I love to hear from children who listen to my Yoga Sleep meditations. Here are thank you letters from Jess and Josh, two young yogis based in the UK. The drawings of yoga postures are fantastic!
All of my Yoga Nidra tracks are available for streaming with iTunes, Spotify and TIDAL. Search under my spiritual name JAYADEVI. You can also purchase as CDs or downloads via my online shop.
The Christmas holidays and New Year can be hectic. Searching for the perfect gifts for everyone, completing work in advance of the holidays, Christmas parties, getting all of the food in, preparing food, making time to catch up with friends and family. We can become very frazzled and worn out. This holiday season is a perfect time to unplug from your devices and take a digital detox.
Do you find yourself spending endless hours staring at your computer or device screen? Get lost in endless links and find you have wasted hours surfing the internet. Take a break. Give yourself a rest. Get some exercise. Try yoga and meditation. Spend some time in silent contemplation. Spend quality time with friends and family. You’ll feel refreshed, you’ll have more focus, you will feel energised and less likely to become distracted.
By switching off your devices for an extended period of time you will begin to notice a better posture. An opening of the front of your body, shoulders moving back and realignment of your upper spine. Your energy will open up, you will interact more naturally with others, you will appear more approachable and you will be more present. This will lead to better eye contact, deeper conversations, a sense of relaxation and great empathy towards others.
Winter is the time for rest, rejuvenation, reflection, time to go within and to slow down. It is important not to take devices to bed with you. Looking at screens late into the evening and in bed prevents you from switching off properly and will affect your natural sleeping patterns. The blue light from screens suppresses melatonin in the body which makes us more alert as we are going to sleep. You may find you are getting enough hours sleep but it may not be a high quality sleep. If you normally use your phone as an alarm clock, buy an alarm clock. Over the holidays you may have the opportunity not to set your alarm and allow yourself to catch up on sleep.
Create bonds with others by having proper conversations. Gain insight into someone’s mind by having conversations. Conversations can be memorable and engaging, you will learn new things about others and yourself. Don’t jump on Google to find the answer, allow the conversation to develop as you explore the answers. It’s a lot more fun!
Even after a few days without technology, you are more likely to remember obscure details about others. Neuroscientists believe that this is because when people are more present in conversations, their brains are able to process and store new information more easily. With the many distractions of technology, our brains have been trained not to register seemingly insignificant details. These minor facts are actually very important in the process of bonding and learning about other people. Rather than taking endless photographs we can be present and in the moment, taking in the details and using all of our senses to absorb the information. We will have a greater recall of events when we are fully present.
When you are offline for a while, it gives you space to review your career or relationships. You may wish to address your habits surrounding your health, fitness and lifestyle. You can really focus on yourself and discover areas you wish to transform.
Stepping away from your devices can allow you to find new ways to be creative and achieve a state of flow. This time and space will help original thinking and big ideas. You may wish to try something new such as dancing, singing, making Christmas cards, baking a cake, creating gifts, mindful colouring in, silent meditation. The list is endless, don’t limit yourself and give new things a try!
Instead of checking your social media or email first thing, write down on paper three things that you are grateful for. Appreciation can make you a happier person and more positive. Doing this evokes positive sentiments, so when you’re feeling low reading over this list can be a great reminder of all the good things in your life.
Make the most of the great outdoors and lose yourself in green space. A day out without your phone can feel liberating. You will more fully absorb and appreciate your surroundings. Being in a natural environment does wonders for your clearing your mind. Getting out into daylight in winter can really help with our wellbeing and promote a more positive mood.
Try not to rely on Google Maps for every turn. Asking somebody for directions forces us to engage in human connection. It could put a smile on your face, and theirs – people love knowing they’ve helped someone out. Plus, you could get some inside knowledge of the local area that a screen digital map couldn’t tell you.
Enjoy the festive season. Have fun with friends and family. Experience great food and new places but please resist the urge to post every detail online. Switch off your phone and appreciate the present moment. Being present and mindful will make your Christmas even more memorable.
To keep your good digital habitats going into the New Year you could start a digital “swear-jar” with friends, family or colleagues. Every time someone checks their phone mid conversation, they have to put money in the digital “swear-jar”. This really highlights the amount that people use their phones while engaging with others. You can use the collection for a gadget free night out, you’ll be surprised how quickly you’ll raise funds!
Use this holiday period to balance and set new boundaries. Allow yourself to completely rest and rejuvenate. Take the time to gain control over your devices rather than the other way around!
Have wonderfully restful and peaceful Christmas and New Year.
The reasons people choose to go on a yoga retreat are many but here are some of the popular reasons:
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
Seriously no-one needs to justify going on a yoga retreat. Why not book a retreat 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
