Rambling Yogi

Tag: yogi

  • A whole new year

    A whole new year

    Without letting go there can be no new space. Without space there can be no change. Without change there can be no growth.

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    People often set new years resolutions in the hope of achieving some sort of self improvement. Whether it be a health goal, a financial goal or perhaps just an all round I’m going to sort my shit out goal, it all comes back to the desire to make some part of your life better.

    In concept it’s a great idea; pick something out that you’re not happy with and make it a goal to change it. So why do new years resolutions almost never last more than a couple of weeks or if you’re lucky maybe a couple of months.

    I think firstly when people set out to make changes they don’t invest much time exploring and trying to understanding why they actually want to change, what the change would mean to them and what has been blocking them from making it happen in the past. So when they begin to set the change in motion it’s really only a surface change which looks good on the outside but fails to break into the deeper, more hidden aspects of their soul; the only place where real change and growth come from.

    The other thing is that when people refrain from habitual behaviour it often brings up uncomfortable feelings. It may stir up sense of anxiety or uncertainty. It may show them parts of themselves that they were trying to avoid. It may even leave them questioning who they are without their old habitual patterns. It is these feelings that often drive people back to their old known ways; there’s a certain safety in that place.

    With all of this in mind my challenge for myself this year is to stop one habitual behaviour with the intention to see what I can learn about myself in the space that is created. For me I knew straight away what I wanted to try and stop. I want to not buy any new clothing for the next 12 months. It may not sound like a bit of a weird challenge but for me I think it’s perfect.

    Firstly it will most certainly be a major challenge for me. Many years ago a boyfriend challenged me to not purchase any new clothing for a week and to my horror I only lasted 4 days before I bought something without even thinking. It’s been a habit I’ve had for so many years now that I really can’t wait to see what comes up for me when I’m just dying to purchase something; to see what I have perhaps been trying to escape for years.

    Secondly I think that it will be a good chance for me to recalibrate and take stock of all that I already have and begin to realise that what I have is enough.  I’m super excited for the element of simplicity that I hope this challenge brings to my life and I welcome the uncomfortable as a special kind of magic.

    Here’s a fabulous new year filled with new goals, new focus, new adventure and lots of magic.

    xx

     

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  • An inversion a day keeps the doctor away

    An inversion a day keeps the doctor away

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    I’m a really big fan of inversions in all their forms.  Generally speaking an inversion is any pose where your head is below your heart. So while headstands and handstand are probably the first things that come to mind you’re also in an inversion in downward facing dog, standing forward folds and even legs up the wall.

    While I love all inversions I’d like to speak more specifically about headstand using props. Now before I ramble on about all the amazing benefits its important to note that headstands are not for everyone, people with neck injuries, epilepsy, high blood pressure, heart conditions, acid reflux  and eye problems should seek medical advise before getting upside down. Also women on their monthly cycle may also want to avoid headstand (think gravity and flow …enough said).

    Traditional headstand can be a little scary for students and teachers alike. If you don’t get the correct alignment you put your neck at great risk of injury and if you don’t yet have the strength simply lifting your legs up can feel like mission impossible.

    So how do you do a headstand without putting your neck at risk and use a little momentum to take yourself up? You don’t need any fancy yoga props you just need to chairs and a wall. To be kind to your traps use padded chairs or put down cushions and/or blankets to give yourself a little padding and if you’re crazy like me and kind of enjoy a little pain you can skip the padding idea, you’ll be working deeper into releasing your traps. If your chairs feel like they may slip place a yoga mat under the feet of your chairs.wpid-collage_20150122171617410.jpg  Bring the chairs snug up against the wall facing each other (see picture to the right). Fold forward and bring your head into the gap between the chairs and against the wall, you want the tops of your shoulders to be resting evenly on each chair. For me having the chairs about 25 centimetres apart works well but you’ll need to have a bit of a play around to see what works best; you want to feel comfortable and stable. When you’re ready walk your legs in towards the wall, have your hands planted on each chair finger tips facing the wall then press into your hands for leverage and either lift yourself up slowly using core strength or kick your legs up(see video below). From here if you’re feeling steady you can experiment with different arm positions to work on releasing tension in your traps. When you’re ready to come back down press your hands firmly into the chairs and slowly lower yourself back down then come to rest in childs pose while you let the blood run back away from your head.

    The true benefits of headstand are said to be experienced after around 3 minutes of inverting, 3 minutes can feel huge is you’re not used to going upside down, so I recommend start off small maybe just 30 seconds and then working your way up. I personally practice this type of headstand supported by chairs for about 5 minutes and for me it’s magic. Speaking of benefits here are some of the many benefits of having a regular headstand practice.

    • This style of headstand helps to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, which produces feelings of relaxation and calmness.  Your parasympathetic nervous system is a brilliantly peaceful place to be.
    • Forget expensive spa treatments reversing gravity flushes fresh nutrients and oxygen to the face and stimulates the facial capillaries giving you a beautiful healthy glow.
    • Not quite so regular…when you first think about it may not make sense that turning upside down would actually help you go but keep reading.   When you invert your body you allow the stool that is moving through the ascending colon to move with the force of gravity. The pressing of the stool against the intestinal walls also encourages movement and the pressure on the walls of the digestive tract stimulates a stronger peristalsis (muscle contractions that occur in your digestive tract).
    • Hit a wall can’t concentrate or focus? When the brain lacks a sufficient blood supply, the body becomes slow and sluggish because the brain uses 25 percent of the body’s oxygen. Increasing blood flow nourishes brain cells with more oxygen resulting in improved concentration, memory and awareness.
    • Felling a little down…turn the frown upside down! When you go upside down the adrenal glands are flushed and detoxified, this stimulates the release of neurotransmitters and endorphins that allow you to immediately feel uplifted and can counteract depression and mood swings.
    • No one really likes getting sick! Headstands help increase immunity and prevent illness.  Your lymphatic system has a key role to play in keeping you well. As lymph moves through the body it picks up toxins and bacteria to be eliminated by the lymph nodes. Lymph moves as a result of muscular contractions but is also affected by gravity. So when you go upside down you’re sending your lymph to your respiratory organs, where germs often get into the body. When you return to an upright position, gravity drains the lymph away again, sending it through your lymph nodes for cleansing.

     

    So go have fun get upside down and enjoy the new perspective but also never forget to always be listening to your body, not all days will be the same. Honour where you’re at and what your body needs.

    Love Blessings and Kindness

    xxx

     

  • Yoga Teacher Training – week 1 Ahimsa – Nonviolence

    Yoga Teacher Training – week 1 Ahimsa – Nonviolence

    If I were to ask you how often you behaved violently what would be your answer?

    Violence is often associated with psychically hurting another person but what if I expanded the definition of violence to be behaving in a way that is not kind to others or yourself.

    Once you start exploring the ways that you are unkind you can start to become aware of your own personal patterns you can begin to treat yourself and others with more kindness and compassion.

    Here are some if the ways that we practice violence.

    Negative self talk – How often are you your biggest critic? Do you beat yourself up about mistakes or tell yourself you’re not good enough in same way? Our inner monolog can really set the tone for how we experience our lives. Be careful with how you talk to yourself. Stop and ask yourself am I coming from a place of kindness?

    Unkind words to others or about others – Do your words hurt others? Either directly (to their face) or indirectly (gossip) Always stop to consider what your intentions are before you speak. Your words should be kind and honest even when they are strong and direct.

    Your relationship with food – Do you stop to consider how the food you put in your body is nourishing you? It’s violence towards yourself to continually over indulge or starve yourself. Love yourself enough to really care about what you eat.

    Expecting too much from yourself – We like to set goals and challenges for ourselves which is great, it keeps us moving forward but when we only focus on the steps necessary to achieve the goal and stop being open and present to the journey we not only don’t get to experience the beauty of the journey but we may push beyond our tipping point. Pushing yourself without stopping to listen to your body is what causes sickness and injury. It’s our body’s way of forcing us to slow down.  Be mindful of the effect working too hard in the gym or the office has on your body.

    Lack of balance  –  When you over commit yourself and don’t allow enough time to recharge you may burnout or become short with others.  Balance is going to be different for everyone and so you will need to tune in and ask yourself what do I need to create balance in my life…maybe it’s having healthy meals,  spending in nature, getting “me” time, getting enough sleep, finding time for meditation,  having social media free days, getting a massage, making time for exercise or even clearing out the clutter in your life it’s important to know what you need and make time for it.

    We’re never going to be able to be completely nonviolent in all of our words and actions all of the time but we can be more conscious of our personal patterns and make small positive changes in our lives for the benefit of all.

    Namaste
    Xxxx

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    My soul honors your soul. I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides. I honor the light, love, truth, beauty & peace within you, because it is also within me. In sharing these things we are united, we are the same, we are one.