SingingTreeYoga

And once again I've deservedly been brought back down to earth here in Rhodes town, by local conversation. Of course there is concern about Eco-tourism (or lack of) and there are people working towards solutions Ms Morrell!  I guess the problem once again all boils down to numbers, the sheer amount of people in Europe taking holidays is the issue. So I ask you wouldn't you rather contribute to a places natural beauty and antiquity rather than this oblique manner of existence? Don't you want to be absorbed in travel, for the experience to move ones whole being, change focus, change brain waves, make you feel alive? Ahem! One day I'll be truthful about times & dates (but for now I'm happy in my Yogic youth giving properties). Back to the late 60s & early 70s here in Crete, where my mumma lived and taught. She has amazing pictures of what I imagined I'd see here in Greece. And I did, to certain extent.... if I ignored the fat 'sun-red' punt...

Catching a couple of hours respite in a local Rhodes Town Cafe I am struck by my surroundings. So I did it! Before a hectic remainder of the Choirs busy years concert schedule I've taken a spontaneous holiday in Greece. Something has slipped. From the Kim Wilde 'You Just Keep Me Hanging on' playing overhead to the 36 degrees and 99% humidity. My lil' artistic brain is overheating, plus I don't feel like being exported back into polka dots and 80s bubble skirts, today. Efcharistò. Stray animals have taken over; there's a multitude of the furry beings, kittens, cats and mangy looking dogs. Locals have concocted bizarre looking contraptions to try and deal with the 'poo' problem in pot plants. Plastic mesh and spiky wooden things, sticks sticking up out of the soil. None of it seems to be working to deter the detritus. Freshly laid feces for your touristic pleasure. I wouldn't normally pull focus to these things, because 'tourism is as tou...

So here I am, like a child about to dive into their first ice cream of the summer; waiting in anticipation of a great new adventure... that's right, I'm off to Rhodes Island, Greece. My momma taught English and History here in the early 70's. In her Dusty Springfield Joan Baez phase... protesting the Vietnam war, falling in love with a local boy and then getting kicked out of the country for standing by what she believed in. So I have lots of imaginary 'baggage' to lug over with me. I'm fictionally not travelling light. Practically I am though, with sustainable travel kit and the intention to explore intrepidly, zoot...I'm off. Au revoir, ciao London is black hole at times, a succubus of souls. Yoga on clean sand and salt in my hair; here I come! 

Well who would have thought it. The sea is crystal clear, the sun shining in the sky, nature is present in all it's glory; Cornwall. Here's picture of  Polperro harbour Cornwall, England. Why not splash out this year and take that Yoga Retreat in your own country? And a top tip if you are looking for a good one, I've included a link below. And if you're new to Yoga then look for a classically qualified yoga instructor in Iyengar, Hatha or Ashtanga forms of Yoga. This is reliable instruction that doesn't take place over a weekend or a quick 3 week course! Happy Holidays 🌸🧘🏼‍♀️🌸 ==>ClickHere<== 

Merry Stretch-making and all things Yogic this Christmas. I've arrived mid jet lag in the Southern Hemisphere...all the stars have changed and the water runs round the plug in a different direction. However Yoga is still fun and this week in the lead up to tomorrow's big day I've gone to my original ashram with my brother to do Yoga together. Love it! Happy and safe holidays ☺️🧘🏼‍♀️🌺 "Happiness will never come to  those who fail to appreciate what they already have."                                                                                                                                        Buddha

Did you manage to do your own 10-15minutes yoga and stretching this week? Good work! Well done! Yoga can really be the backbone to a full career in whatever it is you are most passionate about, whatever you love the most. Here at Yoga is where you can explore the change in your lifestyle, the flux that people go through these days in between jobs, changing career paths and let's face it today's stresses and strains require that we stay so very flexible. So I give you permission to step back in time, tell the boss you quit or whatever and... as they used to say on the 60's Morocco hippie trail, after the beatniks, the 'overland', go find yourself!  My fault,  my failure, is not the passions I have but in my lack of control of them.                                                                   ...

On a serious note I should have put in the headline 'economics' but here it's convoluted; ergonomics and economics of what women have to deal with on a monthly basis. Yoga can help with counteracting Menorrhagia or heavy bleeding during our monthly periods. In Iyengar Yoga we do a lot of training around helping to guide women through this physical process each month. That's why when you do find a regular Yoga practise, as a women, all your needs including child birth can be handled by a certified practitioner. Right, back to fixing your problem. Periods can be a painful fact of life. And expensive, especially as the need to be organic and sustainable with the process increases. The NHS states that most women will lose less than 16 teaspoons of blood (80ml) during their period, with the average being around 6 to 8 teaspoons. This is good information to know. You can measure yourself against the average and know that it's normal.... or that your system is sli...

Here's a straight forward blog about Chakras, the differences, the colours pertained to them and their use in Yoga. Look at the etymology of chakras ==>CLICKHERE<==  if you like then read on: There are 7 'main' chakras arranged along the spine from the bottom to the top; 1. Muladhara  2. Svadhisthana 3. Nabhi-Manipura  4. Anahata 5. Vishuddhi 6. Ajna 7. Sahasrara In Iyengar Yoga we refer to them in practise and also with meditation. Giving a great sense of wellness and holistic application to meditation. 1. Muladhara RED means 'root support' originates at the base of our spine and governs down through the bottom of our feet. Breath deeply here, we wash away impurities and strengthen our sense of stability and groundedness in our lives. 2. Svadhisthasana ORANGE  'Sacral Chakra' below the navel and small of the back. Translated means 'one's home' 'loveliness' or 'sweetness'. Heal sexual woundedness, cultivate na...

I suppose the style of Yoga you do offers so much or so little complexity to your life. If like me you thrive on being busy and inspired then possibly Iyengar Yoga is the choice of yoga for you too. Anyhow this latest Blog is a quick heads-up to anyone struggling with tight hamstrings in their practise. These 5 Asana can be practised as a whole sequence or individually to get the benefits: Uttanasana (forward bending pose) Utthita Trikonasana (Extended Triangle Pose) Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-legged forward fold) Pachimottanasana (Seated forward bend)  Supta Padanguthasana (Reclining hand-to-big-toe pose).  The last asana of this group especially targets the hamstrings - and in Iyengar we use straps so it's easy to access or 'get into' this one. Also a SingingTreeYoga top tip if you are suffering with tightness in the legs is to afterwards soak in a hot bath with natural Epsom Salts - bliss! Enjoy 😊

I hope you find some inspiration reading the SingingTreeYoga blog. I can through lifes' experiences encourage you to unwind to try and be present in the world. To have a quality of mindfulness in your conversations and actions. Become better at communication and relationships. Be closer and more thoughtful when forming new relationships. It's so difficult to construct ourselves in this way in this world. With that floating island of plastic in the Pacific and all the chaos around us.  Yoga and meditation, done for 10 minutes at some point in your day can relieve you of stress. Even better if you can do it with the people in your life. So that the 'wins' and 'Aha' moments can be shared. We are all learning from each other collectively we gain insight and knowledge of how to heal the hurt.  The mind is everything. What you think, you become .                                    ...