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THE DALAI LAMA
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HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR SUN SALUTATION
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BEAUTY
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Dead Sea Magic Dead Sea Salts
The therapeutic benefits of the Dead Sea water base and organic extracts nurture your whole being and restores skin, health and harmony. The salts act as natural exfoliant and improve skin texture. The natural bromides and magnesium and potassium help to soothe away aches and pains and it’s a wonderful way to scrub the body or to soak in the bath. Available in 250g (£2) 500g (£4) and 1 kg (£5) from all good chemists and health shops.
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Pure GOLD COLLAGEN®
Pure GOLD COLLAGEN® nourishes your skin from the inside whereas traditional skincare treatments rely on the application of collagen on the surface of the skin. This is not sufficient to counteract the ageing process where it begins, in the deep layers of the skin. The active ingredients in Pure GOLD COLLAGEN® reach the dermis, the deeper layer of the skin, from the inside where it re-activates the formation of collagen to give you younger looking skin. Ready to drink it can be taken anytime throughout the day or first thing in the morning as part of your beauty regime. Pure GOLD COLLAGEN® provides an immediate boost of energy and has a lovely fruity taste of peaches and passion fruit. It is most effective when taken on an empty stomach for quicker absorption. Skin is more hydrated and plumper in 2-3 weeks. For best results in reducing fine lines and wrinkles take for 12 weeks. £35.99 for 10 bottles. Available from Boots and boots.com
New Image Energy Effervescent Tablets
These orange flavoured tablets contain Co-Enzyme Q10 and Ginseng and B Vitamins and a great combination of nutrients to help boost and maintain energy levels when you need it most. They help reduce tiredness and fatigue and also contribute to a well functioning metabolism. New Image Supplements have been made as natural as possible and contain no artificial colours or flavours and are gluten and lactose free and are suitable for Vegans and vegetarians.£3.99 for 20 tablets. Available from newimagehealth.com
New Image Health Inner Support
A powerful combination of Psyllium with active herbs and spices to help bolster the body’s natural detoxification processes and to help maintain a healthy digestive system. £7.99 for 30 capsules. Available from newimagehealth.com
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FEATURE
Acro
YOGA L
ifestyle blogger and AcroYoga novice Kim Willis presumed AcroYoga would be for advanced yogis only. But she mastered the art of flying on her first lesson.
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Despite longing for the aura of calm and the sculptured, toned arms yoga experts have in spades, I’ve never become an accomplished yogi. My problem is that I just can’t switch my mind off. It’s just too darn busy in there. I know yoga should therefore be my calling card - if I could just understand the meditative side of it, I’d calm my mind and benefit from feeling poised and focused. Instead, the meditative side of yoga leaves me thinking about all the things I’m supposed to be doing. But now I’ve found a discipline of yoga for which I very much have to be present - no room for a wandering mind. AcroYoga is without doubt the most fun I’ve ever had exercising. It is hugely popular in California and arising all over the UK now. AcroYoga began in California in 2003, established by Jason Nemer and Jenny Sauer-Klien as a practice that unites acrobatics, (but don’t let that scare you off) yoga, performance and Thai massage. I discovered it when some friends of mine were demonstrating it last summer. I was mesmerised by the elegance of yoga, but with the added thrill of acrobatics. I met with Anna Karides, 27, who has been teaching Acroyoga in London for six years, for a one-on-one session. Anna has been practising yoga since she was 15 and was a ballet dancer and runner as a child. Safe to say, I was in good hands. “It’s a very social form of exercise,” Anna tells me. “People get scared because of the ‘acro’ aspect. They think they’ll be too old or too inflexible. But anyone can do it.” We start our session with some warm up exercises. In a 90-minute class, the warm up lasts 30 minutes. “We have to get the heart rate up,’ Anna says. We do some vigorous press ups, planks and stretches, to increase core strength, stability and flexibility.
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To perform, you need a base and a flyer. In a group class there would always be three people in each group - the third person acts as a spotter, insuring the moves are carried out safely and correctly. The base holds the flyer up while the flyer relaxes - upside down or suspended in the air. As my base, I was certain Anna wouldn’t be strong enough to hold me up, but I soon learned it’s not about the weight of the flyer. It’s about the base ‘bone stacking’ - locking their limbs into place so they don’t have to rely on strength alone. As the flyer, I had to let go of the fear that Anna would drop me. It seemed counter-intuitive to let go mid-air, but I had to
believe we were capable. As a team, of achieving the moves Anna was suggesting. But that’s what AcroYoga is all about. “It depends on trust, letting go and believing,” Anna says. I had to believe I could fly. And I could! Never did I think it would be possible for me to attempt to fly in my first ever class, but I did and it was easy. Next we tried the reverse Namaskar, back bird and Dhanurasana, or Bow, on feet.
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“ It depends
on trust letting go and believing
“
Anna, like me, fell in love with AcroYoga for the beautiful poses. “I’d been a yoga teacher since I was 19 but when I came across AcroYoga online six years ago, I knew I had to get involved. There were no teachers in the UK when I started. Now, there are around 10, and 300 in the world. It’s growing all the time.”
Believing that Anna was capable of holding my body weight without sending me hurtling for the floor was a strange feeling at first, but then it became exhilarating. I felt incredible as my body achieved things I never thought possible. “It’s not about strength,” Anna says. “It’s about technique and trust.” The base, flyer and spotter roles are rotated throughout the class so everyone tries every position. There are always beginners and advanced alternative moves to each manoeuvre so beginners and experts can all glean something from the same group class. “From their first class, beginners will leave with a sense of satisfaction,” Anna says. “It’s not the kind of workout that you have to practise for months before you get any good, like tennis. A complete beginner can accomplish moves that will make you say ‘wow!’ and leaving the class proud of what your body can achieve is so good for self confidence.” At a group class I attended, the supportive attitude of the group was like nothing I’d experienced in any group-class fitness lessons before. There is a real team effort vibe and by the end of the session, people were cheering and applauding each other. You have to communicate and help each other as you are responsible for each other’s safety. That dependence produces a bond unrivalled in the exercise world.
“ I left
theclass buzzing with excitement
In past attempts to practise calming my mind through yoga, I have failed miserably. But with AcroYoga, I didn’t have the headspace to start thinking about that phone call I needed to make or that dinner I needed to buy on the way home. There was no room for my mind to wander. I had to be present and mindful, or I’d topple over. I hadn’t felt so attune with the present moment, ever before in my life. And I loved it.
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“ The inversions
I left the class buzzing with excitement. I was proud of my body and the things it had achieved and my mind felt refreshed and focused. I felt alive. I was connected to every inch of my being and my every aching muscle knew it. “Going upside down certainly helps clear the mind,” Anna says. “You get a lot of new blood to the head!” I was felt extremely calm and had a new connection with my body and mind. In the time since my first class, I’ve found it easier to concentrate on one thing at a time and I have been itching to find other Acro-yogis whom I can spar with. The benefits of AcroYoga are numerous. Inverting the body is great for the blood flow and lymphatic system. There’s an element of Thai massage incorporated into some positions, which is relaxing and recharging. It’s also fun and enables you to do things you might not believe your body can do - which is great for self-esteem and confidence. You learn to trust and be trusted, tackling the element of fear and learning to let go. Like yoga, it’s fantastic for mindfulness and switching off from the noise of life. The inversions give you energy and the sense of achievement lifts your spirits. It’s social and can be done anywhere, given a bit of room.
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“
We finished the group class sitting in a circle, a united group. A “namaste” from Anna was greeted with a “Namaste” from the group and a round of applause for Anna - for she was not only a very bendy expert but also a gentle and encouraging teacher.
give you energy and the sense of achievement lifts your spirits
In fact, Anna is spreading her wings. She currently teaches weekly classes at Indaba Yoga and Triyoga, as well as workshops around London and beyond. The AcroYoga movement is heading to a variety of festivals for the summer of 2014 - look out for it at the Wilderness Festival and the Mind Body Spirit Festival. AcroYoga is a universal language. I see myself spotting some Acro-yogis on a beach in Thailand in the future and being able to join in, united by our love of something that feels as good as it looks.
Is it for me? Anyone can do AcroYoga. Experience is not necessary. It’s suitable for all levels of fitness, although it’s not suitable for pregnant women. Come with an open mind and a willingness to work in pairs and threes – and prepare to achieve amazing things!
WRITTEN BY
Prices start at £14 for one-hour group classes. For classes and more information, visit annakarides.com
KIM WILLIS
KIM WILLIS IS AN AWARD WINNING LIFESTYLE BLOGGER WHO CHRONICLES HER ADVENTURES AT LUNACYOFINK.COM. FOLLOWER HER ON TWITTER @LUNACYOFINK PHOTOGRAPHY: GARETH IWAN JONES
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TEACHER OF THE MONTH
Shareen WOODFORD S
hareen was introduced to yoga in 1998 and since then it has been a transformative and informative force in her life. With honours degrees in philosophy and psychology from the University of Toronto, and great interest in ethics, environment, wellness and Sanskrit, she offers to her yoga students much more than a physical challenge. Shareen recognises that yoga practice involves much more than asana (physical poses) and encourages her students to explore the other 7 limbs of yoga in their practice and in their lives. Shareen has full faith in the Ashtanga yoga tradition but also loves to balance that rigour with the freedom and joy of Vinyasa and Bhakti yoga once in a while. Coming from a background of dance training and competitive swimming, her style of teaching is a fusion of intuitive sequencing, enjoyment of movement, anatomical correctness and athletic precision. Having learned the hard way, she recognises that each person has their own timeline and path down the road of yoga, and therefore patience, humility, safety and the guidance of an experienced and conscientious teacher are of foremost importance. Shareen constantly strives to continue learning so that she has a better understanding of herself and the practice of yoga, and has more to offer to her students. She has studied with some of the world’s greatest yoga teachers and mentors, including Sharath Jois (bearer of the Ashtanga lineage) on multiple trips to Mysore, India, and California, as well as studying with Kino Macgregor, Mark Darby, Tim Miller, Chuck Miller, Caroline Klebl, Danny Paradise, Laruga Glaser, David Robson and others. She thrives on learning from and listening to those with profound wisdom and experience. Using all of the insight and understanding she has accrued through the grace of her teachers, she leads inspired yoga classes as well as Yoga Teacher Training retreats, locally and in exotic locations.
For more information, visit manayoga.ca
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BEGINNERS POSE
Shalabhasana
LOCUST POSE BENEFITS
T
his posture awakens and strengthens all of the back muscles. It is not focused as much on spine flexibility but more on preparing the back for deeper backbends by building strength and awareness of the back extensors. This posture can help relieve back pain, improve digestion and correct poor posture.
HOW TO PERFORM • Begin by lying flat on your stomach on your yoga mat.
• Keep your low deep abdominals very firm and breathe into the upper chest.
• On an inhale, engage your erector spinae back muscles to lift your chest and torso up off of the ground and use your hamstrings to lift your legs up as well.
• After 5 -10 breaths, rest flat on your stomach or shift back into Child’s pose to relax.
• Keep your legs straight and your feet together.
MODIFICATIONS
• Try to relax the glutes as much as possible. Press the backs of your hands firmly into the ground and draw your shoulders down your back away from your ears.
If the pose feels too intense the legs can stay on the ground while only the upper body is lifted.
• Gently lift the chin without crunching up the back of your neck so that the neck continues the arch of the spine and gaze to the tip of your nose.
CONTRAINDICATIONS You shouldn’t perform this posture if you have any serious spine, back or neck injuries or if you are pregnant.
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INTERMEDIATE POSE
Danurasana
BOW POSE
HOW TO PERFORM • Begin by lying flat on your stomach on your yoga mat.
T
his posture strengthens the back muscles and stretches the front of the body including the quadriceps, psoas, abdomen, chest and shoulders. Bow pose will improve your posture and stimulate your abdominal organs for better digestion and elimination.
• Lift your chin gently so that the neck continues the arched line of your spine, without jamming the back of your neck. Gaze towards your nose.
• Bend your knees and reach your arms back to grab around your ankles, palms facing inwards.
• After 5-10 breaths rest in Child’s pose to counter stretch and
• On an inhale, push your feet into your hands as if trying to straighten your legs and as the feet lift upwards away from the buttocks, the chest should lift up off the ground as well.
MODIFICATIONS
• Keep your low abdomen firmly engaged and breathe into your upper chest, enabling it to open and stretch. • Make sure that your knees and feet stay hip width apart or closer together if possible, but never wider.
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BENEFITS
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neutralise your back and spine.
If the full pose doesn’t seem accessible to you yet, you can try the pose one leg and arm at a time. Another modification is to wrap a strap around both of your ankles and hold the ends in your hands, instead of holding the ankles in your hands, and try to lift up this way.
CONTRAINDICATIONS Avoid this pose if you have major back or neck injuries, or if you are pregnant.
ADVANCED POSE
Laghu Vajrasana
LITTLE THUNDERBOLT POSE BENEFITS
T
his posture strengthens the legs immensely so that the back is protected in deeper backbends.
HOW TO PERFORM • Begin in a kneeling position with your knees hip distance apart. • Press your pelvis forward and reach your hands back and down to grab around your ankles with your palms facing inwards. • Engage your leg muscles and slowly lean backwards to lower your hairline down to the ground, keeping the legs working at all times and the arms straight so not to put weight onto the head. • Lift through the chest and keep the low abdomen drawn in firmly. Gaze to the tip of the nose. • After 5-10 breaths push powerfully into the tops of your feet and use your leg and core muscles to rise up, keeping the arms straight and pressing the pelvis forward and bringing the head up last and hands to the waist.
• Coming out of this pose properly is an important part of the posture. Afterwards, you can take a Vinyasa to neutralise the body or rest directly into Child’s pose for relaxation.
MODIFICATIONS If you cannot lower all the way down yet, or if you can go down but can’t get back up, try only lowering half way down, holding there for 5 breaths and coming back up. Gradually increase the amount that you lean back, little by little over time, until you can go all the way down and come back up again. You could also try using a block under the head to decrease the distance that you have to lean back and come up from.
CONTRAINDICATIONS Do not perform this posture if you have had injuries in the ligaments in your knees or if you have any neck injuries.
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SEQUENCE
To Prepare For Grasshopper Pose
YOGA SEQUENCE T
his series of increasingly difficult postures will prepare your mind and body for the peak posture of the sequence: Grasshopper Pose. This final pose looks impressive because it seems rather impossible to onlookers and involves a lot of challenging elements. To perform the posture correctly you must first build up enough strength, flexibility, concentration and balance, and use them all at the same time.
1 Utkatasana CHAIR POSE
Stand with your legs together and your feet touching. Bend your knees and sit as low as possible, with heels still on the ground and no discomfort in the knees. Extend your arms straight upwards with palms touching. Engage your core and extend your back muscles. Relax your shoulders down and gaze to the thumbs.
2 Parivritta Utkatasana REVOLVED CHAIR POSE
From Utkatasana, twist deeply at the waist and bring your left elbow outside of your right knee bringing prayer hands to the centre of your chest. Gaze upwards. Repeat on the other side.
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Parsva Bakasana SIDE CROW POSE
Start from Parivritta Utkatasana on the right side. Squat lower and let your heels lift off the floor. Keeping the left elbow connected to the outer right thigh, tip forward and place your palms flat on the floor, shoulder distance apart. Slowly lean your weight into your bent arms until your feet lift off the ground and you are in balance. Repeat on the other side.
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4 Bakasana
CROW POSE
From Utkatasana, squat down lower and separate your knees wider than your shoulders. Lean forward and place your hands flat on the ground, shoulder distance apart. Lift your hips high and place your knees high on your upper arms. Gradually bring more weight forward into the arms until the feet lift off the ground. Keep your core muscles lifted.
5 Kapotasthitaanhasana STANDING PIGEON POSE
Standing on your left leg. Lift the right leg and bend the knee, bringing your right ankle across the top of the left knee. Sink your hips and bring your hands to prayer at the heart centre. Repeat on the other side.
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Parivritta Kapotasthitaanhasana
REVOLVED STANDING PIGEON POSE From Kapotasthitaanasana with right leg lifted, twist to the left and place your right elbow in the arch of your right foot. Keep the hands at the heart and gaze upwards. Repeat on the other side. Repeat both sides again but open your arms and place the bottom hand flat on the ground and extend the top arm straight upwards.
Vikriti Shalabhasana LOCUST POSE VARIATION
Start in Parivritta Kapotasthitaanhasana with right leg lifted. Keep your right upper arm connected with the right foot and slowly squat lower until your hands land flat on the floor, shoulder distance apart. Bend your arms to 90° bringing your weight into your arms and stand your right foot on the shelf you’ve made of your right upper arm. Lift and straighten the left leg. Repeat on the other side.
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