Om Yoga Show Manchester | Thai Yoga Massage

Thai Yoga Massage with Katrin Heuser

If you haven’t tried Thai Yoga Massage then quite honestly you should, there are only 3 requirements; you have someone to work with, you can put your trust in that person and that person can remain aware of your needs throughout.

Katrin talked participants through this effective massage technique as she and her partner demonstrated instructions with this session focusing on the lower back.

Katrin explains that the first touch from your partner (the giver) is incredibly important, it should be gentle, calming and all movements given are smooth and considered. To begin the person receiving the massage is lying on the mat and the person giving the massage gently touches the tops of the receiver’s feet with their hands, this offers calmness and reassurance. A flowing series of movements follow as participants are guided through positions to decrease tension and increase mobility in the lower back, receivers are eased into stretches and their inner thighs are then supported and pummelled with the givers feet, before being moved into more stretches.

Having witnessed the tension release as relaxation and smiles glowed across the receivers faces I would have to say be the one to give first if you get the chance or make sure you take it in turns because everyone looked too blissed out after their massage to do the giving…

www.yoga-gestalten.co.uk

www.twitter.com/yogagestalten 

An example of Thai Yoga Massage with Katrin Heuser
www.youtube.com/watch?v=27wUuPXbYAw

Om Yoga Show Manchester 2015 | Forrest Yoga

Forrest Yoga 

with Rosalind Southward

Rosalind Southward guides yogis through Forrest Yoga @ Om Yoga Show Manchester 2015

 

Forrest Yoga was created by the talented Ana Forrest as a way of healing herself physically and emotionally from trauma. It encourages you to turn inwards, to locate areas that are troubling you and to revitalize yourself from the inside. This session hosted techniques for the neck and shoulders with some deep abdominal work.

Specific guidance is given by Rosalind to ensure positioning is correct as participants are moved into defined poses to stretch out there neck muscles and release tension in their shoulders. Forrest Yoga emphasizes switching off the neck muscles and each time you lift the head during practice it is gently lifted and guided by your hand. This technique requires some thought as we rarely turn off our neck muscles though it soon proves effective as you can see all participants shoulders have lowered at least an inch compared to the start of the session and they leave walking taller too as if a weight has been lifted.

When it comes to abdominals, you work deeply going beyond the visible so called 6 pack to the rediscover the transverse abdominals (TVA). These often overlooked muscles give pelvic and spinal stability; supporting our trunk and our posture.

www.forrestyoga.com
http://www.equilibriumyoga.co.uk/forrest-yoga.html 
http://anjalienergy.com/ 

www.twitter.com/forrestyoga
www.twitter.com/anjalienergy 

 

Om Yoga Show Manchester 2015 | Hanna Somatics

Hanna Somatics 

with David Fleming & Amanda Franklin

David Fleming & Amanda Franklin explaining Hanna Somatics @ Om Yoga Show Manchester 2015

This session was guided by clinician David Fleming and assisted by Amanda Franklin. David talked participants through a sequence of movements to improve their range. Each series was monitored by noticing your range of movement before carrying out the instructed sequence and comparing this after carrying out a sequence. For example when practising a seated twist participants were asked to locate the furthest spot they could turn to and then to carry out a sequence of instructed moves, the seated twist was then repeated and the previous located spot was noted and surpassed by some distance ie each participant was able to twist further on their next twist. Moving through a specifically devised sequence of new movements breaks down old patterns and re-educates the neuromuscular system. You could witness the amazement on each participants face, questioning how such a difference was possible, to which David proclaimed with a smile ‘it’s magic’…

Hanna Somatics is a rapidly growing form of mind and body treatment that can help those suffering the effects of chronic pain or injury. It bares some similarities to the Feldenkrais technique. It can turn muscles off that have remained switched on for lengthy periods alleviating muscle fatigue. You can find out more via the website listed below.

www.accessmovement.devhub.com
www.twitter.com/somaticsleeds

Om Mani Padme Hum

Wishing you Kindness, Love, Light & Laughter for 2015

copyright s-c peace, peace yoga 01.01.15

At the start of this new year I invite you to focus on the qualities of Ahimsa; the practice of being non-violent in feelings, thoughts, words, or actions, being compassionate to yourselves and others.
 
For the last 2.5 years I have struggled to reconnect with myself following serious traumatic injuries to my physical and psychological self and with Ahimsa in mind I am setting myself an intention to consciously be kinder to myself, to find myself again. I aim to begin by rediscovering my roots, grounding myself by reflecting on past experiences which have inspired me and by letting go of things which no longer serve me. This self care, appreciation and kindness will grow to be shared and enjoyed by others.


I encourage you not to overload yourself by setting countless resolutions which can ultimately create frustration by adding pressure for you to constantly achieve at higher levels, often resulting in failure, this is not kindness it is unkindness which spreads through you and to those who share your life. Instead I hope you can set the intention to be kind.

We all have a seed of beauty within us and this like any other seed needs to be nurtured to help it grow. Practicing meditation particularly with a mantra can help you connect to this seed and self care will guide its development. When I began to train to teach Yoga the first Mantra I discovered which resonated with me was Om Mani Padme Hum so it seems fitting for me to reflect upon its meaning now. I was unaware of its interpretation at the time but it instantly felt right for me. Chanting this Tibetan Buddhist Mantra silently or aloud brings connection to self, oneness, unity. Dependence upon this Mantra guides you to connect with your true self to cleanse your mind body and words from within, letting go of impurities as you travel towards enlightenment. This personal growth is akin to the lotus flower which steadily grows from a seed in the murky depths underwater, gradually rising upwards emerging as a beautiful flower bathing in the sun.

So this year try being kind and set yourself intentions rather than resolutions to see where your journey takes you...

Om Namaste

Further information;

Om Mani Padme Hum
"The jewel is in the lotus or praise to the jewel in the lotus

by His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso The Fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet"

http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/tib/omph.htm 

Om Mani Padme Hum Mantra Audio;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owL1HNAV8qs 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFIQguh2yYI 

Swami Samarpanananda Saraswati

Feeling blessed after meeting Swami Samarpanananda Saraswati 

who visited our local town... 

Swami Samarpanananda Saraswati 08.11.14

Find out more about his inspirational work;
http://www.samarpanyoga.org/Sam.htm
http://samarpanyoga.weebly.com/samarpan-yoga.html

Write up to follow soon...

Om Yoga Show | Takes you Beyond Expectation

Om Yoga Show Manchester 2014


Firstly a big thank you to https://www.ommagazine.com/ for inviting me to blog about my experiences whilst visiting this amazing show. I'm so pleased the show has made it to  Manchester - long may it continue, we're already committed to attending next year.
http://www.omyogashow.com/manchester/home.php
For those lucky enough you can also catch the Om Yoga Show in London October 2014. http://www.omyogashow.com/london/home.php

OVERVIEW
You can feel the serene atmosphere as you enter the building, yes even arriving at the Om Yoga Show is a calming experience, (unlike the usual trade shows you encounter where people are moaning about the queue as soon as they enter the foyer and pushing you forwards if there's an inch to spare). Even the ushers are full of kindness, it immediately feels like a wonderful place to be. Every hint of rushing is left behind you as you enter this world of vibrancy and happiness. 

The great thing about the Om Yoga Show apart from the diversity is that although the scheduled workshops with a fee are worth every penny, there are scheduled open workshops where you can join in for free or spectate. 

Fitted with wrist bands my husband and I were all set to welcome whatever lay in store.

There's a lot of information to share with you, so much in fact that it felt right to split it into different pages to make it easier to take in; Here's a summary, please see applicable posts for further details, observations and research links.

Itinerary Day 1 
Workshop 'Mindfulness ABC - Simple Steps for Busy People with Louise Palmer'
Sun Power Yoga Yoga training school with established teacher Anne Marie-Newland
Dru Yoga Now offering a Yoga Therapy Diploma
Workshop 'Lessen the Hold of Anxiety with Yoga Therapist Lisa Kayley-Isley'
Midland Hotel It's literally on the doorstep of the show, wonderful calm place to stay

Itinerary Day 2
Workshop 'Whats IN the way IS the way! With Mike George'
Sun Power Yoga Open Class with Anne-Marie Newland the founder
Dru Dance Sound Stage presentation
Lotus Crafts Checking out meditation cushions - wide range and great colours available
Sahaja Yoga Thoughtless awareness meditation based on encouraging Kundalini flow
Om The Ball Sound Stage presentation, a strong yet delicate practice all about balance.

Mind Body Soul Experience Running alongside the Om Yoga Show in a separate room containing a mystical selection of natural sciences and age old wisdom's, more info here;
http://www.mbsevents.co.uk/Manchester/about/about-the-show/index.asp

We hope these posts give you a taste of the show & we really do recommend you go!

Om Namaste

Om Yoga Show | Workshop 'Mindfulness ABC - Simple Steps for Busy People with Louise Palmer'

Day 1 Workshop 1 | Mindfulness
 
Mindfulness ABC Simple Steps for Busy People with Louise Palmer, Founder of Camyoga

 breathe > notice > be

This was the perfect way to start the day. Louise Palmer had a life of various roles with Yoga in the background and then as she grew Yoga took over becoming her main focus. She founded Camyoga and works with Transformational Breathing, Yoga Barre and  Mindfulness.

Mindfulness is born from Buddhist tradition, it is the art of being present, accepting, none judgment and none attachment. John Kabbatt Zinn is referenced as the person who transformed this Buddhist practice into understandable digestible chunks for all to ingest in our modern world. Louise explained how we get stuck in a groove in our life and the longer we continue in that groove the further we become entrenched, we need intervention we need mindfulness to help us get out, we need to; 

stop > observe > proceed 

Otherwise we simply dig ourselves deeper and deeper into that very same groove. Just think about your daily routine, how blinkered are you when you are in this invisible daily groove? For example do you remember washing your face, were you actually present when you ate your breakfast, where was your mind when you were getting dressed, do you think you noticed your journey to work and how much of your day do you consciously experience? Do you often have knee jerk reactions taking everything personally? Mindful intervention can help you learn to pause before responding hastily and therefore you respond from a much calmer place and with interest to what has been said. Consider this situation; if someone says something to you about you that you don't like, rather than offering a knee jerk reaction, don't take it personally but pause and react calmly wondering why they have said that to you. We as a species project ourselves onto others, so what people are saying about you is actually about themselves and it works both ways of course so for example next time you give someone some advice, just notice that the advice you are giving is actually for yourself! Mind blowing isn't it, really makes you consider a new perspective.

Louise went on to highlight how we should set an intention each day, be it for short or long term achievement, it could be something we need to achieve or a behavior we wish to convey for example; today I will be kind in all my actions, I will listen to my bodies needs, I will forgive etc. This intention brings focus and can help reduce our 'should' lists that breed guilt within us and resentment of others. We were reminded that we live in a society where doing right brings praise, we forget it is absolutely fine to make mistakes yet interestingly the most common thread between highly successful people is that they openly admit they don't know everything and are not afraid to make mistakes, we do after all learn from our mistakes.

"You lose if you argue with reality, only 100% of the time"
(Byron Katie)

Being mindful means you are living in the moment, not judging but experiencing the present moment. When we become judgmental we raise our emotions and expectations we enter into 'fight or flight', this is a primal state from our caveman days designed to protect us when feeling threatened/frightened, it gets us ready to flee, our resources become limited, our digestion shuts down and our adrenalin kicks into action as we prepare to defend ourselves or escape. This primal response is proven to be calmed by bringing your attention to your breath. When you are in a stressful situation or indeed know you are going to be entering one remember to breathe...its your saving grace, it is always with you from the moment you are born, it always brings you back to your true self, to calmness. 

The really brilliant thing is that it takes seconds to breath and you can spare a few seconds or even minutes every single day. If you have been breathing shallow for some time taking full breaths can make you a little light headed, do not worry this is normal as your oxygen intake increases and the feeling will soon pass.

Breathing Techniques 
These can be practiced sitting upright, lying or standing. It can help to guide your breath if you rest one hand below your naval and think about breathing in from your tail bone all the way up to your collar bones. Gently letting the breath go as you exhale. Your mind focuses on following the breath and counting the duration of each stage of the breath.
1 Breath Count
Inhale from tailbone upwards for 4 seconds > retain 4 seconds > exhale 4 seconds >  breath 4 second

4 Breaths Counts
Inhale from tailbone upwards for 4 seconds > retain 4 seconds > exhale 4 seconds >  breath 4 seconds
Repeat 4 times

Intervention Toolkit
To get you out of your groove and prevent being triggered into reaction

• single present focus; 1 thing at a time
• pure perception; none judgmental
• beginners mind; treat even repetitive things as if they are brand new
• mindful breath; imagine breathing from your tailbone upwards
• anchor your body in the present; ground through your feet/body with the ground/floor
• following your breath; counting silently as you follow your breath cycle

It's easy to find opportunities and reminders to apply mindful breathing in every day situations

• 1 breath
  When the phone rings, when the traffic lights are on red, before texting, before driving, before a meeting
  
• 4 Breaths
  When the alarm goes off and you hit snooze, before eating, before sleeping

Further info;
Camyoga runs a ‘gold standard’ 8 week Mindfulness course, as developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn. It has been described as life-transforming by those who undertake it.
http://www.camyoga.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/Camyoga
https://twitter.com/CamYogaStudio
https://www.youtube.com/user/CamyogaStudio

John Kabat-Zinn
Professor and creator of the Stress Reduction Clinic and the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine. Developer of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction. Creator of Guided Mindfulness Meditation Practices
http://www.mindfullivingprograms.com/whatMBSR.php
http://www.mindfulnesscds.com/ 
https://twitter.com/JonKabatZinn 
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiXin0FNEmFAcl_QEfrPBkA

Byron Katie
Author and speaker who encourages self inquiry through a system she calls 'The Work'.
http://www.thework.com/index.php
http://www.byronkatie.com/
https://twitter.com/ByronKatie
https://www.youtube.com/user/TheWorkofBK

Chad-Meng Tan
Author of 'Search Inside Yourself' a book which offers you a whistle stop tour of Mindfulness.
http://www.chademeng.com/meng_bio.html
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Search-Inside-Yourself-Concentration-Self-Control/dp/0007467168/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1399978369&sr=8-2&keywords=book+search+inside+yourself+chade-meng+tan