Happy International Yoga Day!

“We need to live in every moment, all of them, the ups and the downs – we need to live these moments with passion and with grace.”

As I reflect on all the many things Yoga has taught me, it is to live in the present moment and to find contentment right here, right now, even when life is difficult- this is Santosa.

When we awaken to santosa, gratitude flowers and we diffuse our “need” for things that really aren’t important. The freedom of simplicity unfolds. Even if we’re dedicated practising yogis, doing “all the things” there’s still probably that internal chatter that at times says ‘I’d be happier if….or when ‘. Whether its losing weight, getting a different job, meeting someone new, or being able to get ourselves into that tricky asana we’ve been trying to master, there’s probably at least a thing or two you feel could make you happier or more content. Now, having the urge to want to grow and push ourselves just a little towards a goal isn’t a bad thing, in fact the responsibility for fulfilling our dharma still remains present. It just becomes bad if we obsess over the outcome rather than focusing on the intention of our actions. Santosha or ‘contentment’ doesn’t mean idly sitting back and relinquishing the need to do anything. It simply means holding santosa (accepting what we have and what we are already) at each point of the journey, and moving forwards from there. 

So on this International Day of Yoga, I would love for you to set aside an entire day just for you. offer you this Santosa themed VinYin practice that will guide you into being fully present and finding contentment in whatever krama or stage of a pose you are in.

I’ve put together a mini retreat day workbook; complete with a meal plan, recipes, shopping list, Ayurvedic self care practices and a worksheet to coincide with the class. So come join me, download the materials below, unroll your mat, and let’s get started!

Donwload Your FREE Mini Retreat Materials HERE

For the most part, I would say I’ve always been a  natural, and confident communicator. Being in tune with my body physically and energetically, I’m guided to areas that require work. 

The throat chakra is our self expression vehicle; it’s where emotions and intentions converge to create words, words that then create meaning and connection with others. So when we feel blocked in this energy Centre our ability to express ourselves and communicate becomes halted. 

Since the beginning of our self isolation I’ve been making a conscious effort to keep our lives as close to ‘normal’ as they can be, and for the most part I’ve been successful. Spending most of the time entertaining/tending to my family, doing my own practice on the mat, and then using any free time/energy creating and producing content to stay connected to my lovely community.

Sadly, these last few weeks, that “time” for ourselves and for creation has become fleeting. Both girls not sleeping during the day, and a 2 year old near impossible to get to sleep before 9pm. It’s not surprising that I’ve been feeling a little spread thin, as I externalise all my energy with the intention of serving others. This is not a cry for help or sympathy, I’m always ok with how things unfold, but rather an explanation as to why I’ve been a bit quiet on this front, and why I will be, as I need to start internalising some of this energy for myself. 

In fact, it’s taken me at least 2 weeks to write this,  finding the words, finding the right words, wondering how those words would be perceived, holding back and then starting again. This choking if you will, or holding back and not speaking from a place of truth indicates to me that energy flow to Vishuddha is hindered and requires my attention. 

Physically I’ve been experiencing headaches, neck and shoulder pain, and although my thyroid disease is managed some of the symptoms of that have been surfacing. So this post is not to say that I’m taking time away, more so, that I’m taking time within so that I can realign myself with my creative identity, and in doing so continue to work with you all from a place of authenticity on the mat in the near future...

If anyone else is feeling a little like this, then I encourage you to take my 45minute Hatha Yoga for Self Expression + Communication Flow below 🙏

Love + Light Namaste

Find some space, roll out your mat or cushion, gather any other relaxation props ( eye pillow, blanket, blocks etc ). Hit play, and settle in for this awareness guided meditation.

Guided Meditation

Being isolated doesn’t mean you can’t practice yoga, in fact, there is no better time to commit to a regular practice than now. No need for props (if you have them though, great!) or a large space - just have your device at the ready, roll out your mat and lets get started!

A Vinyasa Flow to lengthen through the side body

A Hatha/Vinyasa Class for Spine Extension

Guys, we are almost at the very centre of our being. But for now, Say hello 👋🏽 to your 4th sheath - The Vijnanamayakosha (the wisdom body).

This is where your ability to discern what you need, how to use your intellect, your determination/will and your sensory organs reside. Even though this kosha is associated with wisdom and consciousness, it is not the same as our true self. This is largely because it is transient, changing, limited and not always present.

It is responsible for all inner growth and personal development; this includes the presence and evolution of morals and ethics. This kosha seeks to draw awareness from what is happening in front of the senses to a much deeper mental state, therefore it should come as no surprise that the central goal here is higher wisdom.

Intuition and Willpower are connected to both our third eye and solar plexus, and like the other koshas it is interactive and dependant upon the other layers of the body. Practicing Asana (poses), Dharana (concentration), and Dhyana (meditation) can help you connect to that deeper intuition, wisdom, and knowledge.

On Saturday we worked through a series of Balancing Postures, Twists, Core Work and Single-Pointed Concentration to help activate and align this sheath, and finished our practice with Chitta Mudra ( the gesture of consciousness ). I’ll include some detailed instruction about how to practice this mudra meditation below as well as some other practices that can help awaken this sheath.

CITTA MUDRA: Citta mudra is a simple yoga technique or gesture, designed to promote the awakening of consciousness. As a Samyukta Hasta ("double hand") Mudra, it is

Performed by placing the hands in prayer position, known as Anjali Mudra. The forefingers are folded until the tips touch the tops of the thumbs, while the other fingers remain extended.

Citta Mudra may be practiced while seated, prone, standing or in movement, as long as the body remains relaxed and symmetrical. It may also be practiced during Pranayama and meditation.

Trataka, or concentrated gazing, is one of the shatkarmas (cleansing processes) of yoga, and forms a bridge between the physically-centered and mentally-centered yoga practices.

To practice trataka, sit in a comfortable meditation posture in front of a low table. Place a candle on the table so it’s at eye level and an arm’s length away. Close your eyes and relax your body for a few moments. Open your eyes and gaze steadily at the candle’s flame, without blinking or moving your eyes. Keep your awareness on the flame. Do this for a minute or two; then close your eyes and continue to focus on the internal image of the flame. When you can no longer see the flame, open your eyes and repeat. You can practice this a couple more times; then rub your hands together and gently cup your palms over your eyes.

Say Hello to the Manomaya kosha, the third sheath/layer of our being: The Mental Body.

Within this kosha is where we imagine, and dream. This kosha is comprised of our thoughts, our feelings and emotions. It is the part of you that creates meaning out of the world you inhabit and is one of the most challenging layers to transcend, because it’s where we feel and experience everything.

Just as our annamaya kosha (physical body) has layers: of skin, fat, tissue, muscle, blood and bones, so to does our mental body; the most superficial layer comprises passing thoughts, perceptions, images and emotions.

Our thoughts and perceptions have the ability to construct or destroy, therefore many of us swing like a pendulum from happiness to suffering, attaching or identifying with every thought, feeling and emotion. Naturally, the central goal here is FREEDOM. Freedom from the fixation we have on our thoughts and feelings. 

There are many aparigraha (non attachment) exercises or practices that can offer us this freedom. You will find that much of these practices are incorporated into your yoga classes.

MANTRA:

At the start of a class we will usually have you set yourself an intention/affirmation or a mantra that you can use to bring your awareness back to, as your mind begins to wander. In Sanskrit ‘Mantra’ translates as ‘Man’ meaning mind and ‘Tra’, meaning tool. Mantra or affirmations are one of the most effective tools we can use to transcend and purify the mind. This is a basic use of mantra, if you wish to deepen  Your mantra practice I suggest the following:

Find a quiet space where you will not be disturbed. Light incense or candles, to cleanse the space. Find a comfortable seated position, sitting either on a cushion or bolster to raise the hips higher than the knees. Mantra's can either be vocalised or recited silently. Mala beads may also be helpful to count the mantra repetitions. When you first begin the practice you may start off with fewer repetitions, building up to 108 repetitions. Mantra is best practised in the twilight hours - a reflective time to pause, find stillness and take the time to transition into and out of your day. Don’t have a mantra ? You can listen to one of my favourites here: guru mantra:

guru brahma, guru vishnu, guru devo maheshwarah

guru sakshat, param brahma, tasmai shri guravay namah

This ancient Sanskrit chant to the guru, the remover of darkness, illuminates and reminds us that we hold the keys to our own happiness internally. 

SELF INQUIRY:

This little exercise can be practiced  anywhere at anytime, in fact I encourage you to do this in a place where you’re likely to be disturbed in someway. The goal is to watch your thoughts, see if you identify with them in an unhealthy way, or whether you can witness these thoughts without attachment. For example; if someone pushes in front of you, or cuts you off on the road - what are your immediate thoughts and feelings? Do you even have a reaction?

This next self inquiry exercise is adapted from an exercise developed by the spiritual teacher Byron Katie. Think about a situation in your life that is charged in some way. Write down each of your thoughts about it. One by one, consider each thought and ask yourself, "How would I be or feel without this thought?" Begin to observe how you are breathing, witness your energy, and your mental experience shift. Now, consciously replace the thought with one that feels empowering and real—such as "I am free to choose my perspective" or "There are other ways this can be viewed." Now notice whether this new thought brings greater spaciousness to your mind.

I really encourage you to do this regularly. When you change your beliefs, or become mindful of your habitual reactions to unpleasant emotions, you actually alter the neurochemistry and the structure of your brain.

PRATYAHARA:

A Sanskrit term meaning ‘withdrawal of the senses’. We live in a world of sensory overload. Pratyahara offers us a haven of silence and freedom. It’s very possible that you have practiced this in each class during Savasana (relaxation). During the second stage of savasana, you are withdrawing from the external world without losing contact with it. Here you still register input from your sense organs but you don’t respond to that input. You can follow my guided pratyahara meditation here

MUDRA

Another fantastic way to prepare for pratyahara is by using Shanmukhi mudra, which is the practice of closing the “six gates” or sense organs of the head. The gates refer to the areas where prana comes in and goes out. There are a few variations, but I was taught like this: with your open palms towards your face and elbows level with your shoulders, place the thumbs over your ears. Next, gently close the eyes with your index fingers, middle fingers connect to either side of the nostrils, and the ring and little fingers are above and below the lips. Allow the nostrils to slightly open for gentle inhales/exhales, closing the flow for a few seconds between breaths. While in the silence, draw the awareness inward. Listen for sounds, feelings, and visions in the body. I find it most beneficial to practice Shanmukhi mudra after asana and pranayama and as a preparation for meditation.

. You can think of this sheath as the organising field that holds our physical body together. This life force or Prana as we call it in yoga is the energy that governs your biological processes, from breathing to digestion, to the circulation of blood. It cannot be seen and measured, but only felt.

Prana can become blocked and distorted by external factors such as poor diet, negative thoughts, and an unhealthy and sedentary lifestyle. When prana is blocked or weak, it can lead us to experience a range of physical and emotional symptoms. So the central goal here is to clear blockages or free up energy so that it can travel through the body more efficiently; when our prana can flow freely we feel healthy on a physical level, as well as on a mental and spiritual level too.

So how can we nourish and sustain this layer of our being?
Yoga of course! Yoga devotes an entire class of practices that help to restore balance and flow of prana. Pranayama (Breath work) is the best place to start. Without perplexing you by discussing the various pranayama techniques here, try simply taking a few, slow deep breaths and observe how this can instantly make you feel better. Our Asana ( Yoga poses ) are designed to move stagnant energy and improve the flow of prana throughout the body. Mantras and intentions that we set at the beginning of a class help to lift our vibrational energy and meditation helps to calm our minds.

Yoga aside, there are many other ways that can benefit your prana, such as eating healthy foods ( which have their own vital energy ), being in nature and energy healing ( such as reiki, crystal and chakra balancing ). If you haven’t had one of these then I highly recommend @tracies_healing_ and @itsallgood_naturaltherapies.

In this Saturday’s Hatha/Vinyasa Class we will explore our bodies potential by pushing through emotional and physical blockages - I’ll include a mudra, pranayama and guided meditation on the blog on Sunday for those who missed out/ or want to practice at home 

This body is the only one of the five that we can physically see. It’s comprised of your anatomy and physiology and the central goal is embodiment. When we truly inhabit our bodies, we have heightened perception, we develop greater awareness, which allows us to make dietary and lifestyle choices that nourish us. Embodiment leads us to greater self acceptance, self love and self care.

Because the annamaya kosha is the only body that we can physically see and touch, we want to think of exercises or practices that nourish our every being, inside and out.

This could be anything from resting, to consuming healthy foods, a skin care routine, exercising, getting outdoors, and/or connecting with nature.

Practices such as root chakra focused yoga, breathwork, self massage (abhyanga), sex and anything else that creates connection with your tangible physical form will help to awaken or sustain the wellbeing of this energetic body.

Since the central goal of this kosha is embodiment; I have included below: a small guided practice, a mudra and meditation to help you connect with this first layer of your being.

Click here to access the guided meditation

According to the yoga tradition, every one of us has five bodies, each made of increasingly finer grades of energy.
The five progressively subtler bodies that compose our personality are described in a yoga classic called the Taittiriya Upanishad:

“Human beings consist of a material body built from the food they eat. Those who care for this body are nourished by the universe itself.

“Inside this is another body made of life energy. It fills the physical body and takes its shape. Those who treat this vital force as divine experience excellent health and longevity because this energy is the source of physical life.

“Within the vital force is yet another body, this one made of thought energy. It fills the two denser bodies and has the same shape. Those who understand and control the mental body are no longer afflicted by fear.

“Deeper still lies another body comprised of intellect. It permeates the three denser bodies and assumes the same form. Those who establish their awareness here free themselves from unhealthy thoughts and actions, and develop the self-control necessary to achieve their goals.

“Hidden inside it is yet a subtler body, composed of pure joy. It pervades the other bodies and shares the same shape. It is experienced as happiness, delight, and bliss.”

These five bodies are called koshas, or “sheaths,” in Sanskrit, because each fits in the next like a sword in a scabbard. Only the densest is made of matter as we know it; the other four are energy states invisible to the physical eye, though we can easily sense their presence inside us when we pay close attention. Since the inner bodies are the source of our well-being during life and are the vehicles we travel in after death, India’s ancient yogis developed specific exercises to strengthen and tone each one in turn.

Over the next 5 weeks, I’ll be delving into each Kosha (sheath/body) in more detail and share with you some practices that help to awaken and sustain the wellbeing of that energetic body.

If the smell of meat cooking, or just a whiff of your morning brew suddenly has you making a beeline for the bathroom, then you might be wanting to rule out pregnancy as the trigger, that is of course, if you haven’t already confirmed it.

For years, women have attributed such aversions to the surge of hormones that attend pregnancy. But what if these aversions were more than just a result of hormonal changes? What if we felt nauseous in pregnancy for good evolutionary reasons?

In the late 1980’s, biologists such as Margie Profet, of the University of California proposed a new explanation: Suggesting that morning sickness, could actually be an evolutionary adaptation, one that protects the vulnerable foetus from natural toxins. Fast-forward 20 years and that hypothesis became science when neurobiologist Paul Sherman and Cornell University graduate student Samuel Flaxman published the results of a cross-cultural study in The Quarterly Review of Biology.

Sherman looked at the results of 56 morning sickness studies covering 79,000 pregnancies across 16 countries. 66%of the pregnant women, reported some sort of illness in weeks 6 through 14 of their pregnancy. More interesting, about 65% of the women had an aversion to at least one food; far too many for the aversions to be merely imaginative. Among those women, 16% avoided caffeinated drinks, 8% avoided cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cabbage, and 4% avoided spicy ethnic food; all of which contain natural toxins (secondary compounds), which protect plants from pests and pathogens. A staggering 28%, however, couldn't stomach animal products, especially meat, poultry, eggs, or fish.

The data confirmed the outlines of the evolutionary theory, but what was found in the detail came as a surprise. Whilst cruciferous vegetables, coffee and spices seem to trigger morning sickness, the most recent studies suggest meat, fish, poultry and eggs to be the foods most women avoid early in pregnancy. During the first trimester, fetal organs are still developing, so the evolutionary reason seems clear: these foods are the most likely to carry parasites and pathogens that could harm a foetus, as well as putting the mother at risk. The Cornell University team found further proof of this pattern by comparing anthropological reports from 27 societies where the early symptoms of pregnancy were considered. The societies in the first group relied on corn, rice, tubers and other plants as the main staples of their diet and rarely consumed animal products. The societies in the second group drank milk, and consumed fish or meat. What they found in the societies in the first group, morning sickness was all but unknown.

If you’ve already had a baby, or currently pregnant you may also agree with me when I say morning sickness is really an inaccurate term, since the nausea can strike at any time and/or for any length of time during the day. Your mum, sister or nan may have even cheered at the other end of the phone hearing that you’ve spent the morning getting acquainted with the toilet bowl, but don’t let those raging hormones fool you into thinking they are getting satisfaction out of your suffering, no no, the old wives tale suggesting women who get morning sickness are less likely to miscarry also carries some merit. When the body is invaded by something, be it a virus or a ball of foreign cells (such as an embryo), it will try its very best to rid itself of it. So getting sick early in pregnancy makes sense, and really it should be viewed as a positive thing, however you might want to have yourself a maxalon before thanking the universe or journaling your gratitude for it.

Another interesting aspect is the timing of morning sickness, which also happens to coincide with the mother’s immune response. This is typically weakened between 6-14weeks, giving the embryo time to burrow into the uterine wall. During this time the pregnant mother is more susceptible to viruses and bacteria. Spoiled food commonly contains toxoplasma, which is usually harmless, but early in pregnancy it can lead to maternal infection and possible miscarriage. The foetus becomes less vulnerable after the first trimester, which is when we generally start seeing these aversions subsiding, if you’re a new mum reading this, yes for most of us they do subside – hallelujah!

So if you’re planning on having a baby, or currently riding out the unpleasantness of that first trimester, try minimising or removing some of the aforementioned foods, spices and drinks to see if that reduces or eliminates your symptoms. If that fails you, then find comfort in knowing that your body is designed perfectly to protect the bundle of genes growing inside of you, even if that means spewing your guts out for a few weeks, the sacrifice is worth the reward!