Yoga Holiday by Numbers

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Bikram yoga, daily yoga, hot yoga, Portugal yoga holiday, vinyasa yoga, yoga holiday, Yoga Holiday With Paul, yoga mindfulness, yoga relaxation, yoga retreat, Yoga With Paul

The week has gone much, much too fast but here we are… the last day of our yoga retreat. It has been a delight, as always. Dedicating this time to practice, mindfulness, nourishing our bodies, and enjoying old friends and new.

Just for fun, here’s a little breakdown of our Yoga Holiday by numbers!

We took full advantage of our time here to practice, rest, replenish and, of course, have some fun and absorb the glorious sunshine and local atmosphere.

Thanking all of my amazing friends & students for this experience. Have safe journeys home and may this week continue to refresh and renew you in your daily life.

Namaste.

4 Yoga Poses for the Sacrum

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back bends, back pain, bridge pose, locust pose, mula bandha, sacroiliac joint, sacrum, wheel pose, yoga back pain, yoga healing, yoga strength, Yoga With Paul

The sacrum is the large bone at the base of your spine, between your pelvic bones, that connects your spine with your hips, pelvis and coccyx. It is connected to the pelvis by the sacroiliac (SI) joints, whose ligaments act as stabilizers and shock absorbers.

photo credit: Rob Swatski

Basically every movement you make involves the sacrum, though the sacrum itself is not very mobile. It’s like the chassis of a car — if you want things to run smoothly, it has to be solid. This is why I often draw attention to it in class, reminding students to be aware of this essential junction in the body.

The following four poses help align and stabilise the sacrum, increase flexibility of the SI joint, and help promote strong, pain-and-injury free skeletal system.

Locust pose (Salabhasana)

This pose strengthens your muscles and improves balance and alignment. Keep your limbs strong and straight, as you would in a standing posture. Keep your thighs tight, heels together, triceps contracted, with every muscle working in harmony.

When you go up it is critical to look up in this pose. This keeps you in correct alignment and will help you gradually build the posture.

Bridge pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)

This asana builds the large lower body muscles and helps improve the alignment of the sacrum. Lie on your back to begin and draw your knees up with your feet flat on the floor, about hip width apart. Press up from the four corners of your feet, engaging the legs and buttocks to lift the hips higher.

Wheel pose (Urdhva Dhanurasana

Wheel pose is a fantastic, challenging way to open up your SI joints, balance your sacrum, and work all the major muscle groups in your body. Done correctly, as in the photo, your sacrum is a “hinge” that the rest of your body revolves around. This is a very releasing, empowering pose.

To ensure you receive maximum benefits, be sure your body is correctly aligned. You need to distribute your weight evenly and move slowly in and out of the posture, always checking that you are keeping your body even. If you do this too fast and twist, you can stress the SI joints.

 

Root lock (Mula Bandha)

Mula Bandha is done by tightening the muscles of the perineum. This is a powerful tool to stabilise the sacrum and revitalise the SI joints. Mula bandha channels the flow of energy within the postures and benefits the pelvic nerves, reproductive and endocrine system, and excretory system.

Questions about sacrum health? Ask in the comments!

It’s Your Yoga Holiday Time!

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#yogagoals, Bikram yoga retreat, home yoga, hot yoga retreat, Portugal yoga retreat, summer yoga holiday, sun salutations, yoga holiday tips, Yoga Holiday With Paul, yoga retreat, Yoga With Paul

Our merry band of yogis is gathering in the Algarve to begin a week of yoga, meditation, music, laughter, food, sunshine, socialising and relaxation.

Even if you weren’t able to join us this time, you can still enjoy the benefits of a break in the midst of your daily routine. Here are three ways to turn any week into an at-home yoga holiday.

Sun salutations (also available on cloudy days)

Holiday Sun Salutations

My recommendation for keeping yourself grounded, healthy and calm during the season is to do home practice. If you don’t have the benefit of the yoga studio warm up with a few sets of Surya Namaskara (sun salutations). Do five to ten rounds of sun salutations followed by other yoga poses and then rest deeply.   This is perfect!

Home Yoga Space

Whether you occasionally do yoga at home or would like to start, a home yoga space is an inspiring way to expand your practice. It is a contrast to the energy of a studio class and helps to make the calming mind-body benefits of yoga part of your every day life.

#YogaGoals

Summer is a time to chill, be with friends, enjoy holidays… but it can also be a time to revitalise our yoga practice. In fact, it’s the perfect time to set some #yogagoals.

When your class schedule or home practice get routine and comfortable, it is time to challenge yourself. Here are three #yogagoals to bring new vitality to your yoga.

1. Add a class, or try a new style: Swap Bikram for Vinyasa for example, or experiment with Ashtanga, Jivamukti or Iyengar
2. Master a new pose: Maybe you’ve always wanted to do a handstand; or learn crane pose. Or take the time to get really good at standing bow, or savasana, or camel
3. Yogify your mind: Focus on your spiritual and mental development by meditating, practicing mindfulness, volunteering, or simply making a conscious effort to take the calm of the studio out into your daily life.

Share your yoga holiday thoughts and experiences in the comments!

 

How to Help When Life Hurts

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mindfulness, practice kindness, yoga, yoga compassion, yoga healing, yoga kindness, Yoga With Paul

Yoga is a wonderful way to cultivate self-compassion, which enables us to show genuine compassion for others. But no matter how advanced our practice, or keen our empathy, we all still struggle to find the right words to say to someone who is hurting.

This inability to communicate our compassion and caring can cause us to unwittingly retreat from pain, and even strain our relationships with loved ones who are having a tough time. How can we best show our concern?

photo credit: symphony of love

According to a great article on Thrive Global, the best thing to say to someone who is hurting is: “How can I love you best right now?”

The author, Rhiannon Webb, explains that this is a way to avoid projecting your own ideas, advice or anxieties onto the situation; it gives your friend a sense of agency; and it affirms your love and support.

Isn’t that great: How can I love you best right now?

It is a question that opens things up, that invites real communication, not just platitudes. Personally, I don’t see any reason to save it for life crisis. Asking our loved ones on a regular basis, “how can I love you best right now?” is a great way to enhance intimacy and connection in every day life.

Who are you going to ask first…?

 

Grilled Veg Pitta Pocket

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clean eating, food yoga, summer recipes, vegetarian recipes, Yoga With Paul

Spring and summer are the perfect time for fast, simple, seasonal food. This BBC Food recipe for grilled vegetable pitta pockets ticks all the boxes: fresh, nutritious, quick to prepare and perfect for eating on the go. Check out the original recipe at BBC Food.

Ingredients

• 1 courgette, trimmed and thinly sliced lengthways
• 2 tsp harissa paste
• 2 tsp olive oil
• small handful broad beans (fresh or frozen)
• 2 tbsp hummus
• 1 spring onion, finely sliced
• 1 tsp tahini paste
• small garlic clove, crushed
• squeeze lemon juice
• 1 tbsp Greek-style yogurt
• 1 large wholemeal pitta bread

Method

1. Toss the courgette slices in the harissa and olive oil, and season. Cook on a hot griddle pan for 2 mins each side or until tender. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
2. Cook the broad beans in boiling water for 2 mins, drain under cold running water, then slip them out of their outer skins. Discard the skins. Put the broad beans, hummus and spring onion in a small bowl and mix to combine.
3. In another bowl, mix the tahini, garlic, lemon juice and yogurt. Toast the pitta and split it to create 2 pockets. Spoon the hummus mix inside each pocket, followed by the spicy courgette slices and a drizzle of the yogurt mixture.

Yoga Retreat Prep: Clear Your Mind

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daily yoga, yoga abroad, yoga holiday, Yoga Holiday With Paul, yoga mindfulness, yoga retreat, yoga retreat Portugal, yoga retreat tips, Yoga With Paul

The annual Yoga Holiday With Paul retreat is coming up fast. In the final weeks and days before a retreat can get crazy with everything you have to do before you go.

Starting a retreat with a frantic, busy mind, however, just means it takes longer to engage with the mental and spiritual elements of yoga. These five steps to clear your mind will help prepare you to gain the maximum from the retreat.

Keep a mental energy diary

It is really easy to get caught up in small things that take up a lot of mental energy. Whether it’s compulsively checking social media, or getting anxious about work, ordinary stuff can gobble up a lot of head space. Over the next day or two take note of what you spend your time thinking about. You may discover habitual thought patterns which you can mindfully eliminate.

Shift your perspective

Make an “essentials” list

Do you really have to do all the things you think you have to do? Chances are, no. Your friends/partner/children/co-workers/pets/neighbours/etc will all be okay without you for a week. Make a list of what you must do, sort that, and don’t worry about the rest.

Do your travel prep

This might sound more like a physical task, but believe me, there is something very cleansing about knowing you’re set and ready to go. Get your passports, papers, etc organised and packed. Fill your suitcase with your favourite yoga clothes, a journal, and whatever else you need. Set your out-of-office and deal with any routine appointments, and so forth, so you aren’t trying to get it all done in the last 24 hours.

Set an intention for the retreat

Spend some time thinking about why you’re going on the retreat, and what you hope to gain from it. Are you looking to push your practice to the next level with challenging classes? Are you hoping to try new kinds of yoga? Are you eager to relax in the sun and make new friends? Setting an intention will help you be focused right from the start, helping you receive the maximum benefits.

Accept imperfection

Approach the retreat with a relaxed, open mind. Be kind to yourself. Not every class or posture will be your best ever, you might not feel as relaxed, or social, or inspired as you hoped. You might get a cold (though hopefully not!) Remember, the point of a yoga retreat is not to add more pressure to perform or meet a set of expectations. We go to learn and practice how to be more accepting, more flexible, softer and kinder.

Now, and always, remember the essence of yoga is unity and compassion — for yourself, others and all living things.

Questions? Thoughts? Share in the comments!

 

Take a Yoga Mini-Break

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#yogaeverydamnday, daily yoga, stress relief, yoga advice, yoga asanas, yoga breaks, yoga practice, yoga tips, Yoga With Paul

Yoga “mini-breaks” are a great way to build your practice when you’re pressed for time.

A lot of students I know struggle to fit regular classes around their busy lives, and then feel bad or get discouraged because they feel like they are falling behind or “failing”.

Hitting the studio for an hour-long Vinyasa class or a 90 minute hot yoga workout is fantastic. It strengthen, stretch and revitalise your mind and body.

But it is not the only way to enjoy the benefits of yoga.

Yoga can happen anywhere and everywhere. And in any span of time.

Time for a yoga mini-break!

A yoga “mini-break” can be 5, 10, or 15 minutes long. Instead of having to block out an hour or two, you can do several short sets of breathing and postures throughout your day, which can easily add up to an hour!

For example, you could begin your morning with five minutes of Pranayama — or do a few minutes to centre yourself before a big meeting.

During the day you can do Tadasana (Mountain Pose) at your desk.

Take a few minutes to do cow and cat, and downward facing dog to relax and invigorate your whole body at any time of day.

If headstand is part of your practice that is a great one to energise and reset your body.

Unwind in the evening with Balasana (Child’s pose) and Savasana. This will release the tension of the day and prepare you for restful sleep.

Just a few minutes with each of these poses throughout the day will provide multiple benefits to your mind and body — without overburdening your schedule.

Yoga “mini-breaks” are a realistic way to do #yogaeverydamnday so give it a try!

 

Diving into Yoga at London TDC Camp

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athletic yoga, Dive London, elite diving, London TDC Camp, Olympic Training, Team GB, yoga cross-training, yoga divers, yoga for sport, yoga meditation, yoga Olympics, Yoga With Paul

I have the privilege of teaching at Dive London’s London TDC Camp. Elite young divers were there to refine their skills in preparation for Olympian futures!

London TDC dive camp

These amazing young athletes have tremendous drive and dedication and, I was delighted to discover, an open-minded embrace of yoga. They were great students and it was a pleasure to share not just the physical postures but also the spirit of yoga.

Competitive sport is grueling. Elite athletes face a real challenge in staying strong against injuries and mental exhaustion. Practicing yoga enables them to gain balance and unity, in mind and body. Regular practice can help offset the dangers of over-training and create a more mindful, integrated approach to their sport.

It was a great pleasure to participate in the TDC Camp. I look forward to seeing where these stars rise!

Questions about integrating yoga with your sport training? Please ask in the comments or contact me at yogawithpaul@gmail.com or via Twitter @YogaWithPaul

Making Positive Mistakes

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habit change, meditation, mindfulness, positive change, positive mistakes, yoga, Yoga With Paul

We all make mistakes. That’s a fact of life. What happens next, though, can have a profound affect on how we feel and act in the future.

Mistakes are a tool that we can use to practice self-awareness and self-forgiveness. When we are mindful, we can identify the root causes of our behaviour. Do you lash out at the end when you’re tired? Do you project your feelings onto others? Do you fail to acknowledge other people’s efforts? Do you forget to apologise when you’re wrong? Observing these actions means that you can change them.

Self-forgiveness goes hand-in-hand with self-awareness.

Once you see the situations or emotions that trigger mistakes, you understand that your action is not because you’re a bad person — you are simply responding to stress. Perhaps not in the most healthy way, but that is something you can address.

This parable is a good example of how self-awareness and forgiveness can turn a mistake into a positive:

There were once two monasteries, each located close to a big city. In one monastery, the students were told that human beings were sinners and that intense vigilance and penance were the only ways the students could avoid their sinful tendencies. In the other monastery, the students were encouraged to believe in their fundamental goodness, and to trust their hearts. One day, a young man in each of these monasteries decided that he needed a respite from monastic life. Each boy sneaked out his dormitory window, hitched a ride to the nearby city, found a party, and ended up spending the night with a prostitute. The next morning, the boy from the “sinner” monastery was overcome with punishing remorse. He thought, “I’ve fallen irrevocably from the path. There’s no point in my going back.” He didn’t return to his monastery and soon became part of a street gang.

The second boy also woke up with a hangover. But his response to the situation was very different. “That was not as satisfying as I imagined it would be,” he thought. “I don’t think I’ll do that again anytime soon.” Then he went back to his monastery, climbed in the window, and was admonished for sneaking out at night. My teacher would say that when we believe that we are sinners, a very small slip can send us spiraling into a pattern of self-destructive action. But when we know, as the yoga sages tell us, that we are fundamentally divine, that we are all Buddhas, it’s much easier to forgive our selves for the bad or unskillful things we do. It’s also easier to change our behavior. So the real solution to our problematic guilty feelings is to recognize, over and over again, the light of God’s love that illuminates our heart.

Next time you screw up, don’t beat yourself up, and don’t ignore it. Take some time to mindfully consider the situation and move towards a positive outcome.

When has a mistake helped you make a positive change? Share your story in the comments.