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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

Change Your Flow with Viloma Pranayama

Change Your Flow with Viloma Pranayama

“The more we can begin to exert control over the finer details of the breathing process, the more possible it then becomes to control the finer details of the mental process” 
- Saraswati Niranjanananda 

 

Have you ever stepped into conscious, present moment awareness while performing an everyday task? And realised that your awareness allows you to develop skill and precision — which transforms that mundane task into something amazing?

 

Well; viloma pranayama is a little bit like that.

 

Viloma means to go against the natural flow. And in this pranayama technique, we interrupt the natural flow of our breath to cultivate skillful breath control and awareness.

Why Not Go It Alone? How A Retreat Group Will Enrich Your Travel Experience

Why Not Go It Alone? How A Retreat Group Will Enrich Your Travel Experience

You’re ready for an adventure. You want to step beyond your comfort zone and challenge yourself. And you know it’s time to focus on “YOU”, your yoga, your meditation and your spiritual growth.

 

Travelling to an unfamiliar country and culture holds the potential to kickstart the beautiful — but sometimes confronting and scary — process of reconnecting with your true self. So why not go it alone?

 

Why, instead, is it a good idea to fly off into the sunset with a small group of likeminded individuals, with the guidance of an experience teacher and traveller?

 

Apart from the obvious facts that yoga and meditation practices will be woven seamlessly into every day of your journey, and all of the stress of organisation and planning will be lifted from your shoulders — there are powerfully transformative elements of a retreat that you just can’t create on your own.

Let’s Talk About Balinese Food

Let’s Talk About Balinese Food

Over the last decade Bali has become known as one of the top destinations in the world for vegetarian and vegan food. People travel from around the globe to eat at its renowned restaurants and cafes, and to sip coconut water fresh from the tree.

 

When you come on a journey to this beautiful island with me you’ll be treated to the very best of Balinese cuisine — it’s seriously good!

 

Think of it this way…

Why Relaxation Makes You More Productive

Why Relaxation Makes You More Productive

Contrary to the idea that we should all be busy all the time and ‘getting things done’ at all hours of the day, entering into deep relaxation actually makes us more productive, focused and efficient.

On top of that, it reduces the chances of the body suffering from health issues that arise as a result of extended periods of stress. Yogis have known this for centuries; but now modern science is beginning to pay attention to the value of rest as well.

 

Next year’s retreat in Bali is focused on deep relaxation and restoring energy and joy. Each time I plan a retreat I look to new sources to weave together with the traditions of yoga and meditation; new inspiration to help you surrender yourself to the power of rest.

 

What Are the Scientists Saying?

3 Ways to Find Your Purpose

3 Ways to Find Your Purpose

While I busy myself planning the Yoga for the Soul Retreats journey in Nepal later this year, my thoughts turn to the idea of living a purposeful life. Because that’s the key intention of the retreat; to reignite passion and purpose.

 

But what does that mean? How do you know if your life is aligned with your purpose or not — and if it’s not, how do you change that?

 

Everyone goes through challenging times, and sometimes life doesn’t feel absolutely fabulous even if you are living authentically. But if you:

3 Sisters Who Empower Women

3 Sisters Who Empower Women

Yoga For The Soul Retreats is committed to collaborating with environmentally ethical and socially conscious businesses which do good in the world.

That means you can be sure that your retreat is supporting people who strive every single day to make a positive impact in the place they were born, live, and work.

And 3 Sisters Adventure Trekking  is doing just that — in a big way! 3 Sisters is a multi-faceted business and NGO which trains and employs Nepalese women as trekking guides. This kind of work is male-dominated in Nepal (and, in fact, around the world); but 3 Sisters is working hard to change that.

Who are the 3 sisters?

The sisters are Lucky, Nicky and Dicky, who grew up in a small town in Nepal. The three of them were a solid team right from the start. Now, they thrive on working together and sharing the experiences they each gained individually earlier in their careers.

Alleviate Anxiety with Humming Bee Breath

Alleviate Anxiety with Humming Bee Breath

Do you catch yourself humming absent-mindedly while you’re walking round a shop, or filling in paperwork? Studies show that the sounds in our environment have a direct impact on our stress levels — so it’s no surprise that lots of us make sounds to soothe our own stress, or aid our concentration.


Bhramari Pranayama is a breathing which does exactly that. It uses the creation of sound in the throat, combined with closing off the ears to external sounds, to calm the nervous system and settle the thoughts.


How Bhramari Could Help You

The steady, bee-like humming sound you create during bhramari pranayama has an instant soothing effect on the mind. It’s an ideal practice for you if you ever feel anxious or overwhelmed because its effects are so immediate.


You can use it to calm down at any time.


As well as this wonderful, speedy anxiety relief, the benefits of bhramari include:

Ayurveda for Winter

Ayurveda for Winter

Ayurveda is a close sister of yoga. It’s an ancient and holistic system of medicine, developed in India thousands of years ago. It’s grounded in the simple principle of balance — because with balance comes good health.

An extensive study by two health scientists in 2016 highlighted the potential of ayurvedic knowledge to influence contemporary healthcare. They defined health from an ayurvedic viewpoint as:

 

“a state of equilibrium with one’s self (svasthya) but which is inextricably linked to the environment.”

 

Balance means adapting to changes in your environment that affect your physical and emotional wellbeing. What works for you in the heat of summer will be different from what makes you feel healthy and nourished during the winter.

Nadi Shodhana: Breathing For Balance

Nadi Shodhana: Breathing For Balance

Nadi Shodana is a traditional pranayama practice — a breathing technique — which promotes free and flowing movement of energy throughout the physical and subtle bodies.

The nadis are the energy channels that carry prana (our incredible life-force-energy) through and around the body all the time. There are a lot of them: around 72,000! And Shodana means ‘to cleanse’ or ‘to purify’.

So Nadi Shodana does exactly that; cleanses the energy channels to ease out any blockages or imbalances so that we can benefit from all of the energy available to us. It’s particularly effective at balancing two of the main nadis (energy channels) in the body, called Ida and Pingala.

3 Reasons to Practice Yoga and Meditation in Nepal

3 Reasons to Practice Yoga and Meditation in Nepal

As many of you know Nepal holds a special place in my heart, and for good reason.

It is stunningly beautiful, rich in spirituality and culture and the food is absolutely delicious!!

Oh, and did I mention that past participants have said it to be transformative, heart-opening and utterly fabulous?

For those of you who haven’t yet had the pleasure of experiencing the spiritually rich culture of this beautiful country, read on for three reasons that make it an incredible place to deepen your practice of yoga and meditation.