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Take Your Yoga Off the Mat: An Introduction to ...

During this uncertain time, more than ever, our yoga practice has a LOT to offer us. The challenges we’re facing are various and different people will, of course, be suffering in different ways and to different degrees.

But if you practice yoga, or are interested in it, now is a really good time to find new ways of taking your yoga off the mat and integrating it into your way of life. Really, that’s what yoga is — it’s never just postures on a mat. Sometimes, we need the motivation of new challenges to make us see that.

Take Your Yoga Off the Mat: An Introduction to the Itties

A Simple Guide To Practising Full Yogic Breath

A Simple Guide To Practising Full Yogic Breath

Full yogic breathing is a deep breathing pranayama practice with a number of profound benefits.

These include:

  • Embodying an understanding of effective use of the diaphragm
  • Expansion of the Alveoli — improving oxygenation and circulation of the blood
  • An experience of becoming centered, or grounded
  • Full motion of the diaphragm improves digestion and metabolic function
  • The release of endorphins which make you feel calm and happy, reducing the effects of stress and anxiety

In order to practise full yogic breath correctly and effectively, a number of

12 Interesting Facts You May Not Know About Bali

Bali is known for its spiritual qualities, with many travellers going there in search of healing and enlightenment. If you need a place to go to embrace spirituality, Bali will surely welcome you with open arms.

Once there you will experience unique culture and fascinating daily rituals like no other.

To prepare you for your adventure to Bali, we have created a list below of some unusual facts you may not know already about the Island of the Gods.

Are Yoga Retreats Really That Good For You?

Yes — yoga retreats really are very good for you!

 

Going to regular yoga classes is, without a doubt, a hugely beneficial thing to do for yourself. But a yoga class once a week is only an hour or two away from the challenges of daily life — which is not always enough to balance out the stressors you encounter.

 

Think about the key struggles you manage every day, and how much they affect your emotional wellbeing.

 

Perhaps you devote all of your time to other people; to work, family, or friends; and have no time for yourself. Maybe you’re stressed or dealing with anxiety; and perhaps you’re not sleeping well at night. Or maybe you feel lost, and you haven’t had time to figure out why.

Bali Like I’ve Never Seen It Before — What Lisa Had To Say

Bali Like I’ve Never Seen It Before — What Lisa Had To Say

I was pleasantly surprised, and it was not at all what I was expecting. 

I was surprised by Chetana’s knowledge of the area and the time and effort she put in to give us all an insight into the spiritual and cultural side of the Balinese people.

Every day was filled with new and exciting experiences, with enough downtime to fit in daily massages and pool time. 

Having done years of yoga in my pre-children days, I was having quiet palpitations when thinking about the retreat and how out of shape I was. 

An Unexpected Experience At A Bali Yoga Retreat — What Linda Had To Say...

An Unexpected Experience At A Bali Yoga Retreat — What Linda Had To Say...

My trip to Bali for your yoga and meditation retreat was amazing. I was astounded with the variety of your yoga sessions.


Each class was different and I couldn’t believe how many postures and variations my body could be twisted into.


The purpose built yoga room was a beautiful place to watch the sun rise. Each morning we quietly placed our mats in a circle around the floral tribute mandala in the centre of the room.


Each day the friendly staff would create a different coloured floral tribute and they were

Abdominal Breathing for Happiness and Health

Abdominal Breathing for Happiness and Health

One of the most important contributing factors to life, health and longevity is the way we breathe. In fact, breath is the very essence of our life force.

 

The best breathing technique is the one that is most efficient, moving the most air in and out of the lungs with the least effort. In this respect, abdominal breathing wins.

 

While infants and small children naturally breathe exclusively with their diaphragms, as we grow into adults, we tend to lose this habit and ability. This can be due to physical and mental tension, poor posture, tight clothing, and unhealthy lifestyle habits.

 

The first step to improving quality of life through the breath is to

The Profound Benefits Of Mantra Meditation

The Profound Benefits Of Mantra Meditation

In a study published by the BMC in 2017, researchers found that 3.6 million adults in the United States practise mantra meditation.

 

Each one of those 3.6 million people may have had a different reason for bringing mantra into their lives, but they are all undoubtedly experiencing benefits that they didn’t expect.

 

A mantra is a word, phrase, or sound that is repeated as a way to focus concentration and achieve a meditative state of mind.

 

Chanting mantras is a really wonderful way to start meditating if you’re new to such practices. It can be a kind of ‘gateway meditation’, as it removes the fear and frustration that comes with the idea of silencing the mind — which many people assume is the purpose of meditation.

Actually, very few people meditate with the intention of completely emptying the mind of thoughts. Instead, meditation allows us to hone our skills of awareness  so that we can

An Introduction to Pranayama and Natural Breath Awareness

An Introduction to Pranayama and Natural Breath Awareness

If you’ve ever been to a yoga class, you may have heard the Sanskrit word pranayama — but what does it actually mean?

 

Prana means ‘life force’; the energy that courses through the body. Ayama means ‘to extend’. So pranayama is the practice of expanding and extending prana, energy.

 

In yoga, this is done by learning techniques to control and direct the breath, as breath is the vehicle that carries the prana. These techniques allow you to alter your physical and mental state of being by controlling your breath.

 

There are a number of different breathing exercises that are typically practiced within yoga. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be exploring some of them in more detail — so come back soon for further pondering on pranayama!

 

WHAT DOES PRANAYAMA DO?
 

A growing body of scientific research highlights the benefits of pranayama practices; for example, this study by Bangalore University suggests that when practised correctly, breathing exercises can have a positive impact on mental and physical health.
 

Pranayama can:

•    Reduce emotional and physical tension

•    Help with stress and anxiety, and be a useful tool for managing... 

Yoga Nidra For Stress Relief And Finding Peace

Yoga Nidra For Stress Relief And Finding Peace

The idea of ‘relaxing’ may sound simple, but in busy modern life, many people don’t really know how to relax.

 

Lots of the things we do in the name of relaxation actually increase brain stimulation and raise stress hormones — including activities like watching TV, browsing the Internet and scrolling through social media.

 

And we spend so much time working, rushing around, and tapping into online networks that if given a comfortable but technology-free room and an hour to ‘relax’, we’re more likely to

3 Reasons To Do A Beginners Yoga Course

3 Reasons To Do A Beginners Yoga Course

Yoga is big. And by that I mean, there’s more to it than initially meets the eye — both in a physical sense and in an emotional sense.

 

If you’ve decided you want to start practicing yoga, you might be unsure whether to start with a beginners’ course or throw yourself into an open level class.

 

You’d certainly be welcomed in both; but here are three reasons why starting with a specially curated beginners’ yoga programme will benefit you long after the course is finished.