One of the things I love about Exmouth is being able to find places where you can really get away from the hustle and bustle of daily life and find peace, silence and solitude. I found when I was in the UK it was very difficult to become removed from the constant sounds and noise pollution of such a busy city. Even when I was walking the leafy bridle trails close to my brothers house, there was still that constant drone of aircraft flying overhead and the hum of traffic that drowned out the bird song and sound of the rustling leaves.
Meditating in the morning can be quite a task especially when your ears are bombarded with the early morning hum of city life. But mediation is all about choice and acceptance, and my choice was to accept that there was always going to be noises that will distract and annoy me . I was right under Gatwick's flight path and I was staying in area that was densely populated, so there was no getting away from what I call man made mechanical noises When we meditate we can chose how we let distractions affect us, what if we changed our attitude towards what is distracting us, and see the distraction as something positive rather than a nuisance. What if you imagine as another aircraft flies overhead, how lucky are those people to be flying to exotic places in the world, immediately you may be transported to somewhere you have traveled that brought you happiness and joy. When a dog barks, it may just be telling you that it's wonderful to be alive and it's the start to another great day. Just think as you sit in meditation, and you listen to the early morning hum of commuter traffic, that you in that exact moment have taken the time to start your day in a calm and peaceful way before heading into your workday. So next time you find yourself sitting on your mediation cushion, turn those annoying distractions into something positive, it will make your meditation so much more enjoyable. I will leave you with a poem I wrote FINDING SERENTIY AND SILENCE IN A NOISY WORLD I sit upon a meditation cushion It's early I am in a room Kettles whistling Aircraft roaring Traffic humming Radio's blaring iPads and iPhones beeping Car doors banging Rubbish truck breaks squeaking Bins crashing Dogs barking But I choose to be Somewhere else I don't listen to The din around But listen to The sacred mantra Of my breath Like that of a gentle breeze Or rustling leaves I silently chant So-hum So-hum So-hum Slow and deep My breath becomes Silence surrounds me Not a sound Only the sound Of the air I breathe Like that of a gentle breeze Or rustling leaves As I sit upon the earth Under a canopy of trees Be silent So-hum Be still So-hum Be serene So-hum Be calm So-hum So-hum So-hum Miles and miles of smiles
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9/3/2015 2 Comments Flow into springTwo things happened last Tuesday it was the first day of spring and it was my birthday. Spring and birthdays are a time for rebirth. We should not think of ourselves as getting older on our special day or see spring as another season passing us by, but rather as an opportunity to make changes and make a fresh new start,
SPRING Spring is here Flowers will blossom to life New fresh air will rise (Haiku by ML hellopoetry.com) Breathe not only the freshness of the spring air today but breath in change, renewal and transformation. I invite you all today to create or buy your own spring birthday card and jot down your goals, visions,and new ideas. Write down what you need to release and let go off and what you need to embrace in your life to enable yourself to grow and blossom. Think about how you can be more creative and what can you do to bring abundance and joy into your day Find positive words that can uplift you such as gleeful, delight, elation, estactic write them all down and feel the lightness and warmth they bring to your heart I will be returning to Exmouth next week, with lots of new and inspirational spring yoga classes for you all. I hope that you have continued with your home practice while I have been away and if you haven't then I encourage you to make today the day that you spring back onto your mat and take a deep breath and embrace the wonderful practice of yoga. Miles and miles of spring smiles Naomi How often do we think about what we are grateful for, how often do we forget to say thanks to those we love for just being there or helping us in times of need, how often do we really show our gratitude to the people who we deal with everyday as we go about our daily business
At the moment I am overflowing with gratitude for the exceptional care that my mother has received since her fall on Sunday. All the NHS staff from the paramedic who was first on the scene, the ambulance officers, surgeons, doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and all the hospital ancillary staff have treated and cared for my mother with compassion and kindness and for that I send them all my heartfelt thanks.I am also grateful for the support and well wishes I have received from family and friends, for without them this journey would be just that little bit harder. It is only when something like a accident or an incident in your life that change your circumstances in a instant, that you are reminded about the things that we take for granted like being in good health, being able to put one foot in front of another, to be able to move freely pain free, I think it is very important to take time to give thanks for all your blessings, be thankful for your health, be thankful for your yoga practice that keeps your body and mind strong. So when you next step onto your yoga mat take a moment before you begin to truly appreciate the myriad of benefits that yoga brings to your life. Thank you everyone for being part of my life, for coming to my yoga classes, for reading my blog and for sharing your ideas and comments. I miss you all and hope to see you all again soon when my mum is up and mobile and ready to fly home. Miles of smiles Naomi 8/13/2015 0 Comments Colour my dayHow is everyone getting along with the Flow and Glow Sun salutation, we are 12 days into the challenge and for those of you that have been practicing daily I am sure you are reaping the benefits.
As I move through my daily yoga practice I feel a real need to find calmness and a letting go of what is happening to me right now, Sun salutation, breath awareness, meditation and visualisation have been excellent in assisting me too cope with the changed circumstances that I now find myself in. My and my Mum's blissful and happy holiday plans have taken a tumble, literally Sadly my mum had the misfortune to slip and fall fracturing her left hip so she is now spending her holiday in a hospital bed under the care of the NHS sporting a brand new hip, I am spending my holiday organising her travel insurance, finding a care home for her rehabilitation, talking to airlines and changing flights, talking to doctors, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and importantly spending time visiting my mum and making sure she is ok. I feel blessed that I have my yoga to fall back on, it has enabled to handle this whole situation in a calm and ordered manner. This mornings practice began looking out the window to see a cloud filled sky, that was dark and grey, I completed my daily salutes along with a few other asanas and I came to relaxation and savasana, and for some reason I felt a need to bring colour into my entire being, and I began to visualise all the colours of the rainbow. This resulted in a beautiful body awareness practice using the breath and visualisation. I have called this practice "Colour my day" Begin lying in savasana Bring your awareness to your natural breath, letting it be whatever it needs to be No force no strain, just you and your breath flowing as one with ease Relax with every in breath Release with every out breath Now become aware of your whole left side of your body Now with every in and out breath visualise the cooling colours of green and blue Filling the entire left side of your body Continue breathing these cool and calming colours Relax with every in breath release with every out breath After a few minutes bring your awareness to the whole right side of your body Now with every in and out breath visualise the warming colours red, orange and yellow Filling the entire right side of your body Continue breathing these heating and energising colours Relax with every in breath release with every out breath Now bring your awareness to your left side inhale cool and calming colours Now exhale warm and energising colours down the right side Now inhale healing violet up the centre of your body And exhale once more as you visualise a white light flowing all around your entire body Repeat inhaling warm colours up the right side of your body Exhale cooling colours down the left side of the body Inhale healing violet up the centre of the body And let go with a flowing white light all around your body Continue this for several more rounds Then visualise all the colours of the rainbow filling your entire body as you relax with every in breath and release with every out breath. Stay for as long as you wish, and the let the colours of the rainbow bring happiness, healing and clarity to your day. I believe that maybe rainbows appear too alert us that there is calm after the storm, reminding us that all is well again. Remember everyone wants happiness, nobody wants pain, but you can't have a rainbow without a little rain. Have a go at the practicing "Colour my Day" and leave a comment Miles of smiles Naomi 8/6/2015 1 Comment Greeting the rising sunSPhinxes at chiswick houseThis morning I am blessed to be gazing over the Thames river, watching the tidal flow gently meander back to its source, there is a pink hue in the sky as the sun announces the start to another new day, and I greet the sun with several rounds of Surya Namaskara (sun salutation)
Yesterday I spent a glorious afternoon strolling around the gardens and grounds of Chiswick house, amongst it's ancient woodlands, secret pathways, dazzling blooms and sweeping vistas I came across three sphinxes and I was instantly taken in by their commanding presence. There seemed to be a veil of stillness and silence which surrounded them and a protective energy that flowed from their uplifting hearts. You just don't expect to find such a wonderful thing in the heart of a busy city. Did you know the Sphinx in Gaza is aligned with rising sun each morning, and Egyptian rulers worshipped it as an aspect of the sun god calling it Hor-em-Aket meaning "Horus of the horizon" For those of you joining me in the Flow and Glow Sun Salutation challenge you may wish to swap cobra pose for Sphinx pose and open your uplifted hearts towards the rising sun as you welcome another new day. Miles of smiles Naomi 8/4/2015 0 Comments Saluting to peaceDay two of the Flow and glow Sun salutation challenge and I am flying across the world to see family and friends who I have not seen in a long while. My salutes today are dedicated to sending peace, serenity and kindness to myself, loved ones and the world.
After 11 hours of flying from Perth to Dubai and enduring the hustle and bustle of weaving in and out of travellers trying to find their way to their connecting flights, I definitely needed a dose of me time away from the crowds, so off I went to search for a quiet space to practice my daily sun salutations. I was blessed to stumble across this stunning water feature a spinning world globe and it reminded me I was in a airport surrounded by people from every corner of the world, different cultures, religions and beliefs all in one space at one time I thought it would be nice to include the mantra Om shanti shanti shanti, silently chanting this mantra at the completion of each round sending a message of peace and well wishes for safe travels to everyone. Om shanti is an invocation of peace, it can be used as a parting salutation as a way of sending one off with well wishes of peace i.e. may peace go with you. Om shanti shanti shanti can also be chanted to oneself as it is generally interpreted as finding threefold peace, peace in body, speech and mind i.e. peace in the entirety of ones being. Chanting a mantra as you flow gracefully through your sun salutations can develop a deeper awareness and connection with oneself and the universe. Miles of smiles and Om shanti to you all Naomi 8/3/2015 0 Comments Two trees standing tallAugust has arrived and for those who have taken up the Flow and Glow Sun salutation today is day one. Together we will flow together in the aim to complete 108 rounds over the next 4 weeks.
There is nothing more refreshing and invigorating than doing your salutes in the great outdoors. I was enjoying a walk with a dear friend around Lake Gwelup when we came across Two Trees standing tall, it was a perfect place to do a few rounds, I dedicated my practice to honouring and saluting friends, loved ones and Mother Nature and it inspired this the verse below. TWO TREES STANDING TALL Two trees standing tall I salute friends and loved ones Branches entwined Your love flows within Under your branches I salute love and light Afternoon rays dappled and soft Dancing with my flow As I stand upon your roots I salute growth and nourishment A bed of leaves soft under foot Flowing energy rising skyward I look beyond your canopy I salute the air we share I see a endless vast sky Prana flowing free I am refreshed and alive I salute the happiness Friends Loved ones Mother Nature Bring to my life By Naomi 1/8/2015 It is always nice to take a moment before you begin your salutes to think about who or what you are saluting it makes your practice just that little bit more special. Love to hear your comments and see your sun salutation selfies Miles of smiles Naomi Many of you might not know, but I, along with my husband get to look after, love and nurture many of the dogs in Exmouth whilst their beloved owners go away on holidays, I think we have a total of about 30 dogs and 3 cats and our pack of furry ones expands every year. It is always saddens me when we lose one of our pack. This post has been dedicated to Harley who was just shy of her 15th Birthday. We will miss her terribly, she brought so much joy and laughter into our lives. Helen Keller writes " What we have once enjoyed, we can never lose, all that we love deeply, becomes part of us" The memorable times spent with Harley will remain imprinted on our hearts.
Animals can remind us to live in the here and now, savouring every moment and every experience, they can remind us: To live simply To love unconditionally To be patient To be strong To be courageous To never judge ourselves or others To embrace life with zest and enthusiasm To be curious and inquisitive To learn the art of relaxation To be our true self In Yoga, animal wisdom has been and still is a precious inspiration, one fifth of all the yoga asanas come directly from either stretches or shapes of animals. Be grateful every day for the animals in your life - their love, wagging tails and for showing us that life can be fun and carefree. Be inspired by their unconditional love, zest for life, strength, patience and courage. What is your favourite animal Yoga pose? Just leave a comment in the comment box. Miles of Smiles Naomi 7/12/2015 2 Comments yoga nightcapI often have trouble drifting of to sleep, it seems as soon as my head hits the pillow a light switch in my mind flicks on. Just as I want too snuggle under the rugs and be lulled into dreamland my mind wants to keep the lights on and continue working, thinking, planning and creating new ideas
I call this, my light switch moment, and sometimes it drives me nuts. I am pretty sure a light switch moment happens to us all . After a busy day it is sometimes very difficult to switch those light bulbs off and relax, even if we are exhausted and dead tired sleep seems to elude us. A Yoga night cap, a 15 to 20 minute yoga practice just before you go to bed is an excellent way to release any tension and great way to unwind and relax. These are a few of my favourite night time poses, they release tension in the hips and shoulders, bring about a sense of calmness and peace especially if you practice them with mindfulness and awareness Legs up the wall Childs pose Melting heart Sleeping Pigeon Reclined butterfly pose Savasana - Relaxation pose In all the poses consciously relax the muscles with every out breath Take time in every pose don't rush through the poses Meditate on the breath, or sensations within the body whilst you relax in every pose Practice in room that is warm, cosy and has diffused or soft lighting ( candles ) Play relaxing, soothing music to accompany your practice Use a eye pillow, filled with lavender and place over your eyes whilst resting in reclined butterfly, savasana or any of the reclined poses Use a bolster or pillow under the knees in savasana and place a blanket over you to keep you warm and toasty Go to bed after completing your yoga night cap and drift away into the serene world of slumber land Another little tip is to eat a handful of Walnuts before going to bed, walnuts contain Melatonin, an antioxidant that naturally occurs in the body that makes you feel drowsy at night. Walnuts are not my favourite nut but I found I can make them a little more palatable by dry roasting them in the oven at 160 degrees for about 20 minutes or so, you can also coat them lightly in salt or maple syrup just prior to roasting if you wish. Just keep an eye on them whilst roasting so they don't burn. Let me know how you go, leave any comments in the comment box below and if you have any tips on how to turn off the light switch at night, I would love to hear about them. Miles of Smiles Naomi Need a little inspiration to practice Yoga? Need to get and about and explore new places? Need to beat the winter blues? Hatha Yoga Flow invites everyone to join the Flow and Glow Sun Salutation Challenge over the month of August.
This challenge has a little twist !!!!!! Aim to complete a total of 108 Sun Salutations over the month of August Aim to practice somewhere different every time, somewhere unusual or inspiring Take a photograph and share it to inspire others Your reward will be a boost in your energy levels as you tap into your solar energies. The joy of sharing your experience with others and the feeling of deep satisfaction knowing that you are doing something positive to boost your health and wellbeing. IF YOUR INSPIRED AND WHAT TO JOIN NAOMI ON THIS WONDERFUL JOURNEY OF SALUTING THE SUN SEND AN EMAIL REGISTERING YOUR INTEREST TO [email protected] OR REGISTER YOUR INTEREST IN THE COMMENTS BOX BELOW YOU WILL BE ABLE TO LOG YOUR SALUTATIONS BY EMAILING NAOMI AND ATTACHING YOUR PHOTO AND A COMMENT WHICH WILL THEN BE POSTED TO THE SUN SALUTATION CHALLENGE GALLERY RISE, SHINE AND SALUTE Miles of Smiles Naomi |