice n Be available Remember that even the wildest of rides can have both joy and sorrow; learn to see both in order to navigate successfully and never forget to look up to the night sky to appreciate its great beauty and awe. Siri Arti is a yoga teacher and the founder of Starchild Yoga, which runs regular yoga teacher trainings in the UK and overseas. A five-day teacher training, these can be taken as a conscious parenting course or a yoga for children course. Visit: starchildyoga.com
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om actions
My Story...
Katie Winter
L
et’s set the scene, my name’s Katie, 21-years-old and in recovery from anorexia. I have a brother, Jordan, who’s 24 who suffered from depression in his teens, which put a lot of strain on our family along with my illness too. When I was in secondary school I got bullied which took a huge knock on my confidence and, unfortunately, the anorexia then kicked in. I would also add that I now know that even before the bullying I never felt 100% right. I always felt as if I was ‘different’ or ‘odd’ – so
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Katie Winter describes her battle with anorexia through her teens and how it was the discovery of yoga that allowed her to break free I can now be grateful that my eating disorder developed because it has allowed me to understand why I felt that way and make changes accordingly. When the anorexia started I knew that something wasn’t right, I didn’t feel myself, and starving myself seemed like the perfect fix. I believed I had found the piece to my puzzle. My parents felt unsure what was going on; they had no idea how to help with this illness, and why would they? So I was taken to see a lot of specialists, but if I’m honest,
at the time I just didn’t want to listen to them. I hated how I felt but the thought of change was too overwhelming; the illness overpowered me completely. It even made me believe the problems were in my house and so I moved myself to a hotel for a month thinking that everything would be okay and the eating disorder would go away. But boy how wrong I was! Things got worse and the family only broke apart more. My dad would pick me up every morning from the hotel in tears telling me he couldn’t face seeing me looking like that anymore…but I
om actions didn’t want to listen, the anorexia was now in full control; it took over me.
Moving forwards
Time passed and very quickly my health had seriously deteriorated. After seeing my GP one day, I was deemed to be critical, and unless I voluntarily admitted myself to a clinic, I had to be sectioned. Looking back on it now I can see why – they were just doing their job – but at the time I was so angry I felt like they were all ganging up on me. So now the scene is set let me tell you how I decided to get my rollercoaster life back on track. Reluctantly, I went on a 12-hour journey with my mum to South Africa where I was admitted to a specialist eating disorder clinic, Montrose Manor. It helped my parents and I to understand much more about the illness and how together as a family we could support each other. Six months later I was discharged and now I can see it was really just a temporary fix that saved my life. But phew! After returning home I relapsed almost immediately; the illness overpowered me again and I felt out of control. I was back to square one, but this is where my own real recovery began. I was attending therapy and saw a dietician on a regular basis for months but nothing was really changing; it made me feel more anxious about the dreaded number on the scale the minute I left the room. This was just not helping me. I felt all of the emphasis was on my weight - which is so crucial - but deep down I know it’s not about the food or the weight. For me it was about control and finding a way to numb my feelings.
Enter yoga
I so badly wanted to be at peace with myself and my body but I just didn’t know how; I felt so lost and I didn’t think it was possible. I thought I would never ever be able to fuel myself properly again. But, soon after coming home from Cape Town, I discovered this amazing thing called yoga. I found Twisted Yoga (twisted-yoga.com) in Barnet, which to me was such a huge blessing; I have now been going regularly for over a year. I am so glad that I found this place. Nighean Hardie, who owns the studio, has been such a big part of my recovery. She and the other members and teachers have allowed me to feel so at home and loved, it has created such a warm environment for yogis like myself to go to. It was so important that I found a place to practice
where I felt welcomed and comfortable because of my past I very easily felt judged and unwelcome. Feeling like I belong somewhere has helped me to open up and really express my true self when I am on my mat. This then allowed me to take those qualities off the mat and into my recovery. But it wasn’t all straightforward: I so nearly stopped going one day after feeling fed up that I wasn’t getting anywhere and that the yoga wasn’t working. Now I’m so glad I stuck with it. Yoga gave me a chance to get out of my head and into my body - to express myself through movement and start to feel confident in the way I was and know that I was fine like that and I didn’t need to starve myself to be okay in this crazy world. I could look after and teach myself the real meaning of health. It helped me reconnect back home, to my true self. Yoga has brought me back again, helping me to heal in the way I need to.
This goal helps me so much because I know that if I am not well myself then I am useless to anyone else and I won’t be able to participate in my course later this year. I feel it’s so important to set goals and have things to look forward to. My life before this felt empty and numb. I am no longer ashamed to have an eating disorder; I’m proud of my journey and excited for where it is still to take me. To me, it feels a real blessing that I’ve been able to learn so much about myself and about life at such a young age and meet such great people on this journey which will make me a better person overall. I have learnt to find the positive in every situation and let go of the negatives that don’t and won’t serve me, or anyone around me. I hope that by sharing my story I bring hope and that no one should feel like they are walking alone because they really are not. I once felt like that too.
My practice
Building my yoga practice started the process of positivity, not only in my own life but within familiy too. I have been able to teach them the mental skills I have gleaned from my practice and we have all been much more at peace. I am so grateful for yoga, to find Twisted Yoga - which will always hold a huge place in my heart - and to be able to practice daily to find that stillness of the mind that I so badly need every single day. I will continue to work on my recovery, my journey, with my yoga practice by my side and I am so excited about that. Because my practice has helped me so much, I decided to set myself a much needed motivation goal which was to take a yoga teacher training course and then be able to help others through their practice.
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Teacher zone
A deeper understanding of yoga... for teachers, by teachers
Inside: Page 113: My Yoga Biz Page 114: Beware The Trolls Page 116: Teacher’s Tales Page 117: OM Books
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MyYogaBiz Tips from the experts to help you grow the yoga business of your dreams. This month’s mentor: Emma Leaf, 39, Infinite Yoga, York STARTING OUT I hear a lot more teacher trainings are focusing on [preparation for running your own business] now and also include how to use social media. Mine didn’t really focus on this much at all but I did have some business background having had my own art and photography company so I realised the importance of having a business plan, for each individual year as well, and how important it is to be active on social media. SOCIAL MEDIA I love Instagram as it’s so friendly, supportive, creative and instant. People from all over the world like each other’s posts and that feels like the true essence of yoga. On Facebook I post daily with scheduled motivating quotes or inspirational photos and then about special upcoming events. Creating your own event pages are a way to spread your event widely; I often find this books in more clients than actually handing out leaflets. I also do a monthly newsletter using MailChimp to my subscribers about what I’m doing and upcoming events, and usually
include a YouTube video of my latest Yoga Nidra live session. WHAT’S YOUR NICHE I am passionate about sharing the message of empowerment for all to thrive with their special unique talents and realise this as their path in life. I teach Vinyasa Flow, Chakra Yoga, Nidra and womb yoga as these all integrate inner and outer creativity in energy, connection with breath and listening within. I feel it is important to get in touch with Sthira (steadiness) and Sukha (ease) with grounding, softness and breath in our practice, to slow down even more and carry this into our fast paced lives. SELF CARE As I am a massage and Reiki therapist also I regularly take time to swap treatments with therapist friends where we honour how important it is to receive a massage for our self preservation and take time out. I like to get out in nature as much as possible: walking, running, cycling or just being in my garden. I also meditate daily for 10-20 minutes and this really helps with creating space not only in my head but my whole self. I literally feel I am receiving from the universal source of all energy which is a great harmoniser.
HARDEST LESSON Teaching too strong yoga. I realised quite early on that everyone who comes to my classes likes to put in a really good effort on the mat, but not too much so they leave feeling totally shattered and put off coming again. Balance and really listening to your clients requirements is key as most people want to come to yoga to re-energise and find calm. FUTURE TRENDS I hope it goes back to tradition more. Yoga has got too trendy and too commercial and although that expands the market, it also liquidises the history and deep roots of what yoga really is. Written and compiled by Claudia Brown (yogabyclaudia.com)
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TROLLS
BEWARE THE
Y
When you’re the victim of your own success. Simple tips for dealing with the haters. By Jo De Rosa
ou’re teaching, gaining a ton of followers on social media and your classes are packed. This is what you always dreamed of, right? Living the dream! However, the more successful you become, the more people you pull into your orbit, and you may begin to notice the toxic looks and venomous comments…and then realise that you’ve picked up a troll or two. Unfortunately, in our digital age, it has become far easier to say nasty things from the shadow of your own home and with total anonymity. And, unfortunately, it exists even in the yoga world. Yes, it’s true.
the best action is. So here are a few steps you can take to navigate yourself out of the drama with your dignity still intact:
So what would you do?
3 Lead by example
So what should you do?
4 Send love
Out of the drama
Whilst sending love, also know that you have opened up the space for them to do some inward reflection. A door has been opened yet it is not your job to push this person through; that is up to them, and they will only do so when they are ready. Your part of the contract that you unconsciously entered is done, and now it is time to let it go. However, if you want to immerse yourself into the learning even further and go to the next level of understanding, ask yourself what part of your lack - in beliefs and/or judgements - is this drama mirroring back? However deeply you are delving into this situation don’t allow the naysayers to get you down; instead, celebrate that your work is reaching a far wider audience. Life isn’t about what happens to you; rather how you respond to it…and this is possibly your biggest test yet in your yoga career.
Probably begin with panic, anger, tears and a deep desire to retaliate, especially the first couple of times it happens. Of course, all of these reactions are only going to make things worse.
For starters, know that the angry or malicious words posted online say more about the sender than they do about you; this isn’t, in fact, anything about you. What has happened is that you have shown them an aspect of themselves that they are not happy with: I wish I could do that pose, sit like that, look like her/him etc… It’s as if you’ve held a mirror up and all that they are not shines forth, leaving them in a state of lack. And when we feel the void of lack we fill it with something…yoga, if we are aware of it, or spite, perhaps, if not.
The first time this occurs will be a shock and you may not know what
“However deeply you are delving into this situation don’t allow the naysayers to get you down; instead, celebrate that your work is reaching a far wider audience. Life isn’t about what happens to you; rather how you respond to it.”
1 Imagine holding a mirror up
Allow the poison to bounce off you and back to them using the ‘mirror’; it’s their ‘stuff’ after all!
2 Recognise their woundedness
When we are in alignment, we celebrate others’ success and hold them up rather than push them down. This person is hurting themselves, and doesn’t know how to get better.
Rise above it and don’t get involved in the conversation, no matter how compelled to do so you are. This is the absolute worst thing you can do and will only make matters worse.
Know that you have touched in on someone’s nerve, so be sure to send them love if you can. Also gift yourself love.
Jo De Rosa is the founder and director of Inner Guidance Retreat Centre (innerguidance.co.uk)
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Teacher zone Teacher’s Tales:
Stealing time Learn to keep your class to time, otherwise you are only cheating yourself. By Paula Hines
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re you a teacher who thinks it’s okay to constantly let your class run over time? If so, then you are a thief. A couple of minutes occasionally when there is a backto-back class is understandable – we’ve all been there. But once we get into the realms of regularly running more than five minutes late that’s just plain rude. It is inconsiderate. And make no mistake; it absolutely is stealing (you remember Asteya, right?) Not sure why it is stealing, or you don’t agree? Here is some evidence: EXHIBIT A) I had an experience of being in a great class that was ruined by the teacher announcing after Savasana had ended that she had run fifteen minutes beyond the official class finish time, adding that she hoped this was okay. It wasn’t. It meant I’d missed my train, which also meant getting home an hour later than I’d planned. It meant someone else getting to work late for her evening shift and potentially being in trouble with her boss. It meant someone else being late for his babysitter. Those are just the few examples I knew about but it was a packed class, so while I am sure there were some who would not have minded, equally there may have been more would have preferred the class to end at the time it
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was supposed to. Now, if this teacher had at least explained before Savasana that she was already running over and given students the option to quietly leave on time if they needed to, this would have been something. Alas, no such choice was offered. EXHIBIT B) I was covering a class for the first time at a large studio. The teacher of the class immediately before was also a cover teacher. As I waited outside with the students, some of whom I could see were getting visibly agitated, I was thinking, “Move it, sister!” The teacher had the nerve to float out ten minutes late with a smile on her face, leaving several unhappy students and one peeved yoga teacher. In that moment I wished for a cosmic hand to come down and slap the woman. (‘Un-yogic’ of me, yes.) Please, for everyone’s sake, learn to time your class better. Drop a pose from your sequence towards the end (as long as it’s not Savasana), invest in a watch that lights up – anything you like, just finish on time.
Paula Hines is a London-based yoga teacher and writer (ucanyoga.com)
Teacher zone
books Strong Body, Calm Mind - A Simple Guide To Empowering Your Life With Yoga Eryn Kirkwood Create Space £10 Most of what people call ‘yoga’ today is just a small piece of the ancient tradition’s vast offering. Although the physical postures themselves offer abundant health benefits, the body is but an entry point into the inner peace and infinite joy that is the birthright of each human being, regardless of situation and circumstance. In these 33 short (and often humorous) essays, personal anecdotes, and insights, the author offers simple suggestions for empowering your life through the practice and philosophy of yoga.
Further reading: Cut The Crap And Feel Amazing Ailsa Frank, Hay House, £10.99 In this book, hypnotherapist Ailsa Frank provides the knowledge and tools needed to take control of your life and ensure it follows a more positive direction the direction in which you want it to go. Cut out the negative habits in your life and make improvements where they are needed in areas like work, health, relationships and finance. She says making regular small changes to your mindset will enable you to make bigger changes in your life. And you don’t have to know your whole life plan, you just need to focus on one small thing to get yourself started.
Wake The F#ck Up - Transform Your Life Into One Epic Adventure Brett Moran, Watkins, £10.99 Brett Moran’s life changed forever when he was on a drug deal in a prison library and stumbled upon a book on meditation. What came next was a decade of personal transformation, growth and self-development. This book contains the tried and tested concepts he used to change his life (and has since used) to help others do exactly the same. A manifesto for personal change, this book is presented with humour and wisdom from one man who’s been there, done that, and come out the other side shining.
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Yoga is for every body Your pictures. Your community Tabitha Wright in a buttercup field in Derbyshire
Anita Jarvis
Julia Chilcott-Coombes enjoying yoga in Kerala
Annette Phillips getting out in the garden
Enrico Tambellini
Puppy Power: Debbie Howdle...and pup
Jenny Lye in Koh Samui
Claire Smith
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Heidy BrynJacobsen, Dubai
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Olivia Duffin in Ubud, Bali
Paddleboard yoga: Georgina Roberson
Chloe Gore
Jane Moloney spotted this mannequin in Amsterdam
We want your photos!
Send us happy shots, fun pics, great asana (or bad asana!), big smiley faces, anything at all – and see them in OM Magazine. It doesn’t have to be you doing a yoga pose either. We want to see your yoga life: a pre-class group hug, a cup of tea after class, what you got up to at the weekend, send them all via email to: tom@primeimpact.co.uk
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travel
Awe-inspiring retreats and ideas for yoga explorers
Exotic promise The ultra-luxurious Baraza Resort & Spa in Zanzibar is enhancing its wellness offer by launching ‘Yoga in Paradise’. The new yoga programme takes place over seven days and includes accommodation in a two-bedroomed villa (based on two sharing) at the Indian Ocean resort, on an all-inclusive basis. Yoga sessions are not restricted to a single location and can take place on the pure white, sugar soft beach with the gentle sound of the ocean in the background. Afterwards, enjoy the exquisite Frangipani Spa which offers bespoke treatments, and the gourmet on-site restaurants.
FACT FILE Prices from €1,675pp based on two people sharing a two-bedroom villa for a six-night stay. Includes all meals and beverages, return transfers from the airport as well as 10 Hatha yoga lessons (group sessions); two classes daily (7.30am and 5.30pm) Visit: thezanzibarcollection.com
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om travel Good Gotthard! Try your Mountain Pose in the Austrian mountains this month. The wonderful Gotthard Lech Am Arlberg is running its Arlberg yoga retreat this September, where you can unwind and relax in the most extraordinary Alpine scenery. A family run hotel, nestled in the Vorarlberg mountains, it includes an on-site cafe bakery, wellness area plus unbelievable hiking territory. The hotel is working with two established yoga instructors, Peter Kehava and Samira Narayani, both with a Sivananda background, to deliver the retreat, where you’ll enjoy meditation, pranayama and yoga twice a day, and dine on gorgeous vegetarian cuisine. FACT FILE Get in quick: the retreat takes place from September 3-8, 2017 Five nights from £630pp For more information visit: gotthard.at
Fly away with the hummingbirds Jet off to sunny Spain for a four-night retreat in late October Join Hummingbird Pilates & Yoga next month for some late summer sun in Spain. The Hummingbird team will be at the gorgeous Casa La Negra (casalanegra.com), which lies on the outskirts of the pretty village of Periana, near Málaga, Andalucia. Just the view alone from this wonderful villa is enough to restore your senses, but you’ll also enjoy a daily yoga and meditation practice, plus clean eating and fresh mountain air to revive your soul. Afterwards, there are gentle walks around Lake Viñuela, swim in the heated pool, rest, read and just breathe, or let off some steam in the sauna, or even book access to the nearby spa. Leading the retreat will be Kellie Jones (pictured here presenting at the MindBody Bold Conference in LA last year, alongside illustrious names such as Deepak Chopra and Sadie Nardini), and Steve Johansen, who is now a part of the Camyoga teacher training school in Cambridge. Hummingbird Pilates & Yoga believes that you are good enough just for showing up so don’t worry if you are a beginner or an experienced yogi…all are welcome. FACT FILE Retreat dates: October 22-26, 2017 Prices from £500 (excluding flights & transfers) For booking details visit: hummingbirdpilates.co.uk/spanish-retreat
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Finding my tribe Goddess Retreats, Bali
Discovering bliss through women-only surfing and yoga retreats. By Wendy Altschuler
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or some reason, I have an insatiable lust for womencentered adventure and travel and I’m always seeking out communities or tribes of women where I might walk away from the experience with a new perspective on life. I suppose my first toe-poke into feminism was graduating from DePaul University with degrees in Women’s and Gender Studies and Anthropology. Through this experience, I was able to study abroad in India, which sparked my desire to travel through the lens of a woman’s experience. I would later try my hand (or, let’s be honest, my entire bruise-filled body) at roller derby, playing bouts in Chicago on a women-only league - created, owned and operated by the most badass skaters you’d ever meet.
Girls rule
When I began a career in freelance writing, I knew I’d have to continue to seek out experiences that placed women at the helm. I wrote stories on a group of women skydivers (including a grandma) that even when friends died tragically from a fall or an unopened parachute, they continued to practice the dangerous sport, building up their personal jump numbers to well into the thousands (I, of course, jumped out of a perfectly good airplane as well after interviewing these women). I’ve written stories on women business entrepreneurs that fought, along with their female counterparts, to have a place in a man’s world including one article on a computer forensic scientist who had her home broken into by an angry recipient of her skills. And, now, I find myself seeking out another adventure where women can be wave warriors, alongside an all-female tribe: surfing.
Surf ’s up
I recently travelled to Bali, Indonesia to join the women-led Goddess Retreats (goddessretreats.com): a well-oiled machine that wastes no time getting women connected, engaged and sucked up into their ‘happy place’. I spent my mornings learning how to surf, my afternoons practicing yoga and my evenings getting a massage, with loads of time in between to sip a green smoothie by the pool, journal on a chaise lounge or learn about my new solo-travelling pals. We all came to the resort, for the most part, to relax, try something new and bond with women… and all of that was accomplished in one short week. It was incredibly refreshing to hang
out with bright, funny and introspective women, from all over the globe; sharing our stories, our points of view; and, most importantly, encouraging and celebrating each other like only adventurers can. My other big takeaway from this experience with the Goddess Retreats was that we shouldn’t feel guilty about self-care. Taking time for ourselves to learn something new, expand our horizons, eat healthy, practice yoga for a strong mind and body and connect with friends is an absolute necessity for our wellbeing. This was my first ‘retreat’ that I’ve ever taken and I’m so happy that I did. I left Bali feeling strong, sexy and connected to my very essence in a way I haven’t felt in a long time.
El Salvador
Keeping the momentum going, I then travelled to El Salvador to bliss out with 13 other women on a yoga and surfing retreat with SwellWomen (swellwomen.com), hosted at Las Flores Resort surf club (lasfloresresort.com). Again, I felt like I had found my tribe of like-minded women, even if it was only temporary. The adorable owner, Lulu Agan, a bubbly, inspirational, confident woman with an affinity toward unbridled joy (and neon wigs), has created a space where women can let loose (our pool parties will be something I remember long into the chilly Chicagoan winter months) and learn how to rip on a wave. Lulu taught us how to fall and, more notably, how to get back up again. No judgements. No expectations. For this retreat, Lulu teamed up with a phenomenal and authentic yoga instructor, Lauren Llacera, and a personal and transformational leadership coach, Gina Larkin. Both of these insightful women made the retreat experience rich and deep as we delved into the very core of how to get the most out of life. We learned, through Lauren, to let the light in, to reap the rewards of a regular yoga practice and that, ultimately, all you need is love. We learned, through Gina, to connect and chase the feeling, chase the joy - the feeling is the goal.
The seekers
And, what did we learn from each other? We learned that we’re all seekers and that women need support, kindness and friendship; we learned – no, felt – that women need women. We showed up as strangers, miraculously making it to the same sun kissed sand, and we left as sisters, with hearts bursting from stories of happiness (and pain!)...and adventure.
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A family yoga holiday
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Yoga enthusiast Rachel Ferster drags her reluctant family on a yoga holiday to Morocco
y husband and teenage sons cannot think of anything worse than sitting still, cross-legged in a quiet room, chanting Om. So, when it comes to choosing a family holiday my requests for yoga classes get lost somewhere between theme parks and football camps (kids) and cultural city tours (husband). It was with some trepidation this year that I took my reluctant teenage sons to Paradis Plage, a yoga and surf hotel in Agadir, Morocco. The hotel is owned by a local Moroccan with a passion for extreme sports, health and fitness and designed with the help of the surfing community. It is built in pink sandstone along a stretch of sandy beach beside traditional fishing huts on the rugged Atlantic Coast, half an hour from Agadir. At the present time, this is the only yoga, surf and spa hotel in Morocco. The hotel has two outdoor yoga
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shala’s and runs three classes a day. It offers two to five day yoga and surfing packages as well as retreats for teachers who want to bring their own students.
Yoga Shala
It is not long before I am sitting cross-legged on a mat in a glass yoga shala facing a bright blue sky and watching waves rolling on the shore. The only sounds are the birds tweeting and the nervous giggles of my son in his first ever yoga class. ‘That camel on the beach is sick,” says my son. “Sick?” I gasp. There is a camel lying down, still as a rock, further down the beach. “Sick, as in cool, wicked, awesome, mum,” he replies. “Sssh,” says his sister, rolling her eyes, “It’s quiet time.” We have come to the evening Yin yoga class but there is also
om travel a dynamic Vinyasa flow in the early morning (the kids are unlikely to make this one) and a mid-morning Hatha class. The classes are open to guests of any age regardless of level (£10 if you pay as you go) and children under six years can try a class for free. “Posture is so important,” says Karsten, our yoga teacher, a former professional dancer from Germany. “You don’t want back issues in later life.” He is staring at my teenage son slouching on his mat. “Pull up from your sit bones, roll your shoulders back and down, reach upwards with your spine.” I watch my son grow taller on his mat. My son, more used to running around a football or rugby pitch, wears a look of intense concentration as he attempts to follow the postures. “How does she do that?” he asks, pointing at his sister folding in half with the grace of an 11-year-old who regularly practices ballet. “Do not compare,” snaps Karsten. “We are all made differently. Focus on yourself and if you practice it will get easier. If you remember one stretch before your next rugby match, I will be happy.”
Surf school
Yin yoga is a good class for beginners being slow and mindful. We focus on our breath and hold each pose for a few minutes. “It’s like playing a game of Twister,” says my son, collapsing in a heap. The class finishes with Savasana and the mantra ‘Love and respect yourself, love and respect one another, love and respect our beautiful planet earth.’ My son is lying down as still as a breathing, smiling corpse. “I like this pose,” whispers my son. ‘This is my favourite. It’s worth doing yoga for this pose at the end.” The next day, I leave the children at the surf school in the capable hands of Rachid a Moroccan surfing champion with blonde-tipped curls and a relaxed smile, while I seek out the Hatha yoga class. I sit beside a young French couple who tell me this is their third visit and they return for the yoga and sunshine. Afterwards I sunbathe at the outdoor pool, and wonder why nobody is swimming until I dip my toe in the freezing water. Suits me, I think, as I swim laps in a kid-free pool. There is also a gym advertising a free body pump class run by a personal trainer from England and a kids-free Zen garden with hammocks. To finish off my ‘me time’, I enjoy a firm aromatherapy massage on the outdoor table facing the sea (£20 for 30 minutes), chosen from a menu that includes a chocolate massage for kids! I join my family on the secluded beach where they are just coming in from surf lessons and buzzing from the ‘awesome’ experience of attempting to ride on ocean waves. Surf lessons are available most mornings for guests over 8 years old. Rachid, the surf guide says the waves are perfect for beginners and over the week, many first-timers kneel or stand on the board, if only for a few seconds. There are kayaks and Stand Up Paddle boards for hire but no motorised water sports and no hawkers – just a camel being led down the beach, dropping dung on the sand. The surf café has a relaxed atmosphere with a smoothie bar, murals of surfers riding waves, ambient music and beanbags so teenagers don’t mind hanging out here even with their parents. We order grilled fish that tastes so fresh it might have been brought in on one of the blue fishing boats bobbing on the sea in the mornings (£20 for 2 courses). Feta or nicoise salads (£8) are available at the poolside terrace along with French fries and burgers. Many of the rooms have a basic kitchen with a shop nearby selling local produce. In the evenings, the main restaurant serves sizzling tagines in which fish, chicken or lamb is slow-cooked in tomatoes, olives or fruit and served in clay pots (£8). On our last day, we take a taxi ride to the bustling Agadir souk
where market stalls sell everything from spices and powdered paint to door handles and t-shirts. We enjoy haggling with the locals but the kids soon get bored. “If we hurry we can make it back in time for Yin yoga,” says my younger son looking at his watch. We arrive back at the hotel just in time for our last sunset yoga class. I savour the moment. I am in a yoga shala with my husband and teenage sons on a mat beside me, watching the deep orange sun dip down over the ocean, whilst sitting cross-legged and chanting Om. Paradis Plage costs approx £1,750 for 7 nights bed and breakfast for a family of five in a 3 bed, 2 bath villa with kitchen and living room. A five day package of two 75min yoga classes a day costs approx. £100. easyJet flies direct to Agadir (3hrs 30 mins). The hotel is 45 minute (£30) taxi transfer from the airport.
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Vista Celestial Ditch the Costa Coffee and pack your bags for Costa Rica
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osta Rica has become a byword for amazing yoga and back-to-nature experiences in recent years, and for good reason too. The country offers an unspoilt natural playground, filled with lush forests, abundant wildlife secluded beaches and beautiful, friendly people too (Costa Ricans were ranked the world’s happiest citizens once in a global happiness index). There are countless places to visit but one spot we’ve discovered is Vista Celestial (vistacelestial.com) a small luxury boutique hotel nestled in the south of the country, an area that’s still largely untouched. The modern, comfortable and stylish luxury villas are surrounded by the jungle, but also offer breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean. It’s a great escape for any yogis looking for a new and amazing retreat experience, or just visit to soak up the amazing atmosphere and healthy lifestyle, and delicious farm-to-table cuisine.
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Victoria Jackson succumbs to the irresistible chant of the kirtan
went to my first big kirtan recently in London. My previous experiences had been more intimate gatherings in studios with more modest kirtan leaders, but this was a famous-name sell-out occasion with people coming from all over the country for the event. I’d bought my ticket months in advance. I took along a friend who was totally new to kirtan and a bit nervous about what to expect, so we talked beforehand about whether you need to know or understand the Sanskrit, the difference between singing by ear and chanting from the heart, how kirtan is not so much a performance but a time to just let your voice be lifted up. I don’t know why she was worried, she’s a natural to this kind of thing: she told me that she has a personal mantra she repeats when she’s out on the ocean on her surfboard, a repetition of words that bring her feelings of confidence, safety and happiness. Sounds a bit like the practice of chanting to me.
Letting go
In kirtan you don’t really need to worry about anything, since the chants are led and all you need to do is listen to the sounds and repeat them, letting go of the need to get everything totally right. It’s not like being in the school choir, it’s more like letting your hair down at a pop concert and allowing the music to flow through you. Be a bit wild if you like. If you let the chants move you, anything can happen, and that’s okay! I went deep inside during one chant, sitting totally still, eyes closed, and I felt hot tears running down my cheeks. It was a really intense moment, quite still, quite beautiful. But when I opened my eyes I found the rest of the room was on their feet, standing up, arms waving overhead or hands clapping ecstatically. Clearly other people were moved in a very different, more physical, way.
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Good vibrations
The music ebbed and flowed for a couple of hours, but the atmosphere remained really focused. At the end we all sat together for a while in silence. My friend said afterwards it was probably the only venue in central London on a Friday night in which you could have heard a pin drop. It was packed to capacity but the silence was so deep it was almost tangible: the vibrations remained in the air. In yoga class the next day I was still quietly vibrating and I couldn’t help joining in when a very funky version of ‘Hare Krishna’ came on the playlist. The teacher cued various modifications of the pose we were in, you could do this, you could do that… “or you could just keep singing if you like”. Oh! Clearly I wasn’t vibrating as quietly as I imagined! !
Victoria Jackson lives and practices in Oxford. She is registered with Yoga Alliance as a vinyasa yoga teacher
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