November Newsletter

Image taken from The Power of The Breath by Swami Saradananda. This is another wonderful book.

Christmas Lunch

At my place in Bensville on Saturday December 7th at 12 - 2 pm

Bring a small plate of something vegetarian.

I’ll have Herbal teas from the garden and filtered water. BYO drinks if you prefer.

DVDs for Home Practice - Christmas Gifts to Yourself or Friends/Family?

USB stick of classes add an extra $5

It is taking more time than I had planned but my collection of DVD’s are slowly growing.

Yoga Nidra $15

A talk on Ayurveda & Introduction to Yoga (Includes self assessment form)$15

Foundation Hatha Class $20

Gentle/Relaxation Class $20

Restorative Yin Flexibility Class $20

Full of Energy, Improve Digestion & Core Strength a Fire Chakra Class. $20

An Introduction Series Includes 4 DVDs: Yoga Nidra, Hatha your choice, Restorative Yin and the talk on Ayurveda and Self Assessment Form is $60

Prana Plants - Grown with Love - Christmas Gifts to Yourself or Family/Friends?

I have been buying little pots and taking cuttings from plants in my garden that grow happily and easily indoors. My house is now full of them and I have loved watching them grow at close quarters on my kitchen window sill, on my office desk, on the kitchen table. I have been down to my favourite beach, Bullimah and each has tiny bits of shells as a mulch layer. I made them with the idea of encouraging you to create a meditation or yoga space in your own home. A reminder of stillness and peace. They have many health benefits, all provide oxygen and freshen the air in your house, some even remove chemicals found in furniture and paint, some are known as prosperity plants and others just look lovely! If you want more information on their health benefits. Have a look at Bird Song. Cost of most of them is $15

http://www.learningcirclesyoga.com/442266318  Week 22- Growing Your Own Medicine.

I hope you enjoyed the classes on digestion and energy, I enjoyed planning them all.

This months focus is my favourite area of the body to explore -The heart and Chest

We will start with a class which has Movement, Hatha & Yin for the Upper Spine, shoulders, arms, ribs and heart. The next classes will spend more time on each form of yoga experiencing some specific asana.

A great time to bring in cooling Gentle Moon Salutations and some lovely stretches to help you breathe deeper and find contentment in the present moment. We will continue with Camel and some other special asana to open and strengthen this area.

Learning to forgive is an important part of health and wellbeing and we will be practicing a forgiveness meditation as well as some lovely new Mudras. Learn hand yoga to help you relax any time, any where. Our hands are so important and connected to touch and how we feel.

The 6 tastes of health.

Bitter, Sour, Astringent, Pungent, Sweet and Salty

Everyone loved the taste, sensory meditation if not some of the tastes ! I am not sure how much meditation was experienced but there was a lot of laughter and talk. Yoga means connection or union and it is important as a class to have these moments I believe.

Surprisingly I was asked to write a little more about the plants I brought in from the garden and their health benefits and how to make meals with them. I might not have enough space in this newsletter they are all so beneficial to health and digestive function. I’ll try to sum up and write some more in the next months.

Bitter taste - Endives. You don’t need to watch out for insect damage on these because the only thing that eats them is my family! I use them in salads and dribble with a good quality sweet balsamic vinegar. Mangoes are in season now and they are lovely in Mango and avocado salad with coriander as well. They grow really tall and have beautiful blue flowers you can eat too.

Bitter taste is something we avoid unfortunately but it is so good for anyone with poor digestive function and allergies. It restores the sense of taste, is detoxifying, antibacterial, anti inflammatory, promotes digestion and liver function. Endives are an excellent source of vitamin K, and a good source of vitamin A, folate, and in its raw form, vitamin C. 

Sour taste - Lemon. Lemons are a whole medicine chest and a beautiful tree to grow. I have written a lot about lemons on Bird Song. Week 33

Sour taste is again something we avoid unfortunately. Again it improves digestion, adds bulk to the body, invigorates, awakens the mind, gives firmness to the senses, increases strength, dispels flatulence, gives contentment to the heart and gives nourishment (Information on the 6 tastes come from my wonderful book Yoga of Herbs written by Andrew Frawley and Dr Vasant Lad)

I use lemon chunks to make a delicious tea, I add them to Guacamole, I squeeze them over omelettes and add them to lentil and cumin soup. Before a meal have a teaspoon with a pinch of ginger powder.

Namaste Julie