The subtle mind & meditation

Meditation is a state of being, arrived at through understanding. It needs intelligence, it does not need techniques.

OSHO

http://meditation.blog.osho.com/meditation-is-understanding-the-subtle-workings-of-the-mind/

Keeping the Balance

Bring balance into your life by bringing it into your yoga practice...

Image (c) S-C Peace; Peace Yoga. Natarajasana, Miyajima Torii sunset.

 

"Yoga is the study of balance and balance is the aim of all living creatures" 
Rolf Gates…

Balances calm your mind and bring you into the present;
What's your favourite balance pose? Is it one of these;

Dancer/Natarajasana
Tree/Vrkasana
Eagle/Garudasana
Crow/Bakasana

Or something else? 

The key to all balances is to to exist in the moment, focus your gaze softly on a point, feel grounded - rooted to the floor, centered, keep focusing on your point and your breath as you gently release one foot moving into your selected balance. As you arrive into your balance simply enjoy the moment... be present... be calm.

Practicing balances regularly brings peace to your mind and harmony into your life as you learn to pause amidst all the pressures; developing mindfulness.

As the nights draw in ... take the opportunity to grow

Yoga is a lot about stretching but not just your body; your mind, your abilities, your comfort zone.

Challenge yourself, use reflection to see what you can achieve :)

"The highest point of yesterday 
should be the lowest point of today"

B.K.S. Iyengar

Utthita Hasta Padangushthasana (Extended hand to big toe pose)

(C) Peace Yoga S-C Peace

Autumn blues ? Happiness is found in Trikonasana - Triangle pose

Let your Yoga practice cheer you up and bring happiness to your heart with Trikonasana.

As winter looms and daylight reduces Autumn is a good time to revive your Yoga practice. Try including Trikonasana (Triangle Pose) in your daily routine.

This pose provides a deep stretch to your whole body. Stretching dynamically brings awareness to your whole body and mind. You can practice against a wall to fine tune your alignment or use a chair to rest your hand on to help you balance. 

Alignment is key in this amazing posture. It opens wide your heart center allowing happiness to enter. It reduces your tension levels and cleanses your system by improving blood circulation.

 

Benefits
Strengthens; Legs, Knees, Ankles, Buttocks, Stamina. 
Stretches; Hips, Groin, Thoracic Spine, Waist, Chest, Lungs, Shoulders. 
Stimulates; Abdominal muscles. 

Preparatory Pose
Standing Side Bend (strengthens your oblique muscles at the sides of your waist/torso)

Pregnancy Modification
Shorter stance, Revolved Angle Pose

Props
Blocks, Chair, Wall

Contraindications
High or Low Blood Pressure, Arthritic Hip, Pregnancy, Over Extended Knees, Neck & Shoulder issues

If you need instruction for this pose please email; peaceyoga@btinternet.com

Yoga and Transport in the Press

Excerpt from article published in
BWY Spectrum 

British Wheel of Yoga Autumn Issue 2013

 

Next time you are off to your Yoga session;

Think seriously...should you...

Walk, cycle, use public transport, or travel by car? 

" Hatha yoga pradipika 59-61 says the yogi “avoids long trips”.  They’re tiring and use resources. Plus, like me, millions are hurt travelling.  Road danger is a major public health issue – the new open sewers or smoking epidemic.  With a 1 in 200 chance of road death and 80 classrooms of children per year killed or seriously injured on UK roads, road crashes are the top preventable cause of child death.  1,754 fatalities, 23,039 seriously injured and 195,723 injured were recorded in the UK (2012).  Police STATS19 understate injury severity. At an emergency, police lack the medical training to differentiate slight versus serious blows.  Slight injuries often go unreported. The Department for Transport put the true road toll for all casualties at 3.5 times recorded incidents – approx 700,000 road injured p.a. from comparing police and hospital data with the National Travel Survey’s collision question.  Plus an extra 4-5 million non-injury crashes p.a.

How many sufferers of road injury do you know?  Many of my students have whiplash for instance from shunting crashes or suffer back pain related to excessive car use or crashes.  Plus those that are very seriously injured or literally run over like yoga teacher S-C Peace – see her harrowing film http://www.roadjustice.org.uk/Sarah-Charlotte  and blog at http://peacecycling.blogspot.co.uk/  She campaigns for road justice and 20mph limits for Oswestry, Prior to suffering serious physical and psychological injuries she taught Yoga locally, actively encouraging students to cycle, walk or car share to classes when possible. S-C would also ask students to bring their own Yoga mats to each session and store class equipment at the venues to avoid having to drive to transport equipment.

Road danger is linked to obesity, heart disease and joint stiffness from not moving enough due to car commuting or where people are afraid to travel by foot or cycle. Excessive sitting is a major disease factor a host of other ailments too including  poor mental health. The New Scientist reports that exercise improves vagal tone (vagus nerve health) which is linked to quicker recovery from stress and feeling more socially connected.

Road danger’s costs are staggering – £570+ per capita p.a. in the UK comprising £10bn in injury crashes, £10bn in non injury crashes and £16bn in suppressed exercise. Even before disability or widow/widower benefits or obesity effects. "

Link to full article coming soon... 

Peace Yoga is also supporting #getbritaincycling you can help too; http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/campaigning/article/cam20130718-Get-your-MP-to-debate-cycling-0 
 

Join the The Peace Yoga Facebook group for more Yoga tips; https://www.facebook.com/groups/143380475725440/ 

Yoga & The Great Outdoors

Did you know Yoga is best practiced outdoors?

Here are some reasons why...

• Ambiance
  Unlike the atmosphere we strive to create inside with special lighting and soothing music to mimic the outdoors actually being in nature itself is more calming and offers it's own ambiance without effort invigorating your practice
• Unity
  Yoga outdoors brings emphasis to the very roots of Yoga and it's true meaning of union, nurturing your sense of belonging in the universe
• Awareness
  Practising outdoors raises awareness, encourages fuller breathing and offers a deeper sense of stillness. If you are lucky enough to have the sun shining too this can bring greater flexibility to your muscles as it aids your body and mind to let go
• Music
  The sounds of nature or the background buzz of a city becomes your soundtrack and you can use these natural sounds to take your focus deeper within
• Oneness
  Many yoga poses are derived from nature and animals therefore practising these poses outdoors helps to increases your sense of oneness. Practising a Tree pose can help you connect with the trees around you for example
• Breathing
  When we practice yoga breathing outdoors new senses are inspired as you take in your surroundings with each breath and each breath can be deepened and freshened with a passing breeze
• Challenge
  Whether its the weather you are braving or the surface you are working on each element challenges your practice and brings with it it's own reward of achievement. You could be balancing against the wind or engaging the deeper muscles in the feet as you practice on the beach. Whatever your challenge using Yoga outdoors will bring a new dimension to your practice

So what are you waiting for? Why not take your practice outside today, remember to keep warm and enjoy ...

Om Namaste

Overcoming Trauma Through Yoga

Have you heard of muscle memory? 

Well trauma retained in the body goes deeper than that.

Image Copywrite S-C Peace - S-C Peace - Miyajima Island Japan

Studies have shown that Yoga can help trauma survivors to reconnect with there body and release the trauma memory held within.

In the aim of healing the recent trauma my body has suffered and after researching Yoga as Trauma therapy - I've just written a 21 pose Yoga for Trauma session plan - here goes! Time to roll out the mat...

If any Yogi's reading this have suffered trauma perhaps you would be interested in trying this session out? Inbox me for more details. If you are local even better!

For further information try reading this insightful book;
"Overcoming Trauma Through Yoga" Authors; David Emerson & Elizabeth Hopper