Finding Your Dosha

Ever wondered why you are attracted to a style of Yoga? It might be your dosha! What is a dosha?

Yoga is key for our mind, body, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.  Ayurvedic medicine is  sister to Yoga and from the five elements three dosha's are formed.  They are Vata (air), Pitta (fire) and Kapha (earth and water). They form physical, mental  and emotional characteristics. You are born with a dosha for your mind and for your body.

Your temperment is a good indicator to your dosha, for example if you are lively and enthusiastic by nature and like to change you may be Vata, if you are purposeful and intense and like to convince you may be Pitta and if you are easy going and like to support you may be Kapha. You may be a combination of the dosha's.  If you want to find out more click through this link for the Deepak Chopra Quiz.

Like any super power they are best used for good and not evil! If they become out of balance we can head towards the more negative aspects. To keep them in balance is not always instinctive as we tend towards what can make us more. For example you might be very attracted to dynamic Yoga, perfect.  The watch out is if you find yourself going from dynamic, enthusiastic and kind into aggressive, elbowing your way into class, sighing heavily and snarling at the person who took 'your spot'! time in a restorative class or a more meditative class would help to restore lovely you. If you are cerebral by nature and more sedentary then try Ashtanga and Flow, the dynamic classes will help to energise you. So when you next book into your weekly classes, book into what you love and need!

Get to Know Camyogi: Jessica Ashby

Name: Jessica Ashby

Age:  21

Occupation: Unemployed

What brought you to yoga?

A friend suggested I tired yoga as a way to deal with stress and just improve my general wellbeing.  My previous job meant that I was always stressed, exhausted and had left me with little motivation to do anything.  I could never have anticipated the positive impact that coming to yoga would have on my life.  It has given a real sense of self-worth, as well as the courage to make some drastic changes to my lifestyle.

What do you do when you are not doing yoga?

Anything creative! I’m always drawing and I try to carry my camera with me everywhere.  I enjoy travelling and meeting new people, but I also spend a lot of time with my family.

What is your favourite yoga pose and why?

I don’t think I’ve been coming to yoga long enough to have a favourite pose but I enjoy most of the standing balances I have tried so far.  I feel like they really connect my mind and body.  If I begin to wobble it’s usually because my mind has started to wander.  As soon as I bring complete focus back to the pose I see a real improvement.

What is your least favourite yoga pose and why?

Equally, I don’t think I have a least favourite pose although I do find poses like Dolphin Plank (not sure if that’s the correct name) very challenging.  I definitely need to work on strengthening my core!

What is one quality you have taken off the mat and incorporated into your daily life?

Not to compare myself to others.  I have often judged myself and my abilities against the success of others, and for me that usually induces feelings of resentment and inadequacy.  It became clear to me from my first yoga lesson that yoga is about finding what is right for you, and that principle can be applied to any aspect of life.  There is no point looking to the person on the mat next to you and thinking ‘I wish I was that flexible and strong.’  Equally there is no point in looking to your next door neighbour and thinking ‘I wish I had a big house and an expensive car.’  It is far more productive to focus your energy into being the best version of yourself that you can be, whether that is on the mat or just going about your daily life.

An interesting fact about Jessica that you may not know is… I have a terrible fear of flying!

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Name: louise lloyd Age: 41 Hometown: cambridge Training Background: BWY Foundation Course with Tara Fraser. BSY teaching diploma. Camyoga teaching diploma. (Distinction Ed.) How long have you practiced yoga? 10 years

One Yoga Philosophy that means a great deal to you and why?

Mmmm hard to choose one, I would say that both satya (truth) and ahimsa (non harm) are both something that we could all spend our entire lives learning. If we all worked on just those two the world would be a far better place.

What brought you to yoga? 

Crazy as it sounds, I used to meditate regularly and around 2002 every time I sat to meditate I just kept getting 'teach yoga.' After quite a bit of resistance, and the fact i didn't even practice asana at that time, I eventually gave in and went to my first yoga class and here I am!

What does teaching on the Foundation and Diploma course mean to you?

I love teaching on these days.  Seeing students deepen their own enquiry into yoga is so inspiring whether they are doing the courses for their own interest or to go on to be amazing teachers.

What do you do when you are not doing yoga?

I love spending time with family and friends - usually involving eating nice food and drinking nice wine. I also love being outside, occasionally running (have entered the cambridge half marathon so better be a bit more regular now!) and I have just come back from skiing which I really loved!

What is your favourite yoga pose and why?

Ardha Chandrasana - I love the feeling of being grounded, centered and open and in this pose I feel all of these and truly expanded beyond the physical body.

What is your least favourite yoga pose and why?

I can honestly say I don't have a least favourite pose - there are loads of poses I can't do myself but I get to enjoy them anyway by seeing students practice them with ease.

What is one quality you have taken off the mat and incorporated into your daily life?

Self enquiry - the more I learn about myself the more I can make better choices to become more loving, open and generous. I try to see my own insecurities in life where I may act from a place of fear rather than love - it is a working progress of course! ;-)

An interesting fact about Louise that you may not know is…

Before yoga I rode horses for a living and hold my HGV driving licence as I used to drive a 40ft horse box to competitions - this skill definitely helps parking in the central centre's carpark!

As well as classes and teaching on the Diploma and Foundation Courses Louise also leads workshops and retreats for Camyoga

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Yoga Stops Traffic Videos

Did you miss the global event, Yoga Stops Traffic?  Take a peak at the Camyoga students doing their part in 108 sun salutations.  We raised money for the charity, Odanadi Seva Trust in an effort to stop human trafficking in India.  Thank you to all who donated money, time, and sweat.

http://youtu.be/0AReriHdBpU

http://youtu.be/PgmvVFwQNfw

http://youtu.be/gUctt1zOXEc

Help us put an end to human trafficking in India with the global event, Yoga Stops Traffick.  All monies donated go to the Obanadi Seva Trust. Camyoga is one of many studios around world that will be partaking in this event.  Unroll your mat and join in 108 sun salutations to raise money and awareness. The event kicks off at 2pm and you can join in or just come and watch or donate.  All are welcome. Check out some pictures of the preparations in Mysore.  The salutations will be led by Obanadi residents at the Mysore Palace:

Salute the sun ashtanga style.  Howard demos this key piece of many yoga practices. Having a hard time taking flight?  Look back at some past videos on jumping with Howard. Looking for modifications and conditioning for the salutations?  Check out Louise Lloyd's 4 part video series in the videos section of our blog.  Happy practicing! http://youtu.be/dg4MFHcGLDU

The long awaited full jumback video with Howard. http://youtu.be/WD81UJM3iqw

The long awaited full jumback video with Howard. http://youtu.be/WD81UJM3iqw

The long awaited full jumback video with Howard. http://youtu.be/WD81UJM3iqw

The long awaited full jumback video with Howard. http://youtu.be/WD81UJM3iqw

The long awaited full jumback video with Howard. http://youtu.be/WD81UJM3iqw

Does your jump back still elude you? Find your lift first and the legs will follow.  Howard demonstrates a technique and exercise to practice in order to gain the tools for a successful jump back. Jump backs are a staple of ashtanga and can be incorporated into your flow practice as well. Don't forget, yoga is...

"99% Practice - 1% Theory"

- Sri K. Pattabhi Jois

http://youtu.be/PnQ34thI4II

In previous posts and videos, Louise Lloyd has shown us some modifications to safely transition through parts of the sun salutation.  You were warned about the dreaded cobra dog and how it is to be avoided.  You were shown exercises to condition and strengthen the body by lowering slowly to floor. Now, as you can tell from the title of this post, we go the distance.

In part of 4 of Louise's Sun Salutation video series we take a closer look at lowering into chaturanga, inhaling into upward facing dog, and exhaling into downward facing dog.  Since we haven't covered jumping back, the video starts by lowering from a plank position.  When jumping back, it is advisable to land in chaturanga (rather than plank) to keep your shoulders safe and injury free.

The strength required to safely transition through your sun salutation requires regular yoga practice.  Be sure to look back at the previous videos in this series for tips on modifying and building strength.

Happy practicing!

http://youtu.be/bp4UokwlrVU

If we take care during the transitions of our yoga practice we will limit injury and increase benefit.  In Louise Lloyd's previous video, we differentiated cobra and updog (beware the dreaded cobra dog!)  Here, Louise talks us through the transitions in and out of cobra during the sun salutation. How we move in and out of a pose has to do with control and mindfulness. Stay tuned for her video on the updog transition. http://youtu.be/bU-O-Nnc8zA

Cobra (bhujangasana) and updog (urdhva mukha svanasana) are two distinct postures.  A blurring of the line between these two poses might be uncomfortable for the low back or shoulders. Also, learning to move with intention and precision will keep you present in your body. In the second of Louise Lloyd's sun salutation series, she covers the key differences between the two poses.  Cobra and updog both look and feel different.

Don't be caught in the cobra dog pose!  Check out more in this video

Stay tuned for more videos on the transitions in and out of these two poses.

http://youtu.be/yf8ZgtpyJKs