12/13/2015 1 Comment 12 days of christmasThis post is inspired by an end of class chat with two of my favourite yoga students, thanks to Deb and Maree I give you both the 12 Days to Christmas the yoga way.
ON THE FIRST DAY OF CHRISTMAS YOGA GAVE TO ME A BLISSFUL TIME TO JUST BE ON THE SECOND DAY OF CHRISTMAS YOGA GAVE TO ME 2 DEEP BREATHS AND A BLISSFUL TIME TO JUST BE ON THE THIRD DAY OF CHRISTMAS YOGA GAVE TO ME 3 FORWARD BENDS 2 DEEP BREATHS AND A BLISSFUL TIME TO JUST BE ON THE FOURTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS YOGA GAVE TO ME 4 MINUTES CHANTING 3 FORWARD BENDS 2 DEEP BREATHS AND A BLISSFUL TIME TO JUST BE ON THE FIFTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS YOGA GAVE TO ME 5 SUN SALUTATIONS 4 MINUTES CHANTING 3 FORWARD BENDS 2 DEEP BREATHS AND A BLISSFUL TIME TO JUST BE ON THE SIXTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS YOGA GAVE TO ME 6 PEACEFUL WARRIORS 5 SUN SALUTATIONS 4 MINUTES CHANTING 3 FORWARD BENDS 2 DEEP BREATHS AND A BLISSFUL TIME TO JUST BE ON SEVENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS YOGA GAVE TO ME 7 TWISTING POSES 6 PEACEFUL WARRIORS 5 SUN SALUTATIONS 4 MINUTES CHANTING 3 FORWARD BENDS 2 DEEP BREATHS AND A BLISSFUL TIME TO JUST BE ON THE EIGHTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS YOGA GAVE TO ME 8 FLOWING VINYASA'S 7 TWISTING POSES 6 PEACEFUL WARRIORS 5 SUN SALUTATIONS 4 MINUTES CHANTING 3 FORWARD BENDS 2 DEEP BREATHS AND A BLISSFUL TIME TO JUST BE ON THE NINTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS YOGA GAVE TO ME 9 HEART OPENING ASANAS 8 FLOWING VINYASA'S 7 TWISTING POSES 6 PEACEFUL WARRIORS 5 SUN SALUTATIONS 4 MINUTES CHANTING 3 FORWARD BENDS 2 DEEP BREATHS AND A BLISSFUL TIME TO JUST BE ON THE TENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS YOGA GAVE TO ME 10 CALMING BREATHS 9 HEART OPENING ASANAS 8 FLOWING VINYASA'S 7 TWISTING POSES 6 PEACEFUL WARRIORS 5 SUN SALUTATIONS 4 MINUTES CHANTING 3 FORWARD BENDS 2 DEEP BREATHS AND A BLISSFUL TIME TO JUST BE ON THE ELEVNTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS YOGA GAVE TO ME 11 MINUTES RELAXING 10 CALMING BREATHS 9 HEART OPENING ASANAS 8 FLOWING VINYASA'S 7 TWISTING POSES 6 PEACEFUL WARRIORS 5 SUN SALUTATIONS 4 MINUTES CHANTING 3 FORWARD BENDS 2 DEEP BREATHS AND A BLISSFUL TIME TO JUST BE ON THE TWELVTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS YOGA GAVE TO ME 12 BLISSFUL YOGA GIFTS 11 MINUTES RELAXING 10 CALMING BREATHS 9 HEART OPENING ASANAS 8 FLOWING VINYASA'S 7 TWISTING POSES 6 PEACEFUL WARRIORS 5 SUN SALUTATIONS 4 MINUTES CHANTING 3 FORWARD BENDS 2 DEEP BREATHS AND A BLISSFUL TIME TO JUST BE A blissful time to be - Nurture and love yourself 2 deep breaths - When the Christmas rush gets a bit much take a couple of deep breaths its a sure fire way to calm down 3 forward bends - Standing or sitting forward bends will give you time to cool down and internalise when things get a little heated 4 minutes chanting - Chanting is uplifting and energising try chanting Om Shanti Shanti Shanti for 4 minutes sending peaceful vibrations through your body and into the universe or sing you favourite Christmas carol out loud just because you can. 5 Sun salutations - Starting everyday with a few rounds of Sun salutations will ensure you have the energy for all that Christmas shopping 6 peaceful warriors - Be a yoga warrior that sends peace and goodwill to everyone 7 twisting poses - Tummy full of Christmas cheer and goodies, detoxify with 7 different twisting poses 8 Flowing vinyasa's - Move with your breath to, rejuvenate, relax and revive after the office Christmas party, do 8 rounds of cat, cow child's pose flow or moon salutation's, cloud salutation's or 8 cycles of the breath of joy 9 Heart opening asanas - Opening through our chest and shoulders allows us to connect with our heart energy, our centre for empathy, love, compassion and loving kindness, so do yourself a favour a give yourself a good dose of love this Christmas 10 Calming breaths - Unwind at the end of a busy day with some very slow exhalations, and feel the relaxation response kick in. 11 minutes of relaxing - Make sure you spend time everyday in Savasana (relaxation pose) it is one of the greatest yoga gifts that you can give to yourself 12 Yoga gifts - Enjoy the many benefits of your Yoga Practice not just at Christmas but everyday of the year. HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE MILES OF SMILES NAOMI XX
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12/10/2015 0 Comments MY JOURNEY WITH BAKASANA DAY 3Yesterday I was chatting with a dear yoga friend (Hilary - who is such a gem and a special friend) about my quest to be perform Bakasana (Crane pose), and her advice was you need to look forward rather than looking down, look down and that's where you will go, crashing back down to earth, look forward and you will rise and lift skywards, and she also reminded to have faith in myself, look beyond the obstacles that are holding me back and weighing me down. That simple piece advice goes way beyond our yoga mat, in our day to day life we are so much happier and contented if chose not to dwell on things from the past, I love this Quote " Our eyes are in front because it is better to look ahead than to look back, don't dwell on the things of the past, learn from them and keep moving forward.
So my journey with Bakasana is not about reflecting on my past failures, is not about my inability to perform this pose, its not about getting frustrated with myself, but rather its about learning from those failures, letting go of my frustration, and accepting that this journey is about getting to know myself, challenging myself and moving forward in my yoga practice. Every attempt to do Bakasana is a very important lesson and its one less attempt that I have to do before I finally reach my goal. Lessons learnt on my mat today Failure doesn't mean you will not have success Let go of frustration and you will find ease Let go of fear and you will find strength Look forward and you will go further than you ever imagined Miles of Smiles Naomi 12/9/2015 0 Comments journey with bakasana day 2Day 2 of my Journey into Bakasana
" I am lightness, my lightness lifts my spirit, my spirit soars high" At the start of every practice it is great to begin with an intention or a Sankalpa this brings a purpose and focus to your practice, it becomes your heartfelt desire of what qualities you wish to bring to yourself and your practice. I have chosen the quality "lightness" My main stumbling block when practicing Bakasana is a sense of heaviness in my lower body, it seems to take great effort to lift my hips and legs, I feel that my entire weight is resting through my arms and wrists. I have always been heavy footed, I am one of those people that bulldozes through the soft sand when running along a beach, and when I was a child I can remember my Dad saying lift your feet as they dragged along as I walked, so I guess I have always had a tendency to rooted to the earth, so now is my time to take flight, lift and find lightness in my feet, legs, hips. My practice today is about exploring lightness, lift, strength and trust Lightness of legs, hips Lift from my centre - core awareness Strength in my shoulders, arms and wrists Trust in my abilities Included in my asana sequence Sitting in stillness - breath awareness -"I lift" on in breath -" I centre" on the out breath " I trust" with every pause between the inhale/exhale Hip openers - Reclined butterfly ( Supta Baddha Konasana), hand to toe pose with a strap (Supta pandangusthasana), Supine wide legged childs pose ( balasana) happy baby pose ( anandasana) Core exercise - sit ups with knees bent, straight and wide using a block between the hands Activating the core with progressive abdominal contraction with every asana Cat/Cow - Table top balance with arm and opposite leg lifted Sun salutes - With squats (malasana) side lunges and jump throughs with the emphasis of finding lightness and flying as I gracefully glided from one pose to the next., three legged down dog, one leg lifted in plank pose & lifting into up dog focusing finding lift and strength. Preparation pose for Bakasana - lifting one foot only Cooled down with supported bridge pose, forward fold, easy twist and savasana This was a great little session and it has brought me one step closer to reaching my goal. The sequence was adapted from Art of sequencing by Melina Meza. I feel I have released the heaviness in my lower limbs and there is a warmth, a sense of freedom in my hips that I have not felt in a long time. Today there will be a spring in my step as I lift each foot high and when I return it back down the earth it will be with lightest touch. Miles of Smiles Naomi 12/6/2015 0 Comments a journey with bakasanaI invite you all to follow a journey, it may be a journey you wish to undertake one day. It is one of discovery, letting go of fear and expectations, finding balance and harmony, its about mustering up the courage and the confidence to face up to a yoga pose that leaves you feeling downright scared. Why is it that some yoga poses seem so unattainable that we would rather dismiss them and stay in our comfort zone and stick with the poses we know, trust and love.
Is it because we lack faith in our ability, or our mind keeps telling us Oh! I am not strong enough, or Gee! that pose looks really hard I can't do that, or is it our ego talking.... What if I took a tumble as I ungracefully attempt to manoeuvre into that pose, and I look like a real idiot !! Bakasana ( crane or crow pose ) is a asana that brings up those feelings as well as many more and it is pose up to date that I have not been able to pull off with any ease. So as from today I have set myself a challenge to take flight and soar high and master Bakasana with grace and ease. I have no expectations and have not set myself a time frame, its all about letting go expectations and judgements, allowing myself to travel through this journey with loving kindness and a positive attitude knowing that I can reach the goal I have set myself. I invite you choose a yoga asana that you find challenging and begin your own asana journey, If we always choose to remain in our comfort zone we don't grow or evolve. "By attempting asanas that were once thought beyond our reach..... we can transform our practice and allow those benefits to translate into our everyday lives as well" Veronica Joseph Wellness magazine Share your journey into asana on my facebook page www.facebook.com/hathayogaflow/ or leave a comment in the comments section on this blog DAY ONE - Feelings of trepidation, fear, joy and enthusiasm are flowing into one as I begin day one. As with any new journey there will be times when I will be challenged physically, mentally and emotionally, this challenge is not just about a yoga pose but the feelings a yoga pose can evoke and how it can it transform and change me, its about asking questions and discovering who I am and what I am capable of. B - balance between lightness and strength A - attitude my mind is a powerful tool K - kindness in thought, word and action A - altitude - taking flight and soaring to new heights S- strength in body and mind A - acceptance, honouring myself as I am N - natural, it is natural to feel fear or insecurity A - attainable, any goal is achievable with discipline and consistency Miles of Smiles Naomi xx 12/5/2015 0 Comments BALANCEIsn't wonderful when we can find inspiration for our Yoga practice by just stepping out our front door every morning. and taking a moment to look, listen and feel. The last two mornings I have headed of to McLeods beach for a sunrise walk, and I had a what I call a HATHA moment, there I was perfectly aligned with the rising sun to the east and the setting moon to the west, in Yoga Hatha is translated as Ha = Sun and Tha= moon, these are two opposing energies, ( light & dark, warmth & coolness, feminine & masculine movement & stillness)
Our yoga practice is about uniting our opposing energies to bring us into a place of harmony and balance, away from our yoga mats we are constantly shifting between our opposing energy forces, sometimes we feel uplifted and energetic, then at other times we feel a need to slow down, reflect and contemplate, It’s natural to move between the two (in fact they support each other), this is healthy for our body, emotions and mind. In classes this week we will be exploring our opposing energies, and bringing them together flowing between moon salutations and sun salutations along with some beautiful meditations. Here a few sun and moon quotes for you to reflect upon..... Enjoy "Does the sun fight the moon or does one phase into the other to bring perfect harmony of the universe? " - Kumari Chaya "Eyes opened, giving rise to sight and sun... from the heart Came the mind, and from the mind came the moon." - Aitareya Upanishad “Ha” and “tha” mean the union of the Sun and the Moon, union of Prana and Apana Vayus. " - The Amarita Gita "From His mind the moon was born, from His eye the sun was born, from His breath the wind was born." - Rig Veda |