 Understanding the Power of Innercise I thought I’d kick off this first newsletter with a reminder that no matter what stage of life or life circumstances we find ourselves in, we all have the ability to positively influence our wellbeing. The intelligence housed in our body is capable of change not as a passive recipient but as an agent of change. Over the years my studies have encouraged me to teach a style of yoga, mindfulness and movement that aims to help anyone and everyone connect to the power of that inner wisdom. Recently I reflected on how I can again tweak my teaching to allow that transfer from class to practicing at home with confidence - enter Back to Simple. Simple class to home practices to regain that instinct to respond in a way that helps the body return to its natural state. To start you off the practices below target three tension hotspots which can have a wealth of positive effects on balancing body and mind. Namaste
Working at Wellbeing - Self-Care & Instincts  Never underestimate the power of connection to the body in mindful ways This extract is from a Wellness Workspace article, I hope will be published soon. It links nicely to the theme of this newsletter. Breathing is one of the few body systems that can be either voluntary - we can alter it consciously and at will - or involuntary - it takes place automatically without thinking about it. This unique relationship between our thinking and our breathing system can play a significant role in developing awareness of what’s happening deep inside. Learning to consciously alter the breath develops the ability to positively influence the effect different states can have on us. There are many breathing techniques to use to alter breath patterns. My “go to” is one of the simplest - abdominal breathing - the typical breath pattern adopted in the regenerating processes such as, when you are asleep, digesting food or when the body is relaxed or at peace. It is also the most efficient and relaxed way of countering the ‘emergency mode’ breathing of our stress response. It takes as little as two minutes abdominal breathing to become calm, aware, and present and can be be practiced standing, sitting, lying down, anywhere, anytime. I start by placing my hands on my abdomen to get that sense of the lift and lowering of the abdomen in response to the diaphragm. It’s about tuning in and feeling what is present at this point - awareness building - is the abdomen barely moving, is your breath shallow or fast? Then, breathing in and out through the nose, give yourself a little time to deepen the breath and allow the abdomen to rise as you breathe in and gently lower as you breathe out. It can help to count steadily from 1 to 5 on each inhale and 1 to 5 again each exhale. It’s important to keep the breath flowing comfortably - no forcing the breath or the abdomen to expand or pull back to flatten. Initially it may take longer than two minutes to get the feel of sycronicity of the breath and abdomen. With practice you willfind you tune in, feel what’s present and the positive relaxation response within that two minutes.click here for other Wellness Workspace articles. Retreat NewsBACK TO SIMPLE - FIND BALANCE RETREATS 2020
The long process of looking for suitable venues for my 2020 retreats is underway. Would you believe, top of the list so far is Osea Island, a tidal island in the Blackwater Estuary, it is almost on my doorstep - 22 miles from where I am currently living and a little over an hours drive from the city! Osea seems a perfect place for a retreat. It's a tidal island so we can only access when tides allow. ThisThis hidden oasis lies nestled within 4½ miles of secluded coastline, you can wander its private beaches and rarely see another soul. The island is also a sanctuary for wildlife with some breath taking scenery. PLUS there is no wifi on Osea so this retreat will give you a very rare opportunity to really UNPLUG and reap the benefits. If you would like to read about my experience of a few days without that technology buzz here's a link to one of my articles at Thrive Global https://thriveglobal.com/stories/lose-the-buzz-and-gain-balance/ Provisional dates are 24th - 27th April. 2020. Spaces will be limited so let me know if you are interested. Further details will follow as soon as all is confirmed. I’ve added a link here for you www.oseaisland.co.uk/ Comments are closed.
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