Yoga

We’ve just completed our second 5 week course with a group of 9 enthusiastic participants, many who were new to meditation, and it was absolutely amazing. I consider it a privilege and blessing to facilitate these sessions. We use a variety of techniques to assist our meditation journey and the time spent in meditation has evolved from 10 minute to 40 minute sessions with gradual ease. It’s a very interactive experience with the opportunity for us all to share our experiences (if we wish), plus record our personal experience in our notebooks.

I base my teaching on my own meditation experience over the past four decades, the ancient yogic texts of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Bhagavad Gita and the works of great teachers such as Swami Satchidananada Saraswati, TKV Desikachar, BKS Iyengar, to name but a few, and my wonderful students.

The word Yoga comes from the Sanskrit word Yuj – ‘to unite’ and ultimately means ‘Union’. Our own English word, Yoke, is derived from this root. The Bhagavad Gita mentions yoga and union “In this union of Yoga there is liberty: a deliverance from the oppression of pain. This Yoga must be followed with faith, with a strong and courageous heart.” [Chapter 6 (23)]

Yoga is totally holistic and incorporates harmony of body, mind and spirit. The under lying purpose of the different aspects of the practice of yoga is to reunite the individual self (Jiva) with the Absolute or pure consciousness (Brahman). In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali tells us that the practice of yoga will train the mind to reach a state of perfect harmony “Yoga is the control of thought-waves in the mind.” Chapter 1(2).

Raja is one of the sub-divisions of yoga it means ‘Royal’, the highest path of yoga and refers to the path of meditation. It is closely linked with Hatha, ultimately aimed at mastering the mind, but realising that to reach the spiritual goal the physical body must be fit and efficient. In his foreword in the ‘Hatha Yoga Pradipika’,

BKS Iyengar suggests that “A steady and mindful inbreath and outbreath minimises the fluctuations and helps to stabilise the mind. Once this steadiness has been established through Pranayama, the senses can be withdrawn from their objects. This is Pratyahara. Pratyahara must be established before Dhyana (concentration) can take place. Dhyana flows into Dharana (meditation) and Dharana into Samadhi (enlightenment).”

Meditation is very simple, it’s like enjoying a date with yourself. If I can do it than anyone can as I’m one of the busiest bees I know with an extremely restless mind by nature. Probably that’s what attracted me to Yoga in the first place. Yoga and Yoga Meditation have and are my saving grace.

In the classes I run we sit on chairs, blocks, yoga mats, against the wall, anything goes, as long as we have an upright head, neck and spine, so no lying down (sorry), preferably with eyes open but you will soon learn what works best for you each time you sit to meditate as practice is key. I provide a menu of meditation techniques we test them and then you work with what suits you best. Home practice is so important and is the key to success along with self-discipline.

The group have kindly given me permission to share some of their comments and experiences.

“I drove home still with that beautiful peace that surrounded me throughout meditation. I ate dinner slow as that was how it felt was right. So calm all evening. Thank you.x”

“Thank you so much for our meditation sessions; it and the group has brought much needed rebalancing and resetting over the last few weeks.”

“I’ve really enjoyed our classes and regular meditation is definitely making me a calmer person. I’m so grateful for the experience I’ve gained at our classes. Thank you everyone.x”

“Thank you so much Geri for our lovely meditation sessions. I’m not naturally a calm person but totally agree that I too had one, if not the best, calm night’s sleep last night that I’ve had for a long time…. Thank you everyone as the group does make it such a lovely environment.”

“I have really enjoyed our meditation. I feel really relaxed after them. I think you should do some tapes or an app. I’m looking forward to the next session.”

“I really enjoyed the sessions. Thanks for teaching us a new skill that benefits our minds and bodies. I now realise how my “me” time is so important to me in this busy, stressful world. Thanks Geri. Keep up the excellent work.”

“You’re amazing Geri. I think you should do YouTube meditation videos….xx Then your world will open and everyone can share your ‘guruness’.x”

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the meditation classes, there’s such a lovely atmosphere and such a nice group to share the experience with. I’ve benefitted from the meditation, I always sleep better afterwards and feel calm and relaxed. I love Monday’s! Look forward to starting again in the New Year and to Geri’s meditation videos on YouTube. You can do it Geri, you’re brilliant!”

“I didn’t realise how affected I would be with regular meditation. Thank you my yoga guru.xxx”

Wow, so many wonderful experiences and comments – thank you.

A Guru is high praise indeed and something I aspire to. According to www.Wikipedia.org. “Guru is a Sanskrit term for a “teacher, guide, expert, or master” of certain knowledge or field.”

I lack the confidence to produce videos, podcasts and other on-line tutorials as the more I learn the more I realise there is to learn! Yoga teaching and practice nourishes my soul, quenches my thirst for knowledge, helps me to develop confidence, so one day soon you may just see me on a computer and or hear me on a downloadable app!

The next Yoga Meditation course is scheduled to start in January 2020. Why not join us?

Yoga for ‘Hot’ Women is a Hatha Yoga practice specifically tailored to support, nourish and empower women through some of the many symptoms encountered at Peri-menopause, Menopause and Beyond.

This is a time of change, transformation, a metamorphosis as major shifts occur in our endocrine system, often a journey of self-discovery, leading to life-changing events. A time to slow-down, take stock and reflect on who we truly are and what we want from life.

“First find rest … If the body wants to slow down, you have to allow it to slow down for a while.” Geeta S. Iyengar author of ‘Yoga: A Gem for Women’.

I’ve been practicing yoga for four decades and have adapted my own yoga practice during chronic illness, grief, pregnancy, postpartum, as a busy working mother and now at peri-menopause.

Like ‘Jemima Shore Investigates’ I love to investigate, explore, watch, listen, read, learn and have gleaned so much knowledge, tried and tested various methods of yoga practice, plus other coping strategies that help me at this stage in my life. I’m keen to share my knowledge and experience, as a yoga teacher, practitioner, homoeopath and a woman, confident it will help to empower, nourish and support other women.

“Take advantage of the clarity of vision that is the gift of menopause and use that gift to let the second half of your life truly be your own.” Christiane Northrup, M.D., ‘The Wisdom of Menopause: Creating Physical and Emotional Health and Healing During the Change’

I’ve become increasingly more aware of the many menopausal symptoms, approximately forty, and the impact they have on so many women who are suffering, often in silence, wondering what the hell is happening to them!

Yoga practice can help reduce some of the more undesirable effects of hormonal changes by helping to restore balance and harmony to the body and mind.

You will learn a variety of techniques to help cope with some of the many symptoms that can occur e.g. irregular and/or heavy periods, hot flushes, sweats, pelvic-floor issues, pains in the joints, mood swings, sleeplessness, anxiety, depression, panic-attacks, absentmindedness, headaches, palpitations, bone health, fatigue, loss of libido, vaginal atrophy, etc.

“You can use hot flashes as a personal wake-up call: “Wake-up! Something powerful is happening!” Use this changing time before it passes to access and study your old behaviours, sweat out what no longer works – poisons and toxins you have accumulated in your lifetime – and to let go of old hatreds and resentments. The more you use your hot flashes, the more skilful you become in transforming energy, and thus your life.” Ana Forrest, Yoga Teacher

We will also explore the importance of nutrition, exercise, relaxation, mindfulness, self-care and a variety of treatment options. The group will share their experiences and coping strategies so we can learn from each other which can be very supportive. We will also laugh, be sad, confused, hot, anxious, depressed sometimes. I will teach you to recognise, acknowledge and accept these emotions as part of the process as we journey through life. There is light at the end of the tunnel, even if you sometimes feel lost in the dark.

Do come and join us for Yoga for ‘Hot’ Women on Thursday 6.00-7.00pm at Plas Mawr Community Centre, Blackwood, for the next 5 weeks or for 3 weeks from next Tuesday Noon-1.00pm at Studio 54, Blackwood.

For more information check out my Classes page.

This weekend I organised for a small group of yoga students and I to try Yoga on Stand-up Paddle Boards (SUP) at Llandegfedd Reservoir.

The weather was perfect sunny, warm, clear skies and no wind. We parked our cars and walked down towards the reservoir we were all ‘blown away’ by the picture-perfect view. The undisturbed surface of the water beautifully reflected the sky and surrounding landscape, like a mirror. We all breathed the fresh, clean air, rich in prana and so energising. The location was perfect for the practice of yoga.

I was in full Alpha Female mode having organised our pose’ to meet, share transportation, arrive at the venue safely, sign-in and kit ourselves out with best fitting wetsuits and neoprene shoes. We all changed into our swimwear and wetsuits and received our safety brief from our instructor Kate Holly, of ‘Yoga with Kitty’ fame.

There were 13 in our group and 12 inflatable paddle boards which were lightweight and easy to carry the short journey to the water. One student shared Kate’s board. It was so warm and sunny that several of our group decided to ditch the wetsuits and wear just swimmers. Kate lead the way on her extra-large paddle board, and we all followed lying on our bellies, rowing with our arms. We were only a short distance from the shore and each paddle board anchored to a fixed rope so there was no fear of drifting off. I was the last to enter the water as I took photos to record the event. I then left ‘Little Miss Organiser’ on the shore as I switched to yoga student mode.

The water was surprisingly warm and refreshing but I had no intention of going in further than paddling to my knees to set-off and alight! We started lying on our backs, knees bent to relax and accustom ourselves to being on the water. I don’t usually suffer with motion-sickness, but I could feel the movement of the board and found this quite a challenge especially in the camel and standing sequence of postures.

I regretted having such a large breakfast. I had worn my wetsuit but was too hot and soon removed it to my waist, I also removed my neoprene shoes as found my movement was restricted in them on the non-slip surface of the board.

Sixty minutes into the session I really started to relax and enjoy myself, this was enhanced by my decision to remove my wetsuit as I found it quite cumbersome. A few students fell into the water but quickly and easily pulled themselves back onto their boards. Kate’s soft voice guided us through a lovely yoga sequence, with lots of reassurance, many tips to assist our enjoyment and modifications where necessary – “just keep the handle aligned with your belly”.

There were many other water-sports taking place that day and lots of noise as a result, but this only encouraged the practice of ‘Pratyahara’ (withdrawal of the senses), the fifth element among the Eight Limbs of the great yogic sage Patanjali’s Yoga.

The relaxation was total bliss.

Lying on the board, the gentle movement of the water was now cradling and lulling all my senses, the warmth of the sun on my face and body, I was totally in lost in the moment, no longer organiser, yoga teacher, mother, just ME! I really didn’t want the relaxation to end as I felt that I only truly accustomed myself to the whole SUP Yoga experience towards the end of the session, after I had removed most of the extra layers of clothing I had worn for fear of being cold.

We all thoroughly enjoyed the experience. What a wonderful way to spend a Saturday morning, we all breezed through the rest of the day. Several of us were keen to book to go again before the end of the season (mid October).

Do you fancy joining us? Namaste.

We enjoyed an amazing party night full of fun, surprises, fancy dress, food, drink, games, quiz, creativity and laughter.  They say time flies when you are having fun and indeed 3 hours just wasn’t long enough this year as we didn’t get to dance very much, if at all! More

Our Aura Yoga Community came together to celebrate, with a Christmas themed, dinner and dance evening this month, demonstrating the true essence of word ‘Kula’ in Sanskrit. More

I was listening to Radio Bristol last Saturday and John Hoare from the Bristol Laughter Club, the oldest Laughter Yoga Club outside India, was being interviewed about Laughter Yoga and inevitably there was lots of laughter! More