"Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured." B.K.S Iyengar "Blessed are the flexible for they will not be bent out of shape" Author unknown "Yoga is the fountain of youth.You're only as young as your spine is flexible." Bob Harper | I often refer to clients they should use yoga like a tool box in their daily lives and pull out a pose to help aide them at any specific time. Yoga poses and techniques have been used for centuries as a way to achieve optimal health and well-being but for when there isn’t time to attend a yoga class or you need relief here is a few of my top tools… Headaches: When you feel like a headache coming on and you are looking for a solution outside of medication then consider the cat pose (Marjaryasana). The beginner-friendly cat pose is a great way to relieve tension in the spine, shoulders and neck, and to boost circulation in the upper body. Begin with your hands and knees on the floor in a tabletop position, and gently round the spine up as you exhale. On the inhale, return to a neutral spine. In this pose you are moving all the way up the spine and spreading the disks which can get compressed from all the sitting we do in our day to day lives. Compression will put pressure on nerves that go up the spine. So when you feel like a headache coming on you need to relieve that tension and fast and relax in the cat pose. Sore throat: The lion’s breath exercise can be used to get rid of sore throats. Lion pose (Simhasana) is a specific yoga posture that activates the immune glands of the tonsils and the lymph nodes in the neck. Performing lion pose at the very beginning of a sore throat can dramatically stop and prevent the sore throat from progressing. Period pains: Camel Pose; Kneel on the floor with the knees hips-width apart. Turn your thighs inward slightly and press your shins and feet firmly into the floor. Rest your hands on the back of your hips (place the base of your palms on the top part of your glutes and point your fingers down). Inhale, lift your chest, and press your shoulders down, towards the ribs. Exhale, push the hips forward as you lengthen the front of the body and arch back. Keep your hands on the back of your hips or on the back of the heels. If you place your hand on the heels, press your toes into the floor to lift the heels higher. Use your hands to stabilize, push the hips forward, and lift the chest. Drop the head back, gaze upward, and breathe steadily. Tiredness: Your nose is exceptionally clever. Simply by practicing a few rounds of alternate nostril breathing (Pranayama) for a few minutes each day, you can help restore imbalances in your brain – improve sleep – calm your emotional state – boost your thinking – calm your nervous system. How impressive is that! Another interesting fact about your nostrils, is that you don’t breathe through them equally all the time. Right now, you will be favoring either your left nostril or your right nostril. Left nostril for calming – right nostril for energy Your nose is directly linked to your brain and nervous system. For thousands of years the Indian yogis believe that many diseases are connected to disturbed nasal breathing. Bloated: It's easy to overindulge, and feel bloated and puffy after a big meal. The main cause? Not-so-savory reasons like gas and acid reflux. Instead of flopping back on the sofa, think about trying a natural cure for stomach troubles. You'll want to do this simple stretch—also known as the wind-relieving pose—to gain relief from bloating and gas pains. How to do it: Lie down, relax and inhale, placing your hands on your knees. Exhale, and hug your knees to your chest. Rock your knees from side to side to maximize the stretch. Stay for five to ten breaths, and release your knees. Repeat this move a few more times. Stressed: Child's Pose (Balasana) this calming child's pose is a resting posture that can help quiet the mind, easing stress and anxiety while gently stretching the back. It's also good for the nervous system and lymphatic system. Restorative ... it's child-like and allows us to come inward to ourselves. Angry: The Corpse pose, (Shavasana), is meant to quiet your mind and still your body. Lie flat on your back with your legs close but not touching, and your arms parallel to the body with the palms facing up. Close your eyes, relax your facial muscles and breathe deeply and slowly through the nostrils. Focus on consciously relaxing each part of your body, starting with your head and working your way down. If you begin to feel sleepy, breathe more quickly and deeply. |
0 Comments
![]() Last year we moved into our very own home. We became home owners and I finally realised how much solitude can be found between four walls. In fact once we were in I almost wanted to become a hermit, close the doors on the busy world and rejoice in feeling safe and content. My life is busy, it is a constant juggle of work and family life, not that I would have it any other way. Communications executive by day, yoga teacher by night and in all the in betweens I am a wife and mother. One is always infringing on the other. At work I feel guilt about time away from son, at home I have ideas about work. Rather than try to keep on top of the balance I remind myself to go with the flow. Of course this is easier said than done but I found what is more impossible is actually trying to separate and divide the roles I have. For they all equate to the same thing…me. And one thing that I do is close the door on the outside and relish in the comfort of my home. Of course this has nothing to do with being tidy! A 19 month old doesn’t allow for a show home (well it could do but I’d rather find time to do other things, or indeed do nothing at all, than spend it cleaning) There will always be Lego on my carpet, there will always be cars, trains and books strewn across the room. Dishes will always be in the sink and I can enjoy a hot soak in the bath amongst the rubber ducks and boats. We all need a bit of sanctuary in our lives and for me it can be as simple as lighting an incense stick, throw the pillows on the ground (minding the Lego) and just sitting back. So once you are home from work, kick off your shoes make a cup of tea and just enjoy your surroundings. After all there's no place at home. ![]() We live in a fast paced world. We are plugged in and connected 24/7. In fact rarely do we even turn our mobiles off these days. People expect you to respond to their texts, emails, and voice mails immediately and if you don’t you must reply explaining first why you are just getting around to it. We can tend to be on autopilot for many tasks, driving, housework etc. We aren't really aware of what we are doing and in the same moment we may not really be present in the moment by moment of our lives. Even when doing nothing in our own heads there is the constant chatter, the planning, worrying, thinking about the past, the future, today. It never ends. By becoming more aware of our thoughts and feelings from moment to moment we allow the possibility of greater freedom and choice.
"Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment." Buddha. ![]() January - like the month or loathe it we all must endure it. This is a period of reflection and to focus on your life. This is a hard piece for me to write but one I feel I need to put out there, 2015 is the year I overcome my food problems...for good. I am opening up to you to hopefully help others who suffer. My unhealthy relationship with food began in school when, as typical teenagers, are bombarded with body images and strive for perfection. I discovered I had found a unique way of dieting, I could simply put whatever I wanted into my mouth and later that day bring it up again. Excellent, the enjoyment of the taste but not of the calories, if you can stand throwing up everyday. I became 8 stone and with it I lost my periods. The constant food battle continues to taunt me even now, a woman in her thirties. 2014 was a busy year for me, I had returned to work full time after the birth of my little boy and I decided to start teaching yoga again. Juggling the classes, work and being a mother I let my own health subside. I spent the whole 12 months on a hamster wheel of binging and starving and you know what the outcome was? Absolutely nothing, at the end of the year I weighed the same as I did at the start! Of course I fluctuated losing a few stone in-between but gained it again because I didn't address the real problem. A whole 12 months invasion into my life of; eating, not eating, shakes, detox teas not to mention all the literature I consume telling me what’s bad this week and what’s the latest super food I need in my life. What a lot of time wasted for the outcome to not have changed. But in every negative there is a positive, and mine is the lesson learned. This will be the year I get an action plan together and embrace my health and rejoice that I still have time to heal myself. As a teacher of yoga it is somewhat hypocritical of me to let my individual practice slide. 2015 is the year I once again find time to meditate, be in the present moment and combat my unhealthy relationship with food. As of this month I am clean eating. I am eating no processed foods, no alcohol and plenty of green tea. Because it’s not about the New Year diet or the New Year exercise regime it is about being kind to yourself, kind to your body and kind to others. This is what I shall be practicing. This is the year I become myself again and I start by reaching out and finally getting the help I need and deserve. Namaste. For those struggling with eating disorders also please visit http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/eating-disorders/pages/introduction.aspx |
Sarah SpenceYoga enthusiast, red wine drinker, qualified journalist Archives
February 2015
Categories |