Awakening The Spine‘ is one of my favourite yoga books and I revisit the book frequently.  Each time I dip into the book I am reminded of useful information and at the same time I see new information.  The beauty of this book is that it goes well beyond the physical body and can open you up to the true gifts of yoga.

This is not a step-by-step instruction book for asana, Vanda is sharing her wisdom.  Vanda explains “This is not really a yoga book nor a book on yoga, for yoga has been written about so much in recent years.  What we will try to do in this book is to create a much more serious approach to our bodies, which have bee neglected for so many years,  You have to listen to your body, going with it and not against it, avoiding all effort or strain and centring your attention on that very delicate point, the back of the waist (where the spine moves in two opposite directions).”  Vanda uses art, nature, music, myth, philosophy to explore yoga practice.

Vanda Scaravelli was born in Florence in 1908.  She came from an intellectual and artistic background.  Her father had a degree of piano from the Conservatorio Luigi Cherubini in Florence and went on to create his own orchestra in Florence.  Her mother graduated in pedagogy and was one of the first Italian women to attend university.  Vanda was raised in a musical and intellectual atmosphere surrounded by artists and scientists visiting her parents.

Vanda herself studied music and was a concert level pianist.  Music and musicality informed her work throughout her life.

Movement is the song of the body” ~ Vanda Scaravelli

Vanda learned yoga from B.K.S. Iyengar who was invited to Switzerland by the well known violinist Yehudi Menuhin.  She met J. Krishnamurti and later met Desicachar who taught her the importance of breathing.

For more than twenty-five years, until her death at the age of 91, Vanda Scaravelli was transforming bodies and lives with her innovative approach to yoga through the proper alignment of the spine. She listened to the body and worked with instead of against it. She used gravity, grounding, and breath to achieve dramatic improvements in health and wellbeing.

The way we live is destructive to the body; there is no respect towards its needs and demands.  We destroy, little by little, that precious, complex, vital, vessel of life we received at birth, why?  Do not fight your body.  Do not carry the world on your shoulders.  Drop that heavy load of unnecessary baggage and you will feel better.  Do not kill the instinct of the body for the glory of the pose.  Do not look at your body like a stranger but adopt a friendly approach towards it.  Watch it, listen to it, observe its needs, its requests, and even have fun.” ~ Awakening The Spine, Vanda Scaravelli

This classic inspiring yoga book features three parts – Part One “The Story of Stories” the philosophy of yoga; Part Two “The Asanas” short exploration of yoga asana and Part Three “Breathing”. 

Vanda skilfully uses nature and the wider world to illustrate her teachings and to show the internal & external connections.  We are skilfully guided to ‘see’ and experience the links of our inner and outer experiences.  The spine is central to her practice and teachings.  The nature images are carefully placed to mirror the asanas and to prompt a deeper examination of practice.

It is inspiring to see the photos of Scaravelli in the Asana section, showing that yoga is for everyone.  She didn’t start yoga until her 40s and the photos in the book are taken in her 80s.  This book is an inspirational reminder as to why you are doing yoga.

 

Scaravelli reminds readers that: “if you are kind to your body, it will respond in an incredible way.” ‘Awakening the Spine‘ offers a gentle way to achieve and maintain overall health and a naturally supple spine at any age.

 

This is an updated version of Vanda’s original work, with a foreword by B.K.S. Iyengar and revised by Vanda’s daughter based on Vanda’s extensive notes.

I also recommend ‘Notes on Yoga: The Legacy of Vanda Scaravelli‘ by Diane Long and Sophy Hoare.

Diane was the first of Vanda’s regular students and remained so until Vanda’s death in 1999. Sophy began working with Vanda during the period when she was writing Awakening the Spine.

In ‘Notes on Yoga: The Legacy of Vanda Scaravelli’, they share their experiences and memories of being taught by Vanda and offer instructive advice for practising asana, challenging many preconceptions about yoga.

The Path of Practice

An extraordinary book . . . [that] illuminates the wonderful truth of who we are. . . . As a result, we heal our bodies and our lives on the deepest levels.” ~ Christiane Northrup, M.D., Author of Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom

We are busy preparing for our 2019 Menopause, Wellness & Vitality Workshops.  The workshop day is a content rich experience with plenty of time for discussion.  We provide an extensive handout packed with information and includes a recommended reading list.

One book on the reading list is “The Path of Practice” by Bri Maya Tiwari.  This is one of my all-time favourite books and is a powerful book for women interested in self-healing, self-care and practical lifestyle changes.

I discovered this book several years ago when my roommate on a Yoga Teacher Training course at the Anand Prakash Ashram recommended it.  I headed off to one of the many bookstores on the banks of the Ganges in Rishikesh to purchase a copy.  It is probably the best 295 rupees I have ever spent!

The Path of Practice” is an honest sharing of Maya’s experience of healing from her diagnosis of ovarian cancer at the age of 23 to her journey using Vedic healing practices to heal herself.   She undertook self-healing through meditation, the healing of her ancestral heritage, sound healing, silence, creating sacred space, breathwork and food sadhana.  This was a deep process taking Maya from America to Rishikesh where she became a practising Vedic monk devoted to developing and sharing her knowledge of healing techniques.

May the universe never abuse food.
Breath is food. The body eats foods.
The body rests on breath.
Breath rests on the body.
Food is resting on food.
The one who knows this
becomes rich in food and great in fame.

– Taittiriya Upanishad (11.7)

The book is an easy to follow, step by step guide which is part auto-biography and part healing manual.  For me the book gave me many “aha” moments, enabling me to journey deeper into my yoga practice and understand some of the practices that I was intuitively being drawn to.  We were practicing many of the sadhanas at the Ashram so it was useful to be practicing as well as intellectually understanding the processes.  Our sadhanas included full moon ceremonies to bask in the essence of the moon to heal shakti prana (feminine energies), holding ancestor ceremonies on the banks of the river Ganges, attending fire puja (rituals) to burn away impurities, chanting for healing and eating a sattvic (pure) diet.

We are wellness. We are consciousness. That is our natural state. Disease is an impostor” – Bri Maya Tiwari

This book is designed for women by a woman but it does not preclude men.  Maya states that this book is a “course in healing and in living.”  She maintains that “all pain is a reminder that we have strayed from the natural rhythms of life,” and this book acts to guide us back.  An easy to follow programme containing a wealth of knowledge and the depth of experience.  It’s a profound read and calls us to get in tune with deeper universal rhythms.

This informative book is an enlightening read and a useful book to dip into for ongoing guidance.  The practices can be incorporated into our daily life in order to live a more harmonious and healthy life.  This book is a valuable tool at peri-menopause and menopause when we are being called to take stock, to review our habitats and to pay more attention to self-care.

This is one of the simplest introductions to a step-by-step practice of sadhana for the uninitiated…. Her methods incorporate the healing nature of sound, food and breath and are easy to understand and follow to be in tune with natural rhythms.” – Book Reviews

YTT

You may be getting a calling to book a Yoga Teacher Training Course.  Maybe you don’t want to be a teacher but you would like the opportunity to explore your practice more deeply or perhaps you would love to teach and are looking for a suitable course.

Here are a few useful steps to help your decision making process.

Set Your Intention

Are you seeking an experience to transform your life and take you overseas to immerse yourself in the training?  This may be an opportunity to step outside of your regular life, travel for your training and add travel adventures to your experience.

You may have a particular yoga style you would love to teach.  Research teacher training offering this particular style and explore the course content.

Studying and building connections in your local community may be your intention.  This is a wonderful way to make new like-minded friends in your community, get to know local teachers and find your roots in a supportive local community.

You may have aspirations to train with a particular teacher that has inspired you and you can seek out where they are hosting teacher training course.

Find out more about the programme

Ensure that you do your research as you are investing into this course and need  to make sure it is right for you.  Ask what lineage the training comes from.  Understand the learning objectives of the course and what skills you will learn.  Seek out testimonials and ask previous students for their feedback.  What does the course structure look like and what does a typical day look like.  Find out the finer detail in terms of course content and topics covered.  Who is teaching on the course and find out more about the teachers.

What is the best structure for you?

This is likely to be decided by your lifestyle, personal circumstances and learning style.  A year-round, one weekend a month structure may suit you if you have family and regular work commitments.  This may suit you if you prefer to learn over an extended time period in order to integrate your learning.  Alternatively you may prefer learning in an intensive format and can find 4-6 weeks in your schedule to attend an intensive course.  There in no right or wrong way here, it is all about personal choice.

Spend time doing your research and consult with others to fully discuss your thoughts.  It is important to remember this is the start of your yoga teacher training journey.  Dive in and fully enjoy the experience but know that it could be the first of many.  Your training needs may vary and develop over time so this is your first step on your journey.

Here are a few hand-picked Yoga Teacher Trainings:

Either I have attended these courses myself, studied with the teachers, know the teachers delivering these courses or have received excellent recommendations from students that have attended.

DEVON

Devon School of Yoga
Devon School of Yoga was established in 1989 and offers a broad and comprehensive Yoga Teacher Training course.  The school has a mix of teachers in the faculty with a broad range of skills and experience.

Sheila Coombes in Kingsbridge
Sheila offers a comprehensive in-depth curriculum with several levels of training available.  You will study asana, pranayama and learn ways of engaging your students through careful class planning.  The group provides the opportunity for discussion around the shared teaching experience.

LONDON

Akhanda Yoga YTT in London/Rishikesh
Yog Sundari offers a unique opportunity to study in the UK over 8 weekends and one week of study in Rishikesh.  This holistic Yoga Teacher Training will give you a strong foundation, a wider understanding of yoga and the opportunity to deepen your practice.

Scaravelli Inspired YTT
Intelligent Yoga Teacher Training is led by Catherine Annis and Tanya Love.  This course has been created to develop knowledgeable, responsive and confident teachers who teach yoga based on a solid understanding of the fundamental workings of the body and an appreciation of its natural intelligence.

OVERSEAS

Yoga Arts in Bali and Australia
Yoga Arts has been dedicated to training Yoga Teachers for over 24 years and is passionate about providing a high standard of teacher training.  Ultimately the objective of the Yoga Arts’ trainings is to train participants in quality, professional, safe and knowledgeable teaching skills and to offer, the teacher to be, as many available teaching tools as possible so that their teaching can be available to everyone. Most importantly, to bring about self responsibility, self understanding, spiritual maturity and awakening to the student.The Yoga Arts’ trainings prepare the student on an inner reflective level to move towards a spiritual maturity and self-understanding.

Akhanda Yoga in Rishikesh
Train in the birthplace of Yoga with Himalayan Master Yogrishi Vishvketu at the uplifting east-meets-west Anand Prakash Yoga Ashram. Let us guide you to become a radiant and inspired holistic yoga teacher!  Akhanda Yoga emphasises a balanced class including a full repertoire of yoga techniques sequenced artfully to align the layers of self.

Frog Lotus Yoga Teacher Training in Spain
The style that is taught at the Frog Lotus Yoga Teacher Training Course in Spain is a joyful, creative and intelligent vinyasa flow style which can be easily adapted to different levels. At the end of the Yoga Teacher Training Spain you will not only be qualified to teach vinyasa flow yoga but will also have the tools to create other styles of yoga classes, such as more basic hatha, prenatal and restorative yoga.

Happy researching and enjoy your yoga journey!

sleeping in the heat

In order for us to get a good night’s sleep, we need to lose around 1C of our internal body temperature, which sits around 37C.

We typically lose that through our head or face, which pokes out of the duvet.

If you’re sleeping in a room which is too warm, your body’s core temperature is unable to lose that heat and your sleep will be disturbed.

If our sleep becomes so disturbed that we are sleep deprived, we will see greater ‘sleep intensity’, which leads to greater brain activity. The heat can increase our chance of intense dreams and nightmares due to the greater brain activity.

Source: Dr Neil Stanley, former chairman of the British Sleep Society.

How To Keep Cool:

> Use cotton sheets
> Freeze your hot water bottle and stick it in your bed a little while before you go to sleep
> Take a cool shower before bed for a quick and easy way to cool down
> Point your fan towards and open window to push out the hot air
> Freeze a bottle of water and place it in front of your fan to cool the air. It should last all night.
> Turn off all the lights
> Unplug your devices and don’t charge them while your sleep.

Still needing rest? Join me for Yoga Nidra on Sat 21 Jul, 10.30am-12.30pm at Lotus Loft, Exeter.

Book via this link >>

My designer niaski.co.uk has produced a beautiful range of flyers and business cards for my 2018 Yoga Nidra workshops.

I will be teaching this popular workshop in three venues in 2018 – Lotus Loft, Exeter; Jala Flow Yoga, Sidmouth; and Yarner House, Bovey Tracey.

All of 2018 Yoga Nidra workshop dates are up on my website so you can plan the year ahead and book in for workshops.  Simply search events by location, month or date.

Are you looking for a friendly relaxation class?

Are you looking for ways to de-stress and sleep better?

Are you new to yoga and wish to find an easy way into your practice?

Do you have an established yoga practice and are looking to dive deeper into your practice?

Yoga Nidra is the deepest form of relaxation.  The yogic state of Nidra is beyond the waking state, past the dreaming state and is a form of sleep state where you are actually awake.  The stillness of this practice brings incredible calmness, clarity of mind and deep nourishing rest.

In this 2 hour workshop you will enjoy a calming meditative yoga practice before embarking on a Yoga Nidra journey.  You will be fully guided during the session.  All levels welcome including beginners.

You will leave the workshop feeling renewed, energised, fully rested as if you have had a conventional sleep for a much longer period.  You will enjoy complete physical, mental and emotional relaxation.

When Yoga Nidra is practiced regularly, it brings a deep state of calm which transcends into everyday life. Even strenuous mental and physical activities will not feel as stressful when you have achieved this state of calm.

Come & try it for yourself!

I am currently planning and writing a new range of Yoga Sleep downloads with a particular focus on women.  I will let you know as soon as these are available for download and streaming.

For Yoga Nidra and guided meditations online visit my YouTube Channel.

6 rituals for better sleep

Article by Shannon Sexton, Courtesy of Yoga International, USA

Yoga and Ayurveda offer surprising insights into the sources of insomnia. Read on to learn more—and then try 6 simple practices that can help you sleep better tonight.

We are a sleep-starved nation. Sixty-three percent of American adults do not get eight hours of sleep at night, about 70 million suffer from insomnia, and according to the National Sleep Foundation, nearly seven out of ten report frequent sleeping problems—although most remain undiagnosed. Alarmed? You should be. As Stanford University “sleepdebt” expert William C. Dement, MD, PhD, warns: “Lost sleep accumulates as a debt that must be repaid or health eventually deteriorates.” This year, the Institute of Medicine released a report linking sleep disorders and sleep deprivation to a host of ills, including an increased risk of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, depression, heart attack, and stroke.

Our daily dose of shut-eye regulates our weight, strengthens our immunity, protects our cardiovascular health, repairs our tissues and cells, and restores our energy.

Scientists are confirming what yogis and ayurvedic physicians have reported for centuries: deep sleep rests the body and the mind. Our daily dose of shut-eye regulates our weight, strengthens our immunity, protects our cardiovascular health, repairs our tissues and cells, and restores our energy. Sleep also allows us to process, consolidate, and retain new memories; it balances our emotions, makes us better problem solvers, and feeds our creativity.

But according to yoga, deep, refreshing sleep has an even more important function: it helps us stay spiritually balanced. The ancient rishis (seers) classified sleep as one of the four fountains, or primitive urges (along with food, sex, and self-preservation), that operate at an instinctual level to maintain our survival. When one of these fountains is out of balance, it can imbalance the others, creating obstacles to spiritual growth. For example, when we skimp on sleep, we tend to overeat and imbalance the “food” fountain. Scientific research confirms this: A recent Stanford University study found that the less sleep people got, the heavier they were. Shorter sleep duration boosts our level of ghrelin, a hormone that makes us feel hungry, and suppresses another hormone called leptin, which makes us feel full. And at Case Western Reserve University, researchers who conducted a long-term study with 68,000 women over 16 years found that women who got fewer than five hours of sleep each night were much more likely to gain 33 pounds or more—despite the fact that they ate less than the seven-hour sleepers.

When we fail to get enough sleep, our anxiety level rises, too, disturbing the “self-preservation” fountain. Plus, it’s difficult to maintain a yoga practice when you’re overtired. Who wants to get up early to meditate after tossing and turning all night? Missing our practice can throw our whole day off balance and, worse, feed the cycle of insomnia.

The Bhagavad Gita (6:16-18) offers a message of moderation for practitioners:

  • Yoga is a harmony. Not for him who eats too much, or for him who eats too little; not for him who sleeps too little, or for him who sleeps too much.
  • A harmony in eating and resting, in sleeping and keeping awake: a perfection in whatever one does. This is the Yoga that gives peace from all pain.
  • When the mind of the Yogi is in harmony and finds rest in the Spirit within, all restless desires gone, then he is a Yukta, one in God.

The Bhagavad Gita is ancient, of course, and so doesn’t address our society’s skyrocketing use of sleeping pills, but it’s easy to guess what this sacred text would say: When we depend on pills to put us to sleep, we’re only masking our problems. Yoga challenges us to become the master of our mind, not a slave to it. When our thoughts begin to keep us awake at night, our mental gymnastics need to be addressed, not suppressed.

But the media tempt us with quick-fix promises that can be hard to resist. One Lunesta commercial asks, “Are you at home, trying to sleep, but your mind is still at the office, reviewing tomorrow’s agenda, charting out the future? Maybe it’s time for you to be the boss. Ask your doctor about Lunesta.” The not-so-subliminal message? You don’t have to master your mind—you can gain control simply by taking a pill.

Unfortunately, this message has hit home with Americans. Last year, the pharmaceutical industry poured approximately $300 million into advertising marketed directly to the sleepless consumer—over four times such ad spending for 2004. Sleeping pill sales have surged by 60 percent since 2000, with 42 million prescriptions filled last year alone. More than 26 million of these prescriptions were for Ambien, the 12th best-selling pill in the nation.

But depending on pills is no honeymoon. Last summer, the New York Times reported on some of Ambien’s eerie side effects: the woman in a body cast who miraculously arose every night to devour the contents of her fridge, then in the morning wondered who had stolen her food; the man who tore down the towel racks in his bathroom but had no memory of doing so the next day; people caught driving half-asleep who claimed to be under the influence of Ambien. Sleep experts warn that insomniacs should beware of becoming dependent on a pill and instead make lifestyle changes and rule out underlying conditions such as depression, which can be the culprit of their sleepless nights. Plus, sleep aids can be expensive. The new pill on the block, Lunesta, costs an average of $3.70 per tablet.

Side effects and cost aside, if we need drugs to put us to sleep, we’re in trouble. Ceding control to the pharmaceutical industry makes it impossible for us to explore, and eventually master, our own body and mind. There are better ways to get a good night’s sleep. Through herbs, massage, and relaxing rituals, yoga and ayurveda can show you how.

The Theory Behind the Practice

Ayurveda says that all illnesses are caused by some form of indigestion. In the case of insomnia, Carrie Demers, MD, who uses ayurveda in her medical practice, explains: “At some level—whether it’s physical, mental, or emotional—we haven’t finished extracting what is helpful to us and eliminating what is indigestible. On the physical level, indigestion is caused by bad food or by weak digestion and leads to conditions like heartburn (a contributor to insomnia), flatulence, and diarrhea. Mental indigestion is the inability to let go of a certain incident or thought—usually an unpleasant experience. Emotional indigestion is the recurrence of a feeling, often sadness or anger, long after the precipitating event. The emotion has not been sufficiently digested and remains just under the surface, springing up for no apparent reason”—and keeping us awake at night.

Mental and emotional indigestion are the most common causes of insomnia, Demers says. People who grind their teeth in their sleep are attempting to chew and digest recurring thoughts and emotions. And dreams are another way the mind attempts to digest the day’s experiences.

Vasant Lad, an ayurvedic physician and the director of the Ayurvedic Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico, offers another perspective on insomnia: excess vata in the mind or nervous system. In the ayurvedic tradition, vata is one of the three doshas, or humors, governing the biological and psychological processes of our body, mind, and consciousness. Literally translated as “wind,” vata is “dry, light, mobile, and cold,” says Lad. “As the principle of mobility, it regulates all activity in the body and mind.” When vata is in balance, it promotes creativity, flexibility, and lightheartedness. But when it’s out of balance, it causes fear, anxiety, restlessness, and a number of sleep disorders.

Yoga and ayurveda offer a variety of methods that get to the root cause of insomnia, whether it’s a vata imbalance or a form of indigestion. These methods work on a deeper, more subtle level than sleeping pills and have only positive side effects. Whichever method you choose, begin by following a few basic guidelines: limit your intake of caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol; avoid eating for two to three hours before bedtime; create a relaxing nighttime routine; and go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. But if you’re doing all that and sleep still eludes you, try a few of these time-tested remedies.

6 Bedtime Rituals for Better Sleep

1. Try nutmeg

According to The Yoga of Herbs by Vasant Lad and David Frawley, nutmeg is “one of the best medicines for calming the mind.” This common kitchen spice helps reduce high vata in the colon and nervous system and promotes sound sleep. Here are two treatments—one internal, and one external.

Warm, spiced milk. Add up to 1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg to a cup of warm milk (which contains a sleep-inducing amino acid called tryptophan).

Nutmeg facial mask. Mix equal parts of ghee (clarified butter) and nutmeg powder into a paste and smear it around your eyes and across your forehead at bedtime.

2. Take a hot bath.

A hot bath removes the day’s residue, relaxes the muscles, soothes vata, and induces sleep.

3. Take an herbal sedative.

Mix equal parts of powdered tagara, valerian, and chamomile. Put 1/4 teaspoon of the mixture into a little warm water and drink just before bed. Tagara (valeriana wallichi) and valerian (valeriana officinalis) are vata-pacifying sedatives, and chamomile balances the emotions.

4. Give yourself a 5-minute massage.

According to Lad, a scalp and foot massage is a shortcut to full-body relaxation. Why? Because all meridians, or nadis, begin in the scalp and end in the soles of the feet. Plus, many neural endings, receptors, and marmas (pressure points) are clustered in the head and feet. By giving yourself the following mini-massage, Lad says, “You will get the benefits of an entire body massage.” Here’s how:

  • Sitting on a chair or bed, rub your hands with comfortably warm sesame, brahmi, or jatamansi oil. Alternately using the flat of your hand and your fingertips, make small, circular motions along the surface of your scalp for two minutes. Then switch to your feet.
  • Put more oil on your hands and in small, circular motions, rub the top of your right foot from the ankle to the toes; from the ankle to the heel; and on the soles.
  • Press your thumb on the top of the foot at the base of the shin. Gently and slowly drag your thumb toward the big toe.
  • Return to the base of the shin and drag your thumb toward the second toe. Repeat this motion to the third, fourth, and fifth toes.
  • Cross your right ankle over your left knee, place your right hand on the top of the right foot, lace your fingers between your toes, and push the foot inward, outward, and in a circular motion.
  • Unlace your fingers and, using your right thumb, apply pressure along the inner border of the sole from the big toe to the heel.
  • Drag your thumb along the outer border of the sole, from the root of the fifth toe to the heel.
  • Make a fist and massage the sole of the foot in little circles. Slowly pull each toe away from the foot as though you are “popping” the joint.
  • Repeat the entire process on your left foot.

When you’ve massaged both feet, soak them for five minutes in a bucket of warm saltwater to draw out the dislodged stress and toxins. Put on cotton socks, place a towel on your pillow, and settle into sleep. (In the morning, leave time for a longer shower; it will take a few shampoos to remove the oil from your hair.)

5. Make time for yoga.

A regular, balanced hatha yoga practice circulates the lymph and blood, tones the channels of elimination, and balances both the endocrine and nervous systems, calming vata and helping the body and mind digest the events of the day. Whether you practice in the morning, afternoon, or at bedtime, yoga paves the way to a good night’s sleep.

6. Do a relaxation practice.

Yogic relaxation techniques train the body and mind to relax completely while remaining in a waking state. They also help you let go of sleep-disturbing stress and emotions. If you’re new to relaxation practices, try this tension-relaxation exercise:

Lie in shavasana (corpse pose) with a cushion under your neck and your legs spread three feet apart. As you inhale, scrunch up the muscles in your face and pull them toward the nose. Hold for two seconds, then exhale and completely relax. Next, clench your right shoulder, arm, and hand on an inhale. Hold for two seconds, then exhale and let your muscles melt into the floor. Repeat on the left side. Now tense your right leg from the buttock to the toes; hold briefly; exhale and release. Repeat on the left side.

Next, inhale and tense your entire body. Hold for two seconds, deepen the contraction, then exhale and surrender into the floor. Repeat this contraction two more times. Then surrender into shavasana. You can follow this practice with a systematic relaxation or simply lie resting, breathing as if the whole body breathes. As you exhale, let the breath release tension and wastes from the entire body. As you inhale, let the breath nourish every cell and tissue. Continue for five to ten breaths.

As you become more advanced, there are a number of other systematic relaxation practices that train the mind to focus on and relax different parts of the physical body and, later, the more subtle energetic body. You can find some of these exercises outlined in yoga manuals. You can also try guided relaxation CDs.

6 phase meditation

This infographic is based on the core meditation from The Envisioning Method, a daily practice designed by Mindvalley Founder, Vishen Lakhiani.

The 6 Phase Meditation is a distillation of hundreds of books on personal growth and is designed to create the most remarkable transformation in your state of being — in the shortest amount of time.

The 6 Phase Meditation (Infographic)

Designed by Vishen Lakhiani based on his own daily practice, the Envisioning Method is a distillation of hundreds of books on personal growth and designed to create the most remarkable transformation in your state of being — in the shortest amount of time.

 

Choc Meditation

A fun and simple meditation to develop mindfulness and awareness.

Have a small piece of chocolate handy for this meditation. Use good quality chocolate if possible as the meditation makes you more aware of your senses and experiences. This will add to the positive experience of the meditation.

Written and recorded by Julie Bladon copyright 2013. Produced by Ricardo Wolkers, perceptionaudio.co.uk. Music by Christopher Lloyd Clarke; Licensed by RoyaltyFreeMeditationMusic.com.

Menopause - Natural Wellness Tips

Menopause is a powerful transition in a woman’s life and a lot of women are seeking natural support as they undergo this physical and spiritual transformation.

The average age of menopause – defined as not having a period for at least 12 months – is 51.  Perimenopausal symptoms often begin in the 40s or even earlier.  It is a personal journey so experiences and timings may differ and it is for each woman to explore in their own way.

Menopause is a natural shift in hormonal status.  The symptoms are seen when there is a drop in oestrogen production in the ovaries, the adrenal glands will compensate for this drop in oestrogen and any adrenal exhaustion is best addressed to ease this transition.  Oestrogen contributes to the female menstrual cycle by building endometrial tissue, sustaining bone density and the nervous system, maintaining the quality of the skin, sustaining libido and for the regulation of the female reproductive system.

This is a time of deep questioning about your life, relationships, job, home, what you are doing with your life and the calling you receive in terms of what you wish to accomplish as you move into the next phase of your life.  This is a time of death and rebirth.  You are releasing what no longer serves you and birthing the new YOU.  You may be called to spend time alone, you may sense your power rising and no longer wish to accept what others say, you may experience heightened sensitivity.

This is a time of deep healing, healing your body and past traumas.  You will be called to develop self acceptance, to de-clutter your life and to develop strong self care practices.

There is no right or wrong way to transition through your menopause.  Here are a few holistic tools that may support your journey.

Nutrition

Simply eating more plant foods such as legumes, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, and seeds can offer some relief, as they contain hormone-balancing plant chemicals known as phytoestrogens. Ground flaxseeds also contain phytoestrogens and have been shown in studies to reduce hot flashes. In one study, women had hot flash relief when they consumed 40 grams of ground flaxseeds daily. Fermented soy foods such as tofu, miso, and tempeh can also help reduce hot flashes.

Increasing your antioxidant intake greatly helps the entire body and brain.  Unprocessed brightly coloured fruits and vegetables, high quality proteins, grains and oils help to maintain healthy levels of antioxidants.  The benefits are wide spread and positively impact on memory, mood, heart health, blood pressure, detoxification, sleep, stress tolerance, thyroid, cancer risk, osteoporosis and more.

Studies have shown that menopausal women were found lacking in Polyunsaturated fats (PUFA). Healthy choice PUFAs are found in fatty fish like salmon, herring, trout, mackerel and tuna.  It is also found in walnuts, flax, chia and sunflower seeds.

Take time to review your mineral intake and possible deficiencies.  Deficient nutrients may be iron, copper, zinc, potassium, calcium, magnesium, vitamin C, D, and K.  Magnesium is critical for energy production, bone structure, sleep, mood, and brain health.  Review your sodium and phosphorus intake which may be too high particularly if consumed via processed foods.

Ensure proper hydration as there is a chance of electrolyte imbalance and dehydration when experiencing heat symptoms.  You may wish to review, reduce or stop your caffeine and alcohol intake.

Tissue Salts

Dr Wilhelm Schuessler, a great nineteenth-century German physician, concluded that there are 12 minerals that must be present in the body to maintain perfect health.  Through his research Schuessler developed tissue salts which offer a natural system of nutritional medicine.  Tissue salts enable the cells of the body to both eliminate toxins and assimilate nutrition.  Tissue salts are completely safe and can be used safely with other forms of medicine and treatments.

Tissue salts help with the physical, emotional and mental journey through the menopausal years.  Calc Phos, Kali Phos and Nat Mur smooth the emotional path, balance the hormones and strengthen the heart muscle.  Calc Phos and Kali Phos will also minimise the discomfort of hot flushes and night sweats.  Silica is a general tonic with Calc Fluor rejuvenating the skin and helping to prevent prolapsed and excessive relaxation of blood vessels that can lead to varicose veins and haemorrhoids.  Tissue salts to clear stagnation and cool the body are Silica and Nat Phos.

Purchase Tissue Salts for Menopause or consult with a homeopathic doctor for suitable Tissue Salt remedies.

Herbs

Herbs can also alleviate menopausal symptoms. Black cohosh has been shown in numerous studies to relieve a multitude of menopausal symptoms including hot flashes, anxiety, insomnia, heart palpitations, and depression.

Maca root has a rich history of use in Peru to help women through the menopausal transition. Several double blind, placebo controlled studies show that it can indeed help hot flashes and a variety of other menopausal symptoms.

Another unique herbal extract is red clover. According to research, this effective alternative treatment for menopause works to relieve hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and anxiety.

Sage is a traditional remedy to cool the blood and reduce heat in the body.  Try sage tea.  Chamomile tea also has a cooling effect on the body.

Hormone modulating herbs to address the decline in estrogen are Ashwaganda, Black Cohosh, Kudzu, Anemarrhena, Horny Goat Weed, Morinda, Dong Quai, Chaste Tree, Paeonia and Curculigo.

It is recommended to find a naturopath or herbalist to advise on herbs for your particular symptoms and situation.

Homeopathy

Homeopathy is a useful remedy to reduce menopausal symptoms and consulting a homeopathic practitioner is highly recommended.

One of the most common remedies is Sepia. Symptoms that suggest this remedy include hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, irritability, low libido, and exhaustion. Another common remedy to consider is Pulsatilla. Women who may benefit from this homeopathic medicine feel worse in warm weather and desire fresh air. They may have mood swings and weepiness and feel better with company.

Time Alone

Answer the call to spend more time alone in a process of withdrawal.  This is a time to deeply listen to your inner knowing.  Solitude allows you to truly listen to your inner wisdom.  In this process you may wish to spend more time in nature, journal writing, meditating or doing whatever feeds your soul.  This is a time to say NO and to put your needs first.

Exercise

Review and implement an exercise plan to support your self-care programme.  Do the things that you enjoy and that you are encouraged to make exercise a central part of your life perhaps even revisiting things that you enjoyed as a child such as swimming, cycling, walking, dancing, yoga, pilates.  Yoga & meditation helps to reduce nervous system stimulations which can aggravate hot flushes.  Select whatever exercise brings you joy.

Pranayama (Breathing Exercises)

Breath work is an effective way to cool, calm or invigorate during the experience of hot flashes or anxiety. Yogic breathing is a way to bring extra energy into the body or bring in a sense of relaxation.  Breathing exercises help to de-stress the body and mind acting to soothe the whole system.

Anuloma Viloma (Alternate Nostril Breathing) helps to calm the body & mind, soothes the system and assists if you are suffering from disturbed sleep.  Try 10-15 minutes per day.

This breathing technique consists of breathing through alternate nostrils and retaining the breath.  Anuloma Viloma harmonises the nervous system and balances both hemispheres of the brain.  Every two hours the activity of the brain shifts from one hemisphere to the other.  The same occurs with the lungs and this technique helps to balance the lungs.  This practice stimulates the nadis or energy channels that run throughout the body like electrical wires.  It is performed with a breathing sequence of 1:4:2.

The breath retention gives more time for the exchange of gases which means you will get more oxygen in the blood and increased expulsion of carbon dioxide.

At different times of the day and also dependant on our health, we will breathe more effectively through one nostril versus the other.  Observations during this practice help us to tune into our body and mind with greater awareness.

Anuloma Viloma is a more advanced breathing technique and controls your prana (energy) through the control of the breath.  This technique can be practiced every day.

This technique is for 4:16:8.  Always start and end on the left side.

Come into an easy, comfortable seated position.  You may wish to sit on a cushion or yoga block.  With your spine tall and your shoulders relaxed, begin by focusing on your breath.  Taking full deep breaths in and out of your nose.

Place your left hand in chin mudra (thumb and index finger touching) and rest on your left knee.  Bring your right hand into Vishnu mudra (curl your index and middle finger into the palm and leave your thumb, third and fourth fingers free).

Close your eyes.  Take 3 deep breaths in and out.  Place your right thumb up to right nostril and close this nostril.  Breathe in through the left nostril for the count of 4.  Close both nostrils using the thumb on the right nostril and third/fourth fingers on left nostril.  Maintain a constant pressure on the nostrils and hold the breath for the count of 16.

Release the thumb to open your right nostril and exhale slowly until the lungs are empty to a count of 8.  Inhale on the right (same side) for the count of 4.  Close both nostrils and hold for the count of 16.

Open the left nostril by releasing the fingers and exhale for a slow count of 8 until you have completely emptied the lungs.

Repeat for up to 8 rounds remembering that a round always starts and end on the left.  Keep the practice smooth and effortless.

Precautions: The retentions should not be performed by those with high blood pressure, cardiac patients or pregnant women.

Tips:

If the 4:16:8 count is too much to start with, try 3:12:6.

 As you develop this practice you can increase the counts from 4 to 5, 5 to 6.  Remember to take time to develop your practice and make sure that you feel comfortable at all times. 

You may wish to make this into a mantra meditation by mentally saying Om with each count.  Silently repeating “Om one, Om two, Om three, Om four.  Hold one, Om two, Om three…..”

Sithali Breath is a useful technique to manage hot flushes and rebalance the body.  Also supportive when you are feeling drowsy in the morning or during an afternoon slump when you need to improve your focus.

To practice Sithali, you need to be able to curl the sides of your tongue inward so that it looks like a straw.  The ability to curl the tongue is a genetic trait so an alternative is given below.

Sit in a comfortable position, either on the floor or in a chair, with your shoulders relaxed and the spine tall.  Stick the tongue out, curl the edges of the tongue inward to make a straw-like shape.  Inhale through the tongue, close the mouth and retain the breath for as long as feels comfortable.  Exhale through the nose.  Repeat for a minimum of 10 breaths.  Make sure you feel fully comfortable at all times and your breath flows easily.

Another technique if you cannot curl your tongue, extend your tongue out flat and sip the air across the upper surface of your tongue.

Bhramari Breath (Honey Bee Breath) is a simple technique to instantly calm the mind and help with concentration.  It is one of the best ways to free the mind of agitation, frustration, anger and anxiety.  The exhalation of this technique resembles the humming sound of a bee.  Bhramari breath is very healing and relaxing and is a useful tool to relieve sleep issues, headaches, migraines and stress.  The sound vibrations calm your nerves and have a particular soothing effect on the brain and forehead.  Use Bhramari breath if you are feeling a little hot or experiencing a hot flush.

This technique can be used at any time.  Use as an instant way to de-stress yourself.  You can practice 3-4 times a day and also you can include it in your asana practice or as you prepare to settle the mind for meditation.  If you are having trouble sleeping, practice this technique a few times in bed as you settle.

Come into a comfortable seated position or lie on your back, close your eyes.  Connect in with your breath, notice the sensations in your body and check in with your mind.  Take a deep inhalation and as you exhale make a loud humming sound like a bee.  You can vary the pitch of your humming sound and when you do connect in with the body to sense the vibration within the body.  Inhale again and repeat this 3-4 times.

Meditation

Menopause is a physical, spiritual and emotional transformation.  Meditation can be a source of relief and a supportive tool during this time of great change.  Meditation calms the mind, brings clarity and focus, restores inner peace and balances mental focus.  Irritability and depression can be greatly eased by a regular meditation practice.

Guided chakra meditations can support shifts experienced within the energy body during the menopause.  Meditation can be used as a way to explore your inner depths, find greater meaning and process the changes occurring during the menopausal years.  You will emerge wiser, more intuitive and in your full power.

Naps

Regular short naps can help you reduce stress, boost your alertness and energise you.  There are a few tips to successful napping to ensure that you do not wake up in a groggy state.  A 20 minute snooze is a great way to power nap and enhances your motor skills and attention.  A 60-90 minute nap brings Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep which helps make new connections in the brain and boosts creative problem solving.

Regular short naps help to lower tension which decreases your risk of heart disease.  Stick to a regular napping schedule, set your alarm so that you do not over-nap and optimal times are between 1-3pm, nap is a dark room to make sleeping easier.   Napping is a natural way to revive your energy and may prevent you using caffeine in the afternoon or evening which can affect your night-time sleep patterns.

Naps can help avoid burnout and reverses information overload.  Snoozing during the day helps to make up for any lack of sleep experienced at night.

Sleep and Yoga Nidra (Yoga Sleep)

Sleep is the most effective approach to high adrenaline levels. Many women require eight to ten hours of sleep to function optimally. Try getting to sleep on the earlier side of midnight as it is much more restorative to your adrenals than sleep that begins later in the night.

Try Yoga Nidra to support your sleeping needs.  Yoga Nidra is an ancient tantric method where the mind and body is in deep relaxation. A single hour of Yoga Nidra is as restful as four hours of conventional sleep. This practice is fully guided so perfect for complete beginners or more experienced practitioners.

The practice of Yoga Nidra releases all types of muscular, emotional and mental tension. You not only enjoy complete physical, mental and emotional relaxation, but also get to explore the tremendous powers hidden in the deeper layers of subconscious mind.

On a physical level Yoga Nidra improves the quality and the amount of sleep and soothes the nervous system.  This is beneficial if you are experiencing exhaustion, night sweats, disturbed sleep, insomnia or are generally feeling tired.

For details of my Yoga Sleep, Yoga Sleep for Children and Meditation Mix CDs and downloads please visit my online shop.  Downloads also available via iTunes, Amazon and on streaming sites such as Spotify.  Weekly guided meditations are now uploaded to my YouTube Channel.

Jayadevi YouTube Channel

Each week I will be posting meditation videos to my YouTube channel so please subscribe to my channel to get notifications of new uploads.  I will be posting my popular meditations along with new meditations.

Each month I will be in the recording studio to create a new range of guided meditations for you.