BREATHING IN WINTER & BASTRIKA

As winter is settling into our bones, the tendency with our breathing is to shorten it.  We also tend to cross our arms across our chests to keep warm and inhibit the space in which to breathe.  I am incorporating more breathing techniques in my classes in this cooler weather one called Bastrika, which can not only help release the body of toxins, but gather energy into the body & in turn warming it. 

BASTRIKA - Energetic Breath

How To Do It:  Sit in a comfortable cross legged position - either on the edge of a folded blanket or with the back against the wall. 
Blow your nose! Take the arms up in line with the shoulders (shoulders not hunched though!), palms facing away from you and fingers extended
# INHALE through the nose, and forcefully EXHALE through the nose bringing the arms down and close the fingers into a fist. (That's No. 1)
# INHALE to repeat the above and aim for a round of 10 (ten).
If you feel lightheaded, take a break at 5, come back to your natural breath, then complete the round of 10.
Enjoy the benefits of Bastrika! :)

Why not enjoy a private session of yoga over winter - just like a personal training session?  Share with a few friends and reap the benefits of alignment tips and techniques.  See Jenni's page for more details.  Namaste.

The Call of Silence

The word MEDITATION literally comes from two Latin words … ‘medio’ which means CENTRE and ‘sto’ meaning TO STAND … and so in meditation we learn to STOP and STAND IN THE CENTRE.

When we are truly in our centre, we have an opportunity to step away from the busyness and noise and just be still. Like being in ‘the eye of a tornado’ .. at the very centre there is absolute peace and calmness.

Meditation lead us to this oasis of stillness which is actually there all the time, but hidden behind all the busy-ness, the chatter and internal dialogue.

EXPLORING MEDITATION

(Six week beginners meditation program)
STARTING : Wed 30th May
6.30-8.00pm ($175)

*EmPowerMe Health & Wellbeing Centre, Black Rock*
Due to insufficient heating at the Parkdale Yacht Club we do not run winter classes at this venue.  Ongoing classes are held at other venues : visit www.quietmind.com.au

This six week course has been designed for complete beginners or those seeking to reconnect with their practice.  Classes run each Wednesday night for six weeks so you have a chance to explore a range of meditation techniques, the ‘how’ and the ‘why’, experience guided meditations and some silent practices, and clear away any questions.   We also provide handouts each week, and Om-work (ie. homework) to keep you inspired, and so that you can build your own Meditation Handbook.

We believe meditation is a life skill!

PLACES STILL AVAILABLE


Email : sarah@quietmind.com.au

POSE OF THE MONTH - TRIKONASANA

HOW TO DO IT:

Stand in Tadasana &  Exhale to step or lightly jump your feet your leg’s length apart, feet parallel to the short edges of the mat. Raise your arms parallel to the floor, extending through fingertips, palms down.

> Turn your left foot so toes face front edge of the mat & pivot your right toes inwards about 30 degrees. Align left heel with right heel. Firm thighs & roll your left thigh outward, so knee cap centre is in line with left ankle centre.

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>Inhale and exhale to tuck the left hip under the right buttock; extend your torso to the left directly over the left thigh, hingeing from the hip joint, not the waist, as though creating a vertical waistband.  Find your centre of balance by strengthening right leg and pressing outer heel firmly to the floor. Open chest towards the ceiling, keeping both sides of torso equally long. Lengthen tailbone towards the back heel.

>Rest your left hand on shin, ankle, or floor inside your left foot, whatever is possible without changing the side lengths of the torso. Stretch right arm towards ceiling, in line with the tops of your shoulders, extending through fingertips. Either look down towards left foot or gaze up softly at right thumb.

Hold for 5 breaths, more if experienced.   Inhale to extend right arm up to come up, strong through the legs.  Reverse the feet and repeat for the same length of time to the right.

Enjoy the benefits of opening, lengthening & creating space in both sides of the torso. 

 Namaste, Jenni - Lotus Leaf Yoga  www.lotusleafyoga.com.au

BACK ON THE MAT!

The new year is upon us and lack of any routine in the holidays may mean that we have not been on our yoga mat as much as we’d like.  If children are at home, there may be more interruptions than usual!  The warm weather beckons us down to the beach and to drinks and barbeques with friends and so getting on the mat for a practice becomes less available or we just fall into a holiday routine (read getting up late or drinking an extra glass of wine perhaps at night if we don’t have to get to work next day!)  Although my practice hasn’t waned too much, I have found that getting outside on my mat has been harder with lack of routine, so it is just later in the morning (not for much longer as school is back next week!)  However, it is so enticing with the warmer weather, the sound of the birds gathering seeds and chatting to each other that gets me outside to practise. 

My cat watches and as she arches her back and then dips her belly to the ground, I found myself copying her movements to warm up and establish my breath.  I’ll do a practice for at least 40 minutes and include four to six sun salutes, some standing poses such as Warrior 1 and Warrior 11, Parsva Konasana (side angle)  and Parvritti Parsva Konasana (rotated side angle), followed by a balance pose such as Garudasana (eagle pose) and then Dolphin for strength building in the shoulders.  Depending on what I feel like, I’ll do some abdominal work and end with doing a headstand or for a modified inversion -Viparita Karani (legs up the wall).  Inversions really help to feel energised as you are reversing the blood flow especially in the morning!  I hope you can get some yoga practise in before the holidays end and that the poses above have given you some ideas for your own home practice!  Until next time on the mat – Namaste, Jenni

SILLY SEASON INSIGHT!

As I was meant to be sleeping the other night, I woke up around 3am and had to write this down – relevant not just for myself but from what I am hearing from students and friends, relevant for everyone.

How often do we think in the future?  We wonder how our dress, our clothes, our appearance will be received; how the turkey will turn out, will everyone get along on Christmas Day at my house?  Not to mention, will there be enough room, enough food, enough of everything and is my house clean?!!

How much of our future is thought of while we miss out on right now… the joy of being here in this moment, the dance of life as it is now?  We may have missed the moment a pretty butterfly flew past, or the moment we were given an endearing look or hug from our loved ones; all because we were wondering how the future was going to turn out.  A saying attributed to possibly Maya Angelou -  “the present is called the present because it is a gift – use this gift wisely:”

So as we head into the silly/crazy/busy season of Christmas and school holidays, aim to stop and be present in this moment, right here, right now.

Yes there are presents to think of, hams and turkeys to order, menus to be planned, school graduations/concerts to be attended and appointments to get to, but remember what Christmas is about and most important, whatever your faith or belief – is to be present with those you love and who love you and just be, just for this moment.   Jenni