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2016 has greeted us, so far wet, windy and mild. At this time of year I like to review the previous year and think of aims for the following year. Creating resolutions is fun! Of course trying to stick to them or transform the 10 year old resolution into reality is something else. This year I plan to do what I did last year – make my resolutions, and then completely ignore them for the next year. Then 2017 comes I will have a good laugh at my intentions, I find humour is the best way to deal with shortcomings. There is nothing like a good laugh at naivety, what didn’t go to plan and misplaced vigour. Letting go of my expectations to have succeeded, and to achieve goals in the future clears me. Then I can be honestly grateful for the year and all it has brought. Health, love, friendship, food, a beautiful world with beautiful people, leaves blowing in the wind, shards of sunlight and more. Wishing you the feeling of being truly alive for 2016.

Hayley Price brought the concept of muscles acting like elastic bands at a recent up at  yoga workshop. She was describing how when muscles are stretched too strongly they will snap back like an elastic band, and tighten. I really enjoyed thinking about this concept and would like to take it a bit further.

If you stretch to your very limits you will increase or maintain your range of movement, and you will also make your muscles harder. Like the the elastic band that gets pulled and pulled and pulled, and ends up looking a little deflated and wan.

If you think of an old elastic band, how it wont snap back or ping away – but break. The muscles in young bodies are full of elastin and collagen which makes them very flexible and easily able to adapt to changes. As we age our muscles are literally less elastic, and a bit more stringy. Lovely to imagine isnt it! The muscles may be long and flexible or short and strong, but the muscle fibres become less adaptive.

Im a great believer that one size does not fit all. Younger bodies are different to older bodies, muscles vary in their type whether they’re tighter or looser, and not one sort of yoga is going to suit all people. Ashtanga yoga was initially devised for army training in India, it’s great for fit strong young bodies with boundless energy.

How you relate to your body and what you ask it to do is important. I have been to many yoga classes where the main aim seems to be to move a lot, to come out tired and to be ‘buzzed up’. I have been to yoga classes that seem intent on bashing the body into submission with a ‘no pain no gain’ attitude. These classes are valuable for physical fitness, but for me they’re not yoga. Yoga is about enjoying being m=in my body. I might strengthen or focus on flexibility or alignment – but for me – if it doesn’t feel good: its not yoga. I was in a class not so long ago where the teacher kept telling us what hard work wer were doing, and to keep going, keep going. This might have been excellent advice for some but it was not helpful to me on that day.

Im not suggesting the moment your boy gets a bit tired you should go watch tv on the sofa, but I am suggesting that when you’re in a class and you feel like you’re not good enough, that you’re being told off, criticised, or that you cannot enjoy each moment – then that class is not right for you at that moment.

This remind me of of one of my funniest yoga moments – a teacher training taster day. So its a room of people who think they want to become a yoga teacher. A yoga teacher tells us to forward bend and then goes around the room telling us we’re lying to ourselves about what we can do. This teacher traversed the room telling people off, being very judgemental about our physical poses, our mental attitude and seemed to be implying that the relationship on this course would be ‘the one who knows and the one who doesn’t’. Needless to say I didnt do that teacher training. This relates to every class I teach too, it was one of the best teachings: if you dont like something, if you’re not sure or it doesnt feel good then you must listen to yourself before me – always.

Bhudda said the same:

‘Believe nothing, no matter where you read it or who has said it, not even if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense’

…So back to elastic bands

• If your elastic band body is stretchy – enjoy, explore
• If your elastic band body is feeling a bit stretched out – go easy
• If your elastic band body has broken in the past and been reknotted – be really kind

…and if your elastic band mind just doesn’t enjoy something – do the best yoga in the world and ignore your teacher.

Stress is the experiences where there seems to much to do, not enough time, not enough clarity, not enough ‘you’ and everything feels out of control.

Your body’s stress reaction was meant to protect you. But when it’s constantly on alert, your health can pay the price.
It puts you at increased risk of numerous health problems, including:

• Heart disease
• Sleep problems
• Digestive problems
• Depression
• Obesity
• Memory impairment
• Worsening of skin conditions, such as eczema

So how can yoga help?

1. Yoga helps you focus and exercise your breathing. Good breathing is fundamental and affects the way you experience day to day moments. When you practice and allow your breathing to lengthen and become smoother you will feel more balanced and ‘in control’. Start conscious breathing today
2. Yoga helps you find your feet – literally! When your feet are steady on the ground you will feel more grounded. In class we do exercises to help posture and feet to help you find your place in the world. Get your feet active and feel the floor beneath your soles.
3. Yoga gives you wings. Sometimes we need to feel good in our bodies and see the bigger picture. Through practicing yoga you will find your body feeling more supply and comfortable, and then in relaxation you get a welcome break from the ups and downs of the day. Get on your mat and then dont forget to relax at the end!

All of us suffer from stress, and stress in manageable does is really good for you. So try to find a place where you can welcome your arms to a bit of challenge, and know when to take some well deserved time out.

Image courtesy of ‘Nutdanai Apikhomboonwaroot’ freedigitaimages.net

Get your feet on the ground

Place your feet on the ground, now imagine your toes are softly lengthened along teh floor as the body of your foot gets really strong. You can imagine the torso of your foot is getting a bit shorter as you draw the balls of your feet towards your heels. You can get the same effect more gently by just lifting your toes. See how your arch lifts.

Lift your diaphragm

Leave your shoulders relaxed and try to lift your diaphragm further away from the floor. You can place your hand on the soft area just below where your ribs meet to remind you. Lift upwards from here so your torso lengthens.

Release your shoulders

This direction sounds so simple, but can be tricky. Imagine you are squeezing your upper arms down lower towards the floor – this will stretch your shoulders downwards. You may feel a stretch around your shoulders and neck, remember to go gently and firmly to help your muscles release.

Soften your ribs

Can you keep all that work you’ve done and now feel that the front of your ribs can soften back towards your spine without loosing any length in the body or upper chest. You will feel your abdominals working to do this if the movement is not natural for you. So you get 2 benefits in one!

Breathe!

The most important off all. When your breathing is comfortable and full you are energising and cleansing your body with each breath. Find a way to do you that allows your breathing to remain steady and smooth, and if it doesnt ‘go easier’. If your breathing feels a bit dull or lifeless work just a little bit harder so it perks you up.

Yoga is all about finding balance and refining harmony within your body and within your life. Enjoy your yoga: explore, play and feel with the directions above and see where it takes you

Image courtesy of ‘Chaiwat’ freedigitaimages.net