Why Mindfulness Works by Mrs Grumpy

The temperature has dropped and I can feel the inner Mrs Grumpy surface as the prospect of getting soaked again on my bike is not that thrilling. Time to wheel in some Mindfulness.  I check in with a brief body scan and note hunched up shoulders, upper chest breathing , a tight jaw and wrists at 45 degrees.  Just by noting what is happening my shoulders and breath start to relax. Realistically it is only a few rain drops and actually I do have waterproofs on and ask myself what is the actual sensation of the rain rather than my snazzle frazzle perception.

It is light and quite warm and I start to smile as I remember that I too am actually waterproof and hopefully won’t be dissolving like the Wicked Witch of the West and isn’t this a lucky way to travel?  I start to climb out of Mrs Grumpy and into Ms Curious, what is happening around me?

Going under Elizabeth Way bridge there is a small boy at the top of the stairs and at the bottom is what looks like his Grandma. She is wrapped up and holding a bright umbrella and is fully engaged with the little boys’ game.  There is metal hand rail with a perfect groove for his toy cars and he is letting them go from the top and Grandma evaluates their progress ‘yes, this is working well, now let go of the blue car.’ They are totally engrossed in their adventure, the smile gets bigger.

Around the corner I wait at a crossing and the heavens are now open. A van pulls up and it is an Anglian Water van and on its bonnet it proclaims:

‘Love every drop’!

How could I do any-thing else but laugh. It is an enchanting world and Mindfulness helps to reveal beautiful precious moments. The little moments become the big moments. This month is Mindfulness month at Camyoga starting with a day retreat on Saturday and then Carolyn Pallon is running a Mindfulness Introduction course from the 11^th June for four weeks.

 

Breathe Well: An Introduction

"Imagine owning the most high specification TV in existence, keeping it plugged in on standby and then living with it for years and years without ever actually turning it on. Sadly most of us live in 'standby mode' most of the time." - Alan Dolan, Breathguru.com

Anyone who has attended a class at Camyoga will be aware of the importance of breathing well - it's a concept which is common to all styles of yoga. The term we use to describe breath control - pranayama  -  translates literally as "life force extension". I think you'll agree that's no small claim!

The power of the breath, however, should not be underestimated. The simple act of infusing our bodies with oxygen has the ability to transform the way we think, feel and even live. Think about the last time you were nervous, or excited, or worried - did you hold your breath? We often use this mechanism to prevent ourselves from becoming overwhelmed by such powerful feelings. However by restricting our breath in such a way we are actually hindering the very system which has the potential to calm the fluctuations of our minds. When holding our breath in this way becomes habitual, which it often does, we can be more prone to physical illness and mental disturbances such as feeling upset or anxious.

We all know how relaxed we feel after class. It's important to remember that asana alone will not create this sensation of ease - integrating mind, breath and body is the key to unleashing all that yoga has to offer. Here's a short video about the possibilities unleashed by transformational breathing from the world's leading Breath therapist, Alan Dolan:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRG8TaOO9Ck

Chakras: An Introduction

The origins of Chakra system comes from yoga traditions of India around 500 - 1000 AD. It is for this reason that yoga is a practice that was designed to not only train your mind and body but to also access your chakras. The word yoga means yoke or union and we can see how the chakra systems represents the structural aspect of that yoke, meaning that through which mind and body, mortal an divine, connect. Yoga thus becomes the main tool for accessing this sacred architecture of the soul.

It is believed that there is over hundred of chakras in our body and that they are the key of our existence. They draw-in coded information from our surroundings, such as another person's aura, health of our environment, which has an effect on our moods. In addition, our chakras also radiate an energy of vibration.

Although we have numbers of chakras it is the seven following main chakras which this article focuses on. It is important to keep these chakras balanced for our overall good health. These seven main chakra centres are connected to our being on several different levels: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual.

The seven main energy centres (chakras) of the body are:

Crown (Violet) - Personal identification with infinite. Oneness with God. Peace, Wisdom.

Third eye (Indigo) - Indigo-clearing subconscious to channel intuition. Purple-balanced state of mind. See Divine perfection in all things. Devotion

Throat (Blue) - Ability to verbalise. Expressing truth through power of the spoken word.

Heart (Green) - Release emotionally suppressed trauma. Soul / heart consciousness. Expressing love in action.

Solar Plexus (Yellow) - Assimilation experience. Digestion. Positive use of personal power. Manifest goals.

Sacral (Orange) - Utilisation of creative forces into all aspects of begin. High soul procreation. Direct self toward devotion.

Base (Red) - Ground spirit forces in body. Gain ability to work lovingly on the physical plane. (source)

If you'd like to incorporate the knowledge of chakras into your yoga practice come to Andrea Kwiatkowski extended Jivamukti Masterclass which has its focus in Chakras. Saturday 25th May, 11.00-13.30, Great Shelford  Learn more

How "Us & Them" Disappears Through the Eight Limbs

Patanjali is said to be the Father of Yoga writing down the Yoga Sutra's around 2000 years ago.  Before that it was handed down by mouth from one teacher to one student and was largely a secret.  Now freely available the 8 limbs are laid out and working through them we see 'us and them' dissolve into peace, bliss and oneness. Being human we may dip in and out but knowing it is there encourages back onto the path.

To understand a little more of what is on the chart click on this link

The 8 Limbs of Yoga by Patanjali or take a foundation course or diploma course with Camyoga

Yoga for Women's Health

There hasn't been much of an emphasis on heart problems in women, but in fact, women are sometimes more affected by heart diseases than men. According to doctors, this is in some extend due to their exposure to some rare diseases, such as coronary artery dissection, where around eight out of ten cases are women.  source

But according to new research, yoga has a great benefits for people with cardiovascular diseases due to its combination of stretching, breathing techniques and mindfulness and it is also believed that it can help prevent heart attack.

According to the Harvard Medical study, "getting into the various postures during a yoga session gently exercises the muscles. Anything that works your muscles is good for your heart and blood vessels. Activity also helps muscles become more sensitive to insulin, which is important for controlling blood sugar. The deep-breathing exercises help slow the breathing rate. Taking fewer but deeper breaths each minute temporarily lowers blood pressure and calms the sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for generating stress hormones. The postures and deep breathing offer a kind of physical meditation that focuses and clears the mind. Meditation and the mindfulness of yoga have both been shown to help people with cardiovascular disease." source

It Does Your Heart Good.

Thus it is believed that yoga may;

• reduce high blood pressure
• improve symptoms of heart failure
• ease palpitations
• enhance cardiac rehabilitation
• lower cardiovascular risk factors such as cholesterol levels, blood sugar, and stress hormones
•  improve balance, reduce falls, ease arthritis, and improve breathing for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

If you are a yoga teacher and would like to learn more about Women's Health and about in which ways Yoga positively impacts women's body then you will be interested in our next teaching course 'Yoga for Women's Health'.

YOGA FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH with Beverley Nolan

Thursday 16th May - Friday 17th May, 09.30-17.30 - Great Shelford

£190 / Camyoga graduates 10% off

An in-depth review of feminine anatomy and physiology including the menstrual cycle and peri-menopause and their associated health problems, urinary tract infections and incontinence, breast health, and osteoporosis. Examination of the benefits of both Energising and Restorative yoga practice. Application of modifications, alternatives and sequencing of asanas. Pranayama and relaxation techniques

Learn more about course here.

 

Webcast of HH Dalia Lama in Cambridge, to see the beautiful talk click on the link below

Educating the Heart

Mindfulness: For Instant Improvement to Mind & Body

If our last article didn't persuade you about the importance of mindfulness then what has been discovered in the following study might do the trick: ‘In just eight weeks of training in mindfulness and mindfulness meditation, studies show that the brain and the way it processes emotion under stress can be changed. At the end of eight weeks, the immune system is more robust, people feel calmer, and they feel more comfortable with their bodies. Their risk of injury is dramatically reduced.’ Tamara Mitchell This shows that Mindfulness has an instant effect if one is willing to stick to it on regular bases. You can learn about Mindfulness and about how to build your own practice in one of our following courses.

Mindfulness Day Retreat with Anna Jackson Saturday 1st June 2013 10.00 to 16.30 £75 | £65 concs

With everything going on it can be so easy for the mantra to be ‘I am so stressed’ or ‘I am so Busy’.

This day retreat will include yoga asana, pranayama and meditation that will help with creating awareness of what is happening, reducing stress and increasing the joy of being in the moment. More info here.

Mindfulness - An Introduction with Carolyn Pallon Tue 11th June 2013 to Tue 2nd July 2013 18.00 to 19.45 £80 | £65 Gold & Silver Members and concs

Over the 4 weeks we will introduce simple, clinically proven skills aimed at building a mindfulness practice that can flow easily into everyday life. Quite simply mindfulness is a way of training one’s mind. We will learn how to become more familiar with the workings of our minds through bringing a friendly curiosity to what is unfolding in our bodies, and our thinking. More info here.

2013 - A Year of Mindfulness

'Mindfulness: The Secret to Success', 'Now's the moment for mindfulness', 'Mindfulness Practices To Take Control of Workplace Problems', 'Can 'Mindfulness' really help you focus?'... These are a just a few out of many titles out there focusing on mindfulness and its beneficial influence on a person's mind and body. This may mean that mindfulness is finally getting the recognition in our media that it deserves! The Telegraph newspaper even stated that the year 2013 is 'Mindfulness year'. So, I am asking you, have you thought about what mindfulness can do for you?

It seems that researchers and mindfulness practitioners both agree that mindfulness can radically improve your quality of live. First of all, mindfulness will present you with an opportunity to learn about awareness. This gained awareness will help you to focus your attention on the present moment and appreciate what and whom is around you and therefore has the potential to expand your capacity to live and love. It also helps people reduce their physical pains and stresses and help them to deal with their life's ups and downs in a calmer manner. Mindfulness has even become a talking point in Parliament as it was discussed as a therapy option 'in relation to both unemployement and depression' as well as for the already mentioned beneficial aspects to one's mind and body.

At Camyoga, we also recognise the value and importance of mindfulness! You can look forward to our very own 'Month of Mindfulness' this coming June. Follow our blog to read more about mindfulness events at Camyoga. Meanwhile, here is a BBC feature on mindfulness.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMsUGB_KV7s

Finding Your Dosha

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

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

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

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

Get to Know Rebecca Dennis, our Transformational Breathing Therapist

Hi everyone,

Today we brought you an interview with our therapist Rebecca Dennis who offers one to one transformational breathing sessions. Read about what you can expect from the class and whether everyone can be 'transformed' :).

CY: Hi Rebecca, you have been doing regular Transformation Breathing therapies at our centre for some time but I don’t believe our clients have had a chance to get to know you yet. Do you mind telling us a little bit about yourself?

Rebecca: ....Hi, I moved from London 2 years ago to live in St Albans with my husband and our 18 month old son. I divide my time between seeing clients and hanging out with Louis, family and friends. We love living closer to the countryside and exploring it whenever we can. My passions are travelling, yoga, music, cooking good food and I try to return to my spiritual home India as much as I can.

CY: Coming back to what it is that you do, how did you come across transformational breathing?

Rebecca: I worked in media for over 20 years and during that time began my studies with massage and bodywork. I travelled to India, studied Reiki and my curiosity for the mind, body and soul connection began. I had been suffering with back problems and bouts of depression. I was on medication and paid regularly for massages, however I came to the realisation that this was only masking deeper issues.

When I came across Transformational Breathing in a workshop with Alan Dolan it was like a lightning bolt and the physical and emotional sensations I received were nothing that I had ever experienced before, it was extremely powerful.  The method has enabled me to come off the medication and I found it incredibly easy after years of searching. I travelled to Mexico and Italy to study Transformational Breathing with the founder of the technique, Judith Kravitz and now I am qualified and practicing in Cambridge, St Albans and London.

CY: So what is transformational breathing? What can people expect to do?

Rebecca: ....Transformational Breathing is a self healing technique that helps people to access the full potential of their respiratory system for better physical, emotional and mental well-being. TB helps correct old unhealthy breathing patterns and encourages a fuller conscious breath. The majority of the population only use approximately 25% of their full capacity so it’s no surprise that improper breathing is a contributor to ill health. As human beings we hold onto emotional stuff within our bodies and in doing so create physical, mental and emotional blockages.  This technique helps to release the blockages and transform the energetic field.

At the beginning of the session the client is lying down in a comfortable room. I like them to feel safe and secure.  I undertake a case study and breathing analysis.  I then go on to ask what it is the client would like to gain from our session. This could be improving the way they breathe i.e people with asthma or coping with panic or anxiety attacks. It might be letting go of unwanted emotions and releasing tensions that are deep within them. During the session I will use acupressure around the body. This helps to turbo boost the release of blocked energies. I work with the client using movement, sound and affirmations.

The client can expect to feel a number of sensations, often tingling and numbness, changes in temperature as well as experiencing emotional release.  People often speak of this as a very spiritual experience but I leave this open to the client.

CY: Guessing from its name I suppose that people can expect to be ‘transformed’ after the session. In what way would that be? What are the benefits of transformational breathing?

Rebecca: In order to gain maximum benefits from the sessions it is advised to practice at home between treatments for as little as 5 minutes a day.  After the first facilitated session people will definitely notice a difference.  Each session is usually unique and a different experience to the previous one.

Some of the benefits reported are:

Emotional detoxing

Increased energy

Balance flow of energy

Reduce stress and anxiety

Release and let go of past traumas

Improves self-esteem

Relieve depression and negative thought patterns

Expand awareness

Strengthen spiritual connection

The list goes on…….

CY: And can anyone do transformational breathing? And who do you think could especially benefit from the session?

Rebecca: ....Yes definitely, anyone can do Transformational Breathing from babies to the elderly. I first worked with children in a school in Mexico whilst training and the results were profound and touching.  I believe that this work benefits everyone and what I love about it is that every session is unique to the client.  I find this work fascinating, rewarding and humbling at the same time.

CY: Thank you Rebecca for all the valuable information, is there anything that you would like to add?

Rebecca: ....I am here every other Thursday and you can book appointments through Camyoga Reception.

To learn more about Rebecca Dennis' sessions click here.

Being Your Biggest Self

What are you like when you are your most expansive? Courageous, creative, playful, funny, considered, patient, adventurous?  What are you like to be around when you are your smallest?.......

Here are two examples of folk being their most expansive and living their best lives:

On the 28th January 2013 Garrett McNamara was on holiday in Portugal. He looked out of his window and the weather was awful and he knew it was going to be a great day.... His two friends jet skied him out to sea so that he could surf an incredible 100 ft wave. Fishermen from the town had abandoned the sea as weather as it was too rough, for him it was a chance to be his biggest self....To see this incredible achievement click here

Arthur Boorman had been a paratrooper in the Gulf War and too many jumps had left him wearing back and knee braces. For 15 years he was told this is it and he accepted it. Then he found a yoga teacher who did not know him but believed in him and he then believed in his biggest self........Be your biggest self, whatever it takes.

Thank you to Pilar and Simone for sharing this inspiring clip:  Click here to see Arthur overcome 15 years of disability

Inspiring workshops at Camyoga

Saturday 02/03/2013, 2-5pm, £42.50/£32.50 concs.

We are holding another of Alan Dolan's sold out workshops the first Saturday of the March. In this 3 hour workshop you will learn to:

" Be the healthiest you've ever been" " Feel completely energized" " Experience deeply nourishing peace and relaxation" " Move beyond whatever is standing between you and your happiness" " Become aware of emotions halting your personal growth" " Let go of emotional baggage permanently and easily" " Release anxiety and alleviate depression" " Develop a new dimension to your yoga and/or spiritual practice" " Understand the nature of spirit" " Open your breath and expand your life"

Book the workshop now to positively change your life via simple breathing techniques.

What people say about transformational breathing:

‘Twenty minutes a day of deep breathing is the single most important factor in the effectiveness of all exercise' - US Olympic Training Committee

‘I’m still feeling the benefits. Now I know I’m just a proper in-and-out breath away from a moment of peace.’ - Ann-Louise Holland an attendee of Alan Dolan’s workshop for Top Santé

'Chronic oxygen deficiency in tissues is connected with coronary disease and heart attacks.' - Dr. Paavo Airola

Find out more on transformation breathing in Alan's  video.

Meditation is a wonderful way of waking up to our life. Our minds are often preoccupied with endless thoughts of tasks ahead of us or by recapitulating and reliving moments that upset us in some way. This way we often miss out on what is happening around us as we, in a way, loose the ability to see.

By meditating you will learn to clear the information overload that builds up everyday and contributes to your stress. You will achieve this through few simple steps in meditation; first of all you will learn to balance your body in the right posture, secondly you will learn to find your focus while having eyes closed, and lastly, you’ll become aware of your breath.

Not only will meditation give you a sense of calm, peace and balance but mediation may also positively change your brain. Scientist now came up with studies stating that those who meditate on regular basis had measurable changes in gray-matter density in parts of the brain which are associated with memory, sense of self, empathy and stress.

"It is fascinating to see the brain's plasticity and that, by practicing meditation, we can play an active role in changing the brain and can increase our well-being and quality of life," Britta Holzel, PhD, first author of the paper and a research fellow at MGH and Giessen University in Germany, said.

If you feel like you need that little push before you start meditating on your own or if you simply want to treat yourself to an hour of blissfulness then come to one of our Sunday’s Meditation classes starting at 5.30pm. This week - Satsang with Anna Jackson.

Source of the study.

Stress and pain How are you? How many times a day do you hear and answer this very question? I am well, how are you? Oh-Kay, you? Been better, been worse.

Have you ever thought of answering honestly: ' just busy' or 'stressed'? And have you wondered about how in today's very Western society we consider busy and stressed the 'norm'?

The thing is, people who react poorly to stress are most likely to react poorly to pain. However, research shows that people who do yoga cope better with stress. More specifically, yoga practitioners had higher pain tolerance and felt less pain compared to other participants who did not do yoga. When subjected to a thumbnail test, fMRIs showed that activity in areas of the brain associated with the pain response (Smith et.al., 2008).

Thus, the study concluded that yogis can regulate their stress, and consequently, their pain responses.

Put the date Thursday 18th April 2013 into your diary as Max Strom - the author of the exciting and successful book “A Life Worth Breathing” will hold a workshop at our Great Shelford centre! This evening workshop will begin with a talk based on his book which will be followed by a range of breathing exercises and yoga movements.

Max Strom’s workshops are known for their healing, penetrating effects, leaving students feeling renewed and open. Freida Pinto, actress from the Slumdog Millionaire said: “You should invest in Max Strom’s “A Life Worth Breathing.” It has been my guide.”

If you’d like to find out more on Max Strom you can visit his website or watch his TED talk on ‘There is No App for Happiness’.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMAyVdOOgQ8

Book your place at our April workshop if you’re ready to be transformed!

See you soon,

The Camyoga team