Video Classes

Lesson 1 Warming up

A thirty minute lesson of guided warm up exercises , including gentle stretches and breathing.

This lesson is designed to be used either by itself or as a prelude to other classes. I have decided to upload classes as ‘modules’ as this makes creating and uploading videos easier. It is beneficial to begin a yoga practice by a short relaxation which enables you to bring yourself onto your mat away from distractions; to put to one side the past and present thoughts, concerns. To allow yourself time to think about you and your own wellbeing. Beginning with a few simple stretches helps to ease your body into better flexibility giving you a greater range of motion in your joints.

NB always listen to your body. If anything hurts, feels uncomfortable come out of the posture. If you have glaucoma, detached retina, uncontrolled high blood pressure, neck issues then avoid ‘Bridge’ at the end of this lesson. Be very careful in bridge if you have any issues with your back. If you have low blood pressure then move slowly from posture to posture.

This video can also be used before Yoga Nidra to create an hour of pure relaxation.

Yoga Nidra

A thirty minute relaxation Yoga Nidra meditation. Yoga is a ‘yogic sleep’ it is the space between consciousness and sleep. It is a powerful technique for controlling the body’s relaxation response. It can help to improve the function of the nervous system and endocrine system; it can help to regenerate and repair, decrease anxiety and improve your mood.

Make sure you have warm clothes, a blanket and find a place where you can be free from distractions.

Unfortunately my studio is next to a road. At some points in this video you may hear some traffic, just let the sound go avoid giving sounds meaning. The aim of relaxation it to withdraw into yourself, becoming unaware of the outside world.

Lesson 2 Backbends

Backbends have many benefits including: improving posture, spine flexibility and mobility; helps to alleviate back and neck pain; opens the front of the body and the chest increasing the amount of oxygen in your lungs; slows down your breathing (slowing your heart rate and energising the body).

Please make sure you warm up first using my ‘Warming up’ video.

NB Listen to your body and if anything feels uncomfortable or hurts STOP, especially if you have a back injury! Only you know your body, how it feels and what it is capable of doing. Make sure you are kind to yourself and listen to yourself.

ENJOY!

Flower Relaxation

This 15 minute relaxation is inspired by the yoga Chakras. Chakra means ‘spinning wheel’ and they are a convergence of energy, thoughts/feelings and the physical body. There are seven different chakras and each are represented by a different colour, hence the different colours of the flowers in the relaxation. Red is the root chakra which amongst other things help to keep us grounded and is found at the base of the spine. The sacral chakra is represented by the colour orange and is situated in the lower abdomen below the navel; when balanced you are comfortable in your own skin and own environment, able to express yourself freely without being malicious or cruel. Yellow is the solar plexus chakra. This chakra is located just above the navel and is associated with the digestive system, the element of fire and individual power and purpose. The heart chakra is represented by the colour green and is located in the middle of the chest. When balanced you feel love, compassion and understanding of yourself as well as others. The throat chakra is represented by the colour blue. It’s functions include: communication and self expression. Indigo is Anja, the third eye chakra, which is located between the eyebrow centre. It’s functions include: seeing, intuition and perception. The crown chakra is represented by white and is found at the centre of the head. When it is balanced you sense a feeling of a sense of wonder with the world.

Twists Lesson 1

Twisting poses can help to restore the spine’s natural range of motion, cleanse organs and stimulate circulation.

B.K.S. Iyengar, who was an Indian yoga master, describes twists as a ‘squeeze and soak’ action.

‘The organs are compressed during twist, pushing out blood filled with metabolic by-products and toxins. When we release the twist, fresh blood flows in, carrying oxygen and the building blocks for tissue healing. So from the physiological standpoint, twists stimulate circulation and have a cleansing and refreshing effect on the torso organs and associated glands.’

Twisting can also help to de-stress. In a twist the shoulders and chest are open which helps to improve oxygenation and decrease the feeling of nervousness and anxiousness.

The twists in the first video are gentle twists, even so still listen to your body (watching the video back, you may find you need to come out of the wide legged seated posture before repeating on each side). It is recommended that you warm up first using the ‘warming up’ video - just following up until the end of the knee circles at 17 minutes would be ideal.

Twists lesson 2

This video has slightly more complex twists: a wide legged seated twist which is a combination of a twist and a side bend and a twist in a lunge position. As always listen to your body and come out of the posture at anytime if any part of you is uncomfortable or it doesn’t feel right for you.

NB The twist from the lunge is a closed twist where the breathing is more into the ribs and upper chest therefore it is not suitable for anyone who has untreated high blood pressure or heart problems (or someone who is pregnant); it is more difficult to breathe as you are twisting towards the leg, the abdomen is constricted and the heart is having to work harder.

Warming up & Breathing

This is another warming up session which includes ‘Pranayama’ which is the formal practice of controlling the breath.

During this session we practice ‘diaphragmatic breathing’. One of the main aims of this type of breathing is it strengthens the diaphragm, deepening the inhalation helping to improve the function of the lungs. There are many benefits of diaphragmatic breathing but one main one is that it helps to reduce stress which will help the immune system to work more efficiently. Breathing exercises help to bring our focus inward, bring us into the present therefore helping us to forget about worries and concerns for a time.

Forward Bends

Forward bends can be calming and help to relieve stress. They are great for stretching the hamstrings, calves and hips and for strengthening the thighs and knees.

Make sure you warm up before, either using the ‘Warming up’ or ‘Warming up and breathing class’. Leave out ‘Bridge’ as it is best not to combine back bends with forward bends in one session.

As always listen to your body during your practice. I have given some guidance on contraindications for the asanas during the video, but if anything feels uncomfortable then stop straight away. If you have osteoporosis it is very important to keep the spine lengthened, avoiding rounding the back, to prevent injury during forward bending.

Standing Postures Lesson 1

Standing poses have many benefits including: strengthening and stretching all group muscles in the legs, particularly the thighs, hamstrings, gluts, calves and ankles; great for posture and also for flat feet. Virabharasana II and Parsvakonasana are also good for opening up across the chest and can help to increase stamina.

Make sure you do one of my warm up sessions before starting.

I have included modifications using a chair to help with balance but as usual listen to your body and stop if the posture is uncomfortable. Take care if you have leg, knee, shoulder and hip injuries. If you have problems with your heart or blood pressure issues, keep your arms down and don’t hold the postures too long. Take care if you have neck issues too. During ‘wide legged forward fold’ fold from the hips and keep the spine straight.

Hip Stretches

Initially intended as a warm up session concentrating on the hips, as usual the session ended up being longer than I had planned - why change a habit of a lifetime!!!! However, you can still use it as a warm up session as a whole or maybe chopping and changing the stretches that you focus on.

This group of stretches is mainly floor based but finishes with a lovely calming standing balance, Vrksasana - Tree pose.

As usual please listen to your body and if any of the stretches feels uncomfortable then please stop.