Coming into stillness

A glance up at the skyline reveals that the trees have shed their leaves, and are now bare and silhouetted. The days and nights are cold and wonderfully still, winter time is upon us.

I am enjoying the stillness and using my yoga to connect deeply with the seasonal mood. At the start of practice one may enjoy coming into a quiet seated posture in preparation for pranayama.

Drawing one’s attention and focus inwards as the trees withdraw their life force, we become stiller, quieter, and connect with our inner self. During breathwork, see if there is a natural pause available at the end of the inhalation and exhalation.If it is comfortable, place your attention there and allow the pause to lengthen. Take time at the end of practice for a long savasana; go deep and fall into the centre of yourself.

Supporting the body through seasonal change: bodycare recommendations

I love holistic bodycare products and the rituals of bathing. I adjust my routine seasonally to affect maximum personal wellbeing. The following is based on my current, personal choices:

Morning: Energising, enlivening. Begin with dry skin brushing, which stimulates the lymph and circulatory systems. You can pick up a brush in most chemists & health food stores. It should be a little larger than your palm, in natural bristle. Use light, fluid strokes from the extremities to the centre of the body.
Take a short, hot shower; I use Dr Bronner’s Hemp Citrus Orange pure liquid soap.

On a weekly basis you might create an exfoliating treatment using dry sea salt crystals mixed with a little olive oil. Apply all over the body with light vigorous movements, scrubbing is not advised.

Evening: Bathing twice daily is recommended, it is important energetically. Here the emphasis is on warming and gently detoxifying. Right now I am using Rosemary bath & shower gel from Avalon Organics. Avoid heavy oils and creams before bed as the skin should be clean to optimize metabolic processes whilst we are sleeping.

Approaching pranayama

With admirable honesty, a longterm student of mine has admitted that she does not enjoy pranayama, the breathwork aspect of yogic practice. She cites laziness, saying that she sits passively through the exercises in class, which we undertake before moving onto asana (poses).

Indeed pranayama is a vital component of yoga and may be viewed from many perspectives: it is the bridge between body and mind, it is a technique to calm the mind, it is a means of awakening and directing prana, it is the very essence of yoga itself.

Thus, then the benefits of pranayama are manifold, obvious and also subtle. As with any aspect of the practice we must apply discipline and detachment as Patanjali instructs, in other words we surrender to the eternal wisdom of yoga, pursue our practice with dedication without attachment to outcome.

Extra stretching, holding back

I am very aware that my body needs extra stretching right now. It feels so good to keep the body light and open at this time of year. The shorter, darker days, cold, wet weather and demands of the approaching holiday season can have a cumulative effect on body and the mind.

Our yoga practice may require extra thought and planning. I am including shoulder rolls, spine twists and all kinds of stretching to create space in the joints and prevent tension setting in. The more relaxed and open we become, the better we feel and we create space to allow all manner of possibilities in.

In addition I am holding back from certain poses, the deeply yin forward bends notably. The tissues of the body are less elastic in the cold weather and we may not have the range of movement that is available at other times. By applying mindfulness to our yoga practice we can stay safe, healthy and enjoy what is to come.

Staying safe while progressing in our yoga practice

Something that came up in last Monday’s class. I had included several poses that could potential stress the knee, a vulnerable joint that is prone to injury because of its limited range of movement. The knee it is a hinge joint, permitting movement in one plane only. Yoga students might tend to overexert pressure on the knee in an attempt to move deeper into poses such as baddha konasana (pictured) which rely on an opening of the hip joint, something which can only be achieved by relaxing, waiting and allowing: non-doing rather than doing. While it can be frustrating to feel held back in our poses, we must practice mindfulness ie cultivating awareness of what the body accepts and acceptance ie making peace with where we are.

Neals Yard remedies: sustainable, global, local

Last Saturday at the Sustainable Solutions event at Glastonbury Town Hall, Neal’s Yard’s head of sustainability, Louise Green, delivered a powerful and convincing presentation outlining the company’s strategies and ethos.

I had been aware of the brand, with its stores across the UK and iconic blue glass bottles. I was impressed by the scope of their commitment, their progressive business ethos and range of leading edge environmental strategies.

The company has invested in creating an organic herb farm close to Shepton Mallet, which adds an interesting local dimension. I have perused their catalogue and selected products for use in my therapies, specifically the organic blended body oils for the winter wellbeing massage.

Shop online at http://www.nealsyardremedies.com/, free p&p for orders over £25.

Adjusting to winter

With the cold weather upon us, it is time to adjust our routine to maintain health. With shorter, colder days advancing we may be prone to feelings of sluggishness, cold, stiffness and the low mood.

To maintain seasonal balance, ayurveda tells us our priority is to stay warm. We can achieve this by wrapping up well, avoiding draughts and taking hot baths. Spending an hour or two gardening or taking a brisk walk provides the benefits of fresh air and daylight, which helps to regulate our circadian rhythms, promoting sleep and keeping the winter blues at bay.

Nutritionally, one should avoid heavy, fatty and greasy food, opting for lightly spiced dishes and warm herbal teas. I personally recommend the Yogi Tea brand which has been developed in accordance with ayurvedic principles, is organically produced and widely available.

Consider taking a massage. At this time of year the benefits are considerable: alleviating stiffness, assisting digestion, circulation and lymphatic drainage, boosting one’s mood and generally leading to a feeling of increased well-being.