Mundane Monday Morning. Mondays don’t have to feel rubbish, but sometimes that slightly damp feeling you get come Monday morning just rains on your Sunday parade.

That’s how I felt today, anyway, but instead of wallowing all day I went to Yoga Open at 1:00pm.

The class was led by the gracious and inviting Meredith Gunderson, and as I left the studio, having finished the class, my whole spirits had been lifted.

“Rise up to the day!” Meredith chanted as we moved through different asanas – even in the first 2 minutes, I could feel myself exhaling that mellow mundane feeling, and inhaling a feeling of brightness, a feeling of excitement about the week ahead and the opportunites there are to take.

Different postures were peacefully introduced to us, whilst that ‘mini yogi posture checklist’ was ticked off with the help of the gentle reminders to keep tailbones down, sternums up to see the sun.

The Yoga Open class follows a classic Hatha style of yoga, which allows all ages and abilities to come, pop their leggings on and de-stress – yogi style! Teachers vary, so all classes will be a little different, but generally Hatha yoga is like a warming mug of hot chocolate: it’s calming and feels wonderful (unlike hot chocolate, it doesn’t contain chocolate but you can grab a cacao smoothie on the way out if you’re feeling frisky)!

So come, de-stress, rid of those unwelcome feelings and get your Hatha on. You can view the class schedule here

If you're looking for some veggie inspiration, look no further. Alice Kabala, the Chef at Great Shelford and food blogger, creates delicious, seasonal and healthy recipes. Feeling fancy and want to get in the kitchen? Check out her blog at Thoughtful Forkfuls. Haven't got the time but have a growling stomach? Come to the Great Shelford studio to try a super yummy meal. Carry on reading for a quick insight into Alice... What inspired you to become vegan?

A: I’ve been a vegetarian since I was about 6 or 7, and then when I moved out from home I started thinking more about the sort of impact that our diets have on animals, the planet, and different people. Vegetarianism started to make less sense to me because animals are still intensively farmed for the dairy and egg industry, and if I wanted to be an ambassador for animals and think of animal welfare, then I thought that I should go completely vegan. I also studied environmental science at university so that allowed me to become more aware about food sustainability and food security, and again choosing a lower impact dietary choice on the planet just seemed to make sense to me. It’s the amount of meat that we are eating all over the world that isn’t sustainable, and anyway which we can all help individually is very important.

What does a typical day, food wise, look like for you?

A: I snack quite a lot and frequently so I eat smaller amounts. Also, because I’m in the kitchen, I’m often tasting throughout the morning so when I get to lunch I’m not starving hungry. I usually start the day in Winter with porridge, but I’m feeling less like that now. I’ve actually started to become a green smoothie person which I never thought would happen but I like to throw in nuts, oats, different fruits, chia seeds, mint – different things just to make it more exciting. I will tend to choose healthy snacks, like carrots and hummus, dried fruit, those kinds of things. For lunch I will eat soup or a salad, whatever I’m making that day, and then for dinner again just something that’s different to the other meals I’ve had because I try quite hard to have a varied diet, so things like curry, stir-fry, fajita wraps, all different kinds of things.

Do you have any foodie inspirations?

A: I like Yotam Ottolenghi - he has some really interesting recipes for vegetarians and vegans. I generally admire and respect all of the big foodies out there who are advocating a more plant based diet. I think they’re very important in terms of glamourising veganism. Someone like Jamie Oliver who’s done loads of work with school meals and factory farming helps to raise awareness of these issues - whilst also being a very likeable character it really helps in terms of getting that message out there. In terms of specifically vegan chefs, I tend to use a lot of food blogs – sometimes the best recipes are from people who aren’t well known, but who have just set up a free blog.

What’s your go-to comfort food?

A: I like things in tortilla wraps, like falafel and hummus wraps or just beans and guacamole, because it reminds me of street food and being at festivals and I really love that way of eating. It’s messy and fun and good for a group of people for a more casual setting.

How did you come to work at Camyoga?

A: I was still finishing my degree and I was looking into what career I might go into and I originally wanted to stay within the field of food sustainability, but my main passion was cooking and I thought it would be great if I could do this for a living, whilst promoting a more sustainable way of eating if you’re cooking and people are enjoying it. So I just looked for job adverts online and found this one. I didn’t think there was a chance of getting it because I hadn’t had any professional kitchen experience but I applied, bought some falafels to the interview which went down well and I got the job.

Have you got anything you’d like to add to the menu in the future?

A: Not specifically, but I do like to challenge myself and try new things. I don’t tend to plan as such, I like to cook with the seasons, for example getting a vegetable box with the best veggies from that week locally, and being forced to create something with just those ingredients. We have these herbs that one of our clients brings in and they change weekly so we don’t know what we’re going to get. It’s nice to think, oh wow, we’ve got this so I’ll make that, and that sort of thing.

What makes you happy?

A: Listening to music, eating food, and being with the people I love of course.

I don’t know about you, but I love how yoga gives me freedom. A flow style yoga class gives me that sweet freedom whilst making me feel invincible. Yoga Flow Open class glided me through (hopefully) gracefully and freely.

The Yoga Flow Open classes rotate teachers, which means it’s refreshing and reviving each time. The class gently allows individuals to move at their own pace, find their natural movement and range of mobility – with the use of props and modifications, you can devise a gentle and calming practice OR a more invigorating, heated practice.

It was a scorching hot day, but the natural movement of air in the studio combined with some cooling style of breathing allowed my previous stress from the morning to melt away slowly.

The class I went to was instructed by Laura Hughes who led the class beautifully, making sure if anyone had any injuries that she needed to be notified of. I’m pretty sure all yoga teachers are lovely, but at Camyoga there is a real sense of genuine interest and passion for yoga which leads the students to feel the embrace of trust much easier in a class.

The class focused mostly on the key, essential asanas of a yoga flow, and having a teacher there to remind you of the “mini yogi posture checklist”, as I like to call it, (stuff like navel drawn in, tailbone down, etc) is super helpful as it really helps you to move deeper into your practice. We also focused quite a lot on different Mudras (hand gestures) that had different benefits and feelings attached which further helped to deepen the entire practice. If you’re more into a solely stretching style class, this one may not be for you but I encourage you to try it as it lifts your spirits and feels exhilarative as you twist, glide and rock your way through the hour.

Overall, I loved this style of class – the flow followed by some gentle seated postures was the perfect afternoon pick me up, so if you’re feeling like you want a lively lunch hour, bring a packed lunch and go flow-ga!

We all know that vegetables are great. And we all know we need to eat more of them, but there are only so many salads you can munch on in a day and so many carrot sticks you’re willing to chomp on – so how can you get more vegetable goodness into your daily diet enjoyably and easily? Even if you are a plant based powerhouse yourself, maybe you know someone who needs a little convincing before they join the veggie tribe, or maybe you have a child who will not eat anything green. Here are 5 ways to sneak more veggies into your diet without you even noticing!

                              

Don't fancy cooking yourself? Our Chef Alice makes fresh dishes every day, so you can simply pop in for something yummy and even take it with you if you're in a hurry!

Yoga teaches us to calm the mind, and draw our attention inwards. In return, we get paid through the amazing feelings of energy, gratitude, self-love, peace and other pretty great thoughts and feelings (uhh, not to mention strong lean yoga machine bodies). But it takes hard work, dedication and devotion to your practice and I have decided: I’m Esh, sixteen years old and so ready to surrender to the gorgeous practice of Yoga. So here's my journey to becoming a yogi. Wearily, I stepped into the studio ready for my first Iyengar Yoga class. At Camyoga, there is a massive variety of classes to suit everyone, and the best thing is to try a little bit of everything and stick with the ones that move and groove how you like. Coming from a self-confessed Vinyasa-flow-freak, Iyengar Yoga was pretty different, but wonderful.

At the beginning, you take your props (e.g. blocks, pillow and chair) and take a relaxation however you like (for example, laying in reclined Baddha Konasana). This instantly helps you to rid of your inhibitions, and open up to the practice. The props help to deepen and further the practice, and as I walked out I could feel my tailbone tucking down, sternum lifting up – it’s a feeling of openness, not just in your body but also in your mind as you feel more free. Even drinking my mango smoothie afterwards felt different!

Iyengar yoga not only can ease your daily life (for example, if you fancy doing a yogi squat in the middle of Parker’s Piece, you may find yourself sinking into it happily) but also your own yoga practice (in a fast paced yoga flow class, injuries will be prevented because you now know the best alignment). It can be suited to everyone and help improve whatever you do for a living or how you go about your day.

So whether you’re a Jivamukti junkie or an Ashtanga addict, I can safely say give Iyengar a try to further your knowledge and precision of alignment.

It's been a while but I've finally got the spiralizer back out of the cupboard! We have had an abundance of herbs delivered by one of our very generous clients today, and I decided to use them in my favourite way: pesto. Using courgette instead of pasta is great if you're cutting out gluten from your diet, or even if you just fancy a lighter alternative to the Italian staple. If you don't have a spiralizer, you can create flat courgette noodles by using a vegetable peeler and just peeling off strips off the courgette. The mint, almond and sun-dried tomato pesto might seem quite thick, but as you start to combine it with the courgette, moisture is released from the vegetable so you don't want the mint, almond and sun-dried tomato pesto any runnier or it'll become too wet. In this vein, it's important to dress the courgettes noodles just before serving as it doesn't keep well at all and if it sits for too long, you will end up with a pile of water at the bottom of your bowl!

For a more substantial dish, the pesto works wonderfully served hot with real spaghetti. I would use 300g spaghetti for this amount of pesto, and combine it with around 400ml of the cooking water from the pasta to loosen up the sauce a bit. For some greens, 300g peas instead of the tomatoes is always a winner with pesto and pasta.

Finally, feel free to play around with the ingredients. Pesto is a great way to use up any herbs you have lying around, and you could use any nut or seed (instead of almonds) and any citrus fruit (instead of lemon). For an Asian twist, you could use peanuts, coriander and lime, like in this quinoa recipe.

Serves 4 hungry people

Ingredients:

For the pesto:

60g almonds

60g sun-dried tomatoes (or 40g dried, re-hydrated with hot water and then drained after 20 minutes)

25g mint

Zest (2 tsp) and juice (75 ml) of 1 lemon

3 cloves of garlic

60g raisins

90g extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp dried chilli flakes

For the rest:

1200g courgette

300g cherry tomatoes

10g mint

Instructions:

• Pre-heat the oven to 170 degrees C. When hot, toast the almonds on a baking tray for 10 minutes and then remove.
• Whilst the almonds are toasting in the oven, it's time to spiralize! 1200g courgette makes around 900g of courgette noodles (or 'courgetti'), but hang on to the discarded bits- you can thrown them in a soup or grate them in to a salad.
• To make the pesto, simply blend all the ingredients in the food processor, wiping down the sides regularly. It takes a while to grind the almonds to a smooth paste so be patient.
• Chop the tomatoes in to quarters, and roughly chop the extra mint. Combine it all (with your hands!) in a big bowl until everything is incorporated. Enjoy!

Contrary to belief, Yoga is not just about flexibility and postures. Chanting and mantra recitation have accompanied yoga practices for thousands of years. So, what benefits can chanting bring?

• Your energy increases and your mind becomes sharper
• A study by Dr Alan Watkins [senior lecturer in neuroscience at Imperial College London] showed that while chanting, our blood pressure and heart rate drop to its lowest in the day. Doctors say that even listening to chants normalises brain wave patterns, adrenalin levels and lowers cholesterol levels.
• You feel vibrant and flowing with creative ideas
• You gradually become more in tune with every thing in life
• Neuro-scientist Marian Diamond from the University of California found that chanting helps block the release of stress hormones and increases immune function. It also keeps our muscles and joints flexible for a long time
• Chanting can build your confidence and releases your inhibitions
• Chanting is fun, easy and always available to you (and hey, it’s free!)
• Using chants as part of our exercise regimen, helps facilitate movement and flow of the body during exercise
• Chanting removes blocks and connects us directly to the heart, leading us to experience a natural harmony with the world around us

The overall experience is like a meditation with voice. You will leave feeling free, energized, uplifted and joyful for the day, week or weekend ahead.

If you're keen to give it a go, why not try one of our chanting workshops this June, there are three to choose from. Maybe you'll even become addicted and want to take them all :-)

Nada Yoga - the yoga of sound Kirtan! Chanting from the heart  Chant Your Life! with Nikki Slade

It's National Cookie Day today, guys. As far as we're concerned, whoever came up with that concept deserves a medal. We felt we just had to share this yummy peanut-ginger-sesame cookies recipe with you. We admit this is not our own recipe, it's from one of our favourite vegan cookbook "Veganomicon", which you should totally check out if you're looking for delicious vegan recipes. Don't be put off by what looks like a long list, it's really straight-forward and these bad boys are totally worth it!

Here's what you need:

2 1/4 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup nonhydrogenated vegan shortening, softened

1/2 cup chunky peanut butter

1/4 cup brown rice syrup

1 1/4 cups sugar (plus additional sugar for rolling)

1/2 cup soy milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 ounces candied ginger, diced finely

1/3 cup each white and black sesame seeds (or just use 2/3 of one kind)

Here's how to do it:

- Preheat the oven to 175C, grease 2 cookie sheets

- Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon -> set aside

- Cream shortening (light and fluffy) with whisk, approx. 3 mins

- Add peanut butter, rice syrup, sugar, soy milk, and extracts -> continue beating until creamy (4-5 mins)

- Stir in flour mixture (with spatula or wooden spoon)

- Add chopped candied ginger -> stir until forms very firm dough (can use hands)

- Roll tablespoon of the dough into small balls

- Roll each ball in sesame seeds and a little sugar, place on cookie sheet (leave 1 1/2 inches between each cookie)

- Flatten balls slightly and bake for 10/11 mins (if you prefer them less chewy and firmer, bake for 14 mins)

- Remove from oven, cool and finally: hide from the cookie monster!!!

Enjoy!!! Love to here your feedback on these. Give them a go :-)

  Feeling confused about BARRE classes?

Here's a list of our top 6 misconceptions of barre classes:

1.) I don’t have any dance experience, so it will be difficult to keep up in barre classes.

2.) Barre is basically ballet and is only for women.

3.) Barre doesn’t give you any type of cardio workout, so what’s the point? I can simply stretch at home!

4.) Barre classes are hard and you need to get in shape beforehand.

5.) I have to be super flexible to take a barre class.

6.) I will have to buy ballet shoes.

            

So, what is BARRE?

So, the good news is: you don't need ballet shoes, don't need to be super flexible and you really don't need any dance experience!

BarreConcept is a low impact, total body workout performed at a ballet barre that will appeal to everyone. Small isometric contractions are performed and integrated with an interval training approach that improves cardiovascular fitness.

Posture, flexibility, stamina and core strength improve, resulting in a body that is realigned, rebalanced and works harmoniously and efficiently.

At CAMYOGA our barre classes are suitable for everyone as various modifications are given to suit the abilities of all students, so just come along and give it a go!

Click here to book and see our barre class schedule to find out when it’s next on.

Serves 4

This quinoa salad is a great one-pot meal, which transports really well and could be a great dish to take to work for lunch. The inclusion of tofu, peanuts, cashew nuts and quinoa makes it a real high-protein meal which will certainly keep you going all afternoon. Try and get British-grown quinoa if you can, and use whatever vegetables are in season. I've used pak choi and carrots, but asparagus, spring greens or kale would all work really nicely here too. If you're short of time, you could just throw in some raw vegetables instead of cooked and if you have leftover rice or noodles, the dressing also works well with those instead of quinoa. I've also used the coconut milk from a carton rather than a can, which is just a less concentrated form of coconut. If you only have the canned variety, you could use half canned coconut milk, and half water.

Ingredients:

250g quinoa

450g tofu

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp tamari soya sauce

250g carrots

100g pak choi (or any greens)

60g fresh coriander

60g peanut butter

60ml coconut milk (I use Alpro coconut milk from the carton)

2 cloves of garlic

Zest and juice of 1 lime (I just peel the zest off with a grater)

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp chilli flakes

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1 tbsp agave (or any liquid sweetener)

Instructions:

• Cook the quinoa according to packet instructions. I use 250g quinoa to 375ml water and a pinch of salt. I steam the quinoa on a low heat for about 15 minutes until the quinoa has soaked up all the water. Then, in a colander,  run the quinoa under cold water until it is cool.
• For the tofu, pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees C. Slice the block of tofu in to slabs around 1cm thick and place on a baking tray. Smother with the vegetable oil and tamari, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Place in the oven and bake for around 30-45 minutes, until it is beginning to develop a crispy exterior. Remove from the oven, allow to cool and cut in to bite size chunks.
• For the vegetables, cut the carrots in to chunks and roughly chop the pak choi. I tend to cook these together, with the carrots boiling in some hot water in a pan for around 10 minutes and the pak choi steaming in a sieve above the carrots, with the saucepan lid tightly on. This way, both vegetables are cooked together, and are just tender at the same time. Like you did with the quinoa, drain the vegetables and run under cold water until they are cool; this will halt the cooking process.
• For the dressing,  I use a food processor to whiz up the coriander, peanut butter, coconut milk, garlic, lime zest and juice, salt, chilli flakes, pepper and agave until a smooth consistency if formed.
• Finally, combine all the ingredients. I use my hands to incorporate the quinoa, tofu, vegetables and dressing to make sure everything is mixed in.
• Garnish with roasted cashew nuts, lots of chopped coriander, extra chilli flakes (if you want) and a wedge of lime.

Travelling can be extremely stressful at times, can’t it? By the time you’ve packed, sorted out all your documents, itinerary, accommodation, found someone to look after your pets and water your plants, and finally rushed to the airport (fingers crossed there’s no traffic!)… here you are, about to embark on your trip. Not exactly a stress-free way to start a day or holiday, let alone a business trip. And, by this time, you haven’t even had to deal with check-in queues, security, passport control and sitting in cramped seats for hours. Given how exhausting air travel can be, it seems obvious why more and more airports are taking to the idea of airport yoga with a dedicated space. After all, yoga is known to be relaxing. There are several good reasons why airport yoga is a great idea, here’s a list of a few:

• The muscle stretching encouraged by yoga postures is a good way to cool down after walking, or other aerobic conditioning, while deep breathing and meditation also help;
• It can help manage stress;
• Space devoted to relaxation allows you to take time to unwind and stretch before and between flights and enjoy a calm, quiet space;
• It gets your circulation going after remaining inactive during long flights;
• Last, but not least, yoga not only benefits your body but also your mind.

If you are already into yoga or thinking of taking it up as a practice, you may be interested to know that recent studies published by the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology also indicate that continuous yoga practice lowers heart disease risk as much as conventional exercise, which, in turn, lowers cholesterol. This way you can keep up your practice even when travelling, so what’s not to love?

Furthermore, Statistics Canada estimates that the number of global yoga practitioners is as high as 250 million, with 2.5 million in the UK alone. With such high numbers, many argue that if smokers have their own designated area, why shouldn’t yogis?

So, which airports offer these yoga rooms? This is a brief, and by no means comprehensive, list but it will give you a bit of an overview.

SFO International Airport San Francisco, California Terminal 2 This is the world's first airport yoga room.

DFW International Airport Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas Hallway between Terminal B and D

BTV International Airport Burlington, Vermont Level Two

ABQ International Sunport Albuquerque, New Mexico Level One

RDU International Airport Morrisville, North Carolina Terminal 2

HEL International Airport Helsinki, Finland ORD Chicago O’Hare International Airport Chicago, Illinois Mezzanine Level of the Terminal 3 Rotunda; near the Urban Garden

LHR London Heathrow Airport London, UK (coming soon)

Tip: if your airport doesn’t offer a yoga room, you can still benefit from some mindfulness. Simply download the Head Space, Insight Timer or Happiness App (just to name a few; there are many more out there).

Safe travels!

This recipe is a more interesting take on the standard 'vegan option'; the risotto. I've tweaked it to make it a little bit healthier by using brown rice instead of arborio, and the addition of coconut milk and peanut butter make it taste luxurious and rich, despite the distinct lack of butter and cheese! Going even more off-piste, this brown rice risotto contains loads of great flavourings from various tropical regions: lemon grass, ginger, chilli and fresh coriander give it a great burst of freshness and spice which means that this is far from boring vegan fare. I've used sweet potato, parsnip and kale here, but feel free to use whatever vegetables you fancy, or whatever is in season. It may look like a long list of ingredients and a lot of steps but trust me, it's worth it. This is the perfect meal to impress friends or family when they come round for dinner!

Ingredients:

1 small sweet potato (around 400g)

1 parsnip

100g kale

400g block of tofu

2 tbsp coconut oil

1 red onion

3 garlic cloves

1 red jalapeno chilli (seeds removed)

25g fresh ginger

2 stalks of lemongrass

1/2 tbsp cumin seeds

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

250g brown rice

800ml vegetable stock (I use bouillon powder)

50g peanut butter

1 can of full-fat coconut milk

3 tbsp dark soy sauce (or tamari for a gluten-free version)

Zest and juice of 1 lime

20g fresh coriander, chopped

Instructions:

• Chop the sweet potato and parsnip in to small chunks and place in a roasting tin. Cover with a little coconut oil and roast for about 30-40 minutes in a 200 degree C oven, until tender and crisp.
• Slice the tofu in half length-ways and lay each rectangle in a roasting tin. Again, rub coconut oil and a bit of salt on to the tofu and roast in the same oven as the vegetables. The tofu will take about 45-60 minutes to get a nice crispy exterior. When it is done, cut in to bitesize chunks.
• Meanwhile, cook the kale. I choose to steam mine over a pan of boiling water until it is tender but still crisp; around 5 minutes of cooking time.
• In a large pan over a medium heat, warm the coconut oil. Chop the onion and fry in the coconut oil for about 5-10 minutes, until soft.
• Finely chop the garlic, chilli, ginger and lemongrass. I used a small food processor for speed and ease, but by hand is also fine.
• Add this mixture to the pan, along with the cumin seeds, salt and pepper and fry for a minute more.
• Then add the rice to the pan and begin to add the stock. Turn the heat to low but make sure the mixture is still at a simmer throughout. Like with a standard risotto, the aim here is to add the stock in small installments- adding a bit more each time it is absorbed by the rice- and stirring frequently.
• After you have used all the stock (this should take around 30-45 minutes), stir in the peanut butter, coconut milk, soy sauce, lime zest and juice, fresh coriander, roasted vegetables, kale and baked tofu pieces. Cook for around 5 more minutes.
• If the mixture is left to stand it will thicken up but don't worry, add a little more stock to loosen the mixture again.
• Serve with a handful of roasted peanuts on top and a crisp green side salad.

What is Mysore?

Mysore is the place in India where Sri K Pattabhi Jois taught and his grandson Sharath still teaches. For thousands of years yoga was taught from teacher to student, taking a student through his or her own development at an appropriate pace, this is how Pattabhi Jois taught the students from the West that first arrived at his Shala in the 1960s and 70s and is how students are still taught today in Mysore. Mysore yoga is a form of Ashtanga yoga

How is it different from a 'led' Ashtanga class?

In this style of class the student is able to practice at the pace appropriate for them.  It is not a led class where everyone is doing the

same thing at the same moment with verbal cues from the teacher at all times.  Everyone still does the same sequence of poses, but at his/her own pace.  This style of teaching allows students to receive more individual attention and physical adjustments from the teacher.

Do I have to be advanced, or can a beginner to Ashtanga or yoga attend?

Mysore is suitable for all levels of practitioner and can be very helpful for recent beginners because the student will receive individual help from the teacher.  Its almost like having a private lesson in a group setting.  Just coming along with an open mind and being receptive to the learning process is all you need to attend these classes

The more experienced students can practice independently with the teacher giving them assistance in the areas that they find most challenging, and for beginners more time is dedicated to giving them instruction on learning the sequence, they will be given a few postures at a time so that they can memorize them in the right order and they may repeat shorter sections of the sequence to help them remember it.  There are also some sheets of postures to refer to if needed.

Why is it slightly longer than other classes?

This class is slightly longer so that students can attend at any time which suits them, as long as you give yourself enough time to complete your practice including relaxation at the end. This could be as short as 30 mins or up to 2 (1.5?) hours.

What are the benefits of practising at Mysore style classes?

The student will receive more individual support from the teacher and can do their practice at the pace that works best for them. As the practitioner learns the sequence and becomes more independent it gives them the opportunity to cultivate a personal yoga practice that they can do at home or anywhere in the world. Instead of passively listening to a teacher or watching others the practitioner leans to find their own focus making it a more personal and meditative practice.

Ashtanga is traditionally a morning practice and all the classes in Mysore, India are in the morning and always have been. Practicing first thing in the day is a wonderful way to start your day!

Come try Mysore yoga yourself at Camyoga on a Tuesday and Thursday Mornings - book here

This is a great recipe to kick-start the New Year; it’s light, super-healthy and still uses the best of the vegetables that we have in season here in the UK. It is also very easy to make, especially if you own a food processer which can chop and grate the vegetables in a matter of seconds. It also happens to be vegan, gluten-free and raw! The richness of the tahini in this vegan salad works wonderfully with the sweetness of the apples and raisins, especially when offset by the sharp tanginess of the cider vinegar. I would serve this dish as part of a salad selection, perhaps with a quinoa salad, a dip and some protein. However, it’s also excellent as a crunchy side to a stew and rice, or combined with some falafel and homous inside a flatbread or tortilla wrap. The possibilities are endless!

One thing to note is that it doesn’t keep too well because the vegetables start to release water, and the taste deteriorates over time; I would suggest combining the dressing and the vegetables just before you intend to serve.

Ingredients

For the dressing:

70g tahini

60g cider vinegar

15g flat-leaf parsley (plus more to garnish)

2 small sweet apples (I used gala), cored and de-seeded

½ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

¼ tsp dried chilli flakes

For the salad:

225g celery

500g carrots

Half a red cabbage

150g raisins

Instructions

1. To prepare the dressing, use the small component of a food processer to whizz up all the ingredients. If you don’t own an electric mixer, grate the apple manually and whisk up all the ingredients in a bowl. The dressing is quite a stiff mixture; this is because the salt in it will encourage the vegetables to release moisture and if it were runnier, the whole dish would end up being too ‘wet’.
2. Grate (or use the grating attachment from a food processer) to grate the celery, carrots and cabbage.
3. Combine the dressing, the vegetables and the raisins in a large bowl. I find it easier to mix using my hands to make sure everything is incorporated.
4. Garnish with some springs of parsley for colour. Enjoy!

This is the most consistent chickpea curry recipe i have ever encountered - perfect every time!

Adapted from an original recipe from Sarah Brown

2 Onions 1-2 Chillies 1 Tbsp cumin powder 1 Tbsp coriander powder 4 Tbsp oil (olive or sunflower) 400g can tomatoes 1 Can chickpeas (or 250g cooked chickpeas) 1/2 cauliflower broken into small florets. 250 ml vegan veg stock 2 Tbsp chopped fresh coriander Lemon juice to taste (1/2 - 1 lemon) Salt and pepper

1. Place onions chillies, 1/2 - 1 tsp salt, pepper, cumin and coriander into food processor and blend with a little water to make a paste.

2. Fry the paste in the oil for about 10 mins on med heat, allow it to brown a little.

3. Add the tomatoes, chickpeas and stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 mins. Add the cauliflower and cook for a further 10-15 mins until cooked.

4. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Add the lemon to taste and coriander just before serving.

Serve this delicious chickpea curry with rice and pickles as a main dish, or as a side dish with any other curries.

I quite often double up the quantities as it keeps really well.

These vegan chocolate muffins are delicious! Excellent muffin texture, choc muffin with chocolate chips AND banana. What's not to love!

I tend to use cups for baking, these american style cups (don't be confused and use mugs) come in 1, 1/2, 1/3 and 1/4 sizes usually in a set of four. They are really quick and easy to us. If you don't have cups there is a really good conversion here

Most vegan baking uses a bowl of 'dry' and a bowl of 'wet' ingredients. The wet and dry are mixed separately first, then added together and mixed.

First the dry: 1 and 1/2 cups self raising flour 1/2 cup cocoa 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup sugar (any sugar you like) 1 cup vegan chocolate chips or broken chocolate

Then the wet: 1 cup mashed bananas (i use 2-4 depending on how many i have) 1/2 cup almond or soy milk 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/3 cup coconut oil

Hot to make:

Add the cider vinegar to the milk and set aside (it will curdle) Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl Mash the bananas and add to the coconut oil and vanilla extract. Then add the curdled milk/vinegar mix Add the wet to the dry and mix week. Add the chocolate chips and mix Put mix into 12 muffin cases (might make a duple of extra ones)

Bake for 20-25 minutes at 180C

Cool in the tin for 10 mins, then transfer to a wire rack still in their cases.

6 reasons why you should become a yoga teacher straight from the mouths of our Camyoga teachers

1 - You make a positive difference to other people’s lives

“What I love about teaching is to have the possibility to share knowledge and/or experience with other people so that they too might feel the benefits and happiness it gave me.” Jozef Wiewel

“i like the idea of helping people or influence them in a positive way” Hakan Aydin

2 - Become a yoga teacher - keep fit and healthy and it does not have a retirement age!

“It's probably the one and only job in the world which makes you healthier and happier the more you "work" (with no negative side-effects!)” Andrea Price

“Yoga teaching goes with you throughout your life. I am still teaching 30 years on from my training, and one of my first teachers only retired at 75.” Beverley Nolan

3 - It enriches your own spirit and mind; to be in “satsang” – to learn and grow yourself from other like-minded people

“Teaching enhances one’s own personal development because as a teacher you are forever expanding your knowledge.” Kari Knight

“Teaching is a two-way dynamic, and everyone you meet is unique. I learn a lot from everyone” Beverley Nolan

4 – You become part of a positive and proactive community

“Social connectedness supports us. Practicing yoga in the community in the company of others brings social connectedness. Other benefits include sharing positive energy of love, compassion, kindness.” Kari Knight

5 – As a yoga teacher you can help people to reconnect and re-energize

“To guide and to inspire others that yoga means finding connections and links to all life – life is precious , all beings are worthy, lets make the planet a better place to live on and off the mat “ Andrea Kwiatkowski

“It may sound like a trite FB post, but you have something not only practical but amazing to offer people: a way back to the lived experience of the body” Beverley Nolan

6 – It’s a great and enjoyable job!

“You get to teach something that you love (and have the perfect excuse to do as many yoga courses and workshops as you want)” Paul Fox

So there is it, from the horse's mouth so to speak. Thank you to all the yoga teachers that took part, though I must say I can't believe nobody mentioned the great clothes you get to wear to work (have you seen the leggings they have for sale at the moment?!) If you are interested in becoming a yoga teacher take a look at our courses and workshops here or email us at tt@camyoga.co.uk

“with teaching comes responsibility , you guide , like the translation of Namaste says- “the spirit of yoga in me guides and honors the spirit of yoga in you” – that in essence is what your ultimate reason should be about” Andrea Kwiatkowski  

                 

Today there are 30 million people regularly practicing yoga around the world but what has made this ancient practice so popular?

1. Firstly think Jane Fonda in lycra! The 70’s and 80’s brought us the fitness boom in the US. This movement led to interest in many different forms of exercise, including yoga
2. Numerous research studies reveal the physical and emotional benefits of yoga, adding scientific weight to this ancient practice and attracting even more followers
3. Yoga is an ancient 5,000 year old practice; it has travelled and shifted and hybridized. Think of Yoga like an ancient tree with many branches and roots from its original self. It moves with the times and endures. With so many fad diets and workouts it has stood the test of time
4. Yoga is illuminated to the masses through its celebrity followers; think Madonna and Sting in the early days and now a whole bucket load of famous faces swear by the practice like Charlie Theron and Robert Downey Jnr. There is nothing like celebrity endorsements!
5. It is accessible to all – it suits all ages, shapes and sizes – it does not require high levels of fitness nor any special equipment just the body and the mind (and preferably a mat!) There are over 84,000 different postures and variations of yoga – so take your pick!
6. Yoga can heal - it is therapeutic and can be used successfully with conditions such as insomnia, back problems, digestion problems, asthma, improving circulation, anxiety and weight loss — just to name a few. It is often recommended to patients by osteopaths, acupuncturists, and other medical practitioners.

7. Yoga is regenerating - it benefits ALL systems; the circulatory, glandular, digestive, nervous, musculoskeletal, reproductive and respiratory systems. Everyone has something that could be improved by yoga practice
8. Yoga is a non-dogmatic spiritual practice but it is not religious. It is enlightened and special and spiritual and as humans we are attracted to this sense of something else in our lives
9. Yoga is an antidote to the negative effects of our modern lives; busy and stressful, running around the ant farm being bombarded by so much external stimulus – Yoga has the ability to calm us, to take us away from the madness and teaches us to 'be in the moment'. It helps us to balance ourselves – to add a little more Yin to our Yang!
10. Yoga is now a billion dollar industry; immaculate studios, fashionable clothes, accessories, retreats, DVDs, famous faces and famous juice cleanses – these all keep the yoga wheel turning – we see it in advertisements, on social media, TV and films – capitalism is fully involved and agree with it or not it does promote and maintain yoga within popular culture - and lets be honest; the more people that discover yoga, the better off we will all be! Namaste

David Swenson ran a ‘flying and floating’ workshop at the Camyoga Studio loft in Great Shelford. 60 people attended and for the first 26 minutes so did our very own Tom Hallam. Here is his own words, he explains this inspiring experience;

What is the hardest aspect of flying?

This question was proposed early in David's fantastic workshop, to which the answer being; the sudden deceleration at the end! I only managed to catch his first twenty six minutes (yes, very specific; I recorded the audio!)  before returning downstairs to continue helping behind the scenes.

However, in that time, the amount I learnt from his words and actions is highly valuable to anyone wishing to develop their yoga practice to the next level. I wish to share some of those special twenty-six minute-moments with you, now. Comical and wise, David gave insights of knowledge into the practice of Ashtanga Yoga that was wholeheartedly digested by his captivated audience;

In this universe it would seem that everything is comprised of opposites. Up-down, right-left, front-back winter-summer male-female inhale-exhale birth-death. The two components of Vinyasa; movement and breathing, I look at as though opposite forces. What do they represent? A rather abstract question, contemplate this for a moment...[row]

What does movement represent, what does breath represent? (various answers crop up)[row]

Well let’s look at movement first; the gross, external, physical, mechanical aspect.[row]

The breath represents the invisible practice, everything we cannot see. The energetic, internal, subtle aspect.[row]

What does yoga mean? Union.[row]

What does Hatha mean? Sun and moon. Opposite forces. The union of opposing forcing.[row]

This Vinyasa is a beautiful manifestation of taking these opposing forces and creating a balance between them.[row]

We'll talk more practical things, jumping through and jumping back, this is part of it, right? That jumping around I was doing, is also a manifestation of Vinyasa, but this is also Vinyasa. *demonstrates* [row]

Anytime we move with our breath in that precise manner, it’s a Vinyasa. It’s not only jumping. Any questions so far?

...

I've been practicing Yoga since I was thirteen. So, five years now." * class laughter*

 And that was in the first four minutes. The ball was rolling. This was preceded by many more anecdotes and stories that simply do not hold the same power as if you were present in the room. Needless to say the laughter was hysterical. His style of teaching and delivery were unique, it was lighthearted, relaxed, professional, and completely in control.

I intermittently checked in on the class, and observed sixty people in what appeared to be a dance. There was such a strong sense of unity. I can understand from this why more and more people are gravitating to Yoga every day. It is to these inspiring teachers, like David, we thank. And also to the dedicated Yogis, who traveled far and wide to attend this three hour workshop. Until the next time. Keep practicing!

Namaste.

Thomas Peter Hallam

David Swenson will be returning to Camyoga in 2015 – watch this space!

What is the theory of Yin & Yang?

In essence this ancient Chinese philosophy means two halves that together complete wholeness, two opposite yet complementary energies which are always in movement, never static but always balancing and rebalancing into a state of perfect harmony. We encounter examples of Yin and Yang every day. As examples: night (Yin) and day (Yang), female (Yin) and male (Yang)

How it is relevant to my life?

In our busy and often stressful lives our personal harmony can be seriously off balance. Perhaps you deal with an excess of work and not enough relaxation, lots of time spent thinking about the externals of life (deadlines, daily choices, opinions) and a lack of inner contemplation. Striking a balance with ever changing states of energies is hard (really hard!) but it is also possibly the path to a more contented and harmonized existence

Yin and yang are a wonderful way to generate greater self- awareness and make interesting connections between our own conditions and all our possible interactions with the world we live in. Yin and yang allow us to connect ourselves to everything around us so that we can quickly decide what we need to do to bring ourselves back to a more balanced state when feeling any discomfort.

Yin and Yang in Yoga and Simon Low

Yin and Yang yoga started in the 1970’s but has only recently gained international popularity. Simon Low (who will be at Camyoga in 2015 running workshops) discovered this form in 2001 and is now one the foremost experts in it. Here are extracts from his website explaining this popular form of yoga

                           

"In appropriately balanced combination, the 'whole' is greater than the sum of its two parts, offering the most effective & inclusive approach to yoga that I have ever experienced in over 20 years of teaching & practice. I continue to recognize Yin & Yang Yoga's incredible effectiveness as a modality for health"

Read more about Simon Low’s visit in 2015 and book into his workshops

Please come and experience Yin Yoga yourself at one of our evening classes held at Central CAMYOGA

To read more about Simon Low visit part 1 of my blog on this Yoga legend here