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Big Thank You to Our Aloha Yoga Retreat Sponsors

Aloha Yoga would like to thank our sponsors of this year’s Aloha Yoga Summer Retreat goodie bags. Providing lots of yummy goodies for our guests. Mahalo!

Om Yoga and Lifestyle Magazine
Om Yoga and Lifestyle Magazine in now available in a variety of platforms. They kindly provided magazines and also free access to a magazine via their app.

The Soap Kitchen
This Devon based soap supplier and ingredient supplier is dedicated to the crafts of soap making, toiletry making and candle making. As one of the leading hand made soap manufacturers and ingredients stockists, they provide an unrivalled selection of products and ingredients.

Yogi Tea
For more than 40 years YOGI TEA® has been producing delicious herb and spice teas based on unique Ayurvedic tea recipes, which promote individual well-being. This unique Ayurvedic tea blend is based on an original recipe by Yogi Bhajan and contains cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, and black pepper. It was first sold in Europe in the 1970s.  Today, people all around the world enjoy the special blends of more than 80 selected organically-grown herbs and spices that give the 44 varieties of YOGI TEA® their unmistakeable flavour and health-giving properties.

Audible Yoga
Practice yoga anytime, any place! Over 700 classes ranging from 10 – 90 minutes to download or stream to any device. The site has yoga for every level. Visit the website to try free sample classes.

 

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Aloha Yoga Retreats, Tours and Workshops are co-hosted by Flourish Yoga and JulieBladon.com

Dates are now released for 2016 Aloha Yoga Retreat.  Click these links for the June retreat and the July retreat.  They are both booking quickly so please get in touch to confirm your place!

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Yoga at Exmouth Beach

After the success of last year’s Yoga at Exmouth beach, I’ve scheduled two beach yoga sessions for this year.

Sun 12 July, 7.30am

Sun 16 August, 7.30am

No need to book, just come along!  Everyone welcome.

Attendance for each session will be by donation to raise funds for charity.  This year I have selected two charities to support:

Nepal Earthquake Appeal
On Saturday 25 April a massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal. It severely shook the lives of at least 8m people and left many homeless.  Nepal’s major cities, including the capital Kathmandu, have been badly damaged and rural areas near the epicentre have been completely cut off by avalanches.

DEC member agencies and their partners are working urgently to provide emergency shelter, food, clean water and blankets.  Once immediate, life-saving needs are met they will work with individuals, families and communities to support them to rebuild their lives.

Ramana’s Garden Children’s Home
Ramana’s Garden Children’s Home in Rishikesh, India is home to over 60 at risk children and a free school for over 160 students from Ramana’s Garden and local underprivileged families. The school provides classes from kindergarten to eighth grade.

We’ll meet at the new Lifeboat Station on Exmouth beach towards the far end of the beach.   There is plenty of parking along the seafront.

Please bring your yoga mat and water.  You may wish to wear layers and bring a warm blanket in order to be prepared for varying weather conditions.  Remember that the format will be slightly different to regular class so please be prepared to go with the flow!

Wet weather plan: If heavy rain is forecast then the session will not go ahead.  I will check the weather and post updates on my Facebook page in the week leading up to this session.

Contact me if you have any queries.

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The Blog is BACK!

Finally my blog is back online!  Following recent upgrades to my website, the whole website crashed. This turned out to be a major issue requiring a full website rebuild. Over the last month my website has been rebuilt and upgraded meaning that I have been unable to blog during this time.

This website issue has coincided with the Mercury Retrograde which began on 18 May and will end on 11 June.

What is Mercury Retrograde?

It occurs several times a year when Mercury rotates slower than usual giving the illusion that the planet is moving backwards.

From an astrological standpoint, the Mercury Retrograde means issues with all forms of communication, legal contracts and technology. Those who believe in astrology would be advised by astrologers not to make any big purchases or major life decisions.

“Mercury rules all types of communication, including listening, speaking, learning, reading, editing, researching, negotiating, selling and buying,” wrote Susan Miller of Astrology Zone on her website. “Mercury also rules all formal contracts and agreements, as well as important documents such as book manuscripts, term papers, agreements, deeds, contracts, leases, wills, and so forth. Included under this planet’s domain are all types of code, including computer codes, as well as transportation, shipping and travel. When this planet retrogrades, these areas tend to get scrambled or spin out of control.”

Of course, this is not really a difficult time. Mercury retrograde wants us to reflect, look at things differently, review the past and to take our time. This has definitely been the case for me this month. I was rushing hoping to get my website back up and running but I soon realised that was not going to happen so I just had to let things unfold in their own time.

This has been a time for introspection, reviewing what areas of my life work and which need a little more work, time to be creative and to work on new or unfinished projects, contacting old friends, de-cluttering, taking time to rest.

Mercury retrograde wishes us to align spiritually. Major breakthroughs can happen during this time. This really is a time to “go with the flow” and to be kind to yourself.

We are now nearing the end of the Mercury retrograde, some astrologers recommend allowing a minimum of two days after Mercury moves forward before you initiate new projects, make big purchases or finalise legal contracts. The more time you allow the better.

I’m now planning ahead for my busy summer of retreats, workshops, classes, festivals, yoga at the beach, writing and filmmaking.  Upon reflection, this Mercury retrograde has been most useful!

Visit my Events page to find out What’s On.

Sign up to my Julie Bladon monthly e-newsletter signup for updates, events, blog posts and a free monthly meditation download.

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Why go on a yoga retreat? Why not?

The reasons people choose to go on a yoga retreat are many but here are some of the popular reasons:

  • Deepen your practice

“And you? When will you begin that long journey into yourself?” ~ Rumi

Developing your practice can be challenging especially when you have a busy life and schedule.  Being on retreat gives you the chance to attend 2 classes per day, you will notice the progress and the positive effect this is having.  Distractions are limited so you can be sure that you fully focus.

I have had the honour to teach retreat guests who have only ever attended one yoga class before going on retreat choosing a retreat setting to begin to explore their practice, through to the more experienced yogi who seeks the space to focus more intensely.

  • Create a new perspective

“The trees, the flowers, the plants grow in silence. The stars, the sun, the moon move in silence. Silence gives us a new perspective” ~ Mother Teresa

We all benefit from going to a new place, seeing the world and ourselves through different eyes.  You will have time to contemplate, to review what is out of balance and where you need to action change in your life.  This safe space will allow you to grow and learn.

  • Navigate life changes

“It’s a good idea always to do something relaxing prior to making an important decision in your life” ~ Paulo Coelho, The Pilgrimage

Life is in constant change, some of which can be challenging.  A retreat allows you to step outside of your everyday life, to gain deeper understanding and create clarity.

It may be that you consciously decide to attend a retreat in order to work through change in your life or the outcome of a relaxing retreat may be a new perspective which leads to change.

I know for me personally, attending yoga retreats has enabled me to make big life changing decisions, to feel supported in that space and to know that I had the courage to make the changes I was being called to make.

  • Time to meditate

“In meditation we return to where we already are – this shifting, changing ever-present now. 
If you wish to take up meditation, it must be now or never.” ~ Steve Hagen, Meditation Now or Never

You will be away from distractions, feel relaxed and ‘in the moment’ leading to a peaceful space in which to develop your meditation practice.  This is a perfect time to develop new habits.

  •  Take a digital detox

“Spending the majority of our waking lives experiencing reality through a screen, endlessly plugged into our devices, is taking its toll… and we’re realising it’s not the answer. The era of burnout, multi-tasking, tech dependence, fatigue, ‘social media everything’ and information overload is coming to a close” ~ thedigitaldetox.org

By switching off your technology you can find space and balance.  You can evaluate your relationship with technology and develop a more balanced approach.  Understand that you can press pause, reconnect with yourself and those around you, saviour your life experiences and feel recharged.

  • Rest and Relax 

“Turn off your mind, relax, and float downstream”  ~ John Lennon

On retreat you have the permission to fully relax.  You can tune into your body, rest when you need it, allow your body and mind to de-stress.  You are free to replenish as you wish, you are free from demands.

  • Eat well

“Let food be thy medicine, thy medicine shall be thy food” ~ Hippocrates

All of the hard work is done for you, you will enjoy nutritious and delicious meals.  It is an opportunity to review unhealthy habits and to develop new behaviours.   Healthy food, yoga and rest will re-energise your batteries and assist the body’s healing process.

  • Make new friends. 

“Every person needs a time out, away from stressful jobs, pressures from employers or clients, home responsibilities….  Everyone deserves to enjoy, visit unknown places, try other things, meet a lot of new friends, and feel at the top of the world. Life is full of fun, excitement, and adventure. Thus, vacation is an experience that’s worth remembering for a lifetime. It heals a weary mind and soul”  ~ Alon Calinao Dy

You may travel as a group or solo but it is guaranteed that you will meet like minded people on retreat.  Retreats are perfect if you are travelling alone, you have the choice to spend time with others or enjoy your own space if you wish.

I have met lifelong friends on retreat including my Aloha Yoga collaborator, Jackie Dorrian.

 “Little did we know that 4 years after meeting on a Yoga Retreat in Kerala that our lives would be completely different and we would be working together to deliver “Aloha Yoga Retreats and Workshops”. Whilst we teach different yoga styles and our therapies are from different parts of the world, we have common aims and our work complements each other.  We have some exciting plans in the pipeline including a Summer Retreat on Dartmoor, Music Festivals and a Retreat in Spain.” explains Jackie.

  •  Who needs any more reasons? 

Seriously no-one needs to justify going on a yoga retreat.  Why not join us for our Aloha Yoga Retreat in Spain and experience the benefits for yourself!

 “This is my first yoga retreat experience, and it has been simply wonderful. Super location, fabulous company, great food and beautiful guided meditation and yoga. Opened my eyes to new possibilities and practices. Amazing. Peace and Love” ~ Aloha Yoga Retreat 2013 Guest

Click here to sign up to my monthly newsletter – news, updates, free meditation downloads.

 

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Nurture Your Daily Yoga Practice

I’m now teaching for AUDIBLE YOGA, an online audio resource for yoga classes. The service offers over 700 classes ranging from 10 to 90 minutes. You can practice anytime, anywhere to suit your schedule.

Audible Yoga offers something unique: a way to connect teachers and students through the power of voice. Audible Yoga also gives everyone a way to create a consistent home yoga practice with:

  • Variety – from Anusara to Vinyasa and every style in between. Subscribers can take a wide variety of yoga classes taught by yoga teachers around the world.
  • Convenience – small file sizes means students can quickly stream or download a yoga class and practice wherever they are anytime of the day.
  • Flexibility – Audible Yoga offers classes from 10 to 90 minutes long so students can practice for the time they have available.

Audible Yoga classes are created with student’s needs in mind. Classes are designed to relieve pain, boost energy, reduce stress, improve immunity, lose weight, and more. The search feature allows students to find classes by level, yoga style, length of time, and purpose. A student with just 30 minutes to spare can quickly find a Hatha class with a focus on building core strength, for example.

The monthly price is $15 (less than a typical yoga class). The annual subscription of $150 gives a student two full months of free yoga. A 15­-day trial is included with every subscription. Subscribers can cancel anytime.

“Audible Yoga is the perfect way to get you on the mat and practicing without distractions. Just listen and move to experience the transformative benefits of your yoga practice within your body”.  Anne Hunt, Audible Yoga teacher

Audible Yoga answers a significant need in an overscheduled society where simply getting to a yoga class can be difficult. It also serves those in underserved communities where yoga classes are limited.

Click here to go to my Audible Yoga listing and classes.  If you wish to sign up please use my teacher code 3671.

 

 

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The Importance of a Good Book

The last five months have been an immersion into self study and absorbing as many spiritual books as I possibly can.  My reading list seems to be getting longer by the day and at times I find I have up to five books on the go!

The catalyst for this time of such dense reading was “The Path of Practice” by Bri Maya Tiwari.  My roommate at the Anand Prakash Ashram recommended it so 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!

“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

“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.  She undertook to heal herself 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.

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, 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.

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The Sanctuary at Wilderness Festival gets a mention in Tatler Spa Guide

The Sanctuary (curated by Wild WellBeing) at Wilderness Festival gets a mention in the Tatler Spa Guide 2015. I’m really proud to be part of this great team of therapists and yogis.  Roll on summer!

tatler spa 2015

tatler spa guide 2015

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Ashram Reflections

Easing back into life is not always so straight forward particularly after an extended trip to India.  Arriving in India, you feel as though you’ve entered a strange and magical world.  Your senses get overloaded with sounds, sights, colours, smells and tastes.  India pulses and you feel so alive.  There is no hiding from the experience, it is all consuming and you quickly adjust to the ebb and flow of life.

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(Rishikesh)

My first destination was Rishikesh situated in the foothills of the Himalayas and known as the “Yoga capital of the world”.  The sacred river Ganges flows through Rishikesh and the city is considered holy by Hindus.  A bustling centre of temples, customs, rituals with a deep rich history. You become completely absorbed by life here.

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(Rishikesh)

Home during my stay was Anandprakash Yoga Ashram in Tapovan , just a few minutes walk from the sacred Ganges.  Tapovan, an ideal location for yoga sadhana, is named for its heritage as a site for spiritual disciplines.  “Tap”, represents tapas, the practice of spiritual disciplines.  “Van” means forest.  So, Tapovan is the forest of the yogis.

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(Arrival at Anand Prakash Ashram)

The rigours of ashram living can be challenging particularly the strict daily routine.  You wake up early before sunrise, meditate to go deeper into our mind, practice yoga asanas to work on a physical level within the body, practice breathing exercises to steady our mind, chant to raise our vibrations and bring balance, fire puja for purification, eat simple food, discuss philosophies to open the mind and lectures to develop our knowledge.

I had several goals for my trip, firstly to spend time with my teacher to seek guidance and spiritual wisdom.  I was ready to learn new skills and techniques to deepen my knowledge and personal practice.  I was looking for new ideas and inspiration to bring back and share with my students.  And finally to meet fellow yogis and spiritual travellers.

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(Our teachers – Gayatri, Yogrishi Vishvketu, Prem, Kamalika)

“Simply being with other people who are also seekers and who are involved in the same quest you are is very meaningful” ~ Dan Wakefield

My trip didn’t disappoint, I gifted myself this time and I absorbed new teachings, personal reflections, had the opportunity to be fully present and in the moment without the distractions of everyday life.  I found peace and clarity of mind.  I met an amazing group of fellow yogis from all corners of the globe.  We developed a deep connection from sharing the same life changing experience.

As I reflect I can see that this trip is the beginning of something special.  The depth of the experience was so immense that I do not think I will comprehend the impact until much further down the line…  Every moment feels so special and I have a new vigour for life.

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(Yoga Teacher Training Yogis)

“Spirituality is allowing compassion and love to flourish.  When belongness begins, corruption ends.” ~ Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

“Happiness cannot be travelled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed.  Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude” ~ Denis Waitley

Om shanti.

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Go see Starfish Meditation on YouTube!

Starfish Meditation from the “Yoga Sleep and Other Magical Guided Meditations for Children” is now available on my YouTube channel.

Thank you for all of the fantastic reviews that I have been receiving for this CD.  It is such an honour that this CD is helping so many children in such a wide variety of ways.  Ranging from relaxation and stress relief, for bedtime and for those that have been ill and have listened to the CD whilst in hospital.

Downloads are now available on iTunes, Amazon and on streaming sites such as Spotify.

“Thank you for this brilliant CD!  Our 5 ½ year old daughter (who has sleep issues due as she is unable to allow her brain to relax) listens to it every night , and it has really help her to calm down at bedtime. For us, we can see a real positive change, and she is often less frantic when going to bed following using the CD, and sometimes she even falls asleep before the end – a real result!!  She has asked me to tell you she particularly loves being an eagle, and asks when are you doing another one!” ~ LR, UK

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Here’s what parents have to say about “Yoga Sleep for Children”

These relaxing meditations are designed to help children relax and sleep more peacefully. Each carefully scripted meditation features a delightful story and is backed by beautiful calming music.

Meditation is a fantastic tool that children can learn at an early age which will help them throughout their lives. Help your child to become more peaceful, to connect with their inner being, learn how truly wonderful they are and help them learn to release stress and anxiety.

Guided meditation can help children focus better at school, improve memory & concentration, improve behaviour, improve relationships, strengthen the immune system and promote inner peace. These fun meditations teach your child self-awareness, encourage them to be themselves and to help build self confidence.

The meditations are completely safe and an effective way to relax your child. The CD can used for general relaxation or at bedtime and is suitable for all children up to the age of 12.

Downloads are now available on iTunes, Amazon and on streaming sites such as Spotify.

Testimonials:

“Thanks so much for these great meditations! I love listening to these and my kids’ favourite is your Starfish meditation. Most nights I find them sleeping with their arms and legs still out when I go to check on them!” ~ CMJ, Canada

“Thank you for this brilliant CD!  Our 5 ½ year old daughter (who has sleep issues due as she is unable to allow her brain to relax) listens to it every night , and it has really help her to calm down at bedtime. For us, we can see a real positive change, and she is often less frantic when going to bed following using the CD, and sometimes she even falls asleep before the end – a real result!!  She has asked me to tell you she particularly loves being an eagle, and asks when are you doing another one!” ~ LR, UK

“The Yoga Sleep CD (or “Frog CD” as my three year old son calls it – a reference to the front cover) is a perfect way of winding him down in bed, either at the end of the day, or for one of those increasingly rare daytime naps. It immediately calms him as he adopts the initial pose and closes his eyes as instructed by the gentle voiceover. Having now had it playing quietly in his room probably around half of the nights since receiving the CD, he knows the drill and a combination of the guided meditation and increasingly the association of the CD with bedtime means that I don’t think he’s ever managed to stay awake to the very end of it.  It’s beautifully produced, both in terms of its packaging and the quality of the music and voice recording.” ~ TH, Devon
 Click here for samples and to download.