Looking for a yoga class that suits your energy? Whether you want to move and challenge yourself or slow down and relax, we’ve got two great options—Dynamic Flow and Flow + Chill. Both will leave you feeling good in your body and mind.
Tag: vinyasayoga
It’s not always easy to commit to a weekly yoga class.
Life happens…
The past four weeks have been all about backbends! These powerful poses boost your strength, flexibility, and overall well-being. They help counteract that slouchy posture we all get from daily life, leaving you feeling energised and amazing.
But let’s be honest, sometimes those deeper backbends can feel like reaching for the stars. No worries though – I’ve got some tips to help you transform your backbends!
Last week, we delved into Padha Bandha, focusing on the connection and engagement of the feet. Building on that exploration, this week in our yoga classes in Rugby, we have shifted our attention to Hasta Bandha, the art of hand lock. Just as Padha Bandha grounded us through our feet, Hasta Bandha empowers us through our hands, offering an opportunity to refine our practice and deepen our connection to each pose.
Hasta Bandha: Beyond Wrist Protection
Our hands facilitate our connection with the world in myriad ways, and on the mat, they serve as tools for stability, balance, and power.
Hasta Bandha, translating to “hand lock” in Sanskrit, isn’t merely about safeguarding your wrists. It’s a subtle yet engagement of the hands that fosters stability and protects your joints. Good application of Hasta Bandha distributes weight evenly across your palms, leveraging the natural arch of your hand for support. This not only alleviates strain on the wrists, particularly in weight-bearing poses like Downward-Facing Dog but also lays the foundation for a number of benefits:
- Strength and Stability: Activating Hasta Bandha establishes a sturdy foundation, empowering you to hold poses with greater ease and control. Envision your hands firmly rooted into the mat, anchoring you in each posture and fostering a sense of confidence and power.
- Heightened Proprioception: By consciously engaging your hands in Hasta Bandha, you enhance your body’s spatial awareness, refining alignment throughout your practice. This heightened proprioception not only reduces the risk of injury but also deepens your connection to the nuances of each pose.
- Precision in Movement: Hasta Bandha encourages mindful use of the hands, transcending mere gripping to focus on spreading the fingers and activating specific points of contact. This precision fosters intentional movement, enabling you to flow gracefully from one posture to the next with heightened awareness and control.
- Potential Energy Flow: In certain yoga traditions, Hasta Bandha is believed to channel subtle energy (prana) up the arms and into the body’s central channel. While the scientific basis of this concept is still evolving, many practitioners attest to experiencing heightened energy and concentration when incorporating Hasta Bandha into their practice.
Incorporating Hasta Bandha into Your Practice:
Eager to explore Hasta Bandha? Here’s a step-by-step guide to get you started:
- Establish Your Foundation: Begin in any pose that relies on hand support, such as Downward-Facing Dog or Plank. Ensure your wrists are aligned directly under your shoulders to optimise stability.
- Spread and Ground: Extend your fingers wide, pressing the fleshy pads of your palms firmly into the mat. Visualise creating an “L” shape with your thumb and index finger, creating a broad base of support.
- Lift and Engage: While maintaining alignment, gently lift and broaden your palms as if pushing against an unseen force. Lengthen your fingers through the fingertips, activating the muscles of your forearms and hands for enhanced stability.
Tips:
- Avoid Over-Gripping: Aim for a firm yet gentle engagement. Excessive tension in your forearms can hinder your practice.
- Stay Breath-Aware: Maintain a steady breath throughout, using it as a guide to stay present and release any unnecessary tension.
- Listen to Your Body: Honour your body’s signals. If you encounter discomfort, adjust your technique or transition to a modification that better suits your needs.
- Embrace Variation: As you become more proficient in Hasta Bandha, feel free to explore subtle adjustments in hand placement to optimise your experience in different poses.
Have a question about something yoga-related? Feel free to drop me a message! I’d love to hear from you.
Lizard Pose, also known as Utthan Pristhasana targets those tight hips, glutes, and hamstrings. This intermediate-level pose isn’t just great for flexibility, it also helps strengthen your core, shoulders, and spine, leaving you feeling energised and receptive.
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Explore Doshas for Yoga and Everyday Life
One of the things that I love about yoga is that it has so many layers to it. It isn’t just a physical practice – it’s so much more!
Over the past few weeks in our yoga classes in Rugby, we’ve explored the fascinating world of Ayurveda, an ancient Indian wisdom tradition. Ayurveda identifies three core energetic forces within us called Doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. These Doshas influence not just our physical health, but also our mental and emotional well-being. Understanding your dominant Dosha can be a powerful tool for navigating life – both on and off the yoga mat.
Social media might paint yoga as holding serene poses for ages, hushed whispers of “namaste,” and a peaceful vibe. But yoga is so much more! It offers tranquility, yes, but it’s also surprisingly dynamic and adventurous. Think of it as exploring a whole mountain range, not just the foothills. Ready to ditch the preconceptions and discover the yoga adventure you never knew existed?
Shatter the Stereotypes:
First things first, let’s break free from the image of pretzel-shaped yogis chanting in unison. Yoga boasts a diverse spectrum of styles, from the high-energy flow of Vinyasa, to the deep stretches of Yin. There’s also inversions and power yoga that’ll leave you feeling like you just conquered your own personal Mount Everest (in downward-facing dog pose, naturally). We are so fortunate to have so many incredible yoga teachers in Rugby and I encourage you to explore different styles, and discover what lights you up.
Embrace the Challenge:
Think yoga is all gentle stretches and holding poses? Think again! Vinyasa, with its uplifting spirit and touch of inspiration, pushes your physical limits as each posture seamlessly blends into the next, building strength, stamina, and flexibility you never knew you possessed. Get ready to build heat, and maybe even wobble a bit (it’s all part of the process!). You’ll emerge feeling empowered and accomplished.
Beyond the Body:
Yoga isn’t just about fancy contortions. It’s a journey inward, a chance to connect with your breath, quieten your mind, and explore the depths of your being. Through this harmonious vinyasa flow, you’ll find yourself de-stressing, boosting your mood, and cultivating a sense of inner peace.
Adventure Awaits:
Think of yoga as a gateway to new experiences. Once you tap into its potential, you unlock a world of possibilities. From outdoor yoga amidst breathtaking landscapes to partner yoga fostering connection and trust, or even candlelit yoga for a serene evening practice, yoga becomes an exciting exploration of movement and self-discovery.
You might just find yourself surprised, challenged, and exhilarated by the adventure that awaits. Remember, the only “boring” yoga is the one you haven’t explored yet.
Unleash your inner explorer with my yoga classes in Rugby!
- Weekly Vinyasa Flows: Find your flow and build strength with these dynamic classes suitable for complete beginners to experienced students.
- Monthly Deep Stretch Yin: Release tension and find deep relaxation in these sessions. No experience needed.
- Special Events & Retreats: Immerse yourself in the practice with unique workshops and getaways.
Join me now for classes starting in April! Booking Page.
Yoga is so much more than a physical practice and in our current 6-week yoga block, we are exploring the Niyama, Tapas— ancient yogic wisdom around self-discipline, courage and transformation.
It’s more than physical effort; Tapas shapes our mental resilience and emotional fortitude beyond the mat. Picture breaking free from routine, avoiding stagnation. As the saying goes, “if we always do, what we’ve always done, we’ll always get what we’ve always got.” Transformation is just outside your comfort zone. Without Tapas, we risk repeating cycles. True change lies outside comfort zones; growth emerges from challenges!
Tapas is not about self-inflicted pain; it’s about self-discipline, guiding us to strive for our best selves without harming ourselves or others. We practice ahimsa, non-violence, both internally and externally, respecting our bodies, minds, and the world around us.
In week 3 of our classes this week in Houlton and Eastlands in Rugby, we looked at Tapas in everyday life, finding strength in discomfort. Tapas brings a renewed passion for growth into our daily lives. We become mindful, committed, and resilient, transforming into agents of positive change! Let us embrace challenges, cultivate inner strength, and radiate compassion towards ourselves and all beings.