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Ric O’Barry’s Dolphin Project

At the beginning of August I held a Yoga at the Beach class to raise funds for Ric O’Barry’s Dolphin Project.

We raised £82 for Ric O’Barry’s Dolphin Project, a campaign under the International Marine Mammal Project at the non-profit Earth Island Institute. The Dolphin Project aims to stop dolphin slaughter and exploitation around the world.  This work has been chronicled in films such as A Fall From Freedom, the Oscar-winning documentary The Cove, and in the Animal Planet mini-series Blood Dolphin$.

Here’s a lovely thank you letter from the project which explain a little more about their work:

dolphin project thank you letter

Also visit the Dolphin Project website to find out more and learn how you can get involved.  If you haven’t seen them already it is worth watching The Cove and Blackfish.

“Taking action, no matter how small, builds momentum.  Do something….”  We sometimes think that our small action will not make a difference but our collective effort can make a huge difference.

Om shanti.

yoga at beach tree aug

 

 

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Wonderful Wilderness

I’m back from deepest Oxfordshire where I had the pleasure of working for Wild Wellbeing in the Sanctuary area of Wilderness Festival.  A perfect space for people to immerse themselves in peace and tranquility in order to feed their body, mind and soul.

I love this Festival and it’s always a highlight of my annual calendar.  There is a huge mix on offer and it’s certainly more than just music.  Theatre, arts, talks, workshops, craft, wellbeing, lakeside spa, adventures, magical experiences, banqueting, good food, chilled vibe and great people.

“It’s meant to be a holiday rather than a festival,” Jo Vidler, creative director and co-founder of Wilderness told Positive News, “A holiday experience with amazing entertainment around it.”

I was working as an in-house therapist offering Lomi Lomi massages in the Sanctuary.  I love working outside, nature brings an added dimension to the treatments.  The Sanctuary team was amazing, it’s great to work with such highly regarded therapists and yoga teachers in this special space.

It’s not all work and no play though.  Festival highlights for me included Burt Bacharach, Jessie Ware, London Grammar, dancing at the “Village Hall”, dancing to a soul band in the pouring rain, the fire spectacular, bathing in the light of the supermoon (the closest and largest full moon of the year) and accompaniment from the Friends of the Earth Busking Stage whilst we were massaging.

Here’s Vogue’s “Postcards from Wilderness Festival”, a picture diary of the weekend including a special mention for the Sanctuary!

Thank you Wilderness, it’s been fun.  Until next year…

Photo Credit: Wild Wellbeing/Secret Sanctuary

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Yoga at the Beach

A HUGE thank you to everyone that attended yesterday’s Yoga at the Beach in Exmouth.  We were blessed with a sunny and warm morning.

Outdoor classes can add a different dimension to our practice, enable us to make deeper connections and encourage us to be very present.  Being outside can intensify our yoga experience and the sounds, fresh air and sensations can guide us to deepen our awareness and to connect more fully.

I love to witness the change in students, the deeper connections, the heart opening, the pure joy and the harmony.

It was an amazing way to start the day and hopefully we’ll plan a few more yoga sessions at the beach.

We raised £82 for Ric O’Barry’s Dolphin Project, a campaign under the International Marine Mammal Project at the non-profit Earth Island Institute. The Dolphin Project aims to stop dolphin slaughter and exploitation around the world.  This work has been chronicled in films such as A Fall From Freedom, the Oscar-winning documentary The Cove, and in the Animal Planet mini-series Blood Dolphin$.

Campaigns for dolphin protection are currently underway in a variety of locations around the globe, including the Solomon Islands, Indonesia, Egypt, and Singapore.

It seemed fitting to raise funds to support this vitual project as we were at the beach.

Kids speak out against dolphin captivity

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Two weeks to Wilderness Festival!

Thursday 7 – Sunday 10 August 2014, Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire.

Not long now to go until my favourite Festival… Wilderness is the multi-award winning 4-day festival combining live music, contemporary arts and an array of theatre, craftsmanship and dining experiences.  Headliners include London Grammar, Burt Bacharach and Metronomy.

I will be an In-House Massage Therapist with Wild*Wellbeing at The Sanctuary, WILDERNESS Festival.

The Sanctuary returns for another body-healing, soul-nourishing year, securely nestled on the top of a beautifully shaded hill above the lakes. Hugely popular – the Sanctuary has even more to offer in 2014.

The Wild*Wellbeing team has curated The Sanctuary as a festival destination, combining leading yoga teachers to twist, stretch and shake down your body, alongside a repertoire of highly qualified therapists and complementary health and wellbeing consultants from all disciplines. From acupuncture to zero-balancing, there is no ail that can’t addressed in this village of happiness.

Hopefully see you there!

Wilderness – The Film from Wilderness Festival on Vimeo.

Visit the Wilderness Festival Store to book your treatments. Click here for more about Wilderness Festival.

(Image Wild*Wellbeing. Copyright Wild*Wellbeing 2014)

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Yoga Sleep ~ Now on iTunes and Amazon

My Yoga Sleep CD is now available on iTunes and Amazon.

You can also purchase this download via my shop.  It’s cheaper if you buy directly from my shop as other outlets set their own recommended prices.

Here’s what students have to say about my Yoga Sleep (Nidra) workshops:

“Julie’s Yoga Nidra workshop was amazing.  The yoga session was just what I needed & the Nidra was a wonderful experience.  I left feeling fully restored, calm and full of energy.  I would recommend the Nidra class to everyone.” WH, Exeter

“R-e-l-a-x-e-d: blissful Nidra workshop : floating through this evening & think it’ll be an early night.” JP, Exeter

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A big thank you to the sponsors of our retreat goodie bags

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 Magazine

Pukka Tea

Buy Wholefoods Online (Also the supplier for our Raw Chocolate Workshop!)

Lazy Frog Float Centre, Swansea

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“Life is too important to be taken seriously” – Oscar Wilde

I have just returned from our wonderful Aloha Yoga Retreat on Dartmoor.  It is always such a privilege and an honour to work with such inspiring groups and to be teaching alongside my colleague, Jagdambe Ma.

This year we allowed plenty of time for creative activities alongside yoga classes, massages, walking and of course rest.  On the Saturday morning we hosted a Raw Chocolate Workshop making a Raw Chocolate, Oats and Almond Milk Breakfast Smoothie; Raw Chocolate Fudge and a Clay & Raw Chocolate Face Mask.

We forget that play and laughter are important sources of relaxation for adults.  By developing our playfulness we can feed our imagination, creativity, develop problem-solving skills and improve our mental health.

In our busy lives, we may focus heavily on work and family commitments and having fun can be a low priority.  Somewhere between childhood and adulthood, we have stopped playing and we may take life a little too seriously.  We all need to play so it is so refreshing to have the time and space for some fun!

We had the added bonus of being in an area with no phone signal and limited WiFi access so it was the perfect opportunity to be creative, playful and also have a digital detox.

There are numerous benefits to play such as:

  • Stress Relief – Play can trigger the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals.  This helps to promote an overall sense of well-being.  The social interaction of play can also help ward off stress and depression.
  • Improve brain function – Puzzles or activities that challenge the brain can help prevent memory problems and improve brain function.
  • Stimulate the mind and boost creativity – It is easier to learn new task when it’s fun.  Play can also stimulate your imagination, helping you adapt and problem solve.
  • Improve relationships and your connection to others. Sharing laughter and fun can foster empathy, compassion, trust, and intimacy with others.
  • Keep you feeling young and energetic – Playing can boost your energy and vitality and even improve your resistance to disease.

Here’s the Clay and Raw Chocolate Face Mask Recipe from our Raw Chocolate Workshop.  It’s great fun to do and makes your skin feel so smooth and glowing.

Clay helps to draw purities out and away from skin. Cacao is packed with antioxidants to help repair skin and flavanoids to reduce inflammation. The copper, iron, manganese, magnesium, and zinc in cacao can also promote healthy cell growth. Combined, these ingredients can help your skin feel fresh and cleaned, while also offering the aromatherapeutic pick-me-up benefits of chocolate.

Choosing to use green tea in this mask instead of distilled water can offer additional anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits, which is particularly helpful around tired eyes.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon of powder clay

1 tablespoon of raw cacao powder

1 tablespoon distilled water or cooled green tea

Method:

1. Place the clay and cacao powder a bowl and blend well with a spoon.

2. Add purified water or cooled green tea to produce a paste that is of medium consistency — not too thick, not too runny.

3. Using either your fingers (or a clean brush if you prefer), apply a thin but evenly distributed layer of the paste to your face in upward strokes paying particular attention to your t-zone and nose, but avoiding the eyes and lips.

4. Allow the mask to dry for 15 minutes. Take this opportunity to put your feet up and relax. Once the mask has dried slightly, gently rinse your face with warm water and gently pat dry with a clean towel.

If you wish, you may follow this with a gentle face wash and toner, but most importantly, don’t forget to moisturize. This mask is not recommended for people with eczema. If you have sensitive skin, please do a patch test first.

 

 

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NEW: Yoga Sleep and Other Magical Meditations for Children – Available as download

This relaxing meditation CD is 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.

Click here for samples and to download.

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Poetry and Motion

As I prepare for the Aloha Yoga Summer Retreat, which takes place at the end of this month, I found this beautiful poem from one of last year’s guests.

This poem took me right back to Bala Brook, a truly stunning location for a retreat. Reading this poem brings a huge smile to my face and an opening of my heart. Not long until our 2014 retreat, I can’t wait!

YOGA WEEKEND AT BALA BROOK

We arrived on a Friday in sunny June,
The setting was perfect – Nature all in tune.
With the sound of the river rushing close by,
the gardens were beautiful, that is no lie.
My fellow yogis were a lovely gang.
All individuals and happy to hang.
With no judgement, no ego, no-one to impress,
we were completely ourselves with just yoga, peace and love no less.
Jackie and Julie are teachers most kind.
And Christine our cook made lunch with our foraging finds.
So we Yoga’d, we Ommed, we foraged, we slept
but most importantly we laughed and at times even wept.
It was a weekend of joy at the nature outside
As well as of the love and happiness that deep down we can hide.
In our everyday life we need more of this
For it brings out the knowledge that doing nothing is BLISS.

Courtesy of Sally Creese

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Slow down, don’t hurry

After the Yoga Nidra workshop on Saturday, we had an interesting discussion regarding the need to slow down.  How slowing our yoga practice can help us find balance in our fast paced world.  We are constantly rushing in our lives, juggling responsibilities, suffering digital overload, feel more stressed about being stressed and our adrenals may be in overload.

By taking a traditional approach to our asana practice and allowing ourselves to slow down, we can access much deeper awareness and connection.  We can be aware and enjoy our subtle progress, prevent injury, learn to love ourselves by not adding the pressure to achieve and observe how slowing down filters into our everyday life.

My friends at Yogalaya posted this interesting piece regarding slowing down which gives us much food for thought.

“It is interesting to note that many Hatha Yoga scriptures ask us to relax, slow down and take it easy. This, I think, is one of the most important message of Hatha Yoga to the modern yogis. Imagine a situation of a yoga enthusiast /student who comes to the class at 7 in the evening after working 11 hours in the office. In the morning this person jumps out of bed, rushes into shower, runs to catch the train to office and takes the bull of challenges by its horns throughout the day. Such has become the pace of us urban people. Such a person who comes to the class in the evening brings the “let’s do it” alpha energy into the class. The hyper active, achievement oriented office mind-set will unconsciously continue in the yoga class too and could be a cause of injury. It is in such situations that the person needs a calming asana practice focused on breathing, awareness and conscious movement and not just stretching the muscles for achievements sake. It is the responsibility of yoga teachers to guide the student through this wider, pacifying orientation and not just create another opportunity for the enthusiast to live through the adrenals.

Traditional Hatha Yoga schools have used asana practices primarily as an awareness deepening and energy realigning technique and not as flexibility or stretch training. Deepening of self-awareness is facilitated by general slowing down and when asanas are used, through asana practice focused on sensations, breath, prana flow and emotional sensitivity. In this respect the scriptures ask the sadhaka to relax and take it easy as well. Gorakh Vachana Sangraha says “asanasya rajo hanti”, asana is about removing the rajas. As we know rajas is the hyperactive, unsatisfied and the dynamic aspect of body-mind complex. Gorakhnath in Gorakh bani says “thabaki na chaliba” means do not walk in haste. Sant Kabir, says “asana se mat dol”, means do not move from your asana, be still. Even the highly revered Hatha Yoga scripture like Siddha Siddhanta Paddhati defines asana as “asanamiti svasvarupe samasannata” means, asana is to remain in one’s own true state. Thus, we see that asana is understood more as a mental attitude than a physical practice. Nowhere in traditional Hatha Yoga the active, goal oriented aspect of asana practice is pressed upon. Asanas were looked upon as method to generate stillness. Modern yoga enthusiasts need to start entering the zone of stillness by slowing down their asana practice and making it “conscious” based and not competition based. The world needs to learn how to slow down and take it easy. It is essential that today’s yoga asana culture understands this and adopts this orientation, otherwise the beauty of asana practice will be unfortunately relegated to a level of competition and exhibitionism”. The quote is from Prasad Rangnekar.

I had an interesting lesson in slowing down this morning on my way to class.  Local children were leaving home to go to school and a little boy said to his sister.  “Look Evie, Look” I wondered what was so exciting and important.  “A puddle….  And it’s a huge puddle”.  The wonders of slowing down, taking notice and enjoying life!

Hopefully see you on your mat soon.  Click here for classes, workshops and retreats.

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Photo credit: The DoubleDubs