Cozy up

Savasana - Corpse Pose or Deep Relaxation

As you bring your yoga practice to a close let yourself rest in savasana. Personally I have to remind myself of the importance of this elegant and simple pose. By resting in savasana after our practice we make a smooth transition that will sustain the qualities that we cultivated during our practice.

Savasana, teaches us to surrender into the moment and to relax in a wakeful state. Practicing this pose is an art, because here we want to move into a state of pure feeling, pure awareness.

Props for your savasana

Here I use a soft scarf under my head, an eyepillow for my eyes (a scarf or a soft towel also works), a rolled blanket under my knees and a blanket to place over my whole body to stay warm. Be creative with your supportive props.
As you lie on your back with your props supporting you, let your arms rest alongside your body with palms facing up. Let your arms and legs become heavy. Let your breath flow in a natural rhythm in and out of your nose. Begin to progressively release tension from the body. Allow yourself to completely relax. Exchange thinking to pure feeling.
Stay for about 10 minutes or longer. Here is some wonderful soothing music to use for your savasana:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gW1XKdeLDPM
 
Getting out of the pose
Take your time getting out of the pose. Deepen the breathing. Wiggle your fingers and toes. Slowly bend your knees into your chest. Stretch the arms over your head and roll over on to your right side. Curl into a fetal position and stay there for a moment. Slowly lift up to sit and take a moment to notice how you feel. Namaste.

“Savasana is about shedding... We have many skins, sheaths, thoughts, prejudices, preconceptions, ideas, memories and projects for the future. Savasana is a shedding of all these skins, to see how glossy and gorgeous, serene and aware is the beautiful rainbow-colored snake who lies within.” B.K.S Iyengar

A Restorative Practice

Spending some quiet time in a restorative pose is a gift to give to yourself. Restorative yoga is a deeply restful and meditative form of yoga. This rejuvenating practice allows both the body and mind to move towards harmony, balance and calm. The body is supported by props like blankets, and bolsters or pillows. This practice helps us to dive into the moment and experience deep relaxation. If only for 10 minutes, it will do you so much good. Be creative with your supportive props.

 

New Beginnings

January...the beginning of a new journey...

New question to be asked.

New dreams to discover. 

New lessons to embrace.

Thinking about the lessons 2016 brought; all that made me smile, all that made me grow and the fresh new year ahead. Above else to focus on love, kindness, respect, authenticity and acceptance of the beauty of imperfections in our lives.
 

This is really a month to dream. To look forward to the journey ahead of us and the journey within.
 

Happy New Year!

 Namaste, 

Helén

Vinyasa

VINYASA 

Nyasa= ‘to place’ 

Vi= ‘in a special way’

To place your awareness in a special way

Vinyasa yoga is a flowing style of yoga where the breath and movements are linked together. The movements are initiated and inspired by the breath. In a yoga sequence expansive, opening and rising movements are initiated by an inhalation. Contractive, closing and grounding movements are initiated by an exhalation.

Vinyasa yoga teaches us to cultivate an awareness around and within our transitions both in our practice and life. It’s a practice of being present in the space between poses, actions or places. It’s in the transitions, the flow in between, where the beauty and magic lies. The flow is a catalyst for shift and transformation. 

Our breath is our best guide in our practice and life. When I teach a yoga class I always remind my clients that the most important thing is their breathing. We want our breathing to lengthen and deepen and we want our movements to mirror that. The movements and the breathing become one. 

The movements tell us a lot about our breathing and state of mind. Our breathing tells us a lot about our state of mind. I believe just as our breathing can effect our movements, our movements can effect our breathing. The entire flow is to create harmony in body, mind, heart and soul.

It’s easy to put the main focus on the poses themselves, to rush through a transition just to get to the pose. The vinyasa flow gives us a beautiful reminder that everything is a process.

Namaste, Helén

Savoring Simple Pleasures

“To affect the quality of the day,

this is the highest art.” -Henry David Thoreau

This month I’m focusing on savoring simple pleasures... I give attention to the small things, I pause, I practice being in the moment, I take note of what brings me pleasure and elevates my spirit. 

Simple pleasures have the potential to change the way we feel and the way we experience our moment-to-moment life. By savoring simple pleasures we have an opportunity to elevate ourselves, become present, slow down and cultivate a feeling of contentment.

I love to begin my day with a moment of stillness and silence, watching my breath and get grounded.

I enjoy drinking my morning coffee while reading a book or gazing out through the window.

I put lavender oil on my hands before I make the bed and the bedroom fills with a lavender smell.

On my daily walks I always make sure to stop and smell the roses, literally.

Afternoon coffee or tea = cup of quiet reflection

I always keep a book with me. When I have a moment I read a passage for joy and inspiration.

Music elevates my spirit and brings me inspiration to the mundane. I listen to music everyday to connect to my heart and inner muse.

I love an evening practice. To release what happened during the day and just step into the moment. My favorite is VinYin; flow into ease and stillness. I make sure to light a candle and have a bottle of essential oil close by.

What simple pleasures can you begin to savor in your everyday life? What elevates your spirit? What inspires your inner muse?

“It is the sweet simple things of life 

which are the real ones after all.”

-Laura Ingalls Wilder

Peace & Light, Helén

Reflection

What practice is going to serve you best today or at this time in your life?

Movement and flow, deep breathing, stillness, mudra, dancing, 

nature walk, a moment of yin yoga or a creative mix…?

Breathing

“In the end, it all comes down to the art of breathing.” -Martha Graham

When I teach a yoga class I always remind my clients that the most important thing is their breathing.

The quality of our breathing has a direct impact on our body, mind and emotional health and wellbeing. Breathing relaxes and revitalizes our body. It also quiets the mind and calms our emotions. 

The fourth limb of yoga is mindful breathing: pranayama. Pranayama is a sanskrit word meaning: prana = lifeforce yama = to extend

Through mindful breathing we can regulate the flow of prana within our body which effects the mind and body. When we deepen our breathing the body receives more oxygen and we release pent-up emotions. The breath also help release serotonin in the brain which is a neurotransmitter that promotes feelings of happiness and joy.

I want to share a breathing exercise with you that I love to practice. It’s called Nadi Shodhana - Alternate Nostril Breathing. It has a very calming and harmonious effect on the body and mind. 

Take a comfortable seat. Sit for a moment and connect to the natural rhythm of your breathing. 

Bend the right index and middle finger into your palm and place your right hand in front of your nose. 

Close your right nostril with your right thumb and inhale through your left nostril.

Close your left nostril with your ring finger and exhale out of the right nostril.

Inhale through your right nostril, close the right nostril, exhale through your left nostril. Repeat, alternating nostrils.

Practice this for 3-5 minutes 

Enjoy!

Namaste, Helén