Yoga Archives

Seven yoga poses to cleanse your post-Christmas body
Seven yoga poses to cleanse your post-Christmas body

Seven yoga poses to cleanse your post-Christmas body

Seven yoga poses to cleanse your post-Christmas body A yoga teacher of mine once described spine twists and folds in a yoga class as a way of ‘wringing out the sponge’ of our bodies and getting rid of all the toxins that reside within, allowing fresh blood and energy into the body parts that most need it. So here’s our top six yoga poses and pranayama practices for a post-Christmas detox, focusing on the digestive organs that need it most. But let’s start by giving our brains a thorough cleanse… 1. Kapala Bhati – “skull shining breath” This is a [...]

Seven yoga poses to cleanse your post-Christmas body

How Yin Yoga can help you combat the winter blues
How Yin Yoga can help you combat the winter blues

How Yin Yoga can help you combat the winter blues

How Yin Yoga can help you combat the winter blues One of the main benefits of a yoga practice is its calming influence on the mind as well as the body. Asanas (poses) are intended to bring the focus inwards to prepare us for meditation where our busy minds can find some peace. Perhaps we simply want to take some quiet time for ourselves after a busy party season; maybe we’re struggling with the long darkness of winter or feeling helpless during a period of change in our lives. Whatever is causing you stress and anxiety, yoga will always be [...]

How Yin Yoga can help you combat the winter blues

Why you’re never too old for yoga teacher training
Why you’re never too old for yoga teacher training

Why you’re never too old for yoga teacher training

Why you’re never too old for yoga teacher training I enrolled on my 200-hour yoga teacher training at the age of 52 and I almost didn’t, because I knew how many young people, mainly girls, were interested in it and I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to keep up with them or bond with the group. Happily for me, I stuck with it and found my own ways of connecting with my fellow students. Yes, most of them were in their 20s and at the start of their adult lives, but there was a sprinkling of women at [...]

Why you’re never too old for yoga teacher training

How Yoga can Help with Sciatica
How Yoga can Help with Sciatica

How Yoga can Help with Sciatica

How Yoga can Help with Sciatica Sciatica refers to pain that is experienced along the sciatic nerve which travels from the lower back and down each leg. Symptoms Common symptoms include: • Pain in the lower back, back of the leg, hip, rear and the severity of the pain can be different from person to person. It usually occurs at one side of the body. • Burning/tingling down the leg • Numbness in the leg or the foot • Weakness, numbness, or difficulty moving the leg or foot. What causes Sciatica? The sciatic nerve is a long nerve that travels [...]

How Yoga can Help with Sciatica

Silent Day
Silent Day

Silent Day

Silent Day As part of our yoga teacher training at Sampoorna - Yoga Teacher Training School in India, my group was offered the chance to have a Silent Day as part of the course. Initially, led by an apparent lack of study time, the answer from the group was riddled with panicky ‘no’s. But a few of us were thinking, ‘I bet this is going to be one of the most profound experiences of the whole thing’ and backed the plan. In the end we agreed to go for it and I’m so, so glad we did. One of the [...]

Silent Day

A DAY in my LIFE at SAMPOORNA YOGA
A DAY in my LIFE at SAMPOORNA YOGA

A DAY in my LIFE at SAMPOORNA YOGA

A DAY in my LIFE at SAMPOORNA YOGA Our first VLOG from our 500 hr (200 hr + 300 hr) Yoga TTC Graduate Naki. She took out the time out of our busy schedule and filmed a beautiful video on her day life when she was pursuing her 300 hour advanced Vinyasa flow teacher training in Feb - Mar 2019 at Sampoorna - Yoga Teacher Training School in India. She says : I loved filming and editing it, so many beautiful memories. Her mission in Life is spreading love and kindness through hugs and big smiles. https://youtu.be/ObQsQiAyE84 Naki discovered [...]

A DAY in my LIFE at SAMPOORNA YOGA

The Importance of a Good Breakfast
The Importance of a Good Breakfast

The Importance of a Good Breakfast

The Importance of a Good Breakfast After not eating for a number of hours whilst sleeping, breakfast provides the body and brain with fuel Nutritionists advise: Breakfast should be eaten within two hours of waking A healthy breakfast should provide calories in the range of 20-35% of your guideline daily allowance (GDA) Reasons why eating breakfast is important: Brain function – studies have shown that eating breakfast can help improve memory, concentration and productivity Improves mood, lowers stress levels Provides energy to get the body up and moving, including the organs People who skip breakfast have lower energy levels, as [...]

The Importance of a Good Breakfast

How Yoga can Help with Shin Splints
How Yoga can Help with Shin Splints

How Yoga can Help with Shin Splints

How Yoga can Help with Shin Splints Shin splints are pain in the shin bones. This pain is brought on by exercise, particularly that involves repetitive weight or impact on the legs such as running. What causes Shin Splints? Sufferers are usually runners or people who have a sudden change in activity level that causes more weight being placed on the legs. It is more likely if you are running on hard or uneven surfaces, wearing shoes that do not cushion the impact enough, being overweight, having flat feet or if you have tight calf muscles, weak ankles, tight achilles, [...]

How Yoga can Help with Shin Splints

How Yoga can help with Stress
How Yoga can help with Stress

How Yoga can help with Stress

How Yoga can help with Stress Our bodies are designed to deal with stress and to protect us in stressful situations. When we are faced with a threat our body goes into a fight or flight response to help us protect ourselves from the perceived danger. The heart will beat faster, breathing quickens, muscles tense and you might sweat. These physical effects fade when the threat disappears but if you are constantly under pressure then the body stays in this alerted state and it can be harmful for the body. Physically affects such as headaches, muscle tension or sleep problems [...]

How Yoga can help with Stress

Upward Dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana)
Upward Dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana)

Upward Dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana)

Upward Dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana) Asana Type: Backbends Level: Intermediate Steps: Take plank pose. Bend arms, lowering pelvis and thighs. Arch the back upwards, keeps arms straight and try to keep the legs straight without knees touching the mat. Only the top of the feet are on the mat. Props & Assistance: It can be difficult to keep the legs off the floor. Before getting into the pose you can position a rolled up blanked below the tops of the thighs so that you can rest on this. Variation: Cobra is a similar pose with legs on the ground. The [...]

Upward Dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana)