Hello, and thank you for stopping by. My name is Elina and I teach Yoga and Mindfulness Techniques.
UPDATED 28th MARCH 2021.
Right now you can catch me for live classes via Zoom, the schedule and where/how to book details are below. Indoor group classes in England start the 17th May 2021 the earliest.
I have a YouTube Channel where I regularaly release new yoga videos every week. The yoga videos are about 20 minute long, and I have them both in English and in Finnish.
The platforms for my Zoom classes are YinYan and Vivaya Live. Both stream via Zoom and are super easy to use. Drop ins are welcomed, although you can of course make a monthly subscription to try a variety of classes at a very affortable price. The times indicated are BST (GMT + 1).
10 – 10:45 FREE Chair Yoga via Zoom. Please book your space here.
18:30 – 19:30 Dynamic Vinyasa Flow via Zoom. Book here.
FRIDAY
17:00 – 18:00 Restorative Yoga with Yoga Nidra, book here.
SUNDAY
10:30 – 11:30 Dynamic Morning Flow (Intermediate, some yoga experience is preferred), Please book here.
18:00 – 19:00 Restorative Yoga with Yoga Nidra, book here.
If you are interested in private online or in person yoga classes please do get in touch. If you income is severely affected by the current situation do not let that stop you from getting in touch – Yoga belongs to everybody, and I do not want financial concerns to be the obstacle to practise yoga.
Long gone are the days when we would walk into a yoga studio and borrow/rent a yogamat. In many countries, the new normal dictates that we must bring our own mats and props with us. With that goes the mandatory cleaning of the equipment on a regular basis. Even if you are quite not ready to join a public class (Zoom classes are definitely here to say), you do want to show some care for your hardworking yoga mat from time to time.
I am sure many of us have just showed our yoga mats to the washing machine and be done with it. This can be done, however I do not recommend it. Why? First of all, machine wash can be a bit rough on your mat, and it can lose some of its grippiness as a result. Secondly, depending on the material and make of your mat, there might be small pieces of the mat that break away. Not great for the mat but also, not great for the pipes, nuts and bolts of your washing machine!
With the gyms and yoga studios opening here in the UK this week (and cleaning being something we all do A LOT these days), here is how you can clean your yoga mat at home in a sustainable manner, staying kind to your washing machine and enviroment alike.
Read below the steps to take to clean your yoga mat in an eco-friendly way
Have any type of spray bottle at hand (I use an old magnesium spray bottle)
Use filtered or otherwise purified water
Have some white vinegar, leftover vodka (or other type of clear spirit) or lemon juice.
Fill the bottle with mainly water, then add few drops of vinegar/alcohol/lemon juice in the mix (I never measure anything, but here I am talking about actual drops)
Then shake the bottle well (before every cleaning), spray the mix all over the mat and wipe it dry with a clean cloth
If there are bigger stains in the mat you can use a soft sponge to gently rub them. Be careful though as this might damage the surface of the mat! Some people recommend using mild ecological soap but be watch out with this one. Any soap residue will make your mat very slippery and we do not want that.
Be also mindful that some mats stain easier than others (you can read about different types of yoga mats here.) For instance, whilst adding few drops of essential oil to your homemade cleaning solution can have its benefits (e.g. tea tree is naturally antibacterial, lavender has a calming smell…), they can also contribute towards staining. At the end of the day though, a stain from cleaning your mat is always better than a stain from months and years of usage.
If there is residue water left on the surface from your cleaning, you can take you mat out to the sun to dry. Don’t leave it out for too long however, strong sun is not a friend of any yoga mat in large quantities as it makes the material more fragile.
Store your yoga mat away when not practising
After use it is always a good idea to roll up your yoga mat and tuck it away for the next use. I know it is tempting to leave your mat lying on the floor. However, especially if you have any furry family members (or ones with any type of sharp claws), you give longer lease of life for your mat if you store it away between practises. You might also want to think about having one mat for your home practise, and another to take with you socially distanced studio class. A good quality mat that is well cared for will last you for years, also making you an environmentally friendly yoga practitioner!
Enjoy cleaning your mat and continue enjoying your practice!
The 21st June is The International Day of Yoga, also known as World Yoga Day. It has been celebrated since 2015, the year was approved by the United Nation’s General Assembly, by an unprecented concensus by the Member Nations.
The impetus to mark the Yoga Day came from India, the birth country of Yoga. The Prime Minister of India, Narenda Modi, said at the time how “Yoga is an invaluable gift of India’s ancient tradition. It embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfilment; harmony between man and nature; a holistic approach to health and well-being. It is not about exercise but to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and the nature. By changing our lifestyle and creating consciousness, it can help us deal with climate change. Let us work towards adopting an International Yoga Day”.
Many of us are familiar with the physical aspect of yoga, the asana, but there is much more in offer when we start digging into yoga. Interviewed few days ago, India’s Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu noted “As Prime Minister Modi has emphasized yoga is a means to both fitness and wellness. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted our daily lives. In this context, yoga has become even more relevant for healthy living. I hope more people will be inspired and adopt yoga in their lives.”
The theme for this year’s Yoga Day is Yoga at Home and Yoga with Family, quite aptly. I would imagine many of you reading this have taken at least one YouTube, IG Live or a Zoom Yoga class over the past months, from your respective quarantine locations. However, it does not take these unusual circumstances to appreciate how yoga is as much of a personal practice, as it can be about community. The eight limbs of yoga are an enormous offering for contemplation that can be conveyed to audiences of any age.
So why the date of the 21st June, the time of Summer Solstice in the Northern hemisphere? It is the that marks also the longest day of the year, and already has special significance in many parts of the world. Well that IS the reason, as from Yoga’s perspective summer solstice is a transition period and therefore an optimal time for meditation. But so does the Winter Solstice, taking place exactly 6 months after (or before) the Summer one. Lets look further
The summer marks a time of everything being in full bloom. In the other end, the Winter Solstice symbolizes death and rebirth, new beginnings and fresh starts. I have heard how this can parallel the phases of the moon. The New Moon is dark and is often said to mark a new cycle, whereas the Full Moon is when things you started to foster at New Moon become to their full potential. Essentially both are about the cyclical nature of life, about beginnings and endings, starting and finishing… and repeating the cycle again.
Like the sound of this all and keen to hear more? To celebrate the World Yoga Day I am offering a session of 36 Sun Salutations for FREE on Sunday the 21st June, at 12:00 pm UK Time. Everybody on my email list will be sent a Zoom link before Sunday, and you can join the list by leaving your email address here.
But why 36 Sun Salutations? Why not 108? Check in later in the week to know why.
Jooganidra, tai jooginen unennäkö joksi sitä myös kutsutaan, on olennainen osa joogaperinnettä ja sen moninaisia muotoja. Jooganidra on meditatiivinen harjoitus, ja se sopii useimmille ihmisille riippumatta heidän fyysisetä kunnostaan tai aiemmasta joogataustasta. Jooga nidra ei kuitenkaan ole yhtä laajasti tunnettu harjoitus kuin esimerkiksi joogan fyysisemmät muodot, vaikka siinä ei ole kyse mistään mystisestä.
Lue alta lyhyesti mistä kaikesta jooganidrasta on kysymys.
Tietoisen levon harjoitus
Jooganidra on tietoisen levon harjoitus jossa tarkoituksena ei ole nukahtaa, vaikka näinkin voi rehellisyyden nimissä käydä. Harjoituksen päämäärä on saavuttaa syvän tietoisuuden tila, jossa on mahdollista olla samaan aikaan sekä levossa että tietoinen tämän levon eri tasoista. Jooganidra noudattaa tiettyjä tuhansia vuosia vanhoja lainalaisuuksia jotka ovat kuitenkin niin joustavia, että ajallisesti nidraharjoitus voi kestää mitä tahansa kymmenestä minuutista yli tuntiin. Osaavan vetäjän käsissä jooganidra antaa harjoittajalle mahdollisuuden tuntea täydellinen fyysinen, henkinen ja emotionaalinen rentoutuminen.
Istuen tai makuuasennossa
Jooganidra-harjoitus voidaan tehdä makuuasennossa tai istumalla, sen mukaan mikä sillä hetkellä tuntuu parhaalta. Nidran voi tehdä yhtä hyvin työvaatteissa kuin verkkareissakin. Tärkeintä on, että harjoittelijalla on mukava ja turvallinen olo, sopivan lämpöisessä tilassa, jossa ei ole ylimääräisiä häiriötekijöitä.
Tieteellisesti todistettu toimivuus
Tieteellisissä tutkimuksissa jooganidran on osoitettu rauhoittavan hermostoa, parantavan verenpainetta sekä tasapainottavan kehon hormoonitiloja. Jooganidra voi myös olla erittäin miellyttävä ja kokonaisvaltiasta rauhanoloa edistävä kokemus esimerkiksi ahdistusta, masennusta ja/tai erilaisista stressihäiriöstä kärsiville.
Lyhyen tai pitkän kaavan kautta
Ei aikaa? Ei hätää! Jooganidra-harjoitus voidaan tehdä itsenäisenä kokonaisuutena, mihin päivän aikaan tahansa. Voit kuunnella nidra-äänityksen sängyssä heti herättyäsi, tehdä 30 minuutin mittaisen harjoituksen lounastauon aikana, tai nauttia siitä hikiseen Vinyasa Flow tunnin jälkeen. Suurin osa jooganidran koulukunnista noudattaa melko samanlaisia rakenteita. Tämä tarkoittaa, että harjoittelu on erittäin mukautuvaa ja se toimii yhtä hyvin riippumatta sen pituudesta.
Kiinnostaisiko sinua kokeilla?
Kiinnostaako jooganidran kokeilu? Harjoituksia löytyy paljon ilmaisina tallenteina. Omiin suosikkeihini kuuluvat Yoga Nidra Network – sivun sekä Insight Timer – sovelluksen lukemattomat tallenteet. Löydät nidroja myös myös YouTubesta. Harjoitusta ei voi tehdä väärin, joten voit aloittaa helposti hakemalla haluamasi pituisen harjoituksen ja käymällä mukavaan asentoon ja antamalla mennä – tai siis olla. Anna äänen johdattaa sinut rentoutukseen ja nauti.
Tällä viikolla (kesäkuun ensimmäisellä viikolla) sisällytän myös jooganidran kaikkiin 60 minuutin harjoitteluuni. Itse en käytä valmiita tekstejä joten jokainen nidra tällä viikolla (ja muutenkin) on erilainen ja tilanteeseen sopiva. Olisi ilo tavata sinut Zoom-tunnilla, tämän viikon tunnit näet tämän linkin takaa.
Yoga Nidra, or the Yogic Sleep, is an integral part of the Art and Sciences of Yoga. One of the most accessible ways of practicing yoga, Yoga Nidra is not necessarily the most well known one. Read here briefly what it is all about, in 5 points.
Yoga Nidra translates as “Yogic Sleep”
Yoga Nidra, or the Yogic Sleep as can be described, is a technique of achieving a state of conscious rest. It follows a specific format that can take anything between 10 to 90 minutes. During the practice of Nidra, the practitioner appears to be asleep, but maintains a consciousness at a deeper level of awareness. Yoga Nidra is always guided, and in expert hands can allow for the practitioner to feel complete physical, mental and emotional relaxation.
A non-physical practice, it is suitable for most individuals
Yoga Nidra can be practiced lying down or seated, in any type of clothing, and regardless of one’s physical ability. The main thing is to have a set up that feels comfortable, safe, and free of distractions.
Scientifically proven health benefits
In several studies Yoga Nidra has been proven to calm the nervous system, improve blood pressure, heart rate variables and hormone irregularities. It can also be an incredibly soothing experience for those suffering from anxiety, depression and PTSD, to name but few.
Yoga Nidra does not require a lot of time
Not much time? No problem! Yoga Nidra can be practised as a standalone method, and at any point of the day. You can listen to a Nidra recording in your bed first thing after waking up, do a 30 minute one during your lunch break, or enjoy it as an addition to your sweaty Vinyasa Flow. Most Schools of Yoga Nidra follow reasonably similar structures. This means the practice is highly adaptable and works just as well, regardless its length.
Can be practised by listening to a recording, or in a live setting
Interested in trying out this practice? There are plenty of very good recorded and free resources: My favourites include the recording as Yoga Nidra Network page, and those you can find on the Insight Timer app. You can also find them on YouTube. There is no wrong way of doing a Yoga Nidra so you can easily start by picking up one and moving on from there and discover if you have preferences: Female voice, male voice, with or without soundscape in the background… There are several different types of Nidra available.
Twice a week I teach a 60 minute Restorative Yoga and Yoga Nidra class on Vivaya Live. The Friday class is at 17:00 BST, and the Sunday class is at 18:00 BST. Drop ins are welcome, you can book your spot from here.
My last “Sustainable Christmas Presents” post was written three years ago. Reading it now am struck by how much things have changed for the better, in terms of sustainable living and life choices being in the minds of every day consumer! Having the full information on how, where and by whom items are produced is so much easier. Those of us who will be in last minute rush will no longer need to opt for charity donations on behalf of somebody (although this is a great thing to do) but you can easily find sustainable alternatives for a range of gifts, regardless your budget!
So, in case you feel your nearest and dearest (or your boss) are not quite ready to hear you have sponsored goats/toilets/school uniforms on their behalf, here are some ideas of sustainable gifts. All of the products/companies below I am either a happy customer myself, or have heard great things of from trusted source.
Cosmetics That Are Good For the Skin and Planet
For cosmetics check out UpCircle Beauty, a company that takes used coffee grounds and turn them into beauty products such as scrubs. How genious is that? Everything is vegan, organic, sustainable, recyclable… For those small gifts and stocking fillers, check out their “under £10” section.
UpCycle Pamper Kit
In Finland, just head to Ruohonjuuri (or their website) for a wide selection of eco-friendly, cruelty free options. In Cyprus, my go-to shop (online and in Nicosia) is Eco Home Store.
Fairly and Sustainably Made Clothes
For sustainable clothing and accessories, I am loving how much more choice there is these days, for different types of activities. Also the quality of materials has improved so much. Personally I find my recycled plastic leggings these days far superior to the traditional poly-elastane mix leggings in comfort and in fit. As I have gone through a lot of leggings in my life, you can trust me on this one!
Weekendbeeis a Finnish online shop that only sells active wear from companies that have sustainability as their core value. Their mission is to make its products, manufacturing, and operations as sustainable as possible. As well as some of the better known brands, such as Patagonia and Jack Wolfskin, they also stock smaller and newer sustainable brands.
Finisterreis a British brand that designs functional and sustainable outdoor products. Their items range from wetsuits to coats to dresses and jumpsuits. They also have a repair service for their products, based in Cornwall.
Allbirds Footwear and Will’s Vegan shoes both have sustainability, ethics and fair wages in the forefront of their business model. I have also not met a single person who would not have been happy with their Allbirds and Will’s shoes so they are definitely something to check out.
Ninety Percent is a London based company sells the type of womens wear we all use: There are sweats, dresses, knitwear… They also share 90% of their distributed profits between five charitable causes. My next trackpants and basic T’s are coming from here for sure!
For leggings and yoga gear, FreeSpirit and Nitara are both UK based, female run and make leggings and tops out of recycled plastic and organic cotton. Designed for movement, these products do not start sliding or feeling otherwise awkward when in the middle of yoga class. N
Freespirit tops
If it is swim and surf wear you are after, The Seea makes amazingly elegant and highly functional products that last. I am still using pieces I bought 8 years ago! They also have an increasing collection of rashies, one pieces and bikinis made out of recycled materials.
Still using these TheSeea products, ordered in 2012…
Finally, Halla x Hallais a Finnish company whose swimwear fabric starts its journey as fishing nets, carpet flooring, and plastic from landfills and oceans all over the world. The products are manufactured in Bali, with the factory employees paid a fair living wage and good working conditions.
Other Sustainable Present Options
If candles are your thing, look out how they are made. For instance, candles made from soy wax usually burn cleaner and longer than paraffin candles, giving a more subtle fragrance. Another option is candles made of coconut wax that have a great scent throw and burns slowly. Beeswax candles are not vegan, but help purify the air as it burns and is often blended with other waxes as it has a scent of its own.
There are also many great option for non-material Sustainable Christmas Presents, one of them being one or a series of one-to-one (or small group) yoga classes. I am offering my private classes with -20% discount if purchased by Monday the 16th December. If this raises your curiosity, do not hesitate to get in touch !
What are your ideas for Sustainable Christmas Presents?
Few days ago I shared in this post few simple Mindfulness Exercises you can easily incorporate in our daily lives. The practises given were more about bringing the attention in the “externals” of the moment, through focusing on outside sounds and the physical body. The next two exercises are more about finding the “being in the now” through focusing on the internal.
As in the previous
exercises, find a comfortable a seated position, on the floor or on a chair.
Lying on a yoga mat is also an option but if you choose this, try not to fall
asleep during your practise. You can choose any location where you feel
comfortable to soften your gaze, or even close your eyes. Breath as you feel the
most relaxed: Lengthening your inhales and exhales is always an option but if
this does not feel comfortable or seems to take your main focus, just breath
normally.
Internal Scan
Sometimes called
the Mindful Check-In, the aim of this practise is to pause to check in how you
are REALLY feeling at a present moment and acknowledging what is there. You
might notice some physical sensations whilst starting to check in, such as
tension, dullness or tingling. Start paying attention to your state of mind,
the emotions that arise and notice them without any judgement. It is absolutely
ok to notice feelings of frustration, irritation or even anger, or feeling sad
and tired. Do not try to chase emotions that we might classify as “negative”,
just notice them and acknowledge them. It might feel silly but you can try
saying hello to them in your mind, and then just let them go, observing what
comes up next.
Eventually you
might be able to notice how many layers of emotions. For instance, there is a
saying “angry is the bodyguard of sad.” So maybe, underneath the irritation or
anger there are feelings of having been let down or disappointment. In a longer
practise, acknowledgment of the feelings and noticing the underlying currents
can help us to create a distance with ourselves and our thoughts and emotions.
This is turn will help not to get caught up and owned by our feelings, as we
start to understand where they arise and learn to create a moment of stillness
when we need it. Be generous and kind with yourself: Mindfulness is about
taking care of yourself and honouring what is within you at a given time.
Observing The Psychological Time
Psychological
time, as opposite to clock time, can be described as the time that occurs in
the brain, as the thinking mind projects to the past or to the future. Whilst
it is natural for the mind to wonder outside the present moment, we should be
aware of not being over consumed by the past or the present on the expense of
what we are experiencing in the moment. For instance, many of us have found
ourselves in holidays, starting to think how wonderful things are and how we
wish that holidays would last forever. This line of thinking can however easily
turn into negative thoughts about how it will be to return to work and to our normal
routine. Rather than enjoying the moment, we are allowing the future – over
which we have no control nor knowledge how it is going to turn out – to steal
from the current moment and from the experiences we could be having.
Another example of
getting caught up in the highly subjective psychological time is to let past
events and/or emotions – both of which we cannot do anything about anymore –
take excessive amount of time from the present moment. Whatever the past
incidents might be, the only thing we can do about them is to acknowledge them,
make peace with them and let them go.
The observing the
psychological time practise helps us to increase self-awareness and to learn
how to be more focused and fulfilled in the moment. Lying down or seated, start
noticing where your thoughts are going, again with no judgement. Do you notice
your mind wondering more to the past events, or to the future? Do you notice
finding yourself going back (or forward) to the same moment, or moments have a
similar theme? Gently acknowledge the psychological time of your thoughts and
see if you can guide yourself back to the present moment, without any need to
start trying to figure things our right now – that can always take place later.
Take your time and accept the emotions that might surface.
As with all the mindfulness exercises in this post and the previous, allow yourself few minutes to come around gently. If you practise with eyes closed, gently open your eyes, maybe stretch your body a little bit, scrunch your face, take few conscious inhales and exhales. Acknowledge and thank yourself for your willingness to be present in the practise. Regardless of any feeling of how you think your practise went, recognise and congratulate the fact that you with any one of these practises you are contributing towards your well-being.
Over the last few years Mindfulness has become to the awareness of general public internationally, although its roots can be traced thousands of years back. But what is Mindfulness exactly and how do you exercise it?
A useful
definition of Mindfulness comes from Dr Jon Kabat-Zinn who developed his first
stress-reduction programme in the 70s. He regards the practise as “the
awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment,
non-judgementally, and in the service of self-understanding and wisdom.”
In other words, mindfulness
practises aim to bring our focus more to the now, rather than be occupied by
the past and/or the present. This helps us to adjust the ways we experience and
appreciate the world around us, and not to get caught up and consumed by
something we cannot have any influence over.
Mindfulness is
often practised in a seated position, on the floor or on a comfortable chair.
Lying on a yoga mat is also an option but if you choose this, try not to fall
asleep during your practise. There are also other alternatives, such as walking
meditations in the nature that can make practising mindfulness more
approachable.
In this post and
the next I am sharing four simple mindfulness exercises. Some of you might be
familiar with one or several of them as especially the body scan is often used
in yoga classes. You can practise any of the four on their own, or combine two
or more, as you prefer. You can choose any location where you feel comfortable
to soften your gaze, or even close your eyes. Breath as you feel the most
comfortable: Lengthening your inhales and exhales is always an option but if
this does not feel comfortable or seems to take your main focus, just breath normally.
The length of the
practise is up to you: Even two minutes is better than nothing so see what fits
into your day and mood at a given moment. Practising Mindfulness is not a
linear process so do not worry if sitting still does not come easy, even if you
had a great session the day before – This is absolutely normal.
Exercise 1: Focus On The External Sounds
This exercise
invites you to observe all the different sounds around, noticing them and then
moving on to the next sound your hear, and the next, and so on… The point of
this exercise is firstly of course to observe the soundscape we live in: The
loud, obvious sounds (hello police sirens of Central London!), the quiet,
obvious ones (aircon in the summer, anyone?), the “oh what is that” ones…
But can we also
calmly observe the sounds that are not neutral to us: The person sitting nearby
with a habit of chewing their food or sipping their drink in a way that just
grates us, the colleague who has phone mannerisms that do not sit well with us
or the road works from the street below?
We usually have
very little control over (all) sounds in our environment, just like we can have
little control over various events happening around us. So rather than getting
irritated by, say the colleague with a habit of loudly slurping their lunch
soup, this exercise can help us to distance ourselves from them by simply
acknowledging them, letting go and moving on, rather than getting “stuck” and
annoyed.
Exercise 2: The Body Scan
Staying with the
“outside body”, the body scan invites us to connect and feel into the physical
form of ourselves. A technique often used in yoga classes, there are several
different variations of body scan out there, all just as valid. They all have
the same purpose though: To learn to become more aware and reconnected with our
bodies, without any judgement or need for comparison (to others, to what we
think our bodies used to be…) During body scan (just like with other
mindfulness practises) we are not trying to “fix” or change anything but to
bring attention to the real-time experience and present moment.
Personally I like
to conduct the body scan lying down but it can equally be done sitting in a
chair or on a mat. As mentioned earlier, eyes can be closed or just relaxed and
softened.
If comfortable, you can start by drawing your
attention to your breath, the inhales and the exhales, without changing
anything. If you find your breath a little short and it feels relaxing to
extend your inhales and exhales, you can do that. You can also use the first
moments to notice the touch points of the body with the ground/yoga mat/seat
beneath. You can observe things such as the weight, pressure, heat or breeze on
the skin, vibration…
Bring your attention to your body parts, one by one.
You can start from the forehead and the space between the eye brows, to see if
there is any tension that you can let go of. Bring your attention to your
cheeks to see if they can be softened, and relax the jaw by separating the
teeth at the back of your mouth.
Continue by working through the body parts (or
focusing on one particular area), one by one: the right shoulder, upper arm,
forearm, wrist, hand and fingers, followed by the left side, moving to your
chest and belly, upper back, middle back and lower back, hips and so on. Try not
to rush through for the sake of “lets get over and done with it” but allow your
focus to rest on each body part at least for few breath cycles (inhale/exhale.)
What do you feel?
Sensations that
can come up might include tightness, pressure, tingling, buzzing and/or
temperature changes – or something else. What if you don’t notice any sensations
or things feel neutral? Just simply notice that, too. There are no right
answers. Just tune in to what’s present, as best you can, without judgement or
expectation.
If, and when (because it is bound to happen), you
start your mind wondering to other things (lunch, how Game of Thrones season 8
is really not that good, summer holidays or the lack of them…) notice that too.
Gently guide your awareness back to your body or your breath. Drifting
attention might happen over and over again and it is absolutely fine so please,
do not feel bad about it. Just by noticing the change in focus and re-tuning it
helps to create new pathways in our brains and that is a scientific fact!
Once you have gone through the whole body, part by part,
take a moment to observe the body as a whole. At your own time, you can then
gently start blinking your eyes open and ease yourself back to the daily
activities (or to sleep.)
Why not try out
the above, and let me know how you get along/if you have any questions. In a
day or two I will post the second part of Mindfulness exercises, be sure to
check those out too!
In The UK this week is The Mental Health Awareness Week, hosted by Mental Health Foundation. I have written about this topic before and it is a real pleasure to notice how, as the years go by, there is more and more awareness on the importance of taking care of our mental health and the different forms mental health issues can take. The society at large is more and more comfortable addressing these issues in an open and non-judgemental way and this can only benefit all of us.
Obviously
mental health is not an issue just for one week a year, just like a good mental
health is more than just absence of a mental health problem. Stress and anxiety
for instance are issues that touch all of us at least some point in our lives:
School or university exams, professional demands and relationship challenges
are unavoidable but luckily there are ways to ease their toll on us.
No surprises
here, I am of course talking about yoga and mindfulness. It widely recognised
through clinical studies that both yoga and mindfulness can be an effective way
to help us during tough times. Read on to find out how.
The Power of Breath – Pranayama – Brings on Calm and Relieves Anxiety
To keep things
simple, just focusing on lengthening inhales and exhales, whilst breathing
through the nose, is a very effective way to bring stillness to the mind. You
can try counting during inhales and exhales to help to keep the rhythm even,
with the added bonus that when you count quietly in your mind, it is pretty
hard to have other thoughts disturbing you.
Yoga Postures – The Asanas – Relief Physical Tension and Can Help The Mind to Refocus
The word “Asana” itself translates as “comfortable seat.” Just forget about the contortionist-ish level poses you might have come across on Instagram on elsewhere and focus on the basics. A class called hatha or beginners, taken online or in a studio/gym setting, will already teach you several poses you can start using in your home practise that does not even be that long. Even a ten minute practise a day, done regularly, can have a huge positive impact.
Mindfulness or Meditation Practise, With or Without an App, Can Be Done in Few Minutes
One concept that has really come to the forefront of conversation over the last few years is mindfulness. It can be described as a mental state achieved by focusing – one purpose – one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations in a non-judgmental way.
It is always
helpful to check in with ourselves to inquire how we are REALLY feeling and
why, even more so if we have a chance to remove ourselves temporarily from a
taxing situation. Noticing what triggers our worries and concerns (or anger –
just as legit emotion as any!) might take some time initially but will pay
itself generously back once we learn to take preventative actions.
The Only Constant In Life is Change
One of the reoccurring themes in yoga is that everything – absolutely everything – is temporary. Things will pass. It might not always feel like and it can be annoying to be reminded of this when the feeling is everything but. But things will pass, always.
Look around and see if there is a yoga class happening somewhere near you – or even in your office – this week, or try out a little bit of meditation. YouTube is a great place to start, or you can download an app such as Just Breathe, Calm or Headspace and use their free versions to find out how mindfulness works for you!
When I started this blog a little under three years
ago, my cousin suggested I write on the topic of “What is Yoga” – Simple as
that. To her, yoga was something along the lines of ”sitting on the floor in an
uncomfortable position, being spiritual” and I am sure there are still many who share
the same impression.
I have also recently had the pleasure of welcoming many new people to several of my classes, so I thought it would be appropriate to publish a freshly edited version of my “What is Yoga” post from September 2016.
Yoga Is Both An Art and A Science
1. The actual word ”yoga”, means ”union” or
”connection”, in its original Sanskrit. In everyday terms we can interpret this
as having a better awareness of ourselves in our lives, be it by being more
aware and in tune with our bodies and mind, or with the wider physical context
we live.
2. Yoga is often
described as ”the science of being here and now”, or “the art of living.” We
can describe this as a practise that helps us to focus on being in the present
and not worrying about the past or future, or a way of uniting mind, body and
spirit.
3. What Yoga is NOT is a religion. Rather it is a
philosophy and a practise encompassing all aspects of life. You are not signing
up to a cult by walking into a yoga class. Equally you do not need to be a
vegetarian to do yoga. You are, however, better off not having a heavy meal
right before a class, due to the twisting and bending that may take place – no
different to a regular exercise class or a gym session.
4. Yoga is also a journey. A journey to
self-discovery, to learning patience, to improving (self-)acceptance. This is not
a quick trip but rather a process. It is called yoga practise for a reason! The
good part is that doing yoga even once a week, or even 20 minutes at a time, will
bring you benefits with time if you practise with an open mind and sincerity.
Yoga is A Physical Practise… But There is More!
5. Many practitioners come to yoga through its
physical form, the asana practise. Some types of yoga, such as Ashtanga or Vinyasa Flow can be very strong, but even the
more gentle forms bring you physical benefits as they help to increase
strength, mobility, flexibility and general body awareness. However, the
physical practise is just one of the seven limbs of yoga and different styles
and teachers can give you different experiences.
6. Some yoga classes bring more philosophy, breathing
practises and/or meditation into the mix. If you are completely new to
the yoga try out a class that clearly says it is for beginners, or a hatha/gentle
yoga class. You might not break a sweat, it can even be completely different
from what you thought it would be. Not all the classes or teachers are going to
resonate with you either and that is absolutely fine. I always encourage people
to try different classes and teachers, and it can be a good idea to try the
same class with the same teacher for few times to give yourself time to figure
out what works for you.
7. Yoga differs from your regular stretching with its
emphasis to breath. Ultimately, we aim to move to the rhythm of our breath and
getting to feel a mind-body connection. No need to worry too much about this
either, even us yoga instructors confuse our inhales and exhales from time to
time. It’s ok, this teaches us the art of ”letting go” in its own way.
But What if Things Get… Weird? Like, Chanting and Stuff!
8. Yes, some classes have chanting or mantras repeated.
You absolutely do not have to join in. Most commonly, you can hear the mantra
OM (often repeated 3 times) and/or the saying ”Namaste”, meaning “the light in me honours the light in
you.”
9. You should never feel forced to do anything in a
yoga class, even if you want to make an effort to the best of your abilities at
that moment. We do not want is to get fixated in some end game or goal, but
rather live and accept what is now. There is absolutely no need to be flexible
in the body in any yoga class. Having a flexibility of the mind, on the other
hand, will help you. Just see what unravels and trust what your body and mind tell
you.
I hope this clarifies a little what is, or can be. You can always search in the blog for more information, drop a question below, or even better, come to one of my classes! I would love to see you there!
