How Can Yoga Help You Recentre Yourself

These are the most unprecedented and difficult times we all have ever face. With the new COVID strain and another lockdown life is just not getting back to normal. These are the times when our mind is stressed beyond measures, with such grave changes happening in day to day life. And this is when yoga comes to our rescue.

Practicing yoga definitely helps us in focusing inward with compassion to reduce stress and recenter.

Here we will be talking about a few yoga postures that helps to de stress. But before you begin it’s important to focus on your breath and your surroundings, once you have calmed down take a deep breath and center your thoughts to make a start.

EIGHT POSES TO RECENTER

1. Sukhasana (Easy pose)

The Easy Pose considered being a great posture that helps in calming down the mind and eliminating anxiety. Mental and physical fatigue stays under control if we regularly practise ‘sukhasana’.

2. Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana)

Forward bends helps in increasing the exhalation and relieving stress. In addition, with the arms behind the back, we discharge shoulder pressure. Uttanasana also helps in releasing the hamstrings which might get attached up when we are stuck in fight or flight mode. Traditionally it is also said to relieve insomnia.

3. Rabbit Pose (Sasangasana)

Yogis find the rabbit pose an extraordinary pose when stressed, panicked or exhausted. This pose gives a feeling of unwinding of the breathe out and solace of being nestles into a ball., We also get a shoulder release while we add the hands intertwined behind the back and lifting & lowering of hips.

4. Wide-Legged Standing Forward Bend (Prasarita Padottanasana)

As mentioned above forward bends helps in increasing the exhalation and relieving stress. In addition to it the wide legged forward bend help in releasing some of the pressure in the head.

5. Paschimottanasana (Seated forward bend)

Paschimottanasana stretches the spine, hamstring and lower back, helping to open up the hips. It is also considered to be a calming pose which helps in relieving stress, reduces fatigue and improves our mood.

6. Balasana (Child’s pose)

Balasana is helpful for our lymphatic system and nervous system. It helps in calming our mind and releasing stress.

7. Ananda Balasana (Happy baby pose)

This pose helps in stretching the inner groin, hamstrings and the lower back. It is also beneficial in calming the mind and getting rid of fatigue and stress. On doing this you will definitely get the attitude of happy baby.

8. Plow Pose (Halasana)

Halasana helps in stretching the spine, shoulders and back of the legs. A great pose for reducing stress and fatigue. Plow releases the neck, head, shoulders, and hamstrings. It also increases the exhale and turns one inward.

So, yogis the above are only some of the poses that can help you recentre yourself. Indeed yoga is a wonderful way to calm our mind and body. Then, what you are waiting for. Give it a shot.

Practice Yoga & Stay Calm.

Nida Zakaria

Yoga Basics: 101

Yoga is designed to maintain a balance between your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual dimension of the individual. We are aware of the fact that yoga comprises of certain postures, spiritual techniques and breathing practice which ultimately calms our mind and body helping us in achieving a state of enlightenment.

Today we will be talking about some of the yoga basics or the eight limbs of yoga

which is the foundation of yoga lifestyle:

• Yamas – Ethical Principles

• Niyamas – Personal Conduct

• Asana – Physical Postures

• Pranayama – Breathing Exercise

• Pratyahara – Control of the Senses

• Dharana –Concentration

• Dhyana – Meditation

• Samadhai – State of enlightenment

Eight Limbs of Yoga

1.      Yama: Ethical Principles

The ‘yama’ limb is expected to look after an individual’s moral conscience or ethical standards. It basically focuses on our day to day behavioral conduct in life. We may say that it revolves around the concept of ‘karma’, which is what goes around will come around. So the five yamas are as followed:

·         Ahimsa : Nonviolence

·         Satya : Truth

·         Asteya: Nonstealing

·         Bramacharya: Comtinence

·         Aparigraha: noncovetousness

2.      Niyama: Personal Conduct

The second stage is concerned with self-discipline and spirituality. Some of the acts included in niyama are thanking God before every meal, regularly praying or reading your Holy book for developing your own personal meditation practices etc. The four major acts of niyama are as follows:

·         Saucha: Maintaing cleanliness

·         Samtosa: Contentment

·         Svadhyaya: The study of sacred scriptures.

·         Isvara pranidhana: Surrender to God

3.      Asanas : Physical Posture

Literally Asana means to be seated and in yoga it is implied to be seated for the practice of meditation. Hence the third limb is the postures/poses practiced in yoga which is asanas.  An individual develops a disciplinary habit and also the ability to concentrate through the practice of varied asanas. Vinyasa Yoga, Iyenagar Yoga,Kundalini Yoga etc are some of the different types of yoga practice each having varied poses.

Hatha Yoga:  ‘Hatha’ includes all the physical postures of yoga. It means the practice of   balancing the sun and moon energies in the body. The ten most practiced hatha yoga are as follows:

• Tadasana (Mountain Pose)

• Vrikshasana (Tree Pose)

• Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)

• Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-facing Dog Pose)

• Setu Bandhasana (Bridge Pose)

• Halasana (Plough Pose)

• Sirsasana (Head Stand)

• Salabhasana (Locust Pose)

4) Pranayama : Breathing Exercise

This is the art of controlling breath,the very essence that keeps us alive. The different poses for breathing techniques modifies the mind in different wonderful ways. Surprisingly each way of breathing changes our state of being. Basically the fourth stage is structured in a way to achieve mastery over respiratory process. Once you learn creating a connection between the mind, body and breath your whole body rejuvenates.

 Some of the breathing exercises are :

·         Breath Retention (Kumbhaka)

·         Channel-Cleaning Breath (Nadi Sodhana)

·         Ocean Breath - Ujjayi Pranayama

·         Lion's Breath - Simhasana

·         Skull Shining Breath - Kapalabhati Pranayama:

5.       Prathyara : Control of the Senses

The fifth limb is the stage where we detach ourselves from the worldly pleasures. We withdraw from our cravings and develop an insight to our spiritual being. Practicing prathyara changes our state of mind and we start focusing more on our inner self.

 6.      Dharana –Concentration

 Focused concentration is ‘dharana’, the sixth limb. Dharana and Prathyara are closely connected to each other. While meditating our senses must withdraw form worldly elements, in order to concentrate properly. Tratak (candle gazing), visualization, and focusing on the breath are all practices of dharana.

 7.      Dhyana – Meditation

 The seventh stage is meditation or contemplation, the dhyana.  This is the point where we are really meditating. The genuine act of contemplation is certainly not something we can effectively ‘do’; rather it depicts the unconstrained activity of something that occurs because of everything else. A thin line lies between dharana and dhayana, where dharana is one point attention, dhyana is a state of being keenly aware without focus.

A thin line lies between dharana and dhayana, where dharana is one point attention, dhyana is a state of being keenly aware without focus.

8.   Samadhai : State of enlightenment 

 The eight limb is the state of enlightenment. At this stage, the meditator meets with their place of center and rises above the Self inside and out.  The meditator comes to understand a significant association with the Divine, interconnectedness with every living thing. Also, once our mind is unadulterated and we experience a state of Samadhi, we can keep hold of, and then we attain moksha also known as mukti, the permanent state of being liberated and free.

Trust in your highest self and begin with the magical practice of yoga.

 Nida Zakaria

How to get into yoga?

The word ‘yoga’ comes from a Sanskrit word ‘yug’ which clearly means to union. And the Oxford Dictionary describes yoga “as a Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline, a part of which, including breath control, simple meditation, and the adoption of specific bodily postures, is widely practiced for health and relaxation”.

Every year millions of people all around the globe have been embracing yoga as a daily routine for a stress free and a healthier life. But many a times some of us might be reluctant and unsure of where to start with.

Here we will talk about some of the easy tips to get started with this wonderful practice.

1)  Join a beginners Class:  First and the foremost important thing is to find a good yoga studio. While you can do yoga, easily, at the comfort of your home, there are yoga studios that conduct sessions which may involve equipment like straps, belts, and blocks. So, it is up for you to decide how you want to start with the yoga practice. With virtual yoga becoming a thing today, one can simply log in and follow various yoga experts who run videos series on YouTube and Instagram.

 Generally your yoga classes will be scheduled for an hour or an hour and a half which will include a series of poses, breathing practice and mental focus.  You will be trained to keep your mind, breath and body at peace. Yoga will improve flexibility, balance, strength and stamina, while also developing mindfulness and concentration. 

2)  Embrace Yoga:  Acceptance is the next vital thing. Always remember yoga is for all ages and sizes; so once you are enrolled as a yogi try and embrace yoga as a part of your daily routine. Eventually as the day passes you will  feel the difference, yoga had on your mind and body.

3)  Learn Basic Poses:  Once you join in as a new yogi your instructor will first train you with the foundational poses of yoga. As a beginner you should be familiar and comfortable with poses like: child pose, mountain pose, downward dog pose, baby cobra pose, corpse pose, plank pose etc. It is always advisable not to hurry in learning the complex poses. Take one pose at a time and flow slowly.

4)  The art of breathing: Yoga is solely linked with your breath. If you learn the skill of focusing on your breath while practicing any basic or complicated posture you simultaneously establish a connection with your body and mind. The breathing exercise (Pranayama) helps in reducing anxiety and develops concentration.

 5)  Learn the basic terms: Maintain a diary and take down notes of the various asanas and postures for better remembrance. Sanskrit might not be easy for you hence in order to keep up and not get lost its advisable you write down everything important.

Some of the basic terms used in yoga are as follows:

·         Asanas: The  physical poses or postures

·         Pranayama: This is the breathing technique

·         Om: An elemental chant that helps to center and focus your mind.

·         Namaste: An honorable salutation, typically said at the end of class.

6)  Yoga Accessories: Frankly, you don’t need anything special to get started with yoga. All of the yoga studios provide mats and other basic equipment. But if you are practicing in the confinement of your house grabbing a good quality yoga mat should be first in your list.  Always remember to buy a non slippery mat with a solid grip for hassle free practice.

 To stay focused and comfortable during your yoga practice you need a good pair of yoga pants. Remember to always go for comfortable and skin tight pants. This gives you a fine stretch. Your leggings or pants should go with a nice tank top or a sports bra (for women). A simple tee shirt is the best to have for both men and women.

 So, what are you waiting for?

If you are looking for a positive change it’s the right time to hit the mat.

Nida Zakaria

5 Ways Meditation improves Yoga

Yoga and meditation, both go together like hand in glove. With both these spiritual health practices increasingly becoming popular over the past few decades, we tend to combine both of them together. When we become aware of one practice, the other isn’t far behind.

 However despite the correlation between the two, many people choose either one or the other. The important factor to note, is that meditation helps to relax the body, which is an important part of the process to have a relaxed mind, this in turn makes it far easier to allow your body to take on the various yoga positions, such as the Lotus position.

 Below lists the five key ways that meditation makes us better at Yoga:

1.       Meditation assists in the focus of Asana

 Practising Yoga means exercising the body, however it is also important to exercise the mind at the same time. Every time the body is in an asana pose, the focus should also be on the pose itself. With the mind focused on the body only then can asana be experienced in full. Yoga Asana is known to possess many health benefits, but in order to take advantage of those benefits the focus has to be on what the body is doing.

 Meditation is widely known to improve focus and concentration, and as a result this allows complete mind-body immersion in the Asana.

 2.       Meditation lowers oxygen consumption.

A less well known fact is that meditation changes the way the body uses oxygen. Research has shown that meditation lowers oxygen consumption rate by 10%. This increases our control of our breath during and after meditation. For anyone who gets short of breath when practicing Yoga, trying meditation before and during your yoga session and practicing mindful breathing can help regulate your breath.

 Subsequently this helps in being able to practice Yoga for a longer period of time, and assert more control of pranayama.

 3.       Obtain the philosophical aspects of Yoga:

If you would like to truly embrace the yogic lifestyle, then it is, then it is important you get in touch with the philosophical side, meditation can be of great help in this aspect too.

 The Yogic system itself has many meditations, these include – Trataka (Still Gazing,) chakra meditations, mantras, and sound meditations (Nada Yoga). Not only do these meditation techniques help to train the mind, they also play an integral part in preparing the mind-body for more advanced stages of yoga.

 4.       Experiencing a lot of sweat during hot yoga? Meditation can help.

Anyone who practices hot yoga (Bikram Yoga) knows what it can be like to sweat a little too much. Meditation can change that by reducing your heart-rate and blood pressure thereby cooling your body down and reducing the amount you sweat.

 5.       Meditation improves balance

According to a scientific study, the power of meditation can help in increasing our level of balance. According to Professor Ying Kee from Nanyang’s Technical University (based in Singapore) a study was carried whereby 32 men were split into two groups, Kee requested all members of each group to stand on one leg while holding a basin of water, Kee asked one group to be mindful of their hands, and the other group to think about anything they liked. The balance of members of both groups were tested, the results showed that being mindful of the body increased the level of balance, where as those group members who were thinking about something other than what they were doing showed a much lower level of balance.

 Time for a change?

Anybody who is serious about getting better at Yoga should take on both the physical and mental exercises. By practising meditation not only do we embrace a more yogic lifestyle, but also we prepare our mind for success in the yoga studio.

Top Tips for Beginners

Yoga, as we all know is for all shapes and sized and it’s never too late to hit the mat. But for a beginner stepping onto the mat for the first time is not always an easy task. Once you are determined to begin with your yoga journey a hundred question might pop up in your mind.

First and the foremost, whatever holds you back from practicing yoga just let that myth go away and begin with your yoga session. So here we will be discussing some important tips that you as a new yogi must be aware of. So, check out these things before you don yoga pants.

TEN TIPS FOR BEGINNERS

1. Research and Find a Good Trainer: In these unprecedented times of corona we are all quite scared of going out frequently. In this case as a beginner you will have to do your homework and find a yoga studio that operates online.

You will also have to do your research on the trainers. If you come across any good yoga studio, go for try their trial classes for a couple of days later on continue if everything suits your criteria.

2. Go Slow: The purpose of yoga is not same as the purpose to join a gym. Yoga provides calmness, strength, flexibility, and balance to your body. While you may not have to dedicate an hour to yoga every day, but a three- four hours per work works well for anyone who is starting with their yoga practice.

3. Get a Good Yoga Mat: A good quality yoga mat should be the first in your list. Always remember to buy a non slippery mat with a solid grip for hassle free practice. Your mat should have comfortable cushioning and light weighted. Go for mats which have gripping on both the sides. The upper grip holds you firm while performing a difficult pose and the grip downward securely holds the floor.

4. Eating and Drinking: It is always suitable that you don’t eat for one or two hours before your practice. It is always best to stay hydrated; you can take small amount of water before you begin your yoga. It is always advisable to avoid alcohol, sugar and caffeine before yoga.

5. Build your Foundation: Once you join in as a new yogi your instructor will first train you with the foundational poses of yoga. As a beginner you should be familiar and comfortable with poses like:child pose, mountain pose, downward dog pose, baby cobra pose, corpse pose, plank pose etc.

6. Mind your breath: Yoga is solely linked with your breath. If you learn the skill of focusing on your breath while practicing any basic or complicated posture you simultaneously establish a connection with your body and mind. The breathing exercise (Pranayama) helps in reducing anxiety and develops concentration.

7. Find your flow: Finding your flow and style can be difficult in the beginning if you are a newbie. You can take a few attempts to be comfortable with your flow and then settle for a regular practice. This way your trainer will also understand the alignment of your body and help you with your postures in a much easier manner.

8. Read Books, Blogs on Yoga : Always support your practice with some additional reading. There are plenty reading material on yoga. Expand your knowledge with some books, blogs and videos.

9. Take Notes: Maintain a diary and take down notes of the various asanas and postures for better remembrance. Sanskrit might not be easy for you hence in order to keep up and not get lost its advisable you write down everything important.

10. Comfortable Clothes: Always go for stretchy yoga pants and leggings with a nice tank top or a sports bra (for women). A simple tee shirt is the best to have for both men and women. Just be sure that your clothes are giving you the space for proper movement.

11. Balance Diet: As a beginner you will have to make some nutritional adjustments in your diet. Slow carbs and fiber are a must. Add more of green veggies, fruits, oatmeal in your diet. Always advisable to intake something light couple of hours before your practice.

Nida Zakaria

How Yoga Improves Sleep

Yoga is a delicate and therapeutic approach to unwind your day. We all know that practicing yoga helps our body and mind in numerous extraordinary ways. From developing core strength, bringing flexibility, reducing stress, and easing body pain; yoga also helps you sleep better and peacefully especially if you are sleep deprived or suffer from insomnia. Some findings found that more than 50% of individuals who did yoga found that it helped them in getting better sleep. Over 85% said yoga helped in reducing stress.

It’s a proven fact that if individuals who suffer from sleep deprivation perform yoga consistently, they get more sleep and also fall asleep quicker than before. Ultimately nights with peaceful sound sleep keeps you fresh and lively all through the day.

Therefore, Yoga comes to your rescue if you are unable to get enough sleep. Practicing yoga also helps in easing several illness, including insomnia and abnormal sleeping habits.

Good Night Poses

We will be discussing some of the pre sleep yoga poses which are ideal for preparing your mind and body for a better sleep.

Corpse Pose: This is the traditional resting pose. Just lie on the ground with straight stretched legs and relax your arms each side with palms facing upward. Mind your breath while you inhale and exhale slowly. If you want to block the lights you can cover your eyes with a folded towel.

Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana): This stress releasing pose is believed to cure insomnia, anxiety and headaches. Bending your head below your heart calms the brain. Uttanasana extends and stretches your hamstrings and calves. It opens the hips and can mitigate pressure in the neck and shoulders.

Legs up the Wall (Viparita Karani): This is again an excellent pose that allows your mind and body to relax. After a hectic tiring day, if you notice a swollen ankle and feet this pose comes to the rescue. Viparita Karani helps in recirculating the blood flow. Combined with controlled breathing this pose reduces anxiety, nervousness and relaxes the whole body.

Child’s Pose (Balasana) : It is a resting pose which gently stretches your hips, thighs and ankles. Balasana provides a sense of calm and stability reliving stress and fatigue.

Reclining Bound Angle (Supta Baddha Konasana) : The ultimate goal of this pose is to reduce stress and anxiety. It helps in easing tension in your hips and is also practiced to lower blood pressure helping in relaxing the mind and body.

Janu Sirsasana (head-to-knee pose) : The head to knee pose stretches the hamstrings, hips and groin muscles. This restorative pose calms the mind and helps in relieving mind depression. It is considered to be therapeutic for high blood pressure and insomnia.

Eventually practicing yoga is therapeutic and it calms your body and mind, that’s what all you need for a good and great sleep.  So, if you are suffering from sleep deprivation try the above poses before going to bed. Moreover, doctors recommend a sound sleep for six to eight hours daily as when we sleep our body repairs on a cellular level and removes toxins.

Click here to view 24 tips from 24 people on how to sleep better.

Nida Zakaria

What can yoga do for you?

Benefits of Yoga

The whole wide world recognizes the countless benefits of Yoga. Over the years, many have shunned the gym and have become regular Yoga practitioners. But Yoga is not about stretching and the head over heels poses, it is a union of the mind, body, and soul – something that every Yoga beginner needs to know.

Researchers have always talked about the physiological and physical benefits of yoga. Every yogi notices a positive change in their body just after a week of regular yoga practice. Although the changes may vary from body to body and person to persons. Hence adapting religiously to yoga can do wonders and in this article we will talk about what yoga does to your body.

Why is Yoga Good For Your Body?

1) Eases Pain: There have been several medical studies which indicate that yoga can be effective in dealing with chronic pain issues such as fibromyalgia, arthritis, migraine, lower back pain, and several other chronic pain conditions. Yoga triggers a positive cycle of muscular recovery and reduced body pain which may have occurred due to lifestyle issues.

2) Reduces Stress: Yoga has proven to be magical in reducing stress and anxiety. As yoga turns out to be extremely popular, an ever increasing number of individuals are finding its advantages in bringing peace in their stressed lives. The various stretching poses and breath control exercises helps in relaxing the mind and soul. Standing Forward Bend, Rabbit Pose, Side Stretch, Thunderbolt pose, Corpse Pose are some of the few poses helpful in reducing stress and anxiety. All these poses boost the level of oxygen to our brains, leaving us relaxed and content with our selves.

3) Improves Posture: Yoga poses are very useful in perfecting our bad postures. Good body posture is important as it reduces the stress on joints and ligaments. The muscles can work more freely and efficiently if you have a good body posture. Reverse Namaste, Extended Side Angle, Plank Pose, Camel Pose, Cobra Pose and Bridge Pose are some of the most recommended postures for correcting our body poses.

4) Improves Flexibility: Enhanced flexibility is another valuable advantage of yoga. With regular yoga practice you will notice the gradual releasing and loosening in your body helping you to perform advanced poses much easily.

With improved flexibility you will also notice that aches and pain start to disappear. Additionally, yoga also extends other delicate tissue in the body, for example, tendons and ligaments, expanding the scope of movement in the joints and permitting you to move around more openly.

5) Increases Blood Circulation: Blood, as you are aware performs the basic function in the body, circulating basic nutrients and oxygen all through your body and furthermore eliminating waste from your cells. Escalating blood flow can make one feel more energized and yoga is the perfect exercise toget your blood flowing. Forward Pose, Downward Facing Dog, Legs up the wall, Pigeon Pose, Seated Twist pose are some of the postures one must practice for better blood circulation. Yoga also lifts hemoglobin levels on red blood cells, which carries oxygen to the tissue. Studies have also revealed that yoga had been helpful in improving heart health and also reduced many risk factors for heart disease. Basically it keeps your heart happy.

6) Reduces Weight: Many people believe that yoga is a much gentle exercise and one can lose weight while practicing yoga. Well! This notion is so not true. Because yoga has proven to be a wonderful method to reduce weight and maintain the body you want. Practicing yoga definitely helps in relaxing the body and mind, helping you to de stress and permitting you to get in shape normally. Scientific research has been showing links between weight loss and yoga. Plank Pose, Warrior Pose, Triangle Pose, Bridge Pose, Twisted Chair Pose are some of the most practiced yoga poses for reducing weight.

7) Lowers Blood Sugar: Yoga experts highly recommend yoga for diabetes management. For people with diabetes, yoga has been found to lower blood sugar in different ways: by bringing down cortisol and adrenaline levels, reducing weight, and improving sensitivity with the impacts of insulin. Get your glucose levels down, and you naturally decrease the risk of diabetic complications as heart stroke, kidney failure etc. Poses like Legs Up the Wall, Seated Forward Bend, Plow Pose, Upward Facing Dog, Bow Pose helps in lowering blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

There are countless benefits of practicing yoga. The beauty of yoga is that it not only relaxes our body but also calms our soul. Also it can be adapted according to an individual needs and lifestyle. Apart from the aforementioned benefits the following are the added profits of practicing yoga:

• Improves muscle tone and strength.

• Helps in focusing.

• Boosts immune system.

• Calms nervous system.

• Regulates adrenal glands.

• Improves balance.

• Protects spine.

• Gives inner strength.

• Enhances self-esteem.

• Helps in getting sound sleep

Actually, what yoga does to our body cannot be measured in words. You should get onto your mat, practice and feel the difference.

Above all yoga gives you the much needed peace of mind.

Nida Zakaria

New to practicing Yoga? Here is a checklist for the beginners

“Yoga is 99% practice and 1% theory”

Once in a while many of us come across the idea of practicing yoga but just couldn’t begin with
it of all the many reasons. Some think that yoga is not their cup of coffee others might feel that
they are too inflexible for the poses or too old to join yoga class.
Whatever your reason might be always remember yoga is for every age and every body type. So
let the myth go away and if determined for a healthy mind and body enroll yourself for yoga
session.
There are some important things that you as a new yogi must know before hitting the mat. So
here is a list of things you beginners need to check before you don your yoga pants –

1. How and where to practice Yoga- You can perform Yoga anywhere and anytime, with
yoga props (need mats and the stretchy gear). While you can do Yoga, easily, at the
comfort of your home, there are yoga studios that conduct sessions which may involve
equipment like straps, belts, and blocks. So, it is up for you to decide how you want to
start with the Yoga practice. With virtual yoga becoming a thing today, one can simply
log in and follow various yoga experts who run videos series on YouTube and Instagram.

2. How often to practice Yoga – The purpose of yoga is not same as the purpose to join a
gym. Yoga provides calmness, strength, flexibility, and balance to your body. While you
may not have to dedicate an hour to yoga every day, but a three- four hours per work
works well for anyone who is starting with their Yoga practice.

3. Don’t even think about starting with pretzel poses from the very start- Yes, yoga is
all about being flexible and bendy, but that doesn’t imply to over exert and hurt your
muscles in doing advanced poses or asanas (arm balancing, inversions and backbends)
right from the start. As a beginner, one must begin from simple ones and gradually
move to higher levels. This is not a competition, this is Yoga !

4. Yoga is not just about exercising and body movement – Yoga as the world knows is a way of life. It is far more complicated than half an hour on the mat every day. While the essence of Yoga is in the practice, one must also try and understand the purpose behind it. Cultivating a regular practice will have a positive impact on your body, your lifestyle and overall outlook on life.

5. Which Yoga poses to begin with? – This is again connected to how one should approach practicing yoga. While starting directly with complex pretzel poses can make you fatigued, one can choose from a variety of simple asanas. In the end, it all depends on what your body is capable of and comfortable. Listen to your body, is the first basic rule to practice Yoga! It is necessary to start with fundamental poses first. Some of these can include the Mountain, Warrior, Plank, Chair, Lunge, Dog, Lifts and folds, Locust pose and many more.

6. Follow your teacher: Your yoga trainer eventually gets to know your body movement and alignment better than you. Therefore have faith in your Guru and religiously work on his/her advises.

7. Be flexible with the basics: Once you join in as a new yogi your instructor will first train you with the foundational poses of yoga. As a beginner you should be familiar and comfortable with poses like: child pose, mountain pose, downward dog pose, baby cobra pose, corpse pose, plank pose etc.

8. Mind your breath: Yoga is solely linked with your breath. If you learn the skill of focusing on your breath while practicing any basic or complicated posture you simultaneously establish a connection with your body and mind. The breathing exercise (Pranayama) helps in reducing anxiety and develops concentration.

9. Savasana is important: Savasana is the final resting pose at the end of your session. Generally many of the yogis skip this vital pose but as a beginner you should understand that savasna helps your body and mind to relax and rejuvenate after that hectic yoga session. Therefore it’s advisable to lay down for a couple of minutes and never skip Savasana.

10. Never give up: The fact is you won’t start loving yoga in a day but once you do there is no escape from it. Keep practicing until you make it a daily routine.

You do not have to be intimidated with complex inversions or backbends while researching yoga - you shall get there!

The key to become a true Yogi is years of practice and adherence to discipline. Yoga is not just a workout to lose weight or remove fat! Yoga is health and life – one must be cognizant how one approaches Yoga practice. A day of stress, and nerves in pain – all could be cured with regular Yoga practice.  While starting out, one needs to choose their style as per one’s fitness and flexibility levels. The first few times could make you feel challenged but as the body warms up and opens to the idea; you would feel a new sense of enlightenment with regular yoga practice.

Nida Zakaria

Everyday Yoga Poses

How to practice yoga when you have no time…..

Consistency is key with yoga, and one of the best ways to skill-up your yoga practice is to build in key poses into your daily routine.

Some days, we’re busier than others - and even with the best intentions, somewhere between the morning coffee, the nine o’clock meeting, the school run, and the mad dash for the train (or the mad boot-up of your laptop at 8:59, if you’re working from home), that forty-five minute slot we had planned for our morning Vinyasa Flow session gets completely lost.

So when you don’t have time for a full session, but you still want a little time and space to be present on your mat, why not have some go-to poses up your sleeve?

Here are some of our favourite poses, which strike the balance between building core strength, improving flexibility, and balancing the mind. As always, we prefer to start the day right with these poses as soon as we wake up in the mornings - but some prefer to switch this up and have an evening yoga session instead. 

Whichever way is best for you, by practising these simple poses at least once a day, you’ll soon be on the path to developing better balance in your Muscle, Movement and Mood.

Pose 1: Downward Dog

A staple, and one of the best poses to start the day with. Downward Dog is an inversion, meaning the head is below the heart in this position - which changes up the direction of blood flow. Increased blood flow to the head stimulates the mind, and kicks the brain into action.Downward Dog will also help you develop flexibility - try pedalling your feet to really work the stretch into your calf muscles.

Our top tip? Spread the fingers wide, and keep the whole palm of your hand pressed to the floor to send the hips up and away from you. 

Pose 2: Pigeon Pose

Pigeon pose is another of our everyday favourites - it’s a seriously effective hip opener and will do wonders for tight glutes. Start in Downward Dog, then raise one leg up and back, before sweeping it directly underneath the chest, with the knee bent beneath your rib cage. You may wish to stay upright at first, then slowly sink the chest towards the bent knee you have underneath your body. For an extra challenge, try gradually sinking all the way down so that your forehead rests on the floor. Stay here for at least two minutes, then repeat with the other leg in front.

This is a slow and steady pose - never rush into it, and make sure your limbs are sufficiently warm from the Downward Dog position first. As well as strengthening the elasticity in the muscles, you’ll also feel a really release of trapped energy and tension - a great endorphin booster.

Pose 3: Forward Fold

After coming back to Downward Dog following your Pigeon Pose on both sides, walk your hands back towards your feet. Once you’ve got your weight firmly back on two feet, remain hanging forward. Sway side to side a little, to stretch out both sides of your waist - you can either keep the hands hand loose, or gently fold the arms. After about one minute, slowly begin to roll the body upward - imagine you are stacking each vertebrae of your spine, one-by-one, until you reach a full standing position. Roll the shoulders back, and let the hands hang loosely at your sides, with your knees soft.

This is a great pose to remind you of your spine alignment - take notice of any points as you roll upward where you wobble slightly, as this can indicate a tendency to lean your weight more on one side than the other. Try to come up as evenly and slowly as you can - control is key for getting the full benefits of this pose.

Breathe through the pose - we often like to take a deep breath in, then breathe out while we roll upward. 

Pose 4: Warrior I

Once standing, step into a lunge, keeping your back leg straight and if you can, your back heel remaining flat on the ground. Take the arms up to reach towards the sky and hold, imagining you are stretching further and further upward. To keep the shoulders and neck in line, it can often help to visualise a piece of silk extended from the crown of your head - like a puppet string - pulling you gently up. Hold this position for a minute, then step the feet together and repeat the pose on the other side.

Warrior I is a great pose for stimulating the blood flow and building core strength. Keeping as still as possible is the challenge here. It’s also a great place to set your intentions of the day from - let your heart smile outward as you take stock of your goals for the day.

Pose 5:’Corpse’ Pose, or Savasana

Finally, come back down to lie on your back, with your palms facing upward and your knees relaxed. You could put a cushion, blanket or yoga block beneath your knees or beneath the small of the back for support here. 

You have stimulated the movement in the body, and begun to consider your intentions for the day. Savasana is that space in which you can consolidate these intentions - it’s the peace and the quiet before the business of the day begins. Allow yourself ten minutes in this pose - and if you often find you struggle to give time for being still, as many of us do in our busy lives, try to see this time as an an investment: to reflect, to listen to your thoughts and your emotions and be aware of your emotional state, to allow ideas and creativity to be renewed - which will only mean you are able to use your time in the day more efficiently. If you invest

this ten minutes now, you’ll save three, four, or five times the minutes later in the day through being more intent on your personal goals, more grateful for what you have already achieved.

We love to double-up Savasana pose with a ten minute guided meditation - try our guided Meditation For Building Trust, or have a look at the meditations available on apps like Calm or Headspace.

What next?

Try to dedicate fifteen minutes for practising these poses, each day. Our top tip? Try to do the poses in the same order each day - this will create a failsafe routine that you can fall back on when times get busy, that’s committed to your muscle memory. Building muscle memory helps the body to carry on the process of strengthening the muscles all on its own - keeping you fit for life. Repeating the poses in the same order will also help you spot and track changes to your strength and comfort each day, as you move through each pose.

And on those days when you do have the time to give yourself more space to practise, why not take a look at our timetable? We have a range of online and in-studio classes, which will help you build your repertoire of poses.

Best Yoga Equipment

Practicing yoga with the accurate equipment and accessories does wonders. Whether you are a beginner or a trained yogi, adapting yourself to the proper equipment can be really helpful in improving your alignment. Yoga equipment’s play a crucial role in keeping your body injury free, it is also used in modifying difficult poses and keeps you comfortable while you enjoy your yoga.

Generally, trainers don’t advise beginners to invest more in yoga equipment as emphasis is more on getting the foundation of yoga perfect. But as you progress along with seriousness, putting money into quality yoga equipment will turn out to be more significant.

SEVEN MUST HAVES

1. Yoga Mat: A good quality yoga mat should be the first in your list. Always remember to buy a non slippery mat with a solid grip for hassle free practice. Your mat should have comfortable cushioning and light weighted. Go for mats which have gripping on both the sides. The upper grip holds you firm while performing a difficult pose and the grip downward securely holds the floor.

2. Yoga Blocks: Next in the list are yoga blocks. Choose the right material and the right size while selecting your block. Mostly newbies go for foam based blocks as they are light weighted and pocket friendly. Regardless of whether you are a novice or yoga specialist, having yoga blocks available will help you incredibly in adjusting yoga poses, and improving balance.  You will also have the option to rehearse difficult poses comfortably without injury.

3. Yoga Strap: This convenient equipment is used for wrapping yourself firmly for extending the impact of some stretches. Straps are also utilized as a prop for specific exercises making them additionally challenging. Mostly yogis used straps for improving poses and also to provide stability for arms.

 Select a yoga strap with the right length for a comfortable grip.  Taller people generally consider a longer strap. Straps come with two types of closures: buckles and loops, select the one which your trainer suggests. Lastly, go for a good quality material which is durable and sturdy.

4. Yoga Cushions & Pillows:  These soft padded cushions bring you ease while practicing yoga. It gives you the comfort of a major cushion and causes you to feel sheltered and comfortable during your yoga practice. This is an incredible thing to have for a relieving and healing yoga experience. These are mostly used in the therapeutic forms of yoga such as the pre-birth yoga, healing yoga, restorative yoga, and yin yoga.

There are various types of cushions, pillows, and bolsters available for you in the yoga world. Some of the basic ones are the standard yoga bolsters, zafu meditation cushions, zabuton, and the crescent cushions. Each of these has it’s own unique feature providing you  comfortable support.

5 . Yoga Foam Rollers: Foam rollers are the next useful thing in the list. They provide additional help during difficult poses and can also be utilized to massage your muscles after a hectic training. Medium-thickness rollers are extraordinary for newbies to use during yoga, while denser picks can be used for a much difficult workout. The length of the roller will figure out what sort of utilization you can receive in return; longer rollers are best for rubbing, while shorter rollers are more portable. Rollers also help in reducing the body soreness after an intense practice.

6. Sand Bags: Yoga sandbags, another fine equipment for your stretching session. The added weight is exactly what you need for a deeper stretch or for adding slightly more resistance. Some of the yoga sandbags are ready to use and some; you can modify and load up yourself with sand, beans, rice, or whatever else you may like.  Sandbags provide stability while helping you to hold a difficult posture. They're ideal for a wide range of yoga, especially Anusara, Iyengar, and Restorative practices.

7. Yoga Chair: Yoga chairs are a great option for older people making yoga less stressful putting lesser strain on the body. Generally, yoga chairs are of a great help in attaining more flexibility in your yoga practice. You can stretch, bend, twist, and move freely during your session.

Yoga Accessories: Other than the above mentioned equipment’s there are certain accessories which need to be taken care of:

• Proper Clothes: To stay focused and comfortable during your yoga practice you need a good pair of yoga pants. Remember to always go for comfortable and skin tight pants. This gives you a fine stretch. Your leggings or pants should go with a nice tank top or a sports bra (for women). A simple tee shirt is the best to have for both men and women.

•  Yoga towel: A must have because you are going to sweat a lot.

• Water bottles

• Yoga Bag for keeping your things.

What if you are practicing outdoors?

It might happen that you are having your session on that bright sunny day. In this case, there will be a few additions to your yoga accessories. 

• Sturdy yoga mat.

• Sun protection like your sunscreen and bandanas.

• Water bottle

• Bug spray cause you might be practicing on grass.

REMEMBER

It is very important to consult your trainer before buying any yoga equipment. Beginners generally don’t require advanced yoga equipment. Only a few basic ones can be of great help. But as you progress in your practice you might require shelling out some money.

Happy Stretching!

 Nida Zakaria

Meditation for Building Trust

“As soon as you trust yourself, you will know how to live.”

-- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Trust.

A word that many of us wrestle with at least once in our lifetimes, we often see trust as the key to our happiness. Having loved ones we trust makes us feel safe and gives us a sense of belonging that cannot be replaced by any material thing - alarm systems or membership cards. Betrayal can be one of the most challenging experiences that a person has. As a result of these betrayals - no matter how big or small - many of us experience times where we lack trust in others, sometimes dismissively labelled by others as “trust issues”, which can have a damaging impact on our relationships and wellbeing, lead to depression and anxiety, and even affect the way we see ourselves.

So what is the secret to building healthy trust?

There is no one-click fix and neither is there a one-size-fits-all approach: different methods of building trust work for different individuals. By meditating regularly, though, we can develop the self-awareness to nurture a healthy attitude towards trust - starting with our own trust in ourselves, before looking to extend this to our trust in others.

How To Meditate To Build Self-Trust

There are many meditations for trust that we love to practise here at Dragonfly - but we especially love Tamara Levitt’s meditation for self-trust. Here is our own guided meditation, with the wise words of many meditation leaders included along the way.

Start in a comfortable position - we find a seated position to be best, either with crossed legs on the floor or upright on a chair, with a small cushion placed between your lower back and the chair to keep you supported, and your bare feet flat on the ground.

Close your eyes. Notice any points of tension in the body, and breathe in to these muscles - avoid the temptation to force your muscles into relaxation, it is enough to simply notice where the body is tense and use the breath to encourage relaxation. Unstick the tongue from the roof of the mouth, and allow a soft smile to smooth the jaw. Breathe in the forehead; give the facial muscles permission to soften and melt.

We like to use box breathing to help us focus on our breath at the beginning of the meditation: breathe in for a count of four, hold for four, breathe out for a count of four, hold for four - then repeat. The breathing creates a kind of box pattern, with the holds at each end of the breath. 

Practise square breathing for four or five breaths, then allow your natural breathing pattern to return. Keep the focus on your breath - it can help to try to pinpoint the moment when an exhale turns into an inhale, and when an inhale turns into an exhale.

Maintain this focus for around two to three minutes - when the mind wanders and other thoughts begin to distract, don’t worry or berate yourself… remember that the mind is a busy place, so distraction is bound to happen, and gently bring your thoughts back to focus on the breath with no judgement or criticism for drifting concentration. Judging ourselves for not doing the meditation “right” is counterproductive; instead, offer yourself the self-compassion you deserve and keep gently tugging your thoughts back to the breath. Notice if any thoughts in particular create strong feeling or emotional reaction, but no need to feel the need to ‘fix’ these thoughts.

One great way to visualise passing thoughts, is by imagining you are sitting by the side of a motorway - which Andy Puddicombe narrates in his guided mediation app, Headspace. Your thoughts are the passing cars, and your role is simply to observe those thoughts coming and going. Some will be noisier and seem more dangerous than others: avoid the temptation to try to run into the road and control the traffic… if you imagine the effect of this in real-life, this would do far more harm than good! Instead, simply keep track of the thoughts as they pass, noticing if similar thoughts tend to pass with greater frequency or speed than others. This visualisation often helps us to distance ourselves from our thoughts, and understand that they are passing - we do not have to be defined by them, or allow them to control the way we feel.

At this point in the meditation, loosen your grip a little on your concentration, allowing the mind to go where it wants to for a minute. 

We often lose trust in ourselves through decisions or choices we make, which don’t have the desired outcome. It is much easier to remember when our choices have ended in an undesirable outcome, than it is to remember when our choices have led us to great things. One way to develop trust through meditation, is to practise the exercise of recalling times when your choices have led to positive outcomes, even unexpectedly so, and remembering in detail your feelings at the time of the positive outcome and how you made a choice that achieved it. 

There will always be times when you have made a good choice, but these can be harder to recall for some who really feel lacking in self-trust. If you feel you cannot remember any, then focus simply on the right here, right now: thank yourself for taking the time to make the positive choice that has led you to meditation practice and the intention to rebuild trust that this choice represents. After the meditation, it can help to speak to a loved one - ask them to recall a good choice that you made, and the impact that this choice had. You may find a choice you made had a profoundly positive impact on somebody’s life, without even realising!

To bring the meditation to a close, come back to the breath. When you’re ready, become aware again of the floor beneath your feet, the sounds in your immediate surroundings, and slowly open your eyes.

The Best Yoga Classes for Building Trust

It’s best to meditate little and often - the ten minutes you spend at the beginning of a day can go far to settle your mind for the rest of it. 

Meditation is included as part of yoga practice, and as meditation develops trust in the mind, yoga practice helps to root trust in your body. Our classes always include elements of meditation - why not try a Yin yoga class to help you begin your journey into meditation? Having an expert to guide you through the meditation can be a great way to begin the habit of meditation - we love Laura’s Sunday Yin yoga class here at Dragonfly to help us de-stress, and set us in the right frame of mind for the week ahead.

Above all, remember that in order to develop a healthy attitude towards trusting others, you must first trust yourself. This is not an overnight change: trust, as Brene Brown writes, is built in small moments, and once built, can be the key to a life of bravery and whole-heartedness.

Start your journey to building healthy trust today, by visiting our timetable to join a class - either in our newly refurbished studio, or online.

How To Begin With Online Yoga

“Yoga begins with listening. When we listen, we are giving space to what is.”
— Richard Freeman

Are you scared of joining back the yoga studio because of coronavirus? Are you
missing your daily yoga routine with your trainers? Or you want to join online yoga
classes but don’t know from where to start?

The fear of catching the virus has made us anxious and frustrated. And in these
uncertain times it has become very important to take care of our mental health and
wellbeing. This is where online yoga comes to our rescue.

Online yoga helps you to practice your daily yoga routine from the comfort of your
home and in your personal space. Practicing online yoga at home is therapeutic,
challenging and urges you to discover your movement and creativity.
So let’s throw that yoga mat, begin with some self-esteem and calm that anxious
mind.

GET STARTED
Once you are determined to begin your online yoga journey it’s vital to choose the
yoga studio that gives online tutorials for its pupil. Always make sure to read about
your trainers and instructors before enrolling with your selected studio. Once the
decision is made do check with your internet, tablet, smartphone or laptop. With
the availability of a good connection and a charged device you can access your
online yoga class without any pause from anywhere in the world.

EIGHT ESSENTIALS OF ONLINE YOGA

1. Find a trainer you resonate with: Yoga can be fun and easy when you find that perfect trainer, you are comfortable with. Research a bit before finalizing on your online yoga trainer.

2. Good space: Look for a peaceful and a comfortable spot in your house. Try and find a spacious area where you can stretch properly without hitting on chairs and tables. Since it’s your personal space you can be creative and add a couple of small indoor plants in the corner. You can also create some soulful atmosphere with an incense stick. Remember to look for a space
where you can concentrate without much difficulty. Also make sure that you
are able look at your screen without hindrance.

3. Get your yoga accessories : Often at yoga studios you are provided with every yoga essentials but once you start practicing at home, you are supposed to be ready with some basic yoga accessories which are as follows:

• A good quality non-slippery yoga mat.

• A pair of yoga blocks.

• A bolster, pillows or cushions.

• A yoga strap

The above four items are indeed the most used ones, your instructor might ask you to get some more props once your practice session deepens.

4. Be Attentive: While performing yoga at home you won’t be having your trainer in person to help you with your movement, so you need to carefully watch your instructor and perform your poses. Don’t hesitate to communicate with your trainer if you find some postures to be too complicated.

5. Prevent Injury: Performing yoga alone can be a little challenging as you need to be really attentive of your moves and postures. If you are a beginner then avoid poses that involves too much of stretching and twisting. Also avoid poses that can hurt your back. Don’t force your body beyond your limits and always watch your boundaries. You need to be more alert while switching poses as these are the minutes of possible risk of injury. Be mindful of your alignment.

6. Schedule your time: If you have enrolled to practice yoga online, you will be confined to a specific class and schedule. Select your days and time according to your everyday timetable. There is a difference between practicing yoga via recorded videos on youtubes and enrolling online for a live session. The former allows you to be flexible in your timings but the later
keeps you in a daily routine with proper schedule, making yoga a daily routine.

7. Find your flow: Finding your flow and style can be difficult in the beginning if you are a newbie. You can take a few attempts to be comfortable with your flow and then settle for a regular practice. This way your trainer will also understand the alignment of your body and help you with your postures in a much easier manner.

8. Keep up the Spirit: Enrolling for online yoga is just half of the work done. Now you must stay motivated and keep your spirits high. Virtual yoga sessions might not be easy for a beginner but you can do wonders once you find your flow. To make your online sessions more interesting you can practice with your friend or family member.

Indeed, the COVID emergency had enormously impacted our everyday lives and in
order to diminish social contacts we are forced to shift indoors. With the world
adapting to the new normal let’s enroll to our online yoga programmes. It is the
perfect time for all of us to strengthen our immune system and relax for a while in
these worrying moments.

Our studio has also gone online for its yogis. Check our time table. Get set and hit the mat!

Nida Zakaria

The Health Benefits of Yoga

Yoga is an investment: the more you put in, the more you get out.

For centuries, people have turned to yoga as a route to improving health and happiness - and it’s a practice that has certainly stood the test of time. But what exactly are the benefits of the ancient practice of yoga?

Psychologists and scientific researchers have conducted thousands of studies on the many health benefits of yoga. Here at Dragonfly, our yoga teachers love to combine their expert knowledge on the science behind yoga with their own unique practice style to help our yogis to develop mind, body and soul.

Read on to find out the results of the studies we rate highly, and to find out how yoga could be the next step you take to improving your wellbeing and quality of life.

The benefits can be organised into three main areas - we like to call these The Three ‘M’s: Muscle, Movement, and Mood...

Muscle

Core strength is at the heart of great yoga practice: we like to think of it as the starting point, from which all yoga poses and transitions extend. Take a look at our beginner’s guide to yoga poses, to start building up your core strength. Core strength is built by regular practice, rather than intense but very spread out workouts. Often, the best way to really kickstart good habits with core strength is to attend classes - which allow you to explore your core strength in a guided environment, on a regular basis. Pilates is also a great way to build core strength, as well as Hatha yoga classes which really focus on using strength to keep stillness in each pose.

...But it doesn’t stop at core strength! Yoga works on the interconnectivity of the muscles, visualised as energy flowing from one area of the body to another. A yoga sequence will  allow you to isolate and work on the strength in one area of your body, before transitioning this energy to another area - giving you a full body workout.

Building muscle strength not only keeps you fit, it can also alleviate chronic back pain or poor posture, as you build muscle in the body that improves the way you naturally carry yourself. For posture fixes, take a look at our guide to improving your posture.

Recovery is a key element of muscle health, and recent studies have shown that yoga practice such as Yin yoga helps reduce muscle inflammation, by breaking down the lactic acid in the muscles which is built up after exercise. We recommend doing a Yin class to help the muscles fully recover and improve flexibility, straight after a high intensity yoga practice like Vinyasa Flow or Hatha Flow - why not try this with us on Wednesday evenings?

Movement

Yoga practice is underpinned by the belief that the body’s energy must be balanced equally, and that we sometimes experience energy blocks: parts of the body where energy cannot flow freely through the body. To tackle these energy blocks, yoga works to keep energy moving through the body - or in other words, yoga helps to keep the blood circulating through all parts of the body and the breath even and consistent. 

The physical benefits that can be achieved through this balance of energy flow are better circulation, leading to a healthier heart, and open breathing, leading to healthier lungs. Flow classes, such as Ashtanga or Vinyasa, are best for cardiovascular conditioning, since these classes up the heart rate which over time, studies have shown improve your endurance, expand your intake of oxygen during exercise, and lower your resting heart rate. This is a great combat against high cholesterol and when practised regularly, can maintain a healthy heart. Those with high blood pressure have also found that yoga is proven to lower systolic blood pressure: in fact, the Savasana pose was associated with a 26-point drop in pressure, compared with simply lying on the sofa. 

It’s not only movement of blood and oxygen through the body which yoga improves, though - it also improves control, movement and flexibility of the joints and muscles. The strength which yoga builds in the muscles (as mentioned earlier), combined with the balance and spatial awareness developed by frequent practice does wonders to improve your range of movement and flexibility. This can prevent falls and accidents, particularly later on in life, when without regular exercise and balance practice we can often experience a loss in range of movement or the control over our bodies.

Mood

The physical benefits gained from yoga through the muscles and movement are mirrored in the positive impact on our mood. Yoga is based on the core principle of marrying the body with the mind, so it’s no surprise that studies have shown the benefits of yoga to extend beyond the physical, to our mental wellbeing.

The main hormone in the body that is responsible for feelings of stress is cortisol. Through exercising the whole body and investing in breathing and meditation practice, yoga is known to decrease levels of cortisol in the body - making our stress more manageable. Not only this, but even when we are experiencing high levels of cortisol due to inevitable tough times in our lives which are out of our control, yoga practitioners are significantly better prepared to deal with their stress - their good habits with meditation and exercise kicking in, allowing yogis to regain perspective on the situation much more quickly than those without meditation in their habits. 

On top of decreasing cortisol and stress, yoga can also increase ‘happy hormones’ in the body such as dopamine and endorphins. Flexibility is closely linked with decreasing stress, since stretching is known to release endorphins - giving you a happiness boost. Don’t believe us? Try including a morning stretch in child’s pose and monitor how it impacts your mood for the rest of the day.

Nothing has a greater impact on mood than good quality sleep. The benefits of making sure you get enough rest at the end of each day have been studied by psychologists for many years. Sleep is the body and mind’s vital time to recharge its resources, make repairs, and allow the brain to work through the information of the day - and without consistent, quality sleep, we can fall into patterns of depression, as well as negative impacts on our physical health.

There are many ways to improve your sleep - such as avoiding screen time (especially harmful blue light) less than one hour before you plan to sleep, turning down lights in the house in the evenings to start your body’s natural closing-down process as part of your circadian rhythm, and making sure you go to bed and wake up at similar times each day.  Restorative Yin Yoga encourages the body and mind to wind down before sleep, and also is a great way to practice breathing techniques, which allow you to develop the skill of relaxing your body and slowing your heart rate before bed. Having trouble getting to sleep or feeling constantly drained? Try going to our Yin yoga classes in the evenings, to improve sleep quality and boost your energy throughout the day.

Be it for muscle, movement or mind, there are so many benefits to taking time and space for ourselves during our busy working days to practise. It’s important to read up on the types of yoga out there, so you can select classes which will have the most positive impact. We recommend reading through the teacher bios - as these bios are insights from the experts into what they will most likely focus on in their classes. 

Definitely have a chat with your yoga teacher too, as they can use their expertise to offer bespoke advice on how yoga might specifically benefit your unique health needs. We love our individuality as human beings here at Dragonfly, so we like to make sure our advice is tailored to our yogis!

...Begin your journey to better health and wellbeing today, by taking a look at our online and in-studio classes on our timetable. We’re here to help - so if you’ve got questions about how yoga might be able to improve your personal health needs, whether for a specific area or for all-round health, then we’d love to hear from you and give you some guidance

BEST POSES FOR BEGINNERS

“Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self.” -The Bhagwad Gita

It is true that getting started with yoga for the first time can indeed be a little intimidating as a general perception of yoga is that it comprises only of complex poses and names. Hence as a beginner, this might scare you away. However, once you start enjoying it, there is no looking back. That’s what yoga does to your body.

As a newbie, your trainer will always begin with some easy-to-grasp postures which are short and straightforward. Fortunately, you do not need to learn all the poses at once. Few of the foundational yoga postures are mutually common in position and muscular actions. Once you get a hold of the basic poses, your session moves to the more challenging ones. Also, it is important for you, as a beginner, to be familiar
with the basic asanas (poses) ahead of time, as you will be asked to do those in almost every session.

Here, I have mentioned seven (and the most foundational) yoga postures which I selected for you as a beginner.

Before you begin with your yoga journey, remember that you need to patiently absorb the poses as it helps in healing your mind and body. Listen to what your body demands and always seek the help of your qualified trainers, as they are the ones who could help you in altering the posture to the one that suits your strength and flexibility.

Let’s get started as you lay comfortably on your mat.

Seven Simple Poses for a Beginner:

1. Mountain Pose (Tadasana): As the name suggests, this yoga posture gives firmness, strength, and power to the body. The Mountain Pose is the base for all the standing poses and a must to know as a beginner. Tadasana helps in improving body posture and develops perfect alignment. This yoga posture looks very simple but sometimes, it does become difficult to stand firm and still while upholding a good alignment. In this posture, the dynamics begin with the firm establishment of the feet to build up the balance. The energy, thus, drives up to the legs and thighs from the feet and spreads to the whole body. The spine is properly aligned, shoulders relaxed and head centered in the mountain pose.

2. Easy Pose (Sukasana):  Well, this is the classic yoga posture, but unlike the name suggests, it might not always be easy.  I term it as the crossed leg and a straight spine pose.  Often, the trainers start with this basic pose before moving further to the complex ones. This pose can easily be applied if you are capable enough to sit still for at least five minutes. Sukasana helps the beginners to build up a seated foundation and master the art of meditation and self-reflection.  It also supports lengthening and perfect alignment of the spine. This pose has a calming effect on the mind and body and improves one’s concentration.

3. Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana): This is one of the most widely recognized yoga poses. Trainers use the downward facing dog posture as a switch between poses. It helps in toning, strengthening, and energizing the body. Also considered as an inversion pose, it helps in improving circulation of blood to the head, brain, and the neck; and reinforces the shoulders, arms, and legs. This particular pose can be a little frustrating for you as beginners, but, you will start enjoying it once trained properly.

4. Plank Pose (Kumbhakasana): Planks are commonly seen as a daily exercise which helps in building strength. You learn to balance on your hands while using the entire body as a support system. As a beginner, it is the most preferred pose if you want to tone your abs and develop strength in the upper body. One also learns to use breath strategically while performing the plank pose.  Sometimes, even the experienced yoga practitioners find planks very difficult, and for combating this, modification of the pose according to their body and strength can be helpful. Try holding on to this pose for four breaths and you will at once feel the heat building in your chest, arms, and legs.

5. Cat and Cow (Marjaryasana/Bitilasana) :  The Cat and Cow pose are the easiest to grasp and practice. When done with precision, this essential pose travels through both flexion and augmentation of the spine. Each movement leaves an individual with calmness and relaxes the body while releasing tension.

• Cat Pose (Marjaryasana): This is a delicate backbend that relaxes up the spine, extends the rear of the middle, and delivers pressure in the neck. The pose gets its name from the Sanskrit words Marjari, which means cat, and asana, which means pose.

• Cow Pose (Bitilasana): This is a gentle backbend that relaxes up the spine, extends the front of the middle, and delivers strain in the neck. It gets its name from the Sanskrit words Bitila, which means cow, and asana, which means pose.

6. Tree Pose (Vrikshasana): Yet again a wonderful and simple standing pose for tenderfoots to pick up balance, and gain focus and clarity. This pose also teaches one to breathe smoothly while keeping the body balanced on one foot. While standing in the Tree Pose you will feel grounded and strong regardless of whether or not you held your breath for a couple of seconds. Additionally, this a perfect pose to move easily from one posture to other while maintaining balance. As a beginner, it is an extraordinary standing pose to work on, as it connects to your brain, thus leaving you more focused. This pose also helps in developing clarity of mind.

7. Corpse Pose (Savasana): It has been noticed that most of the people begin with yoga to reduce stress, thus in this case, the corpse pose has been considered as one of the best yoga postures that teaches us to relax. The particular name of the asana (corpse pose) is indeed gloomy but the main idea is to forget everything for a while and relax. Relaxing in the corpse pose will permit you to relax more effectively and help you shift rapidly into the other yoga poses and this will ultimately allow you to diminish pressure and strain in your body. It’s a perfect way for practicing meditation for a beginner especially when an individual is generally not used to sitting for long hours. As a beginner, it might hurt your back while laying down flat but your trainer will always help you in modifying it according to the demands of your body.

Some Other Poses:

Of the many yoga poses, I had picked up only seven for you as a beginner. But the following postures are a must to be added in the list for you as a new learner.

·         Warrior 1 (Virabhadrasana I)

·         Warrior 2 (Virabhadrasana II)

·         Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)

·         Bound Angle Pose (Baddha Konasana)

·         Child’s Pose (Balasana)

 Always remember:

·         To move gradually through each posture, making sure to inhale as you move.

·         To pause after postures that are challenging for you, particularly if you experience shortness of breath. In that case, restart when your breathing gets back to normal.

·          Hold each pose for a couple of slow breaths before proceeding onward to the following one.

Begin with your love for yoga:

So, once you are firm in your decision to begin your journey with yoga, you, now need to choose the perfect yoga studio led by some expert trainers. Also, in these unprecedented times of COVID-19, you might be skeptic about joining a yoga studio in person. Well, in that case, there are studios that work online with the best of coaches and trainers! With the availability of a good internet connection and smart phone, you can access your online yoga class from anywhere.

Our yoga studio works both ways.

If not now, when? Begin your journey of yoga and trod your path to a better, calmer and healthier version of you!

Nida Zakaria

How to improve your posture

Everything you need to know for a posture quick fix!

From beating body pain to correcting chronic forward-slumping, we all know there are countless benefits to better posture. The problem is, with our already busy schedules - plus the added strain many of us are now facing with working from home from the same chair - it’s hard to know where to begin with such a long-term project as fixing a lifetime of bad posture habits.

So why is it important to have good posture?

There are many benefits to having great posture - apart from the fact that it gives you extra inches!

We’ve all heard that familiar statistic that communication is 93% non-verbal… and although psychologists have since explained isn’t always true in every situation, it is a good idea to remember that the way we carry ourselves can often make a powerful first impression. A tall, open posture can make others see us as confident, friendly and honest: energy that we may already be channelling - so why not extend this to the way we hold ourselves? 

It’s not just linked to the way others see us, though - studies have shown that great posture can even improve our own moods! It’s no coincidence that cartoons display sad characters as slumped over or huddled, or that we use the saying, “walk with your head held high”, when we talk about pride and happiness. The way we move our bodies is a mirror for the state of our minds. 

On top of this, great posture also has many physical benefits. Practising daily spine alignment exercises can prevent and minimise conditions such as scoliosis - curving of the spine - and exercises to open the shoulders and chest can reduce pain from muscle tension to headaches. Even practising good habits while sitting down for long periods of time will significantly soften the soreness we often feel at the end of a day working from home.

What can I do to help improve my posture?

Fixing our posture can feel like a mountain to climb - especially if, like us, your working life has caused you to pick up some bad habits over the years.

The good news is, it’s a lot simpler than you think! Here are some top tips for the small things you can do each day to perfect your posture.

In a moment, we’ll give you a list of the best exercises for good posture - but before that, begin with a quick posture check.... 

How to check your posture

Stand facing a mirror, and take a moment to notice your natural position. Do you have a tendency to slump forward? Lean on one side? Roll your shoulders? Stick your neck out forward slightly?

Don’t worry if you do notice anything - most of us have picked up some of these habits along the way! It’s always great to speak to a GP or a physiotherapist to get an expert opinion too, as they can often offer insights into the way we hold our bodies that we might not be able to spot.

To correct your standing posture, imagine you have a string - like a puppet - coming from the crown (middle) of your head, pulling you gently upwards. Keep the back of your neck lengthened, with the chin tucked slightly in, and breathe out through any tension in the shoulders. Draw the shoulder blades slightly together, imagining there is a beam of light coming from the centre of your chest, which you must shine forwards and outwards.

Single Arm Chest Press

Draw the belly button in slightly towards the spine. Wiggle your hips from side to side, then find the midpoint to keep them level. Soften your knees and make sure the feet are hip-distance apart. Keep your big toes facing forward. Drop your hands at your sides - notice if the knuckles face forward, which often means there’s a tendency to roll the shoulders forwards. Correct this by turning the hands so that the knuckles face outwards to the sides, and the thumb faces forward. 

Keep coming back to this pose throughout the day - in the queue for the shops, or standing to chat to a neighbor. Avoid the temptation we all have to rest the weight on one leg, or sit cross-legged - this can build uneven muscle on one side of the body, and create tension.

You can easily build the posture check into your daily routine. Even just the small practice of starting the day thinking about the way we stand can go a long way to keep us conscious of our posture throughout the day.

Exercises that help improve your posture

1. Child Pose

Child’s pose is a grounding pose to begin your day with, calming mind and body and aligning the spine for the day ahead.

Simply get on to the floor on all fours, making sure your hips are in line with your shoulders, then breathe out, sinking your bottom back down onto your heels and stretching  your fingertips away from your shoulders.

Top Tip: Try not to let your shoulders rise up around your ears. Maintain the space between your neck and shoulders - even if it means you can’t stretch your fingers forward as far.

2.Cat Cow

Cat Cow is an exercise for kick-started spine mobility, and to help you find your spine alignment. 

On all fours, keeping the hips in line with the shoulders and your shoulders directly above your hands, slowly curve the spine upwards - drawing your belly button into your ribcage like a cat stretching its back. This is where this pose gets its name as ‘Cat’ pose.

Next, push the middle of your spine in the opposite direction so that your bottom sticks out and your belly button is as close to the floor as possible. This is ‘Cow’ pose. 

Repeat this 5-7 times, swapping between Cat and Cow. Try to inhale on Cat and exhale on Cow.

Top Tip: After these repetitions, find the middle ground between the two poses: your spine should be flat, like a table top, with no rounding of the shoulders. Stay in this position for ten seconds or more.

3.Downward Dog

Downward dog is a favourite of many for stretching out the spine and hamstrings. From all fours, lift the knees to straighten the legs, pushing the hips backwards and up towards the ceiling. You will feel a deep stretch in the hamstrings - if it is too intense, you can lift the heels off the floor slightly and soften the knees. Try to remember to keep space between the shoulders and ears, and feel gravity pull your chest down towards the floor to keep a straight back. 

Top Tip: Hold this position for as long as you like - we recommend at least thirty seconds! You can also pedal the heels up and down if it feels right, to deepen the stretch in your legs.

4. Deep squat with thoracic rotation

This exercise is brilliant for increasing mobility in your thoracic spine - the part of your spine that is in the middle of your back, and in yoga is known as your Solar Plexus (the third chakra). This chakra can become blocked and the muscles around your thoracic spine tense when sitting in a certain position for too long, making it the perfect exercise for combatting hunching all day over a computer and #WFHlife.

To begin this exercise, squat deeply (in a crouching position) - keeping your heels on the floor throughout and a straight back. Keep your chest lifted (not folding forwards), imagining that you have a beam of light shining outwards from the centre of the chest, and keep your spine extended - especially at the base. Place the palm of your left hand flat on the floor, between your feet, then raise your right hand straight up, following it with your gaze. You will feel a twist through the middle of your spine - if you don’t feel this, you may need to flatten your back, imagining that your shoulders are connected by a metal bar that runs across your back. Avoid twisting your neck too much to look at your hand: the main twist should come from further down, from the point just underneath your ribcage. Repeat 6-8 times on each side.

Top Tip: You can also try this exercise from a seated position on a chair, with both feet flat on the floor. Hold your hands in a prayer formation, palms together and elbows out, with your thumbs sticking out to rest on the Solar Plexus - on your chest at the base of the ribcage. Twist slowly from the centre, this time being careful not to move your neck at all - instead, keeping it in line with the spine. Twist gently from side to side, trying not to move from the waist down, with the movement coming from the middle of your spine. This is a lighter version of the exercise - and easy to do in the middle of the day to loosen up the spine.

5. Thread the needle (add a foam roller if you like)

Another exercise that’s perfect for increasing spine mobility, thread the needle is also known to stretch off tension in the shoulder blades. Loosening the muscles around the shoulder blades will make it easier to relax them, keeping them open and back.

Beginning on all fours, straighten your arms but keep your hips directly over your knees. Slowly thread your left arm underneath your right armpit - you will feel a stretch across the back of your shoulders. Try to remember to twist from the point just underneath your ribcage, to engage your thoracic spine. Then, slowly return your left arm back to the centre, and repeat the exercise on the opposite side. We recommend repeating this about 10 times on each side.

Top Tip: If you have a foam roller, you can use it to assist this exercise by placing it underneath the arm you are threading through - so that this arm gradually rolls underneath, rather than sliding it directly on the floor. The foam roller will gently massage tight biceps and triceps at the same time!

For more spine-twist exercises, we love fitness coach @abbycarpenter’s recent Instagram post.

6.Bridge pose

Another firm favourite here at Dragonfly Yoga Studio is the bridge pose. This is a particularly good exercise to do if you have any issues with spine alignment, such as scoliosis. It helps to train the body to keep the vertebrae in a straight line.

For this exercise, we find it really useful to imagine the spine as individual discs or vertebrae that can be moved separately. Start by lying on your back, with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor - with a little space between the back of your heel and your bottom. Your arms can rest by your sides, or you can place them gently on top of your hips which will help you make sure that your hips are moving evenly.

Engage your core by drawing upwards through your pelvic floor muscles and sucking in your belly button. This should feel like a slight movement rather than an intense effort. Ensure that your back is flat on the floor - there should be only a very slim gap (if any gap at all) between your back and the floor. Wood or tiles are better surfaces for this exercise, if you don’t have a yoga mat!

Breathe in deeply, then breather out as you start to slowly tilt your pelvis towards you. Continue this movement by lifting your hips upwards off the floor, imagining that you are peeling the vertebrae of your spine off the floor, one by one. Continue this movement, raising your hips higher, staying aware of any wobbles in the spine. Your aim is to keep the vertebrae

in a straight vertical line as you raise them up - the muscles should be working evenly on both sides of your spine, and your hips should remain level. It can be useful to picture whether you could place a ruler flat across your two hips - if it would slip off in one direction to the right or left side, then you need to level your hips out!

Stop lifting your hips when you get to the base of your shoulder blades. Breathe in again, holding this position for a moment, before breathing out as you place the vertebrae back down on the floor, one by one. Keep your concentration on placing the vertebrae down in a straight vertical line, keeping your hips level.

Finally, as you practise the exercise, take notice of what happens to your shoulders - do they tense up around your ears as you concentrate? The strength for this exercise should come from your core - so breathe out through any other muscles around your shoulders which are trying to compensate by tensing up.

Top Tip: At first there is a lot to remember with this exercise, but once you start practising you’ll find you can easily get the hang of it. The key thing to remember is, the slower the better! Doing this exercise slowly helps you isolate each part of your spine. 

7. Isometric Rows

1. This exercise can be done sitting at your desk, so it’s a great one to do at intervals throughout the day. It will build strength in your upper back, needed to keep your shoulders rolled back and your chest open.

Simply sit upright in a chair, bending your arms so that your fingers face forward and your palms face each other. Take an inhale here, then exhale as you draw your elbows back into the chair and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Hold the squeeze for a few seconds, then inhale to release. Repeat this 15-20 times!

Top Tip: Repeat this exercise again throughout the day, to build up the upper back strength you need for open, relaxed shoulders…without even noticing!

What are the benefits of posture correctors? 

For a more intense fix, there are a number of posture correctors available. You could try a posture brace, which will help to reset your muscle memory so that you sit naturally straighter. Definitely seek the advice of your GP and have a look at plenty of reviews before you buy - as different correctors are designed to focus on different areas, so it’s important

that you select a posture brace that’s right for you. We love Good Housekeeping’s review of the 11 Best Posture Correctors, which gives details about the top correctors on the market and which areas they are designed for.

What’s our biggest secret for perfecting posture? 

...Little and often! The more you do these exercises, the easier it will become to remember to stand straight. You will notice progress in your posture checks each morning - we love taking a couple of snaps occasionally, so that we can track and celebrate our progress over time.

Yoga and pilates classes are a brilliant way to consistently build posture exercises into your life, while also building core strength and flexibility. Start your yoga journey today, by checking out the classes on our timetable. For posture-busters, we love Ella’s pilates classes or our Iyengar Yoga classes with Jacqueline, with strong emphasis on posture and alignment. 

We look forward to welcoming you at the new, improved Studio, or seeing you online!

Things To Do In Quarantine

How to kill the boredom and make the most of isolation...

With the recent reintroduction of lock-down in some areas of the UK, it seems quarantine isn’t as far behind us as we’d like it to be. Many of us have got used to popping to the shops again, seeing our family and friends, and getting back into the studio… so the possibility of going back into quarantine if cases rise again might feel a little daunting for many of us.So, how did we manage to keep busy and active for all those months? Here’s a reminder of what you can do to make sure mind and body stay in harmony - whether you’re quarantining after a holiday, back in ‘postcode’ lock-down, or simply enjoying spending time in your own home.

Work on your headstand

Everyone loves a party trick, and what better crowd-pleaser than the headstand? There are lots of videos to choose from to help you learn how to do a yoga headstand - try one of our favourites, from Yoga with Adriene.

The headstand is an integral part of yoga practice - it will help develop your core strength and get you one step closer to becoming an expert yogi. If you’ve got your headstand down, you’ll also find that you can access the more advanced content in our classes!

Go blackberry picking

It’s that time of year again…

August, September, and early October are the perfect months to find juicy blackberries among the brambles. Finally, your tupper-ware cupboard can come into its own as you head to the best spots in your local area, armed with boxes and baskets. And if you’re not a takeaway-box hoarder like us, you can always make your own baskets!

With a little research, you can easily suss out your nearest local blackberry picking spot - but here are a few of our favourite websites to start from:

• The National Trust’s Blackberry Top Spots

• Countryfile’s Blackberry Information Page

• TimeOut’s Best Spots for Blackberry Picking in London

Apart from making a great day out for the kids (and adults - foraging seems to bring out the inner child in all of us), we’ve found blackberry picking is a mindful activity. There’s something satisfyingly therapeutic about selecting and collecting blackberries, away from endless screens and technology.

What’s more, once you return with baskets bursting with those juicy berries, why not try your hand at a homemade blackberry and apple crumble, blackberry pie or even a blackberry soufflé?

Perfect your posture

Working from home means it’s easy to slip back into old habits with posture - slumped forward at our desks, shoulders up to our ears.

Quarantine is a great opportunity to work on making good posture a lifelong habit. Next week, we’ll be writing about this in more detail, so don’t forget to check back on our blog for more top tips.

In the meantime, try to imagine you have a delicate silk thread coming from the crown of your head, pulling you gently upright. Visualising this for a few moments at your desk before you sit down to do your work for the day can do wonders to improve posture.

Make ice-cream

A lot easier than it sounds, and the perfect antidote to thirty-degree heat!

This is a very handy activity for the kids to keep them occupied on a hot afternoon in the summer holidays...and even the foodiest of friends can’t help but be impressed when you whip out the homemade blackcurrant ice-cream on a sunny afternoon visit to your garden.

There are millions of recipes online for making your own ice-cream - but our favourite is Jamie Oliver’s 45-second ice-cream.

Join the Dragonfly Book Club

What are you reading this month? We’d love to know, so send us a message on Instagram with your recommendations @dragonfly_yoga_london.

Our top reads this summer:

• Delia Owens, Where The Crawdads Sing

• Beth O’Leary,The Flatshare

• Akala, Natives 

We find reading helps us unwind and practice focusing our minds - great alongside meditation practice to nurture peaceful energy in stressful times. 

For more great book, film and TV recommendations and reviews, check out @cultureinthetimeofcorona on Instagram!

Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger

Writer: Alice Menhennet

It’s been a long, winding road, but finally...we’re back (with some exciting new additions)!

Recent times have taught us to breathe and lean in to what is present, and we intend to do this with an open heart now that we’re finally able to reopen here at Dragonfly.

While we’re super excited to be getting back into the studio, we also want to be transparent about some of the tweaks we’re making to our classes, to make sure everyone can enjoy their practice in a safe space.

That’s why we’re still offering virtual online classes as well as studio classes. So if you’re not keen on taking the step back onto the studio mat just yet, you can still enjoy classes from home. To book, take your pick from our timetable - we’ve made it nice and easy to tell which classes are online by including this in the class title.

...But if you are ready to rejoin us, we welcome you with open arms! Here are a few tweaks we’ve made to the way we’re running yoga classes, to make sure the studio remains a stress-free space for mindful practice…

B.Y.O.M.

To keep the studio as clean as possible, we’ve decided to make all our classes B.Y.O.M (Bring Your Own Mat). 

To let you in on a secret: we are in the process of setting up our very own yoga shop in the studio, offering selection of our best-rated mats as well as other handy yoga equipment. Watch this space for updates!

Sanitised Spaces

By increasing the time between classes, we can all be confident that there is time for our cleaning experts to deep clean the studio in between each class. 

We’re using medical-standard disinfectant products, and choosing only sustainable brands. After all, we can still be clean and be kind to the environment.

The Two-Metre Rule

All the mats will be placed in allocated spaces. Each space is two metres apart from head to head, to give everyone safe #spacetobreathe.

Temperature Checks

Everyone who enters the building will have their temperature checked. Anyone whose temperature is slightly over the average will be kindly asked to pop back when it’s returned to a normal level.

Shower At Home

To protect everyone’s health and reduce risk, the showers are closed… The perfect excuse to hog the bathroom for an extra-long shower when you get home. Dreamy!

Smaller Classes

Who said the New Normal doesn’t have any benefits? By reducing class sizes to make sure everyone’s got enough space, you’ll have more one-to-one support time from your instructor in class. 

Feedback from your instructors will be verbal only, to make sure everyone feels comfortable and to minimise contact.

Cashless payments

No more endless rustling around in your gym bag for that extra pound coin - from here on, it’s easy, breezy, contactless card payments.

In-house coffee

...Did we mention we are now serving coffee, thanks to our new in-house barista? Head to our coffee counter, in partnership with sendcoffee, for your post-workout takeaway roast of choice!

Now that you have all the information, we can’t wait to see you very soon - be that on our screens or in person. Don’t forget to book your next class by visiting our timetable.

...Happy practising!

Home Practice — A Practical guide

As we slowly adjust to a new normal, and regular gym sessions grind to a halt, finding a way to be active while staying indoors can be tricky. The government may have closed leisure centres and gyms, but it’s still important to still keep active in order to maintain both physical and mental health. Regular exercise can be a great stress reliever, mood booster and aid in helping you sleep better, which is exactly what we all need in these uncertain times.

For those of us who don’t have the luxury of a swish private at-home gym, then it’s time to get creative and turn your bedroom, hallway or living room into your dedicated workout space. If you’re looking to raise your heart rate, but are limited on space and equipment, then yoga is perfect.

Perhaps you’ve always thought of signing up to classes but never got round to it or are looking to dip your toes into the fitness sphere now you have ample time, now is the best time to start. It can be daunting to get started without the help of a physical class to attend and a teacher’s instructions to follow face-to-face, so we’ve created a helpful guide for beginners.

Firstly, find a space. You need just enough to lie a yoga mat down, plus a little added extra around the edges in case you stretch out slightly. Secondly, grab a mat. It’s really the only piece of equipment you need. You can forgo a mat and lay down a towel instead if you don’t have the budget or want to try a few poses out regularly before investing.

If you don’t have a big TV to connect your yoga classes too, use your iPad or phone propped up on the mat instead.

So, you’ve got your space, a mat and a bottle of water nearby to stay hydrated while you work up a sweat, what next?

Try a few beginner moves if it’s your first foray into yoga. The first is the cat/cow, with hands and knees firmly planted on the floor, while you arch your back, keeping your arms straight - It’s great for spinal health, mobility and is easy to learn. The plank is also a simple move to practice that will build core strength. To round the short routine off, try a downward dog. It brings additional blood flow to the brain, increasing energy and reducing stress.

However, if you’re looking for some guidance or to feel part of a community, there’s an abundance of online classes here at Dragonfly. We offer easy to follow, at-home workouts led by experienced trainers, and the yoga sessions that are comprised of bodyweight moves and practicing breath work.

Joining an online community via live streams or Facebook groups, such as Dragonfly’s are another way to participate in a class from the comfort of your living room, you can join before you sit down to work, on your lunch break, and once your workday is over with, accompanied remotely by hundreds of others tuning in too, while still going at your own pace.

Don’t be too hard on yourself if you’re new to practice. Yoga is as much to do about being present and therefore doing what feels good for that exact moment. Try and tune into what feels good for you immediately, versus what you think you ‘should’ be doing that day.

And remember, Dragonfly is here to support you on your yoga journey both now whilst your at home, and when this is all over, back in the studio with the rest of your online community.

How yoga can help bring calm to today's chaos

With everything going on today, it’s easy to be stressed out and overwhelmed especially when you are forced to stay inside. Remember, yoga is a great way to release stress and anxiety. We know that you all would much rather be joining us in the studio but until we can meet again, here is a friendly reminder to seek the benefits of yoga to help you through this period.

Breathe Deep

Tensions are running high, but yoga can help restore some much-needed peace.  

As the effects of the coronavirus pandemic continue to grow and ripple into every area of life, we are all having to cope with the stress. From legitimate fears for vulnerable loved ones, to uncertainty about job security and finances. Even popping to the supermarket has become an fueled nightmare. 

But we are in this for the long haul and as more people fall ill, it is likely the changes to our lives will continue to increase. And we need to find ways to cope. Existing with constant anxiety is mentally and physically draining, and not good for our long-term health. Yoga and mindfulness techniques can be really helpful in calming your nervous system and helping to centre your emotions. 

Being mindful

The best way to stay calm is to connect with your breath. As soon we connect with our breath, we calm our nervous system and shift it from the so-called sympathetic nervous system (flight or fight) to the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest), focusing on the exhale is particularly good for soothing the nervous system, as it feels grounding and releasing. To quickly calm yourself, try lengthening your exhale – inhaling for a count of four, exhaling for eight.

It’s so easy to get stuck in the negatives – the frustration of empty shelves, the pain of not seeing our loved ones, our financial worries, but there is still so much that is good in our lives. Give thanks for the food on your table, the person who delivered it to your door, your online communities, your child’s smile, your cat or dog, Netflix! Above all, remember that today may not be perfect, but it is a gift that you’ll never get back. 

Stay connected

Being active has an incredible calming effect, try to get on a yoga mat – even if it’s only for twenty minutes.  Moving with your breath, through an asana (physical postures) practice is very powerful too, as again it takes you out of your head and your worries, anchoring you in the here-and-now. Try balancing poses like Tree Pose – it’s very hard to think about anything else when you’re standing on one leg.

On a physical level, yoga has numerous health benefits, including increased strength and flexibility. As many of us are working from home, we may feel increased aches and pains being brought about by unsuitable workspaces. A restorative practice can be the perfect way to help heal your body after a day hunched over a laptop on a dining room table. 

Joining in with online classes can also be very beneficial. Not only will you have the physical and mental benefits that yoga practice brings, but a connection to a wider community. By reaching the mat at the same time as others you come to feel less isolated, part of a community and give yourself a timetable to adhere to can make your days seem more purposeful, in a time when many of us feel adrift. 

Sunday 26 April anxiety specialist and yoga teacher, Dr Xenia Pestova Bennett, will be having a Befriending Anxiety Workshop. This workshop will allow you to take stock, address anxiety and rebalance. Sign up for her class by clicking here.