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Lucyogini

Yoga classes, workshops and inspiration for every body

Special Summer Yin Yoga classes

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Hellooooo Summer!

We’ll be taking a little break from regular classes over the summer, but we’ll be back in September with NEW weekly classes and workshops on offer.  Stay tuned – more on that to come!

In the meantime, there are TWO delicious summer YIN YOGA classes in August.  Summer is a great time to practice yin (…although, in my book, any time is a good time to practice yin!) – when it’s warm outside and nature is in full bloom, this calming, cooling practice is the perfect way to add balance to your days, your mind and your body.  Yin yoga is largely floor based, and rather than using lots of muscular effort to hold postures, we just…let go.  Finding a shape and allowing the body to be supported by the floor and by props, which allows deeper tissues of the body to open, to stretch and to be refreshed.  We also stay in poses for longer – up to 4 or 5 minutes – which gives the body time to soften.  And if you’ve ever tried yin before, you’ll know that slow and steady doesn’t necessarily mean easy!  In creating this quiet space for the body to gently open, it is also a deeply meditative practice, a journey within; practicing patience, compassion and understanding.  It’s enlightening for sure!

Summer Yin Yoga classes are on:

  • Saturday 5th August, 9:30-11am @the Good Health Clinic, Selby (£12pp)
  • Saturday 19th August, 9:30-11am @the Good Health Clinic, Selby (£12pp)

Please get in touch to book your place!

Until then, wishing you beautiful summers of love and light xx

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

 

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

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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