Posts in Mindfulness
Breathe, Release, Restore: 3 simple stretches to unwind after a long day

Art and Yoga are intertwined in Gurpran’s life and each practice inspires the other.

 

Let the waves and stars relax you at the end of your day.

Mixed media artist and Yoga teacher, Gurpran Rau treats us to a relaxing and mindful practise every Wednesday evening from her beautiful home studio space.


Gurpran’s class Breathe, Release, Restore focuses on key elements such as mindful movement, breath work, and visualisation techniques, intelligently sequenced to activate the parasympathetic nervous system - decreasing anxiety and bringing you into a state of bliss. 


If you don’t have time for a 75-minute class every day, here are 3 simple stretches that allow oxygen to flow throughout your body after a long day:

Let the light shine in as you restore your mind and body

Sit in a comfortable seat, and lift your arms above your head. Feel your roots connect with the earth and your spine growing longer. Relax your shoulders, bringing them away from your ears. Hold for up to 6 breaths.

Reach for the stars as you unwind for the night

Place your left hand to the side of your left hip and reach up your right arm. As you exhale, anchor your right hip down and send your lifted arm over the head creating a side stretch. Look up to the lifted hand if this feels good. Hold for up to 6 breaths and switch sides.

Letting go as you breathe, release, restore

Place each hand on each knee and take Chin Mudra (hand position where your thumb and first finger are touching). Close the eyes or have a soft gaze. Start to scan your body noticing any sensations that arise. When you feel ready, without changing your natural breathing pattern, start counting your breath. Do this for at least 10 cycles (one cycle = inhale and exhale). Once you’ve finished, open the eyes (if they have been closed) and take some time to notice stillness before moving from this position.

 
 

Gurpran teaches her class on a Wednesday evening from 7-8:15pm, you can book in to join live and/or get the recording (which is available for 7 days after the class).

 
 

Latest blog posts

Breathing Mindfully - A Practice You Can Do Anywhere!

Before reading this blog post, wherever you are, breathe in and breathe out. Concentrate on the inhale where the cool air moves through your nostrils, the chest and belly expands, and then exhale fully. Do this twice more, observing the breath and the sensations that come. Well done, you have just breathed mindfully. Simple huh?

Breathing is something that we all do, all of the time. By bringing our focus onto the breath we can work on being present in the moment.

You can do the following exercise for just a few minutes, or for longer, it’s up to you. During this you may find your mind drifting, this is ok and totally normal (even for seasoned practitioners). When you notice thoughts coming into your mind, gently but firmly bring your attention back to the breath. This practice of breathing mindfully is a great first step for developing a pranayama practice.

Preparation

Sit or lay in a comfortable position. You may close the eyes or keep them open with a soft gaze, you may want to rest your hands on the stomach and help you connect to your breath and feel it in a more physical way.

The Breath

Inhale, notice the feeling of the cool air moving through the nostrils into the lungs. The chest and belly expand at the top of the inhale. Exhale through the nose, the chest and belly contract, navel to spine. Continue the breath, feel what it is really like to breathe. Notice the calming effect it has on the body and the mind, observe the sensations without judgement.

You may find that the mind wanders from time to time - this is normal. Acknowledge the thought, and then come back to the breath - it can help to imagine your thoughts as books: allow yourself to look at the cover, read the title and then consciously put it on the shelf to read later.

Reflect

Once you have finished the exercise, take a few moments to notice how you feel. Enjoy the experience you’ve just had connecting to yourself and your breath, body and the space around you and within you. Know that you can always come back to this practice at anytime and anywhere (even in the queue at the supermarket!).

Next Steps

Take this mindful breath and apply it throughout your yoga practice, keep focused on the breath for the duration and observe how it affects your practice.

Tried it? Let us know how you get on. You can share your experience on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook using #camyogis


Take a Deep Breath, Flow, and Restore - A Q&A with Rachael Moore

Many of us know Rachael Moore as our resident Vinyasa flow guru, but not as many know about her love for restorative yoga. It's all about nourishing the body and mind while taking time for oneself amidst the cloud of our busy, and often hectic lives. We spoke to Rachael about her new class Flow + Restore which combines two very different, but very compatible styles of yoga. Read on to find out more.


What is the Flow + Restore Class?

Flow and Restore is something that i will often do in my own practice when i need to slow down, nourish myself and restore my energy levels. It is a slow mindful practice where i am able to coax my often tight body and busy mind into a state of relaxation through rhythmic, often circular movements before settling into supported stillness where your body is held and supported with props.

How does it differ from a regular Restorative or Flow class?

Although the postures that we explore in the restore aspect of the class will be very similar to those in a regular restorative class, the way we enter the posture is a little different. It is as if we are using the flow aspect the practice, to prepare and limber the body (and mind) for the longer-held restorative posture. You may find that it is then easier to settle into the posture once you have had chance to ease into it though movement. In a regular flow class, there is very much an emphasis on dynamic movement with the breath to create strength, flexibility and stability. Although there remains a strong awareness of the breath during Flow and Restore, it is more about tuning into the quality of our breath and the quiet sensations that we so often fail to notice in a faster paced, movement focused practice.  

Is the class suitable for all levels?

Yes! Students newer to the practice may appreciate the slower, less demanding pace just as much as the more "advanced" student may appreciate the opportunity to explore different aspects of their practice. Regardless of where a student is in their practice, or in their life, it can be a revelation to be able to simply move with gentle undulations before coming to a place of rest.

What can students expect from the class?

You can expect gentle guided movements and explorations of the body, tapping into your internal compass of how your body needs to move, be moved and be nourished. While resting and being held in the restorative postures, I offer students the opportunity to have simple, gentle hands on assists with therapeutic grade essential oils, matched to the theme of the practice. This adds another layer and potency to this practice and compliment a restorative practice beautifully.

What are the benefits of a restorative practice for students who usually attend more yang/dynamic classes?

I think regardless of what style of yoga you normally practice, and actually even if you normally aren’t a yoga practitioner, we can all benefit from a little re-callibration through our nervous system. We all increasingly live in such fast forward moving society that the opportunity to drop back and yield with no expectation other than to rest, restore and replenish are few and far between. This practice gives our nervous system a much needed opportunity to move from our Sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) towards the Para-sympathetic NS (Rest and Digest). As we begin to soften and yield, we may notice the breath becoming freer, more naturally flowing un-obstructed through the body giving rise to feelings of increased energy, vitality and general well being.

Can you recommend any books etc for students that wish to find out more about this style?

Judith Hanson Lasater - Relax and Renew Book is the bible of restorative yoga and is one that I regularly refer back too. I actually have not found many good books out there in this area, so if anyone else has some good recommendations I would love to hear about them. Please comment down below!


Rachael is teaching a brand new weekly Flow + Restore class at Mitcham's Corner Student on Thursdays at 11am. Click here to book.


Pranayama Series - Coming Soon

We are often told during class how important the breath is in yoga, and will usually practice pranayama exercises during class especially at the beginning and end. But what is pranayama and why do we do it?

During this series of blog posts we will be exploring the most commonly practiced pranayama (breathing) exercises - the ones that are most likely to pop-up in your classes. We will discover how, what and why, contraindications and benefits of these practices.

Prana = Life force/Energy
Yama = Regulate/Lengthen

Prana translates into “life force energy” and Yama translates into “control or mastery of.” Thus, Pranayama is used to control, cultivate, and modify the Prana in the body.

Prana is taken in through the air we breathe, and since the pranayama exercises increase the amount of air we take in, they also increase our intake of Prana.

Look out for the series of blog posts coming soon. Let us know if there is a particular pranayama practice that you’d like us to cover.


Note: When learning new breathing techniques, it is common for people to feel light headed or dizzy. If this happens, stop for a few moments and then resume. After your body becomes accustomed to the change in flow of oxygen, the dizziness will no longer occur.

Chanting - The Sound of Yoga

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? silent om chanting

  • 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

 

What changes with mindful parenting for just 6 minutes per day?

mindful parenting The short version?

  • They sleep better
  • They confide more of their feelings in you
  • They calm down quicker (no, mindfulness is not the way to have calm children all the time, sorry if that's what you want!)

I was intrigued by evidence that children need mindfulness as much as adults do, so I decided to spend five minutes a day (sometimes less) using mindfulness techniques with my children, and began to notice tangible changes within just a week. Keep reading to find out more about the techniques I used and how they worked.

The longer read...

I have four children; a teenage girl, a pre-teen boy and two young twin girls. I've been practising mindfulness for 12 years but only began practicing with them over the last two years.

Lets begin with the main reasons I actually moved from wanting to practice with them to actually practicing with them.  I'd started to feel like there was always one child missing out on some attention. I worried that when the children were sad or anxious, I didn't really understand an effective way to help them release their anxiety. I also felt like I was failing because I couldn't empower them with a way to help themselves when other children were unkind at school. I found myself growing increasingly frustrated by the fact that at least one of them would get up every night, and my lack of sleep meant that I felt unable to be as kind as I would like to be and had no "space in my head" to work out a way to make it better.

Most of my working life has been spent on projects which help organisations and people to create habits for increasing effectiveness and satisfaction. This meant that I had learnt from various scientific studies that anything I did would have to meet this criteria;

  • aim low
  • feel easy
  • do at same time of day
  • had already been proven to work by others so I really believed in it - motivation

I started by asking the children to practice as part of mealtimes, before pudding, as an incentive. This took the form of a Tiny Pause - 4 mindful breaths. This went okay, but felt more like an opportunity for the children to demonstrate how ridiculous they could make 4 breaths sound/be/last. Plus my plan of fitting into a daily routine meant that none of them were really getting the high quality attention they needed, or thought they needed, from me.

My next plan was bedtime. I would do a guided mindfulness practice with them (all parents taking our Mindful Parenting learn to do this, its really quite simple once you have the technique). I would do this at bedtime for the youngest three (individually, apart from the twins). This initially lasted 10 minutes or less, which I shortened to around 5 minutes because I felt too tired.

This worked really well - mindfulness lends itself to a moment when children naturally want to relax. Within four days they were asking me to do it! Within a week I noticed that they were all sleeping through the night (wake up times before had been 3-4 times per night, first week of mindfulness this dropped to just once a night).

I was so pleased with this promising start. But I also wanted them to confide in me the stuff they were anxious about. (You know when your child is anxious and you ask them if they want to talk about it and they just shake their head? No matter what you do for them, in that moment you feel like you're failing, you feel like the truth is out, that "I am a rubbish parent"). The technique of mindful listening would be my next approach.

I decided that aiming to do this everyday with all children was unrealistic for me. So I just aimed for one child a day. After school before supper, I would sit down, ask them to sit with me. Wait and listen. (Mindful listening is a recognized practice with an incredibly easy method). This was much harder than I expected as I was very tempted to ask, or prompt them in some way. Sometimes we would cuddle, sometimes we would just be next to each other on the sofa. No screens on around us.

So if I could keep from trying to guess the root of their problems or asking them all the questions I had tried before (its amazing how as parents, we know some things aren't effective but we just keep repeating the same behaviours hoping, like a miracle, it will change the outcome). Anyway with my lips kept firmly shut and my attention focused on them, something magical began to happen...

They would just start telling me stuff. From what they had just been building with lego or who had done what/ said what at school both funny and sad things.  This continued. They began to express more of their feelings. The quieter I kept, the more they would share. Although sometimes they would ask me, "Dad, why are we sitting here?", I would reply “ because I love you and want to be with you", with the simple reply "Oh, ok." And then after a short pause, "I'm going to go and play".  So this moment of mindful listening would last between 1-5 minutes, depending on what they felt like saying. I would always leave it to them to end that moment (although I confess to sometimes finding my attention drifting, to what I will make for supper, or why the school couldn't do choir at a time that meant we could get to swimming, or why was there new bit of pen on the wall...you know the drill).

And I noticed something else. I felt better. I felt better because I was making it clear, really clear through my actions, that I loved them, that I was making time to give them high quality attention. Sure it was short. But I least I did it and it was definitely an improvement from “ yes thats lovely", while work my way through house chores or “ I'm just in the middle of something can't you go and play? “ hoping, but knowing, they really don’t understand why I couldn't just be with them.

Although it may seem obvious, it's important to understand that part of the success was down to me feeling a bit better about me. Less internal criticism meant a reduction in exploding moments, when I shout because I’ve had it up to here (imagine my hand well above my head!) with all parts of life; work, play, relationships.

It's now routine for us, and has helped with exams, best friends falling out school, new teachers, general arguments, school productions, even football matches.

Click here to find out more about Mindful Parenting at Camyoga

Dr Emma Tiffin talks mindfulness, healthy eating, and more!

Mindfulness As you might have read recently in the Cambridge News (read article here), Camyoga are teaming up with Woodlands Surgery on Bateman Street to offer Mindfulness sessions to the general public. After GPs at the surgery tried Mindfulness with Camyoga they simply had to get behind these sessions and offer their support. The first session, an Introduction to Mindfulness workshop, costs just £20 and is open to everyone. Click here to find out more and to book your place.

This week we met up with Dr Emma Tiffin, of Woodlands Surgery, to ask her a few questions about her experiences of mindfulness. Here's what she had to say!

1. Hi Emma! How long have you worked for NHS?
23 years.
2. What is the surgery's main aim and what makes it so special compared to other surgeries?
To promote the health and wellbeing of all our patients and our local community. We have a beautiful, spacious new building which enables us to host an extended range of health and wellbeing service.
3. Why offer Mindfulness in surgery?
We believe that the mental health of our patients is as important as their physical health and that both influence each other. We see the effects of the pressure of modern life and value therapeutic strategies based on relaxation and dealing with stress.
4. How do you keep fit?
Yoga, gardening, using stairs instead of the lift at work, smiling and maintaining a positive attitude!
5. What's the biggest challenge of surgery?
Increased workload, more demands on the health service, shrinking financial NHS pot
6. What do you think is the biggest misconception general public have about GP's?
During the working day (averages 11 hours probably for most of us) and between clinics, GPs are relaxing, playing golf!
Actually we are catching up on administration (hospital letters, blood test results, home visits, phoning patients to answer queries etc) and having to run a business (GPs are independent contractors, ie. mini businesses that have to be financially viable.
7. Based on your experience, what are the 2 main potential benefits of doing Mindfulness?
Managing personal stress during the working day better. This facilitates better team working and a positive attitude with others.
8. If you didn't work for NHS where would your dream job be?
The NHS is my dream job, I live, breathe, sleep medicine. However I am also enjoying my regular radio slot on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire and being a PR girl!
9. Tell us in 1 sentence 2 simple things the general public can do to help them maintain good health.
Think positive, eat a balanced diet.
Click here to find out more about Camyoga's Introduction to Mindfulness Workshop at Woodlands.

What is Mindfulness?

What Is Mindfulness?

mindfulnessDo you keep hearing the word 'mindfulness' and wonder what the heck everyone's on about? It'd be hard to ignore all of the press attention that mindfulness is getting right now, with recent articles in The Guardian, Huffington Post and The Times. You've no doubt heard about initiatives promoting mindfulness in schools, mindfulness in the workplace, mindful eating... even mindfulness for pets (no kidding)!

So what is all the fuss about? What actually is mindfulness, and why should you be doing it? Here is our simple guide to get you started.

1. Yes, mindfulness is meditation! Mindfulness is a secular (non-religious) form of meditation which can be used by everyone. But don't worry, you don't have to sit on the floor cross-legged if you don't want to - mindfulness practice can happen anytime, anywhere.

2. How does mindfulness work? Most of us don’t realise that our daily lives are dominated by distraction and mind chatter. And that distraction and mind chatter winds up being the force that drives us much of the day in terms of what we do, what we react to, and how we feel. Mindfulness teaches us simple practices to move beyond this, bringing calmness, focus, clarity and inspiration.

3. What do mindfulness practices involve? A typical exercise might involve mindfully eating a square of chocolate or a single raisin. Other exercises involve focussing fully on your breath as it enters and leaves your body, observing thoughts as they arise and practising letting them come and go with ease, without engaging with them.

4. Will mindfulness stop my life from being so stressful? Mindfulness won't get rid of life's stresses and pressures. It will, however, radically alter the way you handle them! It helps us to recognise and move away from our habitual reactions, enabling us to respond to events with calmness and ease.

5. Where's the proof that it works? Mindfulness has been subject to over 600 scientific studies, such has been the academic community's interest in figuring it out. Due to its track record it is now widely used in the NHS as an effective treatment for depression and anxiety. Click here to find out more about the science of mindfulness.

6. Ok, I'm convinced. How can I get started? If you'd like to dip your toe into mindfulness our 4 week Mindfulness ABC course is a great place to start. Or if you want to really get stuck into this practice we're running the acclaimed 8 week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction course later this month. We also work with companies looking to incorporate mindfulness into their wellbeing programmes. Email sam.t@camyoga.co.uk to find out more about mindfulness can benefit your organisation.

Top 5 Habits of Healthy, Happy Mums

Top 5 Habits of Healthy, Happy Mums

mymHow often are you left feeling frazzled as a mother? Torn between  your kids, your job, your partner and a hectic social life? Sometimes it just feels like there aren't nearly enough hours in the day, let alone the possibility of a little "me time" - what a luxury that would be, right? Well, we have some great news for you! There is time. It's simply a case of taking time to make a little time. Discover a way of being in the world that is a little less stressful, a little more luxurious, and you'll soon find that by being good to yourself, you're much more able to fulfil all of your duties and obligations to others, with ease and a genuine smile! Here's how:

1. Practice mindfulness.

Most of us don’t realise that our daily lives are dominated by distraction and mind chatter. And that distraction and mind chatter winds up being the force that drives us much of the day in terms of what we do, what we react to, and how we feel. Mindfulness teaches us simple practices to move beyond this, bringing calmness, focus, clarity and inspiration. Find out more about Mindfulness here.

2. Ask for help when you need it.

Sometimes we worry that by asking for help we're sending out signals that we can't cope, or that we're not fully independent. Healthy, happy mums are confident in just how nonsensical a notion this is! Developing a healthy interdependence with those around you can be challenging as when we ask for something, we put ourselves in a position of vulnerability. According to Brene Brown our ability to be vulnerable requires courage and forms the basis for our connection with others, a connection that is critical if we are to inspire others and live healthy, happy lives.

3. Practice acceptance.

Stop being at war with yourself. If heavy traffic is making you late, think how much more stressful the situation is because you are angry about the fact that heavy traffic is making you late. Accept that which you cannot change. By doing so, you are accepting reality.

4. Remember to breathe.

The next time you find pulling your hair out stop, step back from the situation and take 3 deep breaths. It's amazing how we have our own "reset" buttons right at our fingertips yet rarely do we fully utilise the power of the breath to change the way we think and feel. Learn more here

5. "Me time" is not a luxury!

Healthy, happy mums recognise that "me time" is not a luxury but an absolute essential. By taking time out to recharge your batteries you're not only helping yourself but everyone around you too. We're all a lot more fun to be around and more productive, after a little pampering. It needn't break the bank either. Why not take a bath, head to yoga class, try something you've never done before or simply put your feet up with a good book? You absolutely deserve it, remember that.

Women's healthMother's Day is just around the corner...

Bring your mum (or mum-in-law) along to Camyoga for free from Mon 24 March to Sun 30 March. Call us on 0223 847930 to book her in! "Health is the greatest gift", said the Buddha. So forget the flowers and chocolates this year and give your deserving Mum the enduring gift of yoga. We've a wide selection of Gift Cards available to suit all budgets. How about a month's pass to get her started? Learn more... 
Julian Huppert MP Tries Mindfulness at Camyoga!

Julian Huppert MP Gets Mindful at Camyoga

The beauty of a mindfulness practice is that it simply just works. Increasing clinical evidence for its efficacy and the wider availability of mindfulness courses (such as this one) mean that mindfulness is no longer the preserve of progressive NHS services, Google execs and those working in the wellbeing industry. If greater proof were needed that mindfulness has finally gone mainstream, then it has certainly arrived in the revelation that even our MPs are practising it , with over 50 of them signed up to sessions provided in Westminster.

With this in mind, our very own Julian Huppert MP was keen to join us at Camyoga for a session! Here's what he had to say: “It was great to have a chance to pause and focus on what’s happening now rather than all the business there normally is to deal with. I’m constantly having to look at email and Twitter so it will be good to do some mindfulness practice I do that.”

But you don't need to be involved with running the country to benefit from mindfulness practices. Click here to find out about our Mindfulness ABC course, starting on 7th February and get ready to live a more stress free life!

Facing Fear by Rosalind Southward

Facing Fear

47d598c1b92bacc54a6ffb7b0e76f1c3“Fear is only as deep as the mind allows.” - Japanese Proverb

It was a while ago that I promised to write about fear for the Camyoga blog, at which point I was hit with a case of writer’s block; yoga has helped me face my fears in so many ways I struggled to know where to begin. 459 steps later, at the top of the Campanile tower in Florence I found my inspiration. As I came out of the door at the top of the tower a wash of vertigo swept over me; all of sudden I felt dizzy, heart pounding and my first instinct was to run right back through the door I’d just exited. As I stood there frozen, the words of my teacher Ana Forrest popped into my head; “Rosalind, breathe”. I realized I was indeed holding my breath, that I was totally stuck in my head with the stories of my fear weaving a vicious web around me. As I deepened my breathing and connected with my feet and hands I was able to plug myself back into my body and the reality of the present moment. My heartbeat slowed down and I was able to actually allow myself to enjoy the amazing view I had gone up there to enjoy. I even managed to get upside down for day 161 of my 365-day handstand challenge – my highest handstand yet!

Deep breathing and active hands and feet are two of the fundamental aspects of Forrest Yoga; you’re taught them from the very start and use them in every single class. These are also two of the vital tools which help us to overcome fear both on and off the yoga mat. The next time you feel fearful check-in: are you holding your breath? Can you feel your feet and hands? Deepen your breath (and yes, full on ujayi is acceptable if it’s what you need!) and take a moment to feel the energy it brings to you. Spread your fingers and hand bones open, spread your toes and pull up on your foot arches. Notice that you can feel your feet/legs supporting you, and the energy moving from your lungs and heart through your arms to the tips of your fingers. Now you are connected back into your body, ask yourself which part of this can I do? How can I work with this fear rather than be beaten by it?

Use your time on your yoga mat as a mini laboratory; a safe place where you can experiment with facing smaller scale fears- whether it be going upside down, trying a new pose or even just doing something in a non-habitual way. Then make a warrior’s choice to transfer what you learn off your mat and into the rest of your life. And before you know it, the fierce lion facing you will have become a purring kitten! Rosalind Southward

 

Rosalind160x160Rosalind Southward teaches Yoga Flow at Camyoga. Rosalind teaches Forrest, Vinyasa, Hot, Yin Yoga and is also a CranioSacral therapist. She has taught yoga in Malaysia, Scotland and is now based in Peterborough. To view her classes at Camyoga click here

 

Mindfulness, But What Can it Do for My Business?

Mindfulness, But What Can it Do for My Business?

Mindfulness is going mainstream. This week came the public announcement that parliament have just finished their first 8 week mindfulness course for politicians. Mindfulness too is on Capitol Hill and apparently there to stay with an ever growing number of subscribers.

For my part, i went to the excellent Mindfulness in Schools project conference this summer. That is when the wonderful Jon Kabat Zinn the previous day had run the first led mindfulness session in the House of Commons which led to the subsequent introduction of mindfulness into Parliament. The last day of the conference he was whisked away to the policy unit of Number 10 to discuss the matter further, and to discuss the introduction of mindfulness training into the PGCE curriculum (so that all our teachers will be mindfully trained).

So why is this suddenly happening?

A large part of the acceptance of mindfulness surely has to be that it's ambassadors, headed up by Kabat Zinn himself are SO plausible. So organised, clear headed, and well lets face it the embodiment of their teachings. And did I mention that these are 'normal' people? Not a robe or a bindi in sight. Credible working people in suits and with top jobs.

At the Mindfulness in Schools Project conference there were not one, not two but THREE serving politicians involved in the conference. And these are people with a long term meditation practice. Chris Ruane, a former teacher and 4th term serving politician, who gave the closing speech at the conference: "People are far from their natures. The whole pace of life has speeded up. We are all on a hedonic treadmill. You get on it in the morning and you're on it all day long. How fast do you want to go on a treadmill? Have you got the means and mechanisms to slow yourself down or step off? I think mindfulness can help. It's helped for me. And those MPs and Lords speak about rebalancing their lives, re-prioritising, deciding what's important." Huffington Post

Apparently companies have been using mindfulness under wraps for some time. And now GlaxoSmithKline, Transport for London, the Home Office, the NHS, Ebay, Google, Barclays Bank, the Prudential and Mills and Reeve have all come out of the closet and are now willing to share their experiences.

The news that this work is now in parliament will hopefully give confidence to other businesses, schools and medical practitioners to use mindfulness to promote the wellbeing and growth of their staff and their organisations.

But what does it mean for my business?

When we first began our corporate work at Camyoga the need and challenge was very clear - how do we teach people to use mindfulness techniques practically in the workplace?

Our entire mindful business programme is dedicated to this method - teaching effective, simple, clinically proven mindfulness techniques, and the methods to integrate them into the workplace.

Read the nuts and bolts of what this work can do for you here.

Whatever is your personal or company vision, mindfulness can take you there.

This Wednesday is National Stress Awareness Day, at Camyoga we have renamed this day National Stressless Day and will be bringing you some simple mindfulness techniques each day that you can use in your daily life.

mindfulness_corporate

Meditation at Work: So Good We've Made It Compulsory!

Meditation at Work: So Good We've Made it Compulsory!

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Here at Camyoga we don't just teach yoga, and teach teachers how to teach yoga, we also go into businesses to help them discover how they can better help their employees to live happy, full lives. This is great for companies in terms of productivity and profit and importantly, it's fantastic for employees' wellbeing. Those of you who are regular visitors to Camyoga will know that our own staff are pretty enthusiastic and knowledgable when it comes to yoga, mindfulness and meditation practices. What you might not know is that as well as attending any yoga classes we like for free, Camyoga's staff also get together on Tuesday mornings to meditate as a group. We jokingly refer to this as "compulsory meditation" but, let's face it, we're all so glad to be doing it!

By taking twenty minutes out of our day, no matter what we are doing or how busy we are at our desks, we tune in with the present moment and with each other. And you know what? It feels great. No matter what kind of morning we've been having, meditating together enables us to press the 'reset' button, to momentarily step back from the reactive behaviour which dominates so many workplaces ("Everything is urgent! Hurry, hurry, hurry! High stakes! Go go go!") and to act (or not act) from a considerate place, always mindfulness of our ultimate goal - to help more people do more yoga.

The amazing thing about meditation is that, like yoga, it just works! Set aside ten, twenty, thirty minutes for practice, and you will see the benefits. It's setting the time aside that's usually the stumbling block, right? Arianna Huffington, founder of The Huffington Post, is someone who understands just how vital and effective setting aside this time can be:

It's not just the number of hours we sit at a desk in that determines the value we generate. It's the energy we bring to the hours we work. Human beings are designed to pulse rhythmically between spending and renewing energy. That's how we operate at our best. Maintaining a steady reservoir of energy -- physically, mentally, emotionally and even spiritually -- requires refueling it intermittently. - Arianna Huffington

Does your workplace offer a wellbeing programme? What are the key stress factors at play where you work? We'd love to hear what you think, so please leave your comments below!

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To find out more about Camyoga's Mindfulness in the Workplace programmes, training and events, please click here. Call us on 01223 847930 to have a chat about how we can help you today.

Mindfulness Are You Master of Your Own Mind?

Are You Master of Your Own Mind?

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"Distracted? Angry? Envious? There's growing evidence that attention, emotion regulation—even love—are skills that can be trained through the practice of meditation. Perhaps it's time for you to become a high-performance user of your own brain." - Katherine Ellison, Psychology Today.

It's being used by KPMG, GlaxoSmithKline, PWC, Google, Apple and The Home Office. It helped Transport for London reduce absenteeism caused by stress by 71%. Clinical studies show that mindfulness techniques can reduce anxiety by a staggering 70%, whilst research supports that companies with mindfulness programmes, such as Google, have happier employees. This leads to greater harmony, focus and success in their workplace. Learn more about the proven effects of mindfulness on productivity here.

But what is Mindfulness and how does it work? Despite its status as the latest buzzword, especially in the world of business (with famous advocates such as Arianna Huffington) Mindfulness is nothing new. In fact, it has its roots in the Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path to Enlightenment in the form of awareness. So successful is this form of awareness in generating compassion and, ultimately, happiness, it has been adopted by modern psychologists as an ideal practice for the stress-ridden world in which we live today.

Mindfulness is about conscious awareness of your surroundings - put simply, it's a process of thinking about the way you think. With practice this will enable you to guide your thoughts to fine-tune your state of mind. Whether you're in a high-stress situation and need to find a state of calm, or you're in a state of procrastination and need to conjure up some focussed energy, Mindfulness can enable you to become master of your own mind. Whilst the techniques used are themselves very simple and can be learned by anyone, putting them into practice requires - you got it - a lot of patience and practice. This is one of the reasons why Mindfulness is best learned from a dedicated teacher, and over a period of weeks.

The effort will definitely pay off. As athlete Christopher Bergland notes:

"We all get stuck in mental ruts and have patterns of habitual thinking and behavior that can be counterproductive. Mindfulness is a chance to snap out of it, push the reset button and have a fresh start. The next time you find yourself dwelling on something that makes you feel resentful, negative or hopeless. Stop. Breathe. Think about your thinking. And then guide your attention and thoughts towards something positive."

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Take part in Mindfulness Month this September at Camyoga! Carolyn Pallon's 4 week Introduction to Mindfulness Course runs on Tuesday evenings from 10th September. Learn more here. If you're a business person, we have limited spaces available for our FREE Mindfulness Event on Fri 13th September. Call 01223 847930 to book now.

Our Top Ten Yoga Books: Part Two

Our Top 10 Yoga Books: Part Two

We recently asked you to share your favourite yoga books with us. Here's part two of the results. Read the first part here. Is your favourite missing from the list? Add your own recommendations using the comments form at the bottom of the page... happy reading!

booksfarhi6. Bringing Yoga to Life (Donna Farhi)

Donna Farhi is a world renowned yoga teacher and reading this book, it is very clear to see why. Laced with real life examples and personal vignettes, this book is a wonderful guide to applying what happens on your mat to the rest of your life too. Inspiring, heartwarming and evocative, Donna's style is both down to earth and refreshingly honest. She encourages the reader to take a long, hard look at their lives, their minds and their practice. A great book to turn to now and again when you need a strong pick-me-up! Our very own Beverley Nolan studies annually with Donna. (And Donna herself will be visiting Camyoga in July next year!)

bookskaminoff7. Yoga Anatomy (Leslie Kaminoff & Amy Matthews)

Ever wondered what your psoas is or how breathing works? This popular guide to anatomy is one of the best available, revealing the inner workings of the human body asana by asana.  Whether you're studying to be a yoga teacher, looking to improve your knowledge of anatomy or simply just plain curious, this book is a wonderful reference and great for dipping in and out of.

 

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8. Bihar School of Yoga Books

 The Bihar School of Yoga was founded in 1964 by Swami Satyananda Saraswati and they have been publishing books and articles on all aspects of yoga for over 40 years through their publishing house, Yoga Publications Trust. All of the books in the series act as wonderfully detailed guides to specific aspects of yoga. Mark Stevens, our Jivamukti teacher, says "If you see a Bihar School of Yoga book in a second hand bookshop, buy it and read it. If you don't like it, I'll buy it off you." Now that certainly is a recommendation!

 

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9. Yoga: Immortality & Freedom (Mircea Eliade)

This book certainly doesn't make for light reading but readers' efforts are rewarded - a staggering and colourful ride through the history of yogic traditions and philosophy. Discover the origins of what we know today as yoga and uncover the social, political and spiritual contexts in which the practice has developed, splintered and expanded. Eliade presents yoga in all of its glorious complexity, diversity and richness.

41VCDtl3ETL10. The Yoga Tradition: Its History, Literature, Philosophy & Practice (Georg Feurstein)

This mammoth 720-page book contains a wealth of information on all aspects of yoga. Covering the links between yoga and major religions, yogic cults, literature, philosophy and practice, this truly is a comprehensive guide. The book also contains full and part translations of key yogic texts, including the Sutras and parts of the Bhagavad Gita.

5 Ways A Yoga Retreat Can Change Your Life

5 Ways A Yoga Retreat Can Change Your Life

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1. You will deepen your yoga practice

We all wish we could make it to class more often, or practice more regularly at home. Somehow life always seems to get in the way of our very best intentions! Imagine how much your practice and the way you feel about your practice could develop if it was allowed to be the full focus of your attentions for a whole week or more! Retreats offer the perfect opportunity to deepen your practice through absolute immersion in yoga. Distraction free!

2. You will make new friends

One of the great things about yoga treats is the huge variety of people who go on them. Get to know people outside of your usual social circle, new friends who you automatically share a deep connection with through yoga. This deep connection and the sheer amount of time you will spend together will ensure that these new friendships survive.

molino23. Restore balance to your body & your life

Left unattended to, our everyday stresses, strains and anxieties can begin to take their toll on both our bodies and minds. A retreat is the perfect opportunity to reboot your mind and body systems through deep relaxation and restorative practices. Healthy and delicious food, a staple of all yoga retreats, will also help with rejuvenation and building new and better lifestyle habits. Retreats also a great backdrop to work through addictive and negative behaviour patterns.

4. Let go of what is holding you back

We've all got baggage, and usually plenty of it! Learn to let go, leave things behind and move into the future whilst living firmly in the present. Soak up your inspirational surroundings and contemplate all that is beautiful and good in the world RIGHT NOW.

5. Have an amazing time!

Does this one really need a description? Put that spring back into your step and indulge in the luxury that YOU deserve! Happy retreating...

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Like the look of the photos illustrating this blog post? They were all taken at Molino Del Rey in Spain - one of the world's leading retreat centres set in the beautiful Andalucian Hills. Camyoga will be leading a retreat there from 25th August-1st September 2013. Join us for inpiring yoga, hillwalking, massages and stunning caves! More info here.

The Benefits of Combining Yoga & Chiropractic

The Benefits of Combining Yoga & Chiropractic

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"I have been lucky enough to learn the combined healing forces of regular yoga practice with chiropractic treatment." - Mary Young

Chiropractic is a straight forward method of adjusting the bones of your body to improve the alignment of your skeleton, and through this process help the nervous system to work more efficiently. The purpose of chiropractic care is to realign and rebalance your body to relieve pain and discomfort, and increase mobility.

The McTimoney method of chiropractic was developed by the late John McTimoney over 50 years ago and is well known for being a precise, whole body approach to chiropractic care. The gentle nature of the McTimoney method makes it especially suitable for people of all ages.

maryyoung2Mary Young will be offering McTimoney chiropractic from our Camyoga South studios on Friday mornings, with appointments available between 9am and noon.

"After a road accident left me unbroken but bruised and torn for months, I have been lucky enough to learn the combined healing forces of regular yoga practice with chiropractic treatment.

Yoga is a fantastic way to support and strengthen the body's healing process and chiropractic is the perfect addition at the moments when the body just needs some extra help. Whether after a trauma or simply to relieve the impacts of a demanding life, the combination is amazing."

If you haven't had chiropractic before, why not book in for a free spine check and find out how it might work for you? It's called a spine check, but be also sure to mention your headaches, your achilles pain, and the fact that your left pinkie doesn't straighten! You'll be surprised by how many problems chiropractics can help you with!

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 To book an appointment, a spine check or just to find out more about the benefits of chiropractic and how it can help you, email Mary at mary@blueskychiropractic.co.uk. You can also find out more on her website: www.blueskychiropractic.co.uk

What Is Metta Bhavana Meditation?

What Is Metta Bhavana Meditation?

gold-robes-smallMetta-bhavana, from the Pali language, means "cultivating loving kindness". So Metta Bhavana meditation is a practice whereby we actively cultivate positive emotional states towards others, as well as to ourselves, enabling us to be more open to others, thus developing a sense of harmony both with those we love and also with those towards whom we harbour more negative feelings.

Through doing this we are able to let go of resentment, anger, impatience and ill feelings - often by holding onto negative feelings in relation to others we are hurting mainly ourselves! Therefore loving kindness is a practice of learning to treat ourselves better, to give ourselves less of a "hard time".

It's so easy to slip through life, chastising ourselves daily for the things we haven't done, that extra slice of cheesecake we ate, that job we didn't get. Sometimes we forget to pat ourselves on the back now and again, to make friends with ourselves. It is only when we treat ourselves well that we are able to be fully present for our loved ones and to extend our loving kindness to those who need it most.

519Want to learn more? Camyoga's founder, Louise Palmer-Masterton, will be leading a FREE Metta Bhavana Meditation in the Dance Tent at The Big Weekend on Parker's Piece this Sunday. Satisfy your curiosity - you deserve it! Learn more.

Why You Deserve A Massage

Why You Deserve A Massage

fresver4"It is not a luxury to take care of ourselves, it is as essential as eating, sleeping and breathing" - Wendy Gaisford

Practitioners of yoga are well aware that the mind and body are closely linked. Over-work and prolonged mental or physical stress can have significant detrimental effect on the body; when we ignore our body's needs we also miss out on a healthy mind and general life balance.

Tension, discomfort and pain are our body's way of telling us something is wrong. Excessive stress on both the body and mind, whether as a result of exercise or general life, may result in muscular tension and soreness resulting in decreased energy levels, mental clarity or poor sleep. By allowing our body and mind time  to relax and recover, both are then in a better position to heal and stay healthy.

Holistic Massage

A great way of relieving muscular tension is through holistic massage - this practice also improves circulation, lymphatic drainage and releases toxins to relieve pain, encourage concentration, relaxed breathing and a better quality of sleep.

Vitally, holisitic massage also provides the opportunity to allow the mind to slow down and switch off from every day stresses and problems. Mental clarity and energy can be increased, lifting the spirit, providing an effective method of rebalancing you both physically and mentally.

Sports & Remedial Massage

Sports massage is a style of deep tissue massage concerned with injury prevention and the maintenance of optimum sporting activity, allowing you to train to your full potential and recover optimally.

Sports therapy massage aims to reduce muscular tension and knots to increase circulation and encourage the removal of toxic waste products, such as lactic acid, built up within the muscles during exercise. By employing neuromuscular and myofascial release and massage techniques it is possible to promote healing and enhance the rate of recovery between training sessions.

Regular sports and remedial massage has been shown to be effective at preventing and treating niggling injuries before they become chronic. Sports massage therapy is also suitable for anyone who is experiencing everyday levels of stress and strain. For those who focus on  achieving the best out of themselves, regular sports massage is an essential part of your training routine.

Wendy Gaisford

Wendy Gaisford will be offering Holistic & Remedial Massage, Indian Head Massage and Deep Tissue Massage from Camyoga Shelford on Mondays and Wednesdays. Appointments are available between 10am-4pm at an introductory rate of £42 per hour. Click here to book an appointment online.

Breathe Well: Use The Force!

Breathe Well: Use the Force!

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"Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor" - Thich Nhat Hanh

What is it that makes us tick? I'm not talking hobbies and fantasies here, I'm talking literally. What is it that makes us tick, makes us tock, keeps us going, makes us human, assures us that we're still alive?

"Well, my heart, it's beating", you might say.

Ok, sure. What else?

"I'm breathing", you might say.

Yes, you're reading this article after all, so that's true too.

Now of these two rather essential bodily functions (functions which we often use to define creatures as living rather than not living) which one do we have control over?

That's right, the breath. You see, breathing is the only autonomous system of the body that we can  also control. We can change the length of the breath, the quality and depth of it. We can choose to breath through the mouth, the nose, through alternate nostrils. We can direct the flow of our breath into any part of our bodies for whatever purpose we desire. We can use the breath to ground ourselves, to energise our bodies and minds, to calm our nerves.

According to Alan Dolan, 80% of our energy comes in through our breath. Now that's a lot of fuel. He also claims that 75% of detoxification takes place via the breath. That's a lot of purifying!

Why then, do so many of us leave our breathing apparatus to function on autopilot? If we possess the tools for calming and energising our bodies, for increasing our longevity, and they're right here inside our very own bodies, why do we choose to ignore them?

Perhaps we just feel like we don't have enough time to sit around doing breathing exercises. Perhaps we're just too busy to breathe properly. Perhaps we're too restless and anxious or distracted to even begin to think about sitting down and consciously breathing, exhale, inhale, exhale, inhale...

Ancient yogis believed we only have so many breaths for our life and that by taking slower and deeper breaths we can live for longer, in greater health. If this is the case, then why not take a little time to make a little time? By connecting our minds with our bodies and breath we are better able to feel connected to the world and our place in it. Even if you set aside just five minutes of your day for a breathing practice, it might well just slow your life down enough to make you feel like you've got a few extra hours in the week.

Still not sure? Then I'll hand over to the rather convincing Max Strom, author of A Life Worth Breathing...

 

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