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Yoga for Balance and Confidence!

May 16, 2015 by Lucy Leave a Comment

Balance.  Isn’t it what we’re all looking for?  Work-life balance.  A balanced diet.  Steady emotions. That sweet spot of ease and contentment.  We search for it, strive for it, but how many of us have it sorted and under control?

I talk about finding balance a lot, in and out of classes.  Other than ‘being bendy’, the wild balancing poses are what many percieve yoga to be.  On the mat, it’s easy to find ourselves feeling frustrated and unaccomplished by our wobbling leg, our steely gaze burning a hole in the wall ahead as we try to attain the perfect Tree Pose…Bakasana…Natarajasana…without face-planting the wall/floor/person on the mat next to us!

But – ahh, Yoga – you multifaceted beauty!  Balancing poses challange and strengthen us physically but reveal so much more to us about our inner states of being.  Our energy levels, the busy-ness of our mind, the distractions we listen to, our ego bubbling up from within berating us if we fall – and getting cocky when we fly! Yoga is all about balance, but the poses are just the beginning.

The poses – all of them – can be a meditation.  Places and shapes and challenges from which to observe our body and the movements of our mind: our fears, our hopes. The stillness in between breaths.

The challenge isn’t about balancing on one leg, but finding the balance between holding on and letting go.

Practice balancing – and falling – with me in this full, 40 minute online class!  You’ve got this! We’ll catch you.  Stay playful, my friends, it’s only yoga 🙂

Would love to hear how you get on! Leave me a comment and let me know!

Keep practicing and stay frosty 🙂 xx

 

 

 

Filed Under: Online classes + videos, Yoga for..., Yoga in Focus Tagged With: balance, confidence, core strength, dancers pose, free yoga class, home practice, natarajasana, online class, pada bandha, self-practice, tree pose, vinyasa, vrksasana, yoga, yoga for balance

Meet the Bandhas!

April 4, 2014 by Lucy Leave a Comment

The bandhas are a commonly misunderstood part of yoga practice, or at best vague. They can be a difficult concept to take on board – especially when you’ve already breath and balance and gaze and ‘relax your shoulders’ and ‘soften your face’ to think about! Having to think about internal alignment as well – gah! But here’s the good news – don’t get hung up about the bandhas; as you develop external alignment and understanding of the postures, they start to come naturally. Let them develop as your practice develops.  It’s good to have a bit of an understanding of them though, so that as you progress with your practice, you can start to recognise them and integrate the bandhas into your yogic life.

Bandha is a Sanskrit word, most commonly translated as to lock, to bind or to hold.  When I first heard this in a yoga class long, long ago, in my head I heard lock as in ‘a canal lock’.  Maybe it was my years of canal-side dog walking (I’ve never heard of this analogy being used elsewhere, before or since!) but it kind of made sense to me: the Bandhas are a way to seal (lock) energy in the body, harness energy and move energy up through the body, just as a canal lock controls water to allow a boat’s passage.

The Bandhas have a precise physical space in the body; they also describe a more metaphysical idea of energy movement.  Here are the three main bandhas, along with Maha Bandha – the big daddy which is the combination of all three.

Mula Bandha (‘moo-la ban-dar’)

This is probably the one you’re most likely to have heard in class in reference to the pelvic floor.  Mula Bandha is the root lock and is located at the base of the body.  Think of Mula Bandha as the lock or seal that holds energy in and allows it to flow upwards through the body.

How to find it:

Imagine you really need a wee…all those muscles you’re clenching – this is the region of mula bandha, in the soft tissue of the basin of the pelvis.  When first practicing this, you’ll probably find that everything down there tightens up, but with a bit of practice, you can start to refine this area; you can see below in this diagram the precise location, whether your yogi or yogini:

Mula Bandha location

 

 

 

How it benefits your yoga practice:

Retaining energy inside the body as you practice encourages that energy to grow exponentially – helping you to feel lighter during class, hold poses for longer without fatigue and float out of class at the end (the yogic high)!  Many practitioners state that mula bandha should be held throughout your whole yoga practice!

Benefits off the mat:

Practicing with mula bandha has been shown to stimulate pelvic nerves and help to balance and regulate the endocrine and excretory systems as well as relieve constipation and depression.

Uddiyana Bandha (‘Udy-yana Ban-dar’)

The next lock or seal is found around the centre of the torso, around the diaphragm.  Uddiyana means to fly up, or to rise up and this bandha is all about your insides – stomach, diaphragm and internal organs – as well as your energy – flying upwards.

How to find it:

Start standing tall with feet a good step apart.  Inhale through the nose.  As you exhale through the mouth, fold forwards and place your hands just above the knees.  Without inhaling, close your lips and make the action of inhaling – a ‘mock inhalation’ if you like – from the belly without actually doing so – it should feel like a vacuum is created inside and the abdominal wall and internal organs are drawn up and back towards the spine, under the rib cage.  Hold this for as long as is comfortable and exit by inhaling through the nose and slowly standing up straight.

Uddiyana Bandha

 

How it helps your yoga practice:

Uddiyana Bandha can be hugely transformative to your yoga practice, as it moves energy upwards more powerfully than Mula Bandha alone, helping you to jump more easily, find inversions with more stability and lightness and twist more deeply.

Benefits off the mat:

Uddiyana Bandha creates a soft massage for the deep internal muscles of the lower back.  It stimulates the digestive system, and so can increase metabolism, tone the abdominal organs and can be used as a remedy for stomach ailments.  It also helps to regulate the adrenal system, helping to alleviate stress, tension and lethargy.

Jalandhara Bandha:

….is the double chin you do want.  Jalandhara Bandha is the throat lock (Jal meaning throat; Jalan meaning net; dharan meaning flow or stream) which controls the flow of energy in the neck and head – it’s the top seal, to mula bandha’s root seal, retaining energy within the space of the body.

How to find it:

Sit tall in a comfortable position.  Place the hands on the knees and inhale deeply through the nose, then bring the chin down towards your neck – making a ‘double chin’ – and slightly lift the sternum.  Press the hands onto the knees and straighten the arms.  Pull your chin in even further and hold for as long as possible.  To leave the bandha, lift your chin and inhale to the remaining capacity of the lungs, then fully exhale.

Jalandhara Bandha

How it helps your yoga practice:

Jalandhara Bandha is most often practiced in combination with specific breathing exercises (the Breath of Fire – ‘Kapalabhati’ ­– for example) and not often on its own.  However, I find it useful to loosely engage this bandha in many asana, just to the point that the neck is lengthened (not fully bringing the chin into the neck, just drawing the top of the head upwards so that the chin isn’t raised and the head is level).  This ensures a long spine and no cramping or straining in the neck and shoulders.  On a more metaphysical level, by doing this we also encourage the flow of energy around the body helping us to hold poses more stably, more comfortably and for longer.

Benefits off the mat:

By compressing the sinuses on the main arteries of the neck helps to regulate the circulatory and respiratory systems and the pressure on the throat helps to balance the thyroid and metabolism.  Engaging Jalandhara Bandha is also said to trigger instant mental relaxation and provide stress and anger relief.  Break out the double chin whenever you need to!

Maha Bandha: 

Not a separate bandha but the combination of all three of these major bandhas.  Maha means great and by engaging all three bandhas at once can hugely boost energy and focus, gaining benefits of all three bandhas, stimulating, balancing and regulating internal systems of the entire body – hormonal, sexual, metabolic, digestive and more.

To practice Maha Bandha, sit in a comfortable seat with hands on the knees.  Take a full breath in, and all the way out entirely emptying out the lungs.  Without inhaling, engage Mula Bandha, then find Uddiyana Bandha.  Inhale a tiny amount and lift the chest and drop the chin to engage Jalandhara Bandha.   Hold this for as long as possible, pressing palms down onto the knees.  When you feel ready to exit, lift your head, inhale fully and release all the bandhas.

Maha Bandha

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So there you have it! The three major bandhas plus the big daddy bandha! Lock and load and see the effects in your practice and your understanding of the body from the inside out.

Would love to hear your experience of practicing these – get in touch in the comments below 🙂

Love & lightness,

xoxo lucyogini

Filed Under: Well being, Yoga in Focus

What is Yin Yoga?

March 31, 2014 by Lucy Leave a Comment

When I first started out, my yoga practice was all about the physical.  I pushed myself to strong, fast paced classes, building strength, and yes  – seeing results. And don’t get me wrong, I still maintain that a good vinyasa flow class is exceptionally good for the soul! But. Then I discovered the Yin side. And a whole new approach to practice opened up.  And though my monkey-mind rebelled at sitting still for what seemed an eternity, my heart said you know this makes sense and my body rejoiced at the stillness – the permission to be quiet.  Yin has been described as the other half of yoga practice, the side that many modern forms don’t give a lot of attention.  And though all yoga looks to create balance, Yin offers us another way to find it, on maybe even deeper levels. Balance to the heat-building yoga we practice; balance to our all too often hectic, frantic lives. This isn’t about choosing between the classes – this is an invitation to see how combining the two – the Yin and the Yang – can lead you to better yoga practice and better living, on and off the mat.

Yin is a deeply meditative approach to asana (poses) based yoga practice.  Yin Yoga targets the deep connective tissues of the body, the fascia and joints.  Moving slowly and passively holding poses for longer (from 2 to 20(!) minutes) we give the body – and mind – time and space to open, both physically and emotionally.  It is a deeply nourishing practice and can open up whole new levels of flexibility that just sweating it out can’t get you to.

There are three principles of Yin Yoga: “Playing with our edges”, “remaining still” and “holding a pose for time”.   Most yin postures (and there are only 3 dozen or so, compared to the thousands used in other modern asana yoga practices) are floor based, and with the use of a cushion or bolster can be practiced almost anywhere.

What to expect from a yin yoga class:

Slowness and stillness might sound easier, but don’t be fooled.  This is deep work and just because you’re not breaking a sweat doesn’t mean nothing is happening.  Far from it.

In Yin Yoga the point isn’t to warm up muscles but rather keep the muscles cool as this enables the stretch to go deeper into the connective tissues.

Yin is an intimate form of practice that requires you to get intimately acquainted with the self, feelings, sensations and emotions, something that our busy lives (and in more ‘yang’ style yoga classes) we can find easy to sidestep.  Strong emotions can surface during the Yin practice when poses are held for longer.  Don’t let that scare you, the body has innate wisdom and will only release (emotionally and physically) when it’s ready – this is detoxing on an emotional level and can be a cathartic experience.

Why practice Yin?

If you’re used to faster paced yoga styles – not to mention our fast paced lifestyles – Yin might at first seem too slow, too simple and well…..kind of boring.  I recommend giving a Yin class at least a few tries before you dismiss it – it is a complex practice with a myriad of benefits.  On a physical level, Yin can improve the natural range of motion in the joints as by keeping muscles soft, deep layers of connective tissue are released.  On an energetic level, Yin has been likened to doing an acupressure session on yourself, clearing energy lines (nadis in yoga, or meridians in Chinese medicine) which support the organs, immune system, hormones and emotional well being.

On a mental level, intense sensations can arise during Yin practice.  Holding postures for longer asks us to stay with these sensations rather than moving quickly away to the next pose.  It becomes a meditation in itself, training us to sit with sensation and even discomfort rather than becoming alarmed. It asks us to surrender to the moment.

What are the benefits?

–          Balancing for body + mind

–          Regulates energy in the body

–          Increases joint mobility + health

–          Find deeper flexibility

–          Lowers stress levels

–          Provides balance to hectic lifestyles

–          Enables deeper relaxation

–          Better management of stress and anxiety

–          Better ability to sit in meditation

–          Ultimately, a better & deeper ‘yang’ yoga practice

–          A deeper, more intimate understanding of ourselves.

Yin Yoga is a completely different way of practicing, an antidote to our rushing and pushing.  Come along and realign your yin-yang balance at our monthly Yin Yoga classes – you can find details of our next class here.

Shanti omm,

xoxo lucyogini

Filed Under: Well being, Yoga in Focus

The meaning of Namaste

March 26, 2014 by Lucy 8 Comments

Na – ma – ste.

Three little syllables that close our yoga class.  I like to open arms up wide to the sky, draw the palms together, touch them to the forehead, then the heart-centre and then bow to the class.  A gesture of respect, of peace and of thanks.

There are lots of translations of Namaste – from a simple ‘hello’, to the literal ‘I bow to you,’ to the elaborate (deep breath) “I honour the place in you in which the entire Universe dwells, I honour the place in you which is of Love, of Truth, of Light and of Peace. When you are in that place in you, and I am in that place in me, we are One.”

I like to think of it as ‘The best in me salutes all that is the best in you.’ 

The meaning of Namaste is a recognition that we are all equal; we are all teachers, and all students, always.  Not just in class, but out in the world, with everyone we meet and connect with on whatever level.

As we open our arms up to the sky we invite energy and life to fill us;

by bringing the palms together, we signify gratitude to the Universe, to the energy that is bigger than us all;

by drawing this to our foreheads, we bring attention to our thoughts – and welcome the possibility of true clarity;

by drawing the prayer to our chest, we bring attention to our feelings and welcome gratitude and compassion to our hearts; 

in bowing we recognise and respect all that is good and brilliant and miraculous in each and every one of us – ourselves included.

All in one little word.

The meaning of Namaste is giving thanks for all that each and every experience brings us – the good and the bad. It is recognising the connection between ourselves, each other and the wider Universe. It is recognition of our own innate brilliance.

Humbling and exalting in equal measure!

Say it like you mean it. See how taking the spirit and intention of Namaste out into the world and all our daily interactions can open up our communication, our generosity and our understanding.

I consider myself extremely lucky that I get to share yoga every day. But we all can – live yoga, be yoga. It opens you up to more YES, more LOVE and more JOY.

In the truest possible sense, to each one of you…Namaste.

 

xoxo lucyogini

Filed Under: General Yoga, Yoga in Focus Tagged With: beginners, beginners guide, gratitude, namaste, respect, self respect, self worth, teachers, what does namaste mean, yoga

Yoga for Runners, Cyclists & Athletes – Top Poses + FREE Practice Download :)

March 6, 2014 by Lucy Leave a Comment

Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who came along to the Yoga for Runners workshop last Saturday! It was a brilliant morning and wonderful to have established and new yogis alike practicing all together.  We also raised a magnificent £87 for local charity IDAS – thank you all for your energy + generosity!

To help you keep those hamstrings loose, body balanced and hips happy, I’ve put together a download (below) for you to print out to inspire your home practice!  You can dip into it and use poses that work for you, cover the whole thing or use it as a basis for a longer practice by adding vinyasas and other poses that feel good to you – get creative!  Building this into your training programme could help your running, cycling, jumping (etc!) to be more enjoyable, comfortable and energised.

First, let’s take a look in detail at these 4 super-useful, super-deep (man) poses:

1. Lizard Pose (utthan pristhasana) + variations

Benefits: Opens the hips, stretches hamstrings and thighs.

Tips: Use a block under the hands if getting them down to the floor feels like too much.  Work slowly & direct the breath to where you feel the stretch.

(Utthan Pristhasana) - bring both hands to the inside of the front foot & lower hips forwards + down

Bring both hands to the inside of the front foot & lower hips forwards + down

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bring outside elbow to the floor.  Front knee + toes can fall slightly out to the side but keep them in line with one another

Bring outside elbow to the floor. Front knee + toes can fall slightly out to the side but keep them in line with one another

Both elbows may come down to the floor - keep breathing :)

Both elbows may come down to the floor – keep breathing 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Hamstring Stretch 

Tips: From low lunge, with hands either side of the front foot, draw the hips back, straightening the front leg. Keep the front foot flexed to activate the Hamstrings. Reach the hands forwards towards the ankle/foot for a deeper stretch.

Low Lunge

 

 

 

 

Keep the front foot flexed. Move slowly + mindfully.

Keep the front foot flexed. Move slowly + mindfully.

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. IT Band (Iliotibial Band) Stretch

The IT Band is the ligament that runs down the outside of the thigh from the hip to the shin. It is attached to the knee and helps to stabilise and move the joint.  IT Band Syndrome is one of the most common overuse injuries amongst runners which occurs when the IT Band becomes tight and/or inflamed.  This is a strong stretch, so as ever, move slowly and only go as far as you are able.

Tips: From low lunge, walk the front foot over to the opposite hand (e.g. right foot forwards – walk it over to where the left hand is). The heel of the front foot and the knee of the back leg will be more or less in line.  Foot/toes fall outwards towards the floor – begin to straighten the front leg, drawing the hips back, similar to the hamstring stretch – only this time you should feel the effects down the outside of the front leg.  For a deeper stretch, keep the front foot flexed.

IT Band Stretch

 

 

 

 

 

4. Thigh Stretch

Tips: Use a strap to draw the back foot in if reaching back is too much.  Place a cushion or double-over the mat to protect the knee if you have any knee issues.  This stretch is STRONG! Not all poses work for everyone – if it causes knee pain, don’t go there.

Inside arm reaches back to opposite leg. So, if you have your right leg forwards, left hand is down on the floor + right arm reaches back to grab the left foot. Open the chest to the inside of the knee.  Want more? Lower your stablising arm (here, the left arm) down onto the elbow.

The front knee + foot may fall out to the side a little - that's ok, just keep knees + toes in line.

The front knee + foot may fall out to the side a little – that’s ok, just keep knee + toes in line.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And here’s your practice download!

The drawings are just to give you a reminder….they’re not anatomically exact! This practice is great for everyone – runners, cyclists, athletes, sports players, yogis alike. Let me know how you get on – and if you’ve any questions, get in touch 🙂

Enjoy!

Lucyogini Yoga for Runners print out 1Lucyogini Yoga for Runners print out 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Love, light & healthy, happy running,
lucyogini xoxo

 

Filed Under: Yoga for..., Yoga in Focus Tagged With: free download, hamstrings, health, hip opening, home practice, IT band, lizard pose, thigh stretch, yoga, yoga for athletes, yoga for cyclists, yoga for runners

Valentines Yoga! Heart openers & back bends

February 12, 2014 by Lucy Leave a Comment

Happy Valentines to you, yogi friends!

I love a bit of Valentines, even if it is a bit over-commercialised. What’s not to like about a day shamelessly declaring your love! Love comes in so many wild and wonderful forms, from smooching with your beloved to the quiet, content thank you to the sky above, and why not a day dedicated to them.  Here (& showcasing my awesome photo-collaging skills circa 1998…) I’ve put together some of my favourite heart-opening yoga poses that you can explore and build into a flow – there’s a freedom and honesty to be found in these poses; let down your guard and surrender to the possibility of the moment – where energy flows, love goes 🙂

One sees clearly only with the heart. Anything essential is invisable to the eyes.

– Antoine de Saint Exupery, The Little Prince

Enjoy & tell me how you get on in the comments!

Wishing you love & light this Valentines, and always

xoxo lucyogini

 

 

Filed Under: General Yoga, Yoga in Focus Tagged With: back bends, beginners, heart opening, valentines day, valentines yoga, yoga, yoga poses

Yoga In Focus: Horse Stance Yoga Sequence (Happy Chinese New Year of the Horse!)

February 3, 2014 by Lucy Leave a Comment

Happy New Year, China!  The year of the Horse begins this week and in global community celebration, why not incorporate this energising horse inspired pose to your practice!

...Umm, looks *exactly* like riding a horse...

…Umm, looks *exactly* like riding a horse…

Those born in the year of the Horse are said to have horse-like characteristics; animated, energetic and active; independant and have a straight forward, positive outlook on life.  They also love being in crowds and are known for their communication skills and wit.  Horses do make great dinner guests!

This variation of Horse Pose, or Horse Stance is a dynamic standing pose that will help strengthen the legs, build heat in the body and open the chest, hips and stretch the inner thighs.  I really love building this into a vinyasa flow for an added boost of power – focus on connecting to the earth through the feet, staying open and tall through the body and use ujjayi breathing to warm up these winter days.

 

Change the feel of the pose by bringing hands to prayer - see if this helps you to 'ground' further through the feet

Change the feel of the pose by bringing hands to prayer – see if this helps you to ‘ground’ further through the feet

Knees in line with the ankles, or for less intensity, don’t feel you have to take the squat all the way down. Body upright, draw the tail bone down slightly and the belly in. Breathe! It’s a strong pose – use the breath to help you 🙂

 

 

Try this Horse Stance inspired flow to build energy, heat and positivity!

Have fun practicing today – Kung hei fat choy!

lucyogini xoxo

 

Filed Under: Yoga in Focus Tagged With: chinese new year, chinese new year of the horse, horse pose, horse stance, yoga, yoga for beginngers, yoga instruction, yoga poses, yoga practice, yoga video

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