and there's more...: fab yoga class

and there's more...: fab yoga class: My favourite class of the week to date My Saturday morning yoga class is amazing..the instructor is an amazing young woman who just...

fab yoga class

My favourite class of the week to date

My Saturday morning yoga class is amazing..the instructor is an amazing young woman who just inspires me.

Before I get their I am my usual hyped up individual, always rushing round, chasing my tail, ( even if I do get up at stupid oclock ) and always on the go.....

that is until I get into my Yoga class and this morning was no exception.

Little bit of chat with the class members about the forthcoming yoga work shop before the class starts leaves us all feeling a little excited and curious.

But soon we are right into the class with a few slow deep breaths to begin our class and ease us into the practise....

I have noticed of late how much quicker I get into the moment...

. The instructor reminds us that it is our practise and not to compete with others in  the class...(one of my pet habits in the past...sure, I'm still very competitive, but I dont tend to watch others int he class now, I try to focus on what I am doing and just to compete with myself, improving my own practise )

This is really good advice as we are all different, with different body shapes, some more flexible than others, and all bringing to the class different issues, all of which can hamper or aid the practise.  What might be good for us to do on one day, may not be good on another day.....

So I always try to treat each practise with a fresh outlook...I do my best..I be he best I can be....

But as our instructor reminds us ( she refers to Ahimsa, one of the 5 Yamas, Non-violent/non harming, and that means to our selves also )...we also have to be kind to ourselves..if we need to take a break..that is ok.... we can resume when it is good for us..( that is not to say that we shouldnt push ourselves to try to be better..it means that it has to be balanced.....and the fact that we are present in the practise means we want to be the best we can ) 

It is an intense class with lots of asanas I havnt practised for a while, I feel invigorated, and strong, and somewhat stretched!!!!

The class ends all too soon... with 10 minutes savasana/meditation..and opportunity to relax my body and mind and to give thanx that i am able to take part in my yoga practise....

and there's more...: oh no...no time to blog

and there's more...: oh no...no time to blog: Cant believe it....its been ages again.... so much going on and no time to blog This new course is taking up more time than I thoug...

oh no...no time to blog

Cant believe it....its been ages again....

so much going on and no time to blog

This new course is taking up more time than I thought...

and then theres all those extra classes I sort!!!

but the good news is

 thats another assignment in...

its late but at least I can now manage a little grin...😉

Poet ...and  know it....🤣

I can only apologise...and my excuse...

so tired and feel like p**h  

Good night Godbless

😉

and there's more...: yoga class ..its been ages

and there's more...: yoga class ..its been ages: After 10 days of  not doing a yoga class....  fotos by chardonnay Our holidays are over and its back to normality/reality ...

yoga class ..its been ages

After 10 days of  not doing a yoga class....

 fotos by chardonnay

Our holidays are over and its back to normality/reality

some of the things that we come back to I'm sure are not always welcome!!

all that washing..ironing...cleaning...etc

sunshine ...sea...cocktails are now just beautiful memories...

seeing our loved ones and being in places we feel familiar with, I'm sure are some of the things we feel happy coming back to....

for me, getting back to my exercise routine, is also really important....especially my yoga

(thats not to say that I dont want to get back to see my lovly family 😉, I miss them loads really )

So my 1st class in 10 days is done, and yes it was tough going....

I really couldnt wait to get to it ....my body felt like it needed a good stretch, especially after that 5 hour flight ( which was not enjoyable...after being up for 15 hrs, then the flight, then the 2 hr difference, its fair to say that we were feeling a little fragile...  )

it started very gently with some nice loosening up exercises/forward folds etc but quickly moved onto some quite intense strength asanas/poses...moving through several sequences of downward dog, 3 legged dog, plank, and side plank which was , for me, quite tough!! 😩 ( was I really missing this! )

moving on, twists of different variations!!...and by now I was feeling very tired..so the arrival of some work on our back was very welcome.....

Our class finished with 10 minutes meditation which was very welcome...an opportunity to rest and breathe.......and focus on nothing but my breath entering and leaving my tired body 😔

Namaste

and there's more...: Its the weekend

and there's more...: Its the weekend: Yes its here...its the weekend... time to chill with loved ones... BUT JUST... remember its 2 days... just like the other 5 days in...

Its the weekend

Yes its here...its the weekend...
time to chill with loved ones...

BUT JUST... remember its 2 days...
just like the other 5 days in the week
and we should treat them all the same
as if it was our last ...
EACH DAY IS A GIFT
ENJOY

and there's more...: And that came round fast too/two

and there's more...: And that came round fast too/two: I haven't blogged for over a week!!!  and why???? I've been on my hols��.....yes I know thats no excuse... Sure I booked for ...

And that came round fast too/two

I haven't blogged for over a week!!!  and why????
I've been on my hols😎.....yes I know thats no excuse...

Sure I booked for 7 days😕...it seemed more like 3 days  ( it rolled round so quick )

Sunshine ....sunshine...sunshine...followed by
Cocktails...cocktails...cocktails...
I did little more than eat, drink, swim, oh yes and sleep....
I definitely did more than my share of that!!!  

fair to say that it was a very relaxing holiday...

chilledddd was not the word

But way too soon its back to reality....Time to book my next one😉

and there's more...: Wow that came round fast

and there's more...: Wow that came round fast: It seemed when I booked our 7 day girlie holiday for myself and my cousin back in July,  that it was ages away.... well what do you know......

Wow that came round fast

It seemed when I booked our 7 day girlie holiday for myself and my cousin back in July,  that it was ages away....
well what do you know...its arrived..its today and I've got the usual panic attacks....😒
Have I got everything???
Well that is the question....because this time last year I drove off the drive and realised that I hadnt got my PASSPORT!!!! yes I know STUPID!!!

it could of been worse...I could of been at the airport!!!!
checklist....
yep case packed..😏
sunscreen got..😏
taxi booked..
sunglasses...errr nope ( I always forget them !!)  sunglasses 👌
hat....err nope  ( did I actually remember anything!!) hat 👌
euros...oooops ( I can get them from the airport ) 😓
paperwork...😐
Its fair to say that I will get there and find I have forgot something!!
PASSPORT...yep 😅👌🆗🌞

Here we come.....😎

and there's more...: yoga journal...

and there's more...: yoga journal...: woke early....mind working overtime  yesterday was a heavy day ( stress wise ) and I think my brain was still there! (trying to get my 1st...

yoga journal...

woke early....mind working overtime 
yesterday was a heavy day ( stress wise ) and I think my brain was still there!
(trying to get my 1st assignment in...before my hols
trying to sort out apprenticeship applications for my 16 year old..
sorting holiday arrangements out for forth coming holiday...clothes, toiletries, taxi to airport, making provisions for family members!!! ( 3 days time !)
getting a card and gift for mine and hubbies anniversary..2moro!! ( even though he WILL forget )
not forgetting all the usual day to day things that have to be done...)

And breathe.....

I noticed my body was still there too as I got out of bed....back and joints were noticably stiff....i think they were stressed too!!! holding on to all those memories from yesterday

Unbelievable how stress can affect the body as well as the mind...my body takes on a whole new shape/posture when I am stressed... shoulders and ears noticably connected 😉 spine slumped into my hips!!! and the pain in the base of the skull must be due to my head wanting to disappear in between my clavicle and scapula!!!  ( no wander I'm aching 😉 )

Need to address this with a few nice in breaths/out breaths...stretching my arms above my head and taking a nice full body stretch...getting my neck and head back to normal position! rolling my shoulders back and forth and getting them away from my ears...

Positivity starts to return as I remember I have a yoga class in a couple of hours...( not just any class, but my favorite one of the week)

As the morning went on ..its fair to say that a few negative thoughts crept..

(my cousin rang to say she wouldnt be able to make the class as she had to much to do for our hols!)

(yes I've got loads to do too?  I could do a quick session at home and crack on with my jobs!!)

so easy to let negative thought stop us doing things....that little voice in the head

But I'm glad to say...I went and as usual it was amazing/inspiring/exhilarating/

The instructor was full of her usual energy...puts me in the mind of a perfect sun salutation..

and I instantly remembered why she had inspired me to want to be an instructor and to hopefully pass on to others, what she gives to me 💓

Why did I even consider not coming?    

we started with a deep breaths in and out, calming us and getting us ready for the class.

we did some shaking nxt!! knees bent slightly and shaking our booties, and then doing small jumps on the spot and hugging ourselves/slapping our backs....sounds a bit odd..but it served to wake up our bodies and create energy and warmth, and a little bit of humour, ( when you spotted yeself in the mirror )  breaking down any awkwardness in the class....again I asked myself

'why would I want to do chores instead of this?' I love my yoga

Nicely warm now....we continue into adho mukha svanasana..with an opportunity to pedal our heels to release our calf/hamstrings,( i still struggle with getting my heels to the floor, but it is a working progress )  bending from side to side, with bended knees, feeling a good stretch in each side of the body....thoughts of yesterday melting away as I push myself into the twists, releasing the stiffness from my shoulders
next was sun salutations, again stretching getting rid of stiffness, enjoying breathing into the forward folds and backbends releasing any remaining tension....allowing me to focus and feel my mind becoming calm.
next came the twisted asanas....starting with intense pose,  twisted chair pose, massaging the internal muscles... I have been trying to improve this as I felt my flexibility was not very good, although I do think it is improving, our instructor encourages us to twist as fully as possible...onto twisted lunges..feeling very stretched!! more to come..onto twisted triangle...I always feel my alignment is not good in this pose.even with the help of the block.(which could be why its not one of my favorite poses ) the instructor came round and helped us with alignment..but I do find breathing in this pose quite tough. 
is at this stage I get a few negative thought pop into my mind, struggling a bit now..need to learn to focus more....more than half way through the class and its tough going
opportunity to rest a little and to relax into the pose...into a belly twist...i like this pose more, and we are encouraged to try the variations, one leg extended etc
we end with shoulder stand moving into plough...I love the roll motion into plough....releasing the back 
we settled into Balasana Baby pose ..phew opportunity to relax into this lovly pose..lenghtening and stretching the spine, shoulders and even the legs, instructor encouraging us to sit right back on our heels and reach gently forward....focusing on our breathing, calming down our breath /minds.
and onto relaxation.......

and there's more...: yoga day hurray

and there's more...: yoga day hurray: To do yoga everyday is a gift to ourselves a gift that brings with it many benefits No 2 days are the same ..something we all agr...

yoga day hurray

To do yoga everyday is a gift to ourselves

a gift that brings with it many benefits

No 2 days are the same ..something we all agree on I'm sure

Some mornings we wake and are full of energy and good intentions..

and other days we wake and that energy somehow still seems to be sleeping!!

Sometimes that energy needs a little nudge or a kick up the gluteus maximus 😉

Yoga is a perfect way to do this..

on days like these I take a few nice deep inhales and exhales...stretching the arms above my head...inhale and reach for the sky and lower arms to the side of the body as you exhale..after several of these I move on to forward fold...

Forward fold with knees bent and exhale deeply, exhaling out that stale breath from the body..let body be quite relaxed /floppy as you exhale down..and gently draw in abdominal muscles, helping to push out that stale breath..repeat this several times....

I try to let this sequence flow smoothly from Tadasana ( mountain pose ) through to Uttanasana ( standing forward fold )

I am gentle with my body 1st thing in the morning and allow my knees to be bent in uttanasana, and move on to legs being straight after several sequences ( and if it feels good )

It is important to work to our own bodies limitations..it is our practise.

I soon feel the energy/warmth waking....

This sequence only takes minutes but sets me up for the day....so even if I am very limited on time I can still fit this in....and hopefully time permitting I can follow this with either a home practise or instructor led class at the gym.....

Have a fab day

and there's more...: Food for thought

and there's more...: Food for thought: How true this is....  dont be in so much of a hurry to get there that you forget to enjoy the journey Namaste x

Food for thought

How true this is....

 dont be in so much of a hurry to get there that you forget to enjoy the journey

Namaste

x

and there's more...: journal

and there's more...: journal: 6 a.m. Another early start for me ( balance class at 9.30) Not so much soreness this morning as I stepped out of bed �� (  not to say tha...

journal Adho mukha svanasana

6 a.m.
Another early start for me ( balance class at 9.30)
Not so much soreness this morning as I stepped out of bed 👌
(  not to say that I cant feel my aches )
This is good it reminds me that I have been working hard, I'm aware of my upper arms in particular, and the muscles in the arms, still feeling sore. ( oh yes and pain in the butt 😉 gluteus maximus )
( I remember in particular about 2 years ago, before taking up yoga, that I was experiencing a lot of discomfort in my wrists and elbows.  I remember being quite concerned about it, it was obvious for quite a few months and even just the simplest of every day actions, such as leaning on my elbow or carrying shopping would be very sore. I remember distinctly thinking 'Damn, I'm getting old!!' 👵  and I was not happy about it. ) ( not particularly the getting old side of it, although, to be fair, I'm not happy about that at all, but its inevitable!!!, it is more the ailments that are associated with getting old!  that I object to)
another excellent reason to be as healthy as possible...be the best you.... see previous blogs
I can truthfully say on a day to day basis I do NOT have pain in my wrists, yes, if I have been doing a lot more yoga which particularly uses arms/ wrists/shoulders etc I do experience discomfort, BUT, and for me this is the important bit, it is temporary and reminds me that I am working hard and getting stronger)
so back to this morning....

I put the soreness down to the increased amount of adho mukha svanasana, ( downward facing dog poses) both at home /classes. 
Probably one of the most widely recognised asanas ( moves/postures )
and a very good all in one posture which gives multiple benefits  ( to be revisited in future blogs)

 so continuing my day with some slow and deep inhale/exhale breaths ( see previous post )
before going through my sun salutations ( see previous post ) and now onto several repetitions of adho mukha svanasana to stretch out all those muscles...

onwards and upwards

😉

and there's more...: journal Sun salutation

and there's more...: journal Sun salutation: Up nice and early..and I use the term NICE loosely! Been doing more classes than usual and really pushing myself and felt very tired when I...

journal Sun salutation

Up nice and early..and I use the term NICE loosely!
Been doing more classes than usual and really pushing myself and felt very tired when I woke at about 5.45 a.m. to get my son off to work😫
By 5,45 I would of had approximately 6 hours sleep and ordinarily that would be more than enough for me.
But this is not ordinary!!
for the last month I have been doing 6 classes a week ( 1 per day ) which means I have doubled the classes...( usually doing just 3 a week )
These consisted of yoga and body balance, as well as my Yoga at home.
So after dragging myself out of bed feeling, to be honest, quite sore  I had my 1st glass of water and took a few slow deep breaths ..in through the nose and out through the nose ...filling my lungs with oxgen and getting rid of the carbon dioxide....I like to really exhale deeply and as fully as possible...pulling the abdominal muscles in ....an action that I liken to ringing out washing!! 😉
this always puts me in the right frame of mind to start my 1st asana of the day
Today its Sun Salutations.....so here goes
I love this ..it stretches the whole body....and again gives the opportunity to fill my lungs with oxygen...
I  ease myself into each asana...I like to work to my maximum and over the last few years I have noticed that it has really paid off....( I am getting deeper into the asana) still loads of room for improvement...
(Only work to your own limitations...its your practise )
I try to keep a fluid movement ..gracefully moving through the moves ...breathing slowly and gently... feeling the energy spread through the body.
Sun salutation leaves me feeling strong and helps gets rid of the stiffness that has built up due to extra exercise
I do 2/3 rounds today as I have a class later on.
Although I feel tired initially..( I expect this to subside once my body gets used to the extra work load)   I still have loads of energy to take me through the day....and I feel stronger and leaner and more healthy...actually I feel full of sun salutation 😉
A fantastic way to start the day....

and there's more...: Dalai Lama

and there's more...: Dalai Lama: Be kind where ever possible....being kind is always possible

Dalai Lama

Be kind where ever possible....being kind is always possible

and there's more...: yoga journal Tadasana

and there's more...: yoga journal Tadasana: I love to practice every day... bit extreme some people might say.... I havnt got time...i hear you say But yoga practice does not only m...

yoga journal Tadasana

I love to practice every day...
bit extreme some people might say....
I havnt got time...i hear you say
But yoga practice does not only mean spending an hour or so on the mat at a class!
it can be very beneficial to spend 10/15 mins each day. It can be 1st thing in the morning or evening or lunch time..in fact it can be anytime that is good for you It is your practice
So pick a time that works for you...
if you are a busy mum/dad with youngsters maybe 1st thing in the morning is never going to be an option 😟 ( early morning is a fab time to practice ..so may be putting the alarm on for 15 minutes earlier...and beating the mayhem that comes with having a young family, is an option....just a thought 😉)
I like to start my day with a glass of water ( this has many health benefits which I will go into at a later date )
My yoga practice starts with a few deep breaths..like so 
stand tall and straight in tadasana ( mountain pose ) as shown
Experience the complete stretch as you take a full body stretch from feet through hips/abdomen/chest/throat/arms/ head.....fill your whole body with breath as you breath in through the nose, whilst raising the arms above the head... out through the mouth lowering the arms back to the side of the body..as you breathe out...
I repeat this several times.
I personally like to keep my feet a few inches apart allowing me more stability.
There are many variations and can be modified to suit each individual.....most importantly do what is good for you...work to your limitations...It is your practice 
I will then follow with other asanas (positions) usually depending on how i feel at the time and what i think I will benefit most from on any given day...... ( more on these in next blogs 😍)

Enjoy your day

Namaste

and there's more...: yoga time

and there's more...: yoga time: Namaste The best and only way to start the day Excited to be going to my favorite #yoga class to date.... so its been 2 weeks d...

yoga time

Namaste

The best and only way to start the day

Excited to be going to my favorite #yoga class to date....

so its been 2 weeks due to bank holiday opening hours etc

and yes its fair to say that I was getting withdrawal symptoms 😉

of course I have been going to other classes... #body balance #yoga ..attending the gym...

its fair to say that if I dont get my daily dose of exercise I do feel very down !!!

but this one particular class I always miss more than the others

Its quite an intense yoga class and always leaves me feeling exhilarated if not a little taller than when I went in... 😉

The Instructor is a beautiful young woman who just gives off this amazing aura...

as soon as she walks in, you feel transported into the spirit of Yoga....

she spends time to chat to the class and makes every one relaxed....

she is full of passion and expression and effortlessly spreads this through the whole class within minutes of arriving,  and its fair to say that when I leave I always feel as if I am taking some of it with me.....

Yes I can truthfully say that it was when I met this beautiful human being that I decided I too wanted to be a Yoga Instructor   ( if at all possible ) to learn more about it
Thank you...you have inspired me  x

Of course I had always wanted to teach and pass on the benefits of exercise and a healthy life style to others, but some how the time never seemed right until now.....

Now was the time and hopefully for the rest of my life

I had found my passion...and I wanted to pass this feeling ( that she gives to us ) on to others and to show as many people as possible the benefits of this beautiful way of life

As Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar says, “Yoga is not just exercise and asanas. It is the emotional integration and spiritual elevation with a touch of mystic element, which gives you a glimpse of something beyond all imagination.”

and there's more...: September

and there's more...: September: Whilst I hope your August was Amazing..I pray that your September will be even more amazing.... filled with good health..happiness... lov...

September

Whilst I hope your August was Amazing..I pray that your September will be even more amazing....

filled with good health..happiness... love and good fortunate....

Godbless