Yoga in June - The Space Element - VATA

Yoga is an Ancient but scientific approach to health and well being. Notice how we are slowly moving up your body and spine with our physical practice. Gradually changing the postures as we go and yet the classes are centred around the 5 elements.

This month our physical focus is the neck and shoulders. The yoga asana have some beautiful stretches for your upper body. The postures and gentle flow sequences are particularly beneficial for calming your mind. Hope you are enjoying the positions with your head down, which encourages blood flow to your brain and are energising as well as relaxing. They still strengthen your legs and the rest of your body as you hold them and I’m sure you can feel their effects!

The asana gradually improve the health of your physical body. Making you stronger, more flexible and stimulating the systems of your body to function better.

But health is more than physical. How you feel, how you deal with life’s ups and downs is equally important and this is where the teaching associated with each body part comes into play..

This month our element is space.

“Space”...I guess most of us would like to find more space in our lives, to rest, to feel peaceful, to relax, to do nothing. Often we book a holiday but that can create even more busyness and stress, organising, packing, traveling.

We have to make space in our every days lives.

Space is empty, vast, expansive, still, nothing, peace and we can feel this but….it takes time and practice!

Often when we sit in stillness, in quiet and focus inwards all we notice is our busy mind, our emotions and the continual chatter. No peace at all, which is why most of us give up on meditation. But this is the first step, an enormous step. Who is watching your thoughts? In yoga it is your subconscious mind, it is the wise and intuitive part of you.

Coming back to a focus on your breath helps to let go of thoughts but watching them helps you to understand so much about yourself. It’s often not good, its often negative. Worries, anger, replaying the past.

But the watcher, your wiser self can gradually take control and change your thoughts, can change your mind.

In yoga many techniques are taught to help you find space & peace. The asana themselves, ocean breath or other breathing techniques, positive affirmations, mudras, chants, specific meditations. I hope you enjoy them.

As our focus is your throat and it’s the beginning of winter we’ll practice some marma massage for sore throats, thyroid problems and relaxing the mind. Using an essential oil blend that is anti-bacterial, anti- fungal & anti- viral.

I thought it might be interesting to learn about Yantra. These are visual meditations, each element has its own Yantra and my daughter drew a lovely space yantra for me a couple of years ago. Each symbol represents something and the pictures draw your mind into contemplation, as you are taught the meaning of each one.

Finally, how messy is your home? Have you space to relax? Have you to much clutter?

You can try and ignore it, but it is affecting your mind. Start clearing it out. One spot at a time. Get rid of the things you don’t use and stop buying more. We buy when we are un”ful”filled but if you make the time for silence, peace and space...you feel “ful,” & content.

Head to Erina?  Nah, I’d rather lay down with my legs over the sofa, turn off all technology and breathe……..