Tag: Yoga

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Holiday Gifting without the Plastic and Waste

Conscious holiday giving.  It’s not all about Consumerism, and no it’s not about religion too, well not for me. For me it goes back further than that.

Maybe it’s too late, maybe you already bought half the shops out of stock, or maybe you’ve been waiting for the green light to grinch it up too..

Each year this becomes a stronger pull for me to not want to give or recieve things.

For me, it simply seems crazy (like many things, too many things to mention haha) that we would keep spending our hard earned cash on frivolous trash which is basically utilised for 1 day, ever, as next year of course, there will be another band of buying to replace the discarded items from this year past.. And the cycle continues.

Maybe I am a grinch, or an overly deep thinker but to me it seems we need a few more people to have some discernment around things so easily manipulated by media, big brands and ideals which clearly don’t care for the future of generations, even if they pretend to care for 1 or 2 days à year, to get us to give them more money.

If we really look at it, astrologically if we look at science and physics, Christmas, as in the 24th, is the 3rd day after the solstice (we usually have 3 days to feel the effects of shifts and changes within the planets, moon and stars, ie the sun), the birth of the sun from the darkness, or as christians see it the birth of the son of God.

We are celebrating the returning of light, in the northern hemisphere, the sun, the giver of life (watch a plant or human try to grow without light), for me THIS is the miracle. The simple fact of light and warmth from the Sun God coming back to help food and air-cleaning trees to regrow (you know, the real essentials). All of this with the presence of the ones we love, a cold time, great to eat, drink, hibernate and be merry with them.

I don’t understand why we’ve allowed media companies to turn this into another excuse to make money.  “Oh the economy”…  There are more important things to life than economics and capitalism.

Money comes and goes, but our time and people in our lives, never again will the chance of these moments come back.  I would rather visit someone I love, do something together.  Or make a gift of warmth, or find something to bring them light (without the packaging).

Consciousness seems to be the new fad, which seems ironic, from my perspective, considering the above.  Hence, if we’re ‘being conscious’, why not include conscious gifting this holiday period?

Love n peace x

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Cool-Headed amidst CoronaVirus

Dear dears,
during these uncertain times (a common phrase right now, I’m sure!), I would like to be barer of pragmatism in the hope to help those in my community to be able to stay in one’s centre and personal power. 

To not succumb to fear and its effects on our health; mentally, physically, socially and economically.  By writing this I’m not meaning to ignore advice about not spreading this further, or to undermine the awful wave of deaths across the globe but, to remind us all, that worrying literally does nothing.

Cool-headed

Despite statistics and educated opinions, we actually cannot predict the future. We have an idea. There are many speculations on why this is happening, and where it is going, but this is based on the fact of the known, but the unknowns are plentiful and we will never actually uncover all of them.

All we can do is to stay present and aware so that we may be able to respond as best we can, not from a place of fear and over-thinking, but from a place of being rational and cool-headed amidst coronavirus unnerving times; responding as and how changes occur. Without our presence, we can jump to panic and often very much disempower ourselves and those others trying to help (see nurses reaction to empty shelves with all this panic buying). In scary times, we can often want someone to take the reigns and tell us it’ll be OK, to look for advice in the opinion of another (simply as I state here, just my opinion but I hope it to empower individuals, not to take away). but really, who knows for sure?

What can we do to quell the nagging anxieties telling us we might be housebound for 6 months? Or that everything may go to rubbish?!

What can we actually find safety or confidence in? The only sure ground anyone has is one’s sense of centre. As we practice in Pilates, meditation or yoga (and beyond, this is simply my remit), to find balance, to find that strong, easy place, to be where we can continue to breathe normally, despite the external factors and pressures. THIS is the only secure place for us, even the strongest house will crumble in time.

I wish to offer my services and experience as a means to help keep those around me empowered and centred so that as a whole community, we may each make the best decisions regarding ourselves and others, as opposed to reacting on fear of the unknown and massive speculations. 

Thus, I’ll be offering zoom or Skype sessions, open Pilates/meditation/yoga depending on what I feel like and what’s requested/I hear around me. Also, I’ll be continuing to offer private sessions via this medium. All sessions will be based on donation, as in, if you’re still receiving payment from your employment, or not, anticipating your fairness for us both (my work is usually all face to face and 99% of my employers ceased my employment as soon as they’ve closed their doors). Please do get in touch via my contact form if you wish to know more.


Let’s all stay in our personal power of clear minds, decisiveness and health in physical, emotional and psychological regards. 

With love, Christine

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Spring equinox

Spring equinox

Equal time split between the night and the day, and being that it’s spring here in the NH, it’s also owing to the lessening of the cold and dark to make way for the sun’s growing journey which started back on December 21st with the solstice.
It ought be warmer and lighter than then, but not always do things flow as expected.

I feel that mother earth has been throwing a few curve balls our way in a bid to bring more light to the situations caused by a lack of education and balance within the world. Even for myself, I wish to know more about how to make the best of this planet..

As you’re reading this, even as I’m writing it, ones head is in the screen, as consciously as one can connect with something so artificial still begets the need for connecting with something more real… The trees as they are starting to bud and blossom, the ground as it slowly warms, the whole of nature as it stretches out of its deep, cool slumber..

It’s still my reckoning that we are like other mammals and ought to be able to take time to restore and recharge over winter, sleep more and take stock of the year, making preparations for the next year. As we don’t currently operate in this way, to honour ourselves as living beings, rather than like the robots we create, the next best thing might be to work with the arts and sciences which support our parasympathetic nervous system (ie the one which is our natural state to being but generally becomes unreachable as we forget to slow down, even in children).

If one’s feeling frazzled, or even simply in homage to the Earth, practice yoga, Pilates, take a sound bath, nap, meditate, tai chi, chi gong, a slow walk and take in the park or forest. This will help one to align more with ones natural state (and if you fall asleep, it means you’re in need of it!)

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The Fact Is

fact

The Fact Is

That we are fine, that I am fine, although sometimes it doesn’t feel as though I am

That this too shall pass; the good, the bad, the ugly, the beautiful, the happy and the sad

It’s the waiting on reassurance from without which takes away one’s power of self and brings in doubt

I want the blanket of comfy, safe connection, but this is all an illusion

For we, each and every one of us creates our own experience of the universe

So if I’m waiting on you to tell me it’s OK or waiting on something I’ll hope you’ll do, then really truly, I give all my power over to you

To be self-empowered means no one can take the peace which resides inside our beings

Which is why I never want you to depend on me too

To be self-soothing, nourishing and empowering and able to meet another without conditioning or manipulating

To some, this may seem like I’m weak but let me assure you, from this place one never sees defeat

For we are the champions, my friend

Coming together in power, to want rather than to depend

 

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Autumn has come Early for Me this Year

2015

Autumn has come early for me this year, the summer fun has been overdone..  Yesterday I acknowledged a realisation about the disconnect between head, heart and gut. I recognise this isn’t a issue for some but also that there is a set of us whom find the art of living according to how we feel, that bit harder to hear. Perhaps that’s what I recognise sometimes when there’s a group of ‘yogis’ enter the studio, and I feel a real sense of discord, i.e. some of these people arriving are also feeling such a disconnect..?

The first 4 months of this year seemed to be a constant battle between my head and my heart. I could feel my head trying to get me out of destructive threads, threatening what I’d built at work, home, with friends and in my bank account. Yet my heart wouldn’t let go of wanting to love and be loved, although my gut knew this was all external to myself and therefore somehow still lacking.. I ignored my gut, and went mainly with my heart, until it was that I landed up in hospital; my gut was pissed I’d been disregarding it’s intuitive whispers.

I can hear my heart and it’s fear about stepping out of the romance game for anytime. I can hear my head telling me to keep working for both income and, the physical strength I’ve worked so hard to build up. However, the pleas of my gut (the one I thought I’d ‘fixed’ by probiotics bone broth and healthy eating) now resound louder than ever. Again bloated, inflamed gut and spine, imbalances through out, skin pathologies, intolerant to more and more foods..  It’s time to retreat.

Autumn has come early for me this year. It’s time to retreat and heal from all this head and heart madness.  Those educated in the gut know it rules, from the immune system, the emotions, processing the building blocks of health or rubbish we feed into it to build our cells. Yet, even the word, gut, it’s not sexy, not pretty, makes you think of..? It’s association with defecation and the less attractive traits displayed, generally it’s hidden, vacuum sealed up and shamed..  It’s the most primal and natural part of us, yet why can it be so hard to connect with?

However, in this retreat, the one and only rule is, my gut is allowed to lead the show for the next 6 weeks, I feel with the issues it presents and neglect it’s endured; it’s time I listen and keep the head and the heart on the back burner to rest their voices for a few weeks too. I’ve been juicing for 5 days now (and including regular balanced and nutritious food, just juice and raw doesn’t work for my predominantly vata body type) and including a few extra supplements to really give my body the chance to heal. Thus, if I’m not at festivals, parties, social gatherings please don’t find me rude; I’m on an early drawing in, autumn retreat, some time just for me.

 

xx

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Let’s talk Yoga, not Fashionista, Contortion, or Stretch Fads

This has been one of the hardest things I’ve written, yet.  I’ve spoken to students and other teachers about this many times and the generalisation of the issue I pose, generally, centres around individuals and groups whom from the outside, have a lot in common with I.  Thus, when criticising something which looks so close to home, one has to first have looked long and hard in the mirror – actually, criticising anyone is usually a call to take a long hard look at oneself.  But, let’s talk yoga..

 

However, I’m aware buttons may be pushed for some readers, do comment below, make suggestions for improvement, create a discussion if you disagree or agree.  By no means in this 7 short years I’ve been practicing and studying yoga can I say I have read all the philosophy, solely studied it with intensity or fully embodied it; however, I have had the privilege of having some amazing teachers (taking many forms of actual teachers, students, injuries, etc) and the practice of what has been delivered to me as ‘Yoga’ has literally, saved my life.  The basterdisation of ‘Yoga’ doesn’t feel good to me, it feels the opposite of what I’ve grown with and thus, for current students (including I), future students and many more beings in and around this practice; I feel a need to challenge some of the bullshittery around the Westernised version also known as ‘Yoga’, or Voga or WTF ever..
yogaaa

 

I was teaching less and less ‘yoga’ last year, still had a couple of consistent classes and clients but generally; I had been put off even telling anyone I teach it, even today my introduction doesn’t include ‘yoga teacher’ due to the connotations around that being in their abundance.  My practices continues to evolve, in a profound way, this too can make it hard to share and sometimes, one needs to take time to fully embody what it is that’s happening as the internal and external world change alongside the practice, thus being mindful to not share a confused message..  Of the yoga classes I teach, it’s taken a long while to move into a place (with some of the regulars) where the space is available to offer more alternative ways to be in Asan (the ‘steady’, comfortable postures), allowing in the potential to drop concepts and conditionings around the general consideration about harder, faster and stronger being the better or only way.. 

 

The other reason I’ve found it hard to teach and focused more with Pilates has been this portrayal of the skinny/slim white girl bending over backwards, posing on Instagram, putting legs behind the head and calling it yoga.  Even to view some websites when I’m looking for workshops to attend, WTF – really, why would I want to learn yoga from this person making shapes but somehow feels so far removed from the practice?..  Where’s the self-love and reflection?..

 

OK, so what makes me any different?  Why criticise this?  I’m different because I don’t give a fuck TBH about how my hair looks in asan, I’m not going to buy into the £100 legging fad, my main care is comfort not contort.  I don’t have an Instagram account and I don’t see the point to post endless selfies trying to prove something.  I did make a demo video a couple of years ago to help a friend with a project and have had requests to make them by other friends and companies, so I’m working on it, but I really don’t understand how you can transpire some of the teachings via non-face to face, energy to energy contact..?  But let’s see, this isn’t a diss on technology!

 

I’ve heard so much from students, studio managers and other teachers about people getting taught ‘yoga’ by someone doing a headstand in front of the class before they’ve even begun, ‘the young 20 something slim girl coming back from a 200 hour training and taking all the yoga teaching jobs’, students getting Pushed or encouraged to Push themselves into Asan, workshops actively encouraging taking of selfies during the workshop in various poses…  Need I go on..  And all under the umbrella of ‘Yoga’.  THAT is the kind of ‘yoga’ I don’t want to be associated with; I teach intuitive movement perhaps I’ll say instead, or Pilates and mindfulness..  Yes, I too started with a 200 hour course but this was just The Start.  Hats off to anyone who can get onto teaching classes after that brief introduction (unless perhaps already with a vast amount of practice in more than just asan and education in A&P) but it’s not real.  And it’s giving ‘yoga’ a really bad reputation among people who actually give a shit about the connective, expansive and life changing side of this beautiful ancient tradition.  I know I’ve only less than a decade of experience here but I won’t claim to be anything more, I teach modestly and am quite open about my limitations, then if people return they can listen to how I can point only back to them for them to learn what it is they’re looking for.

 

For a simple example, paschimottonasana, seated forward bend; can you hold your big toes? How does holding your big toes make your WHOLE spine, shoulders, feet, etc feel?  Do you have a feeling of length through out or did you have to compress and contort something to get there?  I.e. is that congruent with your whole?..  Can you still breathe?  Does it even matter that you have your toes?!  Some hips and spines are that open, TBH, I don’t see that many in classes I teach; general bodies have been long deformed by chairs, sofas, cars and society.  Does YOUR body need to be in a deeper bend than him or her?  Do you need to master this posture to post it onto your or as a response to a celebrity teachers’ instawank?  Is that 5 seconds of pain necessary to inflict upon yourself?..  Are you enough aware about how to listen to yourself so you can hear how your body responds to this posture?  So you are aware if that’s the right place for you to be right now?  Or sorry, were you just after a stretch class?
fallingyoga
Picture of me on old yoga photoshoot punching above my weight trying to pose for pinchamayurasana – just in case things needed lightening up 😉

 

It’s the drive to go deeper into posture without regard for causing damage to the body; which for me, has been one of the most powerful realisations (which I keep coming back to!) about how the path of yoga moved from an exercise class (yes, this is how it started for me) into something a lot more.   Saying that, yes, I know by teaching the way that I do, I run the risk of bastardising some of the lineages of Asan; but for me, not taking into consideration that our overly sedentary Western bodies have simply (most of us) had different experiences during the formative years than past yogis, is bastardising the Yamas and Niyamas..  Social media has a lot to answer for about portraying a distorted view on what bodies ‘should’ look like and be capable of doing; smiling contortionists, getting all pretzeled up, just for the shot..  Unless you’re a dancer, gymnast, martial artist, moved properly your whole life (and have some degree of hypermobility) how really can one be able to sit comfortably and breathe in some of these postures?..  Hats off to those who can, love it!  But this doesn’t make up the majority in my UK based circles.

 

Too often I’ve seen and heard people aggressively being pushed or pushing oneself into postures, throwing our cells around and blaming yoga for our getting injured.  It troubles me to hear from students talking about teachers who are regularly showing off their postures, head standing in front of everyone before class has even begun, FFS, really?!  Whilst of course wearing the latest ‘in’ lycra, all a part of the modern ‘yoga’ brand.  Although I am in one vein, criticising this, in the other I hold space for it, as I’ve been there too.  Feeling the pull to go there still now at times (yes I appreciate aesthetics and pretty things!), it feels good to wear nice things!  But as teachers at least, I encourage you to question your motives sometimes.  It’s hot, I want to wear my abs out..!  Hmmm, yea but then those people who come to my class who aren’t all day movers get a distorted perception of healthy body image..  Those who maybe can’t afford much more than their gym membership get the feeling they don’t have enough money to buy into the ‘yoga’ world of looking good?..  Why and when did yoga become so exclusive?  When did all this get so mixed up?   Again, FFS..  I wear all sorts, but if I want to look sexy I keep it for my free time with the someone I want to look sexy for, not people who are coming to learn something with such a transformational edge with, it gives totally (for my style at least) the wrong impression.  Students are already at one’s mercy due to the set up of teaching, keep it pure, keep it real, keep your freaking EYES wide OPEN.  I’ve recently started teaching yoga classes to banging tunes, requirement of the particular studio, the message still transpires; breath in the asana, not just pushing the painful posture; banging beats, whale noises or silence..

 

For the past 7 years or so I tried so hard to fit into the yoga world, causing injuries, ignoring my desires for other pursuits and trying to keep up with the trends.  Now I say fuck it.  Fuck the clothing companies (I actually wrote to one about only having size 6 models and was told this is protocol.. Sweaty Betty your response was pretty lame and unsatisfactory), fuck the “I can touch my big toe”, fuck the contortion, fuck the perfect alignment, fuck the competition; give me the sensing, inside out awareness with less headfucks and back aches.  Each of those has it’s space in the world, let’s celebrate the differences for what they are?  Rather than what they claim to be..?

Love

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Moving In – The Most Important Physical Relationship

DSC00110 - Copy

To learn, at least in this physical plane, if something hurts, how does it want to be treated in order to heal?

We know instinctively, intuitively what is good for us, the body is an accessible tool to help find answers within.

Physical manifestations of pain have been said to start in the psyche, i.e. something jabs us emotionally and perhaps it’s felt in the gut, or your shoulder got stuck..

Listen to oneself..  ..DEEPLY..

Listening to how the body responds when making the most simple of movements can be a tool to self-empowered healing.

Learning how a bone rotation of 3 degrees can cause the firing up and lengthening of different strings of your muscles fibres, contrasting to the regular pattern of shapes your body makes..

Being mindful not to just feel the burn, but to learn from the edges of it..  To be where the heat is at its most intense, feeling when there is an internal response to that edge and the burn kicks in, momentarily finding that magic spot..

Re-engage your focus, to enquire How to play curiously with the movement of your structures and to once again move through those fire..

As like fire, those intense places, those edges and spaces within us, are never still.  Constantly shifting and changing, moving and grooving with its constituents and where these input variables each meet their environments..  The only constant is change.  You think you found your magic edge, think you got it, then look again!  ..It changed!..

To stay in one’s zones of comfort.  To always be using the same line of action and enquiry, reinforcing the known and further disempowering the rest…

By mitigating ones usual placement, the resonance points can be heard from where one can strengthen those parts which suffer from less frequent action and engagement..

Being blessed, with such a physical system as this..  The human physical, our complex and epic instrumental tool for this life..  And to only access a fraction of its abilities..?!..  Please..

Working with the body is an amazing way to empower yourself physically but it’s also a stepping stone to something much deeper..

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Pilates for Posture – Upper back and Shoulders

Sunday 13th March 12.00 – 14.30

 

piglates

Do you ever notice yourself or those around you with classic hunched shoulders and neck when checking ones phone or other electronic device?  Even when reading a paper book it seems that we don’t do enough to counter this forward curving position to help the body to find balance again.  There was a time when people would practice walking with books on their head as a means of steady posture when walking, people were more active and there was less back pain in the ‘developed world’.  Thus today, let’s take a step into finding, mobilising and using those long lost muscles; preventing atrophy, frozen shoulder, chronic neck pain, increased risk of issues associated with thoracic osteoporosis and many other things which could be positively impacted by knowing more about your anatomy and how to use it.

How does your ribcage sit?  Do you feel sometimes (or all the time) like the hunchback of Notre Dame?  Keep getting told you need to pull your shoulders back?  Get tight in the neck, shoulders, upper back?  Tension head aches?  Feel a bit lost in your own skin?.

No need to worry, get yourself aware and re-aligned, come see me for part 2 of the Posture workshop where we’ll be focusing on the upper body bones alignment, how this related to your posture and, how you present yourself and how you feel out in the world.  If you didn’t make it to part 1 (although the work we did there does feed into this) you can still make it to part 2, as our focus will be on the upper body with a basic recap on the previous workshop; part 2 contains Pilates and mobility exercises and stretches to help empower you and your ability to move out of excessive kyphosis (i.e. the hunchback look) and it’s associated symptoms.

When we allow our vertebra (bones in the spine) to stack optimally, not only does this allow us to breathe fully, move easily, and promote a sense of balanced confidence; but it also helps us to prevent future injuries, strains and even some diseases.  Thus, also we’ll be looking in more depth on how to breath deeply, maximising mobility of the rib cage, mobilise parts of you which you didn’t know you could mobilise and use Pilates and some other tools to get you more present in your body, moving more as nature intended!


If you want any more information or to book on then contact Christine now (email and phone number below)!  Places are limited to 5, all equipment is provided.

£20 investment with Early Bird booking (book on or before Thursday 3rd March) 
£25 regular investment price* 

If you’re interested but would rather the 1:1 attention and privacy of a private session then get in touch!  1:1 sessions are a great way to also help support you better if you want or need that little extra.

Love and thanks
Christine x

email: christine@core-focus.co.uk


Links for why posture matters:

TED Talks about Posture:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljm0ldxgkcE&index=6&list=FL7znEFcqi4uQ88oActfL7Cg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ks-_Mh1QhMc
Websites on Posture:
http://blog.crew.co/power-postures/
http://jamesclear.com/body-language-how-to-be-confident


* Please note, space only reserved once payment has been made, refund only given if requested 2 weeks or more before course start date, unless you can swap your place with a SUITABLE candidate (suitable down to the discretion of Christine @ Core focus). This is to ensure that you get the best quality sessions from Christine, and that Core-Focus can continue to deliver what you need, on a small scale and at an affordable price.  Thanks 🙂

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When to go to yoga Vs. When not to go to yoga

whentogo

Photo on left curtousy of Miguel Echiveria, Photo right taken by C Suzuki @Froguesthouse, Lima

It comes up relatively frequently for me, as a hunch, intuition or sometimes a humanistic rash judgement, without knowing someone’s full situation first (one reason I wanted to write this, to encourage people to open a dialog more before session starts); thinking someone might had been better off to stay at home.  Or, upon hearing the reason for someone’s absence, feeling maybe it could have helped if they had joined in.  I had a friend/student call me last night with regards to if they ought to join the class or not; they had been sick in bed all day, felt pretty rubbish but were very excited to come to practice; my answer was to stay in bed..  Generally I won’t turn some one away, and intend to not interrupt their process as you never know the kind of day or week that has been had.  Unless it’s a medical condition or, compromising their health or recovery, everyone is welcome; discernment taken by each individual about their own abilities, in each moment with conscious and with clear intentions, not just when a part of the self has become compromised.

Classes tend to be a mixed bag of bodies and souls, bringing your body to class with all it’s nuances is anticipated; but if the nuance/sickness/pregnancy is new and you don’t know how to handle it, then ask your regular teacher and if they can support you in your regular class.  Communicate what you need, then if they aren’t confident to have your best interests at heart, it’s a really good idea to get some help in an/some individual sessions or specialist classes so you are more empowered in your practice.

When it’s a good idea to go to class (even if sometimes you feel a bit lazy, or cold or simply not sure):

  • Exactly that – if it’s cold outside, you’ve got too much on your mind, or if you’re in two minds about going to class, simply move your ass and go!  However,  if it’s your intuition saying no, a firm, deep no, then this is different, and needs to be listened to and respected.  If it’s because you have too much on your mind or feel too ‘busy’ then go, particularly going to yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi or other similar discipline can help your busy mind to function better.  In these modalities of movement where you to meditate on the moment, you allow your subconscious mind to work out all of those things which are bugging your brain.  The more you try to solve a problem which alludes you, the further the answer will be.
  • If you’ve been ill but you’re getting over it.  Clearly, if you’re still bed bound, don’t go and read below.  When you’re mainly healed, it’s important you move your body, and get the lymphatic system flowing and draining properly, moving your muscles allows this to happen much more  effectively.  Laying still will not help you to rid yourself of toxins, and to feel fresher the next day; however if it’s a major illness you’re recovering from take it slowly; if you’ve been out of it for more than a few days, start really easy and make sure your doctor is happy with you rejoining class.  Incorporate plenty of rest, nourishment and water or herbal teas after class, more than likely you’ll feel much better the next day.
  • If you don’t get out much, or trying to manage a condition which perhaps has special needs.  Locate someone who feels good for you, even if you can only gauge it from a trusted friends recommendation, a picture, or a phone call.  If you have issues which mean you might need help or have special needs during a class, talk to the teacher and see if they can facilitate for this and to enable you to make yourself comfortable.  Being a part of a small group of people, in a mindful space, is a really good for body and soul.  If a small group feels too much, book a 1:1 (sometimes can be at your home even), ensure you get a feeling for your guide/teacher first.
  • If your muscles are tight from stress, too much cardio or high impact, mega DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) perhaps.  Get stretching!  Find yoga or Pilates to recentre and realign your body and mind, and help relieve muscle tightness and stiffness.  Muscles need lengthening, not just strengthening, and any good yoga or Pilates class with help you to do both!

When not to go to class:

  • If you’re sick and in bed.  If you’re that sick you need to stay in bed.  If it’s a cold or flu then also consider your class mates and teacher not getting sick too from you (this goes for being in public spaces, in Japan, the sick people are the ones wearing the face masks, might try this one myself if need to be out when have flu!).
  • If you’re in your first trimester of pregnancy or think you might be pregnant, or if you’re undergoing IVF.  At this time class (although other teacher’s opinions will differ), you’re very sensitive, it’s when your body needs all of it’s energy to make a new home for your new baby!  If you are yearning to move, find someone who knows about these times of life and have a 1:1, or if they run classes ask them if you can join.  If you are advanced and consistent with your practice before your pregnancy, then this might then be different for you.  But when there’s another life at stake, I’d always say take the easier and safer option, for the first trimester at least.  If you are advanced and can’t afford a 1:1 – perhaps gentle home practice is better than a vinyasa high energy class, maybe pregnancy classes or at least get some basic advice about how to adapt BEFORE you get into any postures or move.
  • If you’ve recently had surgery or are being looked after by a doctor (heart, bone, blood, nerve, brain, respiratory, hormonal, digestive lymphatic issues, everything!) and not been signed off yet.  I’ve sadly turned people away from classes for this kind of thing, it feels rubbish to do..  Unless you’re signed off, then you’re still fragile and your body needs to be kept resting, if you must move about, ask your doctor what you can do now, and always, always tell your instructor or teacher about things when you return to class or sessions.
  • If your gut, heart or intuition simply tells you not to.  Because you’re going out drinking, isn’t an excuse.  But if you feel it deep to your core not to go, never override these instincts; it’s usually the first instinct which is best as it is unadulterated by the mind.  We’ve been taught for too long to ignore these instincts, it’s important to allow this sense of self to blossom within, it can save much time, effort and pain if we can listen to ourselves better!
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Range Of Motion, Different for Everyone

Range of Motion

All along our physical journey (regardless of yoga interactions) there are people who seem stronger, more flexible and all round more able.

I see my ego be sparked by this still daily, but I’m not so much letting this influence me.  Yes, I still am on my own path of continuous development but no, I no longer look at others, or their range of motion, as a bench mark of where I need to be.  Similarly, when peers and students alike say ‘I’d love to be able to do that’  it’s not always appropriate to deliver this message.

I thought when I started yoga, especially getting into teaching, that one day my spine would straighten out and I’d be able to continue to lengthen my adho mukha (down dog) and paschimottonasana (deep forward bend).  But to be honest; my body doesn’t seem to want to go that way and I’ve given up trying to force those shapes on my already super mobile and somewhat asymmetrical self.

Another truth, which appears to be held in many different camps of thought, is that some bodies are born more mobile, with a larger range of motion than others.

Whereas some bodies are so mobile it can cause pain and injuries so much more easily; but it also means they ‘get into’ those shapes we all look at with awe.  Generally also (clearly not for everyone), a lot of yoga, dance and gymnastics tend to have this innate mobility within their joints and muscles – hence the propensity for more mobile people to work in careers which work with this innate ‘ability’.  The different camps of thought around hypermobility/hyperlax joints is too deep to get into here, but basically, some people ignore it, some people don’t know about it, and some people seem to suffer tremendously from it.  For me, I know my joints have a larger than ‘normal’ range of motion which has caused me issues in the past.  But instead of focusing on the bits which don’t feel so good, and getting anxious that it’s too much, I focus on alignment, spirals and loops within my body to help me to make the most out of physical movement practices.  I also work a lot with Pilates.

Thus, basically, some people bend more than others.  This need not be a reason to quit your journey into physical practice but just to add as a back note when watching teachers, peers or others on their YouTube channel, that their Range Of Motion may be pre-set different to yours.  And, If you are naturally more flexible, finding your edges maybe harder than for stiffer bodies so be mindful not to push your already flexible body into shapes it may regret upon recoiling.

Let your ego wrap around these words and have a break from competing (get into Your yoga!).  Not looking to judge others who might bend deeper, or not, but to let yourself off the hook of pushing too much into those shapes that are made by those who do.  Find your edge with patience and observation, and feel into how much you’re ready to move beyond it, in THIS moment.  See, feel and honor every step of your journey, enjoy your challenges, not challenging your differences compared to another.

Love and patience shared to all who continue to learn, for by continuing to learn we continue to grow in LIFE and LOVE.