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Lucyogini

Yoga classes, workshops and inspiration for every body

5 Ways to Help Save the Planet

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Today is Earth Day! A day bringing environmental issues to the fore.  I am PASSIONATE about this – and it is so ingrained to our yoga practice and our responsibility as yogis to take care of the planet and the future. And it all pays back: reducing our energy consumption invariably costs us less and we feel better for it.  One Life, One Love, people!

I’m going to take it as read that you already are keen recyclers and you know not to leave the water running whilst cleaning your teeth, but here are another 5 ways to help save the planet and Do Your Bit.  There are no excuses.  We all need to get involved!

  1. NO MORE JUNK MAIL

12 billion pieces of junk mail are delivered to UK households and businesses every year, an average of about 453 pieces of junk mail (both addressed and unaddressed) per year.  That’s equivalent to between 4.6 – 6.1 MILLION trees. Bleugh.

And it’s really annoying.

  • Check the small print carefully every time you buy or subscribe and make sure to tick or untick the appropriate boxes to opt out of them sending you further information or passing your details to other companies.
  • Register with the Your Choice Preference Scheme, which helps people to cut down on unwanted unaddressed mail delivered by members of the Direct Marketing Association.  Ironically, you have to ask them to send you an opt-out form, but once you fill in and return it, unsolicited mail should lessen (can take up to 12 weeks to take effect).
  • Opt out of being on the Edited Electoral Register. The edited electoral register can be bought by any person or company and used for any purpose.  When you fill out the annual electoral form, tick the box to ensure that your details appear on the FULL REGISTER only.

More very helpful and useful information from the Citizens Advice Bureau here and here.

  1. STOP PAPER STATEMENTS

Almost all high street banks now offer online banking.  It’s easy, it’s quick and you can request to go paperless and instead have your statements at the click of a button online.  Saving paper and energy in production and delivery, not to mention filing space.

Most phone companies too offer paperless billing.  Receive your mobile phone statement via text and view online.

Close any unwanted/no-longer-used bank accounts etc that you never quite got round to closing and they’re still sending you statements for £0.01 (I’ve been there).  Do it now! You’ll be glad not to have that nagging thought each month it comes through the door.

  1. MEAT FREE MONDAYS

The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that livestock production is responsible for 14.5 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions; other organisations have estimated it could be as much as 51 per cent.  Consider too that it requires 2500 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of beef, and deforestation that is taking place to farm animals for meat. Whatever your stance, there’s little doubt that eating less meat, and choosing local when you do, has got to be better, for the planet and our health.

The McCartneys run the Meat Free Mondays campaign and Jamie Oliver posts weekly veggie recipes for inspiration.  Pledge your allegiance!

  1. DON’T BAG IT

500 BILLION plastic bags are used EVERY YEAR worldwide.  They are not biodegradable and so it’s little wonder that they now litter every ocean floor on the planet and are finding their way into our food chains. 

  • Choose stronger, reusable bags;
  • Keep shopping bags in the boot of the car to have them to hand;
  • Fabric shoppers easily fold into handbags or pockets to have to hand whenever you need them.

Scout’s motto: Be prepared!

  1. GET A HIPPO

Around 30% of water used in each home each day is through toilet flushing.  Simple, easy to fit water saving devices can be added to toilet cisterns and save approximately 3 litres of water every time you flush.  These are often available for free from most water companies – check your provider’s website, or get a Hippo – easy, cost efficient and effective.  It’ll save you money too.

Going Green doesn’t mean daunting life changes.  It’s the little things every day that make the difference.  As yogis we tread lightly.  We trust in the collective energy of the human spirit to make phenomenal difference.

For more genuinely great suggestions to make a difference, check out 50 Ways to Help The Planet

Now go get outside and get some nature in your eyes!  Happy Earth Day everybody!

Power Balls recipe!

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Not the greatest title for a recipe, perhaps, but these little balls of power are so good – in all possible ways – that I couldn’t not share them with you!

I believe that what we eat is just as much a part of living our yoga as rolling out the mat to practice.  Food connects us in the most basic, primitive way to our very aliveness.  And we all know that what we put in, we get out.  Healthy body, healthy mind, vibrant spirit.

These little beauties are easy to make, require no cooking, are rich in nutrients and full of protein, fibre and good fats to give you a boost – perfect with a cup of tea for a mid-afternoon pick me up, or on the go when you need an energy kick (I carry them round with me for snacking between classes).  You can pretty much throw in any nuts or seeds you fancy and have in the cupboard  – mix and match. I promise they are delicious, satisfying and totally good for you!

To make 8-10 Power Balls you will need:

– Handful of dried apricots, prunes or dates (or a mixture)

– 1/2 cup (about a large handful) of cashew nuts

– 1/2 cup of almonds

– 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds

– 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds

– 1 tablespoon coconut oil

– 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

– optional: 1 teaspoon baobab powder (a sherbet-tasting powder from the baobab fruit – high in potassium, fibre + vitaimin C)

– optional (and recommended): 1 teaspoon raw cacao powder (or some good quality dark chocolate chopped finely) – a great source of antioxidants, magnesium, protein, calcium to name a few good things.

– Desiccated coconut

Method:

1. Combine all the ingredients except the desiccated coconut in a food processor until smooth-ish (you might need to add a tiny bit of water if it looks too dry or gets stuck around the blades).

2. Take a large teaspoons’ worth of mixture, roll into a ball and dip in to a bowl of desiccated coconut to cover them.

3. Stick them in the fridge for 20 minutes to harden slightly, and then pop a power ball in your mouth as desired! They’ll keep for about 5 days in the fridge.

Pop one in your mouth for an energy boost!

Pop one in your mouth for an energy boost!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adapted from Filmore & Union Apricot + Baobab protein balls recipe.  And more on the benefits of raw cacao and a nice alternative version of this recipe courtesy of the Mercola website.

With special thanks to my good friend Tracy, for inspiring my quest for more protein, less sugar!

 

 

Yoga for Motivation!

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The nights are getting a little shorter, the evenings a little lighter, the birds sounding a lot more vocal! Whatever the weather outside, stirring some energy around can help us to feel lighter, warmer and more motivated.  So whether you’re still feeling the winter blues, or wanting to get a jump-start into Spring, hopefully this dynamic Yoga for Motivation practice will get you stretched out, the blood pumping, and your inner fires roaring to grab the new season – or whatever’s next on your to-do list – by the metaphorical horns.

Enjoy, my friends – and let me know how you get on, I’d love to hear from you!

Do you have areas, issues or topics you’d like to see future yoga videos focus on?  Let me know and I’ll do my best to cover them 🙂

Let’s do this! See you on the mat, my friends! x

 

 

 

5 Reasons Men Don’t Do Yoga

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How many men are in your yoga class? When people think yoga, they tend to think women.  But  recently the men:women ratios seem to be evening out and there seems to be a growing trend of more and more men turning up to yoga classes – and this is good news all round! Yoga isn’t exclusive – it has the power to revolutionise our health on an individual level, grow positive communities and (I believe) save the world! Too much hippy-sh*t, bro?!  Keep reading – here are the top 5 excuses reasons  men don’t do yoga – and why they should!

 1. I’m not flexible

The moment the words “I teach yoga” have left my mouth, this is the number one response I get – not only from guys, in fairness, but mostly.  This is EXACTLY THE SAME as saying “I don’t want to lift weights because I don’t have big muscles” – flexibility is a side-effect of yoga, not a pre-requisite.  You don’t have to be a contortionist.  Like most things in life, it takes a little bit of practice and effort for things to become more familiar – enjoy the challenge of learning about your body and you’ll soon feel the benefits of a more supple, flexible you.

flexibility is a side-effect of yoga, not a pre requisite

 2. Yoga is for girls

I truly believe yoga is for EVERYONE, and it’s a shame that modern yoga has acquired a reputation as being a ladies club, or that anything remotely ‘spiritual’ is girly.  It wasn’t always the case.  In fact, some 5000 years ago yoga originated most likely by men, for men.  But there’s now a lingering perception that it’s all ladies in leotards sitting and chanting.  Yoga requires and develops incredible levels of strength, focus and energy.   Trust me, real men do yoga.

3. I already run/play sport

Yoga is the perfect complement to any other activity you do, and if you’re like the majority of people I’ve ever met ever, it’s likely that you’re short-changing on the stretching pre- and post.  Yoga is more than just stretching, but adding it to your regime can help to make you a better all-round athlete.  Many sporting activities build up the parts of the body which that sport relies on most, which in time can lead to imbalance and injury.  Yoga ensures that the whole body is worked mindfully so that our energy levels, stamina and strength are balanced.

Yoga also has a mental aspect, teaching us to move and act from the present moment.  Sports players and athletes often talk about ‘being in the zone’ – yoga is fertile ground to develop The Zone in both body and mind.  It’s becoming more and more common place for professional sportsmen to include yoga as a regular part of their elite training. Wimbledon champion Andy Murray, England goalkeeper David James, veteran footballer Ryan Giggs and the Wasps Rugby Union team all credit yoga as key to their sporting prowess.  Read my article on why athletes should do yoga for more excellent reasons to hit the mat!

4. It’s new-age hokum

Five. Thousand. Years. It’s about as old-age as you can get!  Yoga is a scientific system proven to increase strength, flexibility, improve balance, lower blood pressure, relieve stress and promote healthy sleep.

Yoga can be an outlet to release mental and physical tension, especially for men who have a tendancy to internalise stress and anxiety.  Hip flexors and hamstrings, often particularly tight areas for men, are encouraged to stretch and open through regular yoga practice, and back pain decreased as the spine increases in flexibility and strength.  Find a class that you feel appeals to you – speak to the teacher and get their view on things.  Me telling you probably won’t convince you, but try a class and find out for yourself.  Things that work stick around for a reason; thousands of years is probably a good amount of time for something to get well tested out 🙂

5. It’s not a real workout

Yoga is a full body workout with a difference, engaging your whole being, not just aiming for ripped abs and bulging biceps (although that happens too!).  Yoga is all about connecting mind and body.  The focus of a yoga class is different to say, a fitness boot camp or playing competitive sport – but that doesn’t mean you won’t break a sweat.  Yoga builds power and heat as you ‘flow’ between poses – building strength and stamina in poses like Downward Dog and Warrior 2; challenge and stability in balancing poses, inversions and twists.  Add to this the benefits of lower blood pressure, decreased stress, better sleep, increased flexibility, injury prevention, improved spine and back health…come for the physical benefits and stay for the benefit of your whole being (I did).

 

This Sunday is Fathers Day. Happy Fathers Day! Here’s a big salute to all the men – dads, husbands, boyfriends, brothers, sons, uncles, nephews, friends who enrich our lives every day. Why not treat them by inviting them along with you to your next yoga class – no excuses boys!! (forward them this post!)

Are you a male yogi? Why, or why not? Did your perception of yoga change once you came along to a class? Share with us below!

 

The Art of Letting Go

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“Fill your bowl to the brim, and it will spill.
Keep sharpening your knife, and it will blunt.
Chase after money and security, and your heart will never unclench.
Care about people’s approval and you will be their prisoner.
Do your work then step back. The only path to serenity.”
– Lao Tzu

Last Saturday I taught a workshop on Optimising Energy with the lovely & tremendously knowledgable Tracy Land.  It was a fab morning of energy enhancing yoga & nutrition (check out future workshops we have coming up)!  It struck me how much energy we expend on striving…striving to be something other than what we are; striving to hold on to things we have no power over; striving to attain things (material or otherwise), people, love… That constant ‘if only’ mantra so many of us carry with us – “if only I was…., if only I could…, if only I had…”

…If only, if only, if only…

No wonder we’re exhausted!

Yoga shows me, time and time again, to step back – that the practice – this practice is enough; to trust in it; to trust in my students and to trust in myself, that each of us is finding (and living) our own path to our own truth.

This isn’t an abmonishment of ambition or motivation at all. Nor an excuse to be lazy! But a call to bring ourselves fully to each task, each challenge, each moment, and then allow things to be.  So, on the mat (for example) we fully extend our arms to the degree we can extend our arms; we engage our core as much as we can engage our core; we bring the mind to experiencing the moment as much as is possible….whatever the pose might be asking of us on the mat, or whatever life may be throwing at us off of the mat. Doing what we can, committing fully and truthfully (whatever that looks like for each of us)  and then letting go. Allowing whatever comes next to unfold.

This is what I mean when I say ‘let the postures do the work’ – so often there is no need to strive; striving is what interupts the flow….it makes us tight and resistant. Take the pose, the practice, commit fully and let go.

Do your work and then step back.

from my heart to yours,

xoxo lucyogini

 

Five Fabulous Yoga Poses for Detoxing!

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The New Year oftens brings with it intentions of detoxing and getting healthy after the Christmas party season – wonderful though it may have been!  Our bodies have incredible internal cleansing systems in place, but sometimes a natural boost can work wonders.  Yoga is a great way to gently stimulate the removal of toxins, lower stress and increase circulation, releasing both physical and emotional waste. Whilst strict detoxing may not be for everyone, anyone can benefit from a gentle, rejuvenating yoga practice.  It doesn’t have to be hours – just a few minutes a few times a week can be enough to make a difference.

So if you’ve been feeling sluggish, achy or distracted give it a go. Here are five of my favourite detoxing poses (though there are many more!) that anyone can try – at any time of the year!

1. Supta Matsyendrasana (Reclined Twist)

A lovely pose to cleanse the digestion system and gently awaken the spine

A lovely pose to cleanse the digestion system and gently awaken the spine

This lovely twist stimulates the digestion system, wringing the body out from the core.  The internal organs of the torso are squeezed, the muscles of the spine gently stretched, leaving you feeling refreshed and cleansed.

  • Lying on your back, draw the right knee up and take the right foot to the floor.
  • Draw the knee further in towards the chest until you can place the left hand on right knee.
  • Use the left hand to draw the right knee over the body so that it comes down towards the floor on the left side.
  • Extend the right arm away and gaze out to the right if that’s comfortable – or just look up.
  • Don’t worry if the right shoulder comes up, or if the right knee doesn’t touch the floor.  What you’re looking for is a comfortable twist through the body.  Stay like this for 5-10 breaths.
  • Come back to centre and extend the right leg back down….aaaand repeat on the other side!

2. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog)

The 'Dog is for life, not just for Christmas, people

The ‘Dog is for life, not just for Christmas, people

I’ve not been to a yoga class yet that didn’t espouse the virtues of Downward Facing Dog.  It can be intense at first, but there are SO many benefits, so it’s worth practicing and giving the Dog some love.

Getting the heart higher than the head aids circulation and calms the mind; the abdomen is gently toned which stimulates digestion, as are the arms and legs.  It’s a powerhouse of a pose with a bounty of benefits!

  •  Start on your hands and knees, palms pressed into the floor, knees hip-width apart and toes tucked.
  • Slowly press through the hands and toes and lift the knees and hips upwards.
  • Gently press your knees back, feeling a stretch through the back-body and through the legs.
  • Start to draw the heels down – they may not reach entirely yet, be gentle.
  • Let the head hang, looking back between the toes and breathe.  Stay for 5-10 breaths.

3.       Uttkatasana with Twist (Twisting Chair)

Leg strength + cleansing twist = detox powerhouse!

Leg strength + cleansing twist = detox powerhouse!

This dynamic pose works to strengthen your legs and give your whole torso and digestive system a good cleansing squeeze.

  • Start standing with the feet together, palms together in Prayer Position.
  • Bend the knees, sticking your bum out as if you’re about to sit down on a chair.
  • Twist the body towards the right; take your left elbow to the outside of your right knee, keeping the palms together and checking the knees are still in line with each other.
  • Being mindful of the neck, turn the face upwards toward the sky if comfortable, or look to the hands, and hold for 3 breaths.  Take a breather, then twist to the other side.

4. Parivritta Marichyasana 3 (Marichi’s Pose with Twist)

This sitting twist can be adjusted to be as gentle or dynamic as you feel is right for you

This sitting twist can be adjusted to be as gentle or dynamic as you feel is right for you

This lovely pose massages the abdominal organs, including the liver and kidneys, our top allies in detoxing.  Bonus – it gives the shoulders and spine a good stretch, and can relieve back and hip pain. Oh yoga, you are so good to us!

  •  Sit on the floor, legs extended.
  • Draw your right knee towards you, foot on the floor.  You can follow the instructions from here, or, intensify a little by stepping the right foot over to the outside of the left thigh. Ensure both sit bones are on the ground.
  • Inhale and lengthen the spine; exhale and twist the body to the right.
  • Take left hand – or for a stronger twist, the elbow – to the outside of the right knee and the right hand down to the floor.
  • Hold for 3-5 breaths, release and repeat on the other leg.

5. Viparita Karani (Legs up the Wall)

An amazing restorative pose for any time of the day

An amazing restorative pose for any time of the day

This restorative pose helps circulation, soothes the nervous system and calms the mind.  We can eat the right stuff, exercise all we like, but if we don’t rest and let the body recuperate, it’s all for nought.

If you have tight hamstrings or lower back, put some cushions under your hips.

  • Sit with your right hip and shoulder against a wall, knees bent and feet on the floor.
  • Roll away on to your left side, so that your feet and bottom are now in contact with the wall.
  • Roll on to your back and extend your legs, resting them on the wall.
  • Rest here for 10 breaths with your hands on your belly, or to the sides with palms upwards.

Give these a try and see if they can help you to feel more revitalised, body and mind! The body is a wonderful thing – look after it, be gentle with it, and it’ll look after you.

Wishing you light, health and happiness,

Lucyogini x